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.
Kaye manman
Kassav' Lyrics
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Miscellaneous
Walkin' To Missouri
Walkin' To Missouri
Sammy Kaye
Peaked at # 11 in 1952
Poor little robin walkin', walkin', WALKIN' TO MISSOURI;
He can't afford to fly.
Got a teardrop in his eye.
The above is the for the threes which follow:
1. I hope my story don't make you cry,
But this birdie flew too high;
He flew from his old Missouri home.
He fell right into the city ways, like dancin' in cabarets,
From party to party he would roam.
BR
BR()
BR
BR2. He met a birdie who looked so nice,
BRA real bird of paradise,
BRGood lookin' but fickle in the heart.
BRShe gave him kisses and gave him sighs,
BRBut oh, how she told him lies,
BR'Cause she loved another from the start.
BR
BR()
BR
BR3. His dreams are battered, his feathers bent,
BRNow he hasn't got a cent;
BRHe feels like his heart is gonna break.
BRSo if he ever walks up to you,
BRPlease throw him a crumb or two,
BR'Cause you could have made the same mistake.
BR
BR
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The song "Kaye Manman" by Kassav is a Creole song that talks about the relationship between a mother and her child. The song is written in a Caribbean rhythm and the lyrics talk about a daughter who has left her mother to go and live with her lover. The mother expresses her sorrow through the song and asks her daughter to come back home. The lyrics depict the mother's deep love and affection for her child and how she cannot imagine living without her daughter by her side. The song conveys the message of the importance of family relationships and how they should always be valued.
The song was released in 1985 as part of Kassav's album "Vini Pou". The song has become a classic in Caribbean music and is highly regarded as one of Kassav's best hits. The song has been played extensively on radio and television in the Caribbean and has been covered by many artists. The song's popularity has also crossed over to other regions, such as Europe and Africa.
Line by Line Meaning
Poor little robin walkin', walkin', WALKIN' TO MISSOURI;
The robin is walking because it is too poor to fly back to Missouri.
He can't afford to fly.
The robin does not have enough money to fly back to its hometown.
Got a penny for a Poor little robin, walkin' walkin' WALKIN' TO MISSOURI
The robin only has one penny to its name, which is not enough to buy a plane or train ticket.
Got a teardrop in his eye.
The robin is sad and may be crying because it cannot afford to fly back home.
I hope my story don't make you cry,
The songwriter hopes that his story about the robin does not make the listener sad.
But this birdie flew too high;
The robin got too comfortable and flew too far away from its hometown.
He flew from his old Missouri home.
The robin initially flew away from its home in Missouri.
He fell right into the city ways, like dancin' in cabarets,
The robin became accustomed to life in the city and started to enjoy it, living a carefree life like dancing in nightclubs.
From party to party he would roam.
The robin enjoyed going from one party to another, without worrying about its home or future.
He met a birdie who looked so nice,
The robin met another bird that appeared to be a good match for it.
A real bird of paradise,
The other bird was beautiful and appeared to be perfect for the robin.
Good lookin' but fickle in the heart.
Despite her beauty, the other bird was not loyal to the robin.
She gave him kisses and gave him sighs,
The other bird flirted with the robin and even gave him kisses and sighs to win him over.
But oh, how she told him lies,
The other bird was not truthful and deceived the robin, breaking his heart.
'Cause she loved another from the start.
The other bird was in love with someone else, and never intended to be loyal to the robin.
His dreams are battered, his feathers bent,
The robin's dreams and hopes have been crushed, and he is feeling defeated and hopeless.
Now he hasn't got a cent;
The robin is now penniless and has nothing left.
He feels like his heart is gonna break.
The robin is heartbroken and is in great emotional pain.
So if he ever walks up to you,
If the robin ever approaches you,
Please throw him a crumb or two,
Please offer the robin some help or support, even if it's just a small gesture.
'Cause you could have made the same mistake.
Because we are all susceptible to making mistakes in life, like the robin did by flying too far from home and trusting the wrong bird.
Contributed by Isabella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Vi
on Mwen di ou awa
I Tell You Now / I Am Telling You Now