Letta Mbulu (Soweto, 23 August 1942) is a South African jazz singer born and rai… Read Full Bio ↴Letta Mbulu (Soweto, 23 August 1942) is a South African jazz singer born and raised in Soweto, South Africa. She has been active since the 1960s, but left South Africa due to Apartheid in 1965, paradoxically she moved to the U.S.A. another country where black people had been denied of basic human rights. In the U.S.A. she worked with Cannonball Adderley and Harry Belafonte. Her singing can also be heard in Roots (TV miniseries), The Color Purple, and she was a guest on a Season 6 episode of Soul Train.

Ade
Letta Mbulu Lyrics

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Ade sabela ke oh Ade

Ade ndonile na Ade? (Ndonile)
Ade ndonile na Ade? (Ndonile)

Wathula tu, tu (Woh wathula)
Kutheni na? (Kutheni na?)
Wathula tu, tu (Woh wathula)

Kutheni na? (Kutheni na?)

Ade ndenzeni na Ade? (Ndonile)
Ade ndenzeni na Ade? (Ndonile)

Wathula sthandwa (Woh wathula)
Ndikonile na? (Ndikonile?)
Wathula sthandwa (Woh wathula)
Ndikonile na? (Ndikonile?)

Maye, oh maye, weh maye (Maye, maye)
Maye, oh maye, weh maye (Maye, maye)

Ade ngabe ndonile?
Ade ngabe ndonile?

Ade sabela oh Ade (Ndonile?)
Ade ngithi sabela oh Ade (Ndonile?)

Wathula tu, tu (Woh wathula)
Kutheni na? (Kutheni na?)
Wathula tu, tu (Woh wathula)
Kutheni na? (Kutheni na?)

Maye, oh maye, oh maye, oh maye (Maye, maye)

Ngithi maye, oh maye, weh maye, oh maye (Maye, maye)
Maye, oh maye, oh maye, oh maye

Overall Meaning

The song "Ade" by Letta Mbulu is a beautiful invocation of the name Ade amidst a series of questions, musings, and emotional expressions. The repeated question "Ade ndonile na Ade?" means "Ade, have you seen me?" and is followed by the repetition of "wathula tu" ("be still, my love"), indicating a yearning for Ade's presence. The singer's melancholic tone emphasizes her desire and confusion about Ade's absence.

Through this song, Mbulu explores the symbolism associated with the name Ade, which is a unisex Yoruba name that means "crown" or "royalty." In African culture, the crown symbolizes power, wealth, and authority, which explains why the name Ade is closely associated with the attributes of a leader. The repeated use of the name Ade represents a search for something greater than oneself, something that carries power and authority. The song also has a universal appeal and can be interpreted as an invocation of a higher power or force, regardless of the listener's cultural background.

Overall, "Ade" is a beautifully crafted song that expresses the singer's longing for someone or something that she considers powerful and authoritative. The lyrics are simple yet evocative, and the music beautifully complements the emotional depth of the words.

Line by Line Meaning

Ade sabela ke oh Ade
Ade, protect me, oh Ade

Ade ndonile na Ade? (Ndonile)
Ade, have you found me, Ade? (I am found)

Wathula tu, tu (Woh wathula)
Be quiet, my love (Oh, be quiet)

Kutheni na? (Kutheni na?)
What's wrong? (What's wrong?)

Wathula tu, tu (Woh wathula)
Be quiet, my love (Oh, be quiet)

Kutheni na? (Kutheni na?)
What's wrong? (What's wrong?)

Ade ndenzeni na Ade? (Ndonile)
Ade, what have you done, Ade? (I am found)

Wathula sthandwa (Woh wathula)
Be quiet, my love (Oh, be quiet)

Ndikonile na? (Ndikonile?)
Have you seen me? (Have you seen me?)

Wathula sthandwa (Woh wathula)
Be quiet, my love (Oh, be quiet)

Ndikonile na? (Ndikonile?)
Have you seen me? (Have you seen me?)