Papa Wemba was one of the very first musicians to join the influential Soukous band, Zaiko Langa Langa when it was created on December 24, 1969 in Kinshasa (Capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) along with such well known Congolese musicians as Nyoka Longo Jossart, Manuaku Pepe Felly, Evoloko Lay Lay, Teddy Sukamu, Zamuangana Enock, Mavuela Simeon, and others.
In a Congolese musical world dominated at the time by Franco Luambo and his remarkable band TPOK Jazz, Tabu Ley Rochereau's Afrisa, and by then-new musical groups like Les Grands Maquisards, Le Trio Madjesi, and even younger bands like Bella-Bella, Thu Zaina and Empire Bakuba, the young and talented Papa Wemba (then known as Jules Presley Shungu Wembadio), was one of the driving forces that by 1973 made Zaiko Langa Langa one of the most-performing dominant Congolese groups, featuring such popular numbers as "Chouchouna" (Papa Wemba), "Eluzam" and " Mbeya Mbeya" (Evoloko Lay Lay), "BP ya Munu" (Efonge Gina) and "Zania" (Mavuela Somo).
In December 1974, at the pinnacle of their fame (and just a month after the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa), Shungu Wembadio (Papa Wemba), along with Evoloko Lay Lay, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana (who'd joined Zaiko Langa Langa a year earlier), left Zaiko Langa Langa to establish their own musical ensemble Isifi Lokole, ISIFI being an acronym for "Institut de Savoir Ideologique pour la Formation des Idoles." In July 1975, Shungu Wembadio officially adopted the soon-to-be-well-known worldwide artist name Papa Wemba, the addition of "Papa" (father) an allusion to what were in fact rather awesome family responsiblities as the first son in a family where both father and mother (Wemba's parents) had been deceased since the 1960s.
The "feux d'artifice" (fireworks) that was Isifi Lokole would only last a year, with the single "Amazone" (Papa Wemba) as its biggest commercial "hit" record. In November 1975, Papa Wemba, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana abandoned Evoloko Lay Lay and Isifi Lokole to create the group Yoka Lokole (also known as The Kinshasha All-Stars, or Lokole Isifi, or simply Isifi), along with Mbuta Mashakado, another Zaiko Langa Langa 'transfusion.' Yoka Lokole enjoyed slightly less popular success than the original Isifi Lokole, but for a time still managed to remain at the top the African pop music wave with hit songs like "Matembele Bangui", "Lisuma ya Zazu" (Papa Wemba), "Mavuela Sala Keba", and "Bana Kin" (Mavuela Somo).
Like Isifi Lokole, the electronic-instrument driven Yoka Lokole (or The Kinshasha All-Stars) would not last much longer than a year, given the merger of so many big-name talents in the band's lineup. After a year of modest success, controversies within Yoka Lokole over money and prestige (complicated by Wemba's arrest and brief incarceration in Kinshasa Central prison in December 1976 for the 'crime' of being suspected of having had physical intimacy with an influential army general's daughter) would lead Papa Wemba, then feeling diminished by peers and neglected by the public, to form his own group Viva la Musica in February 1977.
At his home in the Matonge neighborhood of Kinshasa, Papa Wemba structured Viva la Musica around young talented artists like singers Kisangani Esperant, Jadot le Cambodgien, Pepe Bipoli and Petit Aziza, guitarists Rigo Star, Syriana, and Bongo Wende. The group had nearly instantaneous success, with hit songs like "Mere Superieure," "Mabele Mokonzi," "Bokulaka," "Princesse ya Sinza," and others.
During the height of his success in 1977, Papa Wemba's family home, which had become a popular, some even said hallowed/special place for Matonge youths to gather "à la mode" (i.e., to be cool) was named the "Village Molokai," and Wemba assumed the exalted moniker "Chef Coutumier" (Chief) of the Village of Molokai. In those days people referred to Papa Wemba as the "chief from the heartland (village)" to differentiate him from Kinshasa-born musical bigshots Mavuela Somo and Mashakado. However years later Mavuela would say that their difficulties only simply amounted to trivial foolishness over money, ambition and fame between some very-young people (that at the time they all were).
Since 1977, Viva la Musica has seen both the 'defections' of musicians every two or three years and the entrée and emergence of other new talents. King Kester Emeneya (1977-1982), Koffi Olomide (1978-1979), Djuna Djanana (1978-1981), Dindo Yogo (1979-1981), Maray-Maray (1980-1984), Lidjo Kwempa (1982-2001), Reddy Amissi (1982-2001), Stino Mubi (1983-2001) are among the currently well-known Congolese musicians who have served at one time or another with Viva la Musica. An old Kinshasa anecdote says that a college student then-named Antoine Agbepa Koffi was such an impressive songwriter that one day in 1977 Papa Wemba exhorted, "Ooh! l'homme idee" (Oh! the idea-man!) thereby on-the-spot renaming the impressive young singer-songwriter Koffi 'Olomide'--and the name stuck!
