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/
Raoui
Souad Massi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
احكي لي على ناس الزمان
احكي لي على ألف ليلة وليلة
وعلى لنجة بنت الغولة وعلى ولد السلطان
حاجيتك ما جيتك، ودينا بعيد من هاد دنيا
حاجيتك ما جيتك، كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
احكي وانسى باللي احنا كبار في بالك اللي رانا صغار ونعملوا كل حكاية
احكي لنا ع الجنة حكي لنا ع النار
وعلى طير اللي عمره ما طار فهمنا معنى الدنيا
حاجيتك ما جيتك، ودينا بعيد من هاد دنيا
حاجيتك ما جيتك، كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
احكي يا الراوي كما حكوا لك
ما تزيد ما تنقص من عندك كاين نشفوا على بالك
احكي ونسينا في هاذ زمان خلينا في كان يا ما كان، في كان يا ما كان
حاجيتك ما جيتك، ودينا بعيد من هاد دنيا
حاجيتك ما جيتك، كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
The lyrics of Souad Massi's song Raoui call upon the singer, the "raoui," to tell stories of the past. The singer asks the raoui to share stories of people from that time, of the "one thousand and one nights," of the princess who slayed the ogre, and of the son of the sultan. The singer then tells the raoui that they have come to them in a time when they are far from this world, but they still carry stories in their hearts. The raoui is implored to tell stories of heaven and hell, of a bird that never flew and made us understand the meaning of life.
The song highlights the importance and power of storytelling. Stories connect people from different times, cultures, and backgrounds, reminding us of our shared humanity. The song emphasizes the importance of not forgetting our past and the stories that shaped us. It calls upon us to remember the tales that have been passed down through generations, even though they may seem distant or irrelevant.
Overall, the lyrics of Raoui speak to the deep human desire to listen to and share stories. It acknowledges that everyone has their own unique story to tell, and that each of us carries with us a rich tapestry of experience and memory.
Line by Line Meaning
احكي يا الراوي احكي حكاية ماذا بك تكون رواية
Oh storyteller, tell us a tale of what is your story
احكي لي على ناس الزمان
Tell me about the people of the time
احكي لي على ألف ليلة وليلة
Tell me about a thousand and one nights
وعلى لنجة بنت الغولة وعلى ولد السلطان
And about the daughters of the demons and the sons of the sultan
حاجيتك ما جيتك، ودينا بعيد من هاد دنيا
We need you, but you did not come, we departed from this world
حاجيتك ما جيتك، كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
We need you, but you did not come, each one of us has a story in his heart
احكي وانسى باللي احنا كبار في بالك اللي رانا صغار ونعملوا كل حكاية
Tell us and forget that we are grown-ups in your mind, but we are still young and want to hear every story
احكي لنا ع الجنة حكي لنا ع النار
Tell us about Paradise, tell us about Hell
وعلى طير اللي عمره ما طار فهمنا معنى الدنيا
And about the bird that never flew, we understood the meaning of life
احكي يا الراوي كما حكوا لك
Tell us, oh storyteller, as they told you
ما تزيد ما تنقص من عندك كاين نشفوا على بالك
Do not add or subtract anything from what you know, sometimes you remember something else
احكي ونسينا في هاذ زمان خلينا في كان يا ما كان، في كان يا ما كان
Tell us and let us forget about this time, let us go back to once upon a time
حاجيتك ما جيتك، ودينا بعيد من هاد دنيا
We need you, but you did not come, we departed from this world
حاجيتك ما جيتك، كل واحد منا في قلبه حكاية
We need you, but you did not come, each one of us has a story in his heart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SOUAD BENDJAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@osamaroum
good translation from algeria , but you did a mistake in two arabic word "حانجيتك مانجيتك" actually is "حاجيتك ما جيتك" , in gulf country they say "احجي" they change the k أحكي to j أحجي .
@fafamoute
@@eliajosephtarz Once upon a time
@bazboz1988
في مصر تقال "كان يا ما كان يا سادة يا كرام ما يحلي الكلام إلا بذكر النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام"
@kontde
في السودان عندنا قبل الحكايات الشعبية بيقولو حجيتكم ما بجيتكم و خيراً جانا و جاكم
@ninoreyes4605
@@kontde معلومه رائعه شكرا ...عندنا في الغرب الجزايري تقول حاجيتك ماجيتك لوكان ماشي هوما ماجيتك....وهو تعبير شعبي قديم معناها لو ما تناقلوا هاد الحكايه ماكنت رايح احكيها لك ...تحياتي لاهل السودان العاليين
@ikosim16
حجيتك ماجيتك يعني الشخص الذي غاب عن لقاء او موعد او وعد ما و حسب المثل الشعبي يقول الغايب حجتو معاه اي عندها حجتها حين لم تذهب الى......ما جيتك و يعني ان الشخص المقصود يعرف حجتها
@jassprincess123
I'm Mexican American and I love this music it's so beautiful thank you for sharing
@misslemon1888
I learned the text and now I sing it to my half algerian son every night ❤️ love from Sweden
@hamzakourat9842
Hi 🥰
@zakixbox
Lovely song indeed!