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
Mèci
Edith Lefel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Santi mwen telmen bien in in
Mwen fè on bel rèv hiè o souè ou la la la
Mwen ouvè finèt la aa
Ga de grandè ciel la aa
Kè mwen gonflé et pi ii lanmou ou ou ou
En ja paré ééé
Mwen té telmen conten
Ka senti mwen légè
Kè mwen sé té volé éé oula la la
Rève la pa ka fini
Mè pou ki mwen envi ri ii
Sé pa on illuzion non on on
Ho non on on on
Ho non on on on
Mèci
Sé lespoi ka fèw vouè klè
Sé lespoi ka baw limiè
Pa bisouin avion sa pa nécésè
Jis on émotion sa ké pli soncè
Pa bidouin moto mwen telmen légè
Pa bisouin loto oo préféré zéclè è
Lespoi
Han han
Lespoi
Pou la vi
Gadé ééé la foi
Pou pé di mèci iiiiii
Nou ja paré ééé
Pou décolé ééé ho yè
Mwen ja paré ééé
Pou mwen vole
Pou voyagé loin
Pa bisouin avion sa pa nécésè
Jis on émotion sa ke pi sincè
Pa bisouin moto mwen telment légè
Pa bisouin loto oo préféré zéclè è
The song "Mèci" by Edith Lefel is a celebration of hope, joy, and gratitude. The song opens with the singer waking up early in the morning, feeling great and having had a beautiful dream about being with their loved one. As they open the window, they feel a rush of love in their heart. They feel light and ready to take off like a bird. The dream still lingers on their mind, and they cannot stop smiling. The singer acknowledges that the dream has not ended, but they don't want it to end. It's not an illusion, and they feel grateful for all the love in their life.
The chorus is repetitive but profound: "Ho non on on on - Mèci - Sé lespoi ka fèw vouè klè - Sé lespoi ka baw limiè" which translates to "Oh no no no - Thank you - It's hope that makes you see clearly - It's hope that gives you light." The singer is expressing their gratitude for hope, which has given them clarity and light in life.
The second verse continues with the singer being ready to take off like an airplane, feeling light and free. But they realize that they don't need a plane or any material things to feel that way. It's just the emotions they feel inside that make them feel light and free. They feel grateful for that.
The song is an uplifting, joyous celebration of gratitude and hope. It reminds us that we don't need material things to feel happy and fulfilled. It's the emotions we feel inside that matter the most. The chorus, with its repetitive "Mèci" and "lespoi," reinforces this message of gratitude and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Mwen lévé bon matin in in
I wake up early in the morning
Santi mwen telmen bien in in
I feel incredibly good
Mwen fè on bel rèv hiè o souè ou la la la
I had a beautiful dream last night
Mwen ouvè finèt la aa
I open the window
Ga de grandè ciel la aa
I see the big sky
Kè mwen gonflé et pi ii lanmou ou ou ou
My heart is full and overflowing with love
En ja paré ééé
I'm already ready
Pou décolé ééé o yè
To take off yesterday
Mwen té telmen conten
I was so happy
Ka senti mwen légè
I felt light
Kè mwen sé té volé éé oula la la
My heart was already flying
Rève la pa ka fini
The dream is not over
Mè pou ki mwen envi ri ii
But why do I want to laugh?
Sé pa on illuzion non on on
It's not an illusion, no no no
Ho non on on on
Oh no no no
Mèci
Thank you
Sé lespoi ka fèw vouè klè
It's hope that makes you see clearly
Sé lespoi ka baw limiè
It's hope that gives you light
Pa bisouin avion sa pa nécésè
You don't need a plane, it's not necessary
Jis on émotion sa ké pli soncè
Just one feeling that is the deepest
Pa bidouin moto mwen telmen légè
No need for a motorcycle, I'm so light
Pa bisouin loto oo préféré zéclè è
No need for the lottery, I prefer stars
Han han
Mmm-hmm
Lespoi
Hope
Pou la vi
For life
Gadé ééé la foi
Look at the faith
Pou pé di mèci iiiiii
To be able to say thank you
Nou ja paré ééé
We are already ready
Pou décolé ééé ho yè
To take off yesterday
Mwen ja paré ééé
I'm already ready
Pou mwen vole
To fly
Pou voyagé loin
To travel far
Writer(s): edith lefel, ronald rubinel
Contributed by David F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.