Sonny Okosun - African Soldiers (With Incomplete lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Update: July 29, 2019: Complete lyrics via comment section

This pancocojams post showcases a sound file of the song "African Soldiers" by Nigerian vocalist Sonny Okosun (This name is also given as Sunny Okosuns). A partial transcription of "African Soldiers" is also included in this post. Please add additions & corrections to these lyrics or please provide a link if this song's complete lyrics are already available online.

Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Okosun for information about Sonny Okosun.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspiration, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Sonny Okosuns - African Soldiers (Audio)



hogan523,Uploaded on Apr 9, 2011

Attention African Soldiers!
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-0MJ0h02tA for a video of this song which unfortunately is of very poor visual quality.

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UPDATE: COMPLETE LYRICS: "AFRICAN SOLDIER"
(Sonny Okosuns)

Oya o, oya (oya o, oya)
Oya o, oya, oya (oya o, oya)
I want to salute African sodiers (oya o, oya)
African soldiers who fought for our freedom (oya o, oya)
I want to salute African soldiers now (oya o, oya)
African soldiers who fought for freedom (oya o, oya)

Some are dead and some are living (oya o, oya)
Those that are dead are still fighting on (oya o, oya)
Those that are living are still fighting (oya o, oya)

Shaka Zulu, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Haile Selassie, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Nnamdi Azikiwe, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Kwame Nkrumah, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Jomo Kenyatta, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Patrice Lumumba, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Marcus Garvey, African soldier (oya o, oya)

African soldiers show your power oh (oya o, oya)
Show your power and free your people now, (oya o, oya)
Save your people, save your people, (oya o)
Save them now (a-yo wa)

From economic hazards (a-yo wa)
Save your people (a-yo wa)
From political non-sense (ay-o wa)
I say save your people (a-yo wa)
From economic rubbish (a-yo wa)
Oh, save your people (a-yo wa)
From political yabis (a-yo wa)
I say save Africa (a-yo wa)
From political jargon (a-yo wa)

Attention African soldiers, lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia
Lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia, o, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
We're still calling African soldiers, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
African soldiers who fought for Africa, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)

Herbert Macaulay, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Ahmadu Bello, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Obafemi Awolowo, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Dr. Steve Biko, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Yes, Augustine Oyeto, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Mmm, Sekou Toure, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Julius Nyerere, African soldier o (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Oba Akenzua, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)

Lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia o, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)

[Interlude]

Oya o, oya (oya o, oya)
Oya o, oya, oya (oya o, oya)
I want to salute African sodiers (oya o, oya)
African soldiers who fought for our freedom (oya o, oya)
I want to salute African soldiers now (oya o, oya)
African soldiers who fought for freedom (oya o, oya)

Some are dead and some are living (oya o, oya)
Those that are dead are still fighting on (oya o, oya)
Those that are living are still fighting (oya o, oya)

Martin Luther-King, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Houphouet Boigny, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Robert Mugabe, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Samora Machel, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Mmm, Bashorun, African soldier (oya o, oya)
Bashorun you be African soldier (oya o, oya)
Kenneth Kaunda, African soldier o (oya o, oya)
Hubert Ogunde, African soldier (oya o, oya)

African soldiers show your power, o (oya o, oya)
Show your power and free your people now, (oya o)

From economic hazards (a-yo wa)
I say save your people (a-yo wa)
From political non-sense (ay-o wa)
Will you save your people (a-yo wa)
From economic rubbish (a-yo wa)
I say save your people now (a-yo wa)
From political yabis (a-yo wa)
I say save your people (a-yo wa)
From economic jargon (a-yo wa)

Attention African soldiers, lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia
Oh, lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia, o, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
We're still calling African soldiers, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
African soldiers who fought for our freedom, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)

Nelson Mandela, African soldier o (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
I say Nelson Mandela you be African soldier, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Desmond Tutu, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Mr. Nkomo, African soldier o (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Sam Nujoma, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Murtala Muhammed, African soldier o (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Muhammad Ali, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Mark Anthony, African soldier (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)

Lai-la sie ga-si lai-la bia o, (lai-la sie ka-si lai-la bia)
Huh!
-snip-
Thanks to Unknown, July 29, 2019 for these lyrics.

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PARTIAL LYRICS - AFRICAN SOLDIER
(Sonny Okosun)

["__?" means I didn't understand what was sung; italics means I wasn't sure of my transcription; some explanatory notes about this transcription are given within the transcription.

Update: December 31, 2018: The beginning portion of this transcription includes corrections given by Victor Oniagba; September 26, 2017.

Note that Victor Oniagba also wrote that "The "oya" means "it's time", the preceding "o" is just an emphatic sound."

