It was the 80’s, a quiet suburb of Port-au-Prince, where thr… Read Full Bio ↴ZENGLEN
It was the 80’s, a quiet suburb of Port-au-Prince, where three friends who were destined to make history in Haitian music met. Every afternoon, a young Brutus would sit on his front porch and play the guitar. Garry Didier Perez, and his friend Patrick Martineau, often noticed him and one day invited him to come over Patrick’s house. They would meet every afternoon to listen to all genres of music and interpret their favorites. During one of their rehearsals, some beer bottles fell off an amplifier that was vibrating and shattered into a million pieces. The guys laughed at the fact that Patrick would have a hard time cleaning up the many tiny pieces off the granulated floor. They all exclaimed ZENGLEN (which means tiny pieces of broken glass) and from that day on this was their band's name.
In 1989, the trio recorded "Koule Tan" (the color of time). Once completed, they took some tapes to several radio stations where hosts and listeners would become fans and fall in love.
Zenglen became one of the wonders of the early 1990’s as they released the hit song "Fidel" off of the album "An Nou Alèz." In the song the band said that “change” is never easy and always faces obstacles, and resistance, but that they pledge to remain faithful (Fidel) to their mission which is to improve and modernize the Konpa rhythm.
The Konpa world was introduced to their new found stars like the guitarist and singer Brutus Derissaint and the lead singer Gary Didier Perez among others. In the song "Fidel" the band said: "Sé konsa se konsa se konsa la vi ya ye lè ou vle met chanjman reziztans tèt chaje." Unfortunately after a U.S tour most of the band’s members abandoned ship and the band broke up into pieces like a real Zenglen.
In Miami Brutus never stop caressing the dream of keeping some of the pieces alive and had moved on with some attempts like the Zenglen Plus and a few solo albums in the 1990’s. Many musicians tried to help him to collect the pieces, but they often moved with their own projects like the creation of the band D-Zine. Nevertheless Brutus never lost faith and still remained fidèl (Faithful) to his mission by hiring more talented musicians each and every time. At the end of the century the acquisition of the drummer Richard Herard (Richie) and then singer Gracia Delva took Zenglen to the level of a very competitive Konpa band in the demanding market as they released the album "Easy Konpa" with nothing but major hits song that were going to move the band to the front burner of the industry. Ever since that time Zenglen hasn’t looked back despite the so many changes of personnel that occurred.
The album "Easy Konpa" was introduced to the public with the release of the video of the hit song "5 Dwèt" which boosted Zenglen to the top of the konpa scene. The song "B.S Productions" got the attention of the public as the song talk about unqualified show producers damaging the reputation of the bands. On that same album the band touched some subjects until then taboo as they talked about lesbians in the society in the song "Flannè Femèl" and drug used in the song "Ti Poud."
In the following years Zenglen continued to amaze the Konpa fans all over the world with the releases of the albums "Let It Groove," "Do It Right," "5 Etwal." The latest album, "5eme Vites," sung by current lead vocalist Kenny Desmangles, touches subjects on society, relationships with top notch konpa, and proved again why critics have praised them as the Konpa University.
Over the years the Konpa observers have seen broken pieces that continued to break in even more pieces, but the band remains solid and true to their mission: Zenglen doesn’t change…Zenglen improve. Like they often say in their songs “Sé pa changé nou changé, se pi bon’n vin’n pi bon.”
Grev Bèbè
Zenglen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gen moun se lari a yo pran
Gen lòt pou l′ fè w konprann li, li joure, li tire pye
Gen moun se grèv de faim yo fè
Nan foyer lakay mwen
Lè madanm mwen move, li fè twa jou l' pa pale
Sa se yon grèv bèbè
Sou mwen l′ fè anpil efè
Dè fwa mwen konn sa mwen di
Dè fwa mwen konn sa mwen fè
Dè fwa mwen pa menm konn poukisa
Grèv bèbè sa torture m et li fè m' mal jouk nan zo
Pito l' te joure l′ te babye
Nan foyer lakay mwen
Lè madanm mwen move, li fè twa jou l′ pa pale
Sa se you grèv bèbè
Sou mwen l' fè anpil efè
Et manmzèl konnen sa bien
Son silence est puissant, et même tout-puissant
Li di pou mwen, li fè mwen mal, adye oy
Gad′on grèv o, li gen twa jou li pa pale
S'on grèv bèbè k′ mande anraje
Gad'on rèv o, nwit blanch
Gad′on rèv o, too much
Li gen twa jou depi l boude
S'on grèv bèbè k'ap fin avè m′
Bagay sa di pou mwen, bagay sa di pou mwen
Malgre toujou eseye, m pa renmen fè li fache
S′on pyèj ki tan pou mwen
Et mwen pran ladan li souvan
Erè m yo pa twò gwo, menm fè yo de temps en temps
Bagay sa di pou mwen, bagay sa di pou mwen
Nenpòt ti kont nou genyen, te gentan pa pale
Leswa lè l' al d
òmi, ak pantanlon, fas li nan mi
Grèv sa pot embargo
Nwit blanch yo menm se agogo
Gad′on rèv o, nwit blanch
Gad'on rèv o, too much
Li gen twa jou li pa pale
S′on grèv bèbè k' mand′ anranje
Gad'on rèv o, Eyy
Gad'on rèv o, Gad′on rèv
Li gen twa jou depi l boude
S′on grèv bèbè k'ap fin avè m′
Oh non, oh non, oh non, oh non, oh non
The song "Grev Bèbè" by Zenglen talks about the power dynamics within a home and the consequences of one person's actions or behavior on the other members of the household. The song describes situations where an individual decides to go on strike, whether it be a hunger strike or a silent treatment, as a form of protest or a way to control the situation. The lyrics mention that some people choose to go on strike to get what they want, regardless of how it affects others. The song also touches on the notion that sometimes going on strike could be a cry for attention or an attempt to gain power over others, and it could be harmful and manipulative to those around them.
