Ismaël Lô is a versatile singer and artist, he plays the guitar and the har… Read Full Bio ↴Ismaël Lô is a versatile singer and artist, he plays the guitar and the harmonica. He was born in Dogondoutchi in Niger on 30 August 1956 to a Senegalese father and a Nigerian mother. Shortly after Lô's birth the family returned to Senegal where they settled in the town of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar.

In the 1970s, Lô studied at the School of Art in Dakar later joining the popular Super Diamono. He left the group in 1984 to start a solo career. Over the next four years Lô recorded five popular solo albums.

In 1990 Lô signed a recording deal with Barclay and recorded in France his sixth solo album, Ismaël Lô. Thanks to the success of the single Tajabone the album became a hit in the European charts. The album launched his international career.

Iso was recorded and released in 1994, and also became a success. The album contains soft guitar melodies and traditional senegalese mbalax. The following year Lô toured in Africa. The compilation album Jammu Africa was released in 1996.

In 1999, Tajabone was featured in Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother.

Madame
Ismaël Lô Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cherie coco neguou sey nila
Teye mou degueur tegua bagna tayi
Malay mougnal yaw tamit ngua may mounieul
Bouboba djiabot gui manna barkel
Sohna sile yagua nala setloo
Loumala togne togne yagui def sa warougar
Yangui khol manmi louma nekho yaw ngua siy diar
Han diallo dieri

Kon teudeul sangou way malay khalamal
Sa nguinaw fanang yako mome
Teudeul sangou teudeul sanguou
Malay khalamal sa nguinaw fanang
He diallo dierri
Chérie chérie diallo diéri anh diallo diéri
Cherie cherie diallo dieri anh diallo dieri
Chérie chérie diallo diéri anh diallo diéri
Cherie cherie diallo dieri anh diallo dieri
Ma dame unn ma dame
Man guintena dieul ndakarou diaye mayloko
Gnou topeumeu nane dama guata khel
Walay guatouma khel
Lek lek ma khalat dieul assaman ak souf maylako
Sama yenela sl sohnassi
Walay guatouma khel
Kon cherie cherie diallo dieri anh diallo dieri
Chérie chérie diallo diéri anh diallo diéri
Cherie cherie diallo dieri anh anh anh cherie
Kon teudeul sangou way ne malay khalamal
Saguinaw fanang yako mome
Teudeul sanguou teudeul sangou

Malay khalamal sa guinaw fanang he diallo dieri
Chérie chérie diallo diéri anh diallo dieri

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ismaël Lô's song Madame begin with a series of phrases in Wolof, which is one of the languages spoken in Senegal. These phrases, including "Cherie coco neguou sey nila" and "Sohna sile yagua nala setloo," are difficult to translate directly but convey a sense of longing and desire. The song then moves into French, with Ismaël singing about a woman, referred to as "ma dame," who is the object of his affection. He describes how he longs to be with her and have her as his own, using phrases like "Gnou topeumeu nane dama guata khel" (I want to be close to you and feel your warmth). The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Cherie cherie diallo dieri," emphasizing the singer's desire for this woman.

Overall, the song Madame is a heartfelt expression of love and desire, with Ismaël Lô using a mixture of Wolof and French to convey his emotions. The use of Wolof in particular is significant, as it highlights the Senegalese cultural context in which the song was written and performed.

Line by Line Meaning

Cherie coco neguou sey nila
My beloved, the sun has set and night has fallen

Teye mou degueur tegua bagna tayi
Leaving me lonely like a bird without a nest

Malay mougnal yaw tamit ngua may mounieul
My heart is heavy with sorrow and I cannot sleep

Bouboba djiabot gui manna barkel
The wind is blowing cold and the trees are rustling

Sohna sile yagua nala setloo
The moon is shining brightly in the sky

Loumala togne togne yagui def sa warougar
I am walking alone through the dark streets

Yangui khol manmi louma nekho yaw ngua siy diar
Thinking of you and missing you so much it hurts

Han diallo dieri
My heart is breaking

Kon teudeul sangou way malay khalamal
But my love for you is stronger than my pain

Sa nguinaw fanang yako mome
And I will wait for you forever

Teudeul sangou teudeul sanguou
My love, my love