Alpha Blondy sings mainly in his native language of Dioula, in French and English, and sometimes in Arabic or Hebrew. His lyrics convey strong political attitudes and a sense of humor. He coined the French word "democrature" (an English equivalent might be "democratatorship") to identify some African governments.
http://www.alphablondy.info
Take No Prisoner
Alpha Blondy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
We take no prisoners
And we eat the wounded
We take no prisoner
Down in Sudan
Muslims are selling Christians as slave...
I don't understand
How Africa got into this craze...
O.A.U. don't care
Freedom fighters beware
It's a cannibalistic strategy
A cannibalistic strategy
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
The power of the powerless
Facing the fury of the fearless
And the soldier's eyes
Getting merciless...
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Natty don't go there...
O.A.U. don't care
Freedom fighters beware
It's a cannibalistic strategy
A cannibalistic strategy
We take no prisoners
And we eat the wounded
We take no prisoners
And we eating the wounded
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
Don't go, Natty Natty don't go there...
Alpha Blondy's "Take No Prisoner" speaks to the struggles faced by Africans, particularly in Sudan where Muslims sold Christians as slaves. The repeated refrain of "Don't go, Natty dread don't go there. Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there" seems to be a warning to those who may be considering going to Africa, as the situation there is dire. The line "We take no prisoners and we eat the wounded" paints a picture of violence and brutality in a place where people are not safe, even when injured.
The song highlights the injustices that are taking place in Africa and critiques the lack of intervention from the O.A.U (Organization of African Unity), which is supposed to bring African nations together. Instead of helping to end the violence in Sudan, the O.A.U. has remained silent and allowed the cycle of violence to continue. The repeated line "It's a cannibalistic strategy" emphasizes the brutal nature of the tactics being used against Africans.
Overall, "Take No Prisoner" is a call to action, imploring the listener to pay attention to the suffering in Africa and work towards creating a world where people are not treated as commodities or subjected to violence based on their religion. The song is an important reflection of the struggles that have faced African nations and serves as a powerful reminder that the fight for equality is far from over.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't go, Natty dread don't go there...
The singer is warning Natty dread against going to a certain dangerous place.
Don't go, Natty Congo don't go there...
The singer is warning Natty Congo against going to a certain dangerous place.
We take no prisoners
The singer's group does not take prisoners in battle.
And we eat the wounded
The singer's group is willing to resort to cannibalism when food is scarce.
We take no prisoner
The singer's group does not take prisoners in battle.
And we eating the wounded
The singer's group is willing to resort to cannibalism when food is scarce.
Down in Sudan
The singer is referring to the country of Sudan.
Muslims are selling Christians as slave...
The singer is describing a situation where Muslims are selling Christians into slavery.
I don't understand
The singer does not understand how Africa got into this situation.
How Africa got into this craze...
The singer is expressing confusion and frustration over the current state of affairs in Africa.
O.A.U. don't care
The Organization of African Unity (O.A.U.) does not care about the plight of freedom fighters.
Freedom fighters beware
The singer is warning freedom fighters to be careful because they cannot rely on support from the O.A.U.
It's a cannibalistic strategy
The singer is characterizing the situation in Africa as a figurative 'cannibalistic strategy', meaning a situation where those in power cannibalize the weaker members of society.
The power of the powerless
The singer is highlighting the potential strength that can arise from those who are typically without power.
Facing the fury of the fearless
The powerless are facing the anger of those who have no fear, meaning those in power.
And the soldier's eyes
The singer is referring to the eyes of soldiers.
Getting merciless...
The soldiers are becoming increasingly merciless in how they treat the powerless.
Don't go, Natty Natty don't go there...
The singer is warning Natty Natty against going to a certain dangerous place.
Contributed by Alyssa P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joelson Silveira
Alpha Blondy marcou minha infância e se tornou minha banda número 1.
Blessed Love!
Erika Hoyos
alpha blondy eres leyenda exelente ser humano talentoso cantante
Jhon Angel
Alpha. You're the best artist. Long life to alpha blondy.
LACOUCHE57
🙏🏽🙏🏽
Hélène Verreault
Les photos sont tous spectaculaires ! Cette musique Raggae si particulière d'Alpha Blondy nous interpelle et nous nous touche jusqu'au trippe ! Merveilleux !
max cavalera
mdr le gars il s'est cru sur meetic ptdr
Michello Mokrani
Hélène Verreault j'adore alpha blondy j'ai tout ses albums depuis le début de sa carrière et oui
Michello Mokrani
Hélène Verreault magnifique très intéressant ta façon d'être je désire vraiment découvrir ton côté coeur face à face si tu veux bien me rencontrer
Hélène Verreault
Amitié !
Bullish Bear ®
very good quality in sound thanks. And yes Alpha Blondy reggea rocks PEACE.