Edited by Azizi Powell
Update: December 27, 2018
This post showcases a Gospel video from Cameroons, West Africa which features the song "Benlow" by Bro Pad and what I believe are seven additional songs that are led by that vocalist and separated from each other by very brief chords. Information about Bro Pad that I could add to this post would be greatly appreciated.
This post also includes a transcription of these songs which I made from from subtitles in the video as well as from listening to the video as the subtitles weren't complete. Additions and corrections and explanations of some of the Cameroon English words in the song would also be greatly appreciated.
After the transcriptions, my transcription into Standard English of some of the lyrics to these songs, and some questions that I really hope that people familiar with Cameroonian English will answer.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: BORN TO WIN (BEN LOW)
Ser. N. Uploaded on Jun 27, 2011
CAMEROONIAN PRAISE TO PRAISE
Bro Pad: Benlow
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TRANSCRIPTIONS
[The words in brackets are instructions as to how those lines are sung]
FIRST SONG WITH SUBTITLES*: BENLOW (1:12)
Soloist: People dem dey ask me
Group: say
Soloist: Na wetti de make me glad?
I go tell dem
Group: say
Group: I get God weh di never ever fail.
All or call & response with soloist first
I go benlow for Jesus
I go benlow for Jesus
I go chakara for Satan
I go chakara for Satan
I go benlow for Jesus
I go chakara for Satan
Soloist: You go benlow for who?
Group: I go benlow for Jesus
Soloist: [I go ben]*
Group: I go chakara for Satan
Soloist: Chakara for Satan
Group: I go benlow for Jesus
Soloist: I say I go ben. I go ben
Group: I go chakara for Satan
Soloist: Every day. Every day
*improvise words such as this
[Repeat a number of times]
Chorus:
Soloist: I say benlow
And see what the Lord will do.
Group: Benlow. Benlow. Benlow
Benlow. Benlow. Benlow
Benlow. Benlow. Benlow
Benlow. Benlow. Benlow
And see what the Lord will do.
[Repeat with soloist singing Benlow Benlow Benlow etc].
And group ending with “And see what the Lord will do.]
Soloist: Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, brother
I say benlow, and see what the Lord will do.
[another voice: And see what the Lord will do].
[repeat same verse]
I say Benlow etc [chorus]
Soloist: Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, sister
I say benlow, and see what the Lord will do.
[another voice: And see what the Lord will do].
[repeat same verse]
Oh I say Benlow etc. [chorus]
Soloist: Benlow benlow benlow benlow, benlow
and see what the Lord will do
Cut your coat according to your size.
I say benlow and see what the Lord will do.
I say Benlow etc [chorus]
Soloist: Soloist: Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, mothers
I say benlow, and see what the Lord will do.
[another voice: Benlow mothers eh].
[repeat same verse]
I say Benlow etc [chorus]
Soloist: Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, Benlow, children
I say benlow, and see what the Lord will do.
[another voice: And see what the Lord will do].
[repeat same verse]
I say Benlow etc [chorus]
****
SECOND SONG: SEND ME JESUS (6:04)
Soloist singing alone: Send me Jesus, send me Jesus,
Send me Jesus
I will go.
[repeat]
Group: [repeats this verse with the soloist adding responding words]
Soloist: Send me Jesus etc.
Soloist: Send me Jesus, send me Jesus
[another solo voice: Send me Jesus]
Soloist: Send me Jesus oh, I will go.
Group: [repeats this verse with the soloist adding responding words]
Soloist: Send me send me,
Oh I will go.
****
THIRD SONG: WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE (7:09]
Soloist: Who is on the Lord’s side
I want to know
Group: I am on the Lord’s side
Soloist: Who is on the Lord’s side
I want to know
Group: I am on the Lord’s side
Soloist: I want to know [or sing other improvised words]
Group: I am on the Lord’s side and the Lord is by my side.
Soloist: Everyday by my side
Group: As long as I live
Soloist: I live
Group: As long as I live
I am on the Lord’s side
Soloist: I ask again
Who is on the Lord’s side [continue with the word given above]
[Repeat again]
****
FOURTH SONG (8:53)
Soloist: Na you make me I well oh
Na you make me I fine oh
My solution deh for your hand oh
Na you I go follow
[another voice] Na you I go follow
Group: Na you make me I well oh
Soloist: Well oh well oh well oh
Group: Na you make me I fine oh
Soloist: Fine oh
Group: My solution deh for your hand oh
Soloist: It is for your hand
Group: Na you I go follow
Soloist: Yes, I’ll follow you.
Soloist: Na you make me I well oh
Every day in my life oh
Na you di give me power
[another voice] Power na you give me oh
My solution deh for your hand oh
Na you I go follow
[another voice] I said na you I go follow
Group: Na you make me I well oh
Soloist: Well oh well oh well oh
Group: Na you make me I fine oh
Soloist: Fine oh
Group: My solution deh for your hand oh
Soloist: It is for your hand
Group: Na you I go follow
Soloist: Yes, I’ll follow you.
