Amadou and Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the couple Maria… Read Full Bio ↴Amadou and Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the couple Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born in Mali's capital Bamako 15 April 1958) and Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (born in Bamako 24 October 1954). The pair, known as "the blind couple from Mali" met at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind, and found they shared an interest in music.

The duo produces music that mixes traditional Mali sound with rock guitars, Syrian violins, Cuban trumpets, Egyptian ney, Colombian trombones, Indian tablas and Dogon percussion. All these elements put together have been referred to as "Afro-blues".

In 2004 they put out an acclaimed album produced by Manu Chao.

In 2006 they were acknowledged with BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music in the two categories: Africa and Album of the Year (for the "Dimanche à Bamako" release).

www.amadou-mariam.com

Mali Denou
Amadou & Mariam Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nous saluons toute la patrie malienne,
Il y a des hommes de parole au Mali.
Il y a des hommes de confiance, des hommes de culture.
Des bons policiers, des bons gendarmes, de bons douaniers,
Il y a de bons soldats au Mali.
Si tu vas à l'étranger et que tu ne rencontres pas de Maliens,
tu ne seras pas heureux.
Si tu viens en France et que tu ne vois pas Fatou Soucko.

C'est que tu ne seras pas heureux. Je salue tous les Maliens.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Mali Denou" by Amadou & Mariam are a tribute to their home country, Mali, and its people. The song starts with the lines "Nous saluons toute la patrie malienne" which translates to "We salute the entire Malian homeland." This sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, expressing appreciation and respect for the people of Mali.

The subsequent lines highlight the qualities and characteristics of Malian individuals. They mention "hommes de parole" (men of their word), "hommes de confiance" (trustworthy men), "hommes de culture" (cultured men), and various officials such as police officers, gendarmes, and customs officers, emphasizing that there are good people holding these positions in Mali. The lyrics continue by acknowledging the presence of good soldiers in the country.

The song also alludes to the importance of the Malian diaspora. It suggests that if one travels abroad and does not encounter Malians, they will not find happiness. In particular, it mentions the name Fatou Soucko in France, symbolizing the need to connect with compatriots for contentment.

Line by Line Meaning

Nous saluons toute la patrie malienne
We greet the entire Malian homeland

Il y a des hommes de parole au Mali.
There are men of their word in Mali.

Il y a des hommes de confiance, des hommes de culture.
There are trustworthy men, men of culture.

Des bons policiers, des bons gendarmes, de bons douaniers,
Good police officers, good gendarmes, good customs officers,

Il y a de bons soldats au Mali.
There are good soldiers in Mali.

Si tu vas à l'étranger et que tu ne rencontres pas de Maliens,
If you go abroad and don't meet any Malians,

tu ne seras pas heureux.
you won't be happy.

Si tu viens en France et que tu ne vois pas Fatou Soucko.
If you come to France and don't see Fatou Soucko.

C'est que tu ne seras pas heureux. Je salue tous les Maliens.
It means you won't be happy. I greet all Malians.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: DOUMBIA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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