He was outcast by his family & ostracized by the community, because he was an albino - a sign of bad luck in Mandinka culture. In 1967, he left Djoliba for Bamako, where he joined the government sponsored Super Rail Band de Bamako (aka Super Rail Band). In 1973, Keita joined the group Les Ambassadeurs. Keita and Les Ambassadeurs fled political unrest in Mali during the mid-1970s for Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire & changed the group's name to Les Ambassadeurs Internationales. The reputation of Les Ambassadeurs Internationales rose to the international level in the 1970s and in 1977 Keita received a National Order award from the president of Guinea, Sékou Touré.
Keita moved to Paris in 1984 to reach a larger audience. His music combines traditional West African music styles with influences from both Europe and the Americas, while maintaining an overall Islamic style. Musical instruments that are commonly featured in Keita's work include balafon, djembe, guitar, kora, organ, saxophone, and synthesizer.
His latest album, M'Bemba, was released in October 2005.
This 'Bio' is copied from the Salif Keita page. Apparently there is question about the correct spelling of his name (with single or double dotted i).
Dery
Salif Keïta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ni ye ne diye finye
Ni ye N'diyagne Koye
Ni bole N'diyafinna
Cherie Bo o bo a nala
Aye n'diye finye
Cherie bo o bo anala
Ale yarabini n'fana yarabila
N'diya namo barra na
Aba voyager abawa voyage la
Kelena kouma nale n'ma
Aba voyage nadon wara voyage djan na
Kelena tamaa nela maloyala
Aba voyage ondoni bara bouger
Na bougera na tara voyage la
Na an ma gnoniena ote ben
Je veux te cherche
N'Ma kono sa
N'Ma kono
Je veux te trouve
An n'ma kono, n'ma kono, n'ma kono,
N'ma kono N'tena mena feou
Demoussou tigui lou Djonnin ye kounefe fa
N'ko Dembatigui lou N'kon djon koune fe N'fa
Demoussonin bebolo amalo ke min bata
Adibe mokolon ma adibe mossobe ma tegnaye
Fiba dounia yoro tegue donninke djonin yi kounnefe
N'diyanamo benin herelelo
Je veux te chercher
N'ma kono sa
N'ma kon An n'ma kono, n'ma kono, n'ma kono,
N'ma kono netena mena fewou
Ou va se marie
Je veux te chercher, je te trouver
On va se marie
Je veux te chercher
Niye N'diyagne finye
Ni tene diyagne kola
Ni ye ne diye finye
Ni bolen N'diyagne finla
Cherie bo o bo aye
Aye n'diya nafin ye
Cherie bo o bo a bara na
N'diyanamo benin yerelelo
I bawa Bamako,
N'doni bawa Segou,
Ibawa Mopti, he bawa Kayes N'fa
N'diya namo fonga soro wodo
Ibawa karifa bougouya Ne diwa Karafibougouya
Ibawa kankan djelmandi ibawa kankan tala ndiwa
Ndiwa kankan kamasoro woto
N'na le sara kan to Kankan N'mala wili oma
Je veux te cherche
N'no no no no (repeat)
No no no N'teme
No N'teme voyage la
N'tenamena kile ton koyan
On va se marie
Je veux te chercher
N'Makono sa allah diyanamo N'kono
An makono makono Makono Makono N'tenamena fewou
N'ma kono Allah Diyanamo N'ma kono
Yan Ma n'makono, n'makono, n'makono n'makono, n'makono
Je veux te chercher
Je veux te trouver
No no no (Repeat)
On va se marie
An newato voyage las
Cherie nekembie tognola
Salif Keita's song Dery is sung in the Manding language of West Africa, and many of the lyrics can be hard to understand without a deep familiarity with the phrases and expressions of that language. The general theme of Dery, as in much of Salif Keita's music, is a longing for connection and love, mixed with a sense of wanderlust and a desire to travel and explore.