The line "Sa se yon grèv bèbè, sou mwen l′fè anpil efè, et manmzèl konnen sa bien" translates to "This is a baby strike, it has a lot of effects on me, and she knows it well." This line suggests that the person going on strike is aware of the impact they are having and is intentionally using it to their advantage. The line "Son silence est puissant, et même tout-puissant" translates to "Her silence is powerful, and even almighty." These lyrics highlight the power imbalance that exists between the person going on strike and the others affected by it.
Line by Line Meaning
Gen moun pou l revandike, li fè grèv li jan li vle
There are people who protest by going on strike in whatever way they want.
Gen moun se lari a yo pran
There are those who take to the streets.
Gen lòt pou l′ fè w konprann li, li joure, li tire pye
There are others who want you to understand them, and so they protest, make noise, and stomp their feet.
Gen moun se grèv de faim yo fè
There are people who go on a hunger strike.
Nan foyer lakay mwen
In my home.
Lè madanm mwen move, li fè twa jou l' pa pale
When my wife is upset, she doesn't speak for three days.
Sa se yon grèv bèbè
That's a baby strike.
Sou mwen l′ fè anpil efè
It affects me a lot.
Et manmzèl konnen sa bien
And she knows that very well.
Dè fwa mwen konn sa mwen di
Sometimes I know what I say.
Dè fwa mwen konn sa mwen fè
Sometimes I know what I do.
Dè fwa mwen pa menm konn poukisa
Sometimes I don't even know why.
Grèv bèbè sa torture m et li fè m' mal jouk nan zo
That baby strike tortures me and hurts me to my core.
Pito l' te joure l′ te babye
I wish she would just cry instead.
Son silence est puissant, et même tout-puissant
Her silence is powerful, even all-powerful.
Li di pou mwen, li fè mwen mal, adye oy
She speaks to me with her silence, it hurts me, oh my god.
Gad’on grèv o, li gen twa jou li pa pale
Look at that strike, she's been silent for three days.
S'on grèv bèbè k′ mande anraje
It's a baby strike that demands anger.
Gad'on rèv o, nwit blanch
Look at that dream, sleepless night.
Gad′on rèv o, too much
Look at that dream, too much.
Li gen twa jou depi l boude
It's been three days since she's been sulking.
S′on grèv bèbè k'ap fin avè m′
It's a baby strike that will end with me.
Bagay sa di pou mwen, bagay sa di pou mwen
This thing is telling me something, telling me something.
Malgre toujou eseye, m pa renmen fè li fache
Even though I always try, I don't like to make her angry.
S′on pyèj ki tan pou mwen
It's a trap for me.
Et mwen pran ladan li souvan
And I fall into it often.
Erè m yo pa twò gwo, menm fè yo de temps en temps
My mistakes aren't too big, but I make them from time to time.
Nenpòt ti kont nou genyen, te gentan pa pale
No matter what little disagreement we have, she's already not speaking.
Leswa lè l' al do mi, òmi, ak pantanlon, fas li nan mi
When she goes to sleep, she wears pajamas and puts her face next to mine.
Grèv sa pot embargo
This strike is like an embargo.
Nwit blanch yo menm se agogo
Even sleepless nights are a dime a dozen.
Gad′on rèv o, Eyy
Look at that dream, eyy.
Gad'on rèv o, Gad′on rèv
Look at that dream, look at that dream.
S′on grèv bèbè k'ap fin avè m′
It's a baby strike that will end with me.
Oh non, oh non, oh non, oh non, oh non
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no.
Writer(s): Zenglen
Contributed by Madison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@derodingilbert6261
Comment des génies comme des Haïtiens n’arrivent pas à s’ entendre. Pitié mes frères et sœurs! Vous faites souffrir tout le monde! On n’en peut plus!
@payenj948
2021 kiyès ki toujou ap tan2 musique sa?🔥❤️
@herseline
Hohuytffyug😘😘😍😂💗❤️😭👩❤️👩💚💙💜💜💗🍑🍒🥔🥔🥑🥑🍐🍓🥕🍆🍓🏆🏀⚽⚾
@melissalitus8879
Yes mwen 🔥
@senatusjeminakatia2743
Mw menm mw pa janm pase yon jou sanm pa tande mizik sa mw telman renmen misye map fou pou li mw renmen l anpil
@senatusjeminakatia2743
Si yon jou bondye ta banm chans poum kontre ak misye mw tap santim beni mw renmen l trop
@manouchekamicheljaimecette6790
Mwn baw li bb 2021 an la map styl toujou ap tandel misye gen yon bèl vokal anba lang li wi felisitasyon ké moun sa gen lél fèk renmin se pa lil bay nan kay la pandan yap viv hmm sa du anpil lè nèg la ap vide lanmou fi amin m styl ap gaspiye yo hmm mwn patap.fèl.non moi
@sherlysherly4783
Mw damour muzik sa anpil pou mw lipap janm pase mod kiyès kap gadel 29avril 2021an bonm yon like
@germancalatrava4906
Jamaican 🇯🇲 in the house ❤️ Bel musique
@djawyofficial9562
Pks manti sa😂