Laba Laba
Baba Ken Okulolo
Yoruba -- Nigeria
Baba Ken Okulolo and the Nigerian Brothers perform this song on African Playground.
From African Playground:
Nigeria is filled with the sound of music, from juju and Afrobeat to reggae and highlife. With over 250 different ethnic groups and languages, Nigeria is a very diverse country with lots of culture and a rich history. The most prominent tribal groups are the Hausa in the north, the Ibo in the east and the Yoruba in the west. The capital is Abuja, but Lagos, which is home to 14 million people, is the most populated city in Africa and the sixth most populated city in the world.
On "Laba," , a butterfly compares itself to a bird. It is based on a Yoruba proverb that says, "I'm flying higher and higher! Catch me if you can!" One of the instruments used on this song is called a talking drum, because you squeeze it under your arm while you hit it with a stick to make it sound like a human voice. In Nigeria, people actually use these drums to talk to each other!
Lead: We le siseye. We le siseye.
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly compares itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly compares itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba to ba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly tries to compare itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Eni to ba fi ra re we wa
Anyone who tries to be like us
Chorus: We le sise wa
Can never be like us
Lead: Eni to ba fi ra re we wa
Anyone who tries to be like us
Chorus: We le sise wa
Can never be like us
Lead: We le siseye, We le siseye ha
It cannot be a bird, it cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly compares itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly compares itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba to ba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly tries to compare itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba to wa fi ra re we ye
Butterfly tries to compare itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Eni to ba fi ra re we wa
Anyone who tries to be like us
Chorus: We le sise wa
Can never be like us
Lead: Eni to wa fi ra re we wa
Anyone who tries to be like us
Chorus: We le sise wa
Can never be like us
GUITAR SOLO
Lead/spoken: This song is about butterfly
I want you all
to imagine yourself
flying like a butterfly
Like this
Like that
Lead: Fly like a butterfly
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Fly like a butterfly
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Fly like a butterfly
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Fly like a butterfly
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: We le siseye, We le siseye ha
It cannot be a bird, it cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly compares itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly compares itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba to ba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly tries to compare itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Laba laba to ba fi ra re we ye
Butterfly that tries to compare itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Lead: Say Eni to ba fi ra re we wa
Anyone who tries to be like us
Chorus: We le sise wa
It can never be like us
Lead:Ahn Eni to ba fi ra re we wa
Anyone who tries to be like us
Chorus: We le sise wa
Can never be like us
Lead: Say Laba laba to ba fi ra re we ye
Say, butterfly tries to compare itself to a bird
Chorus: We le siseye o
It cannot be a bird
Yoruba lyrics written by: Adesoji Odukogbe
English translation by: Babá Ken Okulolo
© 2001 Opiri Music (BMI)
Many thanks to Putumayo World Music for permission to publish these lyrics.
© Opiri Music, BMI. All rights reserved. Printed with permission.