Je Dis Non - A Song Translation

Je Dis Non (I Say No) - Tiken Jah Fakoly

A verse to denounce the leadership

Africans espeically in checks

My country has paid far too dearly

Too dearly. When is the trial?

A lyric to honor our fathers

These soldiers killed in their wars

Victims erased from their files

Files already classified

Refrain

This is just singing

This is just a song

It won’t change our lives

But I sing to not accept*

I say no, I say no

I say no, I say no in song

A refrain to support our brothers expelled from French territory

Taken in handcuffs to the border

Borders for a preordained destiny**

A rhyme to expose our selves

Tradition is not always wisdom

Africans we do not only have the past

Let’s turn to what’s to come, enough!

Refrain

This is just singing

This is  just a song

It won’t change our lives

But I sing to not accept

I say no, I say no

I say no, I say no in so

A verse to denounce the leadership

Africans especially in checks

My country has paid far too dearly

Too dearly. When is the trial?

*In English we'd be more prone to say something like "I sing to refuse". However, since he didn't say "Je chante pour refuser" but said "Je chante pour ne pas accepter" I wanted to leave it as authentic as possible. I'm a stickler about that, as you've figured out. ;)

**Destin tracé could also refer to a life on the run