Mahmoud Ahmed (Amharic: ማሕሙድ ኣሕመድ) (born May 8, 1941) is an Ethiopian singe… Read Full Bio ↴Mahmoud Ahmed (Amharic: ማሕሙድ ኣሕመድ) (born May 8, 1941) is an Ethiopian singer of Gurage ancestry. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mahmoud shined shoes in that city before becoming a handyman at the Arizona Club, where he first sang professionally in the early 1960s. He sang for the Imperial Body Guard Band until 1974, and recorded with other bands for the Amha and Kaifa record labels throughout the 1970s. He opened his own music store in Addis Ababa's Piazza district during the 1980s while he continued his singing career.

In addition to the Imperial Body Guard Band, Mahmoud has sung with the Ibex Band, the Venus Band, the Walias Band, the Idan Raichel Project, and the Roha Band over the course of his career. Since the late 1990s he has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in Europe and the Americas since Buda Musique launced the Ethiopiques series on compact disc, leading to new recordings and tours in Europe and the United States with Boston's Either/Orchestra

yèshèga lidj nègèr
Mahmoud Ahmed Lyrics

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Yeshega lidj neger meche yhonlgnal
Aysetegnm Tena enklf yenesagnal
Tena yenesagnal enflk yenesgnal
Yeshega lidj neger meche yhonlgnal
Aysetegnm Tena enklf yenesagnal
Tena yenesagnal enklf yenesagnal

Melelo melelo shinte kechachn

Kebat keterekez enken yeleushn
Lebes aychekenem aynes esuan ayto
Yeshega lidj neger ande anjete gebto
Ande anjete gebto ande anjete gebto
Ande anjete gebto ande anjete gebto

Yeshega lidj neger meche yhonlgnal
Aysetegnm Tena enklf yenesagnal
Tena yenesagnal enflk yenesgnal
Yeshega lidj neger meche yhonlgnal
Aysetegnm Tena enklf yenesagnal
Tena yenesagnal enklf yenesagnal

Kelbe yarefebat yefekir hahu menche
Yemenelketat keleloch ablche
Fikirn asnebebagn fikruan asnebebagn
Wedejat arefkugn fikrn asnebebagn

Fikrn asnebebagn fikrn asnebebagn
Fikrn asnebebagn fikrn asnebebagn

Overall Meaning

The song "Yeshega Lidj Neger" by Mahmoud Ahmed is a classic Amharic song from the 1970s that has become an iconic and timeless piece of Ethiopian music. The lyrics are about a person who is so deeply in love that they are willing to do anything to be with their lover. They describe how the person's heart is overflowing with love and affection and how they cannot bear to be without their loved one. The phrase "yeshega lidj neger" means "my heart is full of love" in Amharic, which is the language spoken in Ethiopia.

The opening lines of the song, "yeshega lidj neger meche yhonlgnal / aysetegnm tena enklf yenesagnal," can be translated to mean "my heart is full of love, flowing like a river / my eyes are filled with tears, thinking of you." The repetition of the phrase "tena yenesagnal enklf yenesagnal" emphasizes the intensity of the person's emotions, as they keep thinking about their loved one and their heart continues to overflow with emotion.

The second verse talks about how the person's mind is consumed by thoughts of their lover, to the point where they are unable to focus on anything else. The lines "melelo melelo shinte kechachn / kebat keterekez enken yeleushn" can be translated to mean "my mind is full of confusion / my thoughts are scattered and disorganized."

The chorus repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the theme of the song, which is the overpowering nature of love. The last verse talks about how the person's love for their partner is so strong that it transcends any obstacles or challenges they may face, and that their love will endure forever.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeshega lidj neger meche yhonlgnal
Deep inside the heart of a man lies a secret that he keeps hidden

Aysetegnm Tena enklf yenesagnal
He tries to forget the past and start anew

Tena yenesagnal enflk yenesgnal
But the memories keep haunting him day and night

Melelo melelo shinte kechachn
People talk and talk, but their words are like a passing wind

Kebat keterekez enken yeleushn
Their promises are empty and meaningless

Lebes aychekenem aynes esuan ayto
They live their lives without caring for others

Yeshega lidj neger ande anjete gebto
But deep down, they also have secrets they keep hidden

Ande anjete gebto ande anjete gebto
Secrets that they don't want to reveal to anyone

Kelbe yarefebat yefekir hahu menche
Thoughts and feelings are like a maze in the mind

Yemenelketat keleloch ablche
They lead us in different directions, uncertain and confusing

Fikirn asnebebagn fikruan asnebebagn
Love can bring happiness or pain