In 1989, at age 22, Bona moved to Paris and soon began working with such leading French musicians as violinist Didier Lockwood and bassist Marc Ducret as well as such African stars as Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. During his seven years in Paris, Richard refined his writing skills while further immersing himself in the music of jazz greats like Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Ben Webster.
Since arriving in New York in 1995, bassist-vocalist-composer Richard Bona has been one of the most sought-after talents on the scene.
Ghana Blues
Richard Bona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mawo pomdom bi da bobe
Bodlan jon masi emi yen demba mongo ka budu
Yenibolo ebotinde bemba wo
Woko woko
Woko woko
Woko woko
lembe wa
Mawo pomdom bi da bobe
Bodlan jon masi emi yen demba mongo ka budu
Yenibolowe ebotinde wemba wo
Didje amoundja mi
Esela be bowa tete
Dis pas non non
Oma wa le nyollo nyolantshe
Lan loma dingui nidalajo
Dis pas non non
Dis pas non non
Don't say no no
Dis pas non non
Don't say no no
Nda le dekwo nawo
Dis pas non non
Don't say no no
Dis pas non non
Don't say no no
Ba kouko nde bandeko na yamakoudjou
Tse pa te kanemba nana wa
Woko woko
Woko woko
Woko woko
lembe wa
The lyrics of Ghana Blues by Richard Bona, Gerald Toto, and Lokua Kanza are in a language that is difficult to identify, but the words are captivating and intriguing. The song seems to be a tale or a story about a journey. The first verse talks about someone who is searching for something, and they have traveled far, but they're not finding what they're looking for. It feels like they're wandering aimlessly in search of something that may not exist. The second verse introduces some characters who seem to be helping the person searching. They're trying to guide the person in the right direction, but the message is confusing, and the person is having difficulty understanding it.
The chorus of the song is where the title comes in. The repetition of "Woko woko" and "Lembe wa" is catchy, and it seems to be a phrase that has some meaning in the story. The bridge of the song is also interesting, and it's more like a chant or a call and response sequence. The lyrics in this section are similarly ambiguous, but they suggest that the journey is difficult and that there are obstacles to overcome. It's not clear what those obstacles are, but the tone of the song suggests that they are significant challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Ba na siben don bouda mon ni mon bo la wa
When we come together, let's greet each other with love and respect
Mawo pomdom bi da bobe
We should cherish the moments we have together
Bodlan jon masi emi yen demba mongo ka budu
Let's be grateful for what we have and not focus on what we don't have
Yenibolo ebotinde bemba wo
We should come together in unity and work towards a common goal
Woko woko
Let's keep moving forward
Woko woko
Don't give up, keep pushing forward
Woko woko
No matter what challenges we may face, we will overcome them
lembe wa
Through perseverance and determination, we will succeed
Ba na siben don bouda ka ba mon ni la wa
We come together in unity and love to greet each other
Mawo pomdom bi da bobe
We treasure the time we have together
Bodlan jon masi emi yen demba mongo ka budu
We are content with what we have and don't focus on what we don't have
Yenibolowe ebotinde wemba wo
We work together as one to achieve our dreams
Didje amoundja mi
The sound of the music brings us together
Esela be bowa tete
The rhythm of the music brings joy and happiness to our hearts
Dis pas non non
Let's not say no to the joy and happiness that music brings
Oma wa le nyollo nyolantshe
Let's dance and celebrate the beauty of life
Lan loma dingui nidalajo
Let's come together and celebrate our culture and traditions
Dis pas non non
Let's not say no to the beauty of our culture and traditions
Dis pas non non
Let's embrace our culture and traditions with open hearts
Don't say no no
Let's not reject or dismiss our culture and traditions
Dis pas non non
Let's accept and embrace the diversity of our culture and traditions
Don't say no no
Let's not close our hearts or minds to the richness of our diverse culture
Nda le dekwo nawo
Let's come together and celebrate the beauty of our culture and traditions
Dis pas non non
Let's not say no to the unity and beauty that culture brings
Don't say no no
Let's not reject or dismiss the beauty of our culture and traditions
Dis pas non non
Let's embrace and celebrate the diversity of our culture and traditions
Don't say no no
Let's not dismiss or reject the richness of our diverse culture
Ba kouko nde bandeko na yamakoudjou
Let's come together and celebrate our shared heritage and history
Tse pa te kanemba nana wa
Let's not forget the struggles of our past and work towards a brighter future
Woko woko
Let's keep moving forward as we celebrate our past, present, and future
Woko woko
No matter what challenges we may face, let's keep pushing forward
Woko woko
We will overcome any obstacle as long as we work together in unity and love
lembe wa
Through perseverance and determination, we will achieve our dreams
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD BONA, GERALD GLOMBARD, KANZA LOKUA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alegriaaina9457
2023 des gens écoutent encore cette merveille ?😻🔥
@martinezossougbo32
2024 yeah
@renaudorcel8913
Hummmmmmm, sans voix, on écoute seulement, véritable miel du cerveau, Bravo les artistes
@valdokenyo5421
Richard Bona est un artiste hors catégorie
Bon sang
@brissijeanraph8008
Encore une fois, j'écoute, depuis des années, cette musique extraordinaire. C'est magique !
@proudgh482
U see our silly young Ghanaian musicians sleeping on highlife gold thank u Sir Richard Bona
@auhrvjzihvezjxhhvvsnjxhxhv
I don't understand a thing but wow!!!!!!!! This is just the level of complexicity and research I expect from a song. I love it!!!
@francisvilasmensah216
Bona's teacher was indeed Ghanaian
@sarsmbwaka9090
Un Cocktail vreuuuuuemmt 😍
@lebassaposeidon7443
Quel régal avec ces trois génies.