Lefel's mother was from French Guiana and her father from the island of Martinique. She moved with her parents to Martinique when she was three. It was there that she was exposed to the rich musical traditions of the Caribbean. During the 1970s, when Lefel was growing up, creative young artists with Haitian bands were just beginning to create the zouk sound. Groups such as Les Frères Déjean, Le Ska Shah Number One and Tabou Combo drew on a combination of traditional African, Caribbean and European rhythms, including belair, biguine and mazurka, to produce their unique music which became another global phenomenon in the decades following the death of Bob Marley.
In her 14th year, Lefel and her mother left for France, settling in the Saint-Denis suburb of Paris. There she continued her studies in law, occasionally singing with her brother's folk rock group, and, in 1984, launched her career as a professional singer. The turning point in her career came when she met the Maffia band leader Jean-Michel Cambrimol. He invited her to accompany the band on a tour of the French Antilles, and recorded the hit single "My doudou" with her. Lefel's success on that tour led to more offers, including one from Jean-Luc Lazair of Lazair, with whom she recorded the single "Ich Maman". In 1987, she accepted an offer from the famous Martinican group Malavoi, appearing as a chorus singer on their album La case à Lucie. She earned her nickname "la sirène" by singing a song of that title on Malavoi's 1993 album Matebis. During the same period she met the arranger and producer Ronald Rubinel, whom she later married and with whom she had twin sons.
The year after Lefel first appeared with Malavoi she recorded her first solo album, La klé (The Key), which won the Prix de la SACEM for its producer, Georges Debs, in 1988. The album included a duet between Lefel and "Latin Crooner" Ralph Thamar - one of many collaborations Lefel recorded during her career with famous musicians, including Gilles Voyer, Dominique Zorobabel, Jean-Philippe Marthély, Sylviane Cédia and Mario Canonge. She explained to an interviewer for the RFI Musique website that when she hosted a house party she invited the people she loved the most, and she felt there was no reason why a recording session should be any different.
By 1992, Lefel had become well-known throughout the Caribbean and her reputation had spread to Mozambique. In that year she released her second album,Mèci (Thanks), which was honored with the Sacem trophy for the best female singer of the year. Mèci broke records for Afro-Caribbean independent artists, selling in excess of 40,000 units. Her third album Rendez-vous, released in 1996, continued to build her reputation as one of the leading female interpreters of Afro-Caribbean genres.
But that same year Lefel took her career in quite a different direction, with a live recording made at the famed Olympia theater in Paris. In Edith Lefel a l'Olympia, the artist expanded her repertoire to include French and English language material, including some of the Parisian street songs that had been popularized by Edith Piaf. She explained that her parents had listened to Piaf when she was young (along with other classic French-language chanteurs like Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour), and that she had often imitated Piaf at home for their entertainment. On the evening of the Olympia concert, May 11, 1996, Lefel impressed the audience with her immense talent, supported by her friends Ralph Thamar and Jean-Luc Alger, and her husband and children.
A very attractive woman whose likeness graced the covers of many prominent French magazines, Lefel died at the height of her powers and popularity[1] in January 2003, at only age 39. She died in her sleep. Autopsy results revealed a combination of smoking and birth control pills as the cause of her death. Edith Lefel is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Contents
[hide] 1 Discography 1.1 Albums
2 References
3 External links
Bel pawol
Edith Lefel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
an an han- ah ah
an an han
hey ha hey ha
an an han -ah ah
an an han
ou ou-ou ou ou- ou ou
ou ou-ou ou ou-ou ou
(an han-han han)
fanm pa kité missié bouché zié-w
épi an lo Bel Pawol
(pala papa la-ou ou- pala papa la- han han han)
yo ka imaginé yo pé changé
la vi-w an roz épi promesse
dépi yo palé voyaj assi niaj
bel bijoux baw trop' kado ka briyé
ou ou-ou ou ou-ou ou
ou ou-ou ou ou-ou ou
Stop! attention
beaux parleurs charmeurs
à éviter mesdames
(pala papa la-ou ou-pala papa la)
yo bien gentil mé tout' pawol sé ven
kité yo palé é fè chimin-w
si yo ka konpren'
sé tout' fanm ki ka joué
fow pa révé fanm kréol paka joué
ou ou-ou ou ou-ou ou
(han han-han han han)
ou ou-ou ou ou-ou ou
(han han-han han han)
yo toujou lé baw Bel Pawol
pa kouté tout' sa yo diw
yo toujou lé baw Bel Pawol
(je t'aime à la folie)
pa kouté tout' sa yo diw
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
yo ja paré acheté bato
pou fèw konnet les caraïbes
soi disan hélicoptè
pou fè le tour du monde
mè yo tout' ka palé kon sa
(je t'aime à la folie)
pa kouté tout' sa yo ka diw
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
[Choeur]
yo toujou lé baw Bel Pawol
pa kouté tout' sa yo diw
yo toujou lé baw Bel Pawol
(je t'aime à la folie)
pa kouté tout' sa yo diw
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
yo lé mété-w adan chato
loyer kay yo poko payé
ou pa bizoin fè cinéma
sé yin ki comédie
mè yo tout' ka palé kon sa
(je t'aime à la folie)
pa kouté tout' sa yo ka diw
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
(péla)mwen diw péla
(mwen diw péla) péla (missié)
péla mwen diw péla
(je t'aime à la folie)
Missié la trop' Bel Pawol
péla mwen diw péla missié
péla mwen diw péla
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
péla mwen diw péla
ou ka révé missié a
fè chimin-w alé missié
simié péla
simé péla
péla mwen diw péla
(je t'aime à la folie)
péla mwen diw péla
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
The song "Bel Pawol" by Edith Lefel is about the power of words and how they can be used to deceive or manipulate someone. The song starts with a catchy chorus that invites the listener to pay attention to the words being spoken. The lyrics then express how women should not be swayed by smooth-talking men who promise them the world only to leave them with broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, reminding the listener to always be careful of the words being spoken to them.
