The band began as a ska group but quickly transcended the genre, mixing punk, reggae, rock, swing and jazz influences. They sing in both French and English, sometimes mixing the two in songs. Their third album, Dances of Resistance, was recorded in 2003 and largely has an anti-war theme. In 2009 they launched their latest album La Belle Étoile. Since then they are still on tour all over the world, from their own country France to other countries in Europe, but also to foreign places like Abu Dhabi and New Zealand.
Official Myspace
Sufferin' Souls
Babylon Circus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talking with my brother Natty Congo Bongo
Let me tell you what he said
Let me tell you what he said
How long shall I stay on that bridge,
Waiting for the Police to go
How long shall I smoke on that spliff
Too long, we've been too long
Waiting for the children to grow
Sitting on a step at di station
With Mama in a great tribulation
Let me tell you what she said
Let me tell you what she said
See dem a cheating and a lying
See dem a shootin' our children
And we're standing aside, doing nothing
And we're holdin' our head and crying.
Sitting in the grass inna Zion
Chatting with an old countryman
Let me tell you what he said
Let me tell you what he said
They came up, to cut down my tree
They came up, to burn all di country
They came up...
Sufferin' souls in Asia
Sufferin' souls in Africa
Sufferin' souls in South America
Sufferin' souls everywhere,
And no where to go fe dem now
(Merci à lou, piette pour cettes paroles)
The song "Sufferin' Souls" by Babylon Circus portrays the struggles and injustices faced by people all around the world, particularly those in impoverished areas. The lyrics describe conversations with people from different parts of the world who are all experiencing pain and sorrow in their own ways.
In the first verse, the singer is talking with his brother Natty Congo Bongo, who is lamenting the amount of time he spends waiting for the police to leave and for the children to grow up. He expresses frustration with the state of affairs and the ongoing struggle for equality.
In the second verse, the singer is sitting with Mama at a train station. She expresses anger and sadness at the way people are cheating, lying and even killing children, and nobody is doing anything about it. She feels helpless and it brings her to tears.
In the final verse, the singer chats with an old countryman in Zion. The man speaks about how those in power are trying to destroy everything and everyone, including cutting down trees and burning entire countries. The song ends by acknowledging the suffering of people all around the world and pointing out that there seems to be nowhere for them to turn.
Overall, "Sufferin' Souls" is a powerful and poignant song that highlights the struggles and pain experienced by people all around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting on the ground in di ghetto
I am sitting on the ground in the ghetto
Talking with my brother Natty Congo Bongo
I am talking with my brother Natty Congo Bongo
Let me tell you what he said
This is what he said
Let me tell you what he said
This is what he said
How long shall I stay on that bridge,
I have been waiting on that bridge for so long
Waiting for the Police to go
I want the police to leave
How long shall I smoke on that spliff
I have been smoking this joint for too long
Waiting for the children to grow
I have been waiting for the children to grow up
Too long, we've been too long
It's been too long
Waiting for the children to grow
We've been waiting for the children to grow up
Sitting on a step at di station
I am sitting on a step at the station
With Mama in a great tribulation
My mother is in great trouble
Let me tell you what she said
This is what she said
Let me tell you what she said
This is what she said
See dem a cheating and a lying
They are cheating and lying
See dem a shootin' our children
They are shooting our children
And we're standing aside, doing nothing
We are not doing anything about it
And we're holdin' our head and crying.
We are crying and feeling helpless
Sitting in the grass inna Zion
I am sitting in the grass in Zion
Chatting with an old countryman
I am talking with an old man from the country
Let me tell you what he said
This is what he said
Let me tell you what he said
This is what he said
They came up, to cut down my tree
They came to cut down my tree
They came up, to burn all di country
They came to burn down the country
They came up...
They came and did all of these terrible things
Sufferin' souls in Asia
There are suffering souls in Asia
Sufferin' souls in Africa
There are suffering souls in Africa
Sufferin' souls in South America
There are suffering souls in South America
Sufferin' souls everywhere,
There are suffering souls everywhere
And no where to go fe dem now
They have nowhere to go now
Contributed by Isabella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jeliceinchains
great one !!!
@MrJujuriri
For foreigners who don't know French rock... Other good French rock songs (63 songs)...
