Opposite People
Newen Afrobeat feat. Seun Kuti & Cheick Tidiane Seck Lyrics
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Them go show themselves clear clear
Them go show o
Them go show o, them go show
Opposite people
Them go show themselves clear clear
Them go show
Anywhere them dey
Anywhere them dey
Them go show themselves
Opposite people
Everyone dey dance
Dey dance for enjoyment (Dey dance!)
Everyone dey talk
Dey talk for communication (Dey talk!)
Everyone dey hear
Dey hear for ideology (Dey hear!)
Everyone dey think
Dey think for him progress (Dey think!)
Now now but look am, him don show himself
Opposite people
I say look am, him don show himself
Opposite people
I say look am, him don show himself
Opposite people
I say look the thing him don show himself
Everyone dey dance, him go push
Everyone dey talk, him go shout
Everyone dey hear, him...
The lyrics of Newen Afrobeat feat. Seun Kuti & Cheick Tidiane Seck's song Opposite People are a commentary on the hypocrisy and contradictions in human behavior. The opening lines, "Them go show o, them go show, Opposite people," suggest that people will eventually reveal their true selves, regardless of how they try to hide their true nature. The repetition of the phrase "clear clear" emphasizes the certainty of this revelation.
The subsequent lines highlight the various ways in which people express themselves and their motivations. Dancing for enjoyment, talking for communication, hearing for ideology, and thinking for progress are all normal activities. However, the chorus suggests that some people will do the opposite of what is expected or socially accepted. These "opposite people" might push others while dancing or shout while talking, disrupting the status quo.
The final lines, "Now now but look am, him don show himself," suggest that these opposite people have already revealed themselves, and their behavior is not surprising. The song ultimately emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and not trying to hide behind a false facade.
Line by Line Meaning
Them go show o, them go show
They will reveal themselves, they will reveal themselves
Them go show themselves clear clear
They will reveal themselves clearly and unmistakably
Them go show o
They will reveal themselves
Opposite people
Those who are opposite or contradicting others
Them go show themselves clear clear
They will reveal themselves clearly and unmistakably
Them go show
They will reveal themselves
Anywhere them dey
Wherever they are
Anywhere them dey
Wherever they are
Them go show themselves
They will reveal themselves
Opposite people
Those who are opposite or contradicting others
Everyone dey dance
Everyone is dancing
Dey dance for enjoyment (Dey dance!)
They dance for entertainment purposes
Everyone dey talk
Everyone is talking
Dey talk for communication (Dey talk!)
They talk to express ideas and communicate
Everyone dey hear
Everyone is listening
Dey hear for ideology (Dey hear!)
They listen to understand or uphold a particular ideology
Everyone dey think
Everyone is thinking
Dey think for him progress (Dey think!)
They are thinking for their own personal growth and development
Now now but look am, him don show himself
Now, take a look, he has revealed himself
Opposite people
Those who are opposite or contradicting others
I say look am, him don show himself
I mean, just look, he has revealed himself
Opposite people
Those who are opposite or contradicting others
I say look am, him don show himself
I mean, just look, he has revealed himself
Opposite people
Those who are opposite or contradicting others
I say look the thing him don show himself
I mean, the fact is that he has revealed himself
Everyone dey dance, him go push
As everyone is dancing, he will forcefully push his way through
Everyone dey talk, him go shout
As everyone is talking, he will shout to make himself heard
Everyone dey hear, him...
As everyone is listening, he...
Writer(s): Fela Anikulapo Kuti
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@httohot
@@johnroach1101 These musicians are AMAZING and deserve way way way more praise and accolades but the main praise should go to Fela Kuti the original creator. He was a nigerian artist during turbulent times in Africa and a revolutionary of sorts. His music was his way of spreading his activism to the most people. Credit and praise should go to a man who was willing to risk it all in such an environment in order to make good music and spread a good message. Keep in mind that he lived through a period of time when the government was actively trying to commit genocide against the Igbo people (colonizer supplied jets literally targeted civilians and children were literally cut out of Igbo womens stomachs)
Fela, as an Igbo man, made music about all of this and more because he was a brave visionary. The government even had his mother thrown off the second story of her apartment but he was not dettered.
