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.
Ou le
Kassav' Lyrics
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On ti koté mwen touvé
On ti koté ki kaché
Sivilizasyon pa mannyé
Sé vou sèl an ké menné
La pèsonn pa ka touvé
Nou a dé nous ké gouté
Ou la, ou lé, ou la, ou lé
Lè ou vwé nou ké rivé
Si la linn météy ka kléré
Nou ké konprann a pa vré
E nou ké kwé ka révé
Sé yen ki taw, yen ki taw, yen ki taw taw(3)
Sé yen ki taw, yen ki taw, yen ki taw taw(3)
Sé taw yen ki taw
Doudou mwen, an an
Doudou vini vwé
Vini vwé sé flè la, jan yo bel’
You wousè sé pou vou
An an, anki pouw
Ou la, ou lé, ou la, ou lé
Mi aprézan nou rivé
Rèv’an nou realité
Tout’pié bwa ka anbomé
Pass yo kontan sé vou ki la
Vou sèl’an té vé minné
La jôdi an ka rété
Pou mwen pé fèw dékouvè
An ki jan la vi pé sikré
Ou la, ou lé, ou la, ou lé
Mennen mwen, chayé mwen
Mennen mwen, mwen la…
The lyrics to Kassav's song "Ou Lé" convey a desire to retreat to a secluded place where civilization cannot interfere. The singer invites the listener to join them in a hidden spot where they can experience something pure and unadulterated. The lyrics suggest that this place is difficult to find and only those who truly want to be there will be able to find it. The singer promises that once they arrive at this place, they will understand that what they thought was real before was not true, and that they will be able to believe in something new and exciting.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "Ou Lé" ("Do you want to?"), is a call to action. The singer is urging the listener to take a risk and join them on this journey to a better place. The verses suggest that this place is not just a physical location, but a state of mind where one can truly understand themselves and the world around them. The use of creole in the lyrics adds to the sense of authenticity and emphasizes the uniqueness of this place and experience.
Overall, "Ou Lé" is a song about breaking free from societal constraints and finding one's own path. It is a call to adventure, a beckoning towards something new and exciting. The lyrics invite the listener to let go of their fears and doubts and join the singer on a journey of self-discovery and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Lè ou vlé nou ké alé
When you want, we will go together
On ti koté mwen touvé
A little spot I found
On ti koté ki kaché
A little hidden place
Sivilizasyon pa mannyé
Civilization hasn't touched it
Sé vou sèl an ké menné
I will lead you alone
La pèsonn pa ka touvé
No one can find us
Nou a dé nous ké gouté
Just the two of us will taste
An ki jan la nati sikré
How nature secures us
Ou la, ou lé, ou la, ou lé
You there, do you want to?
Lè ou vwé nou ké rivé
When you see, we will arrive
Si la linn météy ka kléré
If the moonlight shines
Nou ké konprann a pa vré
We will understand it's not real
E nou ké kwé ka révé
And we will believe we are dreaming
Sé yen ki taw, yen ki taw, yen ki taw taw(3)
It's those who know, those who know, those who know
Sé taw yen ki taw
It's you who knows
Doudou mwen, an an
My darling, me here
Doudou vini vwé
Darling come see
Vini vwé sé flè la, jan yo bel’
Come see the flowers, how beautiful they are
You wousè sé pou vou
And the breeze is just for you
An an, anki pouw
Me, who is just for you
Mi aprézan nou rivé
Now we have arrived
Rèv’an nou realité
Our dream becomes reality
Tout’pié bwa ka anbomé
All the trees are shading us
Pass yo kontan sé vou ki la
If they like it, it's because of us
Vou sèl’an té vé minné
You alone wanted to come with me
La jôdi an ka rété
Today, I will stay
Pou mwen pé fèw dékouvè
So I can show you
An ki jan la vi pé sikré
How life can be secure
Ou la, ou lé, ou la, ou lé
You there, do you want to?
Mennen mwen, chayé mwen
Take me, carry me
Mennen mwen, mwen la…
Take me, I am here...
Lyrics © SM PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: PIERRE DECIMUS, JACOB DESVARIEUX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Qui est là en 2024?
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Moi !
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2024❤❤❤qui est là ?
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Jsuis la
@cicinedjango8941
Qui écoute ce son après son décès met des cœurs. Repose en paix Jacob Icône du Zouk tu restes a jamais dans nos cœurs❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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@jeanphilippebeia9236
Kassav... Une vraie merveille sur cette planète... Un son toujours impeccable... Une merveilleuse faconde danser... Pour n'importe quel âge,... Chapeau bas aux artistes
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