"Fèy" is a traditional Vodou folk song in Haiti. In Haitian Creole, "fèy" means "leaf", and the lyrics of the song describe a leaf falling from a tree. Like many traditional songs in Vodou folklore, the lyrics of "Fèy" can hold many meanings, both religious and political. At least two mizik rasin bands in the 1990s sang adaptations of the traditional song. A version first performed by RAM in 1992 was banned throughout Haiti during the remaining years of the Raoul Cédras military junta.
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Political history
In 1991, a military junta headed by Raoul Cédras seized power in a coup d'etat, overthrowing the elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. RAM, a rasin band in Port-au-Prince, which had run afoul of military authorities before, first performed "Fèy" at the 1992 Carnival in Port-au-Prince, and then began to perform the song during their weekly concerts at the Hotel Oloffson. Despite no overt references to the political situation, a recording of the song was widely played on the radio and immediately taken up throughout the country as an unofficial anthem of support for Aristide. Playing or singing the song was soon banned under military authority, and RAM's leader, Richard A. Morse, was subjected to death threats from the regime. In September, 1994, U.S. military troops arrived to oust the Cédras regime and restore Aristide to his presidency. "Fèy" was released on RAM's first album, Aïbobo, in 1996.
Lyrics
"Fèy" is a traditional Haitian vodou folklore song, and as such the lyrics are in the public domain. The Creole lyrics are as printed in the liner notes of RAM's first album, Aïbobo, and the English language translation is by Bob Shacochis.