Badagry Beach
Ben Onono Lyrics
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Ben Onono
Mongo Park
The explorer loved the light of Badagry Beach
The singer Fela sang of the lights and the noise in her city air of Badagry Beach.
The rusty shackles remain and bare testament of what went before.
And I, if I knew her less, would I love her more?
Coz when I get to close to her
Is when I can't see the beauty of her anymore
A masquerade, a beggar man, an Iroko tree, palm wine, a coral snake
Badagry was one of those beautiful and deadly things at the same time.
Down by the mission under the Agia tree of Badagry Beach
And I wonder to myself how many secrets she holds and will never let show.
And as I walk along her golden shore line
Diesel oil and sand under my feet
Washed by the tides that came before and come again
Harmattan winds are blowing
Harmattan winds are blowing
Spirits that swirl in the dust devils and disappear
A loneliness that is continental wanders far and wide
A loneliness that is an inward thing
Can rock itself to sleep every night
And I, if I knew her less, would I love her more?
If I knew her less, would I love her more?
Coz when I get too close
to her, I begin to see the flaws
But from afar, she's a beauty to behold
The mystery and allure that surrounds Badagry Beach leaves the singer in awe. As he walks along the golden shoreline, he can't help but feel the presence of history and the secrets it holds. The lyrics are poetic in nature, as the singer touches on subjects such as slavery, trade, colonialism, and mystery.
Badagry was once a hub for the slave trade, and the rusty shackles mentioned in the lyrics bear witness to this dark history. The Portuguese sailors found trade on the beach, while the explorer Mongo Park loved the light. Fela Kuti, the legendary musician from Nigeria, is also mentioned as having been inspired by the lights and noise of Badagry Beach. The song makes references to various aspects of Yoruba culture, including the masquerade, the Iroko tree, and palm wine.
The singer wonders if he would love the beach more if he knew less about its flaws. He mentions the harmattan winds that blow, and the loneliness that is both continental and an inward thing. Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to a place that is both beautiful and complex.
Line by Line Meaning
Mongo Park
The famous explorer loved the natural beauty of Badagry Beach
The singer Fela sang of the lights and the noise in her city air of Badagry Beach.
Fela Kuti wrote songs about the vibrant nightlife and lively atmosphere of Badagry Beach.
The Portuguese sailors found trade on the malarious shores of Badagry Beach.
The Portuguese traders discovered a lucrative market on the dangerous and disease-ridden shores of Badagry Beach.
The rusty shackles remain and bare testament of what went before.
The decaying remnants of the slave trade serve as a haunting reminder of the atrocities that occurred on Badagry Beach.
And I, if I knew her less, would I love her more?
Sometimes familiarity can breed contempt, and not knowing all of Badagry Beach's secrets might make one more enamored with its beauty.
Coz when I get to close to her
Upon closer inspection, Badagry Beach's imperfections and dark history may detract from its initial allure.
Is when I can't see the beauty of her anymore
Once the darkness is exposed, Badagry Beach may lose its initial beauty and appeal.
A masquerade, a beggar man, an Iroko tree, palm wine, a coral snake
These seemingly disparate elements make up the unique and unpredictable nature of Badagry Beach.
Down by the mission under the Agia tree of Badagry Beach
The Christian missionaries established a presence beneath the sacred Agia tree on Badagry Beach.
And I wonder to myself how many secrets she holds and will never let show.
Despite all of its history and unique qualities, Badagry Beach still holds many mysteries that may never be uncovered.
And as I walk along her golden shore line
Walking along Badagry Beach's picturesque coastline is a breathtaking experience.
Diesel oil and sand under my feet
The shoreline is not always pristine, and the remnants of industrialization have left their mark on Badagry Beach.
Washed by the tides that came before and come again
The constant ebb and flow of the tides represents the cyclical nature of life and history at Badagry Beach.
Harmattan winds are blowing
The dry, dusty winds of the Harmattan season are a powerful force on Badagry Beach.
Spirits that swirl in the dust devils and disappear
The dry winds carry with them the spirits of the past that can be felt and seen but never fully understood.
A loneliness that is continental wanders far and wide
The pervasive sense of loneliness at Badagry Beach reaches far beyond its physical boundaries.
A loneliness that is an inward thing
The true source of loneliness is not external, but rather internal.
Can rock itself to sleep every night
The inherent sadness and loneliness of Badagry Beach can become a constant, lulling presence.
