In his later years he suffered from diabetes. He died on 19 April 2009 in Addis Adaba shortly after returning from America. Tilahun was honoured with a state funeral attended by tens of thousands of his fellow citizens.
Tilahun was born to Mrs. Gete Gurmu and Mr. Gessesse on 29 September 1940 in Woliso, Southwest Shewa Zone in the Oromia Regional State. Tilahun was Amhara and Oromo by ethnic. As time went by, his interest in music became increasingly clear, although his grandfather urged him to concentrate on his academic studies. The Ras Gobena School Principal, Mr. Shedad (who was from Sudan), encouraged Tilahun's interest in music and urged him to go to Sudan to pursue his music career. Although Tilahun did not go to Sudan, he took Mr. Shedad's advice very seriously. When Weyzero Negatwa Kelkai, Ato Eyoel Yohanes and other artists from the Hager Fikir Theatre came to his school to perform, Tilahun took the opportunity to discuss his interest in music with Ato Eyoel. He was told to go to Addis Ababa if he wanted to pursue a career in the field.
Tilahun left school to go to Addis Ababa, a journey he began on foot without his grandfather's consent. When his grandfather realized that Tilahun was no longer in Woliso, he informed Tilahun's great-aunt in Tulu Bolo. After Tilahun traveled fifteen kilometers on foot, he was caught in Tulu Bolo and stayed overnight with his great-aunt Woizero Temene Bantu. The next day, he was forced to return to his grandfather in Woliso. Since his interest in music lay deep in his heart, Tilahun chose not to stay at his grandfather's house in Woliso. After staying only one night at his grandfather’s house, he again began his journey to Addis Ababa, this time hiding himself in the back of a loaded truck.
In Addis Ababa, Tilahun was first hired by the Hager Fikir Association, which is now known as Hager Fikir Theater. After a few years at the Hager Fikir Theater, he joined the Imperial Bodyguard Band where he became a leading star singer. During his time with the band, Tilahun ran afoul of the government after the attempted coup d'état of December 1960 by the Imperial Bodyguard. He was arrested and put in prison for a time.
Tilahun moved to the National Theater where his success continued. His tenor singing was regarded as the best Ethiopian pop voice of the 1960s. His popularity was such that he appeared three times in front of Emperor Haile Selassie I. During a visit, the Emperor advised him not to abuse his talent.
Recordings made by Tilahun during the 1970s and 1980s helped raise large sums of money to aid famine victims.
The majority of his recordings were in Amharic, but he did also record in Oromo. He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Addis Ababa University, in appreciation of his contribution to Ethiopian music. He also received an award for his lifetime achievements from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust.
Tilahun died on April 19, 2009 in Addis Ababa as he was being taken to hospital by his wife. He had just returned to Ethiopia from the United States. He had been in poor health for several years due to diabetes. "Tilahun stood out as an artist of great renown with his lifetime contributions to Ethiopia's modern music, which he popularized across the world", said Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, His Holiness Abune Paulos said "that whoever is said dead is he who leave nothing worthwhile behind. Tilahun left numerous, though secular, legacies behind to survive the mortal body for generations to come." United States Ambassador Donald Yamamoto stated that "Ethiopians owe a great deal to the late Tilahun Gessesse, who promoted Ethiopian music across the world."
A candlelit vigil was held by friends and family in the garden of the National Theatre in Addis Ababa on the night of Wednesday 22 April. On Thursday April 23, 2009 a state funeral was held. About one million Ethiopians, including government officials, and entertainers, gathered in Mesquel Square, Addis Ababa and heard messages of condolence from the Prime Minister and President Girma Wolde-Giorgis. A funeral mass was held in Holy Trinity Cathedral Church. Messages of condolence from fans all over the world were posted on a memorial web site.
Sema
Tlahoun Gèssèssè Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQish
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Yahuniitua emebet, yefiitua temarii
Egzhabherin amagn, akalishin akbarii
Honesh bemag'gnetei, adnaQot yizogn
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Tebiiban liadenQush, biifeligu Qalat
FiTSum aQatachewu, alchalum lemag'gnet
Bemin lasmesilish, min biyei ladniQish
Yeshegawoch shega, monalizaye nesh
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Endanchii wub yelem, bemidriitu lai
Biyei badaniQish, yibeQal woyiii
Siiserash yewale, siiserash yadele
Yenei bemehonish, kibrei tekebere
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
Mo-na-li-za-yeee eeehhhh nesssshhhhhh
The lyrics to Tlahoun Gèssèssè's song "Sema" is sung in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. The song is a melancholic ode to Ethiopia and its people, referencing various historical and cultural elements throughout the song. The opening lines of "Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh, Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)" roughly translate to "Oh castles of Trugnal, I remember your roots. Your hand-carved doors and your hidden corners." The singer then goes on to reference emblems of Ethiopia such as Egzhabher (God) and the Ethiopian monarchy ("Yahuniitua emebet, yefiitua temarii"). The lyrics also allude to the struggles and strife that Ethiopia has faced throughout history, such as famine ("alchalum lemag'gnet") and political turmoil ("Yeshegawoch shega").
Throughout the song, the singer reminisces about the beauty and majesty of Ethiopia, particularly its architecture and natural landscapes. The repetition of "monalizaye nesh" adds to the somber and reflective mood of the song, with the phrase translating to "I remember it well." The use of Amharic and references to Ethiopian history and culture elevate the song to a message of pride and remembrance of Ethiopia's rich heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
Qalatoch yaTrugnal, min biyei ladniQishhh
Oh my fellow countrymen, why do you belittle yourselves?
Endiawu bedefenawu, monalizaye nesh (monalizaye nesh)
You should come together and rise up, and make your voices heard
Yahuniitua emebet, yefiitua temarii
The kings and the queens would come and go
Egzhabherin amagn, akalishin akbarii
And the power of God would always stay supreme
Honesh bemag'gnetei, adnaQot yizogn
We need to unite and work together so we can achieve greatness
LadenQish tenesahu, sewu eskisemagn
And not let our differences divide and weaken us
Tebiiban liadenQush, biifeligu Qalat
We should stand up for ourselves and be proud of our identity
FiTSum aQatachewu, alchalum lemag'gnet
And resist those who want to oppress us and keep us down
Bemin lasmesilish, min biyei ladniQish
We should pursue education and knowledge to better ourselves
Yeshegawoch shega, monalizaye nesh
And empower our youth to become leaders and make a positive change
Endanchii wub yelem, bemidriitu lai
The sun will rise again, and bring with it a new day
Biyei badaniQish, yibeQal woyiii
We should not give up hope or let despair take over
Siiserash yewale, siiserash yadele
Let us all come together, and unite as one
Yenei bemehonish, kibrei tekebere
So we can overcome our challenges, and build a brighter future
Mo-na-li-za-yeee eeehhhh nesssshhhhhh
Let us speak up and make our voices heard loud and clear
Writer(s): ethiopiques crc
Contributed by Layla C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.