Champs-Elysees - Firenze

About Champs-Elysees – Firenze

The disk was released around 1984, and was the fruit of a collaboration between Papa Wemba and of his most famous songwriter Stervos Niarcos. Famous Congolese guitarist Rigo Star reportedly handheld the solo guitar.

Songs

Here are the album songs with videos from the internet. CongoleseMusic did not upload the videos, so we apologize in case some links get broken.

1. Proclamation

Proclamation or announcement is the tale of somebody from Kinshasa, Congo’s capital (I bet any reader knows that by now). He went to Europe to search for a better life. The traveler sees his migration as an exam and says the results will be announced in Kinshasa. He plans a resounding return to his home town, detailing the clothes, his house, car, and everything planned to look successful.

2. Champs Elysées

This one is a song by Stervos himself apparently addressed to a lady called Adelina. In the song, Stervos says the holy spirit revealed to him that Adelina was the love of his life and he should marry her. He thinks the time has come to for her hand. So he relates how he walked with a picture of her at the Champs Elysées, proudly telling any curious passant she is the love of his life.

3. Miss Bessange

Another love song. This time by Papa Wemba to Bessange. He is crazy in love with Bessange and urges her to get engaged with him.

4. Eben

“Eben my heart is hurting! why did you do that to me? I am so much in love with you though”. Another love song, just a sad one this time around. Eben broke Bokul‘s heart and he is leaving. This is most probably amongst the best Papa Wemba ballads.