Happy Mother’s Day 2021

Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba

To celebrate all the mothers out there… I thought of sharing this beautiful song by the legendary Papa Wemba “Mama,” from his album Nouvelle Ecriture 1997 dedicated to his mother. I dedicate it to all the mothers out there, and future mothers. Papa Wemba was the King of Rumba and King of La SAPE, and an African Planetary Star. Of his mother who was a professional ‘wailing woman,’ he said: “My mother was my first teacher and my first public. … I grew up with my mother’s melancholic singing. … When I will sing, she will say “my son, block here, and now project your voice“… when I did well, she will clap for me“(source: Tv5 – Africanité). For his mother, he composed Mama and Maria Valencia. Enjoy! Happy Mothers’s Day.

Happy Mother’s Day 2019

For this year’s Mother day, I decided to post Lesline’s rendition of “Sweet Mother” by Prince Nico Mbarga. As I told you in my past post, Mbarga’s ‘Sweet Mother‘ is the most loved and most popular African song of all times. Enjoy Lesline’s rendition of this African classic on The Voice Afrique Francophone season 1, and remember to love and pamper your mother this Sunday! Happy Mother’s day.

Happy Mother’s Day 2017: “L’Amour d’Une Mère (A Mother’s Love)” by Patience Dabany

HappyMotherDayTo celebrate this upcoming Mother’s day, I wanted to share Patience Dabany‘s “L’Amour d’Une Mère” (A Mother’s Love) which is a classic. Patience Dabany is a baronness of African music with a career which has spun over several decades. She also served as the First Lady of Gabon from 1967 to 1988, at which time she boldly divorced her husband, the late Gabonese President Omar Bongo Ondimba. This song, “L’Amour d’Une Mère” is quite special and I dedicate it to all the mothers out there! I have translated the words to English here: Translation Dr. Y., Afrolegends.com.  Happy Mother’s Day 2017!

 

A Mother’s Love (by Patience Dabany)

The first time you opened your eyes

at that moment, God granted my wish

Holding you against me was my only comfort

oh yes my baby, it was you my gold

when the time came for you to take off

I prayed a long time for you to never fall

and if you ever, hesitate to re-open my door

remember that Mommy will always love you

Yes

Even if you went to other loves

you always have a place in my yard

we will find the strength to overcome obstacles

and if you ever stumble, I will work miracles

and since that time, when you took off

I prayed for a long time that you never fall

and if you have hairs, do not hesitate to re-open my door

You know very well, that my heart will always be open to you

A Mother’s love, never goes out

A Mommy’s love, never goes out, never, never

A Mother’s love, never goes out

A Mommy’s love, never goes out, never, never

I raised you with love, from the day you were born

And I will always give you love, love you only as mother can love

A Mother’s love, never goes out

A Mommy’s love, never goes out

even if you fly on your own wings

even if obligations call you

your place will always be in my heart, because Mommy will always love you

A Mother’s love, never goes out

A Mommy’s love, never goes out

and if life teaches you things, and that you can’t take her blows

you have to know to go back, open Mommy’s door

A Mother’s love, never goes out

A Mommy’s love, never goes out

A Mother’s love, never goes out

A Mommy’s love, never goes out

Even in the afterlife.