good times
These are lyrics to one of the most popular songs of the past year that I've been in Tanzania. The song is called 'Starehe', which means roughly 'good times', and is sung by Ferouz featuring Professor J.
Ferouz is ill, and discusses his condition with his doctor (Professor J). My translation is not very good, i'm doing it word for word instead of by more general meaning or context, but I think it still comes across. I hope to at some point post (though i have NO clue how) a wav. file or something so that everyone can get a chance to hear this - it has a very quick, catchy beat.
Makes you question the content of most American music, huh? At least, it makes me feel this way. And this after I just quoted a shitty Eminem song...
Chorus:
Here I am in my bed,
Good times have gotten me in trouble,
to recover again is just not possible
my friends, my relatives farewell
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Suwa Said Scot Jenta [other famous TZ singers] goodbye,
Bongo records and majani goodbye,
you won't see me again on this earth.
Now I regret to say your friend has met trouble,
the devil has succeeded to pull me in,
now I dont know who to blame,
between my own self and demons,
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Makongo and Jiteute goodbye,
MOA and Azania goodbye,
ahhhhh.
Ferouz:
It's 1pm if I look at my watch
I've already left Jackie now i'm going to find Salama
At 6pm I have an appointment with 2 ladies,
not to mention Lillie whom I'm meeting at 8pm
Jane from Mikocheni, who is no longer on earth,
She would've been waiting for me by the rocks,
Amina and Semeni I will be meeting at Macheni
and every day I change up the order
This indeed was the course of my life,
loafing around the playing fields,
I saw nothing but fame and splendor
I partied with such haste and rashness,
I changed ladies like changing buses,
Going I got on this one, returning on that one,
I yearned to rule as king of all parties
Even to remember my God it was just a dream,
I was carried away by worldly life,
Turns out I was running from fire
and behavior of changing girlfriends I enjoyed
I especially liked my young well-dressed sistas
The bad part is that I didn't appreciate condoms,
since I knew it would reduce the pleasure of sex,
what do you know, I was losing a way
which I was advised could protect me.
The number of women was too large to count,
it reached a period where some of them I don't even remember
See? See this now?
What occured is that the sister of Bashiri,
I had already forgotten if we had been intimate,
when I saw her I seduced her again,
again for the second time.
[Chorus]
Professor J:
Hey youth, why haven't you knocked on the door?
Get in line, one by one is how we do things here,
Remove your doubts, good cures don't come quickly,
Wait while the others are treated and you will follow
Ferouz:
Doctor i've come to do a final evaluation
I believe this will be my last visit
symptoms show that I am affected (by AIDS)
but I've come to test only so that I can be sure
See, check it doctor how i've become emaciated
I am left just skin and bones
My body is dotted with sores and cuts,
don't say it these are all symptoms of Electricity (slang for HIV/AIDS)
symptoms of Electricity
Professor J:
Stop being afraid, even malaria can be like this,
you can lose weight from typhoid or TB,
if you are not open and honest you are endangering your life,
it's better to distinguish which is menacing you, huh?
Ferouz:
Frequent fevers are constantly bothering me,
I vomit and have diarrhea 62 times a week
Look, how my hair has begun to fall out
My shoulders have risen you'd say they've popped out
I have it, I have it (slang for AIDS)
(Prof J) Wait for the test!
I have it, I have it
(Prof J) don't give up now!
I have it, I have it
Doctor don't be heartening,
it's like giving a toothless man a bone to gnaw on,
Here on earth I have no importance,
i'm supposed to say goodbye to earth, i have to do so
It's better i know now, so i can start shutting down
Professor J:
No! no, these are strange decisions
It's inexperience to kill yourself like this because,
illness is normal for humans, you should know this
It's better you relax and get answers from your bloodtest
Ferouz:
Now what's going on, you see what am I waiting for?
Better I be early to rest in the cemetary
Professor J:
Good times you really enjoy but this has bad results,
Many have been ruined by promiscuity,
Tests show that it's true you are affected (AIDS),
I'm very sorry, to lose more national strength,
It's good to go to service/worship and to talk with your Creator,
Eat well, do exercise, rest your body,
If you follow these guidelines you can live positively with hope
By the way, you still have a place here, believe in yourself
Ferouz:
God who created me, now I have already wronged him,
Even the soil of heaven is insulting me,
The angels of punishment await me with pleasure,
When I reach the afterlife who will greet me?
