Ali Farka Touré (October 31, 1939 – March 7, 2006) was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin, the blues. The belief that the latter is historically derived from the former is reflected in Martin Scorsese's often quoted characterization of Touré's tradition as constituting "the DNA of the blues". Read Full BioAli Farka Touré (October 31, 1939 – March 7, 2006) was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin, the blues. The belief that the latter is historically derived from the former is reflected in Martin Scorsese's often quoted characterization of Touré's tradition as constituting "the DNA of the blues".
Ali Ibrahim "Farka" Touré was born in 1939 in the village of Kanau, on the banks of the Niger River in Gourma-Rharous Cercle in the northwestern Malian region of Tombouctou. His family moved to the nearby village of Niafunké when he was still an infant. He was the tenth son of his mother but the only one to survive past infancy. "The name I was given was Ali Ibrahim, but it's a custom in Africa to give a child a strange nickname if you have had other children who have died", Touré was quoted as saying in a biography on his Record Label, World Circuit Records. His nickname, "Farka", chosen by his parents, means "donkey", an animal admired for its tenacity and stubbornness: "Let me make one thing clear. I'm the donkey that nobody climbs on!" Ethnically, he was part Songrai, part Fula.
As the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent, Touré was often known as "the African John Lee Hooker". Musically, the many superpositions of guitars and rhythms in his music were similar to John Lee Hooker's hypnotic blues style. He usually sang in one of several African languages, mostly Songhay, Fulfulde, Tamasheq or Bambara as on his breakthrough album, Ali Farka Touré, which established his reputation in the world music community.
His first North American concert was in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia. 1994's Talking Timbuktu, a collaboration with Ry Cooder, sold promisingly well in Western markets, but was followed by a hiatus from releases in America and Europe. He reappeared in 1999 with the release of Niafunké, a more traditional album focusing on African rhythms and beats. Touré was the mentor and uncle of popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum.
Some of Ali Farka Touré's songs and tunes have been used in different programmes, films and documentaries. For instance, his guitar riff on the song "Diaraby", from the album Talking Timbuktu, was selected for the Geo-quiz segment of The World PRI-BBC program, and was retained by popular demand when put to a vote of the listeners. This song is likewise used in 1998 as a soundtrack for the film L'Assedio (Besieged) by the Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci. His songs Cinquante six, Goye Kur and Hawa Dolo from the album The Source are also used as a soundtrack in the French film Fin août, début septembre (Late August, Early September) directed in 1998 by Olivier Assayas. The song "Lasidan" was featured in the award winning documentary "Sharkwater" by Rob Stewart.
In 2002 he appeared with Black American blues and reggae performer Corey Harris, on an album called Mississippi to Mali (Rounder Records). Toure and Harris also appeared together in Martin Scorsese's 2003 documentary film Feel Like Going Home, which traced the roots of blues back to its genesis in West Africa. The film was narrated by Harris and features Ali's performances on guitar and njarka.
In 2004 Touré became mayor of Niafunké and spent his own money grading the roads, putting in sewer canals and fuelling a generator that provided the impoverished town with electricity.
In September 2005, he released the album In the Heart of the Moon, a collaboration with Toumani Diabaté, for which he received a second Grammy award. His last album, Savane, was posthumously released in July 2006. It was received with wide acclaim by professionals and fans alike and has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category "Best Contemporary World Music Album". The panel of experts from the World Music Chart Europe (WMCE), a chart voted by the leading World Music specialists around Europe, chose Savane as their Album of the Year 2006, with the album topping the chart for three consecutive months (September to November 2006). The album has also been listed as No. 1 in the influential Metacritic's "Best Albums of 2006" poll, and No. 5 in its all-time best reviewed albums. Ali Farka Touré has also been nominated for the BBC Radio 3 awards 2007.
Touré was ranked number 76 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and number 37 on Spin magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
His record label, World Circuit, said that he recorded several tracks with his son, Vieux Farka Touré, for Vieux's debut album which was released in late 2006.
On March 7, 2006, the Ministry of Culture of Mali announced his death at age 66 in Bamako from bone cancer, against which he had been battling for some time.
Cultural references
In the French film The Spanish Apartment (2002), two characters are seen playing air guitar to "Ai Du".
