KLEBO!

 

THE LA DRIVERS UNION POR POR GROUP

 

Por Por (paw paw) music is named for the sound of antique squeeze-bulb car horns. In Accra, Ghana’s capital, Por Por is uniquely performed by a union of trotro (public minibus and lorry) drivers in the Ga-speaking township of La, where it is only heard at funerals for union transport workers. On Klebo! the La drivers add drums, bells, flute, and voices to their honk horns to infuse familiar ethnic and national rhythms with sounds of brass band, jazz, and gospel music. The group’s first CD, Por Por: Honk Horn Music of Ghana, published by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in 2007, presents the history of Por Por music in images, sounds, and texts.

 

Text Translations from Ga by Kwame Assenyoh

 

Track 1 SUNSHINE IN AFRICA	7:08
rhythm: highlife
A celebration of home, peace, justice, and unity!

 

Sunshine in Africa; Feeling good in Africa Sunshine in Africa; Feeling good in Africa Africa unity; Yeah Africa Mama yeah

 

Africa peace and love; Yeah Africa Mama yeah

 

Oh there is sunshine in Africa, beautiful people, beautiful creation There is sunshine in Africa, beautiful people in Africa; Oh everybody CHORUS

 

Sunshine in Africa; feeling good in Africa Going back to celebrate

 

Sunshine in Africa; feeling good in Africa Going back to Africa

 

Track 2 OMANYE Good Tidings 9:35 rhythm: agbaza

 

Let good tidings come; you must respect people!

 

Receive the message; The message 2x Mothers, receive the message; Let the message come

 

(repeat above 2 lines)

 

Grandfathers, receive the message Grandmothers, receive the message

 

Mothers, receive the message; Let the message come

 

(repeat last 3 lines)

 

If you are told and you don’t listen

 

You will see with your eyes and hear, but you can’t say it

 

(repeat last 2)

 

CHORUS

 

So you must respect your mother and respect your father; and respect people

So you must respect your mother and respect your father and respect people

 

(repeat last CHORUS) (then repeat all)

 

Adjele, why are you so stubborn Adjorkor, why are you so stubborn Mantii, why are you so stubborn

 

You don’t listen; you don’t listen; you will see it

 

(repeat last 4)

 

Ao Mantii, don’t talk to me! Adjele, don’t talk to me! Adjorkor, don’t ever talk to me!

 

You will see it
(CHORUS)
Track 3 TSO:O:MO: MI OSUO:MO:	Show me your love	6:30
rhythm: adowa
Bad friendship destroys you and all who respect you!
Show me your love; Show me your love 2x
Lady, show me, show me; Show me your love 2x
If you don’t love me some one else does; Show me your love 4x
Lady, if you don’t love me some one else does; Show me your love
(repeat last 4)
Good friendship, good friendship; Bad friendship destroys a person 2x
It destroys you and changes you and kills all who respect you 3x
If something is troubling you; No one helps
When you are in danger; No one helps
When you fall sick; No one cares
And all your relatives; None cares about you
(repeat last 4) (repeat the whole song) (instrumentals)
Drop dead and you’ll see 3x
From east all the way to the west
Track 4 NOVI DEKE No sibling	7:08
Ewe traditional song; rhythm agbadza
I have no sibling; I’m finished. I tell you!
I have no sibling; I am finished I tell you
I have no mother; I am finished I tell you
I have no sibling; I am finished, I am finished
Track 5 AFIEE AFI Happy New Year	8:40
rhythm: kpatsa
We are wishing you a happy new year; be watchful!

 

Hellooo; Yes (we are ready) 2x You and I have one voice; Amen

 

We gather around, we gather and fetch water; we fetch water and drink to quench our thirsts; Amen

 

May the mother of the one stranger be praised; Amen

May his father be praised; Amen

 

May his existence benefit the world; Amen So his family and clan may eat their fill He comes with black; Amen

 

He goes with white; Amen

 

[when repeated: No cats should interrupt us; (No), Amen

 

When you meet someone, embrace him/her, and say, happy new year; Amen] Tswa let the message come; Amen

 

CHORUS:

 

Happy New Year, Happy New Year 2x

 

We’re wishing you a Happy New Year; so you will be watchful 2x Wake up and help us

 

The world is round and goes round 2x
(repeat last 4)
Hogbetsotsoza: Ewe’s festival 2x
Ga’s festival: full of happiness 2x
We were celebrating long before you met us 2x
The world is round and goes round (to end)
Track 6 MOKO DZO:LE Somebody’s Lover	7:04

 

rhythm: slow highlife

 

Nobody else’s lover compares with mine who loves me like sugar cane!

