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.”
Pot Dèyè
Zenglen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nan jan pa yo nan sans pa yo
Gon jan pou yo panse pou yo jwen′n plezi
W'a poze yo kesyon lè yo fini
Jan′l vini konsa yo pranl
Pa fè kòmsi ou pa konprann
Depi yo turn on yo pa egzijan
Pa konn ki chimen yap pran
Pòt devan met rete louvri
Te mèt pa gen emergency
Fòk yo pase pa pòt dèyè
Fòk yo pase vitess superyè
Habitude se vis konn sa deja
Nan vwa coupé cloué M depoze sa la a
Depi yo finn habitué
Pou yo lòt pòt pa egziste
Tu montes, Tu descends ou an derdan
Ou ta kanpe devan mwen
Gen pòt devan, pòt dèyè
Ki kote'w vle pase
Tu descends ou an derdan
Gen pòt devan, pòt dèyè
Ki kote'w vle pase
She said nasty but it is good
Pa gen diferans ant dola ak goud
Anwo anba devan dèyè
Prese prese woy
Nan pòt devan ou te konn pase
Men′w ka rantre nenpòt jan′w vle
Pase pase'w pòt la ouvè
Prese Prese
Qu′est-ce que tu fais, Mmm la ooo
Wout sa pa wout pou inconnu
Si se sa'w chwazi lè′w jwenn plezi
Pase pase'w pòt la ouvè
Prese prese woy
Nan pòt devan ou te konn pase
Men′w ka rantre nenpòt jan'w vle
Pase pase'w pòt la ouvè
Prese Prese
Qu′est-ce que tu fais, Mmm la ooo
(Hook)
Gen pòt devan, gen pòt dèyè
Gen pòt an bwa, gen pòt an fè
Se pye′m ki chape wi
M'al ateri nan pòt dèyè
Epi chérie, jan′w wè'l la
Yon ti kou a dwat
Se jan′w wèl la
Yon ti kou a goch
Jan'w wè′l la
Nan mitan
Menni
Nan vwa le Roi Coupé Cloué
Anjakeche anjakeche anjakeche
Mengotay salako hawayou madmwazel
Yo di wout sa se pou exit se pa pou enter
Aksidan fèt nan sans unique ou pa bezwen pè
Sak pa vle pranl an monkomè pranl an makonpè
Lè zonyon rache nan sòs bèf sa se pla complè
Ou diw konpran'n pawòl kap di a kòman'w fè konpran′n
Depi′w konpran'n sak ap pale a sèke′w fè'l avan′m
Mmm yo konnen'w manman
Mmm yo konnen′w madanm
Tèlman moun pa pile pòt devan
Zèb pouse ladan'l
Map rantre, map chita, map manje, map bwè
Pran labou lè'm sòti it′s okay M pap wè
Li te fè nwè nan pòt dèyè
Pa gen limyè
The lyrics to Zenglen's song Pot Dèyè speak to the need for people to be mindful of the consequences of their actions when it comes to matters of love and relationships. The chorus reminds listeners that there are doors both in front of and behind them, and that they have the power to choose which one to go through. The verses caution against being too selfish or demanding in a relationship, and suggest that good things come to those who are patient and considerate.
The first verse speaks to the importance of being aware of others' feelings and taking the time to ask questions, rather than assuming you know what someone else wants or needs. The second verse warns against taking shortcuts or ignoring safety measures, which can lead to accidents or other problems. The bridge introduces the idea that sometimes the road to happiness involves taking risks and exploring new avenues, but that it's important to be aware of the potential pitfalls along the way.
Overall, the lyrics to Pot Dèyè encourage listeners to be thoughtful and intentional in their actions, both in matters of love and in life in general. By approaching situations with care and consideration, individuals can make better choices and find the happiness they seek.
Line by Line Meaning
Nan fè lanmou chak moun degaje yo
Everyone has their own way of making love
Nan jan pa yo nan sans pa yo
They do it in their own way, in their own sense
Gon jan pou yo panse pou yo jwen′n plezi
In their minds, they think they will find pleasure
W'a poze yo kesyon lè yo fini
When they are done, you can ask them questions
Jan′l vini konsa yo pranl
They take it as it comes
Pa fè kòmsi ou pa konprann
Don't act like you don't understand
Depi yo turn on yo pa egzijan
When they're turned on, they're not demanding
Pa konn ki chimen yap pran
They don't know which path they will take
Pòt devan met rete louvri
The front door remains open
Te mèt pa gen emergency
There's no emergency situation
Fòk yo pase pa pòt dèyè
They must not go through the back door
Fòk yo pase vitess superyè
They must pass at high speed
Habitude se vis konn sa deja
Habit is a known lifestyle
Nan vwa coupé cloué M depoze sa la a
In the voice of the singer 'Coupé Cloué', I leave this here
Depi yo finn habitué
Once they become accustomed
Pou yo lòt pòt pa egziste
For them, the other doors don't exist
Tu montes, Tu descends ou an derdan
You go up, you go down or stay behind
Ou ta kanpe devan mwen
You stand in front of me
Gen pòt devan, pòt dèyè
There's a front door, there's a back door
Ki kote'w vle pase
Where do you want to go through?
She said nasty but it is good
She said it was nasty, but it was good
Pa gen diferans ant dola ak goud
There's no difference between a dollar and a penny
Anwo anba devan dèyè
Up, down, front and back
Prese prese woy
Hurry up
Men′w ka rantre nenpòt jan′w vle
But I can enter any way I want
Qu′est-ce que tu fais, Mmm la ooo
What are you doing, Mmm la ooo
Wout sa pa wout pou inconnu
This road is not for strangers
Si se sa'w chwazi lè′w jwenn plezi
If that's what you choose when you find pleasure
Se pye′m ki chape wi
It's my feet that escape me
M'al ateri nan pòt dèyè
I'll land at the back door
Epi chérie, jan′w wè'l la
And sweetheart, how do you see it?
Yon ti kou a dwat
A little kick to the right
Yon ti kou a goch
A little kick to the left
Jan'w wè′l la
How do you see it?
Nan mitan
In the middle
Nan vwa le Roi Coupé Cloué
In the voice of the singer 'Coupé Cloué'
Anjakeche anjakeche anjakeche
Jingle jingle jingle
Mengotay salako hawayou madmwazel
Mengotay Salako, hey miss
Yo di wout sa se pou exit se pa pou enter
They say this road is for exit, not for entering
Aksidan fèt nan sans unique ou pa bezwen pè
Accidents happen on one-way roads, don't be afraid
Sak pa vle pranl an monkomè pranl an makonpè
If someone doesn't want to take it, take it in their place
Lè zonyon rache nan sòs bèf sa se pla complè
When the onion is pulled out of the beef sauce, it's completely flat
Ou diw konpran'n pawòl kap di a kòman'w fè konpran′n
You say you understand what I'm saying, how do you make yourself understand?
Depi′w konpran'n sak ap pale a sèke′w fè'l avan′m
Once you understand what's being said, do it
Mmm yo konnen'w manman
Hmm they know your mother
Mmm yo konnen′w madanm
Hmm they know your wife
Tèlman moun pa pile pòt devan
So many people don't knock on the front door
Zèb pouse ladan'l
Grass grows in it
Map rantre, map chita, map manje, map bwè
I'm going in, I'm sitting, I'm eating, I'm drinking
Pran labou lè'm sòti it′s okay M pap wè
Grab the shovel when I leave, it's okay I won't see it
Li te fè nwè nan pòt dèyè
He made it dark at the back door
Pa gen limyè
There's no light
Writer(s): Vick Lachance
Contributed by Liam O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.