Madilu was 19 when he started his career in Kinshasa’s thriving music scene in 1969. Over the next fifteen years he sang with Orchestre Symba, Papa Noel’s Orchestre Bambula, Sam Mangwana’s Festival des Maquisards and his own Orchestre Bakuba Mayopi, but his career thus far neither revealed nor promised anything out of the ordinary (in an extraordinary milieu). It was Franco who made a star of Madilu System (as the big man had dubbed him). "Mamou (Tu Vois)," the record that introduced the new T.P.O.K. Jazz singer, was a hit in 1984. Madilu followed that up with his own composition for the band, "Pesa Position." Then came "Mario" and "Reponse de Mario" in ‘85 and perhaps the best of the Franco-Madilu duets, "La Vie des Hommes" in ’86.
Congo has bred singers with more impressive range, more force or sweeter tone than Madilu, but very few who sang with his expressiveness, his ability to vivify character with his voice. It was this quality that Franco appreciated so well. He and Madilu shared the lead vocals on many of Franco’s story-songs, Franco singing the narrative and Madilu assuming the role of the protagonist.
When Franco died in 1989, T.P.O.K. Jazz ceased making music for one year, then came together again with Madilu as one of the leaders. In the ensuing years he was a key participant in several of the band’s reunions on stage and in the studio, but at the same time he established himself as an independent artist. Of all the T.P.O.K. Jazz veterans, perhaps only Sam Mangwana had a stronger solo career than Madilu – and Madilu, unlike Sam, never lost his huge fan base in Kinshasa, even while he lived in Paris and Geneva. And yet he always remained an avid collaborator. Some of his best records were duets with peers such as Pépé Kallé, Nyboma Mwan-dido, M’bilia Bel and Josky Kiambukuta. In 2006 he joined the Congolese supergroup Kékélé for Tapale, one of the highlights of the album Kinavana, and in 2007 he reprised “Mario” in a stellar cameo with Africando. His voice was deeper and even huskier than it had been in the original recording, but if anything he rode that war-horse with even more panache than he had 22 years earlier.
Madilu System released a new album, La Bonne Humeur, the summer of 2006, and the first impression of many listeners was that it might be the finest of his career. He went to Kinshasa at the beginning of august 2007 to film videos of his new songs. He collapsed Friday the 10th of August and was taken to the University Hospital, where he died the next morning.
Si Je Savais Ça
Madilu System Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kamolele ngai guitar oyo ko
Zongisa ngai esika ba pimelaka nga na mokili
Ah si je savais ca
Bolingo Somi Somida
Lolango nayo epayi ya ba susu eh
Ngai ko ekenge lokola liso ko leka nyau eh
Mokolo yo oko zonga o tiya yango na micro onde
Ko belisa ngai mingi te po oko lia ngai saignant
(Wana oko lia ngai malamu)
Ba zua o
Lolango nayo epayi ya ba susu eh
Ngai ko nzete ya mbila yoyoyo
Bomengo elekelaka wapi
Po bango ba zuaka
Na matanga to na ba feti
Somi somida oko luka ngai
Biso to zelaka se ya Nzambe
Po a pesaka temps plein
Boni yo oko pesanga manga ya mobesu papa
Basi ba kanoli eh
Si je savais ca
Ba zua oh
Bomengo nayo epayi ya basusu eh
Ngai ko nzete ya pondu oh oh
Awa ko otiki nga na zemi
Monoko eko senga tondolo
Na pokwa eko luka ngai ngai
Litonge papa ko zangisa te
Na ko kufa liwa ya ngungi ya nyoka ba bete ba lembe te
Nani a mi boma se po na yesu / To yoka te oh
