Seven Songs Performed By Clifton Chenier & His Bands

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides seven examples of Zydeco music by the renown African American musician and vocalist Clifton Chenier. Information about Zydeco music & Clifton Chenier is also included in the post.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the musical legacy of Clifton Chenier. Thanks to all other musicians who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the publishers of these YouTube sound files and videos.

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INFORMATION ABOUT ZYDECO MUSIC
From http://www.scn.org/zydeco/nwczHISTORY.htm
Origins of Zydeco and Cajun Music by Tom Dempsey, Seattle, WA. May 1996
"My love for zydeco dancing inspired me to dig into the history of zydeco music. I discovered that over several generations, Acadians became “Cajuns,” and the word “Creole” changed meaning several times. In rural isolation, the music of Creoles and Cajuns evolved roughly in parallel until about the 1940’s. After the end of World War II, rural Creole musicians of Southwest Louisiana adapted urban blues and jazz to their La La house party music and gave birth to what we now call zydeco. The roots of zydeco grow deep in the history of the various groups who have intermixed in Southwest Louisiana .". . .

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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zydeco
Zydeco is a musical genre evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers[1] which blends Cajun music, blues and rhythm and blues....

Though disputed, it is commonly suggested that "zydeco" derives from the French phrase Les haricots ne sont pas salés, which, when spoken in the Louisiana Creole French, sounds as "leh-zy-dee-co nuh sohn pah salay". This literally translates as "the snap beans aren't salty" but idiomatically as "I have no spicy news for you." Alternatively the term has been given the meaning "I'm so poor, I can't afford any salt meat for the beans." The earliest recorded use of the term may have been the country and western musical group called Zydeco Skillet Lickers who recorded the song It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo in 1929.[2]

Initially, several different spellings of the word existed, including "zarico" and "zodico". In 1960, musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick wrote liner notes for a compilation album, A Treasury of Field Recordings, and used the spelling "zydeco". The word was used in reviews, and McCormick began publicizing it around Houston as a standard spelling. Its use was also accepted by Clifton Chenier - who had previously recorded "Zodico Stomp" in 1955 - in his recording "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés", after which Chenier himself claimed credit for devising the word.[3]"...

Usually fast tempo and dominated by the button or piano accordion and a form of a washboard known as a "rub-board," "scrub-board," "wash-board," or frottoir, zydeco music was originally created at house dances, where families and friends gathered for socializing.

As a result, the music integrated waltz, shuffles, two-steps, blues, rock and roll, and other dance music forms of the era. Today, zydeco integrates genres such as R&B, soul, brass band, reggae, hip hop, ska, rock, Afro-Caribbean and other styles, in addition to the traditional forms."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT CLIFTON CHENIER
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Chenier
"Clifton Chenier (June 25, 1925 – December 12, 1987),[1][2] a Creole French-speaking native of Opelousas, Louisiana, was an eminent performer and recording artist of Zydeco, which arose from Cajun and Creole music, with R&B, jazz, and blues influences. He played the accordion and won a Grammy Award in 1983.[1] In 1984 he was honored as a National Heritage Fellow [3] in 1989 was inducted posthumously into the Blues Hall of Fame,[4] in 2011, The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame, and in 2014, a Grammy recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

He was known as the 'King of Zydeco',[1][2][5] and also billed as the 'King of the South'.[4]"
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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date on YouTube, with the oldest examples given first.

Example #1: Clifton Chenier -- Josephine Par Se Ma Femme



Charlie McTruth, Published on Sep 4, 2009

Zydeco...

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Example #2: Clifton Chenier I'm a Hog for You



nyekurity Uploaded on Jul 11, 2009

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Example #3: Clifton Chenier - Bon Ton Roulet



zydecodave1 Uploaded on Nov 18, 2009

A rare video of the King of the South, the King of the Bayous, the King of the Zydeco. With CJ Chenier on sax, Cleveland Chenier on rubboard, and the late Harry Hypolite on guitar.

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Example #4: Clifton Chenier - The King of Zydeco



Arhoolie2, Uploaded on Jun 7, 2011
Scenes from the documentary film Clifton Chenier - The King of Zydeco produced and directed by Chris Strachwitz..

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Example #5: Clifton Chenier - Jambalaya



FredCDobbs00 Uploaded on Jul 4, 2011

From the King of Zydeco album. Recorded live at the Montreaux jazz festival, Switzerland

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Example #6: Clifton Chenier - Louisiana Blues



montella111, Uploaded on Aug 24, 2011

LYRICS:

C'est pas la peine brailler
Oh moi j'suis gone
C'est pas la peine brailler, 'tite fille
Oh oh moi j'suis gone
J'ai donné tout mon argent
Tu prends mon argent là t'es gone

Woh!
Tous les jours je parle les mêmes choses
Oh et moi je te dit,
Tous les jours je parle les mêmes choses
Tu connais moi j'te l'aime,
Quo' faire tu fais les choses tu fais?

