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).
Sada
Salif Keïta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O laka lamma le
O laka lamma le dja
O laka lamma le
Se jolaka lamma le
Se jolaka lamma le
Se jolaka lamma le dja
Se jolaka lamma le
O laka lamma le
O laka lamma le dja
O laka lamma le
Se jolaka lamma le
Se jolaka lamma le
Se jolaka lamma le dja
Se jolaka lamma le
Ay ihe geba geta singurna yeah
Ilina in a nara sa
Oh oh
Ili la serna najih neja
Ilina ina nara
Ilina ina nara sa
Ili la serna najih neja
Ilina ina nara
A sid la nemma ra do m’sebbe toggorro no yee
Tama yoo pabba yo
A sid la nemma ra do m’sebbe toggorro no yee m’o
Tama yoo o’ pabba ho fago pib’ee
Ori tali ma je’ye
Ori tali ma je’ye
Ori tali ma je’ye
Ori tali ma je’ye
Ori tali ma!
Salif Keita's song "Sada" is a powerful track with deep roots in traditional African music. The lyrics are a combination of the Bambara language, a widely spoken language in Mali, and English. In essence, the song is a prayer for peace, unity, and understanding among people.
The opening lines, "O laka lamma le, se jolaka lamma le," repeat throughout the song, serving as a refraining chorus. The lines can be interpreted in different ways but are generally seen as an appeal for people to come together and recognize their common humanity.
The next lines, "Ay ihe geba geta singurna yeah," are in English and seem to express a desire for a better world. The following lines, "Ilina ina nara sa, Ili la serna najih neja," loosely translate to "closer and closer together, we are united and strong." The message is clear: only by coming together can people overcome their differences and build a better society.
The song later references a traditional African musical instrument, the Tama drum, which is believed to have healing properties. The lines, "A sid la nemma ra do m'sebbe toggorro no yee Tama yoo pabba yo," can be interpreted as a plea to harness the power of the Tama drum to heal the wounds caused by conflict and division. The following lines, "Ori tali ma je'ye," are a call to action, urging people to take steps towards building a more peaceful and harmonious world.
Overall, "Sada" is a timeless song that speaks to the universal desire for peace and unity. Its message is still as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1987.
Line by Line Meaning
O laka lamma le
He/she/it is crying out
O laka lamma le dja
He/she/it is crying out
Se jolaka lamma le
He/she/it is singing out
Se jolaka lamma le dja
He/she/it is singing out
Ay ihe geba geta singurna yeah
I will get up and sing
Ilina in a nara sa
In a place where there is no sorrow
Ili la serna najih neja
I will be free
Ilina ina nara
In a place where there is no sorrow
Ilina ina nara sa
In a place where there is no sorrow
Ili la serna najih neja
I will be free
A sid la nemma ra do m’sebbe toggorro no yee
I am without a house and no one is helping me
Tama yoo pabba yo
The wind is blowing
A sid la nemma ra do m’sebbe toggorro no yee m’o
I am without a house and no one is helping me
Tama yoo o’ pabba ho fago pib’ee
The wind is blowing
Ori tali ma je’ye
Dance for me and shout
Contributed by Katherine H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lucy Lucy Crystal Dio
This song is not Sada. I´d like the lyric from Sada song please
Lucy Lucy Crystal Dio
This song is not Sada. I´d like the lyric from Sada song please.
@aboubacarchristsylla
Merci Sanogo j'ai passé presque toute la journée à chercher cette musique.
@user-xy4wh2yq5r
من احلى الاغاني اللي احبها حرفيا اغنيه حلوه
@ramatoulayekeita7656
C’est la chanson là Sada Diallo qui manquait sur YouTube merci 🙏🏽☺️
@josuesanogo6877
N'est-ce pas Ramatoulaye, vous ne pouvez pas savoir comment est-ce j'ai fait pour l'avoir aussi, j'aime ❤ tellement la chanson que je l'ai postée sur youtube pour des personnes comme vous aussi qui l'aimez. Profitez bien.
@mafingcoulibaly3708
Bonsoir Monsieur, je vous remercie sincèrement 🙏 j’ai tellement cherché cette chanson depuis des années ! Merci à vous 🙂
@baidynimaga8749
La voix d'or d'Afrique ❤️
@drissadiarra4385
Merci pour la chanson, j'adore cette chanson 🙏🙏🙏
@josuesanogo6877
N'est-ce pas ?