Ebele ba mi boma kaka se po ya bolingo eh
Si je savais ca
Ba zua oh
Lolango nayo epayi ya ba susu
Ngai ko nzete ya mbila yo yo oh
Bomengo elekelaka wapi / Po bango ba zuaka
Na matanga to na ba feti
Somi Somida oko luka ngai
Biso to zelaka se ya nzambe
Po apesaka temps plein
Boni yo oko pesanga manga ya mobesu papa
Basi ba kanoli eh
Si je savais ca
Ba zua eh eh
Libenga nayo epayi ya basusu eh
Ngai ko nzete ya pondu oh oh
Awa ko otiki nga na zemi
Monoko eko senga ntondolo
Na pokwa eko luka ngai ngai
Litonge papa ko zangisa te
Na ko kufa liwa ya ngungi
Ya nyoka ba bete ba lembe te
Nani a mi boma se po ya Yesu
To yoka te oh
Ebele ba mi boma kaka se po ya bolingo eh
Si je savais ca
Moyi ebimaka se po ya moto nyoso
Basusu bako profiter nango ngo oh
Liboke ya moniga o sombela yango kwanga
Soki oza na mwa ndambo ya espoir ngo oh
Ba decision na zwelaka yo na nzela ya zando
Na miso nayo na komi baba Adam Bombole
Boko leka wapi eh
Na zongi sima
Na kamati position
Deception epayi na nga mbala misato
Eleki mbeka
Na zongi sima
Ki bo mbanda pasi eh
Na zongi sima na kamati position
Ba coups epayi nanga mbala misato eleki mbeka
Na suki awa
Boko leka wapi eh
Na zongi sima
Na kamati position
Deception epayi na nga mbala misato eleki mbeka
Na zongi sima
In Madilu System's song "Si Je Savais Ca," the singer laments about the things he would have done differently if he had known better. He starts by acknowledging the mesmerizing effect of a guitar's tune that leaves him lost in thought about his life choices. He then speaks about the unpredictability of love, how he thought he had found its true meaning, but alas, he was wrong. The guitar was a reflection of his life, and if he had known better, he would have taken a different path. The chorus suggests that the singer is stuck in a situation that he cannot escape, and he knows that if he had more information beforehand, he would not have fallen into this trap. He continues to highlight the things he would do differently, such as taking care of his relationship with his partner and his well-being.
The second part of the song talks about the risks of life and how difficult it is to navigate through its unpredictability. The singer compares life to a journey with numerous turning points that could either make or break a person. He also acknowledges the deception that surrounds him and how he wishes he could have known what was coming. The song's last verse talks about the regrets of past actions, the impact of deception on his life, and wishing he would have made different choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Chico Mawatu
Chico Mawatu
Kamolele ngai guitar oyo ko
You handed me this guitar
Zongisa ngai esika ba pimelaka nga na mokili
Show me the way, as people deceive me in this world
Ah si je savais ca
Oh, if only I knew
Bolingo Somi Somida
Bolingo Somi Somida
Lolango nayo epayi ya ba susu eh
I loved you since the first day
Ngai ko ekenge lokola liso ko leka nyau eh
I'm crying like a leopard at night without you
Zongisa amour na nga na congelateur
Freeze my love in your memory
Mokolo yo oko zonga o tiya yango na micro onde
On the day you come back, you'll heat it up in the microwave
Ko belisa ngai mingi te po oko lia ngai saignant
Don't overcook it so it won't make me bleed
(Wana oko lia ngai malamu)
(That way you'll serve it to me hot)
Ba zua o
They come
Lolango nayo epayi ya ba susu eh
I loved you since the first day
Ngai ko nzete ya mbila yoyoyo
I'm walking with bare feet
Bomengo elekelaka wapi
Where is the joy?
