Tiken Jah was born into a family of griots and christened Doumbia Moussa Fakoly on June 23, 1968 in Odienne, north-western Côte d'Ivoire. He discovered reggae at an early age, assembling his first group, Djelys, in 1987. He became well-known at a regional level, but would soon ascend to national recognition.
Concerned by the social and political evolution of his country, it was not long before Tiken Jah was writing incisive works on the political environment in Côte d'Ivoire. One such work was on the death of Felix Houphouet-Boigny in 1993, which resulted in a surge of popularity amongst the nation's youth. In 1998, Fakoly made his first international appearance in Paris.
Tiken Jah Fakoly plays music "to wake up the consciences". His music speaks about many injustices done to the people of his country, and those over Africa. As such, African listeners feel a deep affinity with his lyrics as Fakoly speaks for people whom are under oppression. This connection has helped make Tiken Jah Fakoly a much-listened artist throughout both Europe and Africa.
Discography
1. 1993: Les Djelys (cassette only - discontinued)
2. 1994: Missiri (cassette only - discontinued)
3. 1996: Mangercratie
4. 1999: Cours d'histoire
5. 2000: Le Cameleon (exclusive to West Africa)
6. 2002: Françafrique (a term coined by Francois Xavier-Verschave)
7. 2004: Coup de gueule
8. 2005: Africa wants to be free, compilation to support fr:Survie (association)
NOTE: Mangercratie was released in France in 1999 and in Canada in 2000. Cours d'histoire was released in France in 2000 and in Canada in 2001. The first two albums were only released in Côte d'Ivoire.
Outside Projects
Tiken Jah Fakoly has recorded various tracks with other artists. He is featured on Steel Pulse: African Holocaust, on Rike: Airt Frais, on Bernard Laviliers: Carnet De Bord, on Amadou & Marima: Dimanche A Bamaco, on Dub Incorporation: Life, and on Tata Pound: Cikan. He also appears on the compilation African Consiences with Mebgane N'Dour. He will be featured in the upcoming movie Les Oiseaux Du Ciel, directed by Eliane De Latour.
Awards:
2003: Victoires de la Musique 2003, in the category of Reggae Album/Ragga/World with the album Françafrique.
Quitte le pouvoir feat.Didier Awadi
Tiken Jah Fakoly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir !
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Ca fait trop longtemps
Que tu nous fait perdre le temps
Depuis 40 ans,
Tu pourrais avoir des emmerdes,
Si tu nous laisses dans la merde
Olala, olala !!
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Je t’avais prévenu
Que tu as été mal élu
Mais tu t’es accroché
Aujourd’hui tout est gaché.
Tu pourrais avoir des ennuis,
Si les choses restent ainsi.
Olala, olala !!
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Aucun changement
Dans vos comportements,
Malgré différents gouvernements
Depuis 40 ans,
Tu pourrais passer un sal moment,
Si tu nous pourris le temps.
Olala, olala !!
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
On a marre, on a marre
On dit qu’on a marre
On vit dans le stress, on dit qu’on a marre
On na même pas de pain, on dit qu’on a marre
Tous les peuples, tous les gosses, tous les mecs en ont marre
Tu gouvernes mal, ton gouvernement mal, détournement mal
Les comptes monumentales, oui tant de mal tu nous fait tant de mal
Il est donc évident quand tu pêches dans nos mental
Pas d’évolution man libère le peuple
Fait le vite fait le bien man libère le peuple
Et pense a demain man libère le peuple
Tu le fait pour le bon tu le fait pour le peuple
Restez tout le temps, tu nous pourri le temps
Pas le moindre changement tu nous pourris le temps
Pas de boulot pas de job, tu nous pourris le temps
L’avenir fou le camps tu nous pourris le temps
Une seconde de plus, une seconde de trop
Une minute de plus, une minute de trop
Un cadavre de plus, un cadavre de trop
Le mandat de plus, c’est le mandat de trop
On a marre, on a marre
On dit qu’on a marre
On vit dans le stress, on dit qu’on a marre
On a même pas de pain, on dit qu’on a marre
Tous les peuple, tous les gosse, tous les mecs en ont marre
Voilà la porte, sort dans le calme
Pas balles pas sang tu sort dans le calme
Voilà la porte tu sort dans le calme
(…) et sort dans le calme
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir
Laisses tomber l’histoire
Tu sait bien pourquoi
Monsieur le président,
Sans incident quitte le pouvoir
Laissez tomber l’histoire
Vous savez pourquoi, monsieur le président.