The repeated phrase "Niye N'diyagne finye / Ni ye ne diye finye / Ni ye N'diyagne Koye / Ni bole N'diyafinna" expresses the desire for someone to be found and the longing that the singer feels for them. The line "Cherie Bo o bo a nala" roughly translates to "Love, come into my arms," and the following lines continue the theme of searching and wandering.
The song also references various places in West Africa, including the cities of Bamako, Segou, Mopti, and Kayes. Each of these places is beloved in the popular imagination of West Africa, and the inclusion of them in the song adds to the sense of yearning and wanting to see and experience more of the world.
Overall, Dery is a complex and deep song that captures a variety of emotions and experiences. It is both a love song and a song about the spirit of adventure and exploration, and it showcases Salif Keita's unique ability to make music that speaks to people across linguistic and cultural divides.
Line by Line Meaning
Niye N'diyagne finye
I'm searching for you
Ni ye ne diye finye
I'm looking for you
Ni ye N'diyagne Koye
I've been searching for you a long time
Ni bole N'diyafinna
I've been calling your name
Cherie Bo o bo a nala
Darling, can you hear me?
Aye n'diye finye
I'm still looking for you
Cherie bo o bo anala
Darling, can you come closer?
Ale yarabini n'fana yarabila
Oh God, help me find my love
An lone nara lone le bara na fa
I'm still alone and don't know what to do
N'diya namo barra na
I'm lost in this big world
Aba voyager abawa voyage la
I'm traveling, searching for you
Kelena kouma nale n'ma
I have nothing but myself
Aba voyage nadon wara voyage djan na
Traveling here and there, but without any luck
Kelena tamaa nela maloyala
My heart is heavy with sadness
Aba voyage ondoni bara bouger
Still traveling, looking for an answer
Na bougera na tara voyage la
I won't stop moving until I find you
Na an ma gnoniena ote ben
Even if I have to go through pain, I'll keep searching for you
Je veux te cherche
I want to find you
N'Ma kono sa
In my heart
N'Ma kono
In my heart
Je veux te trouve
I want to find you
An n'ma kono, n'ma kono, n'ma kono,
In my heart, in my heart, in my heart
N'ma kono N'tena mena feou
In my heart, I feel the warmth of your love
Demoussou tigui lou Djonnin ye kounefe fa
The demon spirit of fear haunts me in the dark
N'ko Dembatigui lou N'kon djon koune fe N'fa
The demon of doubt whispers in my ear
Demoussonin bebolo amalo ke min bata
The demon of confusion causes chaos in my mind
Adibe mokolon ma adibe mossobe ma tegnaye
I must resist these demons
Fiba dounia yoro tegue donninke djonin yi kounnefe
In this world, there are many such struggles
N'diyanamo benin herelelo
I'm on a journey to find you
Ou va se marie
Where will we get married?
Ni tene diyagne kola
I wonder where you are
Ni ye ne diye finye
I'm still searching for you
Ni bolen N'diyagne finla
I'm still calling your name
I bawa Bamako,
I'm in Bamako
N'doni bawa Segou,
I'll be in Segou
Ibawa Mopti, he bawa Kayes N'fa
I'll visit Mopti and Kayes
N'diya namo fonga soro wodo
I'm traveling to find you
Ibawa karifa bougouya Ne diwa Karafibougouya
I'll go to Karafibougouya to look for you
Ibawa kankan djelmandi ibawa kankan tala ndiwa
I'll go to Kankan
Ndiwa kankan kamasoro woto
Looking for you in Kamasoro
N'na le sara kan to Kankan N'mala wili oma
I'll keep searching for you in Kankan until I find you
N'no no no no (repeat)
I won't give up until I find you
No no no N'teme
No, I won't give up
No N'teme voyage la
I won't stop searching
N'tenamena kile ton koyan
I'll find you, whatever it takes
An newato voyage las
I'm still searching, looking for you
Cherie nekembie tognola
Darling, don't leave me alone
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MANFILA KANTE, SALIF KEITA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@saraman1231
For those interested, this is the translation:
This is my sweetheart
This is my sweetheart
This is the one I love
This looks like my sweetheart
Cherie Bo has arrived, she is my sweetheart
Cherie Bo has come back.
