Ismaël Lô is a versatile singer and artist, he plays the guitar and the har… Read Full Bio ↴Ismaël Lô is a versatile singer and artist, he plays the guitar and the harmonica. He was born in Dogondoutchi in Niger on 30 August 1956 to a Senegalese father and a Nigerian mother. Shortly after Lô's birth the family returned to Senegal where they settled in the town of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar.

In the 1970s, Lô studied at the School of Art in Dakar later joining the popular Super Diamono. He left the group in 1984 to start a solo career. Over the next four years Lô recorded five popular solo albums.

In 1990 Lô signed a recording deal with Barclay and recorded in France his sixth solo album, Ismaël Lô. Thanks to the success of the single Tajabone the album became a hit in the European charts. The album launched his international career.

Iso was recorded and released in 1994, and also became a success. The album contains soft guitar melodies and traditional senegalese mbalax. The following year Lô toured in Africa. The compilation album Jammu Africa was released in 1996.

In 1999, Tajabone was featured in Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother.

Khar
Ismaël Lô Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Senegal senegal siguil ndiguale
Gambia gambia oh siguil ndiguale
Amna benna ferie bougnou dane nane
Bateau le jola mi soukh sibir gueth gui
Xalebi migui dioye nane baye
Baye anna sama yaye boye
Baye neko dome anna yaye boye yaw
Senegal senegal siguil ndiguale

Gambia gambia oh siguil ndiguale
Mane baye migui dioye nane dome
Dome anna sa yaye boye
Dome neko baye anna yaye boye yam
Kone li firina ni yala reke sagne yala
Reke mane kon mome rekeu moy bour
Ndakh kepeu ko lath moune amnathi
Waye kon lii fir ndena ni senegal bena bopeleu
Senegal beneu bopeleu
Senegal beneu bopeleu
Bilay
Ken douko khar gnaro
Beneu bopeleu senegal

Faguarou diotna
Nagnou xolat sougnou bopeu bou bakh

Overall Meaning

The song "Khar" by Ismaël Lô is a tribute to his home country, Senegal. The lyrics express his feelings of love and pride for Senegal by mentioning different places in the country and also The Gambia. The repetition of "Senegal senegal siguil ndiguale" and "Gambia gambia oh siguil ndiguale" adds a sense of rhythm and melody to the song. Additionally, the lyrics mention the boat "le jola mi soukh sibir gueth gui" which is a traditional wooden boat that is commonly used for fishing in Senegal and The Gambia.

Ismaël Lô also mentions the names of different people in the song such as "baye anna sama yaye boye" and "dome anna sa yaye boye" which may refer to his family members or people he knows personally. The lyrics also touch upon the theme of migration by saying "ken douko khar gnaro" which translates to "let's not leave our land". This can be seen as a call to all Senegalese people to stay in their country and help build a better future.

Overall, "Khar" is a beautiful tribute to Senegal with heartfelt lyrics that showcase Ismaël Lô's love for his homeland. The song captures the essence of Senegal through its rhythm, melody and lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Senegal senegal siguil ndiguale
Senegal, Senegal, the place where I belong

Gambia gambia oh siguil ndiguale
Gambia, Gambia, oh the place where I belong

Amna benna ferie bougnou dane nane
I have a wife, her name is Bougnou Dane Nane

Bateau le jola mi soukh sibir gueth gui
The Jola boat is ready, don't forget the paddle and the anchor

Xalebi migui dioye nane baye
My younger brother Xalebi Dioye Nane is here

Baye anna sama yaye boye
My father's name is Sama Yaye Boye

Baye neko dome anna yaye boye yaw
My father's younger brother Dome Yaye Boye is here

Mane baye migui dioye nane dome
My elder brother Mane Baye Dioye Nane is here with us

Dome anna sa yaye boye
My uncle's name is Sa Yaye Boye

Dome neko baye anna yaye boye yam
My uncle's younger brother Baye Anna Yaye Boye Yam is also here

Kone li firina ni yala reke sagne yala
Life is not easy, you have to work hard to make ends meet