Hey toi, Hey toi!

Woh!
Tous les jours je parle les mêmes choses
Woh!
Tous les jours je parle les mêmes choses
Moi j'te l'aime, avec tout mon Coeur

-snip-
Google Translate's English translation of this song from French:

Oh me J'suis gone
It is not worth bawling, lil girl
Oh oh I J'suis gone
I gave all my money
You take my money there you're gone

Woh!
Every day I speak the same things
Oh and I told you,
Every day I speak the same things
You know I love j'te,
Quo 'make you do things you do?

Hey you, Hey you!

Woh!
Every day I speak the same things
Woh!
Every day I speak the same things
J'te I love with all my heart

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Example #7: I'm Comin Home - Clifton Chenier (Live 1973)



Eric Cajundelyon, Published on Jul 9, 2012

The King of Zydeco on this classic Blues song also called "Bring It On Home" covered by so many bands and also by Gene Vincent, another King. (isn't it ?) Enjoy !!!

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Five Examples Of Records By Ti Frere, The King Of Sega Music (Mauritius)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides five examples of Sega music by the renown Mauritius vocalist Ti Frere. A Bonus video of contemporary Sega music and dance is also included in this post. Information about Mauritius, information about Sega music and information about Ti Frere are also included in this post.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the musical legacy of Ti Frere. Thanks also to all other vocalists, musicians, and dancers who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the publishers of these YouTube sound files and videos.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MAURITIUS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius
"Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent."

INFORMATION ABOUT SEGA MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Mauritius
The music of Mauritius is known for sega music, alongside the nearby Réunion island, though reggae, zouk, soukous and other genres are also popular. Well-known traditional sega singers from Mauritius include Ti Frére, Marlene Ravaton, Serge Lebrasse, Michel Legris. and Fanfan.

The Sega is usually sung in Creole (mother tongue of Mauritians). Many singers had thought of also bringing forward the English version of the Sega songs but later resolved not to proceed with it so as to preserve the uniqueness and cultural richness of the local music of Mauritius. The original instruments are fast disappearing, making way for the more conventional orchestra ensemble. However, all along the coastal fishing villages, the traditional instruments such as the “Ravanne”, “Triangle”, the “Maravanne” and the traditional guitar are still being used...

The past fifty years have been a vibrant period of sega music, much of which has not been documented. In the past twenty years, Mauritian music has been revitalized by a fusion of reggae and sega, known as seggae. This new wave emerged from one of poorer suburbs of Port Louis, known as Roche Bois, with the musician Kaya (Joseph Reginald Topize) and his group Racinetatane as the first major proponent. It gained much popularity among Rastafarians and then more widely among the youths of Mauritius in the late 1980s and early 1990s.]
-snip-
Additional information about Sega music is provided in some of the summaries for the examples given below.

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INFORMATION ABOUT TI FRERE
From http://ravaton.tripod.com/
The Real TiFrère Jean Alphonse Ravaton, alias Ti Frere, was born on April 29th, 1900. His father was Madagascan ( Ravaton is a Madagascan surname) and a sega artist too, the art form being characteristically passed on from father to son, and groups often made up of members of the same family...

Ti Frere has performed [Segas] all his life. He would be called upon for parties, beach picnics, drinks after shooting parties which he himself would participate as a beater and sometimes as hunter. His sega artist reputation was firmly established through veritable tournaments, "pariages sega", contests with no prize and no jury, put on from village to village, which would last all night long, even today into the next day with only judges being the dancers and their audience.

Although Ti Frere was reputed locally, he had to wait until 1964 to achieve fame on a national scale. On October 30th of that year occurred the famous " Night Of the Sega". Held on Mt. Le Morne, it was a musical and theatrical happening which Mauritians still remember. In some ways this happening was the official reinstatement of the sega and the first step towards an awareness of Afro-Mauritian cultural identity. Four years away from independence and cohabitating with Indian, Moslem, European, Chinese ethnic groups, the Afro-Mauritian, so called Creole community felt the need to assert its identity through a rediscovery and conservation of its roots. On that night a sega contest was organised after which Ti Frere was crowned " King of sega". From then on, he was in the public eye and recorded a series of 45’s which are unobtainable today. To the traditional ravanne, maravane , and triangle, Ti Frere would sometimes add the accordion, influenced by his father (and his own) dance band instruments. Like other sega artist , Ti Frere has never been able to live from it. He has had many different trades: wood cutter, cane-cutter, " casseur roches" (boulder breaker), bus conductor, forester"...

This unique situation made Ti Frere a synthesis of African and European roots, and able, by assimilation away from the structure of African-inherited classical sega ( drumcall, soloist, choir), to adopt a form inspirited by European models: Sega’s with verse and a refrain sung from beginning to end by a soloist where melody counted above all. The " drawing room sega" followed similar lines but Ti Frere remained traditional without losing any of the rhythmic intensity and inspiration of the original rhythmic framework and ravanne sega instrumentation."...
-snip-
This article contains more information about Ti Frere and more information about Segas.

