About this song
Bozi Boziana wakes to a broken morning: Alena, the woman he loved, is gone, and he'd risk his life to hold her again. The song swells into a plea to lovers everywhere not to be so careless with the heart — cast off today, chasing another tomorrow — before dissolving into a long, name-checking soukous dance-chant.
Tongo etani
Morning has broken
Na keyi nde mosala
I set off for work
Na motema eh
in my heart, eh
Souci ya bolingo
the worry of love
Ba ninga ba ko tuna soki nini ezwi nga na tongo ya lelo eh
friends kept asking what had come over me this morning
Na ko zongisa botika nga na lela
I'd answer: leave me to weep
Alena na lingaka
Alena, whom I loved
Lelo a keyi eh
today she has left
Lobi ba panza sango na baninga oyo ba yebi te oh
let the news spread tomorrow to friends who don't yet know
Po ba kangela nga bolingo ata na nzela eh
so they might catch me some love, even along the road
Surtout lokoka mwana'ngo a leli motema
above all because this dear one loves with all her heart
Na ko risquer na vie na nga ah ah
I would risk my very life
Surtout lokola a memi motema
above all because she has carried off my heart
Na ko risquer na vie na nga ah
I would risk my very life
Alena Mabanzo bolingo o bombeli nga na kati ya motema
Alena Mabanzo, the love you stored for me deep in the heart
Tala ndenge ekomi ko zokisa nga ah
look how it wounds me now
Sala noki ozonga po tokutana nga na keyi eh
hurry back so we meet before I go
Ah nga ah nga mawa na nga ah ah
ah, what sorrow is mine
Tongo etani
Morning has broken
Na keyi nde mosala
I set off for work
Na motema eh
in my heart, eh
Souci ya bolingo
the worry of love
Ba ninga ba ko tuna soki nini ezwi nga na tongo ya lelo eh
friends kept asking what had come over me this morning
Na ko zongisa botika nga na lela
I'd answer: leave me to weep
Alena na lingaka
Alena, whom I loved
Lelo a keyi eh
today she has left
Lobi ba panza sango na baninga oyo ba yebi te oh
let the news spread tomorrow to friends who don't yet know
Po ba kangela nga bolingo ata na nzela eh
so they might catch me some love, even along the road
Surtout lokoka mwana'ngo a leli motema
above all because this dear one loves with all her heart
Na ko risquer na vie na nga ah ah
I would risk my very life
Surtout lokola a memi motema
above all because she has carried off my heart
Na ko risquer na vie na nga ah
I would risk my very life
Alena Mabanzo bolingo o bombeli nga na kati ya motema
Alena Mabanzo, the love you stored for me deep in the heart
Tala ndenge ekomi ko zokisa nga ah
look how it wounds me now
Sala noki ozonga po tokutana nga na keyi eh
hurry back so we meet before I go
Ah nga ah nga mawa na nga ah ah
ah, what sorrow is mine
Eh bolingo motema ebongaka te o pesakisa moninga po a boya mosusu eh
in love it's not right to push someone into dumping another
Eh bolingo motema ebongaka te o pesakisa moninga po a boya mosusu eh
in love it's not right to push someone into dumping another
Bolingo merci bolingo ya lobi bolingo Alena
thank you, love — love of the future, love of Alena
Lolango na nga tika ko salaka nga bongo eh
my blossom, stop treating me this way
Bolingo ya lelo oboya lobi olinga mosusu eh
today's love you cast off, tomorrow you love another
Bolingo ya compliqué guy eh ngo oh
such a complicated love, guy
Oh nzambe tika ko sala nga bongo eh
oh God, don't do this to me
Bana Sasele bo tika ko boya basi eh
Sasele's children, stop leaving your women
Oh Nounou tika ko sala nga bongo eh
oh Nounou, stop treating me this way
Yo Kale tika ko sala nga bongo eh
you, Kale, stop treating me this way
Blaise Bomele tika ko boya basi eh
Blaise Bomele, stop leaving your women
Toussaint Bokobo boni'oko sala nga bongo eh
Toussaint Bokobo, why do you treat me so?
