Children of Uganda 2012 Tour of Light Music CD Contents:
1. Alelluia Nimaro
2. Kadaimanda
3. Maridiku
4. Mulilwana
5. xylophone solo
6. Do You Believe
7. Mwambuyaya
8. Namalanga
9. Ntwara Mata
10. Nze Nyinza
11. Omugudo
12. Tweyanze
13. Otwenge
1) Alleluia / Nimaro
This song expresses a very simple sentiment in many different ways and different languages: “we have come here to praise the Lord.”
2) Kadaimanda
This simple song asks: Where are the beautiful ones? You beautiful ones, come over here! We love you and we want to dance with you.
3) Maruniku
Aye maruniku nakidiya muludeyeeye
Samba rukilirilu kilirilu walalinga motema
Kopuce luwaladda enyeri; kopuce luwaladda
Tumutendereza yezu omwana wendiga
Ayee sasi saperetu maludeya
This song, a favorite of many Ugandan artists, is in the Lugbara language, which few people in the Kampala area speak. When asking other musicians for the interpretation we got four completely different answers. The interpretation we think most likely to be true (from a man who speaks some Lugbara) is this: “Do you think I am alone in this world? Oh no I am not, see my friends all around me.”
4) Muliranwa (Neighbor)
Abagenyi mutya nno eno ewaffe mirembe
Abagenyi mutya nno eno ewaffe kika
Okwagala kirungi naye ekya muliranwa kikambwe
Okwagala kirungi naye ekya muliranwa kika
Bw’ogenda okulima kibuulire muliranwa wo nti ngenda kulima
Bw’ogenda okusera kibuulire muliranwa wo nti ngenda kusera
Bw’ogenda okubba kibuulire muliranwa wo nti ngenda kubba
Obeera mulogo, obeera musezi, obeera mutemu
Abakazi mwaagala bagagga abaavu temutuliiko ye mwaaba ki?
Omukazi olumuwa omutwalo nga teeka mu kaleega olw’enkeera
Enkeera omusanga wa kisekka ngali muyamukaaga ngamba engatto
Mbadde nkwagaza mpeta ate gwe oyagala mukwano obadde otya?
Nze nkwagaza mpeta oyagala kukuula obadde otya
Naffe twagala baggagga abaavu tetubaliiko eh! Mwabaaki
Omusajja atulina silingi abeera kisajja – sajja awo twavaawo
Bwe nali ngenda okuwasa ssebo, nabuulira muliranwa wange
Bwe nali ngenda okulima ssebo, nabuulira muliranwa wange
Kyanyamba kati nazaala nekubaana kati mpezawo ensaanvu. Bwokyawa muliranwawo.
Translation:
You are warmly welcome, visitors, here we have peace
To love is good, but having a neighbor is better.
If you are going to work in the fields tell your neighbor
If you are going to “night-dance” tell your neighbor
If you are going to rob tell your neighbor
Women love rich men and they don’t love poor ones.
If you give a woman a ten thousand shilling note, she just puts it in her bra.
Then next you find her in town putting on expensive shoes
yet claiming to be broke and poor.
I’ve been asking for marriage now you want us to be friends?
Yes, we (women) don’t like men who are poor.
It is irritating to have a man who is poor.
When I was going to get married, I told my neighbor.
When I was going to work in the fields, I told my neighbor.
When I was going to get married, I told my neighbor and it helped me so much.
I gave birth to children, now I have seventy.
5) Xylophone solo
The xylophone is a traditional instrument from Busoga kingdom, in the Eastern part of Uganda. Here Geoffrey Nakalanga plays and sings extemporaneously. The song is about Kampala (Uganda’s capital) and what a great place it is. He sings: Kampala is better than Iganga, where everything is cheap and boring. In Kampala people are generous and they have fun.
6) Do You Believe
Longol kong ingol ba
Kangolo, yo, kangolo yo wabinena nyari ka
Gwoko gang
Baba kang ingol ba
Mama kang ingol ba
Lapwony kong ingol ba
Q: An amaro Yesu enabina poka
A: Pe bino poka ki lubanga makwo
Nyo kongo bo enabina poka?
Nyo alaya bo enabina poka?
Nyo tala jo enabino poka?
Nyo yeto jo enabina poka?
Longol (the first song in this medley) tells a story of someone who brought his fiance to his father’s home, but she was not paying attention to him. The young man asks his father to judge whether or not she would be a good wife.
An Amaro Yesu (the second) asks – will booze separate me from the love of God? No, it cannot separate me from the living God. The same question is asked about prostitutes, drug abuse, and witch doctors – and every time the answer is no, it cannot separate me. The chorus says “I love Jesus, I love the Savior, I love Jesus with all my heart.”
