HMV Magazine ranked him as #46 on a list of the 100 most influential musicians of the 20th century.
The musical style performed by Fela Kuti is called Afrobeat, which is essentially a fusion of jazz, funk, highlife, and traditional Yoruban chants and rhythms. It is characterized by having African-style percussion, vocals, and musical structure, along with jazzy, funky horn sections. The endless groove is also used, in which a base rhythm of drums, shekere, muted guitar, and bass guitar are repeated throughout the song. His band was notable for featuring two baritone saxophones, whereas most groups using this instrument only use one. This is a common technique in African and African-influenced musical styles, and can be seen in funk and hip-hop. Some elements often present in Fela's music are the call-and-response within the chorus and figurative but simple lyrics. Fela's songs were almost always over 10 minutes in length, some reaching the 20- or even 30-minute marks, while some unreleased tracks would last up to 45 minutes when performed live. This was one of many reasons that his music never reached a substantial degree of popularity outside of Africa. His songs were mostly sung in Nigerian pidgin, although he also performed a few songs in the Yoruba language. Fela's main instruments were the saxophone and the keyboards, but he also played the trumpet, guitar, and took the occasional drum solo. Fela refused to perform songs again after he had already recorded them, which also hindered his popularity outside Africa. Fela was known for his showmanship, and his concerts were often quite outlandish and wild. He referred to his stage act as the Underground Spiritual Game.
Fela was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, to a middle-class family. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a feminist activist in the anti-colonial movement and his father, Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, a Protestant minister and school Principal, was the first president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. His brothers, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti and Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti,both medical doctors, are both well known in Nigeria.
Fela was sent to London in 1958 to study medicine but decided to study music instead at the Trinity College of Music. While there, he formed the band Koola Lobitos, playing a style of music that he would later call Afrobeat. The style was a fusion of American Jazz, psychedelic rock, and Funk with West African Highlife. In 1961, Fela married his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor, with whom he would have three children (Femi, Yeni, and Sola). In 1963, Fela moved back to Nigeria, re-formed Koola Lobitos and trained as a radio producer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1969, Fela took the band to the United States. While there, Fela discovered the Black power movement through Sandra Smith (now Isidore)—a partisan of the Black Panther Party—which would heavily influence his music and political views and renamed the band Nigeria ’70. Soon, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was tipped off by a promoter that Fela and his band were in the US without work permits. The band then performed a quick recording session in Los Angeles that would later be released as The '69 Los Angeles Sessions.
Fela and his band, renamed Africa '70, returned to Nigeria. He then formed the Kalakuta Republic, a commune, a recording studio, and a home for many connected to the band that he later declared independent from the Nigerian state. Fela set up a nightclub in the Empire Hotel, named the Afro-Spot and then the Afrika Shrine, where he performed regularly. Fela also changed his middle name to Anikulapo (meaning "he who carries death in his pouch"), stating that his original middle name of Ransome was a slave name. The recordings continued, and the music became more politically motivated. Fela's music became very popular among the Nigerian public and Africans in general. In fact, he made the decision to sing in Pidgin English so that his music could be enjoyed by individuals all over Africa, where the local languages spoken are very diverse and numerous. As popular as Fela's music had become in Nigeria and elsewhere, it was also very unpopular with the ruling government, and raids on the Kalakuta Republic were frequent. In 1974 the police arrived with a search warrant and a cannabis joint, which they had intended to plant on Fela. He became wise to this and swallowed the joint. In response, the police took him into custody and waited to examine his feces. Fela enlisted the help of his prison mates and gave the police someone else's feces, and Fela was freed. He then recounted this tale in his release Expensive Shit (now released together with "He Miss Road" as Expensive Shit/He Miss Road).
In 1977 Fela and the Afrika ’70 released the hit album Zombie, a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic, during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Fela was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Fela's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed. Fela claimed that he would have been killed if it were not for the intervention of a commanding officer as he was being beaten. Fela's response to the attack was to deliver his mother's coffin to the main army barrack in Lagos and write two songs, "Coffin for Head of State" and "Unknown Soldier," referencing the official inquiry that claimed the commune had been destroyed by an unknown soldier.
Fela and his band then took residence in Crossroads Hotel as the Shrine had been destroyed along with his commune. In 1978 Fela married 27 women, many of whom were his dancers, composers, and singers to mark the anniversary of the attack on the Kalakuta Republic. Later, he was to adopt a rotation system of keeping only twelve simultaneous wives. The year was also marked by two notorious concerts, the first in Accra in which riots broke out during the song "Zombie," which led to Fela being banned from entering Ghana. The second was at the Berlin Jazz Festival after which most of Fela's musicians deserted him, due to rumors that Fela was planning to use the entirety of the proceeds to fund his presidential campaign.