Soloist: Na you make me I well oh
[another voice improvising words after each line]
Na you make me I fine oh
My solution deh for your hand oh
Na you I go follow
[another voice] Na you I go follow
****
FIFTH SONG (10:15)
Chorus
Soloist: Lift Him up
Group: Higher
Soloist: Lift Him up
Group: Higher
Soloist: Lift Him up
Group: Higher
Soloist: So
Group: The Lord is good
I will lift Him up higher.
Group: Everywhere I go
I will lift Him up higher.
The Lord is good
I will lift Him up higher
Everywhere I go
I will lift Him up higher.
The Lord is good
I will lift Him up higher
Soloist: Lift Him up
Group: Higher
Soloist: Lift Him up
Group: Higher
Soloist: Lift Him up
Group: Higher
Soloist: So
Group: The Lord is good
I will lift Him up higher.
Group: Everywhere I go
I will lift Him up higher.
The Lord is good
I will lift Him up higher
Everywhere I go
I will lift Him up higher.
The Lord is good
I will lift Him up higher
[Repeat in this same pattern as many times as you wish]
****
SIXTH SONG: LIFT JESUS HIGHER
Soloist: Higher, higher, higher, higher,
higher, higher, higher,
Lift Jesus higher
[Repeat]
Soloist: Higher
Group: Higher, higher, higher, higher,
Soloist: Higher
Group: higher, higher, higher,
Soloist: Higher
Group: Lift Jesus higher
[Repeat]
Soloist: Lower, lower, lower, lower,
Lower lower, lower,
Lower Satan lower
[Repeat]
Soloist: Lower
Group: Lower, lower, lower, lower,
Soloist: Lower
Group: Lower lower, lower, lower
Soloist: lower
Group: Lower Satan lower
[Repeat]
[Repeat in this same pattern as many times as you wish]
****
SEVENTH SONG: KEEP RIGHT AHEAD (13:20)
Two singers: Keep right ahead and never look behind eh
Group: Keep right ahead and never look behind eh
Two singers: For one holds the plough and keeps looking back…
is not fit for the Kingdom of God eh
Group: For one holds the plough and keeps looking back…
is not fit for the Kingdom of God eh
[Repeat entire verse]
****
EIGHTH SONG: TODAY IS THE DAY (14:28)
Soloist: Today is the day
Group: Amen
Soloist: The day of joy
Group: Amen
Soloist: Today is the day
Group: Amen
Soloist: The day of joy
Group: Amen
Soloist: Sing
Group: Amen, Amen
Soloist: Rejoice
Group: Amen, Amen
Glory be to God
Amen, Amen
[repeat]
*This song that is sung in the beginning of this video:
BORN TO WIN [title guessed from the name of the video]
I am bound for victory
I am bound to win
I am bound for victory
Nobody can stop me.
Someone is smiling my ? everyday.
That man is Jesus that's why I'm happy.
[Repeat the I am bound for victory lines [which probably is that song's chorus]
-snip-
I'd love to know more about that song, particularly the word that is sung where I put a question mark. It sounds like "mother" but I don't think that "mother" was the word that was sung.
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QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE SONGS
What type of music is the beat of these songs?
**
Am I correct that the Standard American English translation of the first verse of Benlow is:
Soloist: People ask me
Group: [They] say
Soloist: Why are you happy?
I tell them
Group: [You] say
Group: I have a God who will never ever fail.
**
I think that "Benlow" means "Bow down" [and honor God]. Is that right?
**
What does "I go chakara for Satan" mean?
-snip-
UPDATE: December 27, 2018
Thanks to Bright Bright who responded to this question on this video's discussion thread on December 27, 2018. Bright Bright wrote that "chakara" means "scatter" in pidgin English.
Given the response this information, my guess is that the lyrics "I go chakara for Satan" means something like "I sweep away Satan's energy or those who are under Satan's influence."
-end of update-
**
Does "Cut your coat according to your size" mean something like "Don't take on more than you can handle?" If not, what does that line mean?
**
Is the song "Who Is On The Lord's Side" an adaptation of the 1993 African Amerian Gospel song by that same name which was composed by Rev. Timothy Wright http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqKJADeULIg? If so, it's both interesting and wonderful to see how that song has been reshaped to fit Cameroonian cultural aesthetics.
**
Does the word "na" in the line "Na you make me I well oh" and "Power na you give me oh" mean "now"?
**
Is the word "oh" in those lines just sung for rhythmic effect without any meaning?
**
What does "My solution deh for your hand oh" mean? I think it means something like "I put myself in Your hands" or "I know You will help me". But I'm not sure if I guessed right.
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Thanks to Bro Pad and the other singers featured in this video. Thanks also to the composer/s of these songs and to the producer and publisher of this video.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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