Amazon.com's Editorial Emelin Michel:
" 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

La karidad
Emeline Michel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

nou vini kontre bab pou bab
nou ri jouk nan nou pa kapab
lontan nou pa kwaze
epa tout zanmi nou yo bwaze
sete nan la Caridad
ban'm bay memwa'w yon ti bourad
jou pye mango vinn konn pale
gen de koze li pral koze

zi pitipitipim yon bizou
zi pitipitipim men lanmou
nap chanje lèt
rankontre chak jou an kachèt
ala sa te gou
zi pitipitipim yon zye dou
zi pitipitipim de moun fou
zi pitipitipim premye lanmou
di'm kiyès ki ka bliye
pa gen yon jou nou te rate
tropikana k'tap repete
pi bèl renmen ki te mare
nan katye a si'w pa bliye
papa 'm tap travay gonayiv
lø manman'm bizi ap fè lesiv
jou pye mango vinn konn pale
ala koze li pral koze
zi pitipitipim yon bizou
zi pitipitipim men lanmou
nap chanje lèt
rankontre an kachèt ala sa te gou
zi pitipitipim nou jalou
zi pitipitipim yon zye dou
zi pitipitipim premye lanmou
di'm kijan ou ka bliye
mwen di lalala lalalal

lalalalalla
mwen di lalala
lalalalalaa
jipon dore
(sanmanniga)
ki fèt an ø
boutonnen sou kote
jipon dore
ki fèt an ø
boutonnen sou kote
(sanmanniga)
ouuuuu jipon dore
sanmanniga
jipon dore
ki fèt an ø
ki fèt an ø cheri
(sanmanniga)
Sanmanniga
jipon dore
ki fèt an ø
ki fèt an ø cheri
(sanmanniga)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Emeline Michel's song La karidad talk about a time when the singer and her friends used to meet in a place called La Caridad. They laugh until they can't anymore and reminisce about old times when they used to meet secretly. They used to share memories, talk about everything and anything, and even share kisses. The first love is remembered and discussed, and everyone feels nostalgic about this place where they all used to meet.

The song is a tribute to a bygone era where people used to meet face to face and have real human connections. The singer wants to remind people of the value of these relationships and how life can be more meaningful with human interactions. La karidad is the place where everything started, where they all grew up, and, in a way, it's even the place where the singer's music comes from. Through these lyrics, Emeline Michel is trying to remind listeners that no matter how hard life can get or how digitally connected we are, it is human connections that we truly need.

Line by Line Meaning

nou vini kontre bab pou bab
We come face to face

nou ri jouk nan nou pa kapab
We laugh until we can't

lontan nou pa kwaze
We haven't seen each other in a long time

epa tout zanmi nou yo bwaze
Where all our friends are celebrating

sete nan la Caridad
It was in La Caridad

ban'm bay memwa'w yon ti bourad
Let me give you a little reminder

jou pye mango vinn konn pale
When mangoes ripened and started talking

gen de koze li pral koze
There are things it will say

zi pitipitipim yon bizou
A little kiss

zi pitipitipim men lanmou
A little love hand

nap chanje lèt
We'll exchange letters