The third song is a Sunday School song teaching children the basics of the Christian faith: do you believe? I believe in the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
7) Mwambuyaya
This song is sung during the Mwaga dance, which is a dance of initiation for 16 year old boys about to become men in the circumcision ritual. The dance lasts 3 weeks; this song begins the ceremony by calling people to gather for the celebration.
8) Namalanga / Kamungolo
Abe namalanga abalungi mbagaala
Abe namalanga munkubire engalo mbawe abe namalanga
Sikomba kumata nayonka nematira
Mukazi namunyeeye wekaaba ebika
Musajja mpologoma wekaaba eruma
Namalanga abalungi Mbagala
Kamungolo musajja mulungi
Nze ndigenda n’ensawo yange
Jjajja jjajja nge
Kamungolo yazaala abaana, nze ndigenda n’ensawo yange
Kamungolo yazimba ennyumba, nze ndigenda n’ensawo yange
Kamungolo musajja muyonjo, nze ndigenda n’ensawa yange
Translation:
Good people of Namalanga, I love you
People of Namalanga, clap for me and I’ll dance for you
I don’t drink milk because I had enough when I was breast-fed
When the owl hoots, it brings sadness
When the lion roars, it bites.
Kamungolo is a very good man
I will go with my bag to Kamungolo’s place
Kamungolo fathered children
Kamungolo built a house
Kamungolo is a very organized man
9) Ntwara Mata Gawe
Ntwara, ntwara mata gawe
Mukaikuru mpomuluroo
Mukaikuru yagamba
Webare akiki webare aboli webale ateni
Ntwara, ntwara, ntwara mata gawe
Tunakuwakiffe, abaana b’abantu?
Okujjako okusinzanga n’okutenda ennaku zonna
Osinzebwe nga, Mukama Katonda waffe
Osinzebwe nga, Mukama ennaku zonna
Tunakusinzanga Yesu, Alleluia, tunakusinzanga Yesu, amina
Translation:
I am taking my wonderful milk; everyone clap for me!
My fathers told me so.
Thank you man, thank you woman, thank you both.
(This is about treasuring the good things we have in life, being grateful, and taking good care of them).
What can we give you, we children of men?
But to praise and worship you all our days.
Praise God, our Lord; Praise God all our days.
We always worship you, Jesus, Alleluia, Amen.
10) Nze Nyinza Ntya Obutebeeza ( I am so grateful)
Nze nyinza ntya obutebaaza bylompadde, mukama wange nsiima
Nze nyinza ntya obutebaaza by’ompadde, mukama wange nziima
Amaanyi genina gano (nsiima nnyo)
Obulamu bwenina buno (nsiima nnyo)
Ebitone Byongabulira (nsiima nnyo)
Ba siponsa benina bano (nsiima nnyo)
Nze nyinza obutebaaza byompadde, entasiima ebula agikwatirako
Nsaana nyimbe obuteddiza (nsiima nnyo)
Ntendereze nnyo obuyambi (nsiima nnyo)
Nomukwano gwo tegukoma (nsiima nnyo)
Nze nyinza obutebaaza byompadde, entasiima ebula agikwatirako
Translation:
How can I thank you Lord for all the benefits I have received from you?
I am so grateful.
The energy I have (I am so grateful)
The life I have (I am so grateful)
The talents you gave me (I am so grateful)
The sponsors I have (I am so grateful)
It will be so bad if I don’t thank you.
I must sing continously (I am so grateful)
To praise your help (I am so grateful)
Your goodness is everlasting (I am so grateful)
Your love is also everlasting (I am so grateful)
It will be so bad if I don’t thank you.
11) Omugudo
This drum piece opens most Tour of Light shows, introducing you to the many rhythms and beats of Uganda.
12) Tweyanze (We are Grateful)
Tweyanze, tweyanzeege, walala kagutema bamwongere e Nabulagala
Tweyanze abakyala n’abaami (walala kagutema bamwongere e Nabulagala)
Munkubire engero ndimwana wambuga…
Munkubire engoma abuganda bweyagale
Twazze kusanyuka abakutte kuttama
Nyimba mpola mpola tebandaba engeleka
Nyimba mpola mpola tebandaba ekibuno
Nyimba mpola mpola tebandaba akamiro
Ate namunyeeye bwekaaba eruma
Translation:
We are so grateful – may you be rewarded accordingly
We are grateful to you, women and men.
Clap for me, I am a son of the king
Play drums for me so that Buganda (kingdom) will be happy
We came to enjoy, but now some of you are feeling sad
I sing mildly, not to show my teeth
I sing gently, not to show my gums
I sing slowly, not to show my throat.
When the owl hoots it brings sadness.
13) Otwenge
This song accompanies the Addungu dance from the West Nile Region of Uganda (Alur people). Otwenge literally means the elbow, and this song tells of the usefulness of the elbow. You can’t feed yourself without an elbow, or shower, or touch your head, or many other things. The dance that goes along with this song also has very expressive elbow and arm movements.
