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Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Intro/Verse 1
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C'est dans ma galère que la go Antou m'a quitté oh ah (x4) | It's when I was struggling/broke that the girl Antou left me oh ah (x4) | 'Galère' means struggle/hardship. 'Go' is Nouchi slang for 'girl/girlfriend'. Antou is the girlfriend's name. |
| Quand j'avais un peu | When I had a little (money) | Refers to when he had some money, though not much. |
| Matin midi soir, On été ensemble | Morning noon night, We were together | They were together all the time when he had money. |
| A la rue Princesse, Aux mille maquis | At Princesse Street, At the thousand maquis | 'Rue Princesse' is a street in Abidjan. 'Maquis' are informal outdoor restaurants/bars popular in Côte d'Ivoire. |
| Santos payait les poulets | Santos was paying for the chickens | 'Poulets' (chickens) refers to grilled chicken meals, popular at maquis. Santos is likely the singer's nickname or stage name at the time. |
| L'argent est fini, Antou a changé de côté | The money ran out, Antou changed sides | When he went broke, she left him for someone else. |
| Wari ban nan, Elle a changé de copain | The money is finished, She changed boyfriends | 'Wari ban nan' is Nouchi (from Malinké/Bambara 'wari' = money) meaning 'the money is finished'. |
Hook
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nan guin nan wan, nan guin nan wan | [Rhythmic/melodic phrase] | Nouchi phrase used as a rhythmic hook, doesn't have literal translation but conveys emotion/rhythm. |
Verse 2
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dieu merci pour moi je savais chanter un peu | Thank God for me, I knew how to sing a little | His musical talent saved him from poverty. |
| J'ai fait ma cassette oh on me voit à la télé | I made my cassette (demo tape), oh they see me on TV | He recorded music and became famous, appearing on television. |
| Matin midi soir c'est moi je chante à la radio | Morning noon night it's me singing on the radio | His song is playing constantly on the radio - he's achieved success. |
| Antou a vu çà elle dit le gaou a percé | Antou saw that, she said the fool has made it | 'Gaou' is Nouchi for 'fool/naive person'. 'Percé' means 'broke through/made it'. She realizes he's now successful. |
| Attends je vais partir le couper | Wait, I'm going to go cut him off (get him back) | 'Couper' (to cut) is Nouchi slang meaning to seduce/win someone over. |
Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Et on dit premier gaou n'est pas gaou oh | And they say the first fool is not a fool oh | The main message: being fooled/left once doesn't make you a fool. |
| C'est deuxième gaou qui est niata oh ah | It's the second fool who is really foolish oh ah | 'Niata' is Nouchi for 'really stupid/foolish'. Taking her back would make him the real fool. This is the song's core wisdom. |
Verse 3
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dimanche matin koko on frappe à ma porte | Sunday morning koko, someone knocks on my door | 'Koko' is an affectionate term/interjection in Nouchi, like 'hey' or 'you know'. |
| A ma grande surprise c'est la go Antou je vois | To my great surprise it's the girl Antou I see | His ex-girlfriend returns now that he's successful. |
| On s'embrasse j'ai dit y'a longtemps qu'on c'est plus revu | We hug, I said it's been a long time since we last saw each other | He greets her politely despite what happened. |
| Elle veut me mentir, Elle dit chéri j'avais voyagé | She wants to lie to me, She says darling I had traveled | She makes excuses for her absence, claiming she was traveling. |
| Je suis de retour, Je t'appartiens | I'm back, I belong to you | She tries to win him back with sweet words. |
| Prends-moi cadeau, fais ce que tu veux | Take me as a gift, do what you want | She offers herself back to him now that he has money and fame. |
Verse 4
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| J'ai dit chéri koko qu'est ce que tu veux manger | I said darling koko, what do you want to eat | He pretends to welcome her back, asking what she wants to eat. |
| Sans même hésiter, Elle me dit poulet braisé | Without hesitation, She tells me grilled chicken | She asks for grilled chicken, a common modest meal. |
| J'ai dit chéri koko c'est poulet tu veux manger | I said darling koko, it's chicken you want to eat | He sarcastically questions her modest request. |
| Poulet est trop petit çà peut pas te rassasier | Chicken is too small, it can't satisfy you | He mocks her, saying chicken isn't good enough - implying she's materialistic and wants expensive things. |
| C'est caïman braisé, je vais te donner | It's grilled caiman (crocodile), I'll give you | He sarcastically offers extravagant/exotic dishes to mock her gold-digging behavior. |
| Kedjenou d'éléphant, tu vas manger | Elephant kedjenou, you'll eat | 'Kedjenou' is an Ivorian stew. He's sarcastically offering impossible/absurd dishes, mocking her materialistic return. |
| Elle est fâchée, Elle dit elle s'en va à la maison | She got angry, She says she's going home | She realizes he's mocking her and gets upset. |
| Si elle va à la maison population va me tuer | If she goes home, people will kill me | He worries people will criticize him for letting her leave. |
| Je lui ai demandé pardon, elle a accepté | I asked her forgiveness, she accepted | He pretends to apologize to continue the game. |
| A un moment donné, elle a tout gâté | At one point, she ruined everything | She messes things up again. |
| Elle est quitté dans poulet, elle s'en va dans aloco | She left chicken, she goes for aloco | 'Aloco' is fried plantains, a popular Ivorian dish. She changes her food order, showing her materialistic nature. |
| Si c'est aloco c'est pas compliqué | If it's aloco, it's not complicated | He continues his sarcastic game. |
| C'est plantation de bananes, Tu vas griller | It's a banana plantation, You'll grill (them yourself) | He sarcastically says she'll have to grill an entire banana plantation. |
| Au lieu de fourchette, Ça peut pas bien piquer | Instead of a fork, It can't pierce well | Continuing the absurd joke about utensils. |
| C'est avec râteau, tu vas manger | It's with a rake, you'll eat | He says she'll eat with a garden rake instead of a fork - ultimate sarcasm rejecting her return. |
Outro - Roll Call
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kader gaou oh ah, Blé go gaou oh ah | Kader is a fool oh ah, Blé girl is a fool oh ah | Calling out names of people who are 'gaou' (fools) - likely friends, fans, or people they know. |
| Soro guillaume gaou oh ah, Sabine yo so gaou oh ah | Soro Guillaume is a fool oh ah, Sabine yo so is a fool oh ah | Continuing the playful roll call. |
| Angelo gaou oh ah, Hotorino gaou oh ah | Angelo is a fool oh ah, Hotorino is a fool oh ah | More names in the playful shout-out section. |
| Blé niata oh ah, Dieu fit niata oh ah | Blé is foolish oh ah, God made foolish oh ah | 'Niata' means really foolish/stupid in Nouchi - calling out who are the 'second fools'. |
| Kader niata oh ah, Kader tu m'a niata oh ah | Kader is foolish oh ah, Kader you made me foolish oh ah | Playfully accusing Kader of making them foolish. |
| Michel est gaou oh ah, Emile est gaou oh ah | Michel is a fool oh ah, Emile is a fool oh ah | More friends/acquaintances in the roll call. |
| Honoré gaou oh ah | Honoré is a fool oh ah | Continuing the playful naming. |
| J'ai dit tu danses ah oh ah, Regardes ta science oh ah | I said you're dancing ah oh ah, Look at your knowledge/skill oh ah | Encouraging people to dance and show off their moves. 'Science' here means skill/style in Nouchi. |
| Nan guin nan wan, nan guin nan wan, Oh tu danses ah oh ah | [Rhythmic phrase], Oh you're dancing ah oh ah | Ending with the rhythmic hook and dance encouragement. |