Babylon circus - pauvre fou : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwnIlia1ZBo
N&SK - Kangourou nomade : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41Aj9jYGsDw
La ruda salska - Que le bon l'emporte : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnEDMKt4c-A
Maximum kouette - C'est promu : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNQViwedNm0
Los tres puntos - Rambo show : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-uMyFSx-yU
Los tres puntos - Si oh : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vW_iRxF4HI
La ruda salska - Barton killer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rJPuqLO-Rg
Spook & the guay - L'homme : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCM_yOQ1Fe8
Percubaba - Le choix : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSJka33CSjg
Shaka Ponk/Bertrand Cantat - Palabra mi amor : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrLWo2QOsH4
Subway - Ces mots là : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leCgTTCC1mM
Luke - Soledad : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBOAwVpEvxw
Noir desir - Tostaky : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4il2GbaJyc
Deportivo - 1000 moi même : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyRoui-OXPA
Guerilla poubelle - Etre une femme : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMKy90TSrJA
Melissmell - Sobre la muerte : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8_Fe9ziM2E
Damien Saez - Jeune et con : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liG2cXiBs5k
Superbus - Radio song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry2QikE__Jw
Elista - Perceval : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQEllsRtUr4
BB brunes - Dis moi : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3VNRVo7irM
An Pierlé (Belgium) - Il est 5 heures, Paris s'éveille : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZOEmigHwY0
Gaëtan Roussel - Help myself : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAdr5j1ztNQ
Mickey 3D - Yalil : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUsXf5EbsP8
Indochine - L'aventurier : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7X6oYg6iro
Babylon circus - Pauvre fou : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwnIlia1ZBo
Mano negra - Mala vida : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmxoPjwnvPM
Alerte rouge - Toutes les bombes : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6a8kGkLUps
Jena Lee - Je me perds : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5oeTaN85o
Kyo - Je cours : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xqBUE8z-bk
Svinkels - Réveille le punk : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d30eeRnsaDU
Sept - Fils de pute : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3dNBtI_DME
Lofofora - Hollidays in France : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDW1HQNunps
Oneyed Jack - Le choléra : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3qE8DzMCd8
Enhancer - KO : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBASDnYCdHg
Pleymo - United nowhere : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRT8__Iyyg0
Mass hysteria - Chiens de la casse : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skUkWoEMj6s
ETHS - Crucifère : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S97oUM_fjs8
Black bomb a - Mary : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HHsrfwrAa8
Dagoba - Rush : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RCJiFzirP0
Smash hit combo - Baka : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8LeTBizIdQ
Gojira - Born in winter : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suG-c_i2fBQ
Beyon-d-lusion - Sweet surrender : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM1xL5bpXFM
Empyr - New day : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjcjcQXteeU
Oneyed Jack - Tribes : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufT0YDg_8po
Babylon pression - Sandwich à la merde : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRcZg1wc4Vk
Gojira - L'enfant sauvage : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGHlZwMYO9g
Pleymo - World : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfEfRIOVIpQ
Oneyed Jack - Da borgn : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO0K8pkglP8
Subway - Nos nuits d'opaline : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgXDFpCwTUw
Deportivo - La brise : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3HMsIhB_mQ
Melissmell - Les enfants de la crise : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kaij80wkI4M
Dolly - Je ne veux pas rester sage : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KALarC0tX8w
La grand sophie - Du courage : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7e1uE5yIHY
Yel - Nil nove sub sole : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjG0sA1xNwQ
Aston Villa - J'en rêve : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbxZQI9qWGA
Shaka Ponk - Let's bang : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWYLL7wFyns
Les boukakes - Seur feur : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIVxxxBW1BQ
Noir désir - Comme elle vient : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61WDzXefQcU
Catleya - Rien ne presse : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33MyWKOsQls
HK et les saltimbanks - Indignez vous : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfayo6x9h_w
Zebda - Le bruit et l'odeur : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh2otDHTo68
Mano negra - Pas assez de toi : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSxoxqDB0OI
Les 3 fromages - C'est toi que je t'aime : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ2KlqFz-Ww
Zen zila - Cherie madame : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qwmqr9xBkM