" 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
Pos Machan
Emeline Michel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ou pase riyèl pikan
ou rive sou channmas
te k'anba desaline
m'tap kraze yon lodyans
oh cheri'w vin'n ap pase
ou gade'm
mwen gade'wou souri mwen souri
cheri'm renmen'w deja
men lapli pa tonbe
jaden'w paka pouse
yo fèmen rezèvwa
mwen pate dwe gade'w
ou pate dwe gade'm
mwen pate jan'm dwe ri avè'w
si lapli te tonbe
anpil flè ta pouse
nou ta ganyen lespwa
mwen swiv ou pi devan
nou pase devan petyon
na'l jouk dèyè tribin
lannwit te fèk tonbe
move je monte bwa
wo manman m'anvi'w deja
ou møde'm
mwen møde'w
ou prije'm mwen prije'w
manman al'on bèl fèt
men lapli pa tonbe
jaden'w paka pouse
wo yo fèmen rezèvwa
ou pate dwe gade'm
mwen pate dwe gade'w
ou pat jan'm dwe ri avè'm
si lapli te tonbe
apil flè ta pouse
nou ta ganyen lespwa
mwen chita rèks kafe
map bwè ak moun debyen
cheri'w tounen pase
ou pwoche pou ou pale
tout zanmi'm yo bwaze
woo manman sa kap pase
mwen gade'w ou gade'm
mwen souri ou kriye
ou di'm ou gwøs jou sa
lø pitit lan va fèt
si se yon ti milat
wa renmen li babyøl
ou pate dwe gade'm
mwen pate dwe gade'w
ou pat jan'm dwe ri avè'm
si lapli te tonbe
anpil flè ta pouse
nou ta ganyen lespwa
ou pate dwe gade'm
mwen pate dwe gade'w
ou pat jan'm dwe ri avè'm
jaden'w paka pouse
lapli paka tonbe
yo fèmen rezèvwa
mwen pate dwe renmen'w
ou pate dwe renmen'm
mwen pat jan'm dwe rankontre'w
si lapli te tonbe
anpil flè ta pouse
nou ta ganyen lespwa
nou ta ganyen lespwa
nou ta genyen lespwa
The song "Pos Machan" by Emeline Michel is a love song that expresses the sentiments of a lover who is rejected by their partner. The lyrics paint a picture of a lover waiting for their partner to return and reconciliate with them. The song starts with the lover expressing their disappointment and sadness at the way their relationship has turned out. They speak about the rain not falling and the garden not growing, symbolizing the lack of growth and vitality in their relationship. The lover then reminisces about fond memories with their partner and expresses their love for them, despite the rejection.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "ou pate dwe gade'm, mwen pate dwe gade'w" which means "you should have looked at me, I should have looked at you" in Creole. This repetition, along with the imagery of the rain and the garden, gives the song a dreamy and introspective quality. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the lover expressing their desire to reconcile and start anew, seeing as "nou ta ganyen lespwa" or "we would have hope".
Overall, "Pos Machan" is a poignant and contemplative love song that explores the emotions of heartbreak, nostalgia, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Ou soti pøs machan
You come from the marketplace
ou pase riyèl pikan
You surpass difficult obstacles
ou rive sou channmas
You arrive in the cane fields
te k'anba desaline
In the footsteps of Desalines
m'tap kraze yon lodyans
I am breaking a spell
oh cheri'w vin'n ap pase
Oh my darling, let's move on
ou gade'm
You look at me
mwen gade'w
I look at you
ou souri mwen souri
You smile, I smile
cheri'm renmen'w deja
My love, I already love you
men lapli pa tonbe
But the rain doesn't fall
jaden'w paka pouse
Your garden cannot grow
yo fèmen rezèvwa
They are closed reserves
mwen pate dwe gade'w
I should have looked at you
ou pate dwe gade'm
You should have looked at me
mwen pate jan'm dwe ri avè'w
I should have never laughed at you
si lapli te tonbe
If the rain falls
anpil flè ta pouse
Many flowers will bloom
nou ta ganyen lespwa
We would have hope
mwen swiv ou pi devan
I am following you closely
nou pase devan petyon
We pass by the stones
na'l jouk dèyè tribin
Until we reach the living quarters
lannwit te fèk tonbe
The night has just fallen
move je monte bwa
Big eyes climb the tree
wo manman m'anvi'w deja
Oh mother, I already miss you
ou møde'm
You hug me
mwen møde'w
I hug you
ou prije'm mwen prije'w
You pray for me, I pray for you
manman al'on bèl fèt
Mother is at a party
ou pate dwe gade'm
You should have looked at me
mwen pate dwe gade'w
I should have looked at you
ou pat jan'm dwe ri avè'm
You should have never laughed at me
si lapli te tonbe
If the rain falls
anpil flè ta pouse
Many flowers will bloom
nou ta ganyen lespwa
We would have hope
mwen chita rèks kafe
I sit and drink coffee
map bwè ak moun debyen
I drink with unknown people
cheri'w tounen pase
My darling, you come by
ou pwoche pou ou pale
You come closer to talk
tout zanmi'm yo bwaze
All my friends are drunk
woo manman sa kap pase
Wow, mother, what's happening?
mwen gade'w ou gade'm
I look at you, you look at me
mwen souri ou kriye
I smile, you cry
ou di'm ou gwøs jou sa
You tell me it's your lucky day
lø pitit lan va fèt
The little one will be born
si se yon ti milat
If it's a little mixed-race (baby)
wa renmen li babyøl
The king will love him, baby
ou pate dwe gade'm
You should have looked at me
mwen pate dwe gade'w
I should have looked at you
ou pat jan'm dwe ri avè'm
You should have never laughed at me
si lapli te tonbe
If the rain falls
anpil flè ta pouse
Many flowers will bloom
nou ta ganyen lespwa
We would have hope
ou pate dwe gade'm
You should have looked at me
mwen pate dwe gade'w
I should have looked at you
ou pat jan'm dwe ri avè'm
You should have never laughed at me
jaden'w paka pouse
Your garden cannot grow
lapli paka tonbe
The rain still hasn't fallen
yo fèmen rezèvwa
They are closed reserves
mwen pate dwe renmen'w
I should have loved you
ou pate dwe renmen'm
You should have loved me
mwen pat jan'm dwe rankontre'w
I should have never met you
anpil flè ta pouse
Many flowers will bloom
nou ta ganyen lespwa
We would have hope
nou ta genyen lespwa
We would have hope
Contributed by William D. 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 .........