A Vava Inouva
A Vava Inouva is the successful 1976 debut album by Idir, the Algerian singer of Kabyle music. It contains the big international hit of the same title "A Vava Inouva", also his debut single. It also contains other very important hits by him such as "Azwaw", "Zwit Rwit" (the origin for Khaled's "El harba wine), "Ssendu" and "Cfiy"
A Vava Inouva | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1976 | |||
Recorded | 1976 | |||
Genre | Kabyle music | |||
Idir chronology | ||||
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Song: "A Vava Inouva"
"A Vava Inouva", is the title track from the album. It was originally "A Baba-inu Ba" alternatively A baba inuba meaning My father to me, and is a fine example of Kabyle music.
"A Vava Inouva" was a lullaby composed by Idir and Ben Mohamed (real name Mohamed Benhamadouche) and was written for Nouara, a singer on Radio Algiers. However upon non acceptance by Nouara, Idir decided to interpret the song himself accompanied by the singer Mila.
The lullaby song was an immediate success, making it arguably the best known song in the Kabyle language internationally and a great commercial success.
Many other versions exist such as the 1999 version with Karen Matheson, a singer with a great repertoire of Gaelic songs. That version appeared in Idir's album Identités.
"A Vava Inouva" has also been translated into several languages including Arabic, Spanish, French, Greek and others. David Jisse and Dominique Marge released as a duo the French version "Ouvre-moi vite la porte". Yiannis Katevas released a Greek version as "An ginotane" (in Greek Αν γινότανε) featuring Efi Strati. Video on YouTube
Track list
- A Vava Inouva
- Isefra
- Ssendu
- Azger
- Muqleɣ
- Zwit Rwit
- Cfiɣ
- Azwaw
- Tagrawla
- Tiɣri b ugrud
- Acawi
- Ay Arrac Nneɣ
- Cteduɣi
- Izumal
- L'Mut
- W' Ibryn
- Aɣrib
Personnel
- Idir – vocal, guitar, percussion
- Omar Meguenni – guitar, bass, vocal
- Gerard Geoffroy – flute
- Andrée Ceccarelli – drums
- Jean Musy – moog