Lyrics

 

There are two types of songs: popular songs that have been learnt through oral tradition, especially those sung on graj, léwoz and tumblak rhythms which are known by all singers whatever region they come from.
Then there are the songs that are written on international , regional or local current events (Mè Coco by Robert Loyson spoke about the generosity of a mayor from Morne-à-l'Eau) or even community happenings. The most popular forms are satire (e.g. Mèdo by Robert Loyson) and gossip (Kann' a la richess by Robert Loyson) with the recurrent use of play on words and double entendre.

Form and sources of inspiration for the songs

The music played during funeral wakes is quite distinct from all other gwoka musical styles.
Apart from the léwoz with its dance and the transmission of the bouquet, there is also the bèlè. The audience comes together and sings, without necessarily dancing. This is the bèlè chant. It is more or less peculiar to the Grande-Terre region (Loyson, Chabin, Anzala…). You sing the praises of a particular person or about problems linked to the sugar cane cropo, the wife who is cheating on her husband or vice versa, about extraterrestrials and flying saucers - in essence all sorts of popular myths and beliefs.

The léwoz and bèlè each have their own repertoire of songs.
In the bèlè, lthe singer can sing his text using 32 bars or more. Then the singers who respond follow.
In the léwoz, the opportunities for improvisation and alternation of the call-and-response are much more compact, which enables the musical dynamic to be reinforced. Storytelling is less important than in the bèlè. It is more structured in terms of the songs and the exchange amongst ‘marqueurs’, responders and singers.
On the other hand, in the bèlè, it is really the singer who expresses him/herself. For example, sometimes when Robert Loyson was about to sing, you did not necessarily know what he was going to sing about. In a léwoz, several singers can respond and sing the same song differently.

During a funeral wake, someone can make up a song on the spot about the deceased. It is the singers’ ability to improvise that is put to the test.

When someone starts to sing, included in his lyrics is a challenge to the singer opposite him/her: can you respond better than I can, do you have something else to say, do you know more about the subject, etc.
In the léwoz, the content of the songs have already been improved or rearranged in terms of the singers’ diction, vocal talent or technique. Nevertheless, strictly speaking all sparring or challenges related to singing are usually done at funeral wakes. The bèlè is played more often at funeral wakes, with songs usually linked to historical facts and that leave more room for improvisation.
In the léwoz where there is a wide repertoire of songs, « freedom of speech » is more limited.
Given the respect due the deceased and his family, during a wake saucy or sensual songs from the bèlè repertoire are not sung.