Taha was born in 1958 in Sig (Mascara Province), Algeria, although a second source suggests he was born in the Algerian seacoast city of Oran. Oran was the "birthplace of raï" music, and 1958 was a key year in the Algerian struggle for independence against French authority. He began listening to Algerian music in the 1960s, including street-style music called chaabi. And music from the Maghreb region was part of his upbringing. He moved with his parents to France when he was ten years old, settling in an immigrant community around the French city of Lyon in 1968. His father was a factory worker.
While working in a heating appliance factory in the late 1970s, Taha founded Les Refoulés ("The Rejects"), a nightclub where he would spin mashups of Arabic pop classics over Led Zeppelin, Bo Diddley, and Kraftwerk backbeats.
Based in Paris where he began his solo career after his beginnings as the leader of the French rock band Carte de Séjour, he usually sings in Arabic. In 1981, while living in Lyon, Taha met Mohammed and Mokhtar Amini. The three of them, Rachid, Djamel Dif and Eric Vaquer would later form the band "Carte De séjour" (green card) and record their first maxi Album "Carte De Séjour" in 1983. Their first LP Rhoromanie, came out in 1984. Their second and last LP entitled Ramsa (Five) was released in 1986 and included their famous and ironic cover of Douce France, originally sung by Charles Trenet. The band dissolved in 1989.
His breakthrough album as a solo artist was Diwân, featuring remakes of songs for the Algerian and Arab traditions. His album Tékitoi, produced by Steve Hillage and released in 2004, also brought him great acclaim and recognition from other rock musicians. In 2005 he performed with Robert Plant, Patti Smith and Brian Eno.
He covered The Clash song "Rock the Casbah" (in Arabic, as "Rock El Casbah"), which appeared in the 2007 film about Clash frontman Joe Strummer, "The Future Is Unwritten".
Some critics attribute Taha's unique sound to his use of the mandolute, a mixture of the traditional oud with European fretted instruments.
The song "Barra Barra" from his album "Made in Medina" was featured in the 2001 film "Black Hawk Down "as well as in the Games Convention 2008 trailer of the game Far Cry 2. Recently was featured in the 2007 film The Hunting Party. His song "Garab" from "Made in Medina" was used in the movie "The Truth About Charlie" in 2002, and also in "Blood and Chocolate" in 2007.
Rachid Taha died in September 2018.
Malheureux Toujours
Rachid Taha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Étonné del aîyn aândi deraya
Dans le coeur une flamme nirenou tesni
Feu d'amour sbab douri aâyaya
Séparé mennas kanou yardhouni
Souvenir me loñ men koul djnaya
Nari mehbouba tergoud an aâyni
Mon état malade choufou kirani
Éxcusez le tout ma cabt a-dwaya
Én quittant l′amour chaâlat nirani
Lzid sbab ghouwabt mraya
Cher ami lahsoud biha n'kartouni
Saison d'hiver Malheur Anaya
Les critiques fennes a-men yaâdarni
Ce moment maâdour aând el maânaya
Mon Seigneur fnit a-nnour qrani
Possédé beghram khaya zaâfaya
A toute heure khyalha ma i-ferragni
Nuit et jour el aaâiyn aândi bekaya
Impatient nerdjaâ ghramek aâdabni
Éspérons fe rit taâmal mardhaya
Je desire maâk ya douwakht hani
Passer sebaâ yam entiya maâya
Victorieux eb lemhane qaset înani
Suivex-nous fa zmane khalfou dennaya
Les drapeaux: du vert couleur inenni
Sous les tas aâmam maâdjar maâya
Jésus wa rassoul djaw la aâwani
Nageant dans la mer la djbar la djraya
Lié par amour avec foukani
Très curieux mella be daq hwaya
Mahdjouba pareil dardjou fnani
Élle aura pitié ghzali hawhaya
Le regard chbab erou wa h′zani
Vous jugez echah lafdou wa ghnaya
Wel kas el houb tahesbou aâouni
Ou le remède tefraq maâ anaya
Cette créature khlouqha zelfouni
Égaré perdu techfaw aâdaya
Le visage idir ditou berdani
Pareil à la lune dik a-ddawaya
Le noble au-revoir yaqçad daâni
Assuré menoum melwast djnaya
Ce n′est pas la peine kan twadjabni
Le mauvais mahouch hezou mentaya
Je te serai dévoué toul zmani
Oublions el maâdour mennou kawaya
Malheureux toujours...
The lyrics of Rachid Taha's song Malheureux Toujours are filled with raw emotion, describing a person who is always unhappy and tormented by memories of lost love. The phrase "Malheureux Toujours" translates to "Always Unhappy" in English, and this sentiment is reflected in the lyrics. The singer describes having a flame in their heart that burns with the fire of love, yet the pain of separation and memories of lost love haunt them constantly. The line "Séparé mennas kanou yardhouni" translates to "Separated from the person who used to comfort me," indicating that the singer is suffering from a painful breakup.
