Seven Lifes-Eleko'dere-Lekeleke Medley Songtext
von Beautiful Nubia and the Roots Renaissance Band

In my journey through the world
Over land and over sea
I see different cultures
And different people′s ways
I was born where the sun
Never sets and never rises
I was born where the heat
Is like a second skin

Children crying on the streets
Automobiles making noise
The land is growing dry and weak
Spirits dying low
The forefathers calling me
I never tire, never weaken
The pride in me is bursting loose
I'm an African boy


On the farm my father called me
Down behind the tree
He said prostrate at my feet
And say a few prayers
Then he told me all the stories
Of my brave ancestors
He said look into my eyes son
You were born to be great
So in the twilight I went home
Behind my father with the hope
Listening to the songs of birds
Whispers of the night I was singing
Seven goats, seven pigs
Seven cowries, seven knots
Seven lives that′s what I've got
I'm an African boy
Over, over sea and over land
Over mountains and in the wild
I′ll be brave and I′ll be strong
I'm an African boy


In the evening mother called me
Down into her hut
She said lay upon my bosom
And say a few prayers
Then she told me to go forward
Never looking back
The spirits are with you
And you, she will never fail
So I go into the world
Into the deeps, into the wild
In the marketplace I danced
The sound of Bata dancing
Seven jumps, seven riddles
Seven cowries, seven knots
Seven lives that′s what I've got
I′m an African boy
Over, over sea and over land
Over mountains and in the wild
I'll be brave and I′ll be strong
I'm an African boyEle ko dere, se bo lo jere (2x)
Oun roso dudu, o si oun roso pupa (2x)
O fa imu gbaja, o si tun leke ta o
Ele ko dere, se bo lo jere
Ele ko dere, se bo lo jere (4x)
Oun roso dudu, o si oun roso pupa (2x)
O fa imu gbaja, o si tun leke ta o
Ele ko dere, se bo lo jere
Leke leke nfo loke, e ye funfun ni (4x)
A so ala animo wo ye, lepo ya fun mi
Ani leke leke n bo lona, e ye funfun
Leke leke nfo loke, e ye funfun (4x)
A so ala animo wo ye, lepo ya fun mi
Leke leke n bo lona, e ye funfun
Leke leke nfo loke, e ye funfun ni (4x)
Ani leke leke nfo loke, e ye funfun
A so ala animo wo ye, lepo ya fun mi
Ani leke leke n bo lona, e ye funfun
Leke leke nfo loke, e ye funfun (4x)
A so ala animo wo ye, lepo ya fun mi
Leke leke n bo lona, e ye funfun
Ma n fo, ma n fo, ma n fo, e ye olola
Ma n bo, ma n bo, ma n bo, e ye onire
Ma n fo, ma n fo, e ye olola
Ma n bo, ma n bo, ma n bo, e ye onire
Sometimes I wish I could fly like a bird in the sky
Away, away
Sometimes I wish I could fly like a bird in the sky
Away, away
In the warmth of the bosom of my mother
On the wings of the spirits of the sky
In the warmth of the bosom of my mother
With the wisdom and the knowledge that I need
Set my people free
Set my people free
I will set my people free, free, free
Set my people free
O n bo lona (2x)
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n bo lona
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Eh, ha, lo n bo lona o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Ah, lo n bo lona o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n bo ni ilewe o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n kilofa lejo o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O ni e ma sara o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
E ma fi iya ijo po o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Atomo ku orun o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O ni e fe sosa ye
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
E ma te tala ka mole mo o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Eh, ha, lo n bo lona o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Awon omo de ilu, won wa ko ra won jo
Won fe soko peye, e ye ko, e ye oku
Ni se lo n fo, ni se lo n be, lati igi si igi
Awon agbaga ilu, won wa ko ra won jo
Won fe leye loko, won ka da jade
Won ka ke jade, won de gi yoko
O di ka, o di ko, e ye ko, e ye oku
Ni se lo n fo, ni se lo n be, lati igi si igi
La igbe, la ijina, won ge gbogbo igi tan
O wa kugi kan loko, igi iro ko
Igi ti gbogbo ayen fe, igi ti gbogbo ayen bo
O di ka, o di ko, ko ma ku mi, mo loko
Ko wa pe leye fo lona o
Pagi dari igida
Ko ma pe leye fo lona o eh
Pagi dari igida
Ko wa pe leye fo lona o
Pagi dari igida
Pagi dari igida e ye fo lona o
Ko ma pe leye fo lona o
Pagi dari igida
Ko wa pe leye fo lona o eh
Pagi dari igida
Ko ma pe leye fo lona o
Pagi dari igida
Pagi dari igida e ye fo lona o
O n bo lona
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n bo lona
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Eh, ha, lo n bo lona o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n bo lona
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n bo ni ilewe o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O n kilofa lejo o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O ni e ma sara o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
E ma fi iya ijo po o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Atomo ku orun o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
O ni e fe sosa ye
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
E ma te tala ka mole mo o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Eh, ha, lo n bo lona o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o
Ah, lo n bo lona o
E yo ba ni ko se tan o

Da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da
La-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Yeah, hey, oh, oh
Oh-oh, hey-hey-hey
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Seven goats, seven beats
Seven chariots, seven notes
Seven lives, that's what I′ve got
I′m an African boy
Over, over sea and over land
Over mountains and in the wild
I'll be brave and I′ll be strong
Said I can feel it deep in my soul
Everything's gonna be alright
Deep in my soul
We can fix this country, you know
Yes, I believe we can fix it
Or we can reconfigure it to make it work for the people who live in it
My grandmother would say