Bolingo merci bolingo ya lobi bolingo Alena
thank you, love — love of the future, love of Alena
Lolango na nga tika ko salaka nga bongo eh
my blossom, stop treating me this way
Bolingo ya lelo oboya lobi olinga mosusu eh
today's love you cast off, tomorrow you love another
Bolingo ya compliqué guy eh ngo oh
such a complicated love, guy
Oh nzambe tika ko sala nga bongo eh
oh God, don't do this to me
Ba mère ya Paris eh bo tika ko boya mibali eh
you Paris ladies, stop leaving your men
Malu mère première eh tika ko sala nga bongo eh
Malou, first lady, stop treating me this way
Moussa Salote boni oko sala nga bongo eh
Moussa Salote, why do you treat me so?
Tsham Tsham Tshamala boni oko niokolo Lydie eh
Tsham Tshamala, why do you make Lydie suffer?
Marianne Makoso eh boni oko sala nga bongo eh
Marianne Makoso, why do you treat me so?
Biplek ya Paris boni oko boya basi eh
Biplek of Paris, why do you leave your women?
Bolingo merci bolingo ya lobi bolingo Alena
thank you, love — love of the future, love of Alena
Lolango na nga tika ko salaka nga bongo eh
my blossom, stop treating me this way
Bolingo ya lelo oboya lobi olinga mosusu eh
today's love you cast off, tomorrow you love another
Bolingo ya compliqué guy eh ngo oh
such a complicated love, guy
Sisi Selenge, allez Christian, Christian Pina
Sisi Selenge — go, Christian, Christian Pina
Mustafa Mustafa Mustafa
Mustafa, Mustafa, Mustafa
Eh le vrai Parisien
eh, the true Parisian
Anita Ngapi
Anita Ngapi
Production Production
Production, Production
Maman eh
Mama eh
Maman deux à deux
Mama, two by two
Ewayi wayi
ewayi wayi
Maman eh
Mama eh
Maman deux à deux
Mama, two by two
Ewayi wayi
ewayi wayi
Maman eh
Mama eh
Maman deux à deux
Mama, two by two
Ewayi wayi
ewayi wayi
Maman eh
Mama eh
Maman deux à deux
Mama, two by two
Ewayi wayi
ewayi wayi
Mawe mawe mawe mawe mawe mawe nge mawe mawe mam'e mam'e
pity, pity, pity, mama
Tomboka na yo tomboka
rise up, rise up
Silika na yo silika
rage on, rage on
Tomboka na yo tomboka
rise up, rise up
Silika na yo silika
rage on, rage on
Mvula ilweke mawe eh mawe
the rain has fallen, pity eh
Mvula ilwekende mawe oh mawe
the rain keeps falling, pity oh
Mvula ilweke mawe eh
the rain has fallen, pity eh
Nani walata mama kuma bina mambi walata mama
who will dance, mama — come dance the mambi, mama
Nani walata mama kuma bina mambi walata mama
who will dance, mama — come dance the mambi, mama
Nani walata mama kuma bina mambi walata mama
who will dance, mama — come dance the mambi, mama
Ba mama'eh eh ba tata ah
the mamas, eh, the papas, ah
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi nketo'e (ninga ko)
she sways her hips (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi nketo'e (ninga ko)
she sways her hips (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi nketo'e (ninga ko)
she sways her hips (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi nketo'e (ninga ko)
she sways her hips (sway on)
A ningi mama'e (ninga ko)
she sways, mama (sway on)
A ningi nketo'e (ninga ko)
she sways her hips (sway on)
Ouais ouais ouais
yeah yeah yeah
Ouais ouais ouais
yeah yeah yeah
Allez Clésia France
go, Clésia France
Venus Kenketi
Venus Kenketi
Mabeya Anita Anita
Mabeya, Anita, Anita
George'eh
George eh
Mustafa Mustafa Mustafa
Mustafa, Mustafa, Mustafa
Sisisi Sisi Selenge
Sisi, Sisi Selenge
Le vrai le vrai Parisien
the true, the true Parisian
Koko Waya eh wapi Niarkos'eh
Koko Waya, eh, where's Niarkos?
Ba koko ya Paris
the elders of Paris
Le vrai Parisien
the true Parisian