This is my favorite song from Star Band de Dakar's "Vol. 2", released in the 1960's. It's a Senegalese folk song in Wolof; I asked a Senegalese friend of mine if he could the lyrics, and this is what he told me:
Speaking to the song "Thioro Baye Samba "it reveals the history of a beautiful lady who lives in a quarter and refuses to marry any man who is from a low class family. However, one of her neighbors named (Baye Samba) has a crush on her. In the song, he is talking to himself saying to the girl even if your uncle gave me dollars and your Mom came to get me at my house, it would not prevent you from acting snobby and slowly strutting as you always do when you see me. He thinks perhaps, when one goes to her father's house at night, you'll find him eating bred and quail milk as dinner; which is identified as a low class meal in Senegal. As usually, a family has to eat meat at every supper in order to be considered high class. So he comes to the conclusion that the girl is actually from a low class family and is trying to avoid to marrying a man who has the same social class as her.
And here are some Wolof translations from the lyrics:
Thioro = A girl friend or someone you have crash one.
Baadola= A person from a low class family
Ponce= Bred mixed with quail milk (this type of food is usually consumed by low income Senegalese people due its low price)
Yaay= Mom
Reer= To dinner
Baay = Father
Jank= Young girl
Nijaay= Uncle
Daagu= To walk slowly as girl who wanted to get someone's attention.
Dulate= Cannot prevent
Mayma ay= Give me some.........
Dolaar= Dollar(s)
Baye Samba= It's a Senegalese male name
This video was made possible by a few fantastic photographers who graciously allowed me to use their work in this project.
For amazing kite-line photographs, visit:
Jeff Attaway (www.flickr.com/photos/attawayj...)
The beautiful street-level shots of Senegal belong to:
Buzzthrill (www.flickr.com/photos/buzzthri...)
And the gorgeous shots of Cuba are courtesy of:
Mark Boucher (www.flickr.com/photos/mark_bou...)