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.
O Beta O Siba
Richard Bona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wa lo tè na mutu o na taka
Na sibi nu pèpè ka bwan
Choeur : Wa pè lo ya sala
Mito maladi bo
Lèmi makobi nya é na nya é
Mbémbé na mba ndutu o na
Lembo
Choeur : Linga é linga é djénga lamba
E sé nguinya mulema, wé na o wala ndo
Wa ndemba... na nda nda nda
Choeur : Yéna é yéna é djénga mbamba
Mama ndjika mulema, wéna o wala ndo.
Wé ma nguinto wé ni é na péla
Do la mimbu o wassa ndutu
Wa loté mba mutu o na boko
Si té pa la
Choeur : Wa pélo ya sala, mi to maladi bo
Lé mi makobi nya é na nya é
Wélissanè longo dè passa
Ndutu é Peepee é na
Lembo.
Mu longui na nguéa mbengué
I tu wé na mba moto
Na o tondi ma djita
Choeur : Ba ndé ko mbengué
Ba pulè ya ndé wa kwedi, na la di motema
Choeur : I ya motombo séngué mba
Ndutu nyé mba mulema, muto wa.
Endalè, wengué wè o wala
Na mba ndutu, mulema n'wo n'wo
Maladi nyolo, pupu o na, bemba na bongo djita !
Wuba ndé nga n'kwolo, sénga to nè mbala dé wo
Malongo o wonè o sibè ya la wanè é sika la ma ngando na bato wa.
Choeur : Kulo i né bala i né kulo i né bato wa
O nongo miléma'm ma bato, o beta o siba o nongo na ma poko ma bato... woko !
Choeur : Kulo i né bala i né kulo i né bato wa.
Peepee o na lu, ébandé ngo mbènguè.
Mbana, malondo o woné o sibé ya la wanè sika la ma ngando, na bato wa.
Choeur : Kulo i né bala i né kulo i né bato wa.
Ba la bé tunga musinga né ni na wono mbengué o sengué, mutu o na bèlè wa.
Bwa ndé ngo la la, ma'm ma to tilé ya mba.
Choeur : Yé té na bèlè wa i yé yè.
The lyrics to Richard Bona's song O Beta O Siba are a mix of different African languages and dialects, making it difficult to provide a direct translation. However, the overall message of the song seems to be about the struggle and hardships of life, and the importance of perseverance and coming together as a community to overcome them.
The choral repetition of "Wa pè lo ya sala, mito maladi bo" could be interpreted as a call to action for listeners to support one another during difficult times. The verse "Na sibi nu pèpè ka bwan" could be referring to the power of unity, as "sibi" means "together" in certain African languages.
Throughout the song, there are references to illness, pain, and struggle, but also a sense of hope and resilience. The lyrics "O beta o siba o nongo na ma poko ma bato" could be translated as "Even if you're struggling, keep moving forward and don't give up."
Overall, O Beta O Siba seems to be a song of encouragement and motivation for those facing tough times and a reminder of the strength of community and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
Bolamba madiba nya m'wo
The breeze is blowing gently
Wa lo tè na mutu o na taka
And as it touches my face and my shoulders
Na sibi nu pèpè ka bwan
I feel love all around me
Choeur : Wa pè lo ya sala
Come and join the dance
Mito maladi bo
And forget all your troubles
Lèmi makobi nya é na nya é
The rhythm is pounding in my ears
Wélissanè longo dé passa
As we move our bodies in unison
Mbémbé na mba ndutu o na
Feeling the beat pulsating through my blood
Lembo
I surrender to the music
Choeur : Linga é linga é djénga lamba
Let's dance with our souls and our bodies
E sé nguinya mulema, wé na o wala ndo
The sweet sound of the music takes me away
Wa ndemba... na nda nda nda
And I forget all my problems
Choeur : Yéna é yéna é djénga mbamba
Let's dance with passion and fire
Mama ndjika mulema, wéna o wala ndo.
The rhythm of the motherland takes me away
Wé ma nguinto wé ni é na péla
The sound of the drum fills my heart
Do la mimbu o wassa ndutu
As we move our feet to the beat
Wa loté mba mutu o na boko
And I feel my soul and body come together
Si té pa la
Everything else fades away
Choeur : Wa pélo ya sala, mi to maladi bo
Come and join the dance, and forget all your troubles
Ndutu é Peepee é na
The rhythm is pulsating through my veins
Mu longui na nguéa mbengué
And the sound of the drum echoes in the night
I tu wé na mba moto
As we dance around the fire
Na o tondi ma djita
I feel the beat in my bones
Choeur : Ba ndé ko mbengué
Let the drum guide our steps
Ba pulè ya ndé wa kwedi, na la di motema
Let's move our bodies with grace and passion
Choeur : I ya motombo séngué mba
The rhythm of the earth pulses through me
Ndutu nyé mba mulema, muto wa.
As my soul and body unite
Endalè, wengué wè o wala
And as we dance and move together
Na mba ndutu, mulema n'wo n'wo
I feel the rhythm of my heart and soul
Maladi nyolo, pupu o na, bemba na bongo djita !
Forget about your problems, and let yourself be carried away by the music!
Wuba ndé nga n'kwolo, sénga to nè mbala dé wo
Let your spirit soar, as we dance under the moonlight
Malongo o wonè o sibè ya la wanè é sika la ma ngando na bato wa.
The beauty of the night and the rhythm of the music unite us
Choeur : Kulo i né bala i né kulo i né bato wa
Let's dance together as one under the stars
O nongo miléma'm ma bato, o beta o siba o nongo na ma poko ma bato... woko !
Let the music wash over us, and let us be one with each other and the world... now!
Choeur : Kulo i né bala i né kulo i né bato wa.
Let's dance together as one under the stars.
Peepee o na lu, ébandé ngo mbènguè.
As we dance and move together, the rhythm sets us free.
Mbana, malondo o woné o sibé ya la wanè sika la ma ngando, na bato wa.
Children of the motherland, let the rhythm of the night guide us.
Choeur : Kulo i né bala i né kulo i né bato wa.
Let's dance together as one under the stars.
Ba la bé tunga musinga né ni na wono mbengué o sengué, mutu o na bèlè wa.
Let's move our bodies to the beat of the drum, and let our souls be free.
Bwa ndé ngo la la, ma'm ma to tilé ya mba.
Let's keep on dancing, until the morning light.
Choeur : Yé té na bèlè wa i yé yè.
Let our bodies and souls be free.
Contributed by Austin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
George Nyavor
on Dunia E
omg!!! I have been looking for the meaning of this masterpiece that hits my spirits so hard and yet so comforting. Thanks Nathaniel for what you are doing. i am a Ghanaian and since I discovered Richard Bona, he assumed some sort of revered status in my mind. The guy is good and talented! Thanks so much for bringing the meaning of Suninga too. I wish I can pay you cos at some I linked up with a few friends from Cameroon. They didn't help much since they said the language of the song is not what they speak. I am grateful for this.
Nguebeh Collyn
on Souleymane
Mulema is a name
Yeikete is another name and means something unknown or undefined
They talk about us but we don't know what they're saying
It's a secret language that they're using
They talk about us but we can feel the energy of the gossip
We are not part of their discussion
There is a lot of drama and intrigue surrounding us
We try to stay grounded and not let their gossip affect us
We are caught in the middle of something we don't fully understand
We are not part of their conversation
We are surrounded by people who talk about us, and it makes us feel uncomfortable
We feel small and insignificant in the face of their gossip
Their gossip is like a snake that creeps up on us from behind
We feel helpless and vulnerable to their criticism
Mulema is still a part of this gossip
Yeikete is still here too
They are still talking about us
Their secret language still leaves us in the dark
We are still trying to absorb their negative energy
We still don't really know what they're saying
The drama and intrigue still surround us
We are still trying to stay grounded
We are still in the middle of something that is confusing and uncomfortable
Their conversation is about to come to an end
There is an interruption in their conversation
Someone is trying to change the subject or end the conversation
A car comes to a screeching halt nearby
The conversation comes to a complete stop
Someone interrupts to ask who we are
Our name is Souleymane, and we introduce ourselves
We repeat our name to make sure they understand
We are still part of this discussion but now we're taking control of the conversation
We are no longer in the dark about what they're talking about
We repeat our name with confidence
We are proud of who we are, even though others might not understand us
We are the ones who decide what we want to say
Our words are like flames that cannot be extinguished
We speak with authority and power
Our words echo like the beating of a drum
We are still part of this conversation, but now we are leading it
We know what they're saying, and we're not afraid
We are using our words to bring people together
Our words are a call to action
Our words are fierce and powerful
We are inspiring others to find their own voice
Our name is Souleymane, and we are taking control of this conversation
We are confident and empowered
We are no longer just part of this conversation, but leading it
We are no longer in the dark about what they're saying
We are unafraid and proud of who we are
We are taking control and making our voices heard
We are leading this conversation with power and authority
We have taken control of this conversation and will not be silenced
We are proud of who we are and will never be silenced
We are unafraid to speak up and make our voices heard
We are the ones who control the conversation now
We are the ones who will be remembered, not those who gossip about us
Our words have power and will inspire others to speak up too
Claudio
on Invocation
Lyric of Invocation is wrong. The lyric is from other song called "Dina Lam" and is the chorus of that song, from 2'47''. You can see that.