Written and composed by band's singer Christian Fougeron, it was released in August 1987 and became the first single from Raft's 1989 second album Madagascar, on which it appears as the tenth track in a remixed version.

[1] Musically, "Yaka dansé" is a reggae song with percussions by Jean Schultheis and the trumpet by a musician from French band Niagara;[1] the words play with the sounds and become singing onomatopoeias.

[2] Lyrically, it deals with serious topics: politics, racism, religion (it mentions God and Virgin Mary), genocides, war, "celebrate the richness of difference" and is a hymn to toleration.

[2] It evokes events linked to the decolonization of New Caledonia in 1987, a relevant topic at the time as there was a referendum on the independence of the island in September of that year (with a 98% reject), which led to violences between Kanak indigenous and French settlers.

[2] A review in the Pan-European magazine Music & Media praised the song, electing "single of the week" on 3 October 1987, and stated: "This duo delivers the next European hit: a cheerful pop reggae tune with an enchanting chorus.