Born to a Nigerian royal family in Ondo, Ade left grammar school to pursue his career, which began with Moses Olaiya’s Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band. He left to form The Green Spots in 1967. He formed a record label in 1974, fed up with being exploited by a major label. Beginning with Juju Music, Ade began gaining a wide following as Mango Records, a subsidiary of Island Records, released his albums. He was soon billed as the African Bob Marley, and headlined concerts in the US. Soon after, Nigerian imports (mostly pirated copies) of his massive back catalog began flooding the Western market. Island, concerned about sales and Adé’s refusal to include more English in his repertoire, cut him loose after his third LP, 1984’s Aura.
By the end of the 1980s, Ade’s star began to dim, and his albums sold less, though he continued to garner critical acclaim and widespread popularity in Africa. 1998’s Odu, a collection of traditional Yoruba songs, was nominated for a Grammy Award. He has also become one of the most powerful people in Nigeria, running multiple companies in several industries.
Dance Dance Dance
King Sunny Ade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dance away your sorrow
Dance dance dance
Dance away your sorrow
Such is life
Take it like that
Work and pray never break their rules
Such is life
Work and pray never break their rules
The truthfulness is bitter
We must say it
The truthfulness is bitter
We must say alright
Stay cool
Wait for your time
Stay cool
Wait for your time
Jealous but don't jealousy put you in a mess
The truthfulness is bitter
We must say it
The truthfulness is bitter
We must say hey
Stay cool
Wait for your time
Stay cool
Wait for your time
Jealous but don't jealousy put you in a mess
Ori buruku ko maa ni je temi
Baba gba adura wa
Ori buruku ko maa ni je temi o
Baba gba adura wa
Aki' ntori gbi gbo 'fe pa aja
Baba gba adura wa
Aki' tori kiko ka pa ro
Baba gba adura wa
Aki 'ntori were were e po 'bu ko
Bba gba adura wa
Ile ra aiye ta wa ko ni bi wa lono o
Baba gba adura wa
Tori bon' ko ku koma ni kun le'we
Baba gba adura wa
Eni ori buruku ko maa ni je temi
Baba gba adura wa
Ori buruku ko maa ni je temi
Baba gba adura wa
In "Dance Dance Dance," King Sunny Ade sings about the idea of dancing sorrow away as a way of coping with the harsh realities of life. He acknowledges that life can be tough and that people should be prepared to work hard and pray, but that ultimately they should learn to accept life's difficulties and move on. This is reflected in the repeated lines "Such is life, take it like that, work and pray never break their rules." The lyrics also suggest that though jealousy and bitterness might arise in one's interactions with others, it's essential to wait for your time, stay patient and cool, and avoid allowing those negative feelings to lead to destructive actions that could ruin relationships.
The use of Yoruba language in the lyrics gives the song a unique flavor and meaning, even for non-Yoruba speakers. The lines "Ori buruku ko maa ni je temi" and "Baba gba adura wa" translate to "I refuse to have evil destiny," and "Father, answer our prayers," respectively. These words emphasize the importance of prayer and seeking guidance from a higher power to guide one through the challenges of life.
Overall, "Dance Dance Dance" is a call to staying optimistic and persevering through life's difficulties, as it's a universal experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance dance dance
Encourages the listener to dance
Dance away your sorrow
Dancing is a way to forget your troubles
Such is life
Acknowledges the difficulties of life
Take it like that
Accept life with its ups and downs
Work and pray never break their rules
Advises the listener to work hard and pray, and to never give up
The truthfulness is bitter
Truth can be hard to accept
We must say it
Encourages honesty and facing reality
Stay cool
Reminds the listener to stay calm
Wait for your time
Encourages patience
Jealous but don't jealousy put you in a mess
Warns about the danger of jealousy
Ori buruku ko maa ni je temi
Translation: 'A bad head will not let me prosper'
Baba gba adura wa
Translation: 'God answer our prayers'
Aki' ntori gbi gbo 'fe pa aja
Translation: 'Because of greed, the rat killed the dog'
Aki' tori kiko ka pa ro
Translation: 'Because of impatience, the baby goat got lost'
Aki 'ntori were were e po 'bu ko
Translation: 'Because of foolishness, a snake bit its own tail'
Ile ra aiye ta wa ko ni bi wa lono o
Translation: 'The world is our home, we don't have any other place to stay'
Tori bon' ko ku koma ni kun le'we
Translation: 'Because death is inevitable, we should always be prepared'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carl Wilson, Brian Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Clarice
on Moti Mo
This was very helpful, thanks.
Iwaju
on Ekilo Fomo Ode
Each individual does their thing