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.
Vice Versa
Madilu System Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
FranceKin International
Alain St Pierre
Po na la vie nangai eh
Na lela nangai bolingo
Na lela nangai l'amour
Na suki na mwana oyo, Tifa
Motema mo sundoli
Nzoto ekoti nyongo eko benda nga
Kasi molimo eko boya
Bolingo ezali
Po na mbongo te
Kisi te, to fungola mitema
Babale balingani eh
Ya solo botika
Soki bolobi bo kabola bango um
Mosusu po atika moninga
Ata akuti ye na mbanda eh
Ezalaka mpasi ngo
Nako koka te ko vrivre na bolingo ya boye
Nini nga nasala te, po nanyo
Lelo okende otika ngai na mpasi, na minyololo eh
Oh bolingo, na lela na Paolo
Baboti tango mosusu, bazali ko pekisaka yo
Keba mwasi yo okei ko bala
Fungola matoi mayo
Ozali nano mwana
Ko linga mwasi na mokili, po na kitoko te
Characteur ejugeaka na miso ya bato
Basusu ba zua bilembo pe ba suka na kendo
Deception oyo na zua epesanga mayele eh
Dedications…
Ngai nako senga se losambo na yawe
A pesa yangai molongani, po to vanda
Lelo na zui eh oyo ya ngai wa motema
Na komi mowumbu, ba pasi na bisengo toko vanda
Na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na
Ata bo bomi nga ko boma
Na boya ye te
Albertine a botama na 1952
Nga na 1983 (Etali bino, Etali bino)
Na linga ye ko linga maman, Albertine eh
Bino baninga nangai, bozali ko kamwa pamba
Bo zela mokolo eko yela bino
Nde boko comprendre ngai
Po yango ezali coup de foudre
Ezali bolingo ya solo
Ata bo bengeli nga ba pasteurs
Na tika ye te
Ata bo bengi papa wa Roma, ce n'est pas la peine
Ngai nako senga se losambo na yawe
A pesa yangai molongani po to vanda
Lelo na zui eh oyo yangai wa motema
Nakomi mowumbu, ba pasi na bisengo toko vanda
Na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na
Ba papa na biso ya 70 ans
Ba zuaka bana ya 18 ans
Soki nga na luli Albertine
Po azali mwana ya 1952
Mabe ezali wapi eh
Pona nini injustice ya boye (po na nini)
En tout cas, probleme oyo
Soki ONU asilisi ba problem ya ba guerre
Oyo eza na ba mboka, il faut a tala problem oyo
Mais comment nga na lingi Albertine
Po abotama na 1952
Nga na botama na 1983 bo mona yango mabe
Ngai nako senga se losambo na yawe
A pesa yangai molongani po to vanda
Lelo na zui eh, oyo yangai wa motema
Nakomi mowumbu, ba pasi na bisengo toko vanda eh
Talks and dedications……
.End.
The song Vice Versa by Madilu System has themes of love, relationships, and the complexities that arise with them. The song features a man expressing his love for his partner, describing how he loves her and the challenges they may face. The opening verse talks about how he sees life with her and how he loves her, using the French phrase "l'amour" to show the depth of his feelings. The chorus emphasizes the importance of love and how it should be cherished above all else.
The song then moves on to discuss the challenges that can arise in relationships, such as jealousy and misunderstanding. He talks about how he doesn't want to be deceived by his partner and how he wants to be loved for who he is, not for what he has. The third verse is a dedication to a woman named Albertine, with the singer expressing his love and devotion to her. The song finishes with more dedications and calls to cherish love and hold it close.
Line by Line Meaning
Po na la vie nangai eh
In my life, I've experienced
Na lela nangai bolingo
I've encountered love
Na lela nangai l'amour
I've experienced romance
Na suki na mwana oyo, Tifa
I love the child Tifa
Akomisi ngai lokola zoba
She entrusted me like a son
Motema mo sundoli
My heart is overwhelmed
Nzoto ekoti nyongo eko benda nga
My thoughts and feelings are conflicting
Kasi molimo eko boya
While there's work yet to be done
Bolingo ezali
Love is
Po na mbongo te
Not about money
Kisi te, to fungola mitema
But it tears at the heart
Babale balingani eh
Friends, listen
Ya solo botika
You who make medicine
Soki bolobi bo kabola bango um
If gossip can kill them
Mosusu po atika moninga
What about a young person?
