LÈVE TOI – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: BLANCHE BAILLY, LADY PONCE

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant sounds of Cameroon with "LÈVE TOI" by Blanche Bailly and Lady Ponce! This captivating blend of modern Afro-pop and traditional Bikutsi offers a unique window into Cameroonian music and culture. You can learn common French phrases and expressions, as well as encounter some regional linguistic nuances. The song's energetic rhythms and empowering message make it a fantastic and enjoyable way to connect with the language and rich musical heritage of Cameroon. It's special for its powerful collaboration between a 'new school' Afro-pop queen and an 'old school' Bikutsi legend, creating an explosive and culturally rich hit.

[English]

Sorry, it's not what you think, I

...

can explain everything

...

[Music]

...

explain, Blanche, come on

...

think, they say there's strength in unity

...

You and me, it's your foot, my

...

God, but I'm knocking at the door, I don't want to

...

not to

...

wake you up. Do that one for me

...

That one, oh yes, that one, babe, I want

...

With you I don't know

...

no, darling, my body craves your hand, oh

...

I said that it's your foot

...

mine, today is all about you

...

It's God who gave you, oh you, baby, oh

...

I love you, give me, give me a little

...

baby

...

Oh, you, every time we're together

...

[Music]

...

You make

...

[Music]

...

such an effect, I love you without worrying about anything

...

but without

...

calculator, I gave in to

...

everything and we

...

said, I'm asking you, won't you give me

...

Spoil me a little, darling, just a

...

little kiss, baby, I'm ready, my senses are tingling

...

buzzing

...

Ah, baby, I need you, darling

...

give me a

...

Little, a little, a little, please

...

[Music]

...

please, give me

...

give me, baby

...

just I like

...

I don't like it if you make me cry

...

You're turning my head, turning my head

...

in my head it's a party

...

you make me sleep, it makes me sleep, you

...

don't want to touch anymore

...

Mary you

...

[Music]

...

above, you're going to give me

...

you're going to give me a little something, a little, a little, you need to

...

get to know me

...

know me, you're going to

...

know me, give me, you're going to give me

...

give me, give me, baby

...

[Music]

...

the

...

[Music]

...

machine

...

cryotherapy

...

[Music]

...

[Music]

...

You make me cry

...

you turned my head, turned my head, my

...

head is a party

...

[Music]

[French]

désolé c'est pas ce que vous croyez je

peux tout vous

[Musique]

expliquer blanche allez

pense on dit que l'union fait la force

toi et moi c'est ton pied mon

dieu mais je frappe à la porte je veux

pas te

lever celle là là fais-moi

celle-là oh oui celle là b je veux

Avec toi je connais

pas chéri mon corps réclame ta main oh

j'ai dit que c'est ton pied

mon aujourd'hui c'est donné dans toi

c'est Dieu qui t'a de oh toi bébé oh

j'aime toi donne-moi donne-moi un peu

bébé

oh toi chaque fois qu'on est ensemble

[Musique]

Tu fais de

[Musique]

l'effet je t'aim sans me soucier de rien

mais sans

calculatrice j'ai céd à

tout et on a

dit je te demande tu veux pas m' donner

à peonne-moi un peu chéri juste un

câin bébé je suis prête mes se sont en

bruit

ah bébé j'ai besoin de toi chérie

donne-moi un

Un peu un peu un peu s'il te

[Musique]

plaît donne-moi

donne-moi bébé

juste j'aime

pas je l' si tu me fais pleurer

tu me tourner la tête tourner la tête

dans ma tête c'est la fête

tu me fais dormir ça fais dormir ça tu

ne veux plus toucher

marie tu

[Musique]

désus tu vas me donner

tu vas me con un peu un peu un peu il

faut me

connaître me tu vas me

connaître me donne-moi tu vas me donner

donne-moi donne-moi bébé

[Musique]

la

[Musique]

machine

la criourité

[Musique]

[Musique]

Tu me fais pleurer

tu m'as tourné la tête tourné la tête ma

tête c'est la fête

[Musique]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
croyez /kʁwa.je/ B1	verb - believe (you believe)
force /fɔʁs/ A2	noun - strength, force
pied /pje/ A1	noun - foot
porte /pɔʁt/ A1	noun - door
lever /lə.ve/ A2	verb - to raise, lift
corps /kɔʁ/ A2	noun - body
main /mɛ̃/ A1	noun - hand
aujourd'hui /oʒuʁdɥi/ A1	noun - today
ensemble /ɑ̃.sɑ̃bl/ A2	adverb - together
effet /e.fɛ/ B1	noun - effect
soucier /su.sje/ B2	verb - to worry
tête /tɛt/ A1	noun - head
fête /fɛt/ A2	noun - party, celebration
dormir /dɔʁ.miʁ/ A1	verb - to sleep
besoin /bə.zwɛ̃/ A2	noun - need

Key Grammar Structures

• désolé c'est pas ce que vous croyez

  ➔ Subjunctive mood after 'ce que'

  ➔ The phrase 'ce que' often requires the subjunctive mood in the following verb when expressing doubt, uncertainty, or a subjective opinion. Here, 'croyez' is in the subjunctive because the speaker is implying that the listener's belief might be incorrect.

• on dit que l'union fait la force

  ➔ Present tense with general truth

  ➔ The present tense 'fait' expresses a general truth or proverb. 'Union fait la force' means 'unity is strength.'

• je veux pas te lever celle là là fais-moi

  ➔ Imperative mood implied

  ➔ While not explicitly stated as 'fais', the context implies a command or request. 'Fais-moi celle-là' translates to 'do that one for me'.

• Avec toi je connais

  ➔ Ellipsis (omitted element)

  ➔ The sentence is incomplete. It's missing what the speaker knows. It could be 'Avec toi je connais l'amour' (with you I know love) or something similar.

• j'ai cédé à tout

  ➔ Passé Composé with 'céder à'

  ➔ 'J'ai cédé' is the passé composé of 'céder', meaning 'I gave in' or 'I yielded'. 'Céder à' takes an indirect object, indicating what was yielded to. Here, it's 'tout' (everything).

• tu me fais pleurer

  ➔ Causative construction with 'faire + infinitive'

  ➔ 'Tu me fais pleurer' means 'you make me cry'. 'Faire + infinitive' indicates that someone is causing another person to perform an action.