Protest song against ethnic cleansing in Africa, sponsored by the ICRC. Featuring Papa Wemba, Youssou N'Dour, Jabu Khanyile, Lourdes van Dunem, Lagbaja. Integral.
Indeed...a real classic...i still asking why Africa...wake up! wake up! Love from Angola.... Flores para os artistas que participaram, principalmente para os que já se foram...Tia Lourdes...well done...um povo unido...Peace...paz
2024...I'm still listening to this melody 27 years on... I remember clearly when it was released. It still makes so much sense and is still asking Africa so why???
PAPA WEMBA verses in English : We are seeing tragic events unfolding in Africa. Oh Lord. Mother wake up from your sleep, Mother look at the sky the world is changing, angels dressed in white are sounding the trumpet. Mother, I need you to nurse me. Mother, I need your teachings. Mother I'm crying 😭.
PAPA WEMBA verses in English : We are seeing tragic events unfolding in Africa. Oh Lord. Mother wake up from your sleep, Mother look at the sky the world is changing, angels dressed in white are sounding the trumpet. Mother, I need you to nurse me. Mother, I need your teachings. Mother I'm crying 😭.
Indeed, the mind is more powerful than a computer, after so many years I still have this song in my mind,.. It still sounds great after all the years... Africa, Africa, Africa my Land😊❤❤❤❤❤❤
PAPA WEMBA verses in English : We are seeing tragic events unfolding in Africa. Oh Lord. Mother wake up from your sleep, Mother look at the sky the world is changing, angels dressed in white are sounding the trumpet. Mother, I need you to nurse me. Mother, I need your teachings. Mother I'm crying 😭.
Africa my continent, listen to the great voices of our mighty artists, praying to God Almighty to get rid of coronavirus from Africa and ultimately, from the whole world, r.I.p Papa wemba
2021 - I can't stop listening to this song over and over and over again. It's the best song ever put together by Africa's greatest. I watched the documentary as a teenager and the big question has always been on my head since then - So why. Rest in peace to all the legends in the song that have passed to great beyond 🙏
@@Okazu84Hi. I have not figured out anything. I do not know where to look for it if if is the making of this video documentary you are talking about. That is why i requested for the link if you have any.
Africa unite truly we need more music like this especially now that Africans forgot who they are fighting each other for no reason we need to remember who we are n where we coming from
Mon enfance! On a même pas besoin de comprendre les paroles. Cette chanson dégage une telle émotion. Le son, la façon de chanter de chaque artiste, le chœur, l'instrumental, même les insensibles verseront une petite larme. Merci à tout ces grands artistes. Pour une Afrique Unis et en Paix.
To this song came into my mine once again . I had to grab my phone to listen to it. Nigeria is 60 years. Why have we not develop. We need to wake up . wake up Nigeria.
I bought the album when it came out. These guys did a great song for the greatest cause... SO WHY? was a great sound, original, and "World" kind of genre; Notice the local dialects, English and French; also, notice the coming together to make a song with purpose: why AFRICA was still unstable due to wars and political turmoils everywhere; why? So Papa Wemba, Youssou N"dour, Wally Badarou snd friends' project was undoubtedly a cry and some type of activism; they were actively engaged in "waking up" the peoples of Africa by using the only tool they knew how to use the best: a message through Music. And, the message is still ringing in ears... The good news iis AFRICA MAY BE RISING as we write. Y'all have a great day!
PAPA WEMBA verses in English : We are seeing tragic events unfolding in Africa. Oh Lord. Mother wake up from your sleep, Mother look at the sky the world is changing, angels dressed in white are sounding the trumpet. Mother, I need you to nurse me. Mother, I need your teachings. Mother I'm crying 😭.
PAPA WEMBA verses in English : We are seeing tragic events unfolding in Africa. Oh Lord. Mother wake up from your sleep, Mother look at the sky the world is changing, angels dressed in white are sounding the trumpet. Mother, I need you to nurse me. Mother, I need your teachings. Mother I'm crying 😭.
