Diaraby
Ali Farka Tour%C3%A9 %26 Ry Cooder Lyrics
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Quelle il a da du may de fait
Carilla gara mis
Quelle il a da du may de fait
I parlait ca canna farooma
Or Fentait le fait la du le fait de fait
Carilla car canna farooma
Qui farlait car canna farooma
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Ikka natta may
Ikka nucca si
I canna mi-ngo
Jerard vie camow
Ik a natta may
Ik a nucca si
Eecan-na mi. ngo
Jerard vie casow
Mon Carilla gara may
Mon Quelle il a da du may de fait
Mon Carilla ma cheri
Mu Quelle il a da du may de fait
I parlait car canna farooma
Fentait le fait la du may de fait
I caree la car canna farooma
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
I narlait car canna farooma
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
I parlait car canna farooma
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Ikka natta may
Ikka nucca si
I canna mingo
Jerard vie casow
Ikka natta meay
Ikka nucca si
I canna mingo
Jerard vie camow
Mon Carilla gara vie
Mon Quelle il a da du may de fait
Mon Carilla gara vay
Mu Quelle il a da du may de fait
Mon Carilla gara vie
Mon Quelle il a da du may de fait
Mon Carilla ma cheri
Mu Quelle il a da du may de fait
I nalait car canna farooma
Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Itait i la car canna farooma
Or fentait les fait la du may le fait
Ikka natta may
Ikka nucca si
I canna mi- i
Jerard vie camow
Ikka natta may
Ikka nucca si
I canna mingo
Jerard vie casow
Mon Carilla gara day
Mu Quelle il a da du quay le fait
Mon Carilla ma cheri
In Quelle il a da du may le fait
The lyrics of Diaraby have been translated from the Bambara language, one of the many languages spoken in Mali. The song is about a man named Carilla, who is in love with a woman, and the difficulties he faces in communicating his love with her. The opening lines, "Carilla gara dis, Quelle il a da du may de fait, Carilla gara mis, Quelle il a da du may de fait," roughly translate to, "Carilla is standing here, telling her what he feels, Carilla goes there, telling her what he feels." The repetition emphasizes the desperation of Carilla's attempts to communicate his love, as if he is trying to find the right words to say to the woman he loves.
The lyrics also speak to the idea of miscommunication and misunderstanding, with lines like "I parlait ca canna farooma, Or Fentait le fait la du le fait de fait," which translate to "He talks about this, he doesn't understand what he's saying." This suggests that Carilla is struggling to articulate his feelings, and may not fully understand them himself. However, in the chorus, where the lyric "Ikka natta may, Ikka nucca si" is repeated, the sentiment remains consistent: Carilla wants to express his love and be understood.
Line by Line Meaning
Carilla gara dis
Carilla stands there
Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
Carilla gara mis
Carilla stands here
Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
I parlait ca canna farooma
He talks about things that are hard to understand
Or Fentait le fait la du le fait de fait
And tries to make sense of it all
Carilla car canna farooma
Carilla talks about things that are hard to understand
Or Fentait le fait la du may de fait
And tries to make sense of it all
Qui farlait car canna farooma
Whoever talks about things that are hard to understand
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Tries to make sense of it all
Ikka natta may
I stay here
Ikka nucca si
I wait here
I canna mi-ngo
I want to go away
Jerard vie camow
But I have no place to go
Ik a natta may
I am staying here
Ik a nucca si
I am waiting here
Eecan-na mi. ngo
I want to run away
Jerard vie casow
But I have nowhere to run
Mon Carilla gara may
My Carilla stands there
Mon Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
Mon Carilla ma cheri
My beloved Carilla stands here
Mu Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
I parlait car canna farooma
He talks about things that are hard to understand
Fentait le fait la du may de fait
And tries to make sense of it all
I caree la car canna farooma
He worries about the things he talks about
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Trying to make sense of it all
I narlait car canna farooma
He complains about the things he talks about
Or Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Trying to make sense of it all
I parlait car canna farooma
He talks about things that are hard to understand
Or Fentait le fait la du may de fait
Trying to make sense of it all
I nalait car canna farooma
He walks away from the things he talks about
Fentait le fait la du may le fait
Trying to make sense of it all
Itait i la car canna farooma
He comes back to the things he talks about
Or fentait les fait la du may le fait
Trying to make sense of it all
Ikka natta may
I stay here
Ikka nucca si
I wait here
I canna mi- i
I feel like running away
Jerard vie camow
But I have no place to go
Ikka natta may
I stay here
Ikka nucca si
I wait here
I canna mingo
I want to leave
Jerard vie casow
But I have nowhere to go
Mon Carilla gara vie
My Carilla stands here
Mon Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
Mon Carilla gara vay
My Carilla goes there
Mu Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
Mon Carilla gara vie
My Carilla stands here
Mon Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
Mon Carilla ma cheri
My beloved Carilla
In Quelle il a da du may de fait
Wondering about what's going on
Contributed by Zachary V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Bluesman2509
Arguably one of the greatest blues pieces in the modern era
@michealtomelloso3912
l agree,took me along time to finally find ,because the the first time l heard it was on the movie Abouna(Our Father),Fantastic Song.
@arushasmusic8523
Agree !!
@MoGumboFukUTubeForChngngMyName
Super cool awesome piece of music… but inarguably not one of the top 1000 greatest blues pieces in the modern era. It’s traditional Malian African Songhay drone.
Just because Ry Cooper breaks out his slide and sits in with the band, doesn’t make it blues… neither do the monikers “African Blues” or “Desert Blues.”
Very cool great music, but a completely different genre.
@user-zr3ro3cn2y
This song got it the blues me
@saludosalsol
I saw his son play this live! I almost died it was so good.
@wilyfebbs9241
This song is so awesome , that I’m getting goosebumps all over my skin , this is what African blues is all about.
@nomadicphilosopher3110
3 years late but kin I feel it
@dennisratemo9710
Good Music. Anyone listening 2020
@stevegilbert5484
Bought it when it first came out. played it ever since.