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Friday, April 30, 2021

Kassav' - "Zouk La Sé Sèl Médikaman Nou Ni" ("Zouk Is The Only Medicine We Have") video, information, lyrics, & comments



Earl Augustin, April 26, 2019

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the Caribbean music group Kassav and showcases a video of the group performing their 1985 hit song "Zouk La Sé Sèl Médikaman Nou Ni" ("Zouk Is The Only Medicine We Have"). 

Lyrics for this song are included in this post along with selected comments from the discussion thread of a sound file of this song. These comments document some of the global reach that Kassav' s song "Zouk La Sé Sèl Médikaman Nou Ni"
 has had and continues to have.    

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Kassav for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video and this sound file on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT KASSAV
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kassav%27
"
Kassav' is a French Caribbean band formed in Guadeloupe in 1979. The core members of the band are Jocelyne Béroard, Jacob Desvarieux, Jean-Philippe Marthély, Patrick St. Eloi, Jean-Claude Naimro, Claude Vamur and Georges Décimus (who left to form Volt Face and returned). Kassav' have issued over 20 albums, with a further 12 solo albums by band members.

[...]

History

Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus (former musicians from the Les Vikings de Guadeloupe) and Paris studio musician Jacob F. Desvarieux. Together and under the influence of well-known Dominican, Haitian and Guadeloupean kadans or compas bands like Experience 7, Grammacks, Exile One, Les Aiglons, Tabou Combo, Les Freres Dejean, etc., they decided to make Guadeloupean carnival music recording it in a more fully orchestrated yet modern and polished style. The name of the band is Antillean Creole for a local dish made from cassava root.

Kassav' is the creator of the fast carnival zouk style. The French Antilles' Kassav' was the first to apply the MIDI technology to cadence and fused the genre with funk, and Makossa.

Music of Guadeloupe and Martinique:

The gwo ka, traditional music of Guadeloupe, of which there are 7 versions (rhythmic).

The bélé, traditional music from Martinique, of which there are 11 variants (rhythmic).

The biguine music of Guadeloupe

The chouval bwa, traditional music of Martinique associated with the city of Saint-Pierre.

The mazurka and quadrille, European music of the French Antilles.

The Compas, modern Haitian méringue popularized by Nemours Jean-Baptiste in 1955.

The cadence rampa (kadans), alike compas, a modern Haitian méringue popularized by Webert Sicot in the very early 60s that spread to the Caribbean.

[…]

Kassav' continued to gain popularity both as a group and by several members' solo recordings, eventually peaking in 1985 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni" (meaning "Zouk is the only medicine we have" in French Antillean Creole). With this hit song, zouk rapidly became a widespread dance craze in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was popular in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Zouk performers became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects, stage spectacles and colorful costumes. One important contribution of Kassav' in concert was the appearance of featured dancers on stage with the band; these dancers were in many ways as much a part of the band as any musician. Kassav' has been noted by its acolytes and aficionados as a dance band par excellence."...

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LYRICS - Zouk La Sé Sèl Médikaman Nou Ni"

Kijan zot fé
M'pa ka konpran'n
Zot ka viv' kon si
Pa ni pwoblém'
Poutan zot sav'
Lavi la réd
Kijan zot fé
Pou pé sa kenbé
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
M'pa té konnet
Sécré lasa
Ban mwen plan la
P'mwen pé sa konpran'n
Ban mwen plan la
M'poko sézi'i
Si janmé on jou
Mwen tonbé malad
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Si sé sa mwen an nou zouké
Mi'i kon sa ... Mi'i kon sa ...
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
Zouk la sé sel médikaman nou ni ( sa kon sa )
An malad An malad An malad
An malad An malad An malad

Source: https://genius.com/Kassav-zouk-la-se-sel-medikaman-nou-ni-lyrics
-snip-
These lyrics are in French Antilles Creole. "French Antilles" is a referent for the Caribbean nations of 
Martinique and Guadeloupe. 

I used Google Translate for these lyrics and got results for these lyrics in Haitian Creole. However, a number of commenters in the discussion thread for a sound file of this song wrote that Martiniquen and Guadelopean Creole isn't the same as Haitain Creole.

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SELECTED COMMENTS
From 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vv1wxZAR1k&ab_channel=sonnowak
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. Jennell, 2014
"Im jamaican and i like this song. I have no idea what theyre saying tho lol"

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Reply
2. Lis Louimeus, 2014
"It's say zouk is the only medicine we neither nd bunch of other stuff it's pretty much saying the same thing over nd over again"

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3. AC Downloads101, 2015
"This song is from Guadeloupe, but the kompa mixes in it or from haiti. But legit everyone in the Caribbean loves this song. It should be the national anthem of every island in the Caribbean lol. I loved this song growing up and I still do. They're speaking in patois, but its very similar to Creole."