I have to vent so if you're interested in history read on, Fela Kuti's fight is not over, not by a long shot. If you want to see what I mean read on and look at these videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtzmiMD6e1c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fyu6-9o1mU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr5_X6msRmI
The British colonizers more or less created this situation when they would only allow independence under conditions that allowed them to maintain their economic interests at the expense of Nigeria's stability and welfare.
What they did to Nigeria was basically like forcing Germany and France (with their different cultures, religions and languages) to become one country as a trade off for gaining independence. This is done because there is Gold in France, but the colonizer knows the proud French wont allow the colonizer to exploit the gold. In response the colonizer literally only allows them to be independent only if they can merge the countries together and place a German leader in control of this new country. THE GERMANS HAVE STATED THEY DONT WANT INDEPENDENCE but the Germans, having an Islam based culture that values following those in power(no matter what), of course agree. Naturally with their culture being as it is, the Germans decide to take it as a sign that the colonizers want Germans to be in control of the new country FOREVER creating conflict that has lasted till today which includes a civil war and attempted genocide. Meanwhile, all the profits made from the Gold in France goes to a small handful of powerful people in Germany. Those profits do not even go to helping the frankly uneducated poor German people. Even today 60 years later the poorest part of the new merged country is Germany despite the majority of the money from Gold going to Germany.
spread love and peace brothers and sisters
@enobmah1955
I agree about this drummer......he must have perfect time, as Ginger Baker used to say. I do not think I would have learned about Newen Afrobeat, had I not been a lifelong fan of Ginger Baker, and even when he left England for Nigeria and set up his 16 track recording studio in the 1970's in , and his alliance with Fela Kuti began, I then came to know of what a giant Fela Kuti was for Nigerian music, and also African music in general. In looking for Fela Kuti on the internet, I was so happy to have met with the sound and the powerful rhythm of Newen .Afrobeat.
I am very sorry that their popularity is not very much in the United States. What are Newen Afrobeat doing now? I see they are alive and well and all the members are solid and unified year after year, but there are no recordings of their music being played on American radio, they are almost unknown in even New York.
I am sad to say, I have been a fan of theirs for maybe 2 years now,but I still have not known who they are. Their names are not mentioned anywhere in English publications, I never hear of their music being played anywhere despite how enjoyable it make us feel.
The few websites that are supposed to be dedicated to Newen Afrobeat I have sent notes to, asking for information for when they tour America and where a person can get CD's of their music, but there is no responding person on the other end!!
Very frustrating!!! But maybe it is better that they do not get too fantastically big. With big success comes big problems and big everything. They might lose their feeling if they were to get really WORLD popular in America,it could spoil the spirit that exists in their world for so many years already.
I wish these fine musicians and artists and to have a happy and long career making their happy and rhythmic sound together.
I just wish it were possible to get to know them a little better as people in a great band and hear them play live!! Maybe one of the band will read this and answer me?
@garethgriffiths8577
The drummer deserves a nobel peace prize for keeping everyone together ❤️
@987temo99945
Exactly,that drummer is soo cold blooded !!
@grexter28
He sure does
@eejitsu
"Center of the World", y'all......
@fortissimoX
Lol 😀
@kurthess9249
….Uhm…Wow…
@BySponten
When I first watched the video of this magnificent musical feast many years ago, I became addicted. And the only thing that hasn't changed after years is that I'm still addicted and I still haven't come across a video on this work that healed my ears. It's like it's playing at the entrance of heaven or the day you graduate from hell. A belated thank you to everyone who contributed.
@sNovaka
Drummer moves as a kid with absolute talent, whole band sounds like billion dollars. Amazing. Cannot stop listening.
@aaroncummins2752
Best drummer ever👌👌👍☺️❤️🐎
@diegodiaz8179
I've watched this a thousand times and it just gets better everytime. Probably the best "Music is the universal language" representation I've seen. Flawless