Despite the massive setbacks, Fela was determined to come back. He formed his own political party, which he called 'Movement of the People'. In 1979 he put himself forward for President in Nigeria's first elections for more than a decade but his candidature was refused. At this time, Fela created a new band called Egypt 80 and continued to record albums and tour the country. He further infuriated the political establishment by dropping the names of ITT vice-president Moshood Abiola and then General Olusegun Obasanjo at the end of a hot-selling 25-minute political screed titled "I. T. T. (International Thief Thief)."
In 1984, he was again attacked by the Military government, who jailed him on a dubious charge of currency smuggling. His case was taken up by several human-rights groups, and after 20 months, he was released from prison by General Ibrahim Babangida. On his release he divorced his 12 remaining wives, saying that "marriage brings jealousy and selfishness." Once again, Fela continued to release albums with Egypt 80, made a number of successful tours of the United States and Europe and also continued to be politically active. In 1986, Fela performed in Giants Stadium in New Jersey as part of the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope concert, sharing the bill with Bono, Carlos Santana, and the Neville Brothers. In 1989, Fela & Egypt 80 released the anti-apartheid "Beasts of No Nation" album that depicts on its cover U.S. President Ronald Reagan, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha with fangs dripping blood.
His album output slowed in the 1990s, and eventually he stopped releasing albums altogether. The battle against military corruption in Nigeria was taking its toll, especially during the rise of dictator Sani Abacha. Rumors were also spreading that he was suffering from an illness for which he was refusing treatment. On 3 August 1997, Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, already a prominent AIDS activist and former Minister of Health, stunned the nation by announcing his younger brother's death a day earlier from Kaposi's sarcoma brought on by AIDS. (Their younger brother Beko was in jail at this time at the hand of Abacha for political activity). More than a million people attended Fela's funeral at the site of the old Shrine compound. A new Africa Shrine has opened since Fela's death in a different section of Lagos under the supervision of his son Femi Kuti.
Mr. Follow Follow
Fela Kuti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
*[CHORUS] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW,- FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW (2X)
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem eye
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE EYE, PIN- PIN- PIN
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem mouth
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE MOUTH, PAM- PAM- PAM
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem ear
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE EAR, G’BOING- BOING- BOING
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem sense
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE SENSE, BIRI- BIRI
I say dem close sense,
Dem close sense
If you dey follow follow
Make you open eye, open ear, open mouth, open sense (2x)
Na dat time
Na dat time you no go fall (2x)
If you dey follow follow dem book
*[CHORUS] NA INSIDE CUPBOARD YOU GO QUENCH (2x)
Coakroach dey, ee-rat dey, Ikan dey, darkness dey- ee
*[CHORUS] NA INSIDE CUPBOARD YOU GO QUENCH** **(destroy)
My brothers, make you no follow book-o
Look am and go your way
*[CHORUS] FOLLOW, FOLLOW (on 3, 4- continues until end)
Make you open eye, open ear, open mouth, open sense
(riff/repeat as desired)
My brothers, make you no follow book-o
Look am and use your sense
The song Mr. Follow Follow by Fela Kuti is a criticism of blind conformity and lack of critical thinking among people, particularly Nigerians at the time. The song is structured around a repetitive chorus that emphasizes the importance of opening one's eyes, ears, mouth, and sense rather than following blindly like some people do. The song makes reference to people who close their eyes, ears, and sense, implying that they are not watching, listening, or thinking. Fela Kuti then urges anyone who follows blindly to regain their consciousness by opening their eyes, ears, mouth, and sense, as this will prevent them from falling into the same trap that others have fallen into.
Moreover, the song addresses the issue of religious sects and people who follow religious doctrines blindly without questioning them. Fela Kuti describes them as people who read books and follow them without thinking, as if they are blindly following the words of the books. He then goes on to warn that this blind conformity will lead them to destruction, and it is only by opening one's eyes, ears, mouth, and sense that they can avoid falling into the trap of conformity.
In summary, Fela Kuti's Mr. Follow Follow is a scathing criticism of complacency and lack of critical thinking among Nigerians at the time, specifically urging his listeners to break the pattern of following blindly and to start thinking critically.
Line by Line Meaning
FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW,- FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW (2X)
People mindlessly following others without using their own judgment or senses. This is repeated twice as a warning to the listener.