According to an online Haitian Creole to English translating service, the words "ti frere" mean "little brother". My guess is that this nickname means the same thing in Mauritician Creole.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date on YouTube, with the oldest examples given first.

Example #1: Sega - Ti Frere



Palette Morisienne... Mauritius , Uploaded on Feb 25, 2008

Ti Frere - Vintage
Most pictures are from 1950s and 70s.
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR6CufnbtKk to read information about the photographs that are shown as background to this recording.

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Example #2: Ti Frere - Papitou (Sega Tipik - Mauritius)



David Yardin, Uploaded on May 10, 2008

This is a short extract from the documentary "Zafair Kaya". The clip features the song "Papitou" by one of the most famous Séga singers from Mauritius, Ti Frere (Jean Alphonse Ravaton).

Séga is the music/dance developed by the African and Malagasy slaves on the islands of the Indian Ocean. There are various types of Séga, this particular song being an example of Sega Tipik or Séga Typique (Traditional style from Mauritius).

The video also shows footage of the construction of a traditional drum, known in Mauritius as the Ravanne. The Ravanne is a large flat hand drum constructed from a goat skin, drawn taut over a wooden circular frame. Before being played, it is tuned over a fire.

The audio for the song is in Mauritian Creole, and the narration is in French. I'll maybe do an English subtitle version soon (most of the narration about the Ravanne I've mentioned above anyway).

You can find this song and more music by Ti Frere on the Ocora France release "Ile Maurice: Hommage a Ti Frere".
-snip-
Comment:
IleMauriceUKConnect, 2008
"This is the kind of Sega Tipik that I would really like to hear. Although I am born in the late 80's I never known TiFrere but it brings a different perception about Mauritius when I listen to the words. A way of life and harmony around. Hopefully the modern singers can find aspiration from that type of sega and continue the mauritian culture Which is gradually fading.That is a shame! Kan mo tanne sa banne sega tipik la mo manque mo l'ile. Mo tipti l'ile la, ene grand pays sa!!"

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Example #3: Clarel Betsy - Ti Frere



Palette Morisienne... Mauritius, Uploaded on Dec 12, 2009

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Example #4: Hommage à Ti Frere : Roseda (Séga Typique de l'Ile Maurice)



mru95 , Uploaded on Jul 4, 2010

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Example #5: ANITA (1949 ORIGINAL) - TI FRERE - SEGA DE ILE MAURICE



mru95, mru95• Uploaded on Oct 15, 2010

Hommage à Ti Frère ...

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BONUS VIDEO: CONTEMPORARY SEGA MUSIC AND DANCE
Kadans Tropikal - Ile Maurice/Mauritius



StudioProCh Uploaded on Jul 4, 2006

Grup Kadans Tropikal - Nuvo Desizion (sega promotion) *** http://www.Studio-Pro.ch introduces you the last clip of the Grup Kadans Tropikal from Mauritius (by Scorpio Studio). More about the group, CD "Nuvo Desizion": Madir Music Productions,

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Indian Arrival Days In The Caribbean (Information & Songs)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about various Indian Arrival Day celebrations in the Caribbean. This post also showcases a video of the Caribbean song "Indo Caribbean Man by Terry Gajraj (Guyana) and a sound file mix of Chutney Soca songs celebrating Indian Arrival Day in Grenada.

The content of this post is provided for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the contributions that people of Indo-Caribbean descent have made in their countries & throughout the rest of the Caribbean & the world. Thanks to all those quoted in this post and thanks to Terry Gajraj for performing the featured Indian arrival song and 1socaholic for producing the featured Chutney Soca mix and posting comments about the history of East Indians in Grenada.

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INFORMATION ABOUT INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Arrival_Day
"Indian Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on various days in the nations of the Caribbean and the island nation of Mauritius, usually commemorating the arrival of people from the Indian subcontinent to that nation as indentured labor brought by British colonial authorities and their agents.

History of the celebration
Indian Arrival Day was first celebrated in Skinner Park, San Fernando, as the East Indian Centenary on May 30, 1845[2] which marked the hundredth anniversary of the coming of Indians to Trinidad. The Acting Governor representing the Government of the United Kingdom attended indicating the significance of the observance. Other local dignitaries who addressed the large crowd included Timothy Roodal, George Fitzpatrick, Adrian Cola Rienzi, and Murli J. Kirpalani. Greetings were also read from Mahatma Gandhi, Lord Wavell, and Colonel Stanley, the Secretary of State for the Colonies...
-snip-
Guyana
In Guyana the holiday is celebrated on May 5th commemorating the first arrival of indentured servants from India to the country, on May 8, 1838. On this day, the workers arrived in Guyana to work in sugar plantations. Their descendants today comprise 44 percent of Guyana's population of over 750,000.[1]

Mauritius
In Mauritius, the holiday is celebrated on November 2 to commemorate the arrival of indentured laborers.

