Words and Music composed, written and arranged by Olusegun Akinlolu. No part of these lyrics should be shared in any form or any public space without giving credit to the writer. All rights reserved. © & ℗ 1997 EniObanke
1. SEVEN LIFES
In my journey through the world, over land and over sea
I see different cultures and different people's ways
I was born where the sun never sets and never rises
I was born where the heat is like a second skin
Children crying on the streets, automobiles making noise
The land is growing dry and weak, spirits dying low
The forefathers calling me: never tire, never weaken
The pride in me is bursting loose I'm an African boy.
On the farm my father called me down behind a tree
He said, “Prostrate at my feet and say a few prayers”
Then he told me all the stories of my brave ancestors,
"Look into my eyes son, you were born to be great"
So, in the twilight I went home, behind my father with a hoe
Listening to the songs of birds, whispers of the night
Singing: seven goats, seven beads,
Seven cowries, seven nuts,
Seven lives that's what I've got, I'm an African boy
Over sea, over land, over mountains and in the wild
I'll be brave and I'll be strong, I'm an African boy.
In the evening, mother called me down into her hut
She said,` "Lay upon my bosom and say a few prayers"
Then she told me to go forward never looking back
"The spirits are with you and you will never fail"
So I go into the world, into the deeps, into the wild
In the market place I danced the sound of bata
Dancing: seven jumps, seven wriggles,
Seven cowries, seven nuts
Seven lives, that's what I've got
I'm an African boy
2. WHAT CAN MAN DO?
What can man do when Jahjah’s your guide?
What can man do when you’ve seen the light?
What can hate do when love’s in your heart?
You’ll be standing tall, you’ll be clean and proud
Tomorrow’s in your eyes, you will never fail
What can man do when Jahjah says no?
What can man do when his time is up?
You know today’s kings are tomorrow’s bones
So look up history, the wicked must fall, their children will pay
The oppressed will always laugh last y’know
It’s just a season it will pass away
Darkness will give way to light one day
You know it’s easy but they cannot see
How we can all live in peace as one
So, what can man do when Jahjah’s your guide?
What can darkness do when you’re in the light?
What can hate do when love’s in your heart?
You’ll be standing tall, you’ll be clean and proud
Tomorrow’s in your eyes, you will never fail
It’s just a season it will pass away…
3. CHASING THE WIND
Yes, you may live long like Methuselah, I tell you
You may rule the world,
You may be powerful like the gods
Look into the skies, the truths of the universe
A lie may reign today
One day the truth will come out shining bright
It’s like chasing the wind, you can’t catch it
Chasing the wind, you won’t catch it, no
So, let there be truth in the land
Let there be justice in the land
Let there be love
Then there will be peace like you want
People may be still, taking all your bullshit
They may be like fools to be driven like the cows
If you look deep in their eyes, you’ll see the burning fire
The day is coming soon, this fire will explode, I know
It’s like chasing the wind, you can’t catch it…
Everybody’s got a right you know
To be free and live free
To be happy in the life that he chooses to live
Everybody’s got a brain you know
They can see beyond the lies
The day is coming soon this fire will explode, I know
4. RHYTHMS
Say you want to ask me where I get my rhythms from
And you want to know now, why the people love me so
You want to know where I get my songs from,
You want to know why I dance so good
You want to get some inspiration,
You want to feel the beat in you
Do you want to go there where I get my rhythms from?
Down in Africa where the music never stops
Hear the clarion call, it’s another rhythm
It’s a natural rhythm, it’s a reggae rhythm
It’s a funky rhythm
Say you’re having problems, can’t really find your feet
The world is against you and you can’t find no rest
You want to know where you can be happy
You want to know where you can find peace
You want to get some inspiration
You want a place where you can be free
Do you want to go there where I get my rhythms from?
Down in Africa where the music never stops
Hear the clarion call, it’s another rhythm
It’s a natural rhythm, it’s a reggae rhythm
It’s a funky rhythm
My rhythm, it’s from Africa
It’s from the Father I tell you
It’s from Jah Almighty
You all go dance, dance, dance
Now feel me flow
Do you want to go there where I get my rhythms from?
Down in Africa where the music never stops
Hear the clarion call, it’s another rhythm…
5. FAT GIRL
Fat girl, I know the way you’re feeling
You need a man beside you
I’m going to be there
Cos everyman wants a loving girl
And every girl wants a loving man
I-man need a fat-fat girl
Someone soft and succulent
So in the night we can frolick and rumble
And in the day we will rollick and bubble
And our love will never tumble
The day you slim down I will cry
Cos the bigger the better, the fatter the softer
That’s all I want from you girl
Yes, the bigger the better, the fatter the softer
That’s all I want from you girl
Cos everyman has a desire
They want a girl with a figure eight
I need a girl a fatty rump
I need a girl with thick fat lips
So in the night we can frolick and rumble…
Yes, our love going to burn like fire
And we will take it higher and higher
We will swim a river of desire
Everything you want I’m going to buy you.
Fat girl, I know the way you’re feeling
You need a man beside you
I’m going to be there
6. THIS IS LOVE
We’re coming nice and easy, smooth and tender…
You woke this morning with my face in your eyes
My voice in your ears and you think it must be craziness
You made up your face to face up today
But your mind is still in yesterday and the words I said
I tell you baby, this is love
You ain’t got it till you’ve got it
And when you’ve got it you’ve got to know it
Or it’s going to burn you down
I tell you honey, this is the time
To come running into my arms
I’ll give you like you’ve never had
I tell you now, this is what they call real love
The last time was so bad you promised yourself ‘not again’
Said no more pain, no more tears, all will be well
But when we met, it welled up in you this curdling stream
Feelings you can’t help, you keep seeing me in your dreams
What we’ve found is rare like gold,
Everlasting like a diamond
What we’ve got is from heaven,
Only once in a while given
So go on forget your doubts
7. THE HEAT IS ON
The heat is on in a village girl
At 18 years she’s never known a man
Her mummy wouldn’t let her go outdoors
She says the men will spoil her little child
But the nights are cold and lonely
This village girl’s got to get a man
Pisha ohoh, you need a lover, ohoh
Can’t tell your mummy nooh
She won’t approve it, nooh
Pisha ohoh, the feelings are surging ohoh
The heat is on now ohoh, she can’t deny it
The heat is on in a village girl
At 18 years she’s never known a man
She can’t ignore the growing need in her
She thinks of him every night and day
And when the men pay her compliments
She feels so hot, don’t know what to do
Burning (3ce), burning like fine
Shivering (3ce) with hot desire
She needs a man to take her higher
But she can’t get no one
To quell the fire burning inside her
Pisha ohoh, you need a lover, ohoh…
8. SILENCE
We may be right, we may be wrong
We take our chances by and by
We let our minds do the talking
Silence is golden
We saw the light going down,
The moon is gone; the night is dead
Our hopes and dreams are like a beach
Without the ocean
I can’t just understand how we got it this bad
Oh, I played you silly games and you played me by your rules
Love is on the run and I don’t know what to do
You’re building up the walls now
I’m on the outside alone
Time is slowly passing by
The air is still, your eyes are cold
I wish that I could cross this space
The silence is killing
I slip away into the night
I take the dog along with me
He doesn’t understand my pride,
I don’t like to beg
I can’t just understand how we got it this bad
Oh, I played you silly games and you played me by your rules
Love is on the run and I don’t know what to do
You’re building up the walls now
I’m on the outside alone
Give me a chance to prove myself
Give me some room and I’ll move this world
Give me some space and I’ll build mansions
Teach me your song and I’ll sing it loud