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.
Sye Bwa
Kassav' Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nou pa ka konp wan'n
Ki lang' ou pa lé
Léve vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
Ès ou ka konp wan'n
Ou pé mandé nou travay
Léve vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
Siyé siyé
Légo rin' la kasé
Ti zo zio mété yo a mil' pou fè la fimé
Siyé siyé
Légorin'la kasé
Dèmen si ou lé
Nou sèten travay
Mié ki jòdi la
Lévé vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
Pa touwmanté nou
Ba nou on ti chans'
Rondi dèwò la
Lévé vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
Siyé siyé siyé bwa
Siyé siyé siyé bwa
É menm si nou pé
Sé vé nou vé pa
Lésé nou chapé
Lévé vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
Son la ka rivé
Nou pé pa tchenmbé
Fò ou konpwan'n sa
Lévé vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
Siyé siyé siyé
Légorin'la kasé
Siyé siyé siyé
Légorin'la kasé
Kassav’s song Syé Bwa tells a story about the importance of coming together and working as a team. The lyrics emphasize the significance of communication between different communities, or languages, that may not necessarily have a shared understanding, but must collaborate for a common goal. The chorus, “Lévé vini pou zot’ siyé bwa,” translates to “Get up and come to mark the trees,” which can be interpreted as a call to action or to come together to achieve something.
The song also touches on issues of economic struggle and the importance of hard work. The line, “Ou pé mandé nou travay, kon yé la,” translates to “You are asking us to work, like we are here,” is a commentary on the hardships faced by those who may not have the same opportunities as others, but still have to work hard to make ends meet. The song encourages listeners to work hard and take advantage of opportunities to better their situation.
Overall, Kassav’s Syé Bwa delivers a powerful message about unity, collaboration, and hard work in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Ka ou vlé di la
What are you trying to say?
Nou pa ka konp wan'n
We don't understand one another
Ki lang' ou pa lé
What language don't you speak?
Léve vini pou zot' siyé bwa
Come and join us in celebrating and dancing around the tree
Aÿ aÿ ou pé ké vwè sa
You won't regret it
Ès ou ka konp wan'n
Do you understand?
Ou pé mandé nou travay
Are you asking us to work?
Kon yé la
As it is
Siyé siyé
Lean and dance
Légo rin' la kasé
The leg room is broken
Ti zo zio mété yo a mil' pou fè la fimé
Young boys put them a thousand things to smoke
Dèmen si ou lé
If you want tomorrow
Nou sèten travay
We'll surely work
Mié ki jòdi la
Better than today
Pa touwmanté nou
Don't waste our time
Ba nou on ti chans'
Give us a chance
Rondi dèwò la
Gather outside
É menm si nou pé
And even if we can
Sé vé nou vé pa
It's true that we don't want to
Lésé nou chapé
Let us escape
Son la ka rivé
The sound is here
Nou pé pa tchenmbé
We won't fall
Fò ou konpwan'n sa
You must understand that
Lyrics © SM PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: PIERRE DECIMUS, JACOB DESVARIEUX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@reciprok3297
Que l'on soit antillais ou pas, cette chanson est légendaire
@drp2178
De oufff wsh
@pascalbenoist5695
😊😊😊😊Oui Merci.
@adjime
c'est bien toi Kayse de Reciprok Oo ?!
@cyrillamache1133
Plus populaire que l’Ave Maria…. Elle a réchauffé, et réchauffe plus d’un cœur ♥️
@lenfantmystique9382
Etant donné que le clip de cette chanson avait été fait dans mon pays. Sa légende prend encore un autre sens pour moi.
@myriambenmeradiouali6781
Qui écoute encore Kassav en 2024😅🎉🎉🎉
@mehdijamil831
Je n'écoute pas kassav tous les jours mais le décès de Mr Jacob Desvarieux m'a beaucoup touché et ces chansons respirent la joie et la bonne humeur. RIP l'artiste
@malou9738
889rue de
@mariefichora6396
Jacob DESVARIEUX 😭😭😭 fait que son n'aime repose en paix ☮️