Their tracks often feature acoustic guitar and accordion, as well as some tracks containing many other 'traditional' instruments such as piano and brass. Their style is fairly upbeat and energetic on the majority of their tracks, with unusual rhythms, vocals delivered with a generous dose of zeal and vibrant energy, and accompaniment melodies ranging from lilting and distant to eccentric and fast-paced. These two factors give many of their pieces a strong sense of direction.
Les Négresses Vertes arose from the alternative music scene in Paris. The original line-up included singer Helno (born Noël Rota in Paris, December 25, 1963 - January 22, 1993, also known as Helno Rota de Lourcqua), Jo Roz (also known as l'Ami Ro; real name Joe Ruffier des Aimes) (piano), Stéfane Mellino (guitar), Jean-Marie Paulus (bass), Gaby (drums), Matthias Canavese (accordion), Michel Ochowiak (trumpet), Abraham Sirinix (also known as Abraham Braham) (trombone) and Iza Mellino (backing vocals).
The original members were a group of friends, many of whom had not played their instruments before forming the band. The group's name translates as "green black women"; it arose from abuse hurled at them at one of their first concerts. They were initially signed to the independent Off The Track label, and released the punk protest song "200 Ans D'Hypocrisie" in response to their country's French Revolution bicentennial celebrations.
In 1989 they released their first album, Mlah, to good reviews in both France and the UK, where the single "Zobi La Mouche" just failed to reach the charts and where they toured and played the WOMAD festival. They also made a controversial tour of Lebanon. Their second album, Famille Nombreuse, in 1991, featured new drummer Zé Verbalito.
Helno was by this time struggling with serious heroin addiction, and Stéfane Mellino and Canavese replaced him as the main songwriters. Helno died at his parents' house on January 22, 1993.
Several members left the band after Helno's death, but Les Négresses Vertes continued around the nucleus of Mellino, Canavese, Ochowiak and Paulus. In 1995 they released the album Zig-Zague, followed by the live album Green Bus. By 2000's Trabendo, the group's style had shifted to a dub-orientated lounge style. They disbanded in 2001.
Albums
* Mlah (1988)
* Famille Nombreuse (1991)
* 10 Remixes (1993)
* An Aperitif (1994)
* Zig-Zague (1994)
* Green Bus (1996), live
* Trabendo (1999)
* Acoustic Clubbing (2001)
* Les grand deballage (2002) ('Best of' album)
* L'essentiel (2004)('Best of' album)
* À l'Affiche (2006)
Singles
* Il (1989)
* Zobi La Mouche (1989)
* Voila L’ete(1989)
* Hou! Mamma Mia (1992)
* Sous Le soleil de bodega (1992)
* Apres La pluie (1994)
* Mambo Show (1994)
* A Quoi Bon (1995)
* Easy Girls (1999)
* Leila (1999)
* Hasta Llegar (2000) ('Promo' CD - was never released)
* Spank / Abuela (2000)
Hou Mamma Mia
Les Négresses Vertes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Une étrange lueur, qui te glaçait de peur.
Enfant de misère, seul fils de son père
Véritable vaurien qui s’est enfui si loin.
Attaché à la chaîne d’une vie tracée,
Pris dans ce carcan pouvait-il s’échapper ?
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Sous les jupons de sa mère le temps s’est écoulé
Un beau jour en mariage on vient le demander
Présente-moi ta mère, je veux t’épouser
Si tu dois prendre femme, moi je suis du quartier.
Leur rencontre amoureuse par sa mère écourtée,
Pouvait-il empêcher sa bouche de crier ?
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! que paura
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! que paura
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Maurizio vieux garçon, se fait une raison
La mamma disparue, il sut qu’il était perdu
À l’heure des regrets, la vie est sans pitié
Des femmes de son âge que peut-il espérer ?
Un jour sur la colline, si vous le rencontrez
Ne vous enfuyez pas, il ne sait que chanter
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! que paura
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! que paura
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! que paura
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou ! que paura
Hou ! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
The song, "Hou Mamma Mia" by Les Négresses Vertes, tells the story of a man named Maurizio, who is the only son of his father and has grown up in hardship. Maurizio carries an unusual look in his eyes that could chill one to the bone, and he is seen as a true scoundrel, who has run away from his prescribed life. He feels chained to his predetermined fate and wonders if he can ever escape it. The title of the song, "Hou Mamma Mia," is a repeated phrase that represents the fear that pervades the song.
In the second verse, Maurizio has grown up and been living with his mother. One day, he is asked to get married, and the girl's family asks to meet his mother. Unfortunately, his mother's interference leads to the end of the relationship. As the song progresses, we learn that Maurizio has become a lonely old man, who only knows how to sing. He accepts that he is alone but still cannot help wondering what he could have had.
The song is a reflective and tragic reminder that life is not always easy, and that it is not always possible to have what we want. It is a song of lost opportunities and regrets, of life's moments that never come again. The repeated phrase, "Hou Mamma Mia," is both a cry of fear and a cry of regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Du regard de sa mère, Maurizio tenait
Maurizio clung to the gaze of his mother
Une étrange lueur, qui te glaçait de peur.
