Papa Wemba was one of the very first musicians to join the influential Soukous band, Zaiko Langa Langa when it was created on December 24, 1969 in Kinshasa (Capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) along with such well known Congolese musicians as Nyoka Longo Jossart, Manuaku Pepe Felly, Evoloko Lay Lay, Teddy Sukamu, Zamuangana Enock, Mavuela Simeon, and others.
In a Congolese musical world dominated at the time by Franco Luambo and his remarkable band TPOK Jazz, Tabu Ley Rochereau's Afrisa, and by then-new musical groups like Les Grands Maquisards, Le Trio Madjesi, and even younger bands like Bella-Bella, Thu Zaina and Empire Bakuba, the young and talented Papa Wemba (then known as Jules Presley Shungu Wembadio), was one of the driving forces that by 1973 made Zaiko Langa Langa one of the most-performing dominant Congolese groups, featuring such popular numbers as "Chouchouna" (Papa Wemba), "Eluzam" and " Mbeya Mbeya" (Evoloko Lay Lay), "BP ya Munu" (Efonge Gina) and "Zania" (Mavuela Somo).
In December 1974, at the pinnacle of their fame (and just a month after the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa), Shungu Wembadio (Papa Wemba), along with Evoloko Lay Lay, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana (who'd joined Zaiko Langa Langa a year earlier), left Zaiko Langa Langa to establish their own musical ensemble Isifi Lokole, ISIFI being an acronym for "Institut de Savoir Ideologique pour la Formation des Idoles." In July 1975, Shungu Wembadio officially adopted the soon-to-be-well-known worldwide artist name Papa Wemba, the addition of "Papa" (father) an allusion to what were in fact rather awesome family responsiblities as the first son in a family where both father and mother (Wemba's parents) had been deceased since the 1960s.
The "feux d'artifice" (fireworks) that was Isifi Lokole would only last a year, with the single "Amazone" (Papa Wemba) as its biggest commercial "hit" record. In November 1975, Papa Wemba, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana abandoned Evoloko Lay Lay and Isifi Lokole to create the group Yoka Lokole (also known as The Kinshasha All-Stars, or Lokole Isifi, or simply Isifi), along with Mbuta Mashakado, another Zaiko Langa Langa 'transfusion.' Yoka Lokole enjoyed slightly less popular success than the original Isifi Lokole, but for a time still managed to remain at the top the African pop music wave with hit songs like "Matembele Bangui", "Lisuma ya Zazu" (Papa Wemba), "Mavuela Sala Keba", and "Bana Kin" (Mavuela Somo).
Like Isifi Lokole, the electronic-instrument driven Yoka Lokole (or The Kinshasha All-Stars) would not last much longer than a year, given the merger of so many big-name talents in the band's lineup. After a year of modest success, controversies within Yoka Lokole over money and prestige (complicated by Wemba's arrest and brief incarceration in Kinshasa Central prison in December 1976 for the 'crime' of being suspected of having had physical intimacy with an influential army general's daughter) would lead Papa Wemba, then feeling diminished by peers and neglected by the public, to form his own group Viva la Musica in February 1977.
At his home in the Matonge neighborhood of Kinshasa, Papa Wemba structured Viva la Musica around young talented artists like singers Kisangani Esperant, Jadot le Cambodgien, Pepe Bipoli and Petit Aziza, guitarists Rigo Star, Syriana, and Bongo Wende. The group had nearly instantaneous success, with hit songs like "Mere Superieure," "Mabele Mokonzi," "Bokulaka," "Princesse ya Sinza," and others.
During the height of his success in 1977, Papa Wemba's family home, which had become a popular, some even said hallowed/special place for Matonge youths to gather "à la mode" (i.e., to be cool) was named the "Village Molokai," and Wemba assumed the exalted moniker "Chef Coutumier" (Chief) of the Village of Molokai. In those days people referred to Papa Wemba as the "chief from the heartland (village)" to differentiate him from Kinshasa-born musical bigshots Mavuela Somo and Mashakado. However years later Mavuela would say that their difficulties only simply amounted to trivial foolishness over money, ambition and fame between some very-young people (that at the time they all were).
Since 1977, Viva la Musica has seen both the 'defections' of musicians every two or three years and the entrée and emergence of other new talents. King Kester Emeneya (1977-1982), Koffi Olomide (1978-1979), Djuna Djanana (1978-1981), Dindo Yogo (1979-1981), Maray-Maray (1980-1984), Lidjo Kwempa (1982-2001), Reddy Amissi (1982-2001), Stino Mubi (1983-2001) are among the currently well-known Congolese musicians who have served at one time or another with Viva la Musica. An old Kinshasa anecdote says that a college student then-named Antoine Agbepa Koffi was such an impressive songwriter that one day in 1977 Papa Wemba exhorted, "Ooh! l'homme idee" (Oh! the idea-man!) thereby on-the-spot renaming the impressive young singer-songwriter Koffi 'Olomide'--and the name stuck!
