13 July 2009

BLACK HARMONY Lyrics

Hiphop and Reggae are very dynamic and Black Harmony (from West Nile) are the supreme flag bearers of these genres in Lugbara-land. I prefer categorizing their creations as LugbaRap 'en' Riddim. Savour a few of their lyrics below.

“Leta” in Lugbara means ‘Love’ and this jam is like a courtship song. A man sees a beautiful well disciplined girl and tells her he loves her so much that he cannot sleep. He adds that the overpowering issue leaves him so helpless that the best solution is to marry her and he wants her parents plus brother to know about it quickly. He is ready to pay 100 cows as dowry like the Karimojong do (Even though that number is too high in Lugbara culture) or even pay 100 Million like Europeans do.

[INTRO]
Black Harmony, nice melody. Back once and again with Audio Wave Production.
(Do be 'di X2) Murula 'di ngoyi ka, (Do be 'di X8) 'Badi izamva 'di ngole ya? Murula 'di ngole ka, izamva 'di ngole ya?

[CHORUS]
Geri mini mi aazu taya taya ‘di fe ma asi ni susu
Geri mini guzu miti mitia ‘di ma asi su lu tu yo
Ani a’yo ‘di zamva la ale mi. Kanisi lu mi ise mi ma rua
Ama iciti, a si aku mi ‘be lu, le mi ati me eri e’yo ‘di ndi
Ani lu ale lu mini, E’yo ‘do nde ma okpo ra yo! (Nde ma okpo ra yo)
Eri lu ‘di fe mani, ‘badi, o’du kozukuniya
Le mi andri ma eri e’yo di indi, ‘drusi eri lu ma Chandi ne yo
Ale lu mini e’yo ‘do nde ma okpo ra yo (Nde ma okpo ra yo)
Le mi adri ma eri e’yo ‘di indi, drusi eri lu ma Chandi ne yo.

[VERSE ONE]
Geri ndundusi akini ale lu mi ‘du ni
Zamva ale ini lu ra
Oduko mini nzile di ‘de lu ma bi-a ala tu
Izo la mi ai lu e’yo di
Zamva ale lu mini ndrita mini ndrizu 'di iza ma ma dri lu ni
Sweety la, ale lu mini, ndrita mini ndrizu 'di iza ma ma dri ra
'Bakatelu mi je ti si yo, ma. te nga lu mi je ti 100 [Turu alu] (Karimojongi le)
'Bani mi je silingi si, (Ayi yo) ma nga lu mi je lu Milioni 100 (Eh, muzungu le)
A'dusiku ma adri e’yo ‘di nde ma ra
Ndrita eri ni ndrizu ‘di iza ma ma dri lu ni
Geri ndundusi akini ale lu mi 'du ni
Zamva ale ini lu ra
Adriza mini I'dale ‘di i’de lu ma asia ala tu
Izo la mi ai lu e’yo 'di
Geri ndu dria si akini ale lu mi 'du ni
Zamva la mi ai lu e’yo 'di.

[CHORUS]

[VERSE TWO]
Kadi ovu drioru, ‘da ta lu vini onyiru tu
Zamva a ’yo 'di, Chandi mani isule ‘do si
Ayiko ‘de lu ma asia yo
Desu ale te ‘ba ma oni ‘ba, ayiko fezu aku-a
Anzinyiri ma isu imbata
Drusi drozi lu angu izozu yo. Ani a ’yo di:
E ka ma le ra, le te ile ma avasi tu
De nga podi lu ‘ba sini aku ku
A’dusikuni lu ka te ovu ‘dale ku, ‘da nga ni ayiko fe akua ku
Ani aleta ‘ba ma oni ‘ba
Inzita fezu akua
E’yo woro ka ovu ala
Aku ni nga pa so ani yo
Ka te ovu ‘dale ku, 'da nga ayiko fe akua ku.

[CHORUS]

[OUTRO]
(Do be 'di) X 27
(Woo woo woo yee!)
Murula di ngoyi ka, (Lugbara lediyo, lediyo, lediyo) 'Ba'di izamva di ngole ya?
Murula di ngole ka,
(Ma-i Zakariya-i, ma ti fe 8 [Aro] tua!/ Ata Zakariya. Mba, murula di ce be zo 'da-i ruati (o)nikuni da-i? 'Ba jo mini ma ti fe 12 [Mudri dri iri] sa ‘do si) (Woo loo loo lee!)
Zamva ‘di ngole ya
Murula ‘di ngoyi ka, izamva ‘di ngole ya?
Izamva ‘di ngole ya, Murula ‘di ngoyi ka?
Murula ‘di ngoyi ka, ‘badi izamva ngole ya?
Murula ‘di ngole ka, zamva ‘di ngole ya?
[END]

“Adia” is a song about food en love. The man (Singing Voice) tells his lover to cook for him Mutere (Dried cassava or sweet potatoes cut into small pieces). To this, she can add Greens including adrabi, awiribi, palabi, or dodo. She must not forget salt or an appetizer in this case ‘anyu’ (Groundnut paste, a delicacy in Lugbara culinary arts).