It held a queer twinkle that would freeze you in fright
Enfant de misère, seul fils de son père
A child of poverty, an only son to his father
Véritable vaurien qui s’est enfui si loin.
A true rascal who ran so far away
Attaché à la chaîne d’une vie tracée,
Chained to the path of a predefined life
Pris dans ce carcan pouvait-il s’échapper ?
Trapped in that prison, could he escape?
Sous les jupons de sa mère le temps s’est écoulé
Time passed under the skirts of his mother
Un beau jour en mariage on vient le demander
One fine day, they asked for his hand in marriage
Présente-moi ta mère, je veux t’épouser
Introduce me to your mother, I want to marry you
Si tu dois prendre femme, moi je suis du quartier.
If you must marry someone, I am a local here.
Leur rencontre amoureuse par sa mère écourtée,
Their romantic encounter was cut short by his mother
Pouvait-il empêcher sa bouche de crier ?
Could he prevent his mouth from screaming?
Maurizio vieux garçon, se fait une raison
Maurizio, an old bachelor, comes to terms
La mamma disparue, il sut qu’il était perdu
Once his mother vanished, he knew he was lost
À l’heure des regrets, la vie est sans pitié
In the hour of regrets, life is pitiless
Des femmes de son âge que peut-il espérer ?
What can he hope for from women his own age?
Un jour sur la colline, si vous le rencontrez
If you happen to meet him on the hill one day
Ne vous enfuyez pas, il ne sait que chanter
Don't run away, he only knows how to sing
Hou ! Mamma mia
Hou! Oh my goodness
Hou ! que paura
Hou! What fear
Que paura me fa
What fear does it give me
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT (FRANCE), BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAURENT GABRIEL, STEPHANE MICHEL MELLINO, Jean Paulus, Mathieu Crespin, Michel Estrade, Noel Rota, Stephane Mellino
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PauMartinezFerre
HOU! MAMMA MIA
( Stéfane Mellino )
· Stéfane Mellino — chant, guitare
· Noël 'Helno' Rota — chant
· Matias Canavese — accordéon, choeurs
· Joël 'Jo Roz' Ruffier — piano, guitare, choeurs
· Michel 'Mich' Ochowiak — trompette, choeurs
· Abraham 'Sirinix' Braham — trombone, choeurs
· Jean-Marie Paulus — basse
· Zé Verbalito — batterie
· Ortoli — derbouka
· Iza Mellino — guiro
· Julot — choeurs
Produced and mixed by Clive Martin & Sodi 'Ozone'.
Artwork by Gégé Lo Monaco, Objectif Lune.
* * * * *
Du regard de sa mère Maurizio tenait
Une étrange lueur qui te glaçait de peur
"(L'enfant du misère, seul fils de son père)"
"(Véritable vaurien qui s'est enfui si loin)"
Attaché à la chaîne d'une vie tracée
Pris dans ce carcan, pouvait-il s'échapper?
[ Refrain ]
Hou! Mamma mia
Hou! que paura
Hou! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Sous les jupons de sa mère le temps s'est écoulé
Un beau jour en mariage on vient le demander
"(Présente-moi ta mère, je veux t'épouser)"
"(Si tu dois prendre femme, moi je suis du quartier)"
Leur rencontre amoureuse par sa mère écourtée
Pouvait-il empêcher sa bouche de crier?
[ Refrain ]
Hou! Mamma mia
Hou! que paura
Hou! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
Maurizio, vieux garçon, se fait une raison
Sa mère est disparue, il sut qu'il était perdu
"(À l'heure des regrets, la vie est sans pitié)"
"(Des femmes de son âge que peut-il espérer?)"
Un jour sur la colline, si vous le recontrez
Ne vous enfuyez pas, il ne sait que chanter
[ Refrain ]
Hou! Mamma mia
Hou! que paura
Hou! Mamma mia
Que paura me fa
@samdz06aitidir62
Déjà tellement d années...mais ces chansons sont toujours présentes et comme ça fait du bien rip helno
@Lady_Sekhmet
C'est vrai qu'il est fabuleux ce clip. Surtout si on remet dans le contexte de l'époque !
@morenoreceputo903
R.i.P Helno,super vos, clips et , vraiment un Style qu'ils ont Tout le Groupe
@francoisebelmudes7994
Toujours le même son et la même énergie c'est cool
@emiliennekremer1495
Formidable c'est ma jeunesse on s s'amusait à cette époque on sent c est une équipe de copains et qu ils s s'amusaient dommage qu elno se soit drogué il serait encore en vie et l on continuerait à rigoler
@domenicomanzo1873
musica bellissima ! sono 20 anni che la sento ! voce magica!
@denisbintar
troppo forti,indimenticabili
@pascaldeschamps4834
R.I.P. Helno
@steampunk44
26 ans se sont écoulés (la moitié de ma vie) avant que j'ai le plaisir de les revoir en concert à Nantes au Stéréolux le 03 Avril 2018
@arnaudmahu8996
Salut de Nantes camarade