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Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wombo lombo, wombo lombo, wombo lombo | Wombo lombo (dance expression) | Wombo lombo is an onomatopoetic/rhythmic expression celebrating dance - it doesn't have a literal translation but evokes the movement and energy of traditional West African dance |
| Wombo lombo, wombo lombo, wombo lombo | Wombo lombo | Repetitive chant that builds celebratory energy |
Verse 1
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gbogbo èniyan nsọ pe onijo kan | Everyone is saying there's a dancer | Yoruba. 'Gbogbo èniyan' = everyone; 'onijo' = dancer. The song celebrates an exceptional dancer |
| N'ibo ni mo lé ri èni t'o dá mi l'ohun | Where can I find someone who moves like this? | Yoruba. Rhetorical question expressing amazement at the dancer's unique skill |
| Ilẹ̀ onijo wa l'ègbẹ odò | The dancer's home is by the riverside | Yoruba. 'Ilẹ̀' = place/home; 'ègbẹ odò' = riverside. References to water are spiritually significant in Beninese vodun culture |
| Inou gbèrèko oman tou ọkọ̀ akpèdja | Inside the forest, people travel by canoe | Yoruba. Describes the dancer's rural, traditional origins and connection to nature |
Chorus (English)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Have you ever seen this man moving? | Have you ever seen this man moving? | Switches to English. Direct address to the listener, inviting them to witness the exceptional dancing |
| Do you think anyone else can do it? | Do you think anyone else can do it? | English. Emphasizes the uniqueness of the dancer's skill |
| Really this dance has got something | Really this dance has got something | English. Acknowledges the special, indefinable quality of traditional dance |
| Something, no way you can't beat it | Something, no way you can't beat it | English. Celebrates the unmatched excellence of the dance and its spiritual/cultural power |
Vocal interlude
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ho ham ham ho ham, Yêll ho ham ham ho ham | Ho ham ham ho ham (vocal sounds) | Traditional Beninese vocal technique called 'zilin' - non-lexical vocables used to create rhythm and texture in West African music |