Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a video of the late 2016 hit dance song "Teré Teré" by the Togolese duo Toofan.
Information about Toofan is included in this post along with information about the song Teré Teré, the original lyrics, and my attempt at loosely transcribing this song into English.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Toofan for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT TOOFAN & THEIR SONG "TERE TERE"
From http://mauriyambo.blogspot.com/2016/12/music-togo-tere-tere-by-toofan.html MUSIC (Togo): Teré Teré by Toofan, Posted 11th December 2016 by Mauri Yambo
"Toofan is a super-inspired and talented duo from Togo, in West Africa. They go by the 'stage' names of Masta Just and Barabas, respectively. They have been around for more than a couple of years now, and their fame has only grown. Last month, November 2016, they released a very catchy track titled Teré Teré, which is making great waves right now on TV channels dedicated to music -- more specifically Trace Mziki and Trace Naija -- across Africa. It's catchy in both the sight and sound realms. Catchy and captivating.
The song is sung in French. But some East Africans would be forgiven to think that Toofan was using two words very familiar in their vernacular: Mano Ber (at 0:38, 0:47, 1:31, 1:40, 2:23, 2:32 and 3:18 of the video); and Sibuor (loudly at 1:42). Just aural illusions, rather than smart-alec allusions, though. For these East African ears, mano ber has a clear meaning: "that's good or fine" (whatever that is). Sibuor is the word for a lion (preferably a male lion in full gear, or mane).
About five decades ago, one still recalls, a popular Jamaican song (by Chaka Demus and Pliers) titled Murder She Wrote (read the background story here) was similarly widely but mistakenly 'heard' and sung in Nairobi as "Mama Shiro"! And so it goes, charmingly.
Teré Teré is both the essential song and the beat which carries the dance along. It is, that is to say, a part of that niche in pop music which lays great emphasis on dancing -- group-dance (or choreographed dance routines) -- and so discourages extended or 'fancy' singing. This niche has been around for quite a while, really, but seems to be enjoying some kind of resurgence now.
[...]
In short, … Teré Teré is practically all dance, with just enough lyrics (and related singing) to hold the dance together. And Teré Teré is at once the song's title and the lyrics' (and the dance's) dominant punctuation mark."...
-snip-
Additional information about Toofan is found in this earlier pancocojams post:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/09/moroccan-singer-jannat-mahid.html
"Moroccan Singer Jannat Mahid featuring.Togolese Duo Toofan - MaMa Africa 2017 (information, video, & comments)"
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LYRICS: "TERE TERE"
(performed by Toofan)
teré teré
nani, nané Toofan
camon camon bebe
c'est moi daddy sugar
la fi la fi bémé
et teréré c'est mon sedan
camon camon bebé
rétéréré se mon sedan
teré
From https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Toofan/Ter%C3%A9-ter%C3%A9/translation/english
-snip-
These words were given under the heading "Original lyrics". In spite of the heading "English translation (89%), the only English words on that page are "I am daddy sugar".
I believe that the lyrics for this song are from Togolese Pidgin (or Creole) French with two English words (sugar daddy). Here's my loosely translated attempt for this song, using the definition of "teré" (from a comment by Toofan that is found below, #1), using Google translate, and guessing meanings for some of the other words. Additions and corrections for this transcription are welcome.
Bury them. Bury them.*
We are Toofan
come on, come on, baby
I'm your sugar daddy**
la fi la fi bémé [?]
Forget about your problems. Come join me in my car.
Come on Come on baby
Forget about your problems, go for a ride with me in my car.
Bury them.
-snip-
*Bury them= Bury (forget about) your problems; put your problem aside.)
**sugar daddy= usually means "a well-to-do usually older man who supports or spends lavishly on a mistress, girlfriend, or boyfriend" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugar%20daddy. However, in the context of this song, "sugar daddy" just means a man who treats a woman very well, probably including buying her expensive things.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Toofan - "TERÉ TERÉ" (Official Video)
TOOFAN Officiel Published on Nov 2, 2016
Découvrez le clip officiel du titre "TERÉ TERÉ" et de la nouvelle danse du même nom! Une nouvelle danse qui va vous aider à enterrer vos problèmes !
-snip-
Google translate from French to English
Discover the official clip of the title "TERÉ TERÉ" and the new dance of the same name! A new dance that will help you bury your problems!
©SouthAfrica ©JustinCampos
-snip-
Here are four comments from this video's discussion thread with Google translate from French to English:
1. TOOFAN Officiel, 2017
"Merci à tous pour votre soutien #Thanks ! TERÉ = Enterrer, piétiner les problèmes et les soucis :)
-snip-
Thank you all for your support #Thanks! TERE = Burying, trampling problems and worries :)
-snip-
Note that the French word "enterrer" means "bury".
**
2. Yvadance, 2017
"TOOFAN Officiel Yes team Togo 🇹🇬 Continuez à nous ambiancer avec vos musiques 👏🏾👏🏾😘👍🏾"
-snip-
"TOOFAN Official Yes team Togo 🇹🇬 Continue to surround us with your music 👏🏾👏🏾😘👍🏾"
**
3. Flora Bee, 2017
"Merci de représenter aussi bien notre beau Togo !!"
-snip-
Thank you for representing our beautiful Togo!
**
4. Zozius Sebastien, 2017
"En créole ça veut dire "enterrer" mdr 😂 en"
-snip-
"In creole it means "to bury" mdr 😂 in"
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