Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

Parisien du Nord
(Parisian of the North)

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular rai/hiphop fusion song "Parisien du Nord", which was sung by Algerian rai singer Cheb Mami and French rapper K-Mel. Also included is a transliteration of the Arabic and French lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like.

NOTE: This song was written for the purpose of speaking out against racism in France against people of color. For that reason, it's not recommended for typical belly dance performance situations such as light-hearted birthday parties, playful restaurant gigs, weddings, haflas, and such. It would be extremely difficult for a white dancer to be taken seriously to this, especially if she's doing a happy, smiley standard belly dance performance.

Lyrics: Kamel Houairi
Music: Imhotep

 

---------------

Lyrics

Arabic & French Lyrics

English Translation

Watch out...

Watch out...

Ha, le revoilà le trio

Ha, the trio are back

Pour le remix

For the remix

Habla chichi

 

Ha, Imhotep, Mami, K-Mel

Ha, Imhotep, Mami, K-Mel

Et on y va

And here we go!
   

Chorus

[Sung by Mami]

Chorus

[Sung by Mami]

Comme ça, vous m'avez trahi,
Comme ça...

Like this, you betrayed me, like this

Hakada dertouha blya hakda

This is how you treated me, this is how

Comme ça, vous m'avez trahi,
Comme ça...

Like this, you betrayed me, like this

Hakda l'aabtouh blya hakda

This is how you tricked me, this is how
   

Verse

Verse

Ala wejhi n'kartouni ou étranger

Because of my appearance, you did not accept me, you said I am a foreigner

Kouni hasseb di baladi nua h'naya n'mount

I felt I was in my own country and that here I will die

Ala wejhi n'kartouni ou étranger

Because of my appearance, you did not accept me, you said I am a foreigner

Kouni hasseb di baladi nua h'naya n'mount

I felt I was in my own country and that here I will die
   

Chorus

Chorus

   

Mon choutèkouni walit gh'rib lawali lah 'bib

I saw you and I became a foreigner, no parents or relatives

Pourtant zaid h'na had c'chi h'ram

Knowing that I grew up here, this thing you do is shameful

Mon choutèkouni walit gh'rib lawali lah 'bib

I saw you and I became a foreigner, no parents or relatives

Pourtant zaid h'na had c'chi h'ram

Knowing that I grew up here, this thing you do is shameful
   

Chorus

Chorus

   

[Sung by K-Mel]
Parisien du Nord, clando d'abord

[Sung by K-Mel]
Parisian of the North, first of all, clandestine

Un titre dans la musique, sans passeport

A title in the music, without a passport

C'est le talent d'abord

It's the first talent

C'est comme le Padré qui t'a fait ramer pendant des années

It's like the Priest who tugged at you for several years
   

Des exploitants que

From the exploiters who

Je me ferais un plaisir de caner

Would have given me the pleasure of hitting them with a cane

J'suis pas violent.

I'm not violent.

Mais tant d'années à 5,000 francs, c'est fané

But so many years at 5,000 francs, it's faded

Et pour les jeunes,

And for the young people

C'est la tannée non fallait pas faire l'erreur, l'assimilé

It's the tanning [dark skinned], better not make the mistake, the assimilated

D'façon, ces professions ce ne sont pas que
Des bassesses de vocation

In a way, these jobs are no more than the lowest of career

La leçon à en tirer, c'est quoi que tu dises

The conclusion to draw, it's whatever you say

Quoi que tu fasses

It's whatever you do

T'es embauché tant qu'on a pas vu ta face (ha ha)

You're hired if we have not seen your face (ha ha)

Je vois des jeunes P.D.G [Présidents directeur général] dans leurs bureaux

I see the young CEO's [executives] in their offices

Gérant leurs entreprises comme on gère des kilos (oh shit)

Managing their businesses as people manage their weight (oh shit)

C'est pas dur,

It's not hard
j'veux voir des "surbouffeurs" (des enceintes) aux murs I want to see the overeating women (the pregnant women) on the walls

je veux voir des sœurs comme chef ou secrétaire

I want to see their sisters [women of his own kind] as boss or secretary

qui tapent pour leurs compétences et non pour leurs derrières

Who type for their skills and not for their backsides

je veux enfin que les jeunes pèsent à vrai dire...

I want finally that young people give thought to telling the truth
   

Ala wejhi n'kartouni ou étranger

Because of my appearance, you did not accept me, you said I am a foreigner

Kouni hasseb di bladi nua h'naya n'mount

I felt I was in my own country and that here I will die

Ala wejhi n'kartouni ou étranger

Because of my appearance, you did not accept me, you said I am a foreigner

Kouni hasseb di bladi nua h'naya n'mount

I felt I was in my own country and that here I will die
   
Hakda l'aabtouh blya hakda (comme ça)...
This is how you tricked me, this is how
Hakda l'aabtouh blya hakda (comme ça)...
This is how you tricked me, this is how
Hakda l'aabtouh blya hakda (comme ça)...
This is how you tricked me, this is how
Hakda l'aabtouh blya hakda (comme ça)...
This is how you tricked me, this is how
Hakda l'aabtouh blya hakda (comme ça)...
This is how you tricked me, this is how

 

---------------

Where to Get Recordings of this Song

Meli Meli

Artist: Cheb Mami
CD Title: Meli Meli

 

---------------

Copyright Notice

This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.

All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.

Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.

If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.

If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.

 

 

Explore more belly dance info:

Top >
Belly Dancing >
Middle Eastern Culture >
Index to Middle Eastern Music Section

 

Share this page!

On Facebook
 

 

 Top > Belly Dancing > Middle Eastern Culture > Index to Middle Eastern Music Section

| Contact Shira | Links | Search this Site |