Nigerian Gospel Singer Kefee - Branama (including lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of "Branama" by Nigerian Gospel singer and composer Kefee. English lyrics for that song from the subtitles in that video are also included in this post.

Information about Kefee is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic reasons.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Kefee for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these examples, and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT KEFEE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefee
"Kefee Obareki Don Momoh (died June 12, 2014[1]), also referred to by her music name Kefee, was an award-winning Nigerian female gospel singer and composer.

She was born in Sapele, Delta to the family of Andrew Obareke who were at a time Decons at a church founded by the parents of her ex husband Alec Godwin. Kefee graduated from University of Benin with a degree on Business Administration. Growing up as teen, she actively engaged herself with church activities especially singing in the choir.

As her passion for music kept growing bigger, she started writing and composing songs. In 2000 she released an album titled "Trip" and that made way for her into the Nigerian music scene as a Gospel artist. In 2003, she got signed to Alec's Entertainment, a record label founded by her former choir director and she released her Branama album shortly after that. The Branama album brought her into the spot light as a fulfilled Gospel artist with sales both national and international. And that served as a starting part to her successful career as Nigerian gospel artist."...

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SHOWCASE VIDEO - Kefee - Branama (Video)


officialkefee, Published on Mar 2, 2012

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LYRICS: BRANAMA
(as sung by Kefee)

[Spoken]:
Lord, You’ve done so much for me.
I’m so excited.
Lord, this song is for You
For all You’ve done for me.
I’m grateful.

[Singing]:
When I call on You, You answer me.
What I ask from You, You give me.
Glory be to Your name Lord.
You saved me from the hands of the enemy.
You gave me life.
I am so happy, that’s why I show it.
When I call on You, You answer me.
What I ask from You, You give me.
Glory be to Your name Lord.

[Repeat this portion multiple times.]
I thank You Lord for all You have done.
I’ll praise Your name. I’ll sing you a song.
For all You have done for me.
Brought me out of poverty.
Now who wanted me before” [No one]
Now who liked me before? {No one.]
Now who gave [to me] before [No one]
Now who liked me before? {No one.]
Now who wanted me before? [No one]
Now who gave me before? [No one]
Only God did it for me.
That’s why I show it.

When I call on You, You answer me.
What I ask from You, You give me.
Glory be to Your name Lord.
You saved me from the hands of the enemy.
You gave me life.
I am so happy, that’s why I show it.
When I call on You, You answer me.
What I ask from You, You give me.
Glory be to Your name Lord.

[Repeat this entire portion beginning with “When I call upon You” and ending with “Glory be to Your name Lord”]

I thank You Lord for all You have done .
I’ll praise Your name. I’ll sing you a song.
For all You have done for me.
Brought me out of poverty.
Now who wanted me before now?
Now who liked me before now?
Now who gave [to me] before now?
Now who liked me before now?
Now who wanted me before now?
Now who gave me before now?
Only God did it for me.
That’s why I show it.

I remember my years of pain.
Struggle for a living, yet no gain.
Sadness and depression flowing in my vein.
But like You said in Your Word, I will prevail.
Give me a garment of praise, for my heaviness.
I have gladness above all my fellow men.
Oh, who knew me before? [eeh]
Who liked me before? [eeh]
Who wanted me before now? [eeh].
Lord I am on my knees [eeh], You have done well.[eeh]
Master of the universe. [eeh]
Whose wings cover the earth. [eeh]

Things are better for me now.
[Group responds with a form of this line.]
Things are better for me now.
[Group responds with a form of this line.]
Things are better for me now.
[Group responds with a form of this line.]
Clap your hands.
[Group responds with a form of the line “Things are better for me now.”]

[Lead improvises and Group continues responding with a form of this line.]
When I call on You, You answer me.
What I ask from You, You give me.
Glory be to Your name Lord.
You saved me from the hands of the enemy.
You gave me life.
I am so happy, that’s why I show it.
When I call on You, You answer me.
What I ask from You, You give me.
Glory be to Your name Lord.
You saved me from the hands of the enemy.
You gave me life.
I am so happy, that’s why I show it.
Thank You Lord
[Group responds]: I am so happy, that’s why I show it.
Thank You Thank You Lord
I am so happy, that’s why I show it.

[Lead continues improvising and Group responds
I am so happy, that’s why I show it.]

Show it
[Group responds]
Share It
[Group responds]
Show it
[Group responds]
Share It
[Group responds]
-snip-
This is my transcription of the subtitles in that video. Additions and corrections are welcome.

I'd love to know what " Branama" means.

A commenter on the viewer comment thread of another video of Kefee wrote that she was from the Urhobo ethnic group of Nigeria and sang in that language:
odion uwadiale, 2014 [Kefee - Thank u (Video)] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlRInq7-2Fg
"you gave urhobo music another voice, you shot urhobo music into the limelight globally, you will be missed by all but ur legacies will always live on, your music will always be played! you have left your footprints in the sands of time. RIP Kefee".
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urhobo_people
"The Urhobos are people of southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger delta. The Urhobo is the major ethnic group in Delta State. Delta State is one of the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Urhobos speak the Urhobo language....The Urhobo nation is made up of twenty two sub-groups, including Okpe[1] the largest of all Urhobo sub-groups...

The Urhobos live very close to and sometimes on the surface of the Niger river. Thus most of their histories, mythologies, and philosophies are water-related. Annual fishing festivals that includes masquerades, fishing, swimming contests, and dancing, are part of the Urhobo heritage."...

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