In the movie Unfaithful (2002), Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez slow dance to "Ai Du".
In the French film Irma Vep (1996), Maggie Cheung and Nathalie Richard ride an old motorcycle down the quay to Touré's song "Soukoura".
In the 2005 travel film Michael Palin: SAHARA, his music is heard in a scene about Nigerian nomads.
The World, a radio show distributed by Public Radio International, uses the song "Diaraby" as the theme to their Geoquiz. The song is a collaboration between Touré and Ry Cooder; the song is featured on their Talking Timbuktu album.
Discography
1976 - Ali Touré Farka (Sonafric 50016-LP)
1976 - Spécial « Biennale du Mali » (Sonafric 50020-LP)
1978 - Biennale (Sonafric 50032-LP)
1979 - Ali Touré Farka (Sonafric 50060-LP)
1980 - Ali Touré dit Farka (Sonafric 50085-LP)
1984 - Ali Farka Touré (Red) (Sonodisc/Esperance 5558)
1988 - Ali Farka Touré (Green) (Sonodisc/Esperance 8448)
1988 - Ali Farka Touré (World Circuit WCD007 / Mango 9826)
1990 - African Blues (Shanachie 65002) (originally released as Ali Farka Touré (Green))
1990 - The River (World Circuit WCD017 / Mango 9897)
1992 - The Source (World Circuit WCD030 / Hannibal 1375) with Taj Mahal
1994 - Talking Timbuktu (World Circuit WCD040 / Hannibal 1381) (with Ry Cooder)
1995 - The Rough Guide to West African Music (World Music Network RGNET-1002) (contributing artist)
1996 - Radio Mali (World Circuit WCD044 / Nonesuch 79569) (remastered selections of original albums from 1975 through 1980)
1999 - Niafunké (World Circuit WCD054 / Hannibal 1443)
2002 - Mississippi to Mali (Rounder B0000DJZA1)(with Corey Harris)
2004 - Red&Green (World Circuit WCD070 / Nonesuch 79882) (remastered original albums from 1984 and 1988)
2005 - In the Heart of the Moon (World Circuit WCD072 / Nonesuch 79920) (with Toumani Diabaté and Ry Cooder)
2006 - Savane (World Circuit WCD075 / Nonesuch 79965)
2010 - Ali and Toumani - (World Circuit/Nonesuch Records) with Toumani Diabaté
Ali Ibrahim "Farka" Touré was born in 1939 in the village of Kanau, on the banks of the Niger River in Gourma-Rharous Cercle in the northwestern Malian region of Tombouctou. His family moved to the nearby village of Niafunké when he was still an infant. He was the tenth son of his mother but the only one to survive past infancy. "The name I was given was Ali Ibrahim, but it's a custom in Africa to give a child a strange nickname if you have had other children who have died", Touré was quoted as saying in a biography on his Record Label, World Circuit Records. His nickname, "Farka", chosen by his parents, means "donkey", an animal admired for its tenacity and stubbornness: "Let me make one thing clear. I'm the donkey that nobody climbs on!" Ethnically, he was part Songrai, part Fula.
As the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent, Touré was often known as "the African John Lee Hooker". Musically, the many superpositions of guitars and rhythms in his music were similar to John Lee Hooker's hypnotic blues style. He usually sang in one of several African languages, mostly Songhay, Fulfulde, Tamasheq or Bambara as on his breakthrough album, Ali Farka Touré, which established his reputation in the world music community.
His first North American concert was in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia. 1994's Talking Timbuktu, a collaboration with Ry Cooder, sold promisingly well in Western markets, but was followed by a hiatus from releases in America and Europe. He reappeared in 1999 with the release of Niafunké, a more traditional album focusing on African rhythms and beats. Touré was the mentor and uncle of popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum.
Some of Ali Farka Touré's songs and tunes have been used in different programmes, films and documentaries. For instance, his guitar riff on the song "Diaraby", from the album Talking Timbuktu, was selected for the Geo-quiz segment of The World PRI-BBC program, and was retained by popular demand when put to a vote of the listeners. This song is likewise used in 1998 as a soundtrack for the film L'Assedio (Besieged) by the Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci. His songs Cinquante six, Goye Kur and Hawa Dolo from the album The Source are also used as a soundtrack in the French film Fin août, début septembre (Late August, Early September) directed in 1998 by Olivier Assayas. The song "Lasidan" was featured in the award winning documentary "Sharkwater" by Rob Stewart.