[INSTRUMENTAL INTRO:]

[CHORUS:]
Adia, mutere (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani mutere (Ai were ci yo)
Adia we, adra bini yo (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani awiri bi (Le mi ‘iga lu misi)
Adia, pala bi (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani agobi (Anyu were ci yo)
Adia we dodo si yo (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani. A’yo
Adia, mutere (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani mutere (Alaa were ci yo)
Adia we, adra bini yo (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani awiri bi (Le mi ‘iga lu misi)
Adia, pala bi (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani agobi (A’i were ci yo)
Adia we ‘badi dodo si yo (Mani lele), Adia mi a’di nga mani. A’yo

[VERSE ONE:]
Izanva ni lu ndri ndri, izamva nil u munyi munyi
Izanva mi lu akaza ru, izamva ndri lu tu ya
Aka lu iri ne milesi, ma asi ni m’buni lu
Ma sende inje mbele lu, malu inje fe erini
Ani a’yo cika ni, zanva mi imu ‘ba si aku
Otraki ‘dosi ‘yo ri a’yi dri’a lu ile ti
Anje afe ra, me isu ‘ba’be sende iyi’a
A’du e’yosi ari izanva ni lu inya a’di ku

[‘Dori nde ma ra, a’yo, ‘do ri nde ma ra yo
‘Do ru ri nde ‘di ma tua ‘badi la
‘Do ri nde ma tua te] X2

[CHORUS:]
(Audiowave)

[BRIDGE:]
Anya ri (Gunya), Idra ri (Taya)
Akini emi dri cika emi imba nga eri ci yo
Anya ri (Gunya), kiri kiri si, a’yo ‘di lu dani ku, ‘di ku
Etto, le ma ra, ale eriraya yo
Te akini emi dri geri azinisi aniniku, ‘di ku
Inya ‘bani a’dileri ndu (Iti’a we ‘di yo)
‘Ba le te ‘di ‘ba e’da e’yo ni ku (Ani ndra ku)
E’yo a’iza ‘bani ci yo (Torozi ‘be)
‘Bile’a eri mu dale di (Ani ‘di ‘bo)
Gunya (Anya ri), Taya, ‘ba dria ni ce lu ‘di mali teria
(Anya ri) Gunya, (Idra ri) Taya, kiri kirisi, a’yo ‘di lu ‘dani ku, ‘di ku
(Mami, emi woro woro emi imba ma indi
Dadi la, azi ciri, mi imba ma indi)

[CHORUS:]

[OUTRO STATEMENT AND INSTRUMENTAL:]
Le ife anzi ma la skulu-i a’dule ku,
Ma nga azi aku-a ‘di indi yo
E’yo ‘diri haki ni
Mama la, mi imba odekua ‘di drio ru
De nga podi cani nga ku
Ka ovu ‘dini ku nga te paso ku eh!
Ata ago ti’a ‘ba nga eri ‘idro ra
Mi isu eri nga lu bani drinja fe aku alia
Ani, le ‘ba imba anji ra!


“Baby Gal” is a fantastic song in at least three languages mixed beautifully with Lugbara. It introduces Lady Shadia from Kampala (Buganda). She is the reference point of this inter-cultural love affair expressed by the lyrics. Her character in the song doesn’t mind that the man interested in her is not from Buganda, what matters is that he shouldn’t be a liar like most Baganda she had seen.

[INTRO:]
Shadia, Harmony, bounce along the kid, curfew the dance hall scene. Here we go.

[CHORUS:]
Me isu mani izamva azi ala ni lu 'bo (Shadia)
Only Number One baby gal (Lady Shadia)
[O yeah, I can’t resist your style even if your baby boy ana ni bamba] X3

[VERSE ONE:]
You know, Black Harmony lu, Lady Shadia be
A’yo mini me isu mani izamva ala ‘di ra. Oku ala ni a’yo ale lu ni ra. A’yo mini me ibi mani oku, Rua ‘be anjuzaru lu mva le (Lady Shadia), aji be lu Aringa ri (Mi ina nanasi le!)
Mileni lu, zamva ‘di ale nda mi inga ngole ya (Mi te ’di a'buani)
Ani ekatro ovu aria ni (Mi te ‘do amamu ni)
Rua ‘be anjuzaru lu mva le (Lady Shadia), adji be lu Aringa ri (Mi ina nanasi le!)
Mileni lu, zamva ‘di ale nda mi inga ngole ya (Mi te ’di a'buani)
Ani ekatro ovu aria ni (Mi te ‘do amamu ni)
Leta mani mi lezu ri, kiri kiri
Zamva aleni mani aparakaru ku
A’dusikuni lu, ma asi oti misi. Ma ‘dua ‘ye aduni?

