Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician who worked with Freddy Marshall. Together, the two of them decided to take carnival music and make it a more modern and polished style. It was the leading band to emerge from the formative years of Zouk. They gave the style a pan-Caribbean sound by taking elements from kompa, salsa, and calypso, and became world famous. Their first album, Love and Ka Dance (1980), established the sound of zouk.
Kassav' continued to grow more popular, both as a group and with several members' solo careers, finally peaking in 1985 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni" (meaning "Zouk is our only drug" in French Antillean Creole) With this hit, zouk rapidly became a widespread dance craze in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was popular in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Zouk performers became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects spectacles and colorful costumes.
An Sansib
Kassav' Lyrics
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Sa'i di ya, do you ?
An sansib, an sansib, an sansib
Sa'y di ya, ou savé nou kontan sa
Pa djè révé
Pa fann sistè nou ja savé ki moun i ye
Cheçhé mannié
Véyé pli lwen
Ki sa ka fet nou ka gadé, zié pa ka tjwé
Ta la tan-mwen
Nou té konpwann out é ni charité pou zanmi
I sav lè mwen bizwen
An tjo kares ou an kalen o o
I pa pè fè moun ri
Granmoun pa ka wont yo ka di o o
An'sansib
Sa'i di ya, do you ?
An sansib, an sansib, an sansib
Sa'y di ya, ou savé nou kontan sa
Ni ka tournen’w alanvé
Epi dot ka fè’w dépalé
Tan-mwen pa ka fè manniè
Pou fè mwen chanté…
(An sansib…)
Pa djè révé
Pa fann sistè nou ja savé ki moun i yé
Cheché mannié
Padonné nou la nou yé a nou pa ka touché
Véyé pli Iwen
Ki sa ka fet nou ka gadé, zié pa ka tjoué
Ta la tan-mwen
Nou fé konpwann ou té ni charité pou zanmi
(An sansib…)
Pawol-li sa chayé mwen
Pas i sav sa man bizwen
I konnet fè mwen révé
Lè’y ka mannié mwen
(An Sansib..)
Mé nou pa anvi, pran nonm-aw, pran nonm-aw
Sa vré
Sa nou sé anvi, nonm kon ta’w, nonm konta’w
Sa vré
An sansib… adlib
Kassav’s song An Sansib is a joyous, upbeat song that celebrates the sense of community and belonging. The song’s title translates to “Without Sib”, which refers to a neighborhood in Fort-de-France, Martinique. The lyrics ask the listener if they know about this joyful place and how happy its residents are. The song’s repeated refrain “an sansib, an sansib, an sansib” emphasizes the importance of a close-knit community and the connections that come with it.
The song’s verse explores the idea of not being ashamed of one’s roots, knowing who you are, and forgiving oneself to move on. The song encourages the listener to avoid judging others and instead look out for each other. The song’s chorus again emphasizes the importance of being connected and having a sense of belonging. The final verse talks about the power of music to bring people together and overcome language barriers.
Overall, Kassav’s An Sansib is a tribute to a sense of community, togetherness, and joy. It highlights the importance of being connected to where you come from and the positive impact of welcoming others into that community.
Line by Line Meaning
An'sansib
This song is all about feeling free and being able to do what one wants, without any interference or judgement.
Sa'i di ya, do you ?
The lyrics are asking the listener if they feel free to be themselves and do what they want without any societal constraints.
An sansib, an sansib, an sansib
The repeated phrase emphasizes the importance of living free and unencumbered.
Sa'y di ya, ou savé nou kontan sa
The lyrics imply that the person asking the question already knows the answer, as they are aware that people are happy when they are free to be themselves.
Pa djè révé
Don't be fooled by things that seem too good to be true.
Pa fann sistè nou ja savé ki moun i ye
Don't let appearances fool you; one can tell who a person really is by their actions.
Cheçhé mannié
Look for your own way in life.
Padonné nou la nou yé a nou pa ka touché
Forgive us, as we know who we are and what we are capable of.
Véyé pli lwen
Look beyond what you can see, taking a broader perspective on life in general.
Ki sa ka fet nou ka gadé, zié pa ka tjwé
What is happening is apparent, but one must always look deeper to understand the underlying reasons and motives.
Ta la tan-mwen
I'm here, and I understand.
Nou té konpwann out é ni charité pou zanmi
We believed you had enough generosity and charity for your friends.
I sav lè mwen bizwen
You know when I need you.
An tjo kares ou an kalen o o
You're always there to comfort me.
I pa pè fè moun ri
You're not afraid to be yourself and make people laugh.
Granmoun pa ka wont yo ka di o o
The old folks cannot help but sing your praises.
Ni ka tournen’w alanvé
We will help support you in all of your endeavors.
Epi dot ka fè’w dépalé
And the naysayers will only make you stronger.
Tan-mwen pa ka fè manniè, pou fè mwen chanté…
I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not, which makes me happy and allows me to sing.
Pawol-li sa chayé mwen
The lyrics of this song really resonate with me.
Pas i sav sa man bizwen
Because the song accurately describes what I need in my life.
I konnet fè mwen révé
It inspires me and makes me dream about all the possibilities in my life.
Lè’y ka mannié mwen
When I hear it, I feel like I can truly be myself.
Pa anvi, pran nonm-aw, pran nonm-aw. Sa vré
We don't want just any man, but someone who understands and appreciates us. That's true.
Sa nou sé anvi, nonm kon ta’w, nonm konta’w. Sa vré
What we really want is someone who is like you, someone we can count on. That's true.
Lyrics © PEERMUSIC FRANCE, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOCELYNE BEROARD, JACOB DESVARIEUX, TATIANA MIATH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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