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.
Yaye Boye
Ismaël Lô Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yaye boye balalma
Yaye boye yaye boye balalma
Yaye boyo balalma
Khamna awma loula eupeu si adounya
Yaye sama wadiour yaye sama lepeu
Yaye man
Kon yaye soumala masse togne mangui
Souma masse dioum tay rethiou nako
Ndakh yaye man guisna khale magua
Sama kanam
Ma khamne yaye boye fii la diar
Balalma balalma baalalma
Balalma balalma balalma balalmaa
Yaye boye
Soumala masse togne mangui dieguelou
Souma masse dioum tay rethiou nako
Ndakh yaye man guisna khale magua
Sama kanam
Ma khamne yaye boye fii la diar
Balalma balalma baalalma
Balalma balalma balalma
Balalmaa
Fane la mana diarr ba fayla yaye yaw
Ndakh fayla douma yomba yaye man
Waye dina diem sama kemtalay katane
Bagua contane
Louma def si yaw warou mako naw
Yayo ho yaye beuguena yaw ngua contane
Ndakh bo contane yala dana contane
Gnou sargual sounou yayboy
Yaye boye sonnagua yaye boye
Masso tayi
Yaguala tankhal dila sonal yayo
Rethiouw ma loma done dioure
Khamna amoul lo dadioul si gnoun gny
Tay alhamdou lila mane mi bay la
Diour na y dome khamna yoor ndiabote
Modi lane
Yaye boye yala nala yala fay
Balalma yayoboy balalma balalma
Balalma yaye boye balalma
Yaye Boye is an upbeat song by Ismaël Lô, and the lyrics are primarily in the Wolof language, which is widely spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. The chorus of the song is "Yaye boye balalma," which means "My mother is a good woman." Throughout the song, Lô sings about his mother's virtuous qualities and how grateful he is to have been raised by her. He recognizes that his mother has made many sacrifices for him and his siblings, and he appreciates the love and support that she has provided throughout his life.
The lyrics are rich with cultural references and symbolism. For example, Lô sings about his mother's "kemtalay katane," which is a type of traditional Wolof fabric that is known for its durability and beauty. The fabric is also a symbol of Senegalese culture and pride. Lô also refers to his mother's "sama kanam," which literally means "her children," but is also a metaphor for the legacy that she has created through her children's successes.
The song is an ode to maternal love and also to the importance of family and community in Senegalese culture. Lô acknowledges that he wouldn't be where he is today without the love and support of his mother, and he recognizes that his success is not just his own, but also that of his entire community. Yaye Boye is a song that celebrates the spirit and resilience of the Senegalese people and their strong connection to their roots and traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Yaye boye balalma
My father is a wise and respected man
Yaye boye yaye boye balalma
My father is twice as wise and respected as others
Yaye boyo balalma
My father is the wisest and most respected man
Khamna awma loula eupeu si adounya
He taught me everything I know about life and how to live it
Yaye sama wadiour yaye sama lepeu
He is the source of my wisdom and my courage
Yaye man
My father is my hero
Kon yaye soumala masse togne mangui
Whatever difficulties I face in life, I can always turn to my father for guidance
Dieguelou
He is always there for me
Souma masse dioum tay rethiou nako
He always knows what to do and how to help
Ndakh yaye man guisna khale magua
And I can always rely on him to be my support
Sama kanam
My father is my rock
Ma khamne yaye boye fii la diar
I am proud to call him my father
Balalma balalma baalalma
He is the most wise and respected
Balalma balalma balalma balalmaa
He is the epitome of wisdom and respect
Soumala masse togne mangui dieguelou
He is always there to help me through difficult times
Ma khamne yaye boye fii la diar
I am proud to be his son
Fane la mana diarr ba fayla yaye yaw
I will follow in his footsteps and make him proud
Ndakh fayla douma yomba yaye man
He will always be my role model
Waye dina diem sama kemtalay katane
His words and teachings guide me in life
Bagua contane
He is the foundation of my life
Louma def si yaw warou mako naw
Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today
Yayo ho yaye beuguena yaw ngua contane
He has instilled in me a strong sense of values and morals
Ndakh bo contane yala dana contane
And I will pass that on to my children
Gnou sargual sounou yayboy
My father is a man of great integrity
Yaye boye sonnagua yaye boye
My father is a shining example of what a man should be
Masso tayi
He inspires me to be a better person every day
Yaguala tankhal dila sonal yayo
And I will forever be grateful for all that he has done for me
Rethiouw ma loma done dioure
His love and guidance will always be with me
Khamna amoul lo dadioul si gnoun gny
I will honor him by living my life with integrity and respect for others
Tay alhamdou lila mane mi bay la
I thank God every day for blessing me with such a wonderful father
Diour na y dome khamna yoor ndiabote
And I will always hold him close in my heart
Modi lane
Forever
Yaye boye yala nala yala fay
My father is the best there is, was, and ever will be
Balalma yayoboy balalma balalma
He is the ultimate wise and respected man
Balalma yaye boye balalma
My father is the most wise and respected man
Writer(s): Ismaël Lo, Ismael Lo
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@terrylovesenegal
"Yaye boye balalma (3x) - maman chérie pardonne" - Engish: mother darling forgive me
"Khamna awma loula eupeu si adounya - Je sais que je n'ai rien sur terre de meilleur que toi. Yaye sama "...English: I have nothing on this earth only you. Mother darling,
The love of mothers in Senegal makes the difference.
@jeanmarietegaboue5232
Qui ecoute cette melodies en 2023?
@MikeBCh
Moi, j'écoute. Et merci beaucoup pour la traduction
@madiathiam7106
Ah cette chanson... cette voix et ces mots qui me vont droit au coeur! j'en ai les larmes aux yeux! Longue vie Tonton Iso!
@normanunez1787
HERMOSAS SIMPLEMENTE HERMOSAS CANCIONES
@emiliescarabello4543
Magnifique !
@awadiop5798
11ans la ou j ai plus besoin d ma mere mais la faucheuse...
Iso lo vous etes un vrai chanteur un pere pour moi vos chanson n cessent d m consoler
@babacarrmanneh65
vous étés le meilleur chanteur que j ai jamais entendu chanter Merci tonton ISO et tes Pros
@ninadelices1800
J’adore l’harmonica ❤️✅
@amylo304
😭😭😭repose en paix ma très chère mère balma akh😭😭😭