Massi's music, which prominently features the acoustic guitar, displays Western musical style influences such as rock, country or the Portuguese fado, rather than traditional Algerian or Raï musical styles performed by most Algerian musicians. Massi sings in Algerian Arabic, French, and occasionally English and Kabyle (Berber language), often employing multiple languages in the same song.
Massi was born in Algiers, Algeria to a poor Muslim family of seven children. Encouraged by her older brother, she began studying music at a young age, singing and playing guitar. Growing up Massi immersed herself in American country and roots music, musical styles that would later heavily influence her songwriting. At the age of seventeen she joined a flamenco band, but quickly grew bored with the group and left.
In the early 1990s, Massi joined the Algerian political rock band Atakor, who were influenced by Western rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and U2. She recorded and performed with the group for seven years, releasing a successful album and two popular music videos. The band, however, with its political lyrics and growing popularity, became a target. Massi disguised herself by cutting her hair and dressing in male clothing, but she nevertheless became the target of a series of death threats. In 1999, she left the band and moved to Paris, France.
In 1999, Massi was invited to perform at the Femmes d'Algerie ("Women from Algeria") festival in Paris, which led to a recording contract with Island Records. In June of 2001, she released her solo debut album Raoui ("Storyteller"), which All Music Guide compared to 1960s American folk music. Sung mostly in French and Arabic, the album became a critical and commercial success in France. The following year she was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the Radio 3 World Music Awards.
In 2003, she released her second album Deb ("Heart-broken"). The album's lyrics were more personal rather than political and it became one of the most successful North African albums worldwide. Three years later, Massi released her third album Mesk Elil ("Honeysuckle"). The album expanded on the themes of love and loss that had been explored on Deb and featured duets with Daby Toure and Rabah Khalfa.
Studio albums
* 2001: Raoui
* 2003: Deb
* 2006: Mesk Elil
* 2010: Ô Houria
* 2015: El Mutakallimun
* 2019: Oumniya
* 2022: Sequana
https://souad-massi.com/en/
Passe Le Temps
Souad Massi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
passe le temps, passe le temps
des lettres qu'on ne poste pas
des paroles qui s'envolent
des amis qui n'existent pas et
des adresses fantômes
au fond de moi des images
dans mon coeur une vieille histoire
prisonnière de ma mémoire
passe le temps, passe le temps
passe le temps, passe le temps
je me souviens de mon enfance
des fées, des ogres et des mages
tous ces reves et ces croyances
éphémères comme les nuages
fermer la porte de l'innocence
se poser les vraies questions
se donner de nouvelles chances
regarder vers l'horizon
passe le temps, passe le temps
passe le temps, passe le temps
passe le temps, passe le temps
des lettres qu'on ne poste pas
des paroles qui s'envolent
des amis qui n'existent pas et
des adresses fantômes
passe le temps, passe le temps ...
passe le temps, passe le temps ...
passe le temps, passe le temps ...
The song "Passe Le Temps" by Souad Massi reflects on the passing of time and how it affects our memories and relationships. The repetition of the phrase "passe le temps" (time passes) throughout the song emphasizes the theme of time and its effects. The first verse mentions letters that are not sent, words that disappear, friends who do not exist, and phantom addresses, which highlights the transience of relationships and the fleeting nature of communication. The line "disparus les visages" (vanished faces) adds to the idea that time can cause us to forget people and events from our past.
The second verse reflects on childhood memories and the innocence that comes with it, with mentions of fairies, ogres, and magicians. The line "tous ces reves et ces croyances éphémères comme les nuages" (all those dreams and beliefs ephemeral like clouds) implies that these childhood beliefs are fleeting and delicate as they can easily fade away with time. The verse then suggests that we need to close the door on our innocence and start asking ourselves the tough questions, giving ourselves new chances, and looking towards the future.
The repetition of the chorus at the end emphasizes that time keeps moving forward, but we must also move on and focus on new experiences and relationships. Overall, the song captures the bittersweet nature of time, reminding us that while we cannot stop it or go back in time, we can cherish memories and create new ones.
Line by Line Meaning
passe le temps, passe le temps
Time passes by, time passes by
des lettres qu'on ne poste pas
Letters that we never send
des paroles qui s'envolent
Words that fly away
des amis qui n'existent pas et
Friends that do not exist and
des adresses fantômes
Phantom addresses
au fond de moi des images
Deep inside of me there are images
disparus les visages
Faces that have disappeared
dans mon coeur une vieille histoire
In my heart, an old story
prisonnière de ma mémoire
Imprisoned in my memory
je me souviens de mon enfance
I remember my childhood
des fées, des ogres et des mages
Fairies, ogres, and mages
tous ces rêves et ces croyances
All of these dreams and beliefs
éphémères comme les nuages
As ephemeral as clouds
fermer la porte de l'innocence
Closing the door on innocence
se poser les vraies questions
Posing the real questions
se donner de nouvelles chances
Giving oneself new chances
regarder vers l'horizon
Looking towards the horizon
Writer(s): Souad Bendjael
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.