Suriname
In Suriname, Indian Arrival Day is celebrated on June 5.

Trinidad and Tobago
Indian Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on May 30 in Trinidad and Tobago each year since the 1990s. It commemorates the first arrivals from the Indian subcontinent to Trinidad, on May 30, 1845, on the ship Fatel Razack (a rendering of the Arabic Fath Al Razak 'Victory to Allah the Sustainer'). The many versions of the spelling for this historic ship reflects the difficulties of pronunciation and transliteration of foreign and East Indian names in Trinidad (as with the street festival of "Muhurram" or "Hosay" and "Hussay")...

Since its establishment in Trinidad, Indian Arrival Day has given rise to similar celebrations in Jamaica, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, there is no similar celebration in Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa or Kenya, which are also home to large Indian-origin populations."
-snip-
As per its Wikipedia page "Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius

UPDATE:
As a coincidence, I just happened to watch a house hunters international television show the same afternoon after publishing this post that featured a couple moving from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to Mauritius.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES:

Arrival Song - Indo-Carribean Man



Terry Gajraj, Published on Apr 30, 2013

This song tells the story of our Ancestors who left India & come to Guyana. Lyrics written by Terry Gajraj. Music by Simeon Ramesar. Recorded at JTS Studio, Jay Kewla. Sung by Terry Gajraj.
-snip-
Here's comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
Lakshmee Singh, 2014
Happy Arrival Day To All Indo - Guyanese. Let Us Not Forget The Struggles Of Our Fore Parents ..... To Help Us Reflect On This History, Here Is A Wonderful Song By Guyana's Very Own Terry Gajraj.

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Indian Arrival Day 2013 - Grenada Chutney Soca Mix- DK Socaholic Prodz



1socaholic, Published on Apr 30, 2013

The 1st of May kicks of the celebration of Indian Arrival Day 2013 in Grenada.

This is a little Chutney Soca mix I put together, for the Indo Grenadian People out there.

Indian culture is alive in Grenada and the Caribbean

On Caribbean family, It's all about unity

Mix put together by DJ SocaholicOCAHOLIC

Happy Indian Arrival Day!!!
-snip-
Here are several comments from 1socaholic about the history of East Indian in Grenada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRe49avYYzo
1socaholic, 2013
"The first group of East Indians arrived on the ship ‘Maidstone', which landed at Irwin's Bay in St Patrick on May 1 st 1857. It is estimated that 268 males and 68 females boarded the ship and of that number approximately 24% of them died in transit. Upon reaching Grenada, it is believed that the survivors were first taken to Belmont Estate as a holding area and were then distributed to about 15 plantations in St Patrick.

....The period of indentureship officially ended in 1890, though some Indians continued to work under existing contracts until 1893. In that year a few Indians chose to repatriate to India, but most used their bounty funds that they were entitled to, to purchase lands or to start a savings account in the local banks.

...They were not allowed to wander beyond two miles from the estate to which they were attached, without a pass. If they were found guilty of disobeying this rule, they were liable to arrest and imprisonment. Failing to report to work and misconduct were considered criminal offences, which were punishable by arrest and charged with a fine or imprisonment. Indentureship contracts were initially for one year and later extended to three years. In 1862 five year contracts were granted.

It is imperative to note that although one of the original objectives of immigration of indentured labourers failed - salvaging the island as a sugar producer - some of the indentured workers played a fundamental role in converting some estates from sugar to cocoa. As a result of this combined effort, by 1878, cocoa cultivation had surpassed sugar in its importance to the economy.

Over the last 40 years, there has been a new wave of migration of Indian nationals to Grenada as businesspersons. Most of these recently migrated Indians have had ties or businesses in other Caribbean islands like Trinidad, Barbados, St. Maarten and Curacao. Many have made Grenada their permanent adopted home, and have made a significant input into the economy of the island. In addition, they have influenced Indo-Grenadians greater appreciation for the shared Indian culture.

Life in Grenada was difficult for the Indians due to the cultural differences, language barrier, and the imbalance in the number of female to male and being a minority group on the island. The East Indians were expected to work nine hours a day for a six day work week. In return, they received free accommodation, weekly food rations and a minimum wage."

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May Angelou - "Seven Women's Blessed Assurance" & "The Mask"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post honors the award winning American author and poet Maya Angelou by showcasing two of her poems -and "The Mask". Information about Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Maya Angelou for her life's legacy. Thanks to the online publisher of this featured excerpt. Thanks also to the transcriber of this poem and the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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SEVEN WOMEN'S BLESSED ASSURANCE
(Maya Angelou)
From http://departments.weber.edu/chfam/familiesalive/angelouspeech.html The Distinguished Annie Clark Tanner Lecture

16th-annual Families Alive Conference, Weber State University, May 8, 1997

...."I must do one more poem because I don't think you've laughed enough.