Thanks Victor! My apologies for taking so long to add your corrections.]

instruments
Lead - oya o, oya
Group- oya o, oya
Lead -oya o, oya
Group- oya o, oya
Lead -I want to tell of the African soldiers
Group- oya o, oya
Lead - African soldiers who fought for freedom.
I want to tell of the African soldiers now....[follow the above pattern]
African soldiers who fought for freedom....
Some are dead and some are living....
Those that are dead are still fighting oh....
Those that are living are still fighting....
Chaka Zulu, African soldier....
Haile Selassie, African soldier....
Nnamdi Azikiwe, African soldier....
Kwame Nkrumah, African soldier....
Jomo Kenyatta, African soldier....
Patrice Lumumba, African soldier....
]Person's name], African soldier...
African soldier ___?
woh yoh woh yah
Show your power, African people now
woh yoh woh yah
Save your people
woh yoh woh yah
[repeat save your people & refrain two more times]
awoh wah
From economical crisis
awoh wah
From political nonsense
awoh wah
I said save your people
awoh wah
From economic shackles
awoh wah
Oh, save your people
awoh wah
From political avarice
I say save Africa
awoh wah
From political ___?
awoh wah
Attention, African soldiers.
Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead –Oh oh la la si kah si kah la yah
Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead- Oh, we’re still calling African soldiers
Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead- African soldiers who fought for freedom
Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead -[Person’s name] an African soldier
[follow this pattern for three more persons whose name I didn't understand]
Sekou Toure an African soldier
Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead -[Person’s name] an African soldier
Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead –La la si kah si kah la yah
[same instrumental as in the beginning of the song]
Lead - woh yoh woh yah
Group- woh yoh who yah
Lead -woh yoh woh yah woh yah
Group-woh yoh who yah
Lead -I want to tell of the African soldiers
Group-woh yoh who yah
Lead - African soldiers who fight for freedom
woh yoh woh yah
I want to tell of the African soldiers now
woh yoh woh yah
African soldiers who fought for freedom
Some are dead and some are living
woh yoh woh yah
Those that are dead are still fighting oh
woh yoh woh yah
Those that are living are still fighting
woh yoh woh yah
___? African soldiers
woh yoh woh yah
Lead -[Person’s name] an African soldier
Group - woh yoh woh yah
[follow this pattern for two more persons whose name I didn't understand]
Some are ___ African soldiers
Group - woh yoh woh yah
__? African soldiers
Group - woh yoh woh yah
__? African soldiers
Group - woh yoh woh yah
[follow this pattern for two more persons whose name I didn't understand]
Lead -African soldiers ____?
Group - woh yoh woh yah
Lead - Show your power, African people now
Group - awoh wah
awoh wah
From economical crisis
awoh wah
I said save your people
awoh wah
From political nonsense
awoh wah
Will you save your people
awoh wah
From economic shackles
awoh wah
I said save your people
awoh wah
From political avarice
awoh wah
I said save your people
awoh wah
From economic shackles
awoh wah
Attention, African soldiers
Lead & Group- Group - La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead – Oh, la la si kah si kah la yah
Group- La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead – I’m still calling all African soldiers
Group- La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead – African soldiers who fought for freedom
Group- La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead -Nelson Mandela is an African soldier
Group- La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead –Yes, Nelson Mandela is an African soldier
Group- La la si kah si kah la yah
Lead – Desmond Tutu is an African soldier
Group
[the lead mentions several more persons whose names I didn't understand]
La la si kah si kah la yah

[instruments]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions & corrections are very much appreciated.

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RELATED LINK
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=362_c83KDvw for a "recreated version" of this song. This version was included in the 2011 Ghanaian movie Somewhere In Africa.* In addition to some of the African leaders mentioned in the original song & other African leaders, this version "name checks" [gives a shout out] to such famous African Americans & Black Caribbeans as Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Marcus Garvey.

*Click http://www.ghanacelebrities.com/2011/04/24/new-movie-%E2%80%98somewhere-in-africa%E2%80%99-starring-majid-michel-martha-ankomah-eddie-nartey-david-dontoh-roselyn-ngissah-kofi-adjorlolo-others%E2%80%A6 for information about this movie.

This video shows African teens dressed in their school uniform dancing. Included among those teens is a heavyset girl who is highlighted perhaps for comic effect.

WARNING - The viewer comment thread of this video includes a considerable amount of profanity, racist comments, and argumentative exchanges.

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Thanks to Sonny Okosun and all those Black persons who maintained their integrity & worked positively on behalf of freedom.
Thanks to the publishers on Youtube of this sound file & these related videos.

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