Zazie's mother was an architect and her father a music teacher. Her songs range from upbeat rock or pop songs to languid downtempo tunes and are characterised by the wit of their lyrics based on puns, alliterations, homophones and double-entendres.
Zazie debuted in 1992 with the album "Je Tu Ils" and the single "Sucré salé".
In 1995, she released her sophomore album Zen, which was co-written and co-produced with Vincent-Marie Bouvot. It included the singles "Zen" and "Homme Sweet Homme". Her 1996 single "Un point c'est toi" from the same album was discussed on Canada's MuchMusic TV program Too Much 4 Much due to its controversial content. Ultimately, the discussion panel deemed the video okay for audiences. In the video, a group of four smitten women, including Zazie, follow a pair of men down to a lake. There, the two men strip off their clothes and swim in the water. Zazie fantasizes about undressing one of the men and kissing him. To shock of the women, however, the two men kiss each other.
In 1997, Pascal Obispo and Zazie released the single "Les Meilleurs Ennemis".
Her 1998 album Made in Love was co-produced by Ali Staton, Pierre Jaconelli, and herself. The album photos were taken by fashion designer Jean-Baptiste Mondino. The songs "Ça Fait Mal Et Ça Fait Rien", "Tous des anges", and "Tout Le Monde" were released as singles. This album was followed by a live album, Made in Live, the next year. In 1999 she also wrote a song for Jane Birkin in Jane Birkin's album .
In 2001, Zazie dueted with Axel Bauer on the single "A Ma Place". It was her most successful single in France, reaching number four on the French charts.
Zazie once again addressed gay content on her 2002 single "Adam et Yves" from her 2001 album La Zizanie. This album was produced solely by Pierre Jaconelli. Other singles included "Rue de la paix" and "Danse avec les loops". In 2003, she released another live album, Ze Live.
Her 2004 album Rodéo was co-produced and co-written with Jean-Pierre Pilot and Philippe Paradis. A short film "Rodéo indien" was made using songs from the album as a soundtrack. Zazie played the role of an Indian woman who leaves her cheating husband. She followed this album up with a live album, Rodéo Tour in 2006.
In 2007 her sixth studio album "Totem" was released and debuted at number 1. The second single (but first commercially released) was "Je Suis Un Homme" which became Zazie's first solo top ten hit in France. In Winter 2008 a best of album "Zest of Zazie" was released which as well as past hits contained two new songs "Fm Air" and "Un peu beaucoup" and live recordings.
Tais Toi Et Rap
Zazie Lyrics
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Peut être que là-bas
Je trouverai du boulot
Ici, pas moyen de faire du fric
La zone, ça colle à la peau
Pourquoi on n'a pas le droit
D'être heureux?
En banlieue?
Il m'a dit, tais-toi et Rap
Tu vois pas que ton père
A d'autres choses à faire
Tais-toi et Rap
Et vogue la galère
Et bonjour la galère
Dis papa, c'est loin l'Amérique
Que je touche ma part du gâteau
Je voudrais pas finir alcoolique
Et chercher dans la bouche du métro
J'en ai bien assez gros sur le cour
Pour trouver la mélodie du bonheur
Il m'a dit, tais-toi et Rap
Tu vois pas que ton père
A d'autres choses à faire
Tais-toi et Rap
Et vogue la galère
Et bonjour la galère
Papa, c'est pas parce qu'on balance
Des cailloux dans nos cours de caillera
Qu'on est que de la graine de violence
Et qu'on a dans la tête un petit pois
Y a pas que des casseurs
Et des dealers dans les cités
Y a aussi des docteurs
Et des acteurs de ciné
C'est pas tais-toi et Rap
Et tant pis si mon père
A d'autres choses à faire
Tais-toi et Rap
Je connais la musique
Je suis pas en Amérique
Tais-toi et Rap
Moi, je ne vais pas me taire
J'ai d'autres choses à faire
Tais-toi et Rap
Je m'en vais prendre l'air
Et fini la galère
Tais-toi et Rap
Yo yo
Depuis le temps
Qu'on nous mène en bateau
Yo yo
Maintenant y a plus
Qu'à se jeter à l'eau
Tais-toi et Rap
The song "Tais-Toi Et Rap" by Zazie, which translates to "Shut Up and Rap," is a commentary on the struggles faced by young people living in poverty in the suburbs of France. The lyrics are spoken from the perspective of a young man who is frustrated by his inability to make money or succeed in his community. He asks his father if it's far to America, hoping to find better opportunities there.