Beautiful and evergreen, this song! Arresting harmony of lyrics, rhythm and tune. The vocals and melody just so captivating and soulful. Sadly, the theme of this song still reverberates, even louder than back in 1997. Twenty two years on and we're yet to find any answers to that painful but persistent question...SO WHY? AFRICA, SO WHY?!!!
Fell in love with this song after my uncle bought an original CD the year it was released(1997). Back then i didnt know what it meant but now i have a deeper appreciation of this song and what it meant with regards to race and ethnicity in Afrika. So powerful!!
Found this song 2 days ago. Wow. So many memories of the 90s. I remember watching the documentary and the making of this song in Lagos, Nigeria all those years ago... So Apt. How that in 2017 the question still is, so why?.........
Thought that would help.... lyrics to the whole song "So Why ?" Lyrics of the song 06-11-1997 Music by Wally Badarou (Transcript of the lyrics, long version 8'20") JABU BAYETE (South Africa, in zulu ) Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo (I've been asking for Peace) Ngatholi nzondo (But all I got was war) Ngibathe Ngecelu thando ma, ah oh (I've been looking for love) Yiningathi yini ngomhlaba (But I did'nt find togetherness) Yini Singa Funu Zwano ? ah oh (What is wrong with the world?) Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo (What is wrong with the people?) Ngatholi nzondo, ah oh (Why don't we want peace?) PAPA WEMBA (Zaïre, in lingala ) Makambo mazali koleka makambo ya minene ngo ngo (Il y a des choses graves qui se passent en Afrique) Makambo tozali komona na Africa, yawee eewewe yoyo (Tout ce qu'on voit en Afrique, oh mon Dieu) Mama lamuka na pongi esila ya waho oho (Mère nourricière, réveille-toi) Mama tala likolo mokili mozali ko bongwana (Maman, regarde le ciel, le monde est en train de changer) Banzelu balati mpembee ba beti loseba (Je vois des anges vêtus de blanc jouer à la flûte) Mama posa ya mabele na yo (Mère patrie, nourris-moi) Mama posa ya mateya ma yo (Mère patrie, éduque-moi) Mama mayi ya miso etangi ngai (Mère patrie, sois sensible à mes larmes d'enfant) REFRAIN: Africa, Africa will sing - so why ? My people, your people are key - so why ? Together, united, we can stand - so why ? LOURDES VAN-DUNEM (Angola, in quimbundo ) Kibange kima se u mukua Rwanda, se ua Tokala mu Angola Anga mu Senegal, se u mukua Zaire anga Africa do Sul, (Whether you are from Rwanda, Angola, Senegal, Zaire or South Africa is not important ) Tukale Kiambote Tuana a African (What is important is that we are all Africans) Se eie u Mubundu Anga eie u Mundele (Whether Black or White is not important) Tudi Bane O Uji tu Ningalasa (What is crucial is that we respect each other) YOUSSOU N'DOUR (Senegal, in wolof, english and french ) Boul di fate nit moy garap bou nit - Wake up! (N'oublies jamais que l'homme est un remède pour l'homme - Wake up!) Why war, why this, why, why, why war ooh? Victimes de la guerre, pourquoi tant de haine? Déportés, oubliés, wo, wo, wo, woo Il faudra pardonner My generation La naissance d'une génération Lou waral lii ? (Comment justifier cela?) LAGBAJA (Nigeria, in english, yoruba and ibo ) My people. Oh Africa, Wak...wak...wak...wak...Wake up! Wak...wak...wak...Wake up Africa! Cool your anger, Tolerate each other Please... Biko (please) E dakun, E dabo (please, oh please) Together, united, we can stand, so why ? Wak...wak...wak...wak...Wake up! Wak...wak...wak...Wake up Africa! REFRAIN: Africa, Africa will sing - so why ? My people, your people are key - so why ? Together, united, we can stand - so why ? Masoxi, masoxi ndon ndon - so why ? (les larmes, les larmes m'en tombent - quimbundo) Africa, Africa will sing - so why ? The sun in your heart is your smile - so why ? Wozani bizanu tula - So why ? (Come on, let's ca ll for peace - zulu) ADLIB (END REFRAIN) JABU