In 2002 he appeared with Black American blues and reggae performer Corey Harris, on an album called Mississippi to Mali (Rounder Records). Toure and Harris also appeared together in Martin Scorsese's 2003 documentary film Feel Like Going Home, which traced the roots of blues back to its genesis in West Africa. The film was narrated by Harris and features Ali's performances on guitar and njarka.
In 2004 Touré became mayor of Niafunké and spent his own money grading the roads, putting in sewer canals and fuelling a generator that provided the impoverished town with electricity.
In September 2005, he released the album In the Heart of the Moon, a collaboration with Toumani Diabaté, for which he received a second Grammy award. His last album, Savane, was posthumously released in July 2006. It was received with wide acclaim by professionals and fans alike and has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category "Best Contemporary World Music Album". The panel of experts from the World Music Chart Europe (WMCE), a chart voted by the leading World Music specialists around Europe, chose Savane as their Album of the Year 2006, with the album topping the chart for three consecutive months (September to November 2006). The album has also been listed as No. 1 in the influential Metacritic's "Best Albums of 2006" poll, and No. 5 in its all-time best reviewed albums. Ali Farka Touré has also been nominated for the BBC Radio 3 awards 2007.
Touré was ranked number 76 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and number 37 on Spin magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
His record label, World Circuit, said that he recorded several tracks with his son, Vieux Farka Touré, for Vieux's debut album which was released in late 2006.
On March 7, 2006, the Ministry of Culture of Mali announced his death at age 66 in Bamako from bone cancer, against which he had been battling for some time.
Cultural references
In the French film The Spanish Apartment (2002), two characters are seen playing air guitar to "Ai Du".
In the movie Unfaithful (2002), Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez slow dance to "Ai Du".
In the French film Irma Vep (1996), Maggie Cheung and Nathalie Richard ride an old motorcycle down the quay to Touré's song "Soukoura".
In the 2005 travel film Michael Palin: SAHARA, his music is heard in a scene about Nigerian nomads.
The World, a radio show distributed by Public Radio International, uses the song "Diaraby" as the theme to their Geoquiz. The song is a collaboration between Touré and Ry Cooder; the song is featured on their Talking Timbuktu album.
Discography
1976 - Ali Touré Farka (Sonafric 50016-LP)
1976 - Spécial « Biennale du Mali » (Sonafric 50020-LP)
1978 - Biennale (Sonafric 50032-LP)
1979 - Ali Touré Farka (Sonafric 50060-LP)
1980 - Ali Touré dit Farka (Sonafric 50085-LP)
1984 - Ali Farka Touré (Red) (Sonodisc/Esperance 5558)
1988 - Ali Farka Touré (Green) (Sonodisc/Esperance 8448)
1988 - Ali Farka Touré (World Circuit WCD007 / Mango 9826)
1990 - African Blues (Shanachie 65002) (originally released as Ali Farka Touré (Green))
1990 - The River (World Circuit WCD017 / Mango 9897)
1992 - The Source (World Circuit WCD030 / Hannibal 1375) with Taj Mahal
1994 - Talking Timbuktu (World Circuit WCD040 / Hannibal 1381) (with Ry Cooder)
1995 - The Rough Guide to West African Music (World Music Network RGNET-1002) (contributing artist)
1996 - Radio Mali (World Circuit WCD044 / Nonesuch 79569) (remastered selections of original albums from 1975 through 1980)
1999 - Niafunké (World Circuit WCD054 / Hannibal 1443)
2002 - Mississippi to Mali (Rounder B0000DJZA1)(with Corey Harris)
2004 - Red&Green (World Circuit WCD070 / Nonesuch 79882) (remastered original albums from 1984 and 1988)
2005 - In the Heart of the Moon (World Circuit WCD072 / Nonesuch 79920) (with Toumani Diabaté and Ry Cooder)
2006 - Savane (World Circuit WCD075 / Nonesuch 79965)
2010 - Ali and Toumani - (World Circuit/Nonesuch Records) with Toumani Diabaté
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Ruby
Ali Farka Touré Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Ruby' by these artists:
(www.tabelltz.com) Mapenzi hayana mwenyewe, unaweza ukapenda kijana au mzee Nii…
.AKB48 (Wanna be Ruby, Wanna be Ruby) (Wanna be Ruby, Baby, Baby) (…
Adam Wade They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
AKB48 (Wanna be Ruby, Wanna be Ruby) (Wanna be Ruby, Baby, Baby) (…
Apples in Stereo Ruby Oh baby don't you know Girl, your silence hurts me so…
Art Farmer They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
ATB feat. Roberta Carter Harrison Ruby waits a while before she stays Never looking back 'til…
B. Ashra & Ricky Deadking Well now I`ve got a girl Her name is Ruby Lee I`m…
Banda Ravelly Rubi, nave do som Faz a pedra, vem pra cá Chega de…
Barbieri Gato They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Ben Mazué C'est non, ça y est, j'en ai marre de toi, De…
Benny Carter They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Boyzone You were a dreamer They always got you by Don't forget the…
Buck Owens Ruby, Ruby Honey are you mad at your man? I will…
Buddy Collette They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Camille Ruby, what am I gonna do with you? Babe, you choose…
Charlie McCoy They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Charlotte Church Ruby, what am I gonna do with you Baby you choose…
Charly Bliss , Scattered Diggin' a hole in a Michigan sea Find me barely…
Cheap Girls I think you're exaggerating lonesomely They'll all around wh…
Chris Vrenna It isn't always I am well For sometimes I am ailing And…
Christian Anders Wenn die andern Mädchen tanzen geh'n Ruby ist allein wenn …
Chuck Pyle They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Coucheron Hey, You got a neck for the wild and can be that…
Cousin Emmy They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
cousin emmy and her kinfolk They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Dave Rawlings Machine Ruby, let down your golden hair When I'm standing at the…
David They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
DJ F.R.A.N.K. 오늘 그녀를 만났어 너의 새로운 여자를 다신 만나지 말라고 부탁했었어 빨간 루비처럼 그녀는 내게 자신…
Drug Cabin I can't be no submarine or come up and find the…
Dustin Kensrue I've been foolish and blind, Time after time, girl, I've let…
Eddie Berman Ruby reads the table The way that she was taught She knows…
Eddie Higgins They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Eddie-Berman Ruby reads the table The way that she was taught She knows…
Eivets Rednow They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Eric Nally Ruby dances like the rain and she shines like paradise Softe…
Eric Shifrin They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Fin.K.L 오늘 그녀를 만났어 너의 새로운 여자를 다신 만나지 말라고 부탁했었어 빨간 루비처럼 그녀는 내게 자신…
Foster the People And there she goes She was sitting really nice With a head…
Gato Barbieri They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
George Lovett You got me going into circles down To my core now…
Gerry Niewood They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Grisby and Young You have painted up your lips Rolled and curled your tinted…
Harry James They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Hello Apollo Ruby, you're moving fast again Ruby, you're up at two A.M. Y…
Jackie Gleason They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Jackie Gleason and His Orchestra They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Jan Blohm ruby sit nader trek dig die gordyne gooi my verlossing met…
Jerry Murad They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Jerry Reed You've painted up your lips And rolled and curled your tinte…
Jim Hall They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Jimmy Smith They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Kaiser Let it never be said that romance is dead 'Cause…
Kaiser Chiefs Da-da-da, da-da-da Da-da-da, da-da-da Let it never be said …
Kaleida Ruby in my arms admired Stepping out we feel the dawn Only…
Kenny Rogers You've painted up your lips And rolled and curled your tint…
Kristin Hersh Everybody was so pretty there And up and jumping around An…
Kula Shaker Ruby all the leaves are rusty red november Ruby everyda…
Lemuria Caught your erratic eye Looking at a ruby twice my size I…
Les Baxter They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Les Baxter & His Orchestra They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Lucienne Delyle Ruby, Que t'a donc fait la vie ? Que t'a donc fait l'amour…
Lucy Kaplansky I'm a ruby to someone somewhere Not a piece of coal Looking…
Martin Denny They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Mary Ann Moore They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Mel Tillis You've painted up your lips and rolled, and curled your…
Milt Jackson Sextet They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Nadia Reid I met Ruby on a bus from state to state She…
Nana Mouskouri Elle se maquille, teint ses cheveux Et puis elle se fait…
Nanci Griffith He will leave behind all of his clothes He wore when…
Neil Diamond They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Percy Faith They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Planet P Project Oh Ruby Why don't you be good to me I'm tearin' my…
Queen Adreena Kill or be killed I applaud it Get away from me If you…
Randy Dorman They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Ray Anthony They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Ray Charles And Betty Carter They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Richard Hayman They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Richard Hayman & His Orchestra They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Roger Miller You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your…
Ronnie Aldrich They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Ronnie Aldrich & His Two Pianos They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Sam Lazar They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Sheila Nicholls Ruby's smiling not because she's happy, but cause she's plan…
Silver Apples RUBY ruby, ruby honey won't you say you'll be mine ruby…
SoulSkin They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Tejas Menon Sitting late at night, You had a fight with your lover, Caus…
The Apache Relay Mother. you say you've found another Left your ruby in the…
The Apples In Stereo Ruby Oh baby don't you know Girl, your silence hurts me so…
The Black Lillies Ruby, she won't do right Ruby, she won't do right Shines l…
The First Edition You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your…
The Glorious Sons For you, I'll play the part Just to make sure it's…
The Louvin Brothers Way out in the country where I used to live…
The Osborne Brothers Oh Ruby Ruby Honey are you mad at your man I'll sit…
The Osborne Brothers & Red Allen They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
The Statler Brothers You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your…
The Wurzels (Da da da, da da da) Let it never be said…
Tom Wopat They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Tony Christie You've painted up your lips and rolled, and curled your…
Tweaker It isn't always I am well, sometimes I am ailing Yet…
Tweaker (feat. Will Oldham) It isn't always I am well For sometimes I am ailing And…
Tweaker ft. Will Oldham It isn't always I am well For sometimes I am ailing And…
tweaker/Will Oldham It isn't always I am well, sometimes I am ailing Yet…
Twenty One Pilots Ruby I hope I see you, I've waited all this…
Utah Carol ow ooo o yeahhhh khajaigi dimple duda chimbal gi sambruduga …
Vaughn Monroe They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Vic Damone They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Wade Adam They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Wayne Bartlett They say, Ruby you're like a dream Not always what…
Wolfgang Petry Ich weiß schon nicht mehr, wie das alles kam, Dieser…
Wolfsheim You painted up your lips And rolled and curled your tinted…
Kaiser Chiefs Let it never be said that romance is dead 'Cause…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ali Farka Touré:
Allah Uya allah uya mayfsvhz ajfsjsyjsgajfafs shhsgysyfejsyys hsusyehw…
Beto I lay down with an angel I lay down with an…
Hawa Dolo hawa dololo hawa dololo hawa hawa dololo hawa hawa né yaté b…
Mali Dje I lay down with an angel I lay down with an…
Savane J'ai quitte' mon pays et ma Louisiane Mais dans d'autres pay…
Soko Лети соко преко Равне Горе и дозива четничке војводе Глас с…
The lyrics can frequently be found in the comments below, by filtering for lyric videos or browsing the comments in the different videos below.
Bayo Kyalamboka
hypnotizing ... unreasonably beautiful
MagnifiqueHouse
Bayo Kyalamboka I agree with you
Karen Varian
Simply beautiful. I just recently discovered Ali Farka Toure. He has left a wonderful legacy of amazing music.
Didier Mukendi
RIP Ali Farka Toure RIP Orlando 'cachaito' Lopez you made beautiful music
cycloptical26
Sublime
Ibrahim Dieu Merci I
On voyage dans cette musique comme si on était dans un rêve incroyable 😍💖. Rip Ali. On ne t'oubliera jamais
S Shah
Thanks for creating such beautiful music. Heard it on CBC Radio Jian Ghomeshi
Akono9
J'adore , on est totalement transporté vers un autre monde.
Aff Soye
Allah bless the Mandinka people ❤️❤️ aaah mandenkalou
Vindawg
Shazam'd this is Communitea in Norwoord, London. Love it :)