In Ghana in the 1950s, Teddy Osei (saxophone), Sol Amarfio (drums), Mamon Shareef and Farhan Freere (flute) played in a highlife band called The Star Gazers. They left to form The Comets, with Osei's brother Mac Tontoh on trumpet, and scored a hit in West Africa with their 1958 song "Pete Pete." In 1962 Osei moved to London to study music on a scholarship from the Ghanaian government. In 1964 he formed Cat's Paw, an early "world music" band that combined highlife, rock and soul. In 1969 he persuaded Amarfio and Tontoh to join him in London, and Osibisa was born.
The name Osibisa was described by the band members as meaning "criss cross rhythms that explode with happiness" but it actually comes from "osibisaba" the Fante word for highlife. Their style influenced many of the emerging African musicians over the last forty plus years.
Ojah Awake
Osibisa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Amanfuo ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
(Awake)
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Monsore oo Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Amanfuo ee Ogya aa
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
Ogya ee Ogya aa
Eeeee aaaaah
(Awake)
Spirit, Ogya is calling
Ogya eeee yiei
Yeeeee Ogya
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa
"Ojah Awake" is an instrumental piece by Osibisa, a Ghanaian and British Afro-pop band. The song starts with the repetition of "Ogya e," which in the Akan language means "fire." The chanting of "Ogya e" evokes a sense of urgency and the feeling of being called to action. The song progresses with the addition of more voices, a steady beat, and various instruments like the flute, drums, and horn. The arrangement of the instruments in the song is a fusion of traditional African rhythms and contemporary pop music.
The repetition of "Anoma koriwa" adds to the song's hypnotic effect. "Anoma" means "bird" in the Akan language, and "koriwa" is an onomatopoeic sound meant to imitate bird sounds. The chanting of "Anoma koriwa" creates the feeling of being surrounded by birds and being transported to nature. The ending of the song features an upbeat rhythm, with the repetition of "Ogya e" and "Anoma koriwa."
Line by Line Meaning
Ogya e (Ogya e) Ogya eeee
The spirit is calling with fire and urgency.
Ogya ee Ogya aa
The spirit of fire is calling out.
Eeeeeh eeeh ogya
The power of the spirit is intense and overwhelming.
Eeeee aaaaah
The sound of the spirit calling is deep and resonant.
Amanfuo ee Ogya aa
The spirit of fire calls out to the people.
Monsore oo Ogya aa
The spirit calls out to monks in prayer.
Anoma koriwa koriwa koriwa Anoma koriwa
The call of the spirit is repeated, echoing and expanding.
Spirit, Ogya is calling
The song is about the powerful force of the spirit, calling out to believers.
Writer(s): Osei, Tontoh, Amarfio, Gyan
Contributed by Zachary P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mackmack2259
The Osibisa band had visited India in the early 80's and this number ocha re ocha went on to become the nation's craze those days, when the young and teen indians used to tap on their feets like nothing... The most catchy line in this song was 'Aluma Kuliwa, Kuliwa, Kuliwa Aluma Kuliwa'... I just brushed off the memories of my teenage days after hearing this song almost after 4 decades.
@amitm1
Absolutely True.... My uncle went was a big fan... I heard of them from him where he used to play this on his panasonic cassette recorder. And got hooked on to it eversince I was 5.
@elvindsa6283
Absolutely true....even this is my father's favourite song and he remembers aluma kuliva kuliva
@loudnessloud8336
RIP MACK MACK😭😭😭😭
@dennis18ni
They played in Kochi ( Rajendra Maidan).
@_pramodchauhan
Campa Cola was one of the event sponsors. All their supply vans had the band painted at the rear.
@Marathi-hindi-Instrumental
Wow wow wow .....in 1983 we got this on cassette ....this was superhit in India as well
@bijuraja4657
I am also
@alokvashisht3098
I saw first live show on ground of India gate early 80's.... after 4 decades ...got a chance to hear the song again....... refresh childhood memories.....Great group...full of energy & rhythm
@Samueljohn95
Any asatha povadhu yaaru fans 🙌