In an African Passageway

The world we knew is all changed now,
Our lives simply not what they were.
My mind, once numb, is awake at last
And my soul is beginning to stir.
All around me a million throats sing
The unfastened songs of our dreams.
"In the mind of age dwells the hope of youth."
Life never is just what it seems.


chorus:
We know what you want for us, Papa.
We know what you want us to do.
We know what you want for us, Papa.
We know and we look out for you.


in Wolof:
Yow yaak mana yem
Domou Adama la gnou
Naka nga mana takaweedi ma teukkoo.
Gni ngui djeul sougnou khel
Sougnou khalat djokh seytane.
Te dougnou dougnou dougal loudoul si fitna ak thiono.


Nagnou gnaan ci yala mi mana sopi nit man koo defar.
Mou weulbati sougnou khel
Deupeule sougnou khol.
Sougnou ko defe
Dina gnou jubo
Te sou bouba
Fitna yi wagne kou.


You're a man just like me, friend.
How can you dispute what I say?
Why do we so often play into the hands of
The evil that stands in our way?
Is it to thicken the plot of a tale,
A tale that is mankind's to tell?
Is it to guarantee once and for all
That we descend straight into hell?

Kids

Hey, what are you doing to me?


I'm a boy living in Africa.
Some of my friends live far away.
I want to go to see them but I have no papers.


Stand up for my right.
My right to be free.


French rap:
Quelle est cette maladie qui pourrit la vie?
Quel est ce virus dirigé vers les tout-petits?
Je proteste contre ces enfants qu'on oppresse,
Attitude répugnante qui jusqu'au fond de moi me blesse.
Pose ton bâton,
Ecoute-moi cette chanson,
Laisse le son de mes rimes te guider
Jusqu'à la raison
Elle traverse la haine
Elle t'emmène sans problème
Dans ce paradis où grands et petits s'aiment.


Love is what we need.
Why do you beat me?
Why do you shout at me?
You were young like me, but you were not beaten.


Stand up for my right,
My right to survive.


Every day a child is killed somewhere by a monster.
Why do you want to turn us into "goods"?
Sometimes you steal us from our parents' love
And you sell us out to your equals for sex.


Wolof rap:
Yeh degloul, ma geug ji ma jeumeule ci khaleyi.
Degloulma wakhjima wakh ko ci gouneyi.
Goudek beutcheuk gnigui jooy li ka meeti.
Goudek beutcheuk gnigui leni saagga dileen jaani.
Mootakh gnou weedi seeni rew di dem bitim rew.
Nguir beuga beew ci fann you neew.
Degloul yii kaadou teengakaa gaadou.
Ndakh khaleyi dagnou beuga baakou.


Love is what we need.
Why do you beat me?
Why do you shout at me?
You were young like me, but you were not beaten.

Youssou Madjiguene When I compose a melody The rhythmic imprint of mbalax, Our music, Courses through my mind. When I play my guitar In my mind's eye I see Now the kora, Now the xalam. And whenever I lift my voice to sing The image before me is of one person only: Youssou Madjiguène. Who is Madjiguène? He's the one who cleared the way. Who opened the road large for all of us, Calling us toward the horizon. When you go abroad you'll hear him called Youssou. Here at home the boys will holler "Hey, You!" He collected the gold record We were praying for So we all exclaimed "Madjiguène, go ahead!" Mbalax is ours, We own it. Let's take good care of it. If we do, it will surely hold its own in the world. Adja Ndeye Sokhna Mboup is your mother. El-Hadj Elimane Ndour is your father. You're Mamy's husband and Bouba's brother. Oh, Youssou Madjiguène, I sing your good name. May God protect you. Protect you for our sake. That's what we're praying for. "Madjiguène, go ahead!" You've done so much to help your friends. I'm sure God will reward you for that. What we own Is the sound of the sabar. Kit drums we borrowed from abroad. The electric guitar is not really of our tradition. What we own is the sound of the xalam. When I compose a melody The rhythmic imprint of mbalax, Our music, Courses through my mind. When I play my guitar In my mind's eye I see Now the kora, Now the xalam. And whenever I lift my voice to sing The image before me is of one person only: Youssou Madjiguène. "Madjiguène, go ahead!" "Youssou Madjiguène, go ahead!" "Madjiguène, go ahead!" "Youssou Madjiguène, go ahead!"