The lyrics also deal with themes of regret and acceptance. The singer seems to have come to terms with their unhappiness, acknowledging that their state of mind is "malade" or sick. They ask for forgiveness, acknowledging that they have been consumed by their emotions and have perhaps hurt others in the process. The final lines of the song express a desire for peace and companionship, with the singer pleading to "passer sebaâ yam entiya maâya" or spend seven days with a loved one. This longing for connection highlights the loneliness and isolation that the singer feels, despite their apparent acceptance of their unhappy state.
Overall, Rachid Taha's Malheureux Toujours is a song that speaks to the pain of lost love and the difficulty of moving on. The lyrics are filled with emotional depth and vivid imagery, painting a vivid picture of a person who is constantly haunted by the memories of a past relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Malheureux toujours be sbab m′hani
Unhappy always for reasons beyond my control
Étonné del aîyn aândi deraya
Surprised by what I've seen before me
Dans le coeur une flamme nirenou tesni
A flame in my heart burns with longing
Feu d'amour sbab douri aâyaya
A fire of love, because of its pain and difficulty
Séparé mennas kanou yardhouni
Separation from my beloved haunts me
Souvenir me loñ men koul djnaya
Memories remain from all my days
Nari mehbouba tergoud an aâyni
Her beloved face is forever in my mind
Fa srir nnes kin addawaya
So I escape reality with my imagination
Mon état malade choufou kirani
I'm in a sick state, just look at me
Éxcusez le tout ma cabt a-dwaya
Forgive my behavior, it's beyond my control
Én quittant l′amour chaâlat nirani
Leaving love has left me desolate
Lzid sbab ghouwabt mraya
And caused me endless pain
Cher ami lahsoud biha n'kartouni
Dear friend, winter is upon me
Saison d'hiver Malheur Anaya
A winter of sadness, oh my soul
Les critiques fennes a-men yaâdarni
The critics' words are etched in my mind
Ce moment maâdour aând el maânaya
This moment seems never-ending
Mon Seigneur fnit a-nnour qrani
My Lord provides me with spiritual light
Possédé beghram khaya zaâfaya
And protects me from evil spirits
A toute heure khyalha ma i-ferragni
It's always on my mind, I'm never alone
Nuit et jour el aaâiyn aândi bekaya
Day and night, my eyes are moist with tears
Impatient nerdjaâ ghramek aâdabni
I will return to you, my love, don't be angry
Éspérons fe rit taâmal mardhaya
I hope things will work for us in the future
Je desire maâk ya douwakht hani
I desire to be with you, my beloved
Passer sebaâ yam entiya maâya
To spend seven nights with you would be paradise
Victorieux eb lemhane qaset înani
In victory, my spirits are lifted
Suivex-nous fa zmane khalfou dennaya
Join us, for time keeps moving forward
Les drapeaux: du vert couleur inenni
The flags are green, reminiscent of our land
Sous les tas aâmam maâdjar maâya
Beneath the rubble, my heart remains
Jésus wa rassoul djaw la aâwani
Jesus and the Prophet guide me
Nageant dans la mer la djbar la djraya
Swimming in the sea, waves crashing around me
Lié par amour avec foukani
Bound by love, close to my heart
Très curieux mella be daq hwaya
Inquisitive, always looking for answers
Mahdjouba pareil dardjou fnani
Mahdjouba, like a flower, is kind-hearted
Élle aura pitié ghzali hawhaya
She will show me pity and ease my pain
Le regard chbab erou wa h′zani
Her gaze is enchanting, yet also sad
Vous jugez echah lafdou wa ghnaya
You judge me based on what you see
Wel kas el houb tahesbou aâouni
But love's secrets are known only to me
Ou le remède tefraq maâ anaya
Or perhaps the cure is within my soul
Cette créature khlouqha zelfouni
This creature was created, confused and lost
Égaré perdu techfaw aâdaya
Lost, searching for a way to find itself
Le visage idir ditou berdani
Her face shines bright, like the moon
Pareil à la lune dik a-ddawaya
As beautiful and mysterious as the moon
Le noble au-revoir yaqçad daâni
Noble in our parting, we say goodbye
Assuré menoum melwast djnaya
Certain that we will meet again, in a better place
Ce n′est pas la peine kan twadjabni
It's not worth it to bother me
Le mauvais mahouch hezou mentaya
Don't bring negativity into my life
Je te serai dévoué toul zmani
I will remain loyal to you always
Oublions el maâdour mennou kawaya
Let's forget about the past and start anew
Malheureux toujours...
Unhappy always...
Writer(s): Si Ahmed Soulimane, Baghdadi Benaceur
Contributed by Victoria H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jamalali5222
رائع ربي يرحمك رشيد طه 🙏
@jamalali5222
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@iberaha
Great One!!!
@sarahzidan87
Amazing dear :)