Martelly currently serves as President of Haiti after winning the presidential election in 2011.
Martelly is more popularly and affectionately known as “Sweet Micky,” a moniker sometimes used interchangeably to refer to himself as well as his band (with original members, guitar player Alex Tropnas and bass player Welton Desire).
Michel Martelly has been heralded as a pioneer of a unique brand of kompas music, a style of Haitian dance music sung in Haitian Creole language. Originally, compas was a fusion of Afrolatin jazz and African/Haitian folkoric rhythms, and was traditionally played by large bands composed of numerous group members and instrument sections. Martelly, a keyboardist and the self-proclaimed “bad boy” President of Compas, popularized a nouvelle generation, or “new generation” style, of smaller bands with few members that relied predominantly on synthesizers and electronic instruments to reproduce a fuller sound. Martelly’s and Sweet Micky’s live performances and recordings are sometimes laced with obscenities and humorous sociopolitical commentary by Martelly. Outlandish and outspoken, Martelly has been known to drink publicly while performing in wigs, costumes, diapers, and Scottish kilts, and occasionally removed his own attire while performing. While arguably the most recognized and applauded musician and public personality in Haiti, Martelly’s performance style has sometimes ignited controversy throughout the Haitian diaspora.
700 Dola
Sweet Micky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the story of the trou macacq, the pine box derby, the monkey track
Not what I heard or saw on TV,
But what I witnessed entirely
Each bend in the road was infact another curve on the monkey track
Once upon a time we thought we were free
And had control over destiny
We saw ourselves a competent band
But we had a chamber up in the moon
Circumstance made us change our tune
When the veil was torn from our face
We became the monkeys riding the race
MONKEY!
You think you got the stuff it takes to break away!
Boy youll be on the track every day
Talent, vigor, drive
Youll eat peanut butter the rest of your life
And these last things you can arrange
Find other people equally strange
Stuff yourselves in the van and ride the pine box derby to the finish line
I said: Chris P. rides on a serious plan
Hes going to finish as fast as he can
The Escalator takes it personally
And does not drive professionally
Charming Enchantress and Bones can run
Even if the winshield wipers are on
I the Broadcaster avoid police
But the Bat was led into custody
The song "700 Dola" by Sweet Micky draws attention to how circumstances can make people abandon their initial life plans and become victims of their fate. The first two lines of the lyrics refer to the "trou macacq," an entertainment industry in Haiti consisting of various circus performances and boxing matches. The "pine box derby" and "monkey track" are metaphors that allude to a never-ending race that leaves some people running in circles without a clear endpoint.
The singer dismisses what he had previously heard or seen on TV about the trou macacq and the monkey track, and he shares his first-hand experience of witnessing the never-ending cycle instead. He acknowledges that they once believed themselves to be in control of their lives, but later realized that circumstances beyond their control had led them to the current state of affairs. The monkey track served as an analogy for how their once-promising lives had been reduced to a perpetual race with no end in sight.
The lyrics also mention several characters who are attempting to break away from their current lives and achieve success but seem unable to escape their fate. Chris P is determined to finish fast, and the Escalator is taking it personally, but both are still stuck in the same race. Charming Enchantress and Bones can run, but even with the windshield wipers on, they cannot see clearly. The broadcaster avoids the police, but the Bat is taken into custody. The song concludes with the singer advising the listener to find other people who share their same struggles and stick together as they race toward the finish line.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the story of the trou macacq, the pine box derby, the monkey track
The singer is about to tell a story involving a group of people participating in a race that is reminiscent of a monkey track.
Not what I heard or saw on TV,
The story being told is not based on what the singer saw or heard on TV.
But what I witnessed entirely
The story is based entirely on the events that the singer personally witnessed.
Each bend in the road was infact another curve on the monkey track
The road on which the race is taking place is so difficult that it might as well be a monkey track.
Once upon a time we thought we were free
The characters in the story believed that they had freedom and control over their destiny.
And had control over destiny
The characters thought they could dictate their own fates.
We saw ourselves a competent band
The characters saw themselves as a capable and competent group of people.
Able to reason, prosper and plan
They believed they had the ability to think logically, succeed and make plans for the future.
But we had a chamber up in the moon
However, there was a factor at play that prevented them from reaching their goals.
Circumstance made us change our tune
The characters were forced to change their plans due to a situation that arose.
When the veil was torn from our face
They had a moment of clarity or realization that changed their perspective.
We became the monkeys riding the race
The characters are now like monkeys on a race, struggling to survive and thrive.
MONKEY!
This is a shout or a call to acknowledge the monkey metaphor that is prevalent throughout the song.
You think you got the stuff it takes to break away!
The singer is addressing a character in the story, suggesting that they believe they have what it takes to win the race.
Boy youll be on the track every day
However, they will be stuck on the track, struggling to make it to the finish line.
Talent, vigor, drive
These are attributes that the characters might have, but they are not enough to guarantee success.
Youll eat peanut butter the rest of your life
They will likely end up poor and struggling, with no hope of escaping the cycle of poverty.
And these last things you can arrange
The only things they have control over are limited, and not enough to help them break out of their circumstances.
Find other people equally strange
They can try to team up with others who are in the same situation as them.
Stuff yourselves in the van and ride the pine box derby to the finish line
They should all work together and do all they can to make it to the finish line, even if they have to cram into a vehicle.
I said: Chris P. rides on a serious plan
The artist mentions a character named Chris P. who is taking the race very seriously and has a plan for winning.
Hes going to finish as fast as he can
Chris P. is determined to finish the race as quickly as possible.
The Escalator takes it personally
Another character named The Escalator is taking the race personally, perhaps because they feel they are better than the others.
And does not drive professionally
Despite their confidence, The Escalator is not able to drive well.
Charming Enchantress and Bones can run
Other characters named Charming Enchantress and Bones are good runners and are able to compete in the race.
Even if the winshield wipers are on
They can even compete under adverse conditions, such as when the windshield wipers are on.
I the Broadcaster avoid police
The singer themselves is able to avoid the police during the race.
But the Bat was led into custody
However, another character named The Bat is caught by the police during the race.
Writer(s): Tom Maxwell
Contributed by Kayla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Clifffffffffford
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️