I told you I don't trust people who act that way (indicating). Yet some years ago Arsenio Hall telephoned me and asked if I would come onto his program.

I said "I thank you, Mr. Hall, but --"

He said "Oh, Doctor, no, ma'am. Don't -- Oh, no, ma'am. I'm just a commoner."

I said "Please, I don't know if I would have that much in common with your constituents."

But he was so persuasive, so I went on the program. And I enjoyed myself so much I went back eight times.

But the first time I did a piece called "Seven Women's Blessed Assurance," and I enjoyed it. And then I stayed around Los Angeles a little while, and then I flew from Los Angeles to Geneva, Switzerland, took a train over to another city and took the funicular up the side of the Alps to the foot of the Matterhorn, and there I gave a three-and-a-half-hour speech in French, English and Spanish, thank you. I was so full of (indicating). I mean, I was full of it.

I took the funicular back after about six days, and over to Geneva I went. And I was standing in the Geneva airport with an umbrella, my purse over my shoulder and a briefcase when a young white man came up to me. He said "Dr. Angelou?"

I said "Yes."

He said "Ms. Angelou."

I said "Oh."

He said "It's hard to believe, it's Ms. Angelou. I was in the audience at Arsenio Hall the night you did 'Seven Women's Blessed Assurance.'"

I said then, and I say now, "Woo-woo-woo." (indicating).
Nothing to do with it but to laugh. I laughed. Then I straightened up my umbrella that was way over there and the young man was gone.
And all those Swiss were looking at me like (indicating.)

And here is this piece which I wrote to make my ownself laugh.

The first woman said One thing about me, I'm little and low, I find me a man wherever I go.

The second woman said They call me string bean 'cause I'm so tall, men see me, they ready to fall.

The third woman said I'm fat as butter and sweet as cake, men start to tremble every time I shake.

The fourth woman said I'm young as morning and fresh as dew, everybody loves me, and so do you.

The fifth woman said I'm little and lean, sweet to the bone, they like to pick me up and carry me home.

The sixth woman said When I passed forty, I dropped pretense 'cause men like women who got some sense.

But the seventh woman is my favorite, for obvious reasons. The seventh woman said fifty-five is perfect, so is fifty-nine, 'cause every man needs to rest sometime."

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THE MASK
(Maya Angelou, an adaptation of Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear The Mask")

We wear the mask that grins and lies.
It shades our cheeks and hides our eyes.
This debt we pay to human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts…
We smile and mouth the myriad subtleties.
Why should the world think otherwise
In counting all our tears and sighs.
Nay let them only see us while
We wear the mask.

We smile but oh my God
Our tears to thee from tortured souls arise
And we sing Oh Baby doll, now we sing…
The clay is vile beneath our feet
And long the mile
But let the world think otherwise.
We wear the mask.

When I think about myself
I almost laugh myself to death.
My life has been one great big joke!
A dance that’s walked a song that’s spoke.
I laugh so hard HA! HA! I almos’ choke
When I think about myself.

Seventy years in these folks’ world
The child I works for calls me girl
I say “HA! HA! HA! Yes ma’am!”
For workin’s sake
I’m too proud to bend and
Too poor to break
So…I laugh! Until my stomach ache
When I think about myself.
My folks can make me split my side
I laugh so hard, HA! HA! I nearly died
The tales they tell sound just like lying
They grow the fruit but eat the rind.
Hmm huh! I laugh uhuh huh huh…
Until I start to cry when I think about myself
And my folks and the children.

My fathers sit on benches,
Their flesh count every plank,
The slats leave dents of darkness
Deep in their withered flank.
And they gnarled like broken candles,
All waxed and burned profound.
They say, but sugar, it was our submission
that made your world go round.

There in those pleated faces
I see the auction block
The chains and slavery’s coffles
The whip and lash and stock.

My fathers speak in voices
That shred my fact and sound
They say, but sugar, it was our submission
that made your world go round.

They laugh to conceal their crying,
They shuffle through their dreams
They stepped ’n fetched a country
And wrote the blues in screams.
I understand their meaning,
It could an did derive
From living on the edge of death
They kept my race alive
By wearing the mask! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
-snip-
Source: http://goldenbridgeinmate39.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/the-mask-by-maya-angelou/
The poem written by Maya Angelou begins with the line "When I think about myself".

Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Laurence_Dunbar for information about American poet, novelist, and playwright Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906)

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Maya Angelou Poem "The Mask"



Russell Jones, Uploaded on Aug 8, 2010

As seen on Bobby Jones [Gospel television program]

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Examples Of "Jesus Loves Me" In American Sign Language (ASL)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about, and lyrics for the Christian Hymn "Jesus Loves Me". Five videos of that song are showcased in this post. Three of these examples are instructional videos. The fourth example features a mother and daughter singing and signing this song, and the fifth example features children singing "Jesus Loves Me" and signing the chorus of that song.

A Bonus video in this post is of children signing "Jesus Loves Me" in South African Sign Language.

