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.
Ké Sa Lévé
Kassav' Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pou van an pa vini chouboulé, sa ka rété mwen jòdi-a
(lanmoua ja bout)
Sé pa lapenn fè wòl ni gran penn ban mwen
(i bout)
Chèché pawòl ki pé miyonné kò mwen
(lanmou ja bout)
(i bout)
Alé
Mé
Pa rété pli lontan
Chak ti pawòl ni lodè sa bout
Dé mo pou konsolé, pé ké fè lavi mwen mofwazé
Si'w pou chapé, souplé ralé pòt-la dèyè'w
Pou soley pa vini makrélé, sa ka rivé mwen jòdi-a
(lanmoua ja bout)
Sé pa lapenn fè wòl ni gran penn ban mwen
(i bout)
Lélé doulè ki pé ké sa ladjé mwen
(lanmou-a ja bout)
Pa ni maji pou tjenbé sa ka pati
(i bout)
Souplé
Pa ralé pli lontan
Anlè kòd-la ki za tranglé mwen
Tro krapon pou man mò
Man ké pran labitid wè dimen san wou
Man ké sa rilévé
(Ké sa lévé)
Man ké tchiré toute trace ou kité
(ké sa lévé)
Mem si sé tchè mwen ki grafyen tanpi
(ké sa lévé)
Mem si sé an las semblan
Mwen ké sa rivé souri
Pa lélé pli lontan doulè ki pé ké ladjé mwen
Kité limbé a facé
Mem manié y té rivé
An tèt mwen sé ladja, pa viré lélé doulè a
Ké sa lévé
Lévé, lévé, lévé, lévé, lévé!
Ké sa lévé
Mem si man pou majé la bou
(lévé lévé lévé lévé)
Dessen' en fin fon limbé a
An ké sa lévé
Trouvé foss là, é lévé, lévé lévé, lévé
Ké sa lévé
Mwe' m pa ka tombé lontan, lontan
The lyrics of Kassav's song "Ké Sa Lévé" are a plea for someone to open up and let go of their pain. The singer asks them to open the door and let the breeze in so that it does not shake them up. The refrain "lanmoua ja bout" means "the love is over," and it serves as a reminder that the pain they feel will eventually pass. The singer acknowledges that it is not worth it to put on an act or pretend to be tough, but rather to use words to ease their own pain. Furthermore, the singer highlights that each word has a weight that can help them get through their tough times. The second verse is a repetition of the first, with small variations. The message is again of perseverance and the need to let go of the past to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Si'w pou chapé, souplé ralé pòt-la dèyè'w
If you want to escape, please close the door behind you, so that the wind doesn't come in and disturb me today
Pou van an pa vini chouboulé, sa ka rété mwen jòdi-a
So that the wind won't shake things up, leaving me in disarray today
(lanmoua ja bout)
(love has ended)
Sé pa lapenn fè wòl ni gran penn ban mwen
It's not worth it to play a role or pretend to be someone I'm not
(i bout)
(it's over)
Chèché pawòl ki pé miyonné kò mwen
Looking for words that can uplift me
Lanmou ja bout
Love is over
Pé ké rayi'w an ké gadé doulè mwen
I might hate you but I'll still feel the pain
(alé)
(go away)
Mé
But
Pa rété pli lontan
Don't stay too far away
Chak ti pawòl ni lodè sa bout
Every word has the power to end things
Dé mo pou konsolé, pé ké fè lavi mwen mofwazé
Just a few words can console me and make my life easier
Si'w pou chapé, souplé ralé pòt-la dèyè'w
If you want to escape, please close the door behind you, so that the sun doesn't glare at me today
Pou soley pa vini makrélé, sa ka rivé mwen jòdi-a
So that the sun won't come in and create chaos for me today
(lanmoua ja bout)
(love has ended)
Sé pa lapenn fè wòl ni gran penn ban mwen
It's not worth it to play a role or pretend to be someone I'm not
Lélé doulè ki pé ké sa ladjé mwen
Release the pain that's holding me back
(lanmou-a ja bout)
(love has already ended)
Pa ni maji pou tjenbé sa ka pati
There's no magic to hold on to what's gone
(i bout)
(it's over)
Souplé
Please
Pa ralé pli lontan
Don't go too far away
Anlè kòd-la ki za tranglé mwen
Under the blanket that's suffocating me
Tro krapon pou man mò
Too much hardship to handle
Man ké pran labitid wè dimen san wou
I'll get used to seeing the future without you
Man ké sa rilévé
I'll rise up
(Ké sa lévé)
(what will rise up)
Man ké tchiré toute trace ou kité
I'll erase all the traces you left behind
(ké sa lévé)
(what will rise up)
Mem si sé tchè mwen ki grafyen tanpi
Even if it's my scars that have engraved the memories
(ké sa lévé)
(what will rise up)
Mem si sé an las semblan
Even if it seems impossible
Mwen ké sa rivé souri
I'll manage to smile
Pa lélé pli lontan doulè ki pé ké ladjé mwen
Don't let the pain hold me back for too long
Kité limbé a facé
Leave the past behind
Mem manié y té rivé
However it happened
An tèt mwen sé ladja, pa viré lélé doulè a
In my head, it's already done, don't dwell on the pain
Ké sa lévé
What will rise up
Lévé, lévé, lévé, lévé, lévé!
Rise up, rise up, rise up, rise up, rise up!
(ké sa lévé)
(what will rise up)
Mwe' m pa ka tombé lontan, lontan
I won't fall for a long, long time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOCELYNE BEROARD, JACOB DESVARIEUX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodrigue-jc4ou
Qui écoute cette chanson comme moi en 2023/et qui va l'écouter toute l'année 2024❤
@cathyndong1179
En ce moment cette chanson me permet de faire face à des moments douloureux .
Merci pour ce morceau de musique 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
@kanelldurand1210
courage à toi, demain sera meilleur
@yoramegbine138
Ce que j'aime chez cassav pas besoin de comprendre la chanson pour aimé, franchement c'est le meilleur groupe que j'ai connu
@marie-lauremoustin-duboyer4960
Cette magnifique voix pour un texte puissant. Bonheur absolu
@danielaka1847
Il y a une force dans cette chanson qui est incroyable !!! Chapeau
@marieelise420
Kévin sa lévé est une formidable chanson de soutien pour tous ceux qui souffrent en amour. Pour ma part, cette chanson est géniale. milles Mercis.😊
@mnjvc9806
marie élisé
@felixroubaud2785
j'aime intensément cette chanson très riche en émotions je m'en lasserais jamais de l'écouter j'aime la voix de jocelyne
@patriciabljou7464
Vraiment