Ga bakan damiyar mamman shata katsina for those that can't read Hausa an yi translating dinsa,later i will bring the hausa version,ALO ALO MAI GANGA YA GODE YARAN MAI GANGA SUN GODE,I know by now some got it,) Alo, Alo, the singer expresses his gratitude and so are the chorus.
I started Bakandamiya and embraced the thing that interests me most.
Chorus: Alo, Alo, the singer expresses his gratitude and so are the chorus.
As for me nothing interests me except my singing,
Beat your drum carefully,
Play slowly and carefully,
For drumming is your inheritance but not mine.
(2) I started singing as a hobby,
Certainly I started it as a hobby and outshined the professionals;
Now it is my match that they search for and have woefully failed,
Alo, Alo, the singer expresses his gratitude and so are the chorus.
It is not parting with a hero that is painful,
But filling the gap which he created.
(3) The city of sheep and donkeys
The city of sheep and donkeys,
Kano the city of Dabo, of beautiful women and cars,
The great ancient city of Bagauda has no equal.
Kano the huge city with Dala and Gwabron Dutse.
(4) Let everybody know that Dala and Gwabron Dutse housed Tsunburbura,
It was the seat of Barbushe, Gagiwa and Kano;
They were hunters of elephants and had no equals.
Now they left, not even grass shelter there.
(5) I have made it clear to the city people,
I have made it clear to the village people,
I said to them: singing is not my father s profession,
It is neither my mother s nor that of Modibbo.
A profession that does not belong to your father,
Let alone your mother,
If you earn a penny and a half from it Alhamdullahi,
I repeat, if you earn a penny and a half from it Alhamdullahi.
The singer expresses his gratitude and so are the chorus.
(6) One day here in the city of Dabo,
I have ever lived in the city of Dabo,
During the reign of Sanusi Mamman,
Burhan father of Habu son of Abdu,
Then I packed my belongings and left,
And returned to the city of Dikko,
Our Katsina, the city of Shehu.
(7) My departure pleased the Kano singers,
They ganged up against me saying;
That bastard Shata had gone,
Good riddance Shata has left,
Ha! Since he left the city of Dabo,
No doubt has lost many good things.
Go your way; I am aware I missed the Kano City,
And Kano too had missed a famous singer,
And you also had missed my singing.
(
After six good months I staged a comeback,
I went away for six months,
And returned to the city of Dabo,
On Friday during the princes wedding,
I sneaked in with my mini car,
I took a corner and parked my mini car,
I put on a veil and joined the crowd,
(9) I saw the princes were seated,
And the servants of the princes