After the wave of African emigration to Europe in the 1990s, Wemba maintained one group in Kinshasa (called at times "Nouvelle Ecriture," "Nouvel Ecrita," and now again "Viva la Musica") and another one in Paris ("Nouvelle Generation," "La Cour des Grands," and now "Viva Tendance"). He has also consistently maintained a very high profile in World Music with such great hits as "L'Esclave" (1986), "Le Voyageur, Maria Valencia" (1992), "Foridoles, Dixieme Commandement" (1994), "Emotion" (1995), "Pole Position" (1996), "Fula Ngenge" (1999), "Bakala dia Kuba" (2001), and "Somo Trop" (2003). Many would assign Wemba the status of African-music "living legend," as few others in history could claim (Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Miriam Makeba certainly among them).
Papa Wemba is also known as an actor. In 1987, he played the male lead role in the successful Zairean (Congolese) film La Vie est Belle by Belgian director Benoit Lami and Congolese producer-director Ngangura Mweze.
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Papa Wemba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
i keep singing them sad sad sad songs
sad songs are all i know.
I keep singing them sad, sad, sad songs
sad songs are all i know.
anybody can sing it any all time.
it touches your heart, put you in a grove
so when you sing this song it will make your whole body
moving, babeous.
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Sure does
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
your turn
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
its a lovely song y'all
It gets a lot of over
you got to feel the message
its a lovely, lovely my baby
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
it moves like this
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Taste like sugar
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
In Papa Wemba's song Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa, the repetition of "Fa" serves as a filler, connecting the verses and chorus. The song expresses a deep-seated sadness through its lyrics. Papa Wemba sings that all he knows are sad songs, and he keeps singing them. He also shares that the song has a sweet melody that anyone can sing, anytime. It touches the heart, puts you in a groove, and makes the whole body move. The song portrays an all-encompassing sadness that is hard to shake off but is soothed by music.
One can interpret the song to be a lamentation that reflects the struggles and pains of life. It's a message that says, even though we may experience sadness, and hardships, we can also find solace in music. The song is an expression of the emotions that come from losing oneself in music, forgetting all the troubles in the world and just grooving to the sound of the melody. The song's rhythm is upbeat, and it has a sound that settles well in the soul, promoting healing from sadness and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Repetition of the nonsensical syllables 'Fa' to create a catchy tune.
i keep singing them sad sad sad songs
My repertoire consists of sorrowful melodies.
with has a sweet melody, tonight
The tune possesses a sugary essence that one can enjoy at any hour.
anybody can sing it any all time.
It's effortless and for everyone to join in at any moment.
it touches your heart, put you in a grove
The lyrics and rhythm incite strong emotions that put you in a trance-like state.
so when you sing this song it will make your whole body moving, babeous.
Singing this song compels your whole body to groove and sway in the most delightful way, my dear.
Sure does
Indeed it does.
your turn
It's your moment to join in the singing.
its a lovely song y'all
This is a beautiful piece of music, my friends.
It gets a lot of over
This song is popular and well-known.
you got to feel the message
You need to understand and connect with the lyrics' purpose.
its a lovely, lovely my baby
My dear, this is such a delightful and charming tune.
it moves like this
The melody progresses in a specific way.
Taste like sugar
Similar to sugar, this song is sugary sweet and enjoyable.
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa
Repeated for the same reason given previously.
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rock john
RIP papa Wemba, merci pour les emotions que tu m'as fait vivre depuis mon enfance. Repose en paix tu seras toujours dans nos coeurs.
urbinoz
Le grand maître de la rumba s'en est allé, mais ses oeuvres restent et pendant longtemps encore on se souviendra de lui , chapeau digne fils d'afrique.
Hervey Kalenga
Une chanson très sensationnelle, qui par dessus tout a bercé mon enfance. Repose en paix papa wemba
Leon Pierre Barbera-Isaac
Un pur classique 🔥🔥
Avant qu'il ne décède je pensais que c'était une chanson américaine vu que je l'avais déjà entendue dans des films et des pub.
Don Christ Tuala
Ça l'est ! C'est une reprise d'Otis Redding
Annie AG
@Don Christ Tuala Ah je savais pas pendant toutes ces année wow tu viens de me l'apprendre. J'irai écouter l'originale voir mais j'adore la version de papa wemba.
Patrick Kalambayi
RIP le Roi de la Rumba. Nous ne t'oublierons jamais Papa. L'héritage que tu nous laisses est une richesse incommensurable. Merci pour tout.
Vivien Yoka
Le mec a fait du JAZZ, chapeau vieux PÈRE. J'espère que tu les fais bien tous bouger la HAUT🎉
Roy BOUILA
R.I.P. Papa Wemba, très grand artiste. Tu nous manqueras à jamais, mais tu resteras inoubliable...
William patrick Ido
papa wemba, l'artiste, l'icone, ta voix est unique.. tu nous as beaucoup marqué et tu restes pour moi et certainement pour toute l'afrique le meilleur musicien.. aurevoir .. on t'aimera toujours PAPA..