Tongo Barra
Vieux Farka Touré Lyrics


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Mali thine tongonbara Soboy
Wo toune yema haou Kouna
Denekaney na ti bongo kaney
Na to Kala haou Sarra
Mana yero koy
Nda Niafunke bangou yer koy
Iné har goussi ka Aba mo har Gou sika
Manayerokoy nda goubo bangou yero koy ine har goussou ka Aba mo hard goussi ka
Tande hou foutou Mali banda si goy Kala goy foutou
Alfa lalo nda gou talibidie si tiow Kala tiow foutou

Mali on dit que les cris que le Mali a été envahi sont devenus sérieux
Réveillons-nous et mettons nos ceintures
Avoir une grande gueule
Ne veut pas dire avoir de la chance
Donc ce n'est pas la peine de sacrifier un boeuf
Où allons-nous, au lac Coboro?
Maman dit qu'elle ne vient pas
Papa dit qu'il ne vient pas
Où allons-nous, au lac Takiti?
Maman dit qu'elle ne vient pas
Papa dit qu'il ne vient pas
Un mauvais esprit derrière la ville de Mali
Ne fait que du mauvais travail
Un mauvais marabout et ses élèves ne font que de mauvaises études

Mali we say that the cries that Mali has been invaded have become serious
Let's wake up and put on our belts
To have a big mouth
Does not mean to have luck
So it's not worth sacrificing beef
Where do we go, to Lake Coboro?
Mama says she's not coming
Papa says he's not coming




Where do we go, to Lake Takiti?
Mama says she's not coming
Papa says he's not coming
A bad spirit behind the city of Mali
Only does bad work
A bad marabout and his students only do bad studies

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Vieux Farka Touré's song "Tongo Barra" are reflective of the political climate in Mali. The song laments the state of the country, which has been plagued with violence and political instability. The opening lines, "Mali thine tongonbara soboy, wo toune yema haou kouna" (Mali, we say that the cries that Mali has been invaded have become serious, let's wake up and put on our belts), portray a bleak picture of a country that is in dire need of change.


The lyrics also touch on the theme of sacrifice, which is a common thread in Malian culture. The line, "Donc ce n'est pas la peine de sacrifier un boeuf" (So it's not worth sacrificing beef), suggests that the sacrifices that have been made in the past have not helped the country move forward. Instead, the song urges the people of Mali to come together and work for a better future.


The song also references two lakes, Coboro and Takiti, where the singer suggests going, but Mama and Papa refuse to go. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the country itself, where people are hesitant to make the changes necessary to improve their situation. Ultimately, the song urges people to wake up and take action to help Mali become a better place.


Line by Line Meaning

Mali thine tongonbara Soboy
Mali we say that the cries that Mali has been invaded have become serious


Wo toune yema haou Kouna
Let's wake up and put on our belts


Denekaney na ti bongo kaney
To have a big mouth does not mean to have luck


Na to Kala haou Sarra
So it's not worth sacrificing beef


Mana yero koy
Where do we go, to Lake Coboro?


Nda Niafunke bangou yer koy
Mama says she's not coming


Iné har goussi ka Aba mo har Gou sika
Papa says he's not coming


Manayerokoy nda goubo bangou yero koy ine har goussou ka Aba mo hard goussi ka
Where do we go, to Lake Takiti? Mama says she's not coming. Papa says he's not coming


Tande hou foutou Mali banda si goy Kala goy foutou
A bad spirit behind the city of Mali only does bad work


Alfa lalo nda gou talibidie si tiow Kala tiow foutou
A bad marabout and his students only do bad studies




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ali Farka Toure

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@samyboy7489

Khruangbin is just too good. Feel bad for people who don’t know yet.

@BryTheNiceGuy

Out of my social circle and family I am the only one who knows them but I have told my sisters and my girlfriend plus another friend. Only my friend is hooked, the others didn't manage to get into the mindset of the playing style. They like lyrics haha. I think it's better to keep them pure honestly. I saw them live in LA last year and it was magical. Everyone there was so unique and cool unlike other genres that attract undesirable people haha

@stephaniemoura9325

I feel the same. Honestly I cannot understand how people are not immediately mesmerised by their music like I was the first time I heard it.
My boyfriend came across their pitchfork live on YouTube and put it on for us to listen to. It was our first time listening to it and we got addicted to their songs, specially I did. But my boyfriend also really appreciates their music.
I am so, so grateful for that day. The way their music is able to translate feelings inside of me that I can’t understand, helped me through a very difficult period in my life when I was suffering a lot mentally with pure OCD symptoms, their music instantly felt like a relief, whenever I listened to them I felt like I could be free again, free of ocd thoughts (which today I am 🎉)

So, I’ll be forever grateful to their songs and forever grateful to my boyfriend for being the one who presented me to my favourite band ever!!!

Also, I listened to them live in Paris and it was just amazing 🥹🤍

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Gonna be another album full of bangerssss

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Always

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They don’t miss

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A collab like this can't fail

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BANGERS I TELL YOU!

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@garythomas4431

I'm sure Mark Speer is enjoying the hell out of this. He truly is one of today's more imaginative guitarist, and with DJ and Laura Lee Khraungbin is limitless.
Lots of love guys from GT from Tennessee.

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