If I knew her less, would I love her more?
The seductive nature of Badagry Beach's beauty may be stronger if her underlying secrets and flaws remain unknown.
Writer(s): Ben Onono, Veloso
Contributed by Hunter D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Abiodun Oliyide
I look for this song for more than 8 years untill I found it last year. God bless Ben Onono. I visited Badagry last month. The footprints of explorers and missionaries doted the area visibly
michae13James
I love Ben Onono
Native stranger is an album that is so visual and thought provoking.
No wonder travel shows use his fantastic music.
Male Mendiola
I love this :D made me happy
Yuri Sucupira
Mungo Park, the explorer, loved the light
Mungo Park, o explorador, amava a claridade
of Badagry Beach.
da Praia de Badagry.
The singer Fela sang
A cantora Fela cantou
of the lights and the noise
a respeito das luzes e do barulho
in the city air
na atmosfera urbana
of Badagry Beach.
da Praia de Badagry.
The portuguese sailors found trade on the malarious shores
Os navegantes portugueses descobriram comércio nas margens maláricas
of Badagry Beach.
da Praia de Badagry.
The rusty shackles remain there: a bare testament
As algemas enferrujadas permanecem lá: um explícito testamento
of what went before.
da escravidão de outrora.
Yeah, if I knew her less, would I love her more?
É... Se eu a conhecesse menos, eu a amaria mais?
'Coz when I get too close to her
Porque, quando chego perto demais dela,
is when I can't see the beauty of her
eu não consigo mais ver a beleza dela.
anymore.
Não mais.
A masquerade,
Um mascarado,
a beggar man,
um pedinte,
an Iroko tree,
uma árvore Iroko,
palm wine,
vinho de palma,
a coral snake.
uma cobra coral.
Badagry is one of those beautiful and deadly things,
Badagry é uma dessas coisas belas e mortais,
at the same time.
ao mesmo tempo.
I'm down by the mission under the Agia tree
Estou na missão religiosa, sob a árvore Agia
of Badagry Beach,
da Praia de Badagry,
and I wonder to myself
e então me pergunto
how many secrets she holds
quantos segredos ela guarda
and will never let show.
e jamais deixará transparecer.
Yeah, as I walk along her golden shore line,
É... Enquanto caminho pela sua costa dourada,
diesel oil and sand's under my feet,
óleo diesel e areia grudam-se aos meus pés
washed by the tides that came before
banhados pelas correntezas que vieram
and come again.
e que vêm novamente.
Harmattan winds are blowing.
Os ventos de Harmattan estão soprando.
Harmattan winds are blowing.
Os ventos de Harmattan estão soprando.
Spirits that swirl in the dust devils
Espíritos que rodopiam entre os demônios da poeira
and disappear.
e desaparecem.
A loneliness that is continental
Uma solidão que é continental
wanders far and wide.
vagueia ao longe e amplamente.
A loneliness that is an inward thing
Uma solidão que é algo assim, interno,
can rock itself to sleep every night.
pode embalar o próprio sono, todas as noites.
Yeah, if I knew her less, would I love her more?
É... Se eu a conhecesse menos, eu a amaria mais?
If I knew her less, would I love her more?
Se eu a conhecesse menos, eu a amaria mais?
'Coz when I get too close to her,
Porque, quando chego perto demais dela,
is when I can't see the beauty of her
eu não consigo mais ver a beleza dela.
anymore.
Não mais.
Yuri Sucupira
*****
Você se refere à melodia, imagino. Se quiser ver a tradução, eu a postei aqui:
http://letras.mus.br/ben-onono/badagry-beach/traducao.html
(a pessoa do website que publicou a minha tradução acabou cometendo uns errinhos de grafia, mas nada que abale a semântica e beleza do texto)
Bjo
Yuri Sucupira
+Roseli C. R. de Souza Mudei meu primeiro post. Agora ele mostra a letra completa (em inglês) e também a tradução para o português. Creio que assim fique mais fácil. :)
PS: Badagry é uma praia que fica em Lagos (Nigéria, África). Por isto a referência à escravidão, e também à "solidão continental" (o continente africano, tão menosprezado pelo resto do mundo). Muito linda mesmo, essa letra.
mesclesurf
thanks a lot for posting this
Tamuna Janelidze
👍
Kevin Shelley
The Long Way Down with Ewan and Charlie brought me here.
Tamuna Janelidze
👍