The content of this post is provided for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks also those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "JESUS LOVES ME"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Loves_Me
"Jesus Loves Me" is a Christian hymn written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915).[1] The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of an 1860 novel called Say and Seal, written by her older sister Susan Warner (1819–1885), in which the words were spoken as a comforting poem to a dying child.[2] The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury (1816–1868). Along with his tune, Bradbury added his own chorus "Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me..."[3] After publication as a song it became one of the most popular Christian hymns in churches around the world.[4]"
-snip-
That Wikipedia articles two versions of the lyrics of "Jesus Loves Me" - the original words written by Anna Bartlett Warner and words written by William Batchelder Bradbury. There are other versions for that song including the lyrics sung by the children in Example #1 given below:

Jesus loves me. This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me. He will stay.
Close besides me all the way.
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He's prepared a home for me
And some day His face I'll see.

Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
-snip-
I learned this song in the 1950s (Atlantic City, New Jersey) with the word "For" at the beginning of the last line. However, that version of that line doesn't appear to be commonly sung.

Two other common verses for this song are

Jesus loves me. He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

and

Jesus loves me when I'm good.
When I do the things I should.
Jesus loves me when I'm bad,
But it makes Him oh so sad.

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FEATURED VIDEOS

Example #1: Jesus Loves Me in American Sign Language



Trudy Callan, Uploaded on May 1, 2011

American Sign Language to Jesus Loves Me - Instructional video

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Example #2: Jesus Loves Me-Learn to Sign



canadianqueen76, Uploaded on Aug 23, 2011

I show the signs used to sign Jesus Loves Me. Later in the video, I sign along with music. For the word, For... I use the sign for "why." So, it translates: Why? The Bible says so. I didn't explain that in the video. Signing the words exactly how the songwriter wrote them can be referred to as Signed English. ASL has a distinct "gloss" and is not simply signing English. As I learn more about ASL sentence constructs, I will move toward more difficult songs.

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Example #3: Jesus Loves me in ASL for Wendy Hand Everhart



Matthew Hand, Uploaded on Jan 30, 2011

Kate Carlin Signs Jesus Loves Me

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Example #4: Jesus Loves Me This I Know With Sign Language ~ Children's Music, Songs & Nursery Rhymes



Shelby Barone, Uploaded on Nov 19, 2008

Shelby and her daughter Ella with Glitterful Felt Stories singing the song Jesus Loves Me This I Know while using sign language!

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Example #5: Gospel Bible Songs - Jesus loves me [with lyrics]



Cibertracker Imperium, Uploaded on Dec 17, 2011

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BONUS VIDEO

Children singing and signing Jesus Loves Me in Sign language.



handswithwords, Published on Aug 21, 2012


Introducing Hands with Words, a Christian ministry to the deaf community in South Africa. This video introduces some children singing and signing Jesus Loves Me in South African Sign language.

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Nyboma & Pepe Kalle with Dally Kimoko - "Nina" (Congolese Soukous Music)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of the Congolese song "Nina" with singers Nyboma, Pepe Kalle, and featuring guitarist Dally Kimoko and comedian Sans souci

This post also provides information about Pepe Kalle, and Soukous music and provides several comments from this video's YouTube discussion thread.

The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Nyboma and Pépé Kallé for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all the vocalists, musicians and dancers that are featured in this video. Thanks to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SOUKOUS MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
"Soukous is a genre of dance music[1] that originated from Cuban Rumba music in the Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1940s and gained popularity throughout Africa.

Soukous is known as Congo in West Africa and Lingala in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania after the Lingala language of the lyrics. In Zambia and Zimbabwe, where Congolese music is also influential, it is still usually referred to as Rumba. It mixes the kwasa kwasa with the fast tempo zouk style and Congolese rumba. It is also an individual dance...

While the rumba influenced bands such as Lipua-Lipua, Veve, TP OK Jazz and Bella Bella [continued playing that style of music], younger Congolese musicians looked for ways to reduce that influence and play a faster paced soukous inspired by rock n roll.[9] A group of students called Zaiko Langa Langa came together in 1969 around founding vocalist Papa Wemba. Pepe Kalle, a protégé of Grand Kalle, created the band Empire Bakuba together with Papy Tex and they too became popular.

Soukous now spread[s] across Africa and became an influence on virtually all the styles of modern African popular music including highlife, palm-wine music, taarab and makossa'"...

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INFORMATION ABOUT PEPE KALLE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9p%C3%A9_Kall%C3%A9
"Pépé Kallé, sometimes written as Pepe Kalle (November 30, 1951 – November 28, 1998) was a soukous singer, musician and bandleader from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pépé Kallé was born Kabasele Yampanya in Kinshasa (then Léopoldville) in the Belgian Congo, but later assumed his pseudonym in hommage to his mentor, Le Grand Kallé.

