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.
Menfi
Rachid Taha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aw ya dakhal fi wast bibane ya el menfi Aw sabaa fih el gadaane ya el menfi (bis) Aw galouli kachi doukhane ya el menfi Wana fi wasthoum dehchane ya el menfi
REFRAIN
Aw ki dawni le tribunal ya el menfi Djadarmiya kbar wa sghar ya el menfi (bis) Aw sensla tewzen qantar ya el menfi Aw derbouni baam wa n'har ya el menfi
Aala dekhla haffouli ras ya el menfi Aw aatawni zoura w paillasse ya el menfi (bis) Aw grifounia maaya aassas ya el menfi Aala t'mania tesmaa soulas ya el menfi
REFRAIN
Aw ya guelbi wach dak tif ya el menfi Aw soupa daymane kif-kif ya el menfi Aw el gamila maamra ba el ma ya el menfi Aw gralou ionm fiha ya el menfi
The song Menfi by Rachid Taha sheds light on the plight of the marginalized and neglected people of Menfi, a small town in Southern Tunisia. The lyrics are a plea to the world to not forget about Menfi, a place where poverty and suffering is rampant. The first verse talks about how the people of Menfi are not crying anymore as they have been let down many times before. The second verse talks about the corruption within the system, from the police to the judiciary, and how the common man is at the mercy of the powerful. The third verse describes the difficult living conditions of the people, with no home or shelter, relying on handouts and living in poverty. The chorus reminds us that the people of Menfi are human beings just like everyone else and deserve basic human dignity and respect.
Line by Line Meaning
Goulou lemmi ma tebkich ya el menfi
Tell me why you're crying, oh the oppressed one / May God not leave your father, oh the oppressed one
Weldak rebbi ma ikhelich ya el menfi
Your father, may God not abandon him, oh the oppressed one
Aw ya dakhal fi wast bibane ya el menfi
Even if he entered the middle of the desert, oh the oppressed one
Aw sabaa fih el gadaane ya el menfi
Or he stayed in the crowd, oh the oppressed one
Aw galouli kachi doukhane ya el menfi
And they told me, he's selling some stuff, oh the oppressed one
Wana fi wasthoum dehchane ya el menfi
And I am in the middle of them, from side to side, oh the oppressed one
Aw ki dawni le tribunal ya el menfi
And when they took me to court, oh the oppressed one
Djadarmiya kbar wa sghar ya el menfi
Big and small cops were there, oh the oppressed one
Aw sensla tewzen qantar ya el menfi
And the chains are weighing heavily, oh the oppressed one
Aw derbouni baam wa n'har ya el menfi
And they beat me day and night, oh the oppressed one
Aala dekhla haffouli ras ya el menfi
Upon entering, they hit my head, oh the oppressed one
Aw aatawni zoura w paillasse ya el menfi
And they gave me straw and a mattress, oh the oppressed one
Aw grifounia maaya aassas ya el menfi
And the rodents are my companions, oh the oppressed one
Aala t'mania tesmaa soulas ya el menfi
And at night, you hear the chains, oh the oppressed one
Aw ya guelbi wach dak tif ya el menfi
Oh my heart, what is this pain, oh the oppressed one
Aw soupa daymane kif-kif ya el menfi
And the soup is always the same, oh the oppressed one
Aw el gamila maamra ba el ma ya el menfi
And the camel's fur is red from the water, oh the oppressed one
Aw gralou ionm fiha ya el menfi
And they found a lot of money in it, oh the oppressed one
Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@saidslimani7190
Traduction mélodique de : El menfi (Le banni)
Dites à ma mère : Ne pleure pas, ô banni
Ton fils, Dieu le sauvera, ô banni
En cellule, on me fit entrer
Sept détenus s’y trouvaient
Des cigarettes, on demandait
Moi, parmi eux, stupéfait
Quand on m’emmena au tribunal
Des gendarmes, petits et grands
La chaîne pesant un quintal
Un an et un jour, prenant
A mon entrée, ma tête rasée
Une paillasse, couverture, données
Et le gardien me surveillant
A huit heures : Silence ! Tu entends
Ô mon cœur, pour vivre, c’est
Toujours pareil, le manger
Pleine d’eau, la gamelle étant
Et des cafards nageant dedans
Patiente, maman, ne pleure pas, ô banni
Ton fils, Dieu le sauvera, ô banni.
N.B. Ces vers peuvent être chantés avec la musique de la chanson.
@EmadEmad-tl1em
المعاني ـ قولوا لأمي ألا تبكي ـ إن الله لن يتخلى عن ولدك
عندما دخلت وجدت ابواب كثيرة
والسباع (الرجال الأقوياء) هم الجدعان
وقالوا لي هل لديك سجائر؟
وأنا كنت بينهم مذهولًا ومدهوشًا
وعندما أخذوني للمحكمة
والجندرمة (الدرك أو الشرطة العسكرية) عددها كثير كبار وصغار
والسلسلة (التي كنت مقيدا بها) تزن قنطارًا (ثقيلة جدا)
وحكموا علي بسنة ويوم
عندما دخلت المعتقل حلقوا لي رأسي
وأعطوني غطاء وحصيرًا من القصب للنوم
وطوال الليل العسس أو العساكر تمر عليهم
وفى الساعة الثامنة يطلقون صفارتهم لكى ننام
ويا قلبي (يسأل نفسه) ما بك لا تريد أن تأكل
فالشوربة (وهي الطعام في المعتقل) هي هي ولن تتغير
فالقاميلة (صحن السجناء والجند) الذي نأكل فيها مليء بالماء
والصراصير عائمة عليه
قولوا لأمي ألا تبكي
إن الله لن يتخلى عن ولدك
اصبري يا أمي ولا تبكي
إن الله لن يتخلى عن ولدك
سلام من مصر لاحلى اغنيه من الجزائر الحبيب
@mouhoubali
Un chef d’œuvre de Akli Yahiatene, remis au goût du jour par Rachid Taha allah yerahmou.
@hassanothman1541
الله يرحمك يا اجمل فنان سمعته فى حياتى انا مصرى وكنت بعشقك بشكل مش طبيعى ربنا يغفرلك يارشيد يا طه يا حسن الوجه والقلب تحيا الجزائر مليون مره
@hishammahmoud4567
hassan othman
الله يرحمه
وناس معينة فى مصر هى اللى كانت مهتمة بالراى و نجومهم و بيكون ذوقهم الفنى فالسمع مميز ومختلف عن الاغلبية
و رشيد بالذات كان مميز ربنا يغفرله 💔
@brahim6055
Allah yarham Seddik Taouti, le grand diplomate de la ville de Laghouat, qui a découvert nos frères calédoniens lors d’un de ses innombrables voyages et qui se démena corps et âme pour construire leur première mosquée qui porte aujourd’hui son nom.
@koutob
Allah yarham l'homme calédonien
@Uxmal76
saludos desde el nuevo mundo! Excelente canción!
@Bk.90
روعة القصيدة الله يرحم الشهداء
و فااااااك فغانسة
@AbcDef-qr7tj
الرحمة والمغفرة لروحه الطاهر رشيد ستبقى في قلبنا ايها العظيم
@kouidermagra2550
Allah yarahmou.
Remettre au gout du jour de tel chansons..
@karimadali7985
ربي يرحم الشهداء.