Throwback Thursday: You have heard this song over the years, loved it, but never understood the lyrics check out the translation
Every keen music lover in the country will attest to the fact that there was a time francophone music took over the Ghanaian airwaves.
From overriding snares, rhythmic lead guitar notes, high voltage kicks to high BPMs, whenever these songs were played at Ghanaian parties, individuals present went haywire.
Popularly termed as Mapouka, this particular genre had a hold on our music space.
Several songs were enjoyed from this genre despite the fact that the language spoken was not well understood by some Ghanaians hence making the understanding of their concepts very difficult.
One of such songs was a chart-topper song by Ivorian award-winning group, Magic System entitled 'Premier Gaou'.
This song has a very catchy and danceable hook and Ghanaians always chorused it whenever it was played at parties but without any form of understanding of the lyrics and the storyline of the song.
This week on Throwback Thursday edition on Modern Ghana, we serve you with an accurate translation of the widely enjoyed jam Premier Gaou.
The song talks about a young man who settles with a lady who leaves him after his money is finished but wants to come back after he makes money again and appears on TV.
The song:
Check out the translation of the song.
It’s when I was down that the gal Antou left me oh ah
When I had little money, morning, noon, evening we were together at the "Rue Princesse" (famous Abidjan bar), at the "Mille Maquis" (famous Abidjan bar) and together at the "inaudible" (famous abidjan bar).
When the money was gone Antou changed side wari bana (means "no more money" in african dialect).
She changed boyfriend.
Na gnere na gnere wa, na gnere na gnere wah (means you are crazy in african dialect)
Thank god for me, i knew how to sing a little I did my demo tape, people saw me on TV.
Morning noon evening it’s me singing on radio.
Antou saw that and said the fool made it (GAOU means FOOL in slang) wait, let me go and take his money (like scam him)
Chorus
And we say first fool is not a fool.
It’s the second fool who is the real fool.
And we say first fool is not a fool.
It’s the second fool who is the real fool.
Verse 2;
Sunday morning knock knock someone's knocking at my door.
To my great surprise it's the gal Antou I see.
Jokingly I say it’s been a while we've seen each other.
She wants to lie to me she says darling I had traveled.
I am back.
I belong to you.
Take me as a gift and do what you want with me.
(Chorus)
Verse 2
I say sweet darling what do you want to eat.
Without hesitation, she says barbecued chicken.
When we say first fool is not a fool.
It’s the second fool who is the real fool.
I say sweet darling, its chicken you want to eat.
Chicken is too small and won’t satisfy you.
It’s barbecued Cayman I will give you.
"Kedjenou" of elephant you are going to eat (kedjenou is an african dish).
Na gnere na gnere wah, na gnere na gnere wah.
She is upset and says she is going home.
If she goes home, horniness is going to kill me.
(Coagulation means like coagulated sperm for lack of sex).
I ask for her forgiveness and she accepted.
Then at one point, she messed it all up.
She stop asking for chicken and now wants alloco (alloco is an african fried plantain dish).
If its alloco, it’s not complicated.
It’s a banana plantation.
That you are going to fry.
Instead of a fork.
That can’t fill you up.
It’s with a rake that you are going to eat.
Na gnere na gnere wa, na gnere na gnere wah.
{Repeat Chorus}
Kader fool oh ah
Go fool oh ah.