With a multi-octave vocal range and a dynamic stage presence, the 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) and 136 kg (300 lb) vocalist recorded more than three hundred songs and twenty albums[citation needed] during his two decade-long career. Known affectionately as "the elephant of African music" and "La Bombe Atomique,"[citation needed] Kallé entertained audiences with his robust performances.

His musical career started with l'African Jazz, the band of Le Grand Kallé. He later performed in Bella Bella and became the lead singer of Lipua Lipua, where he sang alongside Nyboma Mwandido. In 1972, Kallé along with Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex, left Lipua Lipua to form their own band named Empire Bakuba. Empire Bakuba took its name from a Congolese warrior tribe, and it pointedly incorporated rootsy rhythms from the interior, sounds that had long been sidelined by popular rumba. The band was an instant hit, and together with Zaiko Langa Langa they became Kinshasa's most popular youth band. With hits such as Pépé Kallé's Dadou and Papy Tex's Sango ya mawa, the band was a constant fixture on the charts. They also created a new dance, the kwassa kwassa.

On their tenth anniversary in 1982, the band was voted Zaire's top group. Throughout the early 1980s, Empire Bakuba continued to tour extensively while releasing no less than four albums a year. By the mid eighties, they had a large following throughout Francophone Central and West Africa. His 1986 collaboration with Nyboma labelled Zouke zouke was one of the years top selling albums. But it was his second collaboration with Nyboma, Moyibi (1988), which launched his popularity throughout Africa."...

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: nyboma et pepe kalle - nina (avec dally kimoko)



djinamori777, Uploaded on Jul 22, 2009
-snip-
Unfortunately, I haven't found an English translation or English summary of this Lingala song.
In addition to the music, I love the dancing in this video. I wish the visual quality was better.

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EXAMPLES FROM THIS VIDEO'S VIEWER COMMENT THREAD
horridhenri, 2010
"Great music. kuasa kuasa at its best. with the most successful comedian Sans souci mokili ngonga(rip) Koko dia Nzombo et Kimbanseke papa alube. Pepe Kalle and Niboma what a ccombination. surely you made us dance and forget aour problems. Bless you all. keep up the good work. speak up for peace in congo."

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PierB33, 2010
"Ah quelle beaute... This song is simply great. The lyrics, the rythm, the singing, the arrangements, everything is simply great..."

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Marija Dominyka, 2010
in reply to Matt Sseru
"@mattsseru It is Dally Kimoko and Lokassa Ya Mbongo. Dally Plays lead and Lokassa plays the rythmn that you can hear in the background. :)"

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spicee221, 2010
"Nybomas' voice is like expensive silk....Flawless and exquisite. This is simply beautiful. Thanks for posting."

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horridhenri, 2010
"Great music. kuasa kuasa at its best. with the most successful comedian Sans souci mokili ngonga(rip) Koko dia Nzombo et Kimbanseke papa alube. Pepe Kalle and Niboma what a ccombination. surely you made us dance and forget aour problems. Bless you all. keep up the good work. speak up for peace in congo."

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Mr Jeno, 2010
'Reminds me of my childhood when my dad use to play this song every Saturday morning. I love it. Pure African music at it's best. This song may be old but it is still great."

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kamoquot, 2010
"the best lingala i av ever had"
-snip-
“Lingala” here is probably being used as a synonym for “soukous” / “African rumba”


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SuperKayaya, 2012
"Ils peuvent tout ravir aux congolais. Mais ils ne reusiront jamais à nous ravir nos talents et notre joie de vivre. Jamais."
-snip-
Google translate from French to English= “They can steal all Congolese. But they never reusiront to rob us our talents and joie de vivre. Ever.”

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Dennis Orina, 2013
"party anthem...taking u back way back .when music was still music...i mean b4 it became public noise...music wit lots of sense..heiyooo..pepe kalee...

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Mbilia Bel - "Faux Pas" (Congo)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of the Congolese female vocalist Mbilia Bel singing "Faux Pas". The lyrics of that song are provided by a YouTube commentor. Several other comments from that YouTube discussion thread are also provided in this post.

In addition, this post provides information about African rumba as well as information about Mbilia Bel.

The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Mbilia Bel for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube. Special thanks to Job Mokaya for providing the English translation of this song which is sung in the Lingala language.

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INFORMATION ABOUT AFRICAN RUMBA
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
""Soukous", a derivative of the French word "secousse" – "to shake"[2] – was originally the name of a dance and music popular in the Congos in the late 1960s, an African version of the Cuban Rumba. From the 1940s, Afro-Cuban son groups such as Septeto Habanero and Trio Matamoros had been played over Radio Congo Belge in Léopoldville (Kinshasa), and the Congo shared the widespread popularity of Cuban music during the late 1940s and 1950s.[3]

To Africans, Cuban popular music sounded familiar[4] and Congolese bands started doing Cuban covers, singing the lyrics phonetically. Eventually they created original compositions with lyrics in French or Lingala, a "lingua franca" of the western Congo region. The Cuban horn guajeos were adapted to guitars.[5] The Congolese called this new music "rumba", though it was more based on "son"."

