That young woman with such uncanny creative talent and versatility is no other than Simisola Ogunleye, a.k.a Simi. Simi, a mass communications graduate, is no stranger to the Nigerian music industry. She wrote her very first tune at the age of 10 and started out singing and dancing in her early teens as a member of the teenage church choir. Eventually, she went on to launch her debut album in 2008, which was produced by Samklef. The album spawned hits such as Ara Ile, Ogaju, Iya Temi, to name a few.
In 2011, she met the talented producer/songwriter (Oscar Heman-Ackah) and they both connected musically. However, it wasn't until 2013 that she officially signed a production contract with Oscar Music Production, after which they both nurtured and created a fresh and genius direction to her sound, style and music in its entirety. Via this platform, she eventually got signed to X3M Music, the Lagos-based record label which is home to Nigerian R&B sensation Praiz.
Simi’s genre of music is Afro-pop, although she also dabbles in pop and soul. Her two singles, 'Tiff' & 'E No Go Funny" dropped on June 9th 2014.
Ara Ile
Simi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
its okay
a titu gbe de
let me see you gbesoke
it's your happy day
if you wanna show it
don't you know it's alright
that it's alright
sitting down
it's not okay
God's been good to you
and I bet you know that you should be grateful
really grateful
ara ile
e jijo Jesu daadaa
ara ile
e ma ba mi ki baba ooo
ara ile
e ka wo soke yaaya
e kuro lona omo onijo tide
omo onijo alayo o
let me show you how
I can dance
when I'm in the mood
just take it inside out
upside down
as long as you've been grooving
don't contest with me
ama beat your ass down
and make you run run
so I cannot groove on
if you don't know how
you just watch and learn
let's keep busy
think of all the ways
God's been good to you
let's keep busy
back back
turn around
do it yourself
se wo lo so pe ko sijo lese mi
fi yen le jo mo ni Jesu laye mi
boya lo mo pe stepper lo mo latile
ijo n ba jo forisa
ma kuku Jo f'Olorun
aye n reti eleya mi pupo
bi e se mo tele
emi ati sugbon
ati yapa tipe lopolopo
oriburuku ti sa lo
The lyrics of Simi's song "Ara Ile" encourage people to celebrate their heritage and the blessings that God has bestowed upon them. The song opens with Simi urging her audience not to be shy and to let loose and dance. She tells them that it's their happy day and they should show it without any reservations or inhibitions. Simi then reminds them that it's important to be grateful for God's blessings and that they should take a moment to appreciate just how lucky they are.
The chorus of the song, "ara ile e jijo Jesu daadaa" which translates to "people of the land dance joyfully for Jesus" reinforces the idea that people need to celebrate their culture and their faith. Simi also implores her listeners to get up and dance with her and promises to show them how it's done. She tells them that they don't need to compete with her because she'll beat them down and make them run away. Simi then encourages them to focus on all the good things in their lives that God has given them and to keep busy celebrating their blessings.
Overall, "Ara Ile" is a song that celebrates the joy of life and the importance of gratitude and embracing one's cultural heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
don't be shy now
Don't be hesitant in showing off your happiness
its okay
It's alright to express joy
a titu gbe de
Let your body move to the rhythm
let me see you gbesoke
Show me your dance moves
it's your happy day
This is a celebration of your success
if you wanna show it
If you want to express your joy and happiness
don't you know it's alright
There's no need to hesitate in showing off your good fortune
that it's alright
It's perfectly acceptable to celebrate your achievements
what you doing now
What are you up to currently
sitting down
Being stationary isn't a good way to celebrate
it's not okay
Sitting down isn't a great way to showcase your happiness
God's been good to you
You've been blessed by divine intervention
and I bet you know that you should be grateful
You should be thankful for all that you have
really grateful
Truly appreciative of your blessings
ara ile
The people of the land
e jijo Jesu daadaa
Dance to Jesus with joy
e ma ba mi ki baba ooo
Allow me to praise the Father
e ka wo soke yaaya
Let's dance energetically
e kuro lona omo onijo tide
Stop sitting down and show off your dance steps
omo onijo alayo o
This is a celebration of success
let me show you how
I'll guide you on how to dance
I can dance
I'm skilled at dancing
when I'm in the mood
When I'm feeling energized and excited
just take it inside out
Dance freely and with abandon
upside down
In any way you desire
as long as you've been grooving
If you're in the mood to dance
don't contest with me
Don't compete against me in dancing
ama beat your ass down
I'll outdo you in dancing
and make you run run
You'll be exhausted and unable to keep up
so I cannot groove on
I can't dance if no one else is grooving
if you don't know how
If you lack the skill or confidence to dance
you just watch and learn
Observe my movements and learn from them
let's keep busy
Let's continue dancing and celebrating
think of all the ways
Reflect on all your achievements and blessings
God's been good to you
You've been blessed by the divine
back back
Move backwards
turn around
Rotate your body
do it yourself
Dance to your own beat
se wo lo so pe ko sijo lese mi
Don't think you can out-dance me
fi yen le jo mo ni Jesu laye mi
I'll dance to Jesus all my life
boya lo mo pe stepper lo mo latile
Maybe not a skilled dancer, but I'll keep dancing
ijo n ba jo forisa
This dance is not for showmanship
ma kuku Jo f'Olorun
Just dance for the glory of God
aye n reti eleya mi pupo
This world has a lot of sacrifices
bi e se mo tele
As I become older
emi ati sugbon
I and my peers
ati yapa tipe lopolopo
With different types of problems and worries
oriburuku ti sa lo
The evil that exists
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marvel
on Range Rover
She is good
Fatmata
on Range Rover
Nice