Jess Sah Bi & Peter One — Katin (Musique Ivoirienne)

"Katin" lyrics in Gouro & English translation below:

(Gouro)
Katin Héo Kalé zonaman kabêdjê oh
Katin Héo Kalé zonaman kabêdjê oh
Katin Héo Kalé zonaman kabêdjê oh

Zile kaweman zibo deka hi
Djinanan wi teka le zinh le
Zile kaweman zibo deka hi
Djinanan wi teka le zinh le

Tibé guessan omer, ylé zonanbo
Bedjê olê y mih tôh. Houan oh
Tibe guessan, sah bidjê yé
Ouya bi koh kale fehi lé
Han bouêh ouya bitra ylé glibo
Bédjê ole y mih, toh houan oh
Yeah aho … Yé boah bouinou yeah

Katin Héo Kalé zonaman kabêdjê oh
Katin Héo Kalé zonaman kabêdjê oh
Yé boah bouinou yéah
Katin Héo Kalé zonaman kabêdjê oh
Yé boah bouinou yéah ah zouletchi
Zile kawêman zibo deka hi
Djinanan wi teka lé zinh lé
Tibe guessan Omer ylé zonanbo
Bédjé olê y mih toh houan oh
Tibe guessan, sah bidjê éé
Bédjé olê y mih toh houan oh
Tibe guessan, sah bidjê éé
Ouya bi koh kalé fehilé
Tibe guessan han bouêh zekoua oh
Dôghô lé ko kale fehi ya dou
Han bouêh ouya bi tra ylé Glilé
Bédjê olê y mih toh houan oh
Han Bouêh ouyabi oah … ylé zonanbo
Bedjê olé y mih toh houan yéah aoh
Ye boah bouinou yé kagohan oh
Ye boah bouinou ye kouassi yé

(English)
All together to achieve our goal
Let's rejoice
Oh yes my brothers, it is so
We are looking for a way

When we get it
It will be joy
It will be our happiness
Tibe guessan omer
Show everyone your goal
To honor us
Tibe guessan omer
Tell everyone your word
To honor us
Tibe guessan, sah bi dje he

Ouya bi, let's see, here is our art
Tibe guessan, my friend zekoua
Dohguo, we have the same art
Tibe guessan, my friend zekoua
Dohguo, we have the same art
My friend ouya bi tra,
Say your word to all
To honor us
My friend ouya
Show everyone your goal
To honor us

In the 1980s, Abidjan’s Jess Sah Bi & Peter One became one of the most popular musical acts in not just the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), but broader West Africa, eventually performing with a full band to stadium-sized audiences at home and throughout Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo. Although they’d been popular radio and television performers for several years prior, the catalyst for Jess and Peter achieving this new level of stardom was their debut album, Our Garden Needs Its Flowers, recorded and released in 1985.

In contrast with the heaving funk, disco and reggae sounds of the day, Our Garden Needs Its Flowers was a lush fusion of traditional Ivorian village songs and American and English country and folk-rock music. Jess and Peter sang in French, English and Gouro, delivering beautifully harmonized meditations on social injustice and inequality, calls for unity across the African continent, an end to apartheid in South Africa and the odd song for the ladies, all set against lush guitar riffs, rustic harmonica and rollicking feel-good rhythms. Surprisingly, it’s the first time the album has been re-released in a high-fidelity, legally-licensed form.

Jess and Peter had shared experiences of loving and drawing inspiration from the traditional and ceremonial songs they remembered their mothers singing in their respective hometowns of Barata and Ono. In addition, hearing imported country and folk-rock music over the radio in the early ‘70s was a lightbulb moment for both of them. Jess recalls DJs playing Kenny Rogers, Don Williams and Dolly Parton on the radio in the morning, while Peter notes the significant presence Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Creedence Clearwater Revival had in his listening life. Country music and folk-rock weren’t very popular with the general public. But interest was bubbling up within the growing student population, who connected with the protest sentiments expressed by many English and American artists of the era and loved the sound as well.

“It’s very nice music, with very nice harmonies, and it’s different from what you hear every day,” Peter says. “The language was a big barrier though. You had to learn English to understand the songs, and the students were the ones learning English.” Having access to education along with their awareness of growing social and political inequality and injustice made students the perfect audience for folk music in Ivory Coast.

