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.
Pa bisoin palé
Kassav' Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Finmin la pote la, O swè a mwen péké ladjew,
Oublier déo la, pani pésson
Limin bougi a et vini la pou ou couté,
Tout sa tchè mwen lé diw dépi jou'a ou gadé mwen,
Pa bisoin palé {x2}
Pa bisoin di mwen cé soleil ka lévé lè matin,
Meme si cé nonm selmen ki ni droit di,
(Enn) vini pa pati,
L'honnetééé pou ou couté
Chanson tala fète pou ou, i dans tchè mwen
Dépi lontennn,
Ayy doudou, vini pren frisson
Cé sa tchè mwen lé diw, chak foi ou gadé mwen
Ayy doudou, vini pren frisson
C sa tchè mwen ka chanté lè ou ka souri ba mwen,
Vini pren'y vini pren'y
Lè ou ka palé mwen, lè ou ka passé bô mwen
Ou sav cé baw tou sèl tchè mwen ka frissoné
Sa ki rivéw là, men poko janmè wèw kon sa
Dépi yen dé jou, ou ka palé dè lanmou
Si c parskè i ni en moun ka few vibré
Palé ba mwen franchement,
Mwen poko jin wèw kon sa
Léssé lanmou'a palé, sa i ka mandé c trop
Léssé lanmou'a palé, sa i ka mandé c trop
(Instrumental)
Pa bisoin palé, pa bisoin palé
Pa bisoin chèché pli loin lèw là
Pa bisoin palé, pa bisoin palé
En nou finmin zyé nou
Et rété adan meme tempo a
L'honnetééé pou ou couté
Chanson tala fète pou ou, i dans tchè mwen
Dépi lontennn,
Vini pren'y {x10}
Lè ou ka gadé mwen
Lè ou ka souri ba mwen
Lè ou ka palé mwen
Lè ou ka passé bô mwen
Ou sav cé baw tou sel
Tchè mwen ka frissonéééé
Toute kô mwen ka chanté
Kassav's song "Pa Bisoin Palé" is a love song that reflects the feeling of being completely overwhelmed by love that it takes a deep frisson (shiver) in one's body. It is a song about the power of honesty and raw emotions and how the mere presence of someone can make one feel alive. The lyrics describe the moment when everything seems perfect, and you don't need words to express your feelings. The singer talks about how he says everything through his eyes, and he doesn't need words to articulate what he feels. The chorus repeats the need for silence or the absence of words because actions speak on behalf of the lover's feelings.
In the first verse, the singer talks about the physical feeling he experiences when he sees his lover. His body shivers, and he can't speak or move. The refrain "pa bisoin palé" is a reminder that the feeling of love is so powerful that it doesn't require words to express. The singer explains that even though some people believe that only men have the right to express themselves, his lover shouldn't feel restricted. There's no need to speak, but the person has the right to come and depart as they wish.
The song continues with the chorus repeating the importance of silence and honesty, encouraging the listener to be honest in their feelings when speaking with their lover. The instrumental is a time for reflection before the last verse where the singer concludes by encouraging the listener to let love speak. In summary, the song is about letting love speak for itself and not feeling the need to articulate it with words.
Line by Line Meaning
Frisson, frisson; frisson; frisson,
A shiver, a shiver, a shiver, a shiver,
Finmin la pote la, O swè a mwen péké ladjew,
Close the door, it's late and I'm not dressed yet,
Oublier déo la, pani pésson
Forget about yesterday, there's no need to dwell on it,
Limin bougi a et vini la pou ou couté,
The light is on and here for you to listen to,
Tout sa tchè mwen lé diw dépi jou'a ou gadé mwen,
Everything my heart wants to tell you since the day you laid eyes on me,
Pa bisoin palé {x2}
No need to speak,
Pa bisoin di mwen cé soleil ka lévé lè matin,
Don't tell me the sun rises in the morning,
Meme si cé nonm selmen ki ni droit di,
Even if it's only a man who has the right to say it,
(Enn) vini pa pati,
Come and stay,
L'honnetééé pou ou couté
Listen to the honesty,
Chanson tala fète pou ou, i dans tchè mwen
This song is for you, it's in my heart,
Dépi lontennn,
For a long time,
Ayy doudou, vini pren frisson
Come and get shivers, baby,
Cé sa tchè mwen lé diw, chak foi ou gadé mwen
This is what my heart tells you every time you look at me,
Ayy doudou, vini pren frisson
Come and get shivers, baby,
C sa tchè mwen ka chanté lè ou ka souri ba mwen,
This is what my heart sings when you smile at me,
Vini pren'y vini pren'y
Come and get it, come and get it,
Lè ou ka palé mwen, lè ou ka passé bô mwen
When you talk to me, when you pass by me,
Ou sav cé baw tou sèl tchè mwen ka frissoné
You alone know how to make my heart shiver,
Sa ki rivéw là, men poko janmè wèw kon sa
What happened to you, but I've never seen you like this,
Dépi yen dé jou, ou ka palé dè lanmou
For a couple of days, you've been talking about love,
Si c parskè i ni en moun ka few vibré
If it's because someone is making you vibrate,
Palé ba mwen franchement,
Honestly tell me,
Mwen poko jin wèw kon sa
I've never seen you like this before,
Léssé lanmou'a palé, sa i ka mandé c trop
Let love speak, what it asks for is too much,
(Instrumental)
Pa bisoin palé, pa bisoin palé
No need to speak,
Pa bisoin chèché pli loin lèw là
No need to search farther than where you are,
En nou finmin zyé nou
We've locked eyes,
Et rété adan meme tempo a
And stay in the same rhythm,
L'honnetééé pou ou couté
Listen to the honesty,
Chanson tala fète pou ou, i dans tchè mwen
This song is for you, it's in my heart,
Dépi lontennn,
For a long time,
Vini pren'y {x10}
Come and get it,
Lè ou ka gadé mwen
When you look at me,
Lè ou ka souri ba mwen
When you smile at me,
Lè ou ka palé mwen
When you talk to me,
Lè ou ka passé bô mwen
When you pass by me,
Ou sav cé baw tou sel
You alone know
Tchè mwen ka frissonéééé
How to make my heart shiver
Toute kô mwen ka chanté
My whole body is singing
Writer(s): jean-philippe marthély
Contributed by Molly V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Vi
on Mwen di ou awa
I Tell You Now / I Am Telling You Now