He sang in the languages of his youth, Swahili and Acholi, the languages of the lost country, the 'clear green land' of Uganda, and he also sang in English and French.
Oryema earned his international reputation on the release of his second album, Beat the Border. He had collaborated with Peter Gabriel and others, and was backed by French musicians including Jean-Pierre Alarcen (guitar) and Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, backing vocals), touring with WOMAD in Australia, the USA, Japan, Brasil and Europe. In 1994 the band performed at Woodstock 94 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary festival.
Gabriel's record label, Real World, helped with the first three of Oryema's albums, before his move to Sony International, a label established in France, where Oryema had lived since his exile.
In July 2005, he performed at the LIVE 8: Africa Calling concert in Cornwall, and with 1 Giant Leap at the Live 8 Edinburgh concert.
Discography
Exile (1990)
Beat the Border (1993)
Night to Night (1996)
Spirit (2000)
The Odysseus/Best Of (2002)
Words (2004)
From The Heart (Released on Long Tale Recordings) (2010)
Hard Labour
Geoffrey Oryema Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stood a man in uniform
He heard the wailing voice
And someone beg for mercy
Next to the market-stall
Stood a worried mother
Selling all her mangoes
(Magendo)
We were told about
The factory song
They had a promise
There would be a
Better day
My brothers found out
They were wrong
It had a melody that
Was filled with hard labour
(Hard labour)
Next to the fancy car
Stood a man in an overcoat
He doesn't see the crowd
He thinks only of his comfort
Next to the gravel pit
Stood a man in overalls
He has a mighty throw
The fruits of hard labour
We were told about
The factory song
They had a promise
There would be a
Better day
My brothers found out
They were wrong
It had a melody that
Was filled with hard labour
Next to the police van
Stood a man in uniform
He sees an angry mob
But he is searching
For his brother
Next to the fallen man
Stood a worried father
He sees his eldest son
Whose fighting days are over
We were told about
The factory song
They had a promise
There would be a
Better day
My brothers found out
They were wrong
It had a melody that
Was filled with hard labour
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour)
(Hard labour...)
The song "Hard Labour" by Geoffrey Oryema tells a story of the struggles faced by working class people in society. Through the imagery and stories of different individuals, the song highlights the injustice and inequality that exists in the world. The first verse describes a man in uniform who hears someone begging for mercy, which could represent the brutality and violence that often accompanies poverty and struggle. The second verse introduces a mother who is forced to sell her precious mangoes at a low price, which attests to the fact that poor people often have no bargaining power in economic transactions.
The chorus speaks of a "factory song" which was supposed to bring a better day but instead filled the lives of the singer's brothers with "hard labour." This could symbolize the broken promises made by those in power who claim to be working towards a better future for the masses but in reality only perpetuate the cycle of exploitation and poverty. The third verse tells the story of a man in an overcoat who is oblivious to the struggles of those around him and only thinks of his own comfort. The final verse describes a father who witnesses the pain and suffering of his son, perhaps a soldier, whose fighting days are over.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a critique of the failure of society to provide basic rights and opportunities for all its members, and an appeal to those in power to be more accountable and compassionate towards those who are less fortunate.
Line by Line Meaning
Next to the parking lot
Adjacent to a paved area for cars
Stood a man in uniform
A man dressed in specific clothing representing an organization's authority
He heard the wailing voice
He perceived a loud, mournful cry
And someone beg for mercy
A plea was made for compassion to be shown
Next to the market-stall
Beside a table/shelter where goods are sold
Stood a worried mother
A female parent had an anxious expression
Selling all her mangoes
Exchanging all her fruit for currency
For the price of magendo
For an amount that denotes that her earnings are not entirely just
We were told about
We received information about
The factory song
A tune created by or about an industrial plant
They had a promise
They made an assurance
There would be a
A future point in time would bring about
Better day
A time where circumstances would have improved
My brothers found out
My siblings realized
They were wrong
Their previous understanding was incorrect
It had a melody that
It contained a particular sequence of sound
Was filled with hard labour
Contained a high amount of difficult physical work
Next to the fancy car
Adjacent to a luxurious automobile
Stood a man in an overcoat
A male individual was wearing a long, warm coat
He doesn't see the crowd
He isn't aware of the multitude of people present
He thinks only of his comfort
He is only concerned with his own ease or wellbeing
Next to the gravel pit
Beside a hole where rocks are extracted
Stood a man in overalls
An individual was attired in a one-piece garment for manual labor
He has a mighty throw
He possesses a great ability to hurl objects with force
The fruits of hard labour
The rewards produced by an arduous effort
Next to the police van
Beside a vehicle used to transport law enforcement agents
Stood a man in uniform
A male member of an organization, outfitted in distinctive apparel
He sees an angry mob
He notices an irate crowd
But he is searching
However, he is actively exploring
For his brother
To locate his other male sibling
Next to the fallen man
Adjacent to the person who has collapsed to the ground
Stood a worried father
A paternal figure displayed a concerned countenance
He sees his eldest son
He observes his oldest male child
Whose fighting days are over
Whose period of combat has come to an end
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
(Hard labour)
A repetition to emphasize difficult manual work
Contributed by Gianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Acholi Princess
on Land Of Anaka
The Lyrics are Real !
Art is spiritual insight from the spiritual realm by those who are Talented!
The land of Anaka was a place of Darkness! Death! Despair! Even the Dead did not die! They wandered spiritually within the land!
He is asking Obiga to show him the way in this Darkness!
Rest In peace Ladin!
Acholi Princess
on Kel Kweyo
Great Great Master of the Spiritual Music of Acholi
Acholi Princess
on See Me Lakayana
Spiritual Sounds!
Spiritual Art!
Spiritual feels!
Rest in Peace!