[kouameadigrikoffiblaisengu]

Je ne sais pas pourquoi je coule des larmes au juste quand j'écoute cette chanson. Peut être ça me rappel mon défunt père

[yannickwognin]

Qui est encore vivant en 2025 pour réécouter ce chant à la mélodie divine

[cheickomar]

Si comme moi en 2023 tu continues d'écouter ce Hit, viens pointer

[svensonvanderbilt]

Katin heo, kale zonaman kabedje oh (bis)
Ye boah bouinou yehe ah
Katin heo, kale zonaman kabedje oh
Zile kaweman, zibo deka hi, djinanan wi, teka le zinh le
(bis)
Tibe guessan omer, y le zonanbo
Bedje ole y mih toh houan oh
Tibe guessan, sah bi dje aye
Ouya bi, koh kale fehi le
Han boueh ouya bi tra, y le glibo
Bedje ole y mih, toh houan oh
Yehe zonaman he anho ... ye boah bouinou wo ah
Katin heo, kale zonaman kabedje oh (bis)
Ye boah bouinou woho ah
Katin heo, kale zonaman kabedje oh
Ye boah bouinou woho ah zouletchi
Zile kaweman, zibo deka hi, djinanan wi, teka le zinh le
(bis)
Tibe guessan omer, y le zonanbo
Bedje ole y mih toh houan oh
Tibe guessan omer, y le glile
Bedje ole y mih toh houan oh
Tibe guessan, sah bi dje ahe
Ouya bi, ko kale fehile
Tibe guessan, he han boueh zekoua oh
Dogho le, ko kale fehi ya dou
Han boueh ouya bi tra, y le glile
Bedje ole, y mih toh houah oh
Han boueh ouya bi oah ... y le zonanbo
Bedje ole y mih toh houan oh
Yehe zonaman ahaho
Ye boah bouinou, ye kagohan oh ha ho (bis)
Ye boah bouinou, ye kouassi he ha ho
Ye boah bouinou, ye kouassi

[sevsainttrade]

Dites moi que je suis pas seul en 2025

[DelaAkolly]

Qui est là en 2025, la nostalgie, ooh la chère de poule mes larmes ne font que couler hummmm

[abdoulayeouedraogo]

Cette chanson me fait couler des l'arme, je me rappelle c'était l'or d'une affection de papa de yaboisso a port Bouet sous la pluie la voiture Peugeot 404 nous amenait je regardais les essuies glaces du véhicule jeté les goût d'eau de gauche a droite en écoutant cette chanson heeee la vie ne vaut rien

[winniebatango]

Qui comme moi est la depuis la reprise de Vitale?
Bravo Vitale tu nous a fait revivre ce chef-d'œuvre ❤❤❤❤

[GonjudicaelBombade]

C'est toujours émouvant d'écouter cette musique de nos pères, c'est notre héritage national et un patrimoine

[monsieurstephane]

Même en 2024 ça fait du bien d'écouter ces belles mélodies

[kouamecedric]

Gamin jetais en vacance chez ma mémé, j'allais faire du baby foot chez eux... Suis tombé sous le charme de leur musique depuis la bas dans la Marahoue. Bouafle ❤

[MaximeSome-dxfb]

Belles mélodie d'une Côte d'Ivoire anciennement sans tensions et d'une enfance pleine d'insouciance. Merci à ces 2 tontons pour cette belle mélodie

[jean-lucfanny]

I met Jess Sah Bi in Philadelphia back in 2004, I would say. My Mother-in-Law introduced us. Mother-in-law worked at the Art Museum, where she was an Executive. I believe Jess Sah Bi worked there--as well. My mother-in-law mentioned that her son-in-law was from Cote D'Ivoire. I met him. He was such a pleasant and lovely guy. He even invited my ex-wife and me to visit a caucasian who was helping to make a CD at the time in the neighborhood of Mount Airy, slightly in the outskirts of Philadephia. I still have this vivid memory of him. He was surprised when I told him that I loved his album, and I attempted to sing. I knew he had a satirical drawing in "Fratenité Matin, " our Ivory Coast daily paper. He was so happy that people knew him from his native Ivory Coast. He was so engaging. I find it so sad our artists' exile is to try to make ends meet. That's my little encounter with Jess Sah Bi. Then I lost his contact. I am hoping he is well!

[berbelinecynthiaadougounhi]

# 2023 qui l'écoute encore, soit bénie au nom de Jésus-Christ ou Allah

[arthurbakimbi]

Je rend hommage à mon grand frère sosi Armand c'est toi qui m'avait fait écouter cette belle mélodie en 1996 j'avais que 15 ans repose en paix mon grand frère.

[mariondiby]

Moi aussi je pleure quand j’écoute la musique et les chansons de Jess Sah Bi car elles ont bercé mon enfance. Un grand artiste !

[semahebamba]

SVP LES GOURO TRADUISEZ CETTE MAGNIFIQUE CHANSON POUR NOUS EN FRANCAIS

Quel bonheur cette chanson, bonne année 2023 à tous ceux qui aiment cette belle mélodie

[corneilleamougou]

Moi je suis camerounais mais c'est mon artiste débordo leekunfa qui a fait à ce que j'effectue la recherche de ces artistes bravo les artistes

[mariamfofana]

Cette chanson me fait penser à un ami que j’ai beaucoup aimé partir trop tôt. C’est avec les larmes au yeux que j’écris ces mots 🥺🥺
Repose en paix BENJAMIN 💔🙏🕊️, tu vivras toujours dans mon cœur. Tu me manques tellement 😭😭.