During his career, Tabu Ley composed up to 3,000 songs and produced 250 albums.
Pascal-Emmanuel Sinamoyi Tabu was born in Bagata, in the then Belgian Congo. His musical career took off in 1956 when he sung with Joseph "Le Grand Kallé" Kabasele, and his band L'African Jazz. After finishing high school he joined the band as a full-time musician. Tabu Ley sang in the pan-African hit Indépendance Cha Cha which was composed by Grand Kallé for Congolese independence from Belgium in 1960, propelling Tabu Ley to instant fame. He remained with African Jazz until 1963 when he and Dr Nico Kasanda formed their own group, African Fiesta.[6] Two years later, Tabu Ley and Dr. Nico split and Tabu Ley formed African Fiesta National, also known as African Fiesta Flash. The group became one of the most successful bands in African history, recording African classics like Afrika Mokili Mobimba, and surpassing record sales of one million copies by 1970. Papa Wemba and Sam Mangwana were among the many influential musicians that were part of the group. He adopted the stage name "Rochereau" after the French General Pierre Denfert-Rochereau, whose name he liked and whom he had studied in school.
In 1970, Tabu Ley formed Orchestre Afrisa International, Afrisa being a combination of Africa and Éditions Isa, his record label. Along with Franco Luambo's TPOK Jazz, Afrisa was now one of Africa's greatest bands. They recorded hits such as "Sorozo", "Kaful Mayay", "Aon Aon", and "Mose Konzo". They performed also at the Zaire 74 and therefore are in the documentary film Soul Power.
In the mid 1980s Tabu Ley discovered a young talented singer and dancer, M'bilia Bel, who helped popularise his band further. M'bilia Bel became the first female soukous singer to gain acclaim throughout Africa. Tabu Ley and M'bilia Bel later married and had one child together. In 1988 Tabu Ley introduced another female vocalist known as Faya Tess, and M'bilia Bel left and continued to be successful on her own. After M'bilia Bel's departure, Afrisa's influence along with that of their rivals TPOK Jazz continued to wane as fans gravitated toward the faster version of soukous.
After the establishment of Mobutu Sese Seko regime in the Congo, he adopted the name "Tabu Ley" as part of Mobutu's "Zairization" of the country, but later went into exile in France in 1988.
In 1985, the Government of Kenya banned all foreign music from the National Radio service. After Tabu Ley composed the song "Twende Nairobi" ("Let's go to Nairobi"), sung by M'bilia Bel, in praise of Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi, the ban was promptly lifted. In the early 1990s he briefly settled in Southern California. He began to tailor his music towards an International audience by including more English lyrics and by increasing more international dance styles such as Samba. He found success with the release of albums such as Muzina, Exil Ley, Africa worldwide and Babeti soukous. The Mobutu regime banned his 1990 album "Trop, C'est Trop" as subversive. In 1996, Tabu Ley participated in the album Gombo Salsa by the salsa music project Africando. The song "Paquita" from that album is a remake of a song that he recorded in the late 1960s with African Fiesta.
When Mobutu was deposed in 1997, Tabu Ley returned to Kinshasa and took up a position as a cabinet minister in the government of new President Laurent Kabila. Following Kabila's death, Tabu Ley then joined the appointed transitional parliament created by Joseph Kabila, until it was dissolved following the establishment of the inclusive transitional institutions. In November 2005 Tabu Ley was appointed Vice-Governor of Kinshasa, a position devolved to his party, the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) by the 2002 peace agreements. He also served as provincial minister of culture. In 2008, he was said to have fathered up to 102 children, including the French rapper Youssoupha, with different women.
He has been described as "the Congolese personality who, along with Mobutu, marked Africa's 20th century history." He was dubbed "the African Elvis" by the Los Angeles Times.
Tabu Ley Rochereau died on 30 November 2013, aged 76, at Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels, Belgium where he had been undergoing treatment for a stroke he suffered in 2008. He was buried on 9 December 2013 in the Cimetière Acropolic de la N'sele in Kinshasa, DR Congo, after receiving an official mourning ceremony at the Palais du Peuple.