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INFORMATION ABOUT MBILIA BEL
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M'bilia_Bel
"M'bilia Bel (born 1959) is a Congolese rumba singer, known as the Queen of Congolese rumba. She rose to fame after being discovered by Tabu Ley Rochereau.

Born in 1959 and brought up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, M'bilia Bel became successful in the early 1980s when she recorded and toured with Tabu Ley Rochereau, and made her own solo albums. The birth of her first child prompted her to take a break from performing, however, and after a last album with Tabu Ley in 1987, she moved to Paris. There she started working with guitarist Rigo Star, and between 1989 and 1990 she went on tour to the United States, the United Kingdom, and West Africa. With a combination of beauty, an angelic soprano voice, and tremendous agility on stage, M'bilia Bel stole the hearts of music fans all over the continent. She was Africa's first female transcontinental diva. She became the first female musician from Africa who could claim popularity all over the entire continent and beyond. In fact, one could argue that there has not been any female musician from Africa who has captured the imagination of music fans across the continent as much as M'bilia Bel did in the eighties. South African Miriam Makeba, known as Mama Afrika, popularity peaked in the 1960s but could not attract as many fans as M'bilia Bel did later."...

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Congo - Mbilia Bel- Faux Pas



Seka Moke Uploaded on Jul 31, 2008

AFRICA FROM A-Z : CONGO - MBILIA BEL
-snip-

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LYRICS - FAUX PAS (English translation)
(as sung by Mbilia Bel)

Note: These lyrics were posted by Job Mokaya, 2013 in four comments to this YouTube discussion thread. Aside for the first comment given, given the way that YouTube publishes comments, I'm not sure if I'm reproducing the comments in the lyrics in the order that they were posted.


"LYRICS: “Faux pas” means “Wrong move” or “Wrong act” A song of Tabu Ley Rochereau, sang by the queen Mbilia Bel: [Verse] Stay there where you are, I’ve heard that you are requesting my address So you are being send by my rival I want you to forget my man now. I can’t fight you because I’m peaceful I’ve been hearing about you quite for some time. You’re being send to take my man away from me. Go back to where you are coming from. Ask to those who know about me when I go crazy.

What can I say now, who is that one making a big mounth claiming my man? Oh no, I can’t believe it, this is embarrassing, oh no, not to me M’bilia; The type of marriage we get ourself into has many faces. You wake up in the morning and you are being confroted with infidelity; You feel like going crasy, Not knowing what else to do, Oh no, not me M’bilia; In our time poligamy is taken lightly; In the time past it was dignified. Where is all of this leading us to? and to where are we taking this?"

I’ve been hearing about you quite for some time. Where ever I would go you would inquire about my whereabout. You’re being sent by my rival. But the one sending you is fooling herself. Now she’s sending you to get my man for her, but at the same time, you yourself start to fall in love with him. “You can not leave a goat along with kassava leaves”. You should know that the man is mine; You and your friend are temporary. I’m not strong enough to fight, but with my words I can piece you off

Rivalry is very painful, heartbreaking. You’re coming from “I don’t know where” and you want to kate my man away from me; I would lose my mind and I will do anything to prove you otherwise. A rival is only a “rival”. What friendship should we have? What you don’t want done to you, don’t do it to another. It hurt, it’s heart breaking. Now what else can I tell you? The man is mine. Who are you to claim my man? This is crasy. This is embarrassing! oh no; not me Mbilia"

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OTHER COMMENTS FROM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uewh-SIiI64

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LusaMonene1, 2013
"So the song is about love rivalry, good work Mokaya."

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faustino henrique, 2013
"Many Thanks, Mr. Job Mokaya, because most of us doesn´t know understande Lingala and a translation in Portuguse, English or French (for me, in this case) is very useful. Once again, many thanks."

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hombredeciencia, 2009
"Esta canción se escuchó mucho en la costa norte de Colombia en los años 80s. Tiene un ritmo Bárbaro. todo un exitazo. This song on a lot on the north coast of Colombia in the 80s. Barbaro has a rhythm. everything a hit. where can I get the letter.

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Herrick OCHOM, 2009
"I adore this lady so much that she remains me off my past while i was growing up kid in kampala in the mids 80s. where are you these days. beautifull musics and the voice..ooh my god.."

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yankin, 2012
"a CLASSIC!"

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ALEX CARLOS NUÑEZ SALVO, 2013
"this song in my city Barranquilla Colombia, was and will remain a success in folk dances. Mbilia Was there she knows."

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Revocatus Nyefwe, 2013
"Every one at the age of 30 on in tanzania knows mbilia and we love her..........she used to stole all the night clubd performance and bits"

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missevegee, 2013
"Its nice to hear that our beautiful mbilia is so appreciated by people outside congo. She is congo's dearest pride in music. She sings in Lingala which is the native language of the democratic republic of congo. I am planning to translate her music for all her non-congolese fans :)))"

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