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.”
Pa tcheke menaj mwen
Zenglen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't trust this girl, she's gonna hurt you!
I'm telling you man!
Don't trust this girl with your heart!
You can't trust this girl, she's gonna hurt you!
I'm telling you man! I'm telling you!
Mesi zanmi'm! Mesi pou konsey ou yo!
Li lè li tan pou'n mete tout verite sou tab.
Avan m'té renmen avel, li té dim tout afel.
Li té dim ou renmen'l.
Uh huhhhhh!
Kounya'w di l'gen defo.
Ou di li pwal banm zoklo.
San'w pa gen prev.
M'deja konnen sak nan lidé'w.
Fanm sa! Fanm sa!
Se tout lavi mwen! Se tout lavi mwen!
Et m'damou li.
En verité pa gen anyen kap fem kité'l.
Ou té met di tout sa ou vle.
Banm tout vye koze.
Anyen pap janm chanje.
Uh huhhhhh!
Ou di li pa bon pou mwen.
Sé use ke lap use mwen.
Epi poutan, se kanpay paw ou tap mennen.
Don't trust this girl with your heart!
You can't trust this girl, she's gonna hurt you!
ZENGLEN! Gade mize'm!
Se fanm sa ke mwen vle!
Pa vinn banm vye koze!
M'pa mete moun siveye menaj mwen!
Pa siveye menaj mwen!
M'pa vle tande! M'pa bezwen konnen!
Mwen pa bezwen konnen!
Tanpri blodeur pa menm pedi tan'w!
Ou pa bezwen pedi tan'w!
Sa wap di yo pa enterese'm!
Yo pa enterese'm!
Fanm sa mwen renmen'l anpil! Anpil!
Pa banm pawol anpil!
Ou dim ke li pa bon.
M'poko menm vire ou gentan ap tcheke'l.
Fanm sa mwen renmen'l anpil! Anpil!
Pa banm pawol anpil!
Ou dim ke li pelen.
M'poko menm vire wal mande'l renmen.
M'pa mete moun siveye menaj mwen!
Pa siveye menaj mwen!
M'pa vle tande! M'pa bezwen konnen!
Mwen pa bezwen konnen!
Tanpri blodeur pa menm pedi tan'w!
Ou pa bezwen pedi tan'w!
Sa wap di yo pa enterese'm!
Yo pa enterese'm!
Fanm sa mwen renmen'l anpil! Anpil!
Pa banm pawol anpil!
Ou dim ke li pa bon.
M'poko menm vire ou gentan ap tcheke'l.
Fanm sa mwen renmen'l anpil! Anpil!
Pa banm pawol anpil!
Ou dim ke li pelen.
M'poko menm vire wal mande'l renmen.
Sa se bagay ti flanneur!
Ti blodeur pa nan fe zin!
Sa pa ladann'l tonton!
Pa fe sa woyyyyy!
Blodeur pa tcheke fanm blodeur! (Jamais! Jamais!)
Pa fe sa woyyyyy!
Blodeur!
Woyyyy! Sa son konpa totot! Epi tout moun totot!
Sake! Sake ayyyy! Still!
Blodeur! Respekte fanm blodeur!
Blodeur! Pa tcheke fanm blodeur!
Respekte! Respekte fanm blodeur'w!
Blodeur pa tcheke! Mwen di, mwen di, blodeur blodeur respekte!
Blodeur pa tcheke! Mwen di, mwen di, blodeur blodeur respekte!
The lyrics of Zenglen's song "Pa tcheke menaj mwen" are about a man warning another man not to trust a girl who will break his heart. The singer advises his friend to stay away from this girl and not listen to any of her lies, as he already knows what she is capable of. The song emphasizes the importance of respecting women and not taking advantage of them. The chorus repeats the phrase "fanm sa mwen renmen'l anpil" meaning "I love this woman very much" while urging listeners not to disrespect or manipulate women.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo! Don't trust this girl with your heart!