[CHORUS:]

[VERSE TWO - LADY SHADIA:]
Ma baby boy, mazima oli wadala (Aaah!)
You drive me crazy!
Nze nkwagala ku fa (Mmmm!)
Kati kyensaba kukwanjula mu bakaade (Daddy daddy yeah)
Ofuke omuganda, olinga abaganda (Oh!)
Sikifako oba toli muganda (Uuuh!)
Baganda banji abagala abatali Baganda (Eh!)
Baganda banji bendabye naye nga balimba
Nze ne yagalira gwe, atali mulimba
Nolwekyo mwatu mundeke muwane, musutte, mubitte, mu yiye abatesi
[EMMANUEL:] Ani ra ile ma ra, ale mi ra
Zamva ala ale lu mini ma nga mi du ra yo
Ale mi ra, ile ma ra zamva ala ale lu mini ma nga mi du ra
E’yo adasi, leta leta ama isile’a miberi ma zozo mba alu pere bani ba jeria yo

[CHORUS:]

[RIDDIM BRIDGE by ROBERT:]
Eh, whine your body, move your body
Groove to the beat, don’t have no body?
As we are, inna de place to be
Open @ da club, where we @
Know, we gat one fi de fierce, wid da engine in da air
Two inna de place, we be fierce everywhere
Shaking over here and over there
Shaking over there and over here
Shaking everywhere ‘coz
(Dis is a nu dance hall tune [Yeah!], all de rude boyz dem cool
Chichi man, woman make a fool, to be true
Dat’s tha nu dancehall rule X2)

[CHORUS:] (Audiowave) Yeah!

[SECOND BRIDGE:]
People, are you ready for the dance hall queen?
(Lady Shadia X4 Yes well, we are ready for Lady Shadia)
I said, people are you ready for the dance hall king?
(Black Harmony X4 Yes well, we are ready for Black Harmony) X2

[CHORUS:]


“Anga Azi Avasi!” (Let Us Work With Enthusiasm!) is a song that calls on the community to commit to their professions no matter which one, whether driver, doctor, boda boda or whatever.

[INSTRUMENTAL INTRO:]

[CHORUS:]
(Le anga azi avasi, amani cozu afa amani leri isuzu ra
Le a i’ya anvu avasi, amani cozu nyaka amani leri nyazu fo
Le a dinga nyondo avasi, amani cozu sende amani leri isuzu ra
Le a si kalamu avasi, amani cozu mali amani leri nyazu fo) X2

[VERSE ONE:]
Azi alu alu azi dra dra. Azi kini badi la ale ava yo
Kini ava koko azi nga alu’a ku
Avasi azini nga ni yo. Te ma adripi ale lu mini yo
Inya yoni ile anvu yo. Anvu kini ile ava’i.
Kini ava koko azi nga alua ku
Ava kini ile ovuani ku
‘Desi ovua si azi nga alu. Ovuakoko azini nganiyo
‘Badi la, le anga lu azini yo

[CHORUS:]

[VERSE TWO:]
[ROBERT:] Everybody must work (Don’t give up!)
Even though you’re going down (Don’t give up!)
‘Coz one day you gonn’ make it to the top
Don’t stop, just keep on going on
[EMMANUEL:] Ata kama wewe dreva (Fanya na bidi!)
Ona tesa gari kubua, (Fanya na bidi!)
Osi kosa siku moja, (Fanya na bidi!)
Kila siku fanya kazi, (Fanya na bidi!)
Ata kama wewe doctor, (Fanya na bidi!)
Ona treat kila mutu, (Fanya na bidi!)
Osi kosa siku moja, (Fanya na bidi!)
Kila siku fanya kazi, iii!

[CHORUS:]

[BRIDGE:]
Black Harmony we r tha Wickedest inna de place
Call wid da Wickedest Fire pan de place
Once en agen we r hotta dan fire
Ugandans tire, we r burn lyk fire
We r fire dem
Ala dem, we na play. We murda dem
If dey com inna we way, we no claim no top spot
Run wid da base we gat. Com’ dis, com’ dat, we dat
Coz we no gangsta
Na ruud boi, we rap star
Comin’ an da stage, we actor, cause disaster
Run wid da playaz we gat, ol’ adem just talkin’ about

[CHORUS:]

[INSTRUMENTAL OUTRO:]