On Y Va – Let’s Go

See the U.S. versus Slovenia soccer game June 18? That’s the one during which ref Koman Coulibaly called back a U.S. game-winning goal. Big deal certainly in a contest of such importance, but it happens and the United States team ended up playing through anyway.

The ref’s last name brought to mind a favorite track on a great CD. Coulibaly is a common surname in the Bambara language spoken in part of West Africa (ref Coulibaly is Malian). Biton Coulibaly (1689–1755) was a pre-colonial empire builder of whom there is great regional pride. Below is a photo of his grave near Segou Mali.

A CD track eponymously entitled 'Dimanche a Bamako' (Sunday in Bamako) laments “Where is Coulou against whom one can lean?” It’s a great album by two artists known as the “Blind Couple from Mali” – Amadou and Mariam – with a lot of help from the guru of world music Manu Chao.

The record starts almost sweetly, conversationally, with expressions of love. Tone changes and momentum builds quickly with ‘Coulibaly’ sweeping one up and along. Dang tough thereafter to disengage.

A broad range of subjects are addressed including: the stark reality of daily life in Africa; difficulty of being an artist; sorrows wrought by politics; the fundamental beauty of weddings; first person pleas for fidelity; and more.

‘Taxi Bamako’ is another favorite of mine. The phrasing and easy pace induce a vision of just what a cab ride in the capital city might be like. Earnest, but not too. Neatly anthropocentric. Would have been perfect in the flic 'Cars.' On y va. Come on let’s go.

The lyrics are in French, but relatively easy to translate, although those sung don’t exactly match the accompanying hard copy. Doesn’t matter if you chose not to try, though for the music, voices and wealth of ambient sounds combine for a hypnotic experience. Don’t attenuate its potential by downloading just one bit. That’d be like reading one chapter of a book or watching one act of an opera.

Taxi Bamako
Ou tu veux, je t’emmene
Taxi Bamako
Tu m’appelle je suis la
Taxi Bamako
Je suis le plus rapide
Taxi Bamako
Tu est ma seule cliente
Tu t’assois, je conduis
On traverse le pont
Je fais ma course au ciel
J’evite tous les traffics, les problemes
Mecaniques
Je suis le pus rapide
On traverse le pont
Je fais ma course au ciel
Tu t’assois, je conduis
TAXI BAMAKO

Taxi Bamako
Where you want, I take you
Taxi Bamako
You call me, I am there
Taxi Bamako
I’m the fastest
Taxi Bamako
Your’re my only fare
Sit down, I’ll drive
We’ll cross the bridge
I make my way by the sky
I avoid all the traffic
And mechanical problems
I’m the fastest
We’ll cross the bridge
I’ll make my way by the sky
Sit down, I’ll drive

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*Ref in yellow shirt is Komar Coulibably