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Reply
4. HoneyHo, 2015
"I thought the band is from Martinique. Considering 'Zouk' is music from Martinique."

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Reply
5. labeau brice, 2015
"@Catrinaboox  zouk is a music from guadeloupe and martinique"

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6. Witteny Cineus, 2015
"+Catrinaboox You are right, it is not from Guadeloupe, that's the group Kassav which is from from Martinique, the head singer was born in Haiti, but move to Martinique at a young age. Now zouk music is all over the carribean"

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7. Guyver-971, 2015
"+Catrinaboox Zouk is from Guadeloupe !"

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Reply
8. Witteny Cineus, 2015
"
Now you can't just say Guadeloupe. It's  Guadeloupe and Martinique, originated and popularized by the French Antillean band Kassav' Kassav is a band from Martinique and the lead singers in the 1980s.The Creole word zouke, sekwe, or zouke, etc. from the French verb secouer meaning "shake intensely and repeatedly" was used by Haitian artists who toured the French Antilles during the late 1970s and 1980s. Kassav', the originator of the zouk béton, is a compas music band that has taken compas to many places, and is the only band that continues to include zouk béton in its repertoire, though to a lesser extent."

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9. Luciansunset S, 2015
"Never gets old.  Since the 80s we're playing this in St Lucia.  Lucians love it."

**
Reply
10. Farah Joseph, 2015
"+Luciansunset S   We creoles love this song in general i am haitian btw"

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Reply
11. mochabetty, 2016
"+Farah Joseph Yess! haitians LOVE this , heard it at every house party, wedding, communion parties since I was a child!!"

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Reply
12. k v, 2017
"growing up I used to hear this song alotttt"

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Reply
13. XXX Vibez, 2018
"Luciansunset S all the way❤❤❤ cant have no fet without this......Ayo"
-snip-
"fet" = party, social gathering

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Reply
14. Tabitha SwaNN, 2018
"
Lucians have no behaviour when this song is playing …. or any other zouk"

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Reply
15. Luciansunset S, 2019
"@Tabitha SwaNN  . Very true"

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Reply
16. Valencia Alvarez, 2019
"
Never got old for Haiti too"

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17. Walt Slominski, 2016
"Us Honduras love this song especially in the islands with the Garifunas!!🇭🇳💙"

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Reply
18. Destiney G, 2018
"Walter Slominski   Garifuna Guatemalan we salud al de islanders out there. Big unu self   DjAfrochapin"

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Reply
19. Destiney G, 2018
"Yes mon we garifuna from Guatemala love zouk musique. We salud you all. DjAfrochapin502 connection"

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20. Max antoine Cajuste, 2016
"If your Haitian you know this song. All my West Indian stand up. 🇭🇹🇭🇹"
-snip-
"HT"= nation abbreviation for "Haiti"
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21. Luv Lyfe, 2017
"Growing up in the West Indies everyone sand this song not knowing a word they were saying.  We used to sing "Zouk la sister say she gonna marry me"😭😭😭😭"

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Reply
22. Valerie Renee, 2018
"LMFAOOOOO WEAKKKKKK"

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Reply
23. la mama de Mandy, 2018
"😂 I  did the  same for years not same lyrics as in your country in Spanish 😆"

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24. Wolf Lauren, 2018
"We always thought the ladies singing at 1:38 were saying "ALL MY LIFE" so that's what we would sing 😂"

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25. 
Tafari 98, 2017
"This jam was a big hit in Kenya and African continent late 80s and it brings beautiful memories! 😎🙌🙌🙌"

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26. The star Squad, 2018
"IT DONT MATTER AS LONG AS U FROM THE CARRIBEAN U KNOW THIS 🇭🇹"
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27. Joe Niati, 2018
"…even we Congolese know this too!!!

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Reply
28. Fred Warsaw, 2018
"We Liberians know this song too. Our parents played this song a lot in the 80s."

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Reply
29. a chicken company, 2018
"Haitians adopted this song , but they low key from Guadalupe"

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30. Tim Gustave, 2018
"Martinique, fam!"

