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
I Go Ka
Ali Farka Touré Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ay koy deydeyyy
Sakanane koyy
No bey ndey tchairai
Yergo ni banda haya mai
Fatouma heyyyy
Ndey kati ma tourou
Nda mana tourey
Ka go yer nda
Tchairai guamai
Manane koy deyyy
Ay koy deydeyy
Sakour no han
Nissi tchaignai tassou di
Wodi
Mo n'a nine tamba
Ay woymai gago
Gaboundou
Gaboundou
Gaboundou
Ay ndey tchairai ga goka
Dja moreyda tchino
Ni faham harimaka ngua nai
Wodi bindé
Ma tchaignai ndi tamba
Tchaignai haya tchaignai hum
Tchaignai han
Tchaignai tchaignai
Tchaignai
Tchaignai hum
Tchaignai
Yindji ni banda di
Yindji ni banda di
Koy nda kamba wawo
Koy nda kamba goumo
Heeee
Eye
Tchaignai
Eye tchaignai
Ehe he ay goka
Yerna gounandi mai
Yerna gounandi mai
Ihehe ay goooka
Gaboundou gaboundou
Koy nda kamba wawo
Ma kan nda kamba goumo
Yaboudoumbou beli santé
Benbalodeyyy
Sadi ney tchini
Sakey ye tchini
Ni ma gaboundey tchino
Womogona
Hey.
The song “I Go Ka” by Ali Farka Touré is a stunning masterpiece of traditional African music. The lyrics are in the Bambara language, but the song’s beauty goes beyond the boundaries of language. The song’s melody (which is repetitive) is enchanting, and it is the perfect accompaniment for the mesmerizing instrumental parts that come alive in the song. “I Go Ka” is a song that speaks about the struggles of an individual in search of fulfillment in life. The song’s first verse is about missing a loved one who is far away. The singer says, “Manane koy deyyyy, Ay koy deydeyyy, Sakanane koyy, No bey ndey tchairai.” The lyrics speak about the longing for a loved one who is not present, and the singer wishes for their presence.
The second verse talks about the singer’s struggle to achieve success. The singer says, “Tchairai guamai, Manane koy deyyy, Ay koy deydeyy, Sakour no han.” The lyrics speak about how difficult it is to achieve success and fulfill one's dreams. However, despite everything, the singer is determined to keep trying. The song’s instrumental parts are soulful and reflective, and it perfectly captures the struggles that the singer is experiencing.
Overall, “I Go Ka” is a song that speaks to the struggles that all of us face in life – the struggle to achieve our goals and the longing for the ones we love. The song’s melody and lyrics are powerful, and it is a testament to the beauty of African music.
Line by Line Meaning
Manane koy deyyyy
There is something on my mind that I want to talk about
Ay koy deydeyyy
I want to tell you about it
Sakanane koyy
It is a sweet thing
No bey ndey tchairai
I don't want to keep it to myself
Yergo ni banda haya mai
It concerns everyone in the village
Fatouma heyyyy
Hey Fatouma
Ndey kati ma tourou
Do you have a moment?
Nda mana tourey
I want to talk to you
Wo mo tchal balaw
It is about the farming season
Ka go yer nda
I will start with this
Tchairai guamai
Please listen carefully
Sakour no han
It is about the drought that we are facing
Nissi tchaignai tassou di
The crops are withering away
Wodi
And
Mo n'a nine tamba
I have some ideas
Ay woymai gago
That might help us
Gaboundou
Let's come together
Ay ndey tchairai ga goka
So that we can overcome this drought
Dja moreyda tchino
And make the most of our resources
Ni faham harimaka ngua nai
Even though it might be hard
Wodi bindé
Let's work together
Ma tchaignai ndi tamba
And not lose hope
Tchaignai haya tchaignai hum
Let's persevere
Tchaignai han
Let's hold on
Tchaignai tchaignai
Let's keep going
Tchaignai
Keep going
Tchaignai hum
Persevere
Yindji ni banda di
It concerns all of us
Koy nda kamba wawo
We can all do something
Koy nda kamba goumo
Let's work together
Heeee
Hey
Eye
Yes
Tchaignai
Let's keep going
Eye tchaignai
Yes,let's keep going
Ehe he ay goka
We can do it
Yerna gounandi mai
It is up to us
Ihehe ay goooka
We will succeed
Gaboundou gaboundou
Let's come together
Koy nda kamba wawo
We can all do something
Ma kan nda kamba goumo
If we work together
Yaboudoumbou beli santé
We will have a good harvest
Benbalodeyyy
Thank you
Sadi ney tchini
I have said my piece
Sakey ye tchini
I hope you heard me
Ni ma gaboundey tchino
Let's work together
Womogona
Goodbye
Writer(s): Ali Toure
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
pete
on Mali Dje
where are the lyrics at? english and italian??? wtf?
Willis Ambusso, Kenya
on Inchana Massina
Strong African element using western instruments. My best group song. Very danceable. RIP maestro