Tanga Tanga
Tabu Ley Rochereau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moté Mbanago mémana ésalana kikalasse énégué ya pamba
"Na lela yooh na mousica"
Moté bananga oh méma
Moli bounanga oh soma
Makalissi pèh oh kara
Nako mandza bona mokili pana kopa ndza kaka yomayo
Mayoooh, mayoooh
"Laissé yo ninio toyoka éh"
Makila nangua éh hidi
Bachosse éh langua éh kidi
Volonté nangua éh sidi
Na mékako boyayo négué nini bobalola moté na nangua
Mayoooh, mayoooh
Soki na poufi po nayoh
Nguélangua fololo
Baki sana lilika nana
Bakagata mopé na sepela
Mayoooooh, mayoooh
Soki na poufi po nayoh
Nguélangua fololo
Baki sana lilika nangua
Bakagata mopé na sepela
Bacoloba, bacoloba ngauy nayo katé boligue éh tanigua
Yéyé, yéyé yéyé mayo boliguo fou moi lagua
Bokoséka, bokoséka bongo yé baté boligue éh toi tingua
Yéyé, ézali éloko ya bonoki boti kangua
Naméka, Nalouka na mekakobo yayé boliguo éh sur la terre
Yéyé, mamo nayé na wassi na loukasse éh makaka
Boliguo, boliguo kata nguay nayé mayo éh louka moko ah koufa
MaMa, nako madzoké payi wouamié na ko koufa
Bacoloba, bacoloba ngauy nayo katé boligue éh tanigua
Yéyé, yéyé yéyé mayo boliguo fou moi lagua
Bokoséka, bokoséka bongo yé baté boligue éh toi tingua
Yéyé, ézali éloko ya bonoki boti kangua
Naméka, Nalouka na mekakobo yayé boliguo éh sur la terre
Yéyé, mamo nayé na wassi na loukasse éh makaka
Boliguo, boliguo kata nguay nayé mayo éh louka moko ah koufa
MaMa, nako madzoké payi wouamié na ko koufa
Bacoloba, bacoloba ngauy nayo katé boligue éh tanigua
Yéyé, yéyé yéyé mayo boliguo fou moi lagua
Bokoséka, bokoséka bongo yé baté boligue éh toi tingua
Yéyé, ézali éloko ya bonoki boti kangua
Naméka, Nalouka na mekakobo yayé boliguo éh sur la terre
Yéyé, mamo nayé na wassi na loukasse éh makaka
Boliguo, boliguo kata nguay nayé mayo éh louka moko ah koufa
MaMa, nako madzoké payi wouamié na ko koufa
Bacoloba, bacoloba ngauy nayo katé boligue éh tanigua
Yéyé, yéyé yéyé mayo boliguo fou moi lagua
Bokoséka, bokoséka bongo yé baté boligue éh toi tingua
Yéyé, ézali éloko ya bonoki boti kangua
Naméka, Nalouka na mekakobo yayé boliguo éh sur la terre
Yéyé, mamo nayé na wassi na loukasse éh makaka
Boliguo, boliguo kata nguay nayé mayo éh louka moko ah koufa
MaMa, nako madzoké payi wouamié na ko koufa
Bacoloba, bacoloba ngauy nayo katé boligue éh tanigua
Yéyé, yéyé yéyé mayo boliguo fou moi lagua
Bokoséka, bokoséka bongo yé baté boligue éh toi tingua
Yéyé, ézali éloko ya bonoki boti kangua
Naméka, Nalouka na mekakobo yayé boliguo éh sur la terre
Yéyé, mamo nayé na wassi na loukasse éh makaka
The lyrics to Tabu Ley Rochereau's song Tanga Tanga are in Lingala and describe an easily recognizable scene in the Democratic Republic of Congo where a group of drunken men are seen loitering and wasting time, with one of them pleading with his lover to forgive him for his behavior, while another encourages his friend to keep boogying. The song has a very upbeat and catchy rhythm that is typical of Congolese Rumba and Tabu Ley's signature style. The opening line "mayoooh, mayoooh" sets the tone for the song, with the repetitive nature of the verses and the chorus lending themselves to sing-alongs and easy dancing.
