(+LYRICS+MEANING+TRANSLATION) MUSIC REVIEW: SHEKERE BY YEMI ALADE FT ANGELIQUE KIDJO “MEANING OF THE SONG SHEKERE +THIS SONG IS SO AFRICAN AND IT SHOULD BE…”

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How can I not just love this collabo between Nigerian songstress- Yemi Eberechi Alade well known by the stage name “Yemi Alade” and four-time Republic of Benin Grammy award winner- Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known by the stage name “Angelique Kidjo.” This song is so dope! This song is so African! This song should be played non-stop to bring back that African lively vibes and also help people familiarise themselves with the African culture.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE SONG SHEKERE

The artistes used the song “Shekere” to basically call on people to move their bodies to great music. To achieve a great upbeat melody that would make these people yield to their call to dance, they combined different musical instruments like the “Shekere, Talking drums and Tambourine.” This, of course, made people’s bodies perk up as they heard the sound of the music. The music indeed had a deep effect on them as they danced excitedly like there was an ongoing celebration.

I love the cinematography; this video is of high quality. Thumbs up to Ovie Etseyatse the director. The costumier and the make-up artiste also did a great job. Yemi Alade was looking exceptionally beautiful in all her costumes and the make-up she applied. Kidjo was also looking great as well as all that featured in the video.

I love the singers’ vocals; so rich, appealing and interesting to the ears. I love Kidjo’s modulation at the 2 minutes 46 seconds of the song. This song is really melodious. However, with the upbeat tune that they used to introduce the song, one would have thought that the real tune for the entire track would have followed suit; but that was not the case. It was quite different and I feel viewers, as well as listeners, would have been caught off from the melody of the song at that moment. There was quite a difference between the intro tune and the major tune; you may need to listen to the song to have an idea of what I am saying.

The artistes sang in three languages. They sang in Pidgin, Yoruba and one other language; perhaps Fon. The lyrics to the song are not well arranged. It is actually hard to tell which is the verse or chorus; I just used my discretion to identify what part each line belongs. The lyrics are also not sufficient enough; I feel the artistes could have done better with the lyrics. It is, however, important to note that the song “Shekere” sampled from Angelique Kidjo’s 1996 song titled “Wombolombo” a word they frequently used in the song.

Finally, don’t be scared to play the song because of the 4 minutes 32 seconds duration. The main song just lasted for about 3 minutes 4 seconds. The remaining 1 minute 28 seconds was for the intro and outro. Intro took about 46 seconds while the outro lasted for about 42 seconds.

Video director: Ovie Etseyatse; Assistant director: Taiye Aliyu; Producer: Anyiko Owoko; Art Director: Kristian Cruz; Executive producer: Effyzie Music Group

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Take a gander at the lyrics below; kindly feel free to correct the lyrics via the comment box.

LYRICS TO SHEKERE BY YEMI ALADE FT ANGELIQUE KIDJO

INTRO

I see you babe
Yemi Alade oh oh oh oh (Wombolombo)
I see you babe
Nananana; wombolombo

VERSE 1(YEMI ALADE)
I dey hear the sound of a tambourine o (I can hear the sound of a tambourine)
Talking drums and shekere combination (Wombolombo) (Talking drums and percussion combination)
I see people under the tambourine o (Wombolombo) (I see people under the tambourine)
Dancing like there’s a celebration (Wombolombo)

PRE-CHORUS (ANGELIQUE KIDJO)

Wa, mama loko loko o, legbe odo (Mother is at the farm, beside the stream)
Hmmm, baba tiserelo na; I’m the only one at home (Father has gone for a walk; I am the only one at home)

CHORUS (YEMI ALADE) 

All I want to do now is dance wombolombo (All I want to do is just keep moving my body to the rhythm)
So I lock up and keep kokoro labe kondo (So I locked up and put the key in a safe place)

POST-CHORUS (ANGELIQUE KIDJO AND YEMI ALADE)

Waka enter well well igbedu dey happen ooh yeah (Enter well; the good music is happening)
Come see small pikin ati iya arugbo dey dance. (Come and see small children and elderly women dancing)

HOOK (YEMI ALADE AND ANGELIQUE KIDJO)

Wombolombo Wombolombo

Wombolombo Wombolombo

VERSE 2 (ANGELIQUE KIDJO)

Legbe ode; wombolombo (Beside the stream)

Mi ori  enikan dami l’ohun; wombolobo (I did not see someone to answer me)
Ggogbo eniyan sope oni’jo kan’be (Everybody said there is really a dancer available)

Wo niboni? Mo leri enikan da mi l’ohun (They asked where? I  can bet you that there was someone that yielded to my call)
Ile oni’jo wa legbe odo; wombolombo (The house of the dancer is near the stream)
O ninu kereko xxxxxxxxxx for Apedja

PRE-CHORUS (ANGELIQUE KIDJO)

Wa, mama loko loko o, legbe odo (Mother is on the farm, beside the stream)
Hmmm, baba tiserelo na; I’m the only one at home (Father has gone for a walk; I am the only one at home)

CHORUS (YEMI ALADE AND ANGELIQUE KIDJO) 

All I want to do now is dance wombolombo (All I want to do is just keep moving my body to the rhythm)
So I lock up and keep kokoro labe kondo (So I locked up and put the key in a safe place)

POST-CHORUS (ANGELIQUE KIDJO AND YEMI ALADE)

Waka enter well well igbedu dey happen ooh yeah (Enter well; the good music is happening)
Come see small pikin ati iya arugbo dey dance. (Come and see small children and elderly women dancing)

HOOK (YEMI ALADE AND ANGELIQUE KIDJO)

Wombolombo Wombolombo

Wombolobo Wombolobo

I see you babe; legbe olo, wombolombo

I see you babe; Mori iye eni t’o da mi lohun; Wombolombo

REPEAT VERSE 1 (YEMI ALADE)

VERSE 1(YEMI ALADE)
I dey hear the sound of a tambourine o (I can hear the sound of a tambourine)
Talking drums and shekere combination (Wombolombo) (Talking drums and percussion combination)
I see people under the tambourine o (Wombolombo) (I see people under the tambourine)
Dancing like there’s a celebration (Wombolombo)

OUTRO  (ANGELIQUE KIDJO AND YEMI ALADE)
Waka enter well well gbedu dey happen ooh yeah
Dance for molombo; wombolobo 4x

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR SHEKERE BY YEMI ALADE FT ANGELIQUE KIDJO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwoV1-ykm9E

DURATION: 4 MINUTES 32 SECONDS

VIEW MORE IMAGES FROM THE SONG SHEKERE BY YEMI ALADE FT ANGELIQUE KIDJO

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