Ata akuti ye na mbanda eh
You just drop them flat
Ezalaka mpasi ngo
It's a sin
Nako koka te ko vrivre na bolingo ya boye
I can't help but drown in the love of my lover
Nini nga nasala te, po nanyo
What don't I ask for, for her?
Lelo okende otika ngai na mpasi, na minyololo eh
Today, she left me in turmoil and pain
Oh bolingo, na lela na Paolo
Oh love, I remember Paolo
Baboti tango mosusu, bazali ko pekisaka yo
When they see you're doing well
Keba mwasi yo okei ko bala
They help you find a woman
Fungola matoi mayo
Get down on your knees
Ozali nano mwana
You're still young
Ko linga mwasi na mokili, po na kitoko te
You want a woman in the world, not for her beauty
Characteur ejugeaka na miso ya bato
Character is judged by people's looks
Basusu ba zua bilembo pe ba suka na kendo
Children with braces run in flip flops
Deception oyo na zua epesanga mayele eh
This deception is causing a lot of trouble
Ngai nako senga se losambo na yawe
I want to send my greetings to you
A pesa yangai molongani, po to vanda
Give my regards when I'm gone
Na zui eh oyo ya ngai wa motema
I leave with the one who has my heart
Na komi mowumbu, ba pasi na bisengo toko vanda
I have big plans, obstacles won't stop me from leaving
Ata bo bomi nga ko boma
Even in death, I'll be alive
Na boya ye te
If she doesn't come with me
Albertine a botama na 1952
Albertine was born in 1952
Nga na 1983 (Etali bino, Etali bino)
I was born in 1983
Na linga ye ko linga maman, Albertine eh
I love her like a mother, Albertine
Bino baninga nangai, bozali ko kamwa pamba
You don't know me well, you're making assumptions
Bo zela mokolo eko yela bino
Wait until tomorrow, it will prove you wrong
Nde boko comprendre ngai
Then you'll understand me
Po yango ezali coup de foudre
Because this is love at first sight
Ezali bolingo ya solo
This is the love of Solo
Ata bo bengeli nga ba pasteurs
Even if pastors advise me
Na tika ye te
I won't listen to them
Ata bo bengi papa wa Roma, ce n'est pas la peine
Even if the Pope himself, it's not worth it
Ba papa na biso ya 70 ans
Our fathers are 70 years old
Ba zuaka bana ya 18 ans
They have 18-year-old children
Soki nga na luli Albertine
If I marry Albertine
Po azali mwana ya 1952
Because she's a child of 1952
Mabe ezali wapi eh
Where is the problem?
Pona nini injustice ya boye (po na nini)
Why the injustice towards him/her?
En tout cas, probleme oyo
In any case, this problem
Soki ONU asilisi ba problem ya ba guerre
If the United Nations solves problems of war
Oyo eza na ba mboka, il faut a tala problem oyo
This is a problem among people, we need to find the solution
Mais comment nga na lingi Albertine
But how do I love Albertine?
Po abotama na 1952
Since she was born in 1952
Nga na botama na 1983 bo mona yango mabe
I was born in 1983 and see how it is
Contributed by Asher W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mimi
on Nzele
Who exactly did backing vocals for this song?
Benard
on Fanta rumba
Fanta Rhumba by madilu lyrics
Steve
on Autoroute
Beniko Zangilu Popolipo Zero Forte.Solo
Steve
on Pie Mboyo
Best ensemble.Lokassa,Le professor Shungu Omba Lokito,Dally the King Kimoko.Djoudjoucet.You can't beg for more
Steve
on Nzele
RigoStar Bamundele.Mature Solo.
Steve
on Sydegi
Caen Madoka my favorite lead guitarist of all time.He did well in Kamul Enter