Yellow Fever
Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti & Afrika 70 Lyrics
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Different different fever na him dey
Different different fever na him dey
Different different fever na him dey
Malaria fever nko? (He dey!)
Jaundice fever nko? (He dey!)
Hay fever nko? (He dey!)
Inflation fever nko? (He dey!)
Freedom fever nko? (He dey!)
Yellow fever nko? (He dey!)
Na him dey bring the matter now he dey!
Yellow fever nko? (He dey!)
Na him dey bring the matter now he dey!
I say tell them make them hear (You say!)
All fever na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Hay fever na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Malaria na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Jaundice na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Influenza na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Inflation na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Freedom na sickness (You say!)
Original sickness (You say!)
Yellow fever nko? (You say!)
Original and artificial he dey!
Yellow fever nko? (You say!)
One more...
Original and artificial he dey!
Bom bom bom, tell me now...
Original catch you
Your eye go yellow
Your yansh go yellow
Your face go yellow
Your body go weak
I say but later if you no die inside
The yellow go fade away
Artificial catch you
You be man or woman
Na you go catch am yourself
Na your money go do am for you
You go yellow pass yellow
You go catch moustache for face
You go get your double colour
Your yansh go black like coal
You self go think say you dey fine
Who say you fine?
Na lie, you no fine at all!
At all, na lie!
My sister, who say you fine?
Na lie, you no fine at all!
At all, na lie!
Yellow fever
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach!
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
African mother
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
Sissi wey dey go
Yellow fever
Stupid thing
Yeye thing
Fucking thing
Ugly thing
Yellow fever
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
African mother
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
Sissi wey dey go
Yellow fever
Now to the underground spiritual game
Underground where dey down for school
Over there for school, yes
Where dey go say: teacher
Oya!
Teacher!
Who steal my bleaching?
My precious bleaching?
I buy am for shopping
For forty naira
How I go yellow?
How I go fine now?
I go die o
I go die o
I go die o
According to complaint
Complaint must get answer
I beg please, help me help teacher
Oya, foolish
Oya!
Foolish!
Who steal your bleaching?
Your precious bleaching?
You buy am for shopping
For forty naira
You self wan yellow
How you go fine now?
Your face go yellow
Your yansh go black
Your moustache go show
Your skin go scatter
You go die o
You go die o
You go die o
You go die o
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach!
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
African mother
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
Sissi wey dey go
Yellow fever
Stupid thing
Yeye thing
Fucking thing
Ugly thing
Yellow fever
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
African mother
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach
Sissi wey dey go
Yellow fever
The song "Yellow Fever" by Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Afrika 70 is a social commentary on the practice of skin bleaching and the obsession with western beauty standards in Africa. The song describes various fevers, including malaria, jaundice, hay fever, and even freedom fever, but the focus is on yellow fever, the fever caused by skin bleaching.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti criticizes the practice of skin bleaching, calling it a stupid, yeye, fucking, and ugly thing. He distinguishes between the original yellow fever, caused by illness, and the artificial yellow fever caused by skin bleaching, which he says makes people look ugly and shameful. He puts the blame on African mothers and ladies who he accuses of bleaching their skin, warning them that bleaching would only make them uglier and eventually lead to their death.
The song also touches on the corrupting effect of money and the desire for western material possessions, such as bleaching creams, which give birth to the unnatural and artificial practice of skin bleaching. Overall, the song is a protest against the western beauty standard and an appeal to Africans to embrace their natural beauty and cultural identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Different different fever na him dey
There are several types of fevers
Malaria fever nko? (He dey!)
Malaria fever is present
Jaundice fever nko? (He dey!)
Jaundice fever is present
Hay fever nko? (He dey!)
Hay fever is present
Influenza fever nko? (He dey!)
Influenza fever is present
Inflation fever nko? (He dey!)
Inflation fever is present
Freedom fever nko? (He dey!)
People are striving for freedom
Yellow fever nko? (He dey!)
Yellow fever is present
Na him dey bring the matter now he dey!
These issues are what the song is addressing
I say tell them make them hear (You say!)
Let people hear this
All fever na sickness (You say!)
All types of fevers are illnesses
Original sickness (You say!)
They are genuine illnesses
Hay fever na sickness (You say!)
Hay fever is a genuine illness
Malaria na sickness (You say!)
Malaria is a genuine illness
Jaundice na sickness (You say!)
Jaundice is a genuine illness
Influenza na sickness (You say!)
Influenza is a genuine illness
Inflation na sickness (You say!)
Economic inflation is a genuine issue
Freedom na sickness (You say!)
People seeking freedom is a genuine issue
Yellow fever nko? (You say!)
Is yellow fever real or not?
Original and artificial he dey!
Yellow fever can be natural or artificial
You dey bleach, o you dey bleach!
You are skin-bleaching
African mother
Addressing an African mother
Sissi wey dey go
A young lady who is leaving
Stupid thing
Skin-bleaching is foolish
Yeye thing
Skin-bleaching is foolish
Fucking thing
Skin-bleaching is terrible
Ugly thing
Skin-bleaching is not attractive
Now to the underground spiritual game
Moving on to a spiritual topic
Underground where dey down for school
Talking about an underground group of people
Over there for school, yes
Referring to a location where this group goes to school
Where dey go say: teacher
Referring to a saying in this group
Who steal my bleaching?
Asking who took his skin-bleaching product
My precious bleaching?
Referring to skin-bleaching as a valuable item
I buy am for shopping
He bought it from the market
How I go yellow?
Wondering how he became yellow
How I go fine now?
Asking how he would look fine now
I go die o
Suggesting that he would die from skin-bleaching
According to complaint
In response to a complaint
Complaint must get answer
A complaint deserves an answer
Help me help teacher
Asking for help on behalf of the teacher
Oya, foolish
Calling someone foolish
Foolish!
Calling someone foolish again
Who steal your bleaching?
Asking who stole their skin-bleaching product
You self wan yellow
Suggesting that they want to be yellow
Your face go yellow
Their face would turn yellow
Your yansh go black
Their buttocks would turn black
Your moustache go show
Their mustache would become more visible
Your skin go scatter
Their skin would become damaged
You go die o
Suggesting that they too would die from skin-bleaching
Writer(s): Fela Anikulapo Kuti
Contributed by Camilla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@hakeemfowomola7222
The INSTRUMENTAL... Before the verses start... is a masterpiece!
@marcelosandovallopez8780
and in the verses too, totally masterpiece
@mohamedbahaoudinesom7734
Just like that Mr. President Rest In Power. Thanks that we had the opportunity to admire you. In Douala 1972 and Bonn Germany August 1988.
I came back from Africa last week with malaria and by dancing on the rythm of the present tune I'm healed.
The artist never dy.
@christopherotasowie1425
Those who Thumbs down this track must be the people Fela is singing about.
@marcelloaguilar6463
That is so funny. It's 0328 in the morning you made my rest of the day. Thanks brother....
@osazuwaogbeide1540
39 people who disliked this they all have yellow fever
@louisotieno4712
Spot on... Impudent Bleachers... I'm sure they habe even bleached their minds😆😁😂
@isinbadeboolumakinwa3550
@@marcelloaguilar6463 1à
@quentinjackson9403
@@osazuwaogbeide1540 r
@andyaragon8633
another awesome masterpiece from fela's gory days! i love how the groove starts and then builds for a full 7 minutes before his vocal even starts. then, fela's incomparable voice and call and response backup vocals carry the song to full burn! no other african musician comes close to the power of fela's music and his influence remains strong now. really love this tune!