N'Dour was born in Medina in Dakar, Senegal, in 1959 and started his music career singing in small clubs in Dakar in the Wolof language, which is predominantly spoken in Senegal and Gambia. He's most popular for his mbalax beat which gave him the title "Roi de Mbalax" (King of Mbalax), and is a household name in Senegal, Gambia and neighbouring countries in West Africa with a long list of hits from the early days in the 70s to date.
In 1979, he formed his own ensemble, the Etoile de Dakar. His early work with Etoile de Dakar was in the typical Latin style popular all over Africa during that time, but in the 1980s he developed a unique sound when he started his current group, Super Etoile de Dakar, featuring Jimi Mbaye on guitar, bassist Habib Faye, and tama (talking drum) player Assane Thiam.
N'Dour was introduced to the Western audience when Peter Gabriel had him appear on his 'So' album (in 1986) and theb took N'Dour and The Super Etoile de Dakar on the road with him in a subsequent world tour. N'Dour has also collaborated with a lengthy list of influential artists including Paul Simon, Neneh Cherry, and Branford Marsalis.
He is endowed with remarkable range and poise, a composer, bandleader, and producer with a prodigious musical intelligence. The New York Times most recently described his voice as an "arresting tenor, a supple weapon deployed with prophetic authority". N'Dour absorbs the entire Senegalese musical spectrum in his work, often filtering this through the lens of genre-defying rock or pop music from outside Senegalese culture.
Youssou N´Dour is currently the new minister of Culture of Senegal as a reward for his campaign against the former president of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade who was defeated by Macky Sall in February 2012.
Undecided
Youssou N'Dour Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sé deng, deng dé japoulo, té bayi wo
né noboulo, té bayi wo
sé deng, deng dé japoulo, té bayi wo
han sé deng, deng, sé deng, deng, sé deng, deng, sé deng, deng(fois 2)
hé yaw li nga japone ba mél ni
hé yaw boulko bayi té jiknala(fois 2)
né noboulo yaw bayi wo
sé deng, sé deng té bayi wo
wouye noboulo, yaw bayi wo
sé deng, sé deng thiey bayi wo
waw sé deng deng, sé deng deng, sé deng deng, sé deng deng
noboulo, bayi wo
sé deng, sé deng yaw bayi wo
né noboulo yaw té bayi wo
sé deng, sé deng yaw bayi wo
waw sé deng deng, sé deng deng, sé deng deng, sé deng deng
hé yaw li nga japone ba melni
hé yaw boulko bayi té jikna la(fois 2)
la la la la la la la la la mani yeksil sét
la la la la la la la la mani dougal sét
la la la la la la la la la ma ni yeksil sét
kham nga ko, kham nga ko, kham nga ko
kanam dou kasso wayé kouka sétlou guiss ko(refrain)
The lyrics of Youssou N'Dour's song Undecided are in the Wolof language from Senegal, and they speak of a person who is unsure about a romantic relationship. The verses repeat a pattern of expressing two options, with the phrase "né [something], té bayi wo" ("if [something], then [I] will choose [you]") followed by "sé deng, deng dé japoulo, té bayi wo" ("but I am undecided"). The phrase "japoulo" can be translated as "to choose", and "noboulo" means "to love", indicating the conflicting emotions of the singer. The repeated phrase "hé yaw li nga japone ba mél ni" could be translated as "hey, tell me what to do", emphasizing the singer's indecision.
The chorus of the song features a repeated phrase "sé deng deng", which is an onomatopoeic expression for the sound of indecision, like a pendulum swinging back and forth. The chorus also includes the line "la la la la la la la la la" followed by various Wolof phrases. This could represent the confusion and chaos of the singer's thoughts and emotions. The final refrain includes the phrase "kham nga ko" ("I need you"), expressing the singer's desire for the person they are undecided about.
Overall, the song Undecided is a reflection on the complexity of romantic relationships and the difficulty of making a choice between conflicting emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
né japoulo, té bayi wo
I am confused and don't know what to do
sé deng, deng dé japoulo, té bayi wo
This indecision continues, and I'm still not sure
né noboulo, té bayi wo
I am paralyzed and unable to make a decision
sé deng, deng dé japoulo, té bayi wo
The indecision persists, and I am still stuck
han sé deng, deng, sé deng, deng, sé deng, deng, sé deng, deng(fois 2)
This indecision is overwhelming and all-consuming
hé yaw li nga japone ba mél ni
Can you help me decide?
hé yaw boulko bayi té jiknala(fois 2)
I am in a state of doubt and need guidance
né noboulo yaw bayi wo
I am frozen in place and can't move forward
sé deng, sé deng té bayi wo
The indecision persists, and I'm still stuck
wouye noboulo, yaw bayi wo
This paralysis is overwhelming me
sé deng, sé deng thiey bayi wo
The indecision is causing me great discomfort
waw sé deng deng, sé deng deng, sé deng deng, sé deng deng
This indecisiveness is exhausting and tiring
noboulo, bayi wo
I am stuck and can't make a decision
sé deng, sé deng yaw bayi wo
The indecision persists, and I'm still unsure
né noboulo yaw té bayi wo
I am paralyzed and can't move forward
sé deng, sé deng yaw bayi wo
The indecision continues, and I'm still stuck
hé yaw li nga japone ba melni
Can you help me decide?
hé yaw boulko bayi té jikna la(fois 2)
I am in a state of doubt and need guidance
la la la la la la la la la mani yeksil sét
I am lost in indecision, unable to find a clear path
la la la la la la la la mani dougal sét
This indecisiveness is causing me great discomfort
la la la la la la la la la ma ni yeksil sét
I am overwhelmed by the options and unable to decide
kham nga ko, kham nga ko, kham nga ko
I am searching for clarity and resolution
kanam dou kasso wayé kouka sétlou guiss ko(refrain)
I need help to make a decision and move forward
Writer(s): Youssou N. Dour, Jean Philippe Rykiel, Habib Faye
Contributed by Alaina E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ali Lebeko
on Birima
Always soulful and heartthrobing performance