My Mother’s Fatter Than Yours

People’ll say anything they like
And they’ll do whatever they want
People’ll say anything to make you feel small
My child is better than yours
My brother’s stronger than yours
My sister’s prettier than yours
And I am richer than your whole family
My house is bigger than yours
My father’s taller than yours
My mother’s fatter than yours
And we are richer than your whole family
They tell you if you don’t hustle
You cannot make it
But if you hustle your way into trouble
Then it’s all on your head
Have you forgotten the words of our elders
That many roads lead to the market?
So get up on your feet,
Follow your dreams, do you own thing
Don’t run someone else’s race
There is a different season for everyone
As the moon rises does the sun set
Only the patient will reap the bounty of life

Down The Street

I was going down the street one day
I saw this little girl by the roadside
She was sitting on the floor, crying in her hands
What could make a little one so sad?
So I stood a moment by her side
And I tried to clean away her tears
Baby cry no more, wipe away your tears
Tell me what is on your mind
And she said, “Where is Papa gone?
Where is Mama gone?
Where is Rori gone my friend?
Where’s my brother gone? Everybody’s gone”
The little baby cried and cried
So I cleaned away all her tears
Shared a joke and then let her talk
In her little child voice she told a story
Now I’m the one who’s shedding tears

mama bendel

I still remember the old days
When I was young and in school
My mind will wander to when I was so confused
And I was never sure of whom I was
I was living far away from home
I missed my family and my friends
But out of the gloom there was a woman
Who kept us laughing into the deeps of the night
And we called her Mama Bendel
To her we went for our meals
She made amala the way I liked it
Mama Bendel - She was always there
She put the shine in my dull days
She knew how to make a stone laugh
She knew how to lift my dark clouds away
She told me stories of how she grew up
As a young girl in a village far away
She painted a world of happiness
And taught me the things mother forgot to teach
She talked about love and pain
And what you must do to keep your head
Up above the storms of life
She was Mama Bendel
She would sing and dance
To soothe my young soul
Mama Bendel - Honest and true
She was the queen in my little world
Now Mama Bendel is gone away
She died in her sleep a few years ago
They said just before she left
She gave everyone a smile and said
“I’ll be seeing you very soon”

Coming Soon

I come from a world where rivers sing a song
And every tree has its place
We love the land, the valleys and the hills
And we know who made them all
Come into my village, feel at home my friend
We’ll make you pounded yam while you sip some palm-wine
Come leave behind your preconceived ideas,
Into our world of love
I come from a world where rivers sing a song
And every tree has its place
We love the land, the beasts and the birds
And we know who made them all

Down by the river we made a vow
Said we would never be afraid
No matter what may lay ahead, we’ll stand for what is right
And once again we’ll be masters of the land – hardworking, honest people
Yes like my mama said years ago
You know that everything will be alright
So let them do what they will, we know the path we must follow
And the words of our fathers will guide us all the way to victory
So sisters when you get a bit weary
Put a little song in your mouth
And let the words ring across the land
You know that everything will be alright
Change is gonna come and it’s coming soon

The night was full of merriment
Drumming, singing we rejoice
Lovely maidens led the way and everyone danced along
Soon the darkness covered everything
Turn by turn we made for bed
With a little smile from my mama saying everything will be alright
Now I dream of the past and the many days of promise to come
Yes, I am more than ready to bear my burden with a smile
So come, brother, come along to the farm
Raise your head with pride
Together we will reform this land, everything will be alright
Change is gonna come and it’s coming soon