After the wave of African emigration to Europe in the 1990s, Wemba maintained one group in Kinshasa (called at times "Nouvelle Ecriture," "Nouvel Ecrita," and now again "Viva la Musica") and another one in Paris ("Nouvelle Generation," "La Cour des Grands," and now "Viva Tendance"). He has also consistently maintained a very high profile in World Music with such great hits as "L'Esclave" (1986), "Le Voyageur, Maria Valencia" (1992), "Foridoles, Dixieme Commandement" (1994), "Emotion" (1995), "Pole Position" (1996), "Fula Ngenge" (1999), "Bakala dia Kuba" (2001), and "Somo Trop" (2003). Many would assign Wemba the status of African-music "living legend," as few others in history could claim (Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Miriam Makeba certainly among them).
Papa Wemba is also known as an actor. In 1987, he played the male lead role in the successful Zairean (Congolese) film La Vie est Belle by Belgian director Benoit Lami and Congolese producer-director Ngangura Mweze.
Yolele
Papa Wemba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eloko na lakisa te na lingi yo na bombi yango
Na kati ya motema eh somo eh
Yolele ngai na zangi yo yolele ngai na zangi yo
Muana mama pusa loleso eh
Yolele ngai na zangi yo
Yolele ngai na zangi yo somo eh
Na leka lofundu eh mama Na leka lolendo eh oh
Eloko na lamusa te na luli yo na bombi yango
Na kat'a motema eh somo eh
Yolele ngai na zangi yo yolele ngai na zangi yo
Muana mama pusa loleso eh Yolele ngai na zangi yo
Muana mama pusa lo... go oh Yolele ngai na zangi yo
Eloko oyo bolingo somo
Ebanda na muna yeba mama somo eh
Yolele ngai na zangi yo yolele ngai na zangi yo...
In Papa Wemba's song Yolele, the lyrics speak of the desires and struggles of a man who is trying to win the affection of a woman who is not interested in him. The first verse, "Na leka lofundu eh Na leka lolendo eh Eloko na lakisa te na lingi yo na bombi yango Na kati ya motema eh somo eh" translates to "I look for words and I look for meaning, but what I say does not please you. My heart is beating, but it hurts me." The man is expressing his frustrations and confusion as to why the woman he desires does not reciprocate his feelings.
The chorus, "Yolele ngai na zangi yo yolele ngai na zangi yo Muana mama pusa loleso eh Yolele ngai na zangi yo" translates to "I cry for you, my love. Oh my beloved, I cry for you. Mama woman, console me. I cry for you." The man is lamenting his unrequited love and seeking comfort from others.
The rest of the lyrics continue to express the man's emotional turmoil and longing for the woman's love. Overall, the song portrays the universal theme of unrequited love and the pain that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Na leka lofundu eh Na leka lolendo eh
I don't want confusion, I don't want difficulties
Eloko na lakisa te na lingi yo na bombi yango
I won't tolerate you messing around with my things
Na kati ya motema eh somo eh
My heart is hurting me
Yolele ngai na zangi yo yolele ngai na zangi yo
Sing with me and dance with me
Muana mama pusa loleso eh
Beautiful young lady
Yolele ngai na zangi yo
Sing with me and dance with me
Yolele ngai na zangi yo somo eh
Sing with me and dance with me, sweetie
Na leka lofundu eh mama Na leka lolendo eh oh
I don't want confusion, my dear. I don't want difficulties, oh
Eloko na lamusa te na luli yo na bombi yango
I won't let you take advantage of me
Na kat'a motema eh somo eh
My heart is aching, dear
Muana mama pusa loleso eh Yolele ngai na zangi yo
Beautiful young lady, sing with me and dance with me
Muana mama pusa lo... go oh Yolele ngai na zangi yo
Beautiful young lady...let's go, sing with me and dance with me
Eloko oyo bolingo somo
The thing that I love is sweet
Ebanda na muna yeba mama somo eh
Let me tell you, my dear. It is sweet
Yolele ngai na zangi yo yolele ngai na zangi yo...
Sing with me and dance with me
Writer(s): Papa Wemba, Lokua Kanza Copyright: Jasrac
Contributed by Joseph D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fredrick muchaili
on Chacun pour soi
Am in love with this song.. thanks for the detailed explanation of the lyrics guys
Kevin Mitten
on Sala Keba (Be Careful)
The lyrics are spanish. Probably not correct.