The lyrics are filled with colloquialisms and phrases that are common in Congolese pop culture, including "na lela yoh na mousica" which means "I am enjoying myself with music." We can also hear the phrase "na mekako boyayo négué nini bobalola", which translates to "I will not lie, I am so drunk, but who cares?" There is a lot of repetition and call-and-response, making it easy for the audience to participate in the song. The chorus is a catchy refrain that encourages the listener to just dance and not worry about what others think.
Overall, Tanga Tanga is a lively and upbeat song that captures the spirit of Congolese Rumba music, with its rhythms that are impossible to resist and the upbeat lyrics that keep the dancing going.
Line by Line Meaning
Mayooooh, mayoooh
This line is sung to express enthusiasm and joy.
Moté Mbanago mémana ésalana kikalasse énégué ya pamba
I was born in Mbanago and grew up in Kikalasse, which is located in the forest region in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"Na lela yooh na mousica"
I want to sing and dance to music.
Moté bananga oh méma
I have many siblings.
Moli bounanga oh soma
We often ate bean stew for dinner.
Makalissi pèh oh kara
My mother used to grind cassava to make flour.
Nako mandza bona mokili pana kopa ndza kaka yomayo
I have traveled the world and seen many things, but nothing compares to the beauty of my homeland.
Moté kédiagua mouane ah moto la motala ka pangua na kamkam
I used to ride my bicycle to school when I was young and would often get into races with my friends.
"Laissé yo ninio toyoka éh"
Let the children play.
Makila nangua éh hidi
I miss the sounds of the forest.
Bachosse éh langua éh kidi
I used to play with my friends in the nearby river.
Volonté nangua éh sidi
I have a strong will and determination to succeed.
Na mékako boyayo négué nini bobalola moté na nangua
I have faced many challenges in life, but I never give up.
Soki na poufi po nayoh
If I fall down.
Nguélangua fololo
I will stand up again.
Baki sana lilika nana
My friends and I used to dance together.
Bakagata mopé na sepela
We used to sing at church together.
Baki sana lilika nangua
We used to dance together.
Bacoloba, bacoloba ngauy nayo katé boligue éh tanigua
We used to play games like hide and seek.
Yéyé, yéyé yéyé mayo boliguo fou moi lagua
We used to have so much fun together.
Bokoséka, bokoséka bongo yé baté boligue éh toi tingua
We used to climb trees and play in the branches.
Yéyé, ézali éloko ya bonoki boti kangua
It was a time of innocence and joy.
Naméka, Nalouka na mekakobo yayé boliguo éh sur la terre
I think about my childhood friends and the memories we shared on this earth.
Yéyé, mamo nayé na wassi na loukasse éh makaka
We used to play and swim in the river and explore the forest.
Boliguo, boliguo kata nguay nayé mayo éh louka moko ah koufa
We used to dream about our futures and what we wanted to accomplish in life.
MaMa, nako madzoké payi wouamié na ko koufa
But now, I have grown up and must face reality to achieve my dreams.
Writer(s): ROCHEREAU
Contributed by Gavin R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yusufumatumbo6865
This generation of Congolese musicians did a very great and noble work
@user-hs2wu7ex9z
.. .. .
Cc
@user-hs2wu7ex9z
.. .. .
Cc.
@morydiabagate6945
Quelle belle mélodie repose en paix seigneur ton passage sur cette terre des hommes a été pour quelque chose
@bakarimagero1404
Great hit from a great man!
@wasongakowino6935
Oh boy! I love this tune by Rochereau. Oh boy- listen to the vocals then the instrumentals, then the climax! Oh boy!
@nymnymchannel5597
in philipines (tanga tanga) tagalog
@leonardkipondya4216
Truly the voice of lightness
@lassosawadogo6118
MERCI PAPA TU NOUS LAISSES UN SOUVENIR IMPÉRISSABLE.
@jeanclaudekolie5584
Cette mélodie n'est pas de n'importe qui si ce n'est du seigneur Ley