 

No one’s lover is like my lover

 

No one’s lover compares with my lover who loves me like sugar cane

 

No one’s lover, no one’s lover

 

No one’s lover compares with my lover who loves me like sugar cane

 

(repeat all)

 

She calms me in troubled matters of the world She consoles me with good advice

 

She loves me always with good intention

 

(repeat last 3)

 

Conversation and different kinds of fun

 

Like water falling from hills and rocks 4x

 

(repeat last 2) (repeat all)

 

No one should call her, no one should destroy her 2x

 

Scripture tells us that

 

You leave your mother; you leave your father So we become one flesh 6x

 

(repeat last 4)

 

Track 7 MIBI OO My Child 7:55 rhythm: kpatsa

 

Listen and be patient when your parents speak to you! My child, my child; Ao my child, my child

My child, my child; Ao my child, my child

 

(repeat above 2)

 

My daughter, my daughter; My daughter, my daughter 2x My son, my son; My son, my son 2x

 

CHORUS

 

When your mother talks to you, be patient and listen to her When your father talks to you, be patient and listen to he There’s a city in the future to which we shall all go 2x And when we go, we shall no more come back 2x Eternal fire will test everyone

 

(repeat all)

 

If you sow corn, you will reap corn; Eternal fire will test everyone

 

Fire fire fire fire fire; Eternal fire will test everyone

 

If you sow pepper, you will pepper; Eternal fire will test everyone It will be used to measure all our works: Eternal fire will test everyone

 

Fire fire fire fire fire; Eternal fire will test everyone

 

(repeat all)

 

What you sow will be what you reap; Eternal fire will test everyone Fire fire fire fire fire; Eternal fire …

 

Track 8	KLEBO!	UNCLE EBO!	12:50
rhythm:	gome

 

A Cape Coast fisherman’s shout while pulling nets from the ocean. Hey! You spat into the soup; I will not eat it or I may die!

 

(Instrumental)

 

Aeeeee

 

Klebona lenge lengebo; Klebona lenge lengebo Klebona lengebo; Klebo 3x

 

Klebona lenge lengebo; Klebona lenge lengebo

 

Ama enuwa e -

 

Come come come come, money come, money come 3x Come, money come 6x

 

Come come come come, money come, money come

 

(kpalogo medley)

 

I will not eat it, I will not eat it 2x

 

You spat into the soup; I will not eat it so I may not die

 

(repeat last 2)

 

The road is long; the road to Kumasi is long 2x My mother told me not to go

 

The road to Kumasi is long but I went

 

(repeat last 3)

 

I ate it; The food tastes good so I ate it 2x My mother warned me not to eat it The food taste good so I ate it all

(kpanlogo medley)

 

We will eat, we will eat, we will eat; We will eat rice 6x

 

(repeat last line)

 

On Friday, I will go to farm On Saturday, I will go to the market On Sunday, I will wash my clothes So that on Monday, I will go to school

 

Ao baby o, baby o, baby lokoto 2x Solalala solalala solalala solala 2x

 

Recording Details

 

Tracks 2, 4, 7, 8 recorded July 25, 2008 live to 4-track digital by Nana Agazi and Steven Feld with 44.1/24 Edirol R4 recorder, AERCO preamps, and four vintage AKG 451-CK1 microphones

 

Musicians:

 

Nii Ashai Ollennu, double por por horn, vocals, Union vie chair and group leader Nii Tetteh Boye La, atenteben flute, lead vocals, Artistic Director, composer and arranger Adjetey Sowah, gome, vocals

 

Bawa Akrofi, long por por, vocals

 

Daniel Nii Odoi Laryea, kpanlogo drums, vocals Emmanuel Adjei, akasha, vocals

 

Emmanuel Okpoti Kwaku, adabranta double bell, vocals Esther Tsotso Mensah, por por horn, vocals Kotey Nikoi, por por horn, vocals

 

Nii Amarh Amartey, por por horn, vocals (lead vocals on track 4) Janet Angorkor Agoe, por por horn, guest vocals

 

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 recorded July 19, 2009 live to 4-track digital by Nana Agazi and Steven Feld with 44.1/24 Edirol R4 recorder, AERCO preamps, and four vintage AKG 451-CK1 microphones

 

Musicians:

 

Nii Ashai Ollennu, double por por horn, vocals, Union vie chair and group leader Nii Tetteh Boye La, atenteben flute, lead vocals, Artistic Director, composer and arranger Adjetey Sowah, gome, vocals, adawanu finger bell on track 1

Bawa Akrofi, long por por, vocal, adawanu finger bell on track 1 Daniel Nii Odoi Laryea, kpanlogos, adabranta double bell on track 1 Emmanuel Adjetey Sowah, guest akasha shaker, vocals Emmanuel Okpoti Kwaku, adabranta double bell, vocals Esther Tsotso Mensah, por por, vocals, adawanu finger bell on track 1 Kotey Nikoi, por por, adabranta double bell on track 1

 

Nii Amarh Amartey, por por, vocal, adabranta double bell on track 1 Miriam Dzama Kpobi, guest vocals, por por horn