Michel Sanchez came up with the idea of mixing Baka Pygmy chants with modern music after hearing on-site recordings of these tribes. Along with Eric Mouquet they created the project Deep Forest. Their first self-titled album (nominated for a Grammy) was released in 1992, with Sweet Lullaby being the smash single which would put Deep Forest on the musical map (UK Top 10 hit). The song "Sweet Lullaby" is adapted from a traditional song from the Solomon Islands. The album Deep Forest was dance-driven and the samples were heavily digitised and edited. It was re-released as a limited edition in 1994 under the name World Mix.
For their second album Boheme, Eric and Michel left behind the sounds of the forest and ventured into Eastern Europe bringing tender, lonesome Hungarian and Gypsy chants with upbeat, yet sad, music. The chants were no longer brief, instead extended phrases had been sampled from Hungarian, Russian and Transylvanian sample CDs. Marta Sebestyen performed on this album.
The duo also performed and produced the remixes for the Youssou N'Dour single "Undecided" in 1994, with guest vocals by Neneh Cherry (who featured on n'Dour's break-through single "Seven Seconds"). That same year Deep Forest made remixes for Jon Anderson's "Deseo", Apollo 440's "Liquid Cool" and Cesária Évora's "My Fatigue is Endless". In 1996 Deep Forest collaborated with Peter Gabriel on the song While the Earth Sleeps, which was written for the film Strange Days.
The follow-up third album, Comparsa, contained sounds and chants from Madagascar and Cuba. The music is often upbeat and celebratory. The last song from the album Media Luna, which was also released as a single, features a duet of Syrian and Spanish singers Abed Azrei and Ana Torroja from Spanish band Mecano. The duo collaborated with Joe Zawinul during the recording of the album. A recording of their live concert in Japan was also released on a CD called Made in Japan. Although all the songs featured in the show are from the previous three albums, they have new often-longer arrangements and all the chants are performed and reinterpreted by live performers.
In 1999 Deep Forest worked with Cheb Mami and Catherine Lara on the song "L'Enfant Fleur" which had been composed for Sol En Si (a French charity which helps HIV families).
In 2000, Deep Forest released a music for the movie Le Prince du Pacifique, Pacifique. It mixes pacific and island beats with electronic music. Music Detected was the title of their fifth much-anticipated official Deep Forest album which saw the duo turn its attention to the Far East and the Orient for inspiration. It also signalled a change in musical style for Deep Forest, from dance to a more rock-influence.
In 2008 Eric Mouquet released Deep Brasil, this album is a collaboration with Brazilian artist Flavio Dell Isola Amazonia.
In 2009, 2010 Eric Mouquet went on tour and prepared the upcoming album Deep Africa.
This album should be released in summer 2011 and will feature lot of African artists, Lokua Kanza, Blick Bassy, Oliza, Wasis Diop, Zama Magudulela, and Wes's brother, Dany Dikoume.
Goiano
Deep Forest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Com simplicidade
Goianas brotinhos bonitos e sensuais
Goiano vem de gói
Fala meu zói
Ali que me criei
Ali que amei
Goiana índia
Gozando a vida
Goiano enraizei
Amante da liberdade
Criador de música
Goiano é demais
Tem Goiandira do Couto
Areia vermelha
E o poeta Brandão
Tem Cora Coralina
Tem peixe na telha
Cocada, empadão
Ôba, bão?
Goiano é legal
Ôba, bão? Goiano eu sô.
É festa lá em Trindade
Dia de paz
Pessoas e cruzes
Em muitos rituais
Dançando catira
Folia de reis
Nossa Senhora! Pelamor de Deus!
Tem Brasigóis Felício
Tem Gustavo Veiga
O goiano cantor
Maria Guilhermina
E Horton Macedo
O compositor
Ôba, bão?
Goiano é legal
Ôba, bão? Goiano eu sô.
The song "Goiano" by Deep Forest celebrates the culture and people of Goiás, a state located in the Central-West region of Brazil. The lyrics advocate for cultivating simplicity and embracing the Goianidade, or the essence of being Goiano. It praises the beauty and sensuality of the Goianas, or the women from Goiás. The song also highlights various cultural figures and elements that are specific to Goiás, such as Goiandira do Couto, a writer and activist, Cora Coralina, a poet, and local food dishes like peixe na telha and cocada.
Throughout the song, the lyrics emphasize the pride and love that the singer has for being a Goiano, which is reinforced by the repeated phrase "Goiano é legal" (Goiano is cool). The song also references various religious festivals and events that are celebrated in Goiás, such as Folia de Reis and the pilgrimage to Trindade. The overall message of the song is one of celebrating the unique and rich cultural identity of Goiás and its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Cultiva a goianidade
Embrace and preserve the traditions and culture of Goiás
Com simplicidade
With simplicity and humility
Goianas brotinhos bonitos e sensuais
Beautiful and sensual young ladies from Goiás
Goiano vem de gói
The word "Goiano" derives from the state of Goiás
Fala meu zói
A greeting or exclamation among friends in Goiás
Ali que me criei
I was raised there (in Goiás)
Ali que amei
I fell in love there (in Goiás)
Goiana índia
Native Goiana woman
Morena namorei
I dated a beautiful dark-skinned girl from Goiás
Gozando a vida
Enjoying life to the fullest
Goiano enraizei
I am deeply rooted in Goiás
Amante da liberdade
Lover of freedom
Criador de música
Creator of music
Goiano é demais
Being a Goiano is awesome
Tem Goiandira do Couto
There is Goiandira do Couto (an influential writer from Goiás)
Areia vermelha
Red sand
E o poeta Brandão
And the poet Brandão (a famous poet from Goiás)
Tem Cora Coralina
There is Cora Coralina (a beloved writer from Goiás)
Tem peixe na telha
There is "peixe na telha" (a delicious traditional Goiano dish)
Cocada, empadão
Cocada and empadão (more Goiano dishes)
Ôba, bão?
"Isn't that great?" (Goiano expression)
Goiano é legal
Being a Goiano is cool
Goiano eu sô.
I am a Goiano
É festa lá em Trindade
There is a party in Trindade (a city in Goiás known for its religious festivals)
Dia de paz
A day of peace
Pessoas e cruzes
People and crosses (referring to the religious festivals)
Em muitos rituais
In many rituals
Dançando catira
Dancing catira (a traditional dance from Goiás)
Folia de reis
Folia de reis (a traditional Christmas celebration in Brazil, particularly in Goiás)
Nossa Senhora! Pelamor de Deus!
An expression of surprise and/or excitement, often heard during religious events in Goiás
Tem Brasigóis Felício
There is Brasigóis Felício (a celebrated musician from Goiás)
Tem Gustavo Veiga
There is Gustavo Veiga (a well-known singer from Goiás)
O goiano cantor
The Goiano singer
Maria Guilhermina
Maria Guilhermina (a pioneer of women's literature in Goiás)
E Horton Macedo
And Horton Macedo (a famous Goiano composer)
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.