" Here on Rasin Kreyol (which tran… Read Full Bio ↴Amazon.com's Editorial Emelin Michel:
" Here on Rasin Kreyol (which translates as "Creole Roots"), reigning queen of Haitian song Emeline Michel covers a lot of ground, writing songs that draw upon Haitan compas, twoubadou and rara as well as jazz, rock, pop, bossa nova and samba. Whichever direction the singer goes, her voice is clear and forceful as she dramatically imparts her political lyrics in Haitian Creole and French, offering up messages about AIDS, social justice and peace. She does this skill and class: Michel repeats the line "Tell me, where is peace?" to chilling effect on "Mon Rêve," where she's joined by background singers, flute and voodoo hand drums. At the other end of the spectrum, "Ban'm La Jwa" is uplifting with its driving calypso-jazz grooves. While the singer has released a handful of albums as imports over a 15-year career, Rasin Kreyol, her Times Square records debut, is a standout that should help U.S. audiences catch up with the French speaking world that already adores her. "
-- Tad Hendrickson
L'odeur de ma terre
Emeline Michel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qui n'est plus un paradis
Mais où dansent les paysannes
Aux candeurs d'une courtisane
Sortez les gens par la tanne
C'est comme couler dans mon sang
Cacher sous ma peau d'ébèneSon odeur de citronnelle,
Qui se font dans la cannelle
Son petit gout de caramel
Ou pa ka tronpe m'
Non, je ne vais pas marcher
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
Tu ne peux pas me tromper
Non, ou pa ka achte m'
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
La misère nous fait la peau
Nos madones en caracaux
Laissent la plage aux abricots
Sur de tous petits bateaux
Mais elles gardent leurs drapeaux
Di bonjou, koman nou ye?
Trò lontan mwen pa goute
Yon gode ju grenadin
Yon tablèt dous kokoye
Et la pulpe d'une mandarine
Ou pa ka tronpe m'
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
Tu ne peux pas me tromper
Non, ou pa ka achte m'
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
Se pa on paradi
Mais c'est mon pays
Ou pa ka achte l'
Je ne vais pas le troquer
On a un drapeau
Nou koke l' byen wo
Après la tempête
On fera la fête
Wo oh, wo oh, wo oh, wo oh
Wo oh, wo oh, wo oh, wo oh
Ou pa ka tronpe m'
(Se on peyi ki gen drapo)
Non, je ne vais pas marcher
(e nou kokel byen wo)
C'est comme le café
(non nou pap tronpe m')
L'odeur de ma terre
(pap tronp m', pap tronpe m')
Tu ne peux pas me tromper
(Je connais l'odeur)
Non, ou pa ka achte m'
(Moi je connais)
C'est comme le café
(Je connais, je connais)
L'odeur de ma terre
(L'odeur!)
(Ou ye! ou ye! ou ye!)
Ou pa ka tronpe m'
Non, je ne vais pas marcher
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
Tu ne peux pas me tromper
Non, ou pa ka achte m'
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
(peyi pa m'! peyi pa m'! peyi pa m')
Ou pa ka tronpe m'
Non, je ne vais pas marcher
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
Tu ne peux pas me tromper
Non, ou pa ka achte m'
C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre
(C'est comme le café
L'odeur de ma terre)
Emeline Michel's song L'odeur de ma terre speaks to the love of one's homeland despite its flaws and struggles. The lyrics begin by describing a country that is no longer a paradise but where the people, especially the women, still dance and celebrate with the same joy as a courtesan. The singer, who is proud of her heritage, talks about how the scent of lemon grass, cinnamon, and caramel of her homeland flows through her veins and is a part of her identity. She refuses to be fooled by those who seek to deceive or exploit her, likening it to the unmistakable aroma of her country's coffee.
The song also touches on the hardships faced by the people of the homeland such as poverty and the loss of their land, but they still proudly wave their flag and continue to hold onto their traditions and ways of life. The lyrics end with a sense of hope for the future, with plans for festivities after the storm has passed.
L'odeur de ma terre is a powerful song that speaks to the love and pride one feels for their homeland, despite its struggles. It highlights the importance of staying connected to one's roots and the unique identity that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Je te parle d'un pays
I am talking to you about a country
Qui n'est plus un paradis
That is no longer a paradise
Mais où dansent les paysannes
But where peasant women dance
Aux candeurs d'une courtisane
To the candor of a courtesan
Sortez les gens par la tanne
Get people out of there
C'est comme couler dans mon sang
It's like flowing in my blood
Cacher sous ma peau d'ébène
Hidden under my ebony skin
Son odeur de citronnelle,
Its smell of lemongrass,
Qui se font dans la cannelle
Which blends with cinnamon
Son petit gout de caramel
Its little taste of caramel
Ou pa ka tronpe m'
You can't fool me
Non, je ne vais pas marcher
No, I'm not going to walk away
C'est comme le café
It's like coffee
L'odeur de ma terre
The smell of my land
Tu ne peux pas me tromper
You cannot deceive me
Non, ou pa ka achte m'
No, you cannot buy me
La misère nous fait la peau
Poverty is skin-deep
Nos madones en caracaux
Our madonnas in caraco
Laissent la plage aux abricots
Leave the beach to the apricots
Sur de tous petits bateaux
On very small boats
Mais elles gardent leurs drapeaux
But they keep their flags
Di bonjou, koman nou ye?
Say hello, how are you?
Trò lontan mwen pa goute
It's been so long since I tasted
Yon gode ju grenadin
A glass of grenadine juice
Yon tablèt dous kokoye
A sweet coconut tablet
Et la pulpe d'une mandarine
And the pulp of a tangerine
Se pa on paradi
It's not a paradise
Mais c'est mon pays
But it's my country
Je ne vais pas le troquer
I'm not going to trade it
On a un drapeau
We have a flag
Nou koke l' byen wo
We fly it high
Après la tempête
After the storm
On fera la fête
We'll have a party
Wo oh, wo oh, wo oh, wo oh
Wo oh, wo oh, wo oh, wo oh
(Se on peyi ki gen drapo)
(It's a country with a flag)
(e nou kokel byen wo)
(And we fly it high)
(non nou pap tronpe m')
(No, you cannot deceive me)
(pap tronp m', pap tronpe m')
(You cannot trick me, cannot deceive me)
(Je connais l'odeur)
(I know the smell)
(Moi je connais)
(I know)
(Je connais, je connais)
(I know, I know)
(L'odeur!)
(The smell!)
(Ou ye! ou ye! ou ye!)
(You see! You see! You see!)
(peyi pa m'! peyi pa m'! peyi pa m')
(It's my country! It's my country! It's my country!)
Contributed by Audrey E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jean Roosevelt Ostine
on Gade Papi
bonjou emeline michel mw pa konnen ki sa pou mw fe pou atis pam nan se yo nan moun mw fou poli ok mw prnte pou bay kem pouli wi .........