Po bango ba zuaka
When they come
Na matanga to na ba feti
With mourning and tears
Somi somida oko luka ngai
Somi somida, you hurt me
Biso to zelaka se ya Nzambe
We'll trust in God's plan
Po a pesaka temps plein
When it's full time
Boni yo oko pesanga manga ya mobesu papa
Don't forget to bring me my father's glasses
Basi ba kanoli eh
And some bananas
Si je savais ca
Oh, if only I knew
Ba zua oh
They come
Bomengo nayo epayi ya basusu eh
I loved you since the first day
Ngai ko nzete ya pondu oh oh
I'm walking with heavy burden
Awa ko otiki nga na zemi
Now you bury me
Monoko eko senga tondolo
The walls are closing in
Na pokwa eko luka ngai ngai
The ceiling is falling on me
Litonge papa ko zangisa te
Daddy's love won't save me
Na ko kufa liwa ya ngungi ya nyoka ba bete ba lembe te
I'll die from the poison of the snake that the villagers killed last month
Nani a mi boma se po na yesu / To yoka te oh
Who told me that Yesu would come back / But he hasn't
Ebele ba mi boma kaka se po ya bolingo eh
I should have only believed in love
Si je savais ca
Oh, if only I knew
Ba zua oh
They come
Lolango nayo epayi ya ba susu
I loved you since the first day
Ngai ko nzete ya mbila yo yo oh
I'm walking with bare feet
Bomengo elekelaka wapi / Po bango ba zuaka
Where is the joy? / When they come
Na matanga to na ba feti
With mourning and tears
Somi Somida oko luka ngai
Somi somida, you hurt me
Biso to zelaka se ya Nzambe
We'll trust in God's plan
Po apesaka temps plein
When it's full time
Boni yo oko pesanga manga ya mobesu papa
Don't forget to bring me my father's glasses
Basi ba kanoli eh
And some bananas
Si je savais ca
Oh, if only I knew
Ba zua eh eh
They come
Libenga nayo epayi ya basusu eh
I loved you since the first day
Ngai ko nzete ya pondu oh oh
I'm walking with heavy burden
Awa ko otiki nga na zemi
Now you bury me
Monoko eko senga ntondolo
The walls are closing in
Na pokwa eko luka ngai ngai
The ceiling is falling on me
Litonge papa ko zangisa te
Daddy's love won't save me
Na ko kufa liwa ya ngungi
I'll die from the poison of the snake
Ya nyoka ba bete ba lembe te
That the villagers killed last month
Nani a mi boma se po ya Yesu
Who told me that Yesu would come back
To yoka te oh
But he hasn't
Ebele ba mi boma kaka se po ya bolingo eh
I should have only believed in love
Si je savais ca
Oh, if only I knew
Moyi ebimaka se po ya moto nyoso
The world is on fire
Basusu bako profiter nango ngo oh
They profit from it
Liboke ya moniga o sombela yango kwanga
The riches of the East are magnetized towards it
Soki oza na mwa ndambo ya espoir ngo oh
If you have a glimpse of hope
Ba decision na zwelaka yo na nzela ya zando
The decisions you make on the path of life
Na miso nayo na komi baba Adam Bombole
Your eyes tell me about the father of Adam Bombole
Boko leka wapi eh
Where are we going to
Na zongi sima
To the end of the world
Na kamati position
In a difficult position
Deception epayi na nga mbala misato
I'm surrounded by deception
Eleki mbeka
It's a curse
Ki bo mbanda pasi eh
Let's ignore the past
Na zongi sima na kamati position
To the end of the world, in a difficult position
Ba coups epayi nanga mbala misato eleki mbeka
I'm hit from all sides by deception, it's a curse
Na suki awa
I won't give up
Boko leka wapi eh
Where are we going to
Na zongi sima
To the end of the world
Contributed by Landon I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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And (re)find all video clips and albums from the most popular artists from West Africa, Congo or Cape Verde : Mbilia, Bel, Tabu Ley, Sékouba Bambino, Diéneba Seck, Madilu System, Africando, Ismaël Lô, Kandia Kouyaté, Cabo Verde Show, Bembeya Jazz, Etoile de Dakar, Le Rail Band, ...
@abdoulbaizebah4817
¹w à
@christianndaminina3674
Ćhhh
!tô
@user-fw4fr7ez9p
Mon artiste chéri
@etiennekouamekouakou9141
Une mélodie qui traverse le temps. Merci Madilu,paix à ton âme
@franxakabeya8545
2024 ❤
@user-xg5bd6yx6t
Une grande perte pour la musique congolaise, que Dieu et toutes les Divinités Bouddhiques te bénissent et te protègent, merci beaucoup pour tout.
@frederickoguttu1244
...commendable upload, thank you for your contribution to the world of music...
@frederickoguttu1244
...commendable upload...thank you for your contribution to the world of music...
@davidegesa5995
🔥