The first verse of the song reflects on the difficulties of making money in his current situation. He feels stuck in the "zone" and believes that he can only succeed in America where he hopes to "touch his piece of the cake." The chorus responds to his frustrations with the message of "shut up and rap," implying that he should stop complaining and create something useful with his talents.
The second verse shows the young man's desire for a better life as well as the feelings of powerlessness he experiences. He worries about becoming an "alcoholic" and seemingly suggests that he might turn to selling drugs. However, he asserts that he has "enough on his heart" to find the melody of happiness. The chorus once again chastises him to "shut up and rap," indicating that his complaints are unproductive.
The third verse challenges the stereotypes that surround the suburbs as being full of only "thugs" and "drug dealers." The singer suggests that there are other people in the community, such as doctors and actors, who have talent and ambition. He ends the song by rejecting the notion of "tais-toi et rap" and declaring that he will not be silenced. He asserts that he has other things to do and that he will find a way to rise above the struggles of his community.
Overall, Zazie's "Tais-Toi Et Rap" is a powerful commentary on the struggles faced by young people living in the suburbs of France. By using the language of rap, the song empowers these young people to fight back against the stereotypes and messages of powerlessness that are often directed at them.
Line by Line Meaning
Dis papa, c'est loin l'Amérique
Zazie is asking her dad if America is far away because she's hoping to find work there, since making money is difficult where she lives.
Peut être que là-bas
Maybe she'll be able to find work in America.
Je trouverai du boulot
She hopes she'll find a job there.
Ici, pas moyen de faire du fric
It's difficult to make money where she lives.
La zone, ça colle à la peau
The bad situation of living in a 'zone' (likely a poverty-stricken area) is very difficult to escape.
Pourquoi on n'a pas le droit
Zazie is questioning why she and others like her aren't allowed to be happy.
D'être heureux?
Why can't they be happy?
Pourquoi y a pas de Bon Dieu
Zazie is wondering why there seems to be no God in the suburbs.
En banlieue?
Why isn't God present in the suburbs?
Il m'a dit, tais-toi et Rap
Zazie's father told her to be quiet and focus on making music.
Tu vois pas que ton père
Her father has other things to do.
A d'autres choses à faire
Her father is busy with other tasks.
Et vogue la galère
And so sailing the ship of struggles continues.
Et bonjour la galère
Good day to the struggle that awaits.
Que je touche ma part du gâteau
Zazie wants to earn her piece of the pie (i.e. succeed in life).
Je voudrais pas finir alcoolique
She doesn't want to end up an alcoholic.
Et chercher dans la bouche du métro
She also doesn't want to end up living in a metro station for shelter.
J'en ai bien assez gros sur le cour
She has enough on her mind.
Pour trouver la mélodie du bonheur
She needs to find the melody that will lead her to happiness.
Papa, c'est pas parce qu'on balance
Zazie is telling her dad that just because they throw rocks around in the area doesn't mean all the young people there are violent.
Des cailloux dans nos cours de caillera
They are throwing rocks in the streets but it doesn't define them all as violent kids.
Qu'on est que de la graine de violence
Zazie knows they are being labeled as just a seed for violence.
Et qu'on a dans la tête un petit pois
She asserts that they are not all stupid or lacking in thought.
Y a pas que des casseurs
She points out that there are other occupations that people in the suburbs could pursue.
Et des dealers dans les cités
Not everyone in the inner cities are just drug dealers.
Y a aussi des docteurs
There are also doctors there.
Et des acteurs de ciné
And actors too.
Je connais la musique
Zazie knows what's what.
Je suis pas en Amérique
She knows she's not in America.
Moi, je ne vais pas me taire
Zazie won't be silenced or told to stop making music.
J'ai d'autres choses à faire
She's got other things to do with her life.
Je m'en vais prendre l'air
She's going somewhere to clear her head.
Et fini la galère
And her struggle will finally end.
Yo yo
A casual expression, essentially meaningless.
Depuis le temps
For the longest time.
Qu'on nous mène en bateau
For the one who's leading us on.
Maintenant y a plus
Now there is no more.
Qu'à se jeter à l'eau
But to jump into the water.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind