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.
Mennen Fanm-ou
Kassav' Lyrics
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Ou kité’y ka dòmi an kabann-li
Ou désidé pati sel
Pas ou di oswè-ya man ké woulé
Mennen fanm-ou roy roy roy roy
Si’w enmen dansé
Mennen fanm-ou
Wotè koumansé monté
Ou santi ou anvi pran’y kolé séré
Mé ou pa mennen ta’w la
Sé épi ta lé zot ou lé tripé
Mennen fanm-ou roy roy roy roy
Si’w enmen dansé
Mennen fanm-ou
Si’w enmen dansé
Woy yoyoyoyoy….
Es ou pa ka di sa té ké fè’y plézi
Pasé ou asiz ka tapisé
Poutji ou alé
Poutji ou alé
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Woy yoyoyoyoy….
Fo’w ké di sa’w té monté fè
Fè la kon sa
Pa té sonjé sa té ké rivé la kon sa
Eti ta’w, éti ta’w, éti ta’w, éti ta’w
Mennen ta’w, éti ta’w, tala pa ta’w
Tala pa ta’w woy, tala pa ta’w, éti ta’w
Eti ta’w, éti ta’w, éti ta’w, éti ta’w
Mennen ta’w, éti ta’w, tala pa ta’w
Tala pa ta’w woy, tala pa ta’w, éti ta’w
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Gadé’w gadé’w gadé’w,
Es ou pa ka di kò’w sé trop ?
Gadé’w gadé’w gadé’w, es ou pa ka di’w
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Gadé’w gadé’w gadé’w, es ou pa ka di’w
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
The lyrics of Kassav's "Mennen Fanm-Ou" tell a story of a man who is interested in a woman, but she sleeps with someone else. He decides to take her out and show her a good time. The repeated phrase "Mennen Fanm-Ou" means "Take Your Woman Out" and acts as a sort of command to the listener. The emphasis on dancing and having a good time speaks to the party culture that Kassav is known for. The lyrics suggest that the woman in question does not necessarily need to be the man's partner, but rather someone he is interested in spending time with.
The song's second verse speaks of the excitement of physical contact with the object of desire, but the man does not want to take her to a specific place. He wants to allow her to enjoy herself in a way that she sees fit. The chorus repeats the command to "Take Your Woman Out," emphasizing the importance of dancing and socializing. The song's third verse refers to the listener's power to create their own fun, and the final chorus repeats the idea that the listener should be taking their woman out.
The song's lyrics are relatively simple and repetitive, emphasizing the importance of dancing and having a good time. The phrase "Mennen Fanm-Ou" acts as a sort of catchphrase or slogan for the song, and the repetition of the chorus drives home the idea that the listener should be out enjoying themselves with their special someone. The song captures the spirit of Kassav's signature zouk sound, which blends traditional Caribbean rhythms with contemporary pop and electronic music.
Line by Line Meaning
Misié-a éti fanm-ou
That man was your woman
Ou kité’y ka dòmi an kabann-li
You left her sleeping alone in her bed
Ou désidé pati sel
You decided to leave alone
Pas ou di oswè-ya man ké woulé
Thinking tonight I won't want anyone else
Mennen fanm-ou roy roy roy roy
Lead your woman
Si’w enmen dansé
If you love to dance
Wotè koumansé monté
The temperature starts to rise
Ou santi ou anvi pran’y kolé séré
You want to hold your woman close
Mé ou pa mennen ta’w la
But you don't lead her there
Sé épi ta lé zot ou lé tripé
It's with whoever they want to go crazy
Woy yoyoyoyoy….
Interlude
Es ou pa ka di sa té ké fè’y plézi
Can't you say what would please her?
Pasé ou asiz ka tapisé
While you're just sitting and waiting
Poutji ou alé
Why are you going?
Poutji ou alé
Why are you going?
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
What you do, you want them to do too
Fo’w ké di sa’w té monté fè
You have to say what you meant to do
Fè la kon sa
Do it like that
Pa té sonjé sa té ké rivé la kon sa
Didn't think it would end up like this
Eti ta’w, éti ta’w, éti ta’w, éti ta’w
It's yours, it's yours, it's yours, it's yours
Mennen ta’w, éti ta’w, tala pa ta’w
Lead it, it's yours, that's not yours
Tala pa ta’w woy, tala pa ta’w, éti ta’w
That's not yours, woy, that's not yours, it's yours
Gadé’w gadé’w gadé’w,
Look at yourself
Es ou pa ka di kò’w sé trop ?
Can't you say you've had enough?
es ou pa ka di’w
Can't you say
Sa’w ka fè la, sa’w lé fè ya
What you do, you want them to do too
Lyrics © PEERMUSIC FRANCE, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JEAN-PHILIPPE MARTHELY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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