BAYETE ( in zulu and english ) Washu mathambo espoki wathi (Says the Skeleton of Africa) Africa, Umhlaba ubolile (Africa, the world is rotting) Abantu bane nkohla kalo (People are turning to evil) Umhlaba ubolile (The world is rotting) Umhlaba unengozi (The world is wounded) Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Malawi, Liberia, Zaire Stop the killing Phansingo dlame (Stop the killing) South Africa: war is never good Phansingo dlame (Stop the killing) Reconciliation is the key road Ho Africa ! Ho Africa ! (Stop Africa! Stop Africa!) He She ! ( Let's move forward! ) YOUSSOU N'DOUR ( in wolof, french and english ) Diabot ou Africa, Mbokeugui (Enfants de l'Afrique, nous partageons tous les mêmes valeurs) Is there any goal lou ko diar (Y a-t-il un but qui vaille cela?) Waröntouniou faté li ko li di khew tey (Nous ne devrons jamais oublier ce qui est en train de se passer aujourd'hui) REFRAIN: So why ? So why ? So why ? Africa, Africa will sing - so why ? The sun in your heart is your smile - so why ? Wozani bizanu tula - So why ? (Come on, let's call for peace - zulu) LAGBAJA ( in english ) Sierra Leone Angola, Algeria, Somalia, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda Zaire, Burundi, Sudani, wake up! PAPA WEMBA ( in swahili ) Watoto wetu awana tena maïsha wema (The life of our children has no more meaning) LAGBAJA ( in english ) For the sake of tomorrow Stop the war, stop the destruction We've got to stop this barbarism in the name of tribalism! REFRAIN: My people, your people are key - so why ? Together, united, we can stand - so why ? Africa, Africa will sing - so why ? My people, your people are key - so why ? Together, united, we can stand - so why ? LOURDES VAN-DUNEM ( in portuguese ) Estamos unidos (We are one people) Meu povo unido (My people united) Unidos para Africa (United for Africa) Juntos para sempre (Together for ever) Para a paz e o amor (For peace and love) Para sempre Africa (For ever for Africa) YOUSSOU N'DOUR ( in english ) New generation Why love, why war, why, why? Why war, why this, why no love ? New generation Ohh, so why love, why no love? Sooo why, sooo why ? REFRAIN: Masoxi, masoxi ndon ndon - so why ? (les larmes, les larmes m'en tombent - quimbundo) Africa, Africa will sing - so why ? The sun in your heart is your smile - so why ? Wozani bizanu tula (Come on, let's call for peace - zulu) Source: www.icrc.org/en/doc/resources/documents/misc/57jns8.htm
Wow. This song. -trouble time in Liberia at the time. This song gave us hope.😊 Wonderful work from great artists. Some of the finest we will ever see.😊
Its years now I know this song but whenever I hear it play, I drop a tear and being overwhelmed with all mixed emotions. Just listening to the song makes Me wanna have 1 hour conversation with the ALMIGHTY GOD just to ask few question and get a full understanding on where did we go wrong as a continent of Africa. We have the "MOST BEAUTIFUL" Continent in the world, with so much to offer. A Continent filled with most beautiful diverse cultures, super-spiritual gifts with strong connection to our beloved Ancestors. But for some greater reason, its the most poor Continent in the world with too much hate, paranoia, tribalism the list goes on. Surely there must be a solid explanation to all these atrocities faced to our beautiful Continent.
masilo Africans dont want to help themselves we cant expect other nations to help or develop us when we hev everything to do so AFRICA has been blessed with everything but look at the cowards we call our leaders ....we remain a conquered continent my friend
During the height of the Liberian civil war, this song spoke to the conscience of some Liberians that were fighting against each other. So why? Why kill another person, another child, another man, woman, what do we stand to achieve in all of this tribalistic and political violence. Wake Up Africans.
