Wale Watu
Khadja Nin’s Wale Watu is a 1992 cover version of the song Keep on Singing released around 1987 by Sebastian Santa Maria. Khadja was born in Burundi, but now lives in Belgium. I loved this song the very first time I listened to it on release, but lost my CD when my house was broken into in the late 90’s. I however managed to re-acquire it a few weeks ago and have been listening to it almost daily.
A commenter on YouTube posted his English interpretation of the lyrics for Khadja’s version [lyrics here], which differs from the original song by Sebastian Santa Maria [further below]:
Far from all countries/Far from Paris or Rome/There are poor people/They don’t cry; they don’t beg/They respond in this way (?)/Those people sing/Even if they sleep hungry/Come in this way…everyday
Let alone useless words/Don’t moan about your health/You don’t know poverty/Look at those people/They don’t cry, they don’t beg/Those people sing/Even if they sleep hungry
Keep on Singing
Far away from the demonstrations,/Cities like Paris or Rome/Miles away from United Nations/You know this place that waits for more/Miles from Swissair’s destinations
There’s people singing in despite of all/There ain’t the things you know, yet they sing/They keep on singing…./Ooh, Bodah Budah Budeh…
Don’t come up with your Mapa Mundi/Or the latest Wildlife magazine/What your camera brought from Burundi/The front of your Ever-seen(?)/The streets of Potosi
Lenny Says 