Aaaah....
[Chorus]
Ferouz is ill, and discusses his condition with his doctor (Professor J). My translation is not very good, i'm doing it word for word instead of by more general meaning or context, but I think it still comes across. I hope to at some point post (though i have NO clue how) a wav. file or something so that everyone can get a chance to hear this - it has a very quick, catchy beat.
Makes you question the content of most American music, huh? At least, it makes me feel this way. And this after I just quoted a shitty Eminem song...
Chorus:
Here I am in my bed,
Good times have gotten me in trouble,
to recover again is just not possible
my friends, my relatives farewell
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Suwa Said Scot Jenta [other famous TZ singers] goodbye,
Bongo records and majani goodbye,
you won't see me again on this earth.
Now I regret to say your friend has met trouble,
the devil has succeeded to pull me in,
now I dont know who to blame,
between my own self and demons,
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Makongo and Jiteute goodbye,
MOA and Azania goodbye,
ahhhhh.
Ferouz:
It's 1pm if I look at my watch
I've already left Jackie now i'm going to find Salama
At 6pm I have an appointment with 2 ladies,
not to mention Lillie whom I'm meeting at 8pm
Jane from Mikocheni, who is no longer on earth,
She would've been waiting for me by the rocks,
Amina and Semeni I will be meeting at Macheni
and every day I change up the order
This indeed was the course of my life,
loafing around the playing fields,
I saw nothing but fame and splendor
I partied with such haste and rashness,
I changed ladies like changing buses,
Going I got on this one, returning on that one,
I yearned to rule as king of all parties
Even to remember my God it was just a dream,
I was carried away by worldly life,
Turns out I was running from fire
and behavior of changing girlfriends I enjoyed
I especially liked my young well-dressed sistas
The bad part is that I didn't appreciate condoms,
since I knew it would reduce the pleasure of sex,
what do you know, I was losing a way
which I was advised could protect me.
The number of women was too large to count,
it reached a period where some of them I don't even remember
See? See this now?
What occured is that the sister of Bashiri,
I had already forgotten if we had been intimate,
when I saw her I seduced her again,
again for the second time.
[Chorus]
Professor J:
Hey youth, why haven't you knocked on the door?
Get in line, one by one is how we do things here,
Remove your doubts, good cures don't come quickly,
Wait while the others are treated and you will follow
Ferouz:
Doctor i've come to do a final evaluation
I believe this will be my last visit
symptoms show that I am affected (by AIDS)
but I've come to test only so that I can be sure
See, check it doctor how i've become emaciated
I am left just skin and bones
My body is dotted with sores and cuts,
don't say it these are all symptoms of Electricity (slang for HIV/AIDS)
symptoms of Electricity
Professor J:
Stop being afraid, even malaria can be like this,
you can lose weight from typhoid or TB,
if you are not open and honest you are endangering your life,
it's better to distinguish which is menacing you, huh?
Ferouz:
Frequent fevers are constantly bothering me,
I vomit and have diarrhea 62 times a week
Look, how my hair has begun to fall out
My shoulders have risen you'd say they've popped out
I have it, I have it (slang for AIDS)
(Prof J) Wait for the test!
I have it, I have it
(Prof J) don't give up now!
I have it, I have it
Doctor don't be heartening,
it's like giving a toothless man a bone to gnaw on,
Here on earth I have no importance,
i'm supposed to say goodbye to earth, i have to do so
It's better i know now, so i can start shutting down
Professor J:
No! no, these are strange decisions
It's inexperience to kill yourself like this because,
illness is normal for humans, you should know this
It's better you relax and get answers from your bloodtest
Ferouz:
Now what's going on, you see what am I waiting for?
Better I be early to rest in the cemetary
Professor J:
Good times you really enjoy but this has bad results,
Many have been ruined by promiscuity,
Tests show that it's true you are affected (AIDS),
I'm very sorry, to lose more national strength,
It's good to go to service/worship and to talk with your Creator,
Eat well, do exercise, rest your body,
If you follow these guidelines you can live positively with hope
By the way, you still have a place here, believe in yourself
Ferouz:
God who created me, now I have already wronged him,
Even the soil of heaven is insulting me,
The angels of punishment await me with pleasure,
When I reach the afterlife who will greet me?
Aaaah....
[Chorus]
posted by Brian at
10:03 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home