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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.
Intro
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ha ha make i tell una one secret | Ha ha let me tell you all one secret | Nigerian Pidgin English - 'make i' = let me, 'una' = you all (plural) |
| The secret wey me i dey use for all these women now | The secret that I use with all these women now | 'wey' = that/which, 'dey' = continuous marker (am/is/are) |
| Na the magic word be Tongolo | The magic word is Tongolo | 'Na' = it is/that is (emphasis marker) |
| No long thing, no long thing, just tell them Tongolo | No lengthy process, no complications, just tell them Tongolo | 'No long thing' = no complications, a common Nigerian expression meaning keep it simple |
Verse 1
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Me, i be Dbanj | Me, I am D'banj | 'i be' = I am |
| My jamo friends dem dey call me skibanj | My close/hometown friends they call me ski-banj | 'jamo' = close friend/homeboy, 'dem' = they |
| I don get degree for womanology | I have gotten a degree in womanology | 'don' = have/has (completed action marker), 'womanology' = humorous made-up word for expertise with women |
| I don study the woman physionomy | I have studied the woman's anatomy/nature | Playful mispronunciation of 'physiology' or 'physiognomy' |
| Wey dey make them follow me | That makes them follow me | 'wey dey make' = that makes/causes |
| For de club, den take up their thumbs for me | In the club, they give me thumbs up | Expression of approval and admiration |
| Even the girls they ask for me | Even the girls ask about me | They inquire about him/seek him out |
| Make i tell them the secret of my melody | Let me tell them the secret of my melody | 'melody' here refers to his charm/approach with women |
Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Make i tell them de koko o ah! | Let me tell them the koko/essence | 'koko' = the essence/the main point/the secret (Yoruba word adopted into Nigerian Pidgin) |
| Make i tell them de koko | Let me tell them the koko | Repetition for emphasis |
| If i tell dem the koko, I say make you yarn them de koko | If I tell them the koko, I say you should tell them the koko | 'yarn' = tell/speak |
Bridge
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tongbala, tongolo | Tongbala, tongolo | Yoruba - rhythmic variations of the word 'tongolo', likely a playful/flirtatious term |
| Omoge wa je a tongolo | Girl, let's do tongolo | Yoruba - 'Omoge' = girl/young woman, 'wa je' = come let's, 'a' = let's |
| Tongbala, se iwo le tongolo | Tongbala, can you tongolo? | Yoruba - 'se iwo le' = can you/are you able to |
| Omoge wa je kia tongolo | Girl, come let's tongolo quickly | Yoruba - 'kia' = quick/fast |
Verse 2
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| As i dey waka up for road | As I was walking on the road | 'dey waka' = was walking, 'for road' = on the road |
| I see one baby | I saw a girl | 'baby' = attractive young woman |
| I name her no be small | Her name was 'no be small' | Humorous - he nicknamed her 'no be small' (meaning 'not small/impressive') because everything about her was impressive |
| Why because she fine no be small | Because she was very beautiful | 'fine' = beautiful, 'no be small' = not small/very much/extremely (intensifier) |
| When her front no be small | Her front/chest was impressive | Referring to her bust/figure euphemistically |
| When her backside no be small | Her backside was impressive | Referring to her hips/buttocks |
| I yarn am the truth and i yarn am the fact | I told her the truth and I told her the facts | 'yarn' = tell/speak, expressing honesty in his approach |
| And yarn am no be small | And I really talked to her | He put in serious effort in talking to her |
| She no wan gree my own o | She didn't want to agree with me/accept my advances | 'no wan gree' = didn't want to agree/accept |
| Until I yan her am the koko | Until I told her the koko/the secret word | Only after using the magic word 'tongolo' did she accept |
Rap Section
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Listen listen, Mo wa talented | Listen listen, I am talented | Switches to Yoruba - 'Mo wa' = I am |
| Yes mo wa gifted | Yes I am gifted | Yoruba |
| Seri kini mi, o ma gbe e lifted | Look at what I have, it will lift you up | Yoruba - 'Seri' = look, 'kini mi' = what I have, 'o ma gbe e lifted' = it will lift you (mixing Yoruba with English 'lifted') |
| Seri hips e ma file shifted | Your hips will be shifted | Yoruba-English mix - suggesting how his moves/charm will affect her |
| Oju e ma file tinted | Your eyes will be tinted/dazzled | Yoruba-English - 'Oju e' = your eyes, suggesting she'll be dazzled/impressed |
| Boyfriend e gon o wa evicted | Your boyfriend is going to be evicted | Yoruba-English - 'e gon' = is going to, playful boasting that he'll replace her boyfriend |
| Ko mo pe D'banj is addicted | He doesn't know that D'banj is addicted | Yoruba-English - 'Ko mo pe' = doesn't know that, implying he's seriously into her |
| Te ba sope no, maa wa persistent | If you say no, I will be persistent | Yoruba-English - 'Te ba so pe' = if you say, 'maa wa' = I will be |
| Mo ni iyawo n ile, don't get it twisted | I have a wife at home, don't get it twisted | Yoruba-English - 'Mo ni iyawo n ile' = I have a wife at home - being upfront/honest; switches to English at the end |
Outro
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Se you hear am, Or you no hear well | Did you hear it, or didn't you hear well? | Nigerian Pidgin - 'Se' = did/do (question marker), challenging the listener |
| Na my secret be that, just tell them tongolo | That is my secret, just tell them tongolo | Revealing the secret: the magic word is 'tongolo' |
| Don jazzy, Dbanj, Mo hits record | Don Jazzy, D'banj, Mo Hits Record | Credits/shout-out to producer and label |