Senegalese singer, composer Ismaël Lô - "Tajabone" (information, YouTube examples, lyrics with English translation)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Update: December 14, 2019

This pancocojams post presents information about Senegalese singer, musician, composer, Ismaël Lô and information about Tajabone, a Senegalese holiday.

This pancocojams post also showcases three YouTube examples of Ismaël Lô's now classic song "Tajabone" and includes lyrics and an English translation of that song.

Several comments from the discussion thread for one of these examples are also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Ismaël Lô for his musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/twelve-year-old-talima-sings-tajabone_12.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Twelve Year Old Talima Sings "Tajabone" In An Audition For The French Series "The Voice Kids" (video, lyrics, & comments)">

Thanks to YouTube for recommending that video which introduced me to the Senegalese holiday Tajabone and Senegalese singer/composer Ismaël Lô.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT ISMAEL LO
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isma%C3%ABl_L%C3%B4
"Ismaël Lô (also Ismaël Lo) is a Senegalese musician and actor. He was born in Dogondoutchi, Niger on 30 August 1956, to a Senegalese father and a Nigerien mother. Shortly after Lo's birth the family returned to Senegal where they settled in the town of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar. He plays guitar and harmonica, and has been called "the Bob Dylan of Africa".

In the 1970s, Lo studied at the School of Art in Dakar. He later joined the popular group Super Diamono, but left in 1984 to start a solo career. Over the next four years Lo recorded five popular solo albums.

In 1988, he composes the soundtrack for Ousmane Sembene's Camp de Thiaroye and plays in it. He will also star in Moussa Sene Absa's film Tableau Ferraille (Iron Landscape), in 1996, and compose more soundtracks[1].

In 1990, Lo signed a recording deal with Barclay and recorded in France his seventh solo album, Ismael Lo. Thanks to the success of the single "Tajabone" the album became a hit in the European charts. The album launched Lo’s international career.

Iso was recorded and released in 1994, and also became a success. The album contains soft guitar melodies and traditional Senegalese mbalax. The following year Lo toured in Africa. The compilation album Jammu Africa was released in 1996. The song "Without Blame" is a duet with Marianne Faithfull.

Lo's song "Tajabone" was featured in Pedro Almodóvar's film All About My Mother.”...

****
INFORMATION ABOU TAJABONE [HOLIDAY]
From http://www.adventuresinhifiaudio.com/14/10/2010/the-music-of-ismael-lo-an-appraisal-of-the-albums-dabah-and-%E2%80%98senegal%E2%80%99/
..."Tajabone is a Muslim holiday, similar to Thanksgiving, and like Thanksgiving it is celebrated with the cooking of large meals. Children go from house to house to entertain, by singing and dancing, and afterwards, they will be given money, or rice, or wheat, or biscuits. In Islam, you are commanded by God to pray five times a day and to fast during Ramadan, so when you die, the angels will ask you the questions mentioned in this song".
-snip-
Additional comments about the Tajabone holiday are found in the comment section of this pancocojams post.
****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Ismael Lô – Tajabone


Caroline, Mar 16, 2008

Beautiful African song by Ismael Lô, a singer from Senegal.
This song is also part of the original soundtrack of Pedro Almodovar's movie " All about my mother " ( " Todo sobre mi madre ").

Ta.....tajabone de nuy tajabone
Ta.....tajabone de nuy tajabone
Abdu u iambaar gniari malaykala
Ch'awé étchiko daan si séroo
Muomu muhnilda degëm du lingaan
Muomu muhnila degëm woor nga-am
Ch'awé etchiko daanu si seroo
Muomu muhnida degem du lingaam
Muomu muhnida degem woor nga-am
Tajabone de nuy tajabone
Tajabone de nuy tajabone
Wou leij Wou leij
Wou leij Wou leij
Abdu jambaar gniari malaykala
chico woley juge daanu si sero
Muhnila degem du linga'n
Muhnila degem woor nga-am

****
Example #2: Ismael Lo - Tajabone (Subtitulado) - YouTube.flv



A3F Napoli, Oct 31, 2011

Ascoltare Ismael Lo significa fare un viaggio nel miglior Senegal possibile.Le sue interpretazioni ci restituiscono una spiritualità capace di trasportarci dalla nostra Madre, la nostra Madre Africa
-snip-
Google translate from Italian to English"
"Listening to Ismael It means taking a trip to the best Senegal possible. His interpretations give us back a spirituality capable of transporting us from our Mother, our Mother Africa"
-snip-
Here are a few comments from this example's discussion thread (with numbers given for referencing purposes only):
1. carisi29, 2016
"Me enamore de la concion cuando la escuche por primera vez en la película de Almodovar, sin saber lo que decía, ahora que se sus letras y el significado me enamoro aun más de ella, la cancion. PRECIOSA!!!"
-snip-
Google translate from Italian to English:
"I fell in love with the song when I first heard it in the Almodovar movie, not knowing what it said, now that I know its lyrics and the meaning I fall in love even more with it, the song. PRECIOUS!!!"

**
2. Byron Arumero, 2018
"This one is a timeless classic"

**
3. Guimar Diop, 2018
"I remember Tajabone in Senegal , it's a wonderful holiday, a bit like Halloween, we dress up, put powder on our faces, make little drums. I miss my beloved Senegal. Africa, I carry you in my heart always."

**
4. Adja Koumba, 2018
"Since i was young i always love this song to present.
I don't even know what his said i love it."

**
5. Casidm Salem, 2019
"have been looking for the song for more than 10 , it was my best childhood song yet i ddnt know the name, this is pure african talent"

**
6. Veegee Manyera, 2019
"Loved it as a child, don't know why it makes me sad, when I can't understand what his saying but it's beautifully composed
He comes to your soul
He comes to your soul to ask if you have prayed, if you have fasted"

****
Example #3: Ismaël Lô ~ Tajabone (1990)



olaboga13. Aug 22, 2015

Album: Ismaël Lô
Released: July 1, 1990
Nickname: the Bob Dylan of Senegal

Ismaël Lô (also Ismaël Lo) is a Senegalese musician and actor. He was born in Dogondoutchi, Niger on 30 August 1956, to a Senegalese father and a Nigerien mother. Shortly after Lo's birth the family returned to Senegal where they settled in the town of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar. He plays guitar and harmonica.

Tadieu Bone (sometimes spelled Tajabone) is a Musilim holiday celebrated in Senegal with a feast, during which the children go from house to house entertaining the adults with singing and dancing and are rewarded with money or snacks.

Translation : Tadieu Bone

As children we will go from house to house to entertain
Which was singing and dancing and afterwards
They will give us money or rice or wheat or biscuits
These were one of my best memories as a child.
The song we use to sing is the song Ismaël Lô is singing
He is saying :

Tajabone we're going to Tajabone

Abdou Jabar he's an angel coming from the skies to your soul

He's going to ask you did you pray
He's going to ask you did you fast
He is coming to your soul
He's going to ask you did you pray did you fast

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.