Quittez le pouvoir, monsieur le président
Si vous aimez votre peuple,
Quittez le pouvoir
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir….
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir….
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir….
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir,
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir….
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir….
The song "Quitte le pouvoir" by Tiken Jah Fakoly is a political and social commentary that calls for the resignation of the president of an African country. The lyrics emphasize the frustration and disappointment of the people who have been governed poorly for 40 years. The repetition of the phrase "quitte le pouvoir" in the chorus serves as a direct and urgent message to the president, demanding him to let go of his position of power.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the lyrics, stating that the president has wasted too much time and should resign. The lyrics highlight the negative impact of his governance, including corruption and lack of progress, implying that his continued presence will lead to further problems. The song also warns the president that there could be consequences if he refuses to leave power.
The verses of the song further elaborate on the grievances of the people, emphasizing that there has been no positive change despite various governments over the past 40 years. The lyrics depict the struggle of the people, who live in stressful circumstances, with no work or food. The song also reveals that the people are tired of this situation and are demanding change. The chorus once again repeats the message of resignation, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
Overall, the song by Tiken Jah Fakoly provides a powerful message on political corruption, mismanagement, and the importance of democracy. It emphasizes the need for the president to prioritize the interests of his people over his own desire to stay in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Quitte le pouvoir, quitte le pouvoir !
The singer urges the President to leave his high position of power and relinquish it immediately.
Je te dis quitte le pouvoir !
The singer emphasizes his message that the President must leave the power, and he repeats this message multiple times throughout the song.
Ca fait trop longtemps
The singer points out that the President has stayed in power for too long.
Que tu nous fait perdre le temps
The singer accuses the President of wasting the time of the people.
Depuis 40 ans,
The singer highlights the length of time that the President has been in power.
Tu refuses de foutre le camps,
The singer accuses the President of refusing to leave his position of power.
Tu pourrais avoir des emmerdes,
The singer warns the President that he could face trouble if he does not step down from his position of power.
Si tu nous laisses dans la merde
The singer warns the President that he could face negative consequences if he continues to keep the people in a difficult situation.
Je t’avais prévenu
The singer reminds the President that he had warned him about his poor election results.
Que tu as été mal élu
The singer informs the President that he had been elected poorly.
Mais tu t’es accroché
The singer accuses the President of stubbornly holding onto his position of power despite poor election results.
Aujourd’hui tout est gaché.
The singer points out that everything has been ruined under the President's leadership.
Aucun changement
The singer emphasizes that there has been no change in behavior or policies under the President's leadership.
Dans vos comportements,
The singer accuses the President and his government of maintaining the same corrupt behavior and policies despite different governments coming into power.
Malgré différents gouvernements
The singer points out that despite different governments coming into power over the years, there has been no improvement in the country's conditions.
Tu pourrais passer un sal moment,
The singer warns the President that he could face serious consequences if he continues his corrupt behavior and policies.
Si tu nous pourris le temps.
The singer warns the President that he could face consequences if he continues to make the people's lives miserable.
On a marre, on a marre
The singer expresses the people's frustration and weariness with the President's leadership.
On dit qu’on a marre
The singer highlights the fact that the people are openly expressing their discontent.
On vit dans le stress, on dit qu’on a marre
The singer points out that people are struggling to survive and are expressing their frustration loudly.
On na même pas de pain, on dit qu’on a marre
The singer highlights the fact that people are struggling to access basic necessities like food.
Tous les peuples, tous les gosses, tous les mecs en ont marre
The singer emphasizes that this frustration with the President's leadership is felt by everyone, including children and young people.
Il est donc évident quand tu pêches dans nos mental
The singer accuses the President of affecting the mental state of the people negatively by continuing his corrupt behavior and policies.
Pas d’évolution man libère le peuple
The singer urges the President to step down and allow for progress and positive change in the country.
Une seconde de plus, une seconde de trop
The singer emphasizes that any additional time the President spends in power is an unnecessary, negative delay to progress.
Le mandat de plus, c’est le mandat de trop
The singer argues that even one additional term in power is one term too many, and the President must step down immediately.
Laisses tomber l’histoire
The singer urges the President to abandon his stubbornness and accept that his time in power must come to an end.
Sans incident quitte le pouvoir
The singer urges the President to leave his position of power peacefully and without any violent incidents.
Si vous aimez votre peuple,
The singer appeals to the President's sense of love for his own people, urging him to do what is best for them.
Quittez le pouvoir, monsieur le président
The singer once again urges the President to step down and relinquish his position of power.
Contributed by Jayce G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.