Ave Cesaria by Stromae Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Tribute to a Music Legend
Lyrics
Evora, Evora
Evora, Evora
Evora, Evora
Les effluves de rhum dans ta voix
Me font tourner la tête
Tu me fais danser du bout des doigts
Comme tes cigarettes
Immobile, comme à ton habitude, mais
Es-tu devenue muette
Ou est-ce à cause des kilomètres
Que tu n’me réponds plus
Evora, Evora
Tu ne m’aimes plus ou quoi?
Evora, Evora
Après tant d’années
Evora, Evora
Une de perdue, c’est ça?
Evora, Evora
Je te retrouverai, c’est sûr
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Souviens-toi de la première fois
Où nos regards s’étaient croisés
Même que ton œil disait merde à l’autre
Surtout à moi
Mais pourquoi moi
Alors que les autres
Te trouvaient bien trop laide
Peut-être que moi je suis trop bête
Mais je sais t’écouter
Evora, Evora
Tu ne m’aimes plus ou quoi?
Evora, Evora
Après tant d’années
Evora, Evora
Une de perdue, c’est ça?
Evora, Evora
Je te retrouverai, c’est sûr
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Ave Cesaria
Chapeau pour la route à pieds
Nue est, et nue était
Diva aux pieds nus, restera
Et à vie Cesaria,
Et à la mort aussi
Aux brigades
Tu embrigades
À des millions de soldats dans ta patrie
Donc garde à vous
Cesaria
Tu nous as tous quand même bien eus
Ah tout le monde te croyait disparue, mais
Tu es revenue
Sacrée Cesaria
Quelle belle leçon d’humilité
Malgré toutes ces bouteilles de rhum
Tous les chemins mènent à la dignité
Evora, Evora
Tu ne m’aimes plus ou quoi?
Evora, Evora
Après tant d’années
Evora, Evora
Une de perdue, c’est ça?
Evora, Evora
Je te retrouverai, c’est sûr
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Evora, Evora (c’est sûr, c’est sûr)
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria
Oh sodade
Oh sodade
Oh sodade
Oh sodade
Stromae’s ‘Ave Cesaria’ is more than a musical composition; it’s a profound ode to a cultural icon. Lacing his lyrics with tender evocations and impassioned pleas, Stromae pays homage to Cesaria Evora, known as the ‘Barefoot Diva’ of Cape Verde. The song delves deep into themes of admiration, remembrance, and the immortal influence of an artist beyond their physical presence.
But the layers of ‘Ave Cesaria’ are folded with complexity much like the intricate rhythms of a morna, the traditional Cape Verdean music genre that Evora popularized worldwide. The song’s narrative is clothed in metaphors and historical references, woven seamlessly together by Stromae’s genre-blending musical finesse. Let’s step into his lyrical gallery and uncover the song’s essence and its symphonic tribute to a timeless virtuoso.
The Intoxicating Scent of Legacy
When Stromae refers to ‘Les effluves de rhum dans ta voix,’ he’s not just conjuring up an aroma but evoking the spirit and soulful voice of Evora, who was emblematic of her Cape Verdean heritage. Rum, a product of the islands’ sugar cane, symbolizes the sweetness and intoxication of her music that ‘turned heads’ and changed the world music scene.
Evora’s voice, drenched in the history and pain of her nation’s past, carries with it a potency that Stromae recognizes as transformative, a force that made listeners dance to her melodic command, much like one might respond to a rhythmic trance.
An Unyielding Love Affair with Music
Stromae questions Cesaria’s silence as if interrogating the absence of her voice in contemporary music. ‘Tu ne m’aimes plus ou quoi?’ is a rhetorical plea, invoking her enduring presence. Despite her passing, Stromae confronts the notion of loss, unwilling to accept the finality.
He vows, ‘Je te retrouverai, c’est sûr,’ an assurance that maintains Cesaria’s artistry will continue to influence and inhabit the world of music, much like a lovesick partner who refuses to let go of a departed soulmate, insisting on their lasting bond beyond physical separation.
Undeniable Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder
Cesaria Evora was not celebrated for conventional beauty; her charm lay in her authenticity and the truth in her voice. Stromae paints a picture of a world that saw her as ‘bien trop laide,’ yet he confesses his admiration, highlighting that true beauty, much like music, is perceived not through the eyes but through the ears and soul.
With ‘Mais pourquoi moi,’ Stromae becomes every listener who discovered Cesaria’s music, questioning why he was chosen to connect with her on such a profound level, recognizing the inexplicable magic that surrounds a true artist.
The Hidden Threads of ‘Ave Cesaria’
Stromae isn’t merely performing a serenade to a legend; he’s rallying a call to arms. ‘Aux brigades / Tu embrigades’ speaks to the way Evora enlisted troops of fans across the globe. The tribute transforms into a union cry, recognizing the singer’s ability to gather ‘des millions de soldats’ to the cause of musical revolution and cultural pride.
This song is his way of reminding us that Evora’s influence persists, clandestinely weaving through contemporary music and societal fabric. Her comeback is the legacy she instills in every artist she inspires, her ‘garde à vous’ a decree to remember the humble resilience and dignity she embodied.
Memorable Lines That Echo in Eternity
The melody culminates into a heartfelt chorus of ‘Oh sodade, sodade de nha Cesaria,’ a repetitive lament that means ‘longing’ in the Cape Verdean Creole. The term ‘sodade’ punctuates the song like a heartbeat, manifesting the shared yearning of listeners who miss Cesaria’s unique voice and presence.
It’s in the simplicity of this chorus where Stromae captures the collective sentiment towards a departed icon – a mix of nostalgia, respect, and an unfulfilled desire to once again experience the pure emotion Evora brought to her music. These words are an anthem, a reverberating refrain that ensures Cesaria Evora’s spirit dances on in the endless morna of memory.
