Experience “Capito” with PAM, a 1977 song from when the singer and percussionist was still known as Lélou.
Before his rise to prominence in the sega scene, Menwar was first nicknamed ‘Ti Zoulou,’ then ‘Lélou,’ a nickname coined by his mother. It is under this pseudonym that he recorded his first tracks, notably two singles pressed in Madagascar with the Green Turtle label. Now reissued under Babani Records, this mini-EP has been carefully remastered and digitised in order to restore the original 1977 recordings, which have suffered considerable degradation over the years. The full EP will be available on streaming platforms this Friday (September 24). Experience the second single, “Capito,” with PAM.
The song is a study of a father and his son, Capito. Lélou delves into the father’s feelings when his child disappears, only to return without warning. The second track, “Léti Pommé,” can be translated as “pulpy lettuce.” The expression is a metaphor used to evoke the gains that come from hard work and Lélou sings of countryside dwellers who shun the fast life in favor of working hard for a stable income. Both songs also pay tribute to Cassis, the suburb of Port Louis (Mauritius) where the artist grew up.
Capito / Léti Pommé by Lélou (or Menwar), out on September 24 via Babani Records.
Listen to “Capito” in our Songs of the Week playlist on Spotify and Deezer.