DEM CLOSE EYE, PIN- PIN- PIN
Some people blindly follow without paying attention to what's happening around them. This is demonstrated by the phrase 'PIN-PIN-PIN', which could represent the sound of a pin dropping unnoticed.
DEM CLOSE MOUTH, PAM- PAM- PAM
Some people blindly follow without questioning what they're being told. This is conveyed through the phrase 'PAM-PAM-PAM', which could represent the sound of someone banging on a closed door.
DEM CLOSE EAR, G’BOING- BOING- BOING
Some people blindly follow without listening to feedback or criticism. This is demonstrated by the phrase 'G'BOING-BOING-BOING', which could represent the sound of a message bouncing off a closed ear.
DEM CLOSE SENSE, BIRI- BIRI
Some people blindly follow without using their common sense. This is signified by the phrase 'BIRI-BIRI', which could represent the sound of something short-circuiting.
If you dey follow follow
Make you open eye, open ear, open mouth, open sense (2x)
Fela urges people who tend to follow others blindly to start paying attention to what's going on around them by opening their eyes, ears, mouths, and senses.
Na dat time
Na dat time you no go fall (2x)
If you stop blindly following others and start using your own senses and judgments, you'll be able to avoid getting into trouble.
NA INSIDE CUPBOARD YOU GO QUENCH (2x)
If you blindly follow books or sources of information without questioning their validity or authenticity, you'll end up being misled and suffering the corresponding consequences.
My brothers, make you no follow book-o
Look am and go your way
Fela advises the listener not to blindly follow books or sources of information but rather to examine them critically and use their wisdom and common sense to decide the best course of action.
FOLLOW, FOLLOW (on 3, 4- continues until end)
The chorus repeats twice more, making it a total of three times. This emphasizes the importance of the message of not blindly following others.
Make you open eye, open ear, open mouth, open sense
(riff/repeat as desired)
The song ends with a repetition of Fela's advice to use one's senses and better judgment when interacting with the world. The listener is urged to implement this message at all times.
Writer(s): Kuti Fela Anikulapo
Contributed by Emma N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sonopaolotorre
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem eye
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE EYE, PIN- PIN- PIN
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem mouth
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE MOUTH, PAM- PAM- PAM
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem ear
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE EAR, G’BOING- BOING- BOING
Some dey follow follow, dem close dem sense
*[CHORUS] DEM CLOSE SENSE, BIRI- BIRI
I say dem close sense,
Dem close sense
If you dey follow follow
Make you open eye, open ear, open mouth, open sense (2x)
Na dat time
Na dat time you no go fall (2x)
If you dey follow follow dem book
*[CHORUS] NA INSIDE CUPBOARD YOU GO QUENCH (2x)
Coakroach dey, ee-rat dey, Ikan dey, darkness dey- ee
[CHORUS] NA INSIDE CUPBOARD YOU GO QUENCH* **(destroy)
My brothers, make you no follow book-o
Look am and go your way
*[CHORUS] FOLLOW, FOLLOW (on 3, 4- continues until end)
Make you open eye, open ear, open mouth, open sense
(riff/repeat as desired)
My brothers, make you no follow book-o
Look am and use your sense
@andrewbadejo4716
Almighty bless the Kuti family.
Fela, probably the greatest Nigerian to walk this planet earth.
@tboy8154
Who's here with me listening to this wonderful hit by fela in 2020 August?
@bassplayinfool
Came here for the music, but the history in the video earned a follow follow
@jasonfogden2311
Fela is the Man!!
@titusbomber3270
A 1000 SOLDIERS BECAUSE OF ONE HARMLESS MAN , JUST BECAUSE HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH AND USING WORDS AND NOT WEAPONS THIS GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT WORDS ARE POWERFUL THAN AN ATOMIC BOMB
@titusbomber3270
THE REAL LP HAS THE INTRO WHERE FELA WAS INTRUCTING THE BAND ON A COUNT DOWN BEFORE THE MUSIC STARTED THAT MAGIC CAN NOT BE CAPTURED
@musiclover-cn7tb
the brass and horns !!!
@theemrsjoewilburn
Kelly Rolands song “Hitman” samples this song! Hoping it’s the new Bond intro for “007”!
@AlforfroWuzyka-yf3mq
Great Music by the Great Man😊 Fela. Pure Afro Jazz Fusion at Its Best ✌️👌
@musiclover-cn7tb
@@AlforfroWuzyka-yf3mqI know from studying artists like him miriam hugh ,manu and others afro jazz is amazing.