Hey there! Be careful with this girl; she will break your heart!
You can't trust this girl, she's gonna hurt you!
This girl cannot be trusted; she will cause you pain.
I'm telling you man!
Listen to me, buddy!
Mesi zanmi'm! Mesi pou konsey ou yo!
Thank you, my friend! Thank you for your advice!
I don't wanna know!
I don't want to hear it!
Li lè li tan pou'n mete tout verite sou tab.
It's time to lay all the truth on the table.
Avan m'té renmen avel, li té dim tout afel.
Before I fell in love with her, she warned me about all her issues.
Li té dim ou renmen'l.
She told you that you loved her.
Uh huhhhhh!
Uh huhhhhh!
Kounya'w di l'gen defo.
Now you're saying she has faults.
Ou di li pwal banm zoklo.
You're telling me she will hurt me.
San'w pa gen prev.
Without precautions.
M'deja konnen sak nan lidé'w.
I already know what's on your mind.
Fanm sa! Fanm sa!
This girl! This girl!
Se tout lavi mwen! Se tout lavi mwen!
She is my whole life! My whole life!
Et m'damou li.
And I love her.
En verité pa gen anyen kap fem kité'l.
In truth, there's nothing that can make me leave her.
Ou té met di tout sa ou vle.
You used to say whatever you wanted.
Banm tout vye koze.
You talked a lot of nonsense to me.
Anyen pap janm chanje.
Nothing will ever change.
Ou di li pa bon pou mwen.
You say she's not good for me.
Sé use ke lap use mwen.
That's what she's using against me.
Epi poutan, se kanpay paw ou tap mennen.
Yet, that's the campaign you used to lead.
ZENGLEN! Gade mize'm!
ZENGLEN! Look at my misery!
Se fanm sa ke mwen vle!
She is the woman I want!
Pa vinn banm vye koze!
Don't come to me with nonsense!
M'pa mete moun siveye menaj mwen!
I don't involve anyone in my relationship!
Pa siveye menaj mwen!
Don't spy on my relationship!
M'pa vle tande! M'pa bezwen konnen!
I don't want to hear it! I don't need to know!
Mwen pa bezwen konnen!
I don't need to know!
Tanpri blodeur pa menm pedi tan'w!
Please, don't waste your time!
Ou pa bezwen pedi tan'w!
You don't need to waste your time!
Sa wap di yo pa enterese'm!
What you're saying does not interest me!
Yo pa enterese'm!
They don't interest me!
Fanm sa mwen renmen'l anpil! Anpil!
I love this woman a lot! A lot!
Ou dim ke li pa bon.
You're saying she's not good enough.
M'poko menm vire ou gentan ap tcheke'l.
I haven't even turned around, and you're already checking on her.
Ou dim ke li pelen.
You're saying she's a cheater.
M'poko menm vire wal mande'l renmen.
I haven't even turned around, and you're already asking her to love you.
Sa se bagay ti flanneur!
That's something a little flimsy guy would do!
Ti blodeur pa nan fe zin!
A little bit of flirting is harmless!
Sa pa ladann'l tonton!
That's not his business, buddy!
Pa fe sa woyyyyy!
Don't do that! Noooooooo!
Blodeur pa tcheke fanm blodeur! (Jamais! Jamais!)
Don't flirt with a flirtatious woman! (Never! Never!)
Blodeur!
Flirting!
Woyyyy! Sa son konpa totot! Epi tout moun totot!
Woyyyy! That sounds like a joke! And everyone's a joke!
Sake! Sake ayyyy! Still!
Sake! Sake ayyyy! Still!
Respekte! Respekte fanm blodeur'w!
Respect! Respect your flirtatious woman!
Mwen di, mwen di, blodeur blodeur respekte!
I said, I said, flirting, flirting, respect!
Blodeur pa tcheke! Mwen di, mwen di, blodeur blodeur respekte!
Don't flirt! I said, I said, flirting, flirting, respect!
Contributed by Colin F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.