The first verse talks about how men try to impress women by buying them expensive gifts and promising them a luxurious lifestyle. The second verse cautions women not to fall for the empty promises of these men and to be wary of their charming words. The third verse talks about how men will try to make themselves appear better than they are by exaggerating their wealth or status. The song ends with the singer declaring that she will not be taken in by these lies and that true love is more important than material possessions.
Overall, the song is a call to be cautious of the words being spoken to us and to value ourselves and our own happiness above material things.
Line by Line Meaning
hey ha hey ha!
A lively opening to the song.
an an han- ah ah
Continuation of the lively opening.
an an han
More continuation of the lively opening.
ou ou-ou ou ou- ou ou
A new melody, distinct from the opening.
(an han-han han)
A repetition of the previous line.
ou ou-ou ou ou-ou ou
Continuing the new melody.
(an han-han han)
Repeating the previous line again.
fanm pa kité missié bouché zié-w
Women do not let men fool them.
épi an lo Bel Pawol
By using pretty words.
(pala papa la-ou ou- pala papa la- han han han)
Back to the lively opening melody.
yo ka imaginé yo pé changé
Men might think they can change their life
la vi-w an roz épi promesse
To one of roses and promises.
dépi yo palé voyaj assi niaj
Since they talk about traveling in style.
bel bijoux baw trop' kado ka briyé
Giving expensive gifts with bright lights.
Stop! attention
A sudden stop, to pay attention to something serious.
beaux parleurs charmeurs
Beware of charming talkers.
à éviter mesdames
Advice to women to avoid them.
(pala papa la-ou ou-pala papa la)
Back to the lively opening melody.
yo bien gentil mé tout' pawol sé ven
Men can seem nice, but all their words are empty.
kité yo palé é fè chimin-w
Ignore them and move on your own path.
si yo ka konpren'
If they understand.
sé tout' fanm ki ka joué
They think that all women are just playing.
fow pa révé fanm kréol paka joué
Don't dream that a Creole woman can't play.
yo toujou lé baw Bel Pawol
They always give pretty words.
pa kouté tout' sa yo diw
But don't believe everything they say.
(je t'aime à la folie)
A French phrase meaning 'I love you madly.'
yo ja paré acheté bato
They say they have bought a boat.
pou fèw konnet les caraïbes
To take you to see the Caribbean.
soi disan hélicoptè
They also say they have a helicopter.
pou fè le tour du monde
To travel around the world.
pa kouté tout' sa yo ka diw
But don't believe everything they say.
[Choeur]
The choir comes in, repeating the chorus.
yo lé mété-w adan chato
They want to put you in a fancy apartment.
loyer kay yo poko payé
But they haven't paid their rent yet.
ou pa bizoin fè cinéma
Don't make a big show of things.
sé yin ki comédie
It's all an act.
(péla)mwen diw péla
More French dialogue, repeating the phrase 'I love you madly.'
(mwen diw péla) péla (missié)
'I love you madly, sir.'
Missié la trop' Bel Pawol
The man has too many pretty words.
péla mwen diw péla missié
Repeating 'I love you madly, sir.'
(je te veux pour toute la vie)
A French phrase meaning 'I want you for my whole life.'
ou ka révé missié a
You're dreaming of that man.
fè chimin-w alé missié
Keep walking by that man.
simié péla
Repeat 'I love you madly.'
simé péla
Repeat 'I love you madly' again.
(péla mwen diw péla)
French dialogue to end the song.
Contributed by Colin B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@BK-md8ck
Il faut regarder les actes plutôt qu écouter les promesses 👍 misye la trop belles paroles
@elvinedanielletchato7226
Ce qu’elle chantait la grande et talentueuse Edith Eiffel m’a fait du bien c’était une très belle femme au cœur doux repose toi en paix que le Bon Dieu t’accueille au paradis et il’ a déjà fait vous étiez une artiste très gentille
@meschoui760
Superbe chanson, belle voix, beau texte. C'est des femmes fortes comme ça dont nous avons besoin et pas des espèces de monstres idiots qui veulent la mort des hommes noirs hétéros
@cabrelmapangou8917
Tes belles paroles resteront dans nos souvenirs❤
@paredestephane3409
Quelle voix, quelle beauté, quel coeur... Un rubis pour nous tous.
@oumardiakite224
Merci pour toutes ces belles musiques Edith, reposes en paix
@lhorebauge1546
Un pur delice 😍😍😍
@cleophatnancy2650
La mort, tu nous a fait mal. Une si belle creature nous a quittes si tot.
@92djdom
hommage Edith l'année 2003 reposes en paix
@marietonnet1460
Bel pawol d 'Edith bel zouck quelle vérité 🤩🤩🤩