I remember my uncle in Liberia explaining this song to me. He said the song is about a mother with many children. She gets up at the break of dawn every morning at the rooster's crow to go sell goods in the streets in order to feed and sent her kids to school. "Chicken de crow for day". In liberia not many people have cellphones or a clock on the wall. So, we listen for the first rooster crow to know morning is near. And of course all the children know when their mother is about to leave. They won't see her again until sunset. The oldest child will cook and bathe the younger ones in the mother's absence
My music teacher showed us this today. We're doing a concert soon, and this is one of the songs we are doing. My classmates and I enjoy this. As a part of her 'special' singing group in the afternoons of Tuesdays and Thursdays, she allowed me to make the harmony for half of the class. It went together perfectly. For the first 'Kokoleoko Mama Kokoleoko' it's Melody with all of us, then it's split on the second 'Kokoleoko Mama Kokoleoko.' The 'Ah Bye Mama Ah Bye' it's the same concept. Thank you for your time. ~A GSIC Charter 5th Grader
“Kokoleoko” is the sound the rooster makes in Liberia, same as "cock-a-doodle-doo," in western countries."Kokolioko" is one of the Liberian songs made famous world-wide by Miatta Fahnbulleh, a class musician and performer. She is also an advocate for children in West Africa. The song is like a drunken dance music. It tells of two lovers trying to quit because the day is breaking with the cock of the rooster.The children’s version is a very innocence clapping game with half notes for elementary school children. The rooster is cocking and waking up the children, getting them ready for market day, while they say goodbye to their mama. The lyric is slightly different from region to region around the world.
kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye bye bye, bye rooster, crowing for day every morning the roosters the crow time to get up and start the day! off the market we all must go hurry now, we must not delay! singing: kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye, bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day time to get up and go my brother sun shining way up in the sky we are strong when we work together we are family, you and I singing: kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye, bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day bye, bye mama, bye bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day
I have nothing better to do in quarantine so here: kokoleo (spelling?) ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye bye bye, bye rooster, crowing for day every morning the roosters the crow time to get up and start the day! off the market we all must go hurry now, we must not delay! singing: kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye, bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day time to get up and go my brother sun shining way up in the sky we are strong when we work together we are family, you and I singing: kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye, bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day bye, bye mama, bye bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day
I have nothing better to do in quarantine so here: kokoleo (spelling?) ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye bye bye, bye rooster, crowing for day every morning the roosters the crow time to get up and start the day! off the market we all must go hurry now, we must not delay! singing: kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye, bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day time to get up and go my brother sun shining way up in the sky we are strong when we work together we are family, you and I singing: kokoleo ko, sister, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, rooster, crowing for day kokoleo ko, brother, kokoleo ko kokoleo ko, time to be on our way bye, bye mama, bye, bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day bye, bye mama, bye bye bye, bye rooster crowing for day