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31. Simone Moss, 2018
"Max antoine Cajuste I’m from Miami of Jamaican and Grenadian decent and I know this song. Don’t know what he is saying but I love this song"

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32. Wolf Lauren, 2018
"Sak Pasé Haiti from 🇨🇺"
-snip-
Sak Pasé" is a Haitian Creole greeting that means "What's happening?". 
"CU" = country abbreviation for Cuba
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Reply
33. P. Daulton Spencer, 2019
"Antigua. 🇦🇬. Spent time with a couple of friends from Guadeloupe. This was 🔥.."

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34. Aboubacar Bah, 2018
"Where my Haitians and Africans at!?🙄🤪"

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35. Mariam Jacobs, 2019
"Hereeee 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬...I remember hearing this song at so many Nigerian parties growing up and never knew the name...so glad I found it..."

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36. BANGA2TIMEZ, 2019
"Aboubacar Bah 🇨🇩🇨🇩🇨🇩🇨🇩🇨🇩"
-snip-
CD = Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Reply
37. Marcus Sanon, 2019
"
And de whole ah de Caribbean!!!!"

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38. Happy Angel101, 2019
"🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹"
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39. Mauricio Trujillo, 2019
"@Ishraaq Ramdianee  Wow...que curioso saber que existe un país con mi nombre...soy de México🇲🇽"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English: It is curious to know that there is a country with my name ... I am from Mexico🇲🇽"
-snip-
This commenter is probably saying something like "It's funny that you forgot to mention my country". In the context of this comment, the "x" at the end of the word "Mexico" probably comes from the sign for "kisses" but means something like "Best wishes".

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40. wihelmina20, 2019
"Ivory coast🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮"

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41. Damian Mahabir, 2019
"Suriname here🇸🇷☝"

*️*
Reply
42. Drew Norek, 2019
"DRCONGO 🇨🇩 🇨🇩 we here"

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43. Nun0tha _SLC, 2018
"
I'm fully American but when this song used to play in the Carribbean clubs in NY, I knew it was time for the Kompa segment of the party  to start 🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹"

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44. Annaya Akeim Musa, 2019
"Yesssss"

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45. kornel'sfish tank productions, 2019
"This isnt a haitian song  though😭"

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46. Anderson Louis, 2019
"@kornel'sfish tank productions  zouk and kompa are our culture, the same for guadeloupe martinique guyane, kompa is their culture too. Salsa is from cuba but can you say is not Dominican music ?"

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Reply
47. Anilyaah Glow, 2019
"It's not kompa"

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48. Flo Panaminho, 2019
"NedaBoo its not from haiti"

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49. Brenda Frederic, 2019
"Im American  and still jam to this song in 2020❤"

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50. Solène Gaston, 2019
"I
t’s from French West Indies not Haïti 😉"

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51. MegaDiva1999, 2019
"
classic of classics...global hit.Any Black person anywhere in the world relates to and loves this song. #Africanunity #Blackunity"

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52. King King, 2019
"Yo this song got me dancing in my room trying to practice  for a Haitian wedding or a Haitian party"

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53. Le Gob, 2019
"Since its not an haitian song. Keep training"

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54. Barbara, 2020
" @Le Gob  we know it's not a haitian song but haitians made it famous that's why people keep saying it's a haitian song"

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55. Andy Chang, 2020
"@Unapologetically Purplekissez  Kassav is not Haitian but this song is in Haitian Creole lol so ig it still technically is a “Haitian” song"

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56. TNR Family, 2021
"@KEXEK  it’s not Haitian Creole but it’s creole lol because we understand every words lol"

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57. Elsa Svenski, 2021
"@Andy Chang  This is not Haitian Creole but Guadeloupean and Martinican Creole (mostly Guadeloupean) You should know that in the French Caribbean Islands, each island has its own Creole so when you hear Creole it is not always Haitian Creole."

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56. 
Iris Manzanares, 2020
"in Honduras 🇭🇳on our Caribbean coasts we also listen and dance soca up the Caribbean ✌🏼"

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57. Christina O., 2020
"Nigerian but still a bop 💃"

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58. Romulo Silva, 2020
"Kassav my band , love this guys , big fan all the way from Angola"

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59. shangwe Magilani, 2020
"From Tanzania i just love haitian zouk😊❤️"

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60. Cristian Andres Martinez Espitia, 2021
"Que bueno saber que los orígenes de la champeta colombiana, surgió con sonidos similares y de este tipo de géneros.

Saludos desde la costa colombiana🇨🇴"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English:
"Good to know that the origins of the Colombian champeta, emerged with similar sounds and of this type of genre.

Greetings from the Colombian coast🇨🇴"

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61. cuttyFLamm CR, 2021
"Big up from Mauritius🇲🇺"

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