-M- (Matthieu Chedid) is a well-respected artist from France. Before releas… Read Full Bio ↴-M- (Matthieu Chedid) is a well-respected artist from France. Before releasing his own material, he used to be a favored session man for a great variety of pop and electronic acts. He creates extremely eclectic music, plays a whole host of instruments himself during recordings and has a large base of dedicated fans.

His music being so eclectic, it is hard to label him. However, the influence of Serge Gainsbourg can be traced in the way he uses the structures of Anglo-Saxon pop and funk, but blends them with the French tradition of complex lyrical wordplay and an emphasis on storytelling.

He his known for his unique hairstyle in the shape of an M, and praised for his amazing guitar playing abilities , and his grandiose live performances à la David Bowie (documented in the live album Le Tour de -M-).

He is Louis Chédid's son. Some of his texts (among which Bonobo) have been written by the writer Andrée Chédid, who happens to be his grandmother.

Amssétou
-M- Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
Oh ma li, ma liberté
Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
Oh ma li, ma liberté

Même si je ne sais presque rien
Même si toi tu sais presque tout
Tu sais la vie, c'est trois fois rien

Trois fois rien, c'est déjà beaucoup

{Amssétou}
Ouuh ouh ouh
{Amssétou}
Ouuh ouh ouh

C'est ma vie qui veut ça
C'est ta vie qui veut ça
C'est ma vie qui veut ça
C'est ta vie qui veut ça

Aah Amssétou
L'âme, c'est tout
{Amssétou}
{Amssétou}

Je suis pour toi crocodile blanc
C'est comme ça, on n'y peut rien
Depuis que je suis loin de toi
Je fais moins le malien

C'est ma vie qui veut ça
C'est ta vie qui veut ça
C'est ma vie qui veut ça
C'est ta vie qui veut ça

Aah Amssétou
{Amssétou}
L'âme, c'est tout
{Amssétou}
Aah Amssétou
{Amssétou}
L'âme, c'est tout
{Amssétou}
Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
Oh ma li, ma liberté
Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
Oh ma li, ma liberté
Oh ma li, ma liberté

Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
{Amssétou}
Oh ma li , ma liberté
{Amssétou}
Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
{Amssétou}
Oh ma li , ma liberté
{Amssétou}
Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
{Amssétou}
Oh ma li, ma liberté
{Amssétou}
Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
{Amssétou}
Oh ma li , ma liberté

Oh ma li , ma liberté

Aah , Amssétou

Overall Meaning

The song "Amssétou" by -M- is a celebration of freedom and a nostalgic ode to Mali, the country in Africa where the singer had found his freedom. He begins by affirming that he has found his freedom in Mali, with the repeated words "Au Mali j'ai retrouvé, Oh ma li, ma liberté" ("I found my freedom in Mali, Oh my li, my freedom"). Despite not knowing much, unlike someone who knows almost everything, he acknowledges that life is enough even with little knowledge. The repeated invocation of "Amssétou" is a tribute to a woman who holds a special place in the singer's heart, and whose name is not explained but is repeated throughout the song. "Amssétou" is an Arabic name that means "one who is faithful."

The chorus of the song underscores the message that life shapes itself and that it is important to follow the call of the soul, saying "C'est ma vie qui veut ça, C'est ta vie qui veut ça" ("It's my life that wants that, It's your life that wants that"). In the bridge, the singer acknowledges his loyalty to something that is beyond his control, personified by a "crocodile blanc" ("white crocodile"), and recognizes that being away from it has made him less of a Malian.

Line by Line Meaning

Au Mali j'ai retrouvé
After returning to Mali, I have found

Oh ma li, ma liberté
Oh Mali, my freedom

Même si je ne sais presque rien
Even though I know almost nothing

Même si toi tu sais presque tout
Even though you know almost everything

Tu sais la vie, c'est trois fois rien
You know that life is not much

Trois fois rien, c'est déjà beaucoup
Not much is already a lot

{Amssétou}
Amssétou

Ouuh ouh ouh
Ouuh ouh ouh

C'est ma vie qui veut ça
It is my life that wants it

C'est ta vie qui veut ça
It is your life that wants it

Aah Amssétou
Aah Amssétou