REBEL SOUL (Nyabinghi)

 

    Far from the sea there is a house, up in the hills

   That's where I'll be spending my time, biding my time

   Nyabinghi come play your drums  for me                                      

 

   When I was a boy I leaned on the strength of my father's shoulders

    And now I am grown I'm clearing my path of all the boulders

    Nyabinghi come play your drums  for me

                 I'm a rebel soul

                

        Mother I'm growing my locks I want to become a musician

                          

        I'll stand up for human rights... be a warrior

 

        Guitar in my hand - a spear,  I'll be aiming for the meridian

                         

        Strong is my cause and truth I rely on 

 

         Because I  learn as I'm growing

         

         There's no use in only knowing pretty lies

                

         I'll open my eyes

                           

    I'm a rebel soul

 

   Nyabinghi come play your drums....

   coz I'm a rebel soul

 

   Mother they're outside my door

   They say it's time for me to conform

   I've "joined the fight", they say, I'm "a bad seed"

   But I know what's wrong from right

   And the road I'm on - it's providence

   At the end of the day my logic remains clear

   The embers are glowing

   My ideas are counterflowing

   Goodwill arise - guide the strong and the wise

 

   I'm a rebel soul                       

 

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                          LONG ROAD

 

(intro) I've got a ticket

I wanna go to Sidamo

I've got a ticket, I wanna be in Arussi

I've got a ticket, show me the way to Dessie

I've got a ticket to Dire Dawa, and to Massawa

 

Way past midnight, and I'm still walking

It took so long for directions to your town

At a local inn I sought help from an old man

He said "Son, I can't show you the way, but the drink's on me"

 

(chorus) Would you mind telling me

How do I get to Africa

'Cause I keep on wandering 

 

Lose another day on the wrong road

I'm looking for a miracle, or a ride

Because I know

14,000 miles is no joke

(chorus)

 

And I know I can make it, I'm halfway there already

(I can clear it) Over the ridge 

And anything the road brings

 

Somebody said "Take the Long road" 

And another said "Head for the beach"

Never ceasing to reach for you Africa

In my thoughts I've never left you

I fear no strife, my gourd is full of His wisdom

Alone I've lumbered through furies in magical dreams

Where tears fell, lost into the sea

 

No Babylon can stop me

I'm on my way, I'm heading home

No Babylon can stop me now

 

(intro)

 

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                         SIMIEN BREEZE

 

 On many a morning I'd wake up and something would trigger a memory of home

(I) think I've been gone for far too long

If I could recapture my youth I would turn back the clock to a life I once knew

And lose myself like the wind in the trees

I dream of forests and I dream of wide open spaces

I dream of walking on red earth with no shoes in the rain of summer

I dream of the plans we'd laid, of the games we played

Of promises made to last all time

 

When that day comes I will not fear the guns - faith will be my ammunition

Prodigal was no invention - it's true

Man and kingdom will sound the horn and drum on arrival in Addis Ababa

Green, gold, red, and black behold my eyes

 

On many a morning I'd wake up and something would trigger a memory of home

Lomi Terra, Shiro Meda

If I could go back to my youth - rediscover the places so old yet so new

I recall fine weather - Simien breeze

 

I dream of forests......

...............................

 

When the tale is told and the facts unfold no prize could be a consolation

Take me back to the land where I was birthed

King and country I'll come home to see - keep some land for me in Mendefera

No sapphire dome nor the ships of Rome can hold me back

 

Ke feedel qotera wede Lemma be Gebeya

Eske semm enna worq

 

Lomi Terra, mehede new wedeza

 

When that day comes..........

.........................................

 

 ================================================

               DR CRAZY

Dr Crazy . . you're lazy without a doubt

Have you got a remedy for me?

I've been thinking . . you're taking far too long

Would you play that melody for me?

 

Or I'm gonna stay here 'til you've solved every one 

of the world's problems

You never told me what could be done

So here I am again!

 

Dr Crazy . . you're lazy without a doubt....

.......................

The illusion's getting stronger

We might soon be overcome

And I really feel it's urgent

I think it's time we get things done

So here I am again!

 

Dr Crazy . . you know this is our only chance for happiness

Even 'maybe' would be better than 'no'

So work you're magic . . do your magic

Rock and come in!

 

Well , We're going round in circles

Is it true you've lost your mind?

And what of your reputation . .

That there's nothing you can't find an answer to?

Don't pretend

 

Dr Crazy . .  you know it's no use trying to ignore this circumstance

Good intention is never mentioned in history, you see

So work your magic . . do your magic

Rock and come in!

 

============================================ 

                 MOYALE

 If then we knew now what we know

If then we knew what was to unfold

We'd dare a union, defy the course

 

The crossed the bush, they crossed savannah

Through the wild they ran on , they ran on

Never been so many down in a hole

No word at the frontier of their arrival

If you've never been outside the ring

Follow the tracks of the Shadow Road

 

(chorus) Moyale na na

To Moyale come on

 

They left without a word, without a sound

Down to the border, heading for the southern frontier

Never been so many down in a hole

No tales to convey of their survival 

If you've never been outside the ring

Follow the tracks of the Shadow Road

Moyale na na  

To Moyale come on 

 

Ever since the revolution 

We've been running for our lives

I wish there could have been another solution

 

(in Amharic) It is said more than

40 thousand took that road

 

If then we knew now what we know

If then we knew what was to unfold

If then we knew now what we know

We'd dare a union - defy the course

(chorus)