Malavoi's style mixes French Antillean music with modern influences from across the Americas, especially Caribbean and Brazilian music, as well as jazz. Their early popular singles included "Albé" and "En lè mon là". The band was soon expanded to include saxophonist Bib Monville and pianist Paulo Rosine. The singers alternated and included Raymond Mazarin, Pierre Jabert, Maurice Marie-Louise, Pierre Pastel and Julien Constance.
Malavoi's first album was Malavoi, released in 1978 and featuring singer Ralph Thamar. The band broke up soon after, however, and didn't perform again until re-uniting under Rosine's leadership in 1981. Rosine greatly expanded the fiddle section, first to ten performers, then down to four with Philippe Porry taking over for Dantin, and also added Jean-José Lagier on cello. Malavoi's fame soon spread across the Caribbean and abroad with the 1983 album Zouel, featuring Thamar on vocals along with Marie-José Alie. They played at the Printemps de Bourges in 1983 and at the Caribbean festival in Cartagena, and won the Caribbean music prize, the Maracas d'Or, as well as scoring the film Rue Case Nègres.
They continued touring widely into the late 1980s, in the United States, France, Japan, Russia, Brazil, Canada and Ecuador. Thamar was replaced by Pipo Gertrude in 1988. In the early 1990s, the band's popularity continued to grow, and the membership expanded with the addition of singer Tony Chasseur. Their 1992 Matebis included collaborations with numerous Caribbean musicians, including Jocelyne Beroard, Bethova Obas, Kali (musician), Edith Lefel and Tanya Saint-Val.
Malavoi's leader, Paulo Rosine, died in 1993. He was replaced by José Privat, while two French violinists, Jean-Luc Pino and Daniel Dato, also joined; the band's leader became Jean-Paul Soïme.
Cinelle ô
Malavoi Lyrics
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Té ka tonbé
Ou pa tounen ou pa palé
Pa mem pléré
Ou pa sonjé le tan pasé an ti kaz la
An lè môn la, a dan bra mwen, ou té révé
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, poutchi ou fè sa?
Ou pa mem sonjé ti manmay la
Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Cinelle ô
Sa sé la vi, jodi la jwa
Dimen la pèn
Lè souvenir sé sèl bagay ki ka rété
Tjè mwen blésé, i ka senyen, tanpi pou mwen
Fini l'amour, adieu collier, adieu foulard
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, sa ou ka fè la?
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, poutchi ou fè sa?
Ou pa mem sonjé ti manmay la
Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Cinelle ô
Mwen ka tann ou, lè ou ka kryé mwen tou lè jou
Lè van lévé an lè monn la ou ka palé
Kô mwen izé, chivé mwen blan, éti ou yé?
An jou la pli, mwen ké jwenn ou, Cinelle ô
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, tjè mwen kontan
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, fini les pleurs
Mwen pa ka sonjé sa ou fè mwen-an
Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Cinelle ô
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, sa ou ka fè la?
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, poutchi ou fè sa?
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, sa ou ka fè la?
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, poutchi ou fè sa?
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, tjè mwen kontan
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, fini les pleurs
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, tjè mwen kontan
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, fini les pleurs
The lyrics of Malavoi's "Cinelle ô" communicates the eternal struggle of nostalgia and longing, the bittersweet memories of a lost love, and the moment of acceptance that love has ended. The first two verses reveal the pain and heartbreak suffered after a significant other left, and how that person seems to have moved on without a backward glance, even as tears are being shed in reaction to their absence. The pre-chorus speaks of the joy and the pain of life, and how memories are all that is left behind when a love ends. The chorus then comes in to ask the lost love what they are doing while the singer is still suffering, and how they have forgotten the moments shared in the past.
The second verse begins with resignation to the present, realizing that there’s no turning back, and the memories of the love that once was, serves as a reminder of what had been and is now gone. The pain is also evident in the third verse, as the singer is still waiting for the lost love's return, but they’ve disappeared into the void, leaving behind a poor soul to suffer in their wake. Finally, the last verse and the closing lines of the song highlight the need to move forward and embrace a life without tears, although the memories still exist.
Line by Line Meaning
Ou kité nou an jou lapli
You left us on a rainy day
Té ka tonbé
It was pouring down
Ou pa tounen ou pa palé
You didn't come back nor did you talk to us
Pa mem pléré
Not even crying
Ou pa sonjé le tan pasé an ti kaz la
You didn't remember the time spent in that little house
An lè môn la, a dan bra mwen, ou té révé
Up on the hill, in my arms, you were dreaming
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, sa ou ka fè la?
Cinelle oh, Cinelle oh what are you doing?
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, poutchi ou fè sa?
Cinelle oh, Cinelle oh why are you behaving like this?
Ou pa mem sonjé ti manmay la
You didn't even remember the little girl
Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Cinelle ô
Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Ay Cinelle oh
Sa sé la vi, jodi la jwa
That's life, today joy
Dimen la pèn
Tomorrow pain
Lè souvenir sé sèl bagay ki ka rété
When memories are the only things that remain
Tjè mwen blésé, i ka senyen, tanpi pou mwen
My heart is hurt, it's bleeding, it's tough for me
Fini l'amour, adieu collier, adieu foulard
Love is over, goodbye necklace, goodbye scarf
Mwen ka tann ou, lè ou ka kryé mwen tou lè jou
I'm waiting for you when you cry for me every day
Lè van lévé an lè monn la ou ka palé
When the wind rises up in the mountains, you talk
Kô mwen izé, chivé mwen blan, éti ou yé?
My body is weak, my hair is white, where are you?
An jou la pli, mwen ké jwenn ou, Cinelle ô
On a rainy day, I will find you, Cinelle oh
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, tjè mwen kontan
Cinelle oh, Cinelle oh, my heart is happy
Cinelle ô, Cinelle ô, fini les pleurs
Cinelle oh, Cinelle oh, no more tears
Mwen pa ka sonjé sa ou fè mwen-an
I can't remember what you did to me
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gingocamposcampos9341
Malavoi grandes mundos❤
@hvqqhvqq
Désormais j'appelle ce groupe Bienavoi car cette musique me fait un bien fou !
@maryseramael6751
Souvenir souvenir !!
@claudebrunoytocna
super chanson de mon enfance à la Martinique merci Ralph
@ixora1954
De toute beauté😍💓 Mèsi an chay mèsi an badjo !!!!!!
@heroeGWADA97
Sa sé la vi jodi la jwa dèmin la pen...sinêllo sinêllo....
@natachalarive9787
L un de mes coups de cœur 😍 ❤
@dariolalaus9996
En boucle 👌👍
@saarji
Magnifique ! Merci.
@triangulo901
som magnifico para jantares a luz da vela oh, mas que boa melodia