Ben Bene La
Voilaaa Lyrics
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(benn bene la)
Allalou yalla lagnou si soufessé
(benn bene la)
Gadi nitte kou gnoule ba nitte kou wéhe
(benn bene la)
Nite yagui rayaté bis bouné
(benn bene la)
Guisna bolo gou bari dolé
(benn bene la)
Aye bolo moye sounou dolé
(benn bene la)
Masla ak yeurmandé diéhena fé
(benn bene la)
Kocc Barma néla li bouco fowé
(benn bene la)
Gueumale
(benn bene la)
Diapo liguéye mognou ware
(benn bene la)
Gnou mbolo ba done kéne
(benn bene la)
Lougnou ame dadico sédo
(benn bene la)
Gnou boco gnoune béneu daape
(benn bene la)
Mané lolou dale moye sama guinteu
(benn bene la)
Wa kouné di heuthieu borame
(benn bene la)
Gueumale benn bene
(benn bene la)
béne béne la Guisna bolo gou bari dolé
(béne)
béne la Aye bolo moye sounou dolé
(benn bene la)
"Ben Bene La" by Voilaaa is a fun and upbeat song with lyrics that are characteristic of West African music, specifically the Wolof language that is spoken in Senegal. The lyrics are a combination of Wolof, French, and English and express themes of love, dance, and happiness. The song starts with the phrase "Allalou yalla lagnou si keuroupe nafsou" which translates to "Oh God, we are in Europe but our souls are in Africa". This line speaks to the longing that people from Africa often feel for their home country and culture, even when they travel abroad.
The chorus of the song, "benn bene la", is a Wolof phrase that roughly translates to "this is a blessing" or "this is good". The verses of the song mention different elements of African culture such as dance ("Gadi nitte kou gnoule ba nitte kou wéhe"), music ("Nite yagui rayaté bis bouné"), and traditional clothing ("Diapo liguéye mognou ware"). The song also touches on the idea of community and coming together ("Gnou boco gnoune béneu daape") and the importance of staying true to oneself and one's roots ("Lougnou ame dadico sédo").
Overall, "Ben Bene La" is a joyful and celebratory song that expresses the beauty and richness of African culture while also acknowledging the struggles and challenges that come with living away from one's homeland.
Line by Line Meaning
Allalou yalla lagnou si keuroupe nafsou
(benn bene la)
Oh God, we have left our country for Europe, abandoning ourselves
(we are lost)
Allalou yalla lagnou si soufessé
(benn bene la)
Oh God, we have found ourselves in the suburbs
(lost in the city)
Gadi nitte kou gnoule ba nitte kou wéhe
(benn bene la)
We are neither here nor there
(no sense of belonging)
Nite yagui rayaté bis bouné
(benn bene la)
We are walking around without purpose
(no direction in life)
Guisna bolo gou bari dolé
(benn bene la)
Our hearts are heavy with pain
(struggling with hardships)
Aye bolo moye sounou dolé
(benn bene la)
It hurts us to talk about our pain
(hiding our struggles)
Masla ak yeurmandé diéhena fé
(benn bene la)
Problems and challenges are part of our daily lives
(struggling every day)
Kocc Barma néla li bouco fowé
(benn bene la)
We come from Kocc Barma, a place where the wind never stops blowing
(we come from a harsh environment)
Gueumale
(benn bene la)
Let's go
(moving on)
Diapo liguéye mognou ware
(benn bene la)
We are always on the move, never settling down
(restless nomads)
Gnou mbolo ba done kéne
(benn bene la)
We have little, but we make the most of it
(making do with what we have)
Lougnou ame dadico sédo
(benn bene la)
We have respect for our traditions and culture
(holding on to our roots)
Gnou boco gnoune béneu daape
(benn bene la)
We help each other in times of need
(supporting one another)
Mané lolou dale moye sama guinteu
(benn bene la)
Our parents instilled in us the importance of family
(valuing family above all else)
Wa kouné di heuthieu borame
(benn bene la)
Even though we face challenges, we will persevere
(never giving up)
Gueumale benn bene
(benn bene la)
Let's go, let's move forward
(keep moving)
béne béne la Guisna bolo gou bari dolé
(béne)
we have to keep going even when our hearts are heavy with pain
(pushing through the struggles)
béne la Aye bolo moye sounou dolé
(benn bene la)
We must keep persevering even when it hurts to do so
(never losing hope)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruno Hovart, Lassana Sane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind