Salsa has been a hugely popular style in Central and West Africa since the 1940s-1950s, and the goal of Africando was to merge salsa rhythms from both sides of the Atlantic, mainly based on the African salsa tradition.
Africando was initiated by West African producer Ibrahim Sylla, Malian arranger Boncana Maiga (of Fania All Stars) and legenday charanga singer Ronnie Baro. Some of the musicians initially involved were: Pape Seck (ex member of Star Band), Nicholas Menheim (associate of Youssou N'Dour), and Medoune Diallo (formerly with Orchestre Baobab).
The first two albums were a big success both in Africa and in the rest of the world. Singer Pape Seck died in 1995, and was replaced by Gnonnas Pedro from Benin (who died August 2005) and Ronnie Baro of Orquestra Broadway.
For the latest albums, well known African musicians, such as Tabu Ley Rochereau, Koffi Olomide, Salif Keita, Sekouba Bambino, Amadou Balake; and Thionne Seck were invited. This new constellation led to the new name Africando All Stars. Whilst in the beginning, the songs were Latin classics sung in wolof language or a mix of wolof and spanish, newer songs were African classics, redone with latin rhythms and instrumentation. With both approaches, Africando has been equally successful.
Yay Boy
Africando Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mamba mam boy, bay ma bay boy (x 2)
Maraqui Ai Boy - YAY BOY
Maraqui Bay Boy - BAY BOY
Maraqui Mam Boy - MAM BOY
Maraqui Ai Boy - YAY BOY
Y yai yo yai, yai pal ma
Aah bay pal ma
YAY, SUBA YAY BOY - BAY, SUBA BAY BOY (x 2)
Mamba mam boy, bay ma bay boy (x 2)
Machumba bai zao - MAM BOY
Asera puma funde - MAM BOY
Canja ginjo yao - MAM BOY
Y se tao ue zizi - YAY BOY
YAI, SUBA YAY BOY, BAY, SUBA BAY BOY (x 2)
AI BAY PAL MA, AAH YAY PAL MA
Mamba mamba pal ma, bay yo bay, ma pal ma
Mam.... Maraqui mam boy, mam mam bal ma
AH, MAM BAL MA, AH, BAY PAL BA
AH, BAY MAL MA, AY, YA PAL MA
Machumba bai dera bu pal ma, asera puma funde pal ma
Tan mi chumba lera pal ma, ah, yay pal ma
The lyrics to Africando's "Yay Boy" are mostly in African languages, and so their meanings can be lost on those who do not understand these languages. However, the song's main hook, "Yay Boy" and "Bay Boy," are repeated throughout, and seem to be calling out to someone or something in the African wilderness. The first verse calls out different variations of the hook, with "Mamba mam boy, bay ma bay boy" possibly referencing going across the water, and "Maraqui Ai Boy" and "Maraqui Bay Boy" perhaps referring to certain areas or tribes in Africa. The second verse mentions "Machumba bai zao" and "Asera puma funde," which may be references to certain animals or plants found in the region. The chorus repeats once more with "YAI, SUBA YAY BOY, BAY, SUBA BAY BOY," before going into a breakdown with various ad-libbed sounds and chants.
As with many African songs, the true meaning of the lyrics can often be inferred from the repeated themes and cultural references that are included. From these lyrics, it seems like "Yay Boy" is a celebration of African culture and heritage, with calls to different tribes and areas in the region. The various sounds and chants throughout the song also help to create a sense of rhythm and energy, calling the listener to get up and dance along.
Line by Line Meaning
YAY, SUBA YAY BOY - BAY, SUBA BAY BOY (x 2)
Let's celebrate and cheer, bring joy and happiness to everyone (x2)
Mamba mam boy, bay ma bay boy (x 2)
Sing and dance all together, let's have fun and enjoy (x2)
Maraqui Ai Boy - YAY BOY
Let's shout and scream, express ourselves with excitement
Maraqui Bay Boy - BAY BOY
Let's keep the party going, don't stop the fun
Maraqui Mam Boy - MAM BOY
Let's join our voices and sing together
Y yai yo yai, yai pal ma
Express yourself with enthusiasm and joy
Aah bay pal ma
Let's make this celebration unforgettable
Machumba bai zao - MAM BOY
Let's groove and move our bodies together
Asera puma funde - MAM BOY
Let's feel the rhythm and dance all together
Canja ginjo yao - MAM BOY
Let's enjoy the beat and move our feet
Y se tao ue zizi - YAY BOY
Let's make some noise and express our excitement
YAI, SUBA YAY BOY, BAY, SUBA BAY BOY (x 2)
Join us in our celebration and have fun (x2)
AI BAY PAL MA, AAH YAY PAL MA
Let's make this event unforgettable and full of excitement
Mamba mamba pal ma, bay yo bay, ma pal ma
Sing and dance all together, let's have fun and enjoy
Mam.... Maraqui mam boy, mam mam bal ma
Let's unite our voices and sing together
AH, MAM BAL MA, AH, BAY PAL BA
Let's keep dancing and singing, never stop the rhythm
AH, BAY MAL MA, AY, YA PAL MA
Let's enjoy the celebration and make it unforgettable
Machumba bai dera bu pal ma, asera puma funde pal ma
Let's feel the beat and dance all night long
Tan mi chumba lera pal ma, ah, yay pal ma
Let's enjoy every moment and express our joy and happiness
Contributed by Stella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.