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.
chawa
Kassav' Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ki jan ou ka gadé mwen
Yè mwen pa té désidé
An pa janmen ka présé
Si alè ou ka santi ou anvi vwayajé
Motè an mwen siper cho
Pé pa atann a dèmen
Sé vou menm
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
chantè-
Vou ki la
kè-
Sé vou man lé, iyé!
Pa lapenn chayé bagaj
Pou mwen mennen'w asi niaj
La zétwal ka benyen
Man ké fè'w vizité
Sèten ou pa janmen kontré
An pipiri ki ka palé koumandé flè rouvè
Pou i dézaltéré
Sé vou menm
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
chantè-
Vou ki la
kè-
Sé vou man lé, iyé!
Dépi tan, dépi tan man ka signalizé
Fé détrès pou asistans
"Appels de phare" patjé mwen dan bra'w
Mwen kontan
Mwen kontan jòdi-a ou frenné
Ay! tjè mwen oralanti
Pasé "première" mi sa rupati
Sé vou menm, hein!
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
JB-
Vou ki la, la
kè-
Sé vou man lé iyé!
Si wou ka doublé san klignoté
Mwen ka mandé sékirité
Pas menm si asiré
Ké ni pénalité
Dakò pou alé dékouvè
bel biten ki ni si latè
Mé si sé pou pran fè
Man pé ké vwayajé
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré (hum!)
Tjè kontan akséléré
Es ou paré pou dékolé
pon-
Sé vou menm
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Vou ki la
kè-
Sé vou man lé, iyé!
Sé vou menm
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Vou ki la
kè-
Sé vou man lé, iyé!
souflan!
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
souflan-
kè-
Sé vou mwen lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
souflan-
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré (hum!)
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
kè-
Lé lé lé lé, lé lé
Lé lé lé lé, lé lé
Lé lé lé lé, lé lé
Lé lé lé lé, lé lé
Voyé lanmou ban mwen
Pou man pé dékolé, way!
Voyé limyè si mwen
Dékolé, man dékolé, woy!
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
souflan-
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
souflan-
violon-
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
souflan-
kè-
Sé vou man lé pou démaré
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Es ou paré pou dékolé?
The lyrics to Kassav's song "Chawa" speak about the desire to travel and explore new places. The song starts with the singer observing someone who is watching them and expressing their own desire to travel. They talk about the excitement of packing and not wanting to wait until tomorrow before setting off on their journey. The singer then goes on to describe the beauty of the journey, seeing the stars above and encountering new things along the way.
As the song goes on, the singer talks about their own experiences of traveling and how they signal for assistance when needed. They mention the importance of safety while on the road and the penalties for not following the rules. Despite this, the singer still wants to explore the beauty of the world around them.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Sé vou man lé pou démaré" which translates to "I want you to start" or "I need you to start". This phrase is repeated multiple times throughout the song, expressing the singer's desire to start their journey and the excitement they feel about it.
Overall, "Chawa" is a song about the excitement and beauty of traveling and exploring new places. It expresses a desire for adventure and a love of experiencing the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Ni lontan mwen ka véyé
I've been watching for a long time
ki jan ou ka gadé mwen
how you're looking at me
Yè mwen pa té désidé
Yesterday, I hadn't decided
An pa janmen ka présé
I'm never in a hurry
Si alè ou ka santi ou anvi vwayajé
If you're feeling the urge to travel
Motè an mwen siper cho
My engine is overheating
Pé pa atann a dèmen
Can't wait until tomorrow
Sé vou menm kè-
It's you, my heart
Sé vou man lé pou démaré chantè-
It's you who I want to start
Vou ki la kè-
You who are there, my heart
Sé vou man lé, iyé!
It's you who I want, yes!
Pa lapenn chayé bagaj
It's not worth packing bags
Pou mwen mennen'w asi niaj
To take you to the clouds
La zétwal ka benyen
The stars are bathing
Man ké fè'w vizité
I'll take you on a visit
Sèten ou pa janmen kontré
Certainly, you've never met
An pipiri ki ka palé koumandé flè rouvè
A bird that speaks and commands flowers to open
Pou i dézaltéré
To quench your thirst
Dépi tan, dépi tan man ka signalizé
For a long time, I've been signaling
Fé détrès pou asistans
Sending distress for assistance
"Appels de phare" patjé mwen dan bra'w
"Flashing lights" in your arms
Mwen kontan
I am happy
Mwen kontan jòdi-a ou frenné
I'm happy today that you've stopped
Ay! tjè mwen oralanti
Oh! My heart is racing
Pasé "première" mi sa rupati
Once I pass first gear, I'll tear up the road
JB-
JB-
Si wou ka doublé san klignoté
If you're changing lanes without signaling
Mwen ka mandé sékirité
I'm asking for safety
Pas menm si asiré
Even if it's ensured
Ké ni pénalité
There will be a penalty
Dakò pou alé dékouvè
Agreed to go discover
bel biten ki ni si latè
beautiful things here on earth
Mé si sé pou pran fè
But if it's just to waste time
Man pé ké vwayajé
I won't be traveling
Tjè kontan akséléré
Happy heart accelerating
Es ou paré pou dékolé
Are you ready to take off?
pon-
pon-
Tjè mwen kontan, akséléré!
Happy heart, accelerating!
souflan!
souflan!
Lé lé lé lé, lé lé
Lé lé lé lé, lé lé
Voyé lanmou ban mwen
Send me love
Pou man pé dékolé, way!
So I can take off, yeah!
Voyé limyè si mwen
Send me some light
Dékolé, man dékolé, woy!
Take off, I'm taking off, yes!
violon-
Violin-
kè-
My heart
Writer(s): evariste décimus, jocelyne béroard
Contributed by Juliana M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jeankabore-hx2ql
Jacob tu nous as toucher les cœurs que dieu te reçois dans sa miséricorde
@tanianoel1064
J'aime trop cette chanson a chaque fois que j'écoute cette chanson en dirait que c'est une nouveauté 😅
@anicetbarou5350
Enfin je cherchais cette chanson avec torche. Je coule des larmes en pensant à mon enfance. Chapeau à eux
@olibrou8103
Je t'asssure jai trop cherche depuis la disparition des casettes
@veroniquel.6432
Ma chanson préféré que tu reposes en paix Jacob♥️
@dalandecom
Au top jacob et Georges. Le boss de la basse monsieur Decimus
@BillsosaMusic
Fly high Legend 🕊
@ghislainsouza4442
J'avais dix ans , ah la vie, j'ai tant cherché ça comme je ne connaissais pas le titre....
@Princesse21
Mon enfance ...❤️
@aichaceciledrame476
Ma chanson préférée.