She fell in love (with me), I fell in love (with her) too.
Ah! My sweetie has come; my sweetie is here
My darling is here
When she is away, when she travels,
Self-talk becomes my lot
When she leaves for a long journey,
It's a shame to walk by myself.
She's left for a trip; ooh my sweetie's moved away (from me)
When she does so,
Not seeing each other becomes unbearable.
I am going to look for you
Please wait for me
Wait for me
I am gonna find you
Please wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
Parents of daughters, human beings have gone astray
Parents, I say, human beings have gone astray
You do not know the kind of man who is going to marry your daughter
Whether you are a bad or a good person, you are on your own
Unless you've got some life experience
Human beings are led astray
Happiness is what fits my darling
I am gonna look for you
Please wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
We are gonna get married
I am gonna look for you; I am gonna find you
We're gonna get married
I am gonna look for you
This is my sweetheart
This remains what I love
This is my sweetheart
This looks like my sweetheart
This is Cherie Bo ; she is my sweetheart
Cherie Bo has come back
Happiness is what fits my darling
Whether you go to Bamako (Capital City of Mali) my sweetie, or Segou (a city in central Mali), or Mopti (a city in Northern Mali) or Kayes (a city in Western Mali)
Blessings will come over you my darling.
If you go to Kerfabougouya (a town near the city of Kankan in Upper Guinea, Guinea Conakry), I shall go to Kerfabougouya
If you go to Kankan (a city in Upper Guinea), my beloved if you go on a trip to Kankan, I shall go to Kankan
I shall go to Kankan so that blessings pour upon me
I am back from Kankan, I could not help it
I am gonna look for you
No! No, no no no, no
No, no, no, no no I could not stay long
I could not stay that long leaving you behind here.
We're gonna get married
I am gonna look for you
Please wait for me, God's beloved, wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
Please wait for me, God's beloved, wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
We are gonna get married
I am gonna look for you;
I am gonna find you
No. no. no. no
We're gonna get married
@lilas2s600
Niye N'diyagne finye
Ni ye ne diye finye
Ni ye N'diyagne Koye
Ni bole N'diyafinna
Cherie Bo o bo a nala
Aye n'diye finye
Cherie bo o bo anala
Ale yarabini n'fana yarabila
An lone nara lone le bara na fa
N'diya namo barra na
Aba voyager abawa voyage la
Kelena kouma nale n'ma
Aba voyage nadon wara voyage djan na
Kelena tamaa nela maloyala
Aba voyage ondoni bara bouger
Na bougera na tara voyage la
Na an ma gnoniena ote ben
Je veux te cherche
N'Ma kono sa
N'Ma kono
Je veux te trouve
An n'ma kono, n'ma kono, n'ma kono,
N'ma kono N'tena mena feou
Demoussou tigui lou Djonnin ye kounefe fa
N'ko Dembatigui lou N'kon djon koune fe N'fa
Demoussonin bebolo amalo ke min bata
Adibe mokolon ma adibe mossobe ma tegnaye
Fiba dounia yoro tegue donninke djonin yi kounnefe
N'diyanamo benin herelelo
Je veux te chercher
N'ma kono sa
N'ma kon An n'ma kono, n'ma kono, n'ma kono,
N'ma kono netena mena fewou
Ou va se marie
Je veux te chercher, je te trouver
On va se marie
Je veux te chercher
Niye N'diyagne finye
Ni tene diyagne kola
Ni ye ne diye finye
Ni bolen N'diyagne finla
Cherie bo o bo aye
Aye n'diya nafin ye
Cherie bo o bo a bara na
N'diyanamo benin yerelelo
I bawa Bamako,
N'doni bawa Segou,
Ibawa Mopti, he bawa Kayes N'fa
N'diya namo fonga soro wodo
Ibawa karifa bougouya Ne diwa Karafibougouya
Ibawa kankan djelmandi ibawa kankan tala ndiwa
Ndiwa kankan kamasoro woto
N'na le sara kan to Kankan N'mala wili oma
Je veux te cherche
N'no no no no (repeat)
No no no N'teme
No N'teme voyage la
N'tenamena kile ton koyan
On va se marie
Je veux te chercher
N'Makono sa allah diyanamo N'kono
An makono makono Makono Makono N'tenamena fewou
N'ma kono Allah Diyanamo N'ma kono
Yan Ma n'makono, n'makono, n'makono n'makono, n'makono
Je veux te chercher
Je veux te trouver
No no no (Repeat)
On va se marie
An newato voyage las
Cherie nekembie tognola
@adolphekoffikonan8376
Si seulement je comprenais ! C'est magnifique !
@adolphekoffikonan8376
Tu es le meilleur Salif. Merci pour cette mélodie. Bravo !
@burtburt6445
Cette chanson est tout simplement parfaite. La melodie les paroles...tu es et resteras le maitre de la music mandingue d Afrique.qui l ecoute toujours en fevrier 2020?
@zeinatraore7207
Salif keita j adore tout ses mélodie me met au paradis
@aissatoudiallo7318
J'aime toutes ses chansons. Si tu comprends le contenu, tu vas l'adorer pour toujours.
Il a bien dit que ses chansons sont à écouter. Il est vraiment magnifique.
@saraman1231
For those interested, this is the translation:
This is my sweetheart
This is my sweetheart
This is the one I love
This looks like my sweetheart
Cherie Bo has arrived, she is my sweetheart
Cherie Bo has come back.
She fell in love (with me), I fell in love (with her) too.
Ah! My sweetie has come; my sweetie is here
My darling is here
When she is away, when she travels,
Self-talk becomes my lot
When she leaves for a long journey,
It's a shame to walk by myself.
She's left for a trip; ooh my sweetie's moved away (from me)
When she does so,
Not seeing each other becomes unbearable.
I am going to look for you
Please wait for me
Wait for me
I am gonna find you
Please wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
Parents of daughters, human beings have gone astray
Parents, I say, human beings have gone astray
You do not know the kind of man who is going to marry your daughter
Whether you are a bad or a good person, you are on your own
Unless you've got some life experience
Human beings are led astray
Happiness is what fits my darling
I am gonna look for you
Please wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
We are gonna get married
I am gonna look for you; I am gonna find you
We're gonna get married
I am gonna look for you
This is my sweetheart
This remains what I love
This is my sweetheart
This looks like my sweetheart
This is Cherie Bo ; she is my sweetheart
Cherie Bo has come back
Happiness is what fits my darling
Whether you go to Bamako (Capital City of Mali) my sweetie, or Segou (a city in central Mali), or Mopti (a city in Northern Mali) or Kayes (a city in Western Mali)
Blessings will come over you my darling.
If you go to Kerfabougouya (a town near the city of Kankan in Upper Guinea, Guinea Conakry), I shall go to Kerfabougouya
If you go to Kankan (a city in Upper Guinea), my beloved if you go on a trip to Kankan, I shall go to Kankan
I shall go to Kankan so that blessings pour upon me
I am back from Kankan, I could not help it
I am gonna look for you
No! No, no no no, no
No, no, no, no no I could not stay long
I could not stay that long leaving you behind here.
We're gonna get married
I am gonna look for you
Please wait for me, God's beloved, wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
Please wait for me, God's beloved, wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,
Wait for me, it won't take long (before I find you)
We are gonna get married
I am gonna look for you;
I am gonna find you
No. no. no. no
We're gonna get married
@daviesjiva4175
Thanks for sharing the English translated lyric.
@doneicedoneice669
That very much
@naletsanaele
Thank you 💓
@tmiicon2925
What language is it translated from?