In 1992, France decided to send a reggae king to the Eurovision Song Contest. Kali's 'Monté la rivié' was a beautifully arranged reggae track, sung in French and Haitian Creole. The lyrics are full of metaphors about the river, which the listener should 'go up'. The listener is told that 'One day you'll see the source of the river'. Thus, the lyrics deal with the need to find peace and love in the modern world.
The b-side of the single contains a live cover of the Bob Marley track 'One drop'. I bought my copy of the single in Vienna during a holiday. Not the most predictable place to find a French single...
My collection: 7" single no. 1931
Found: Vienna, July 6, 1993
Cost: 55 Austrian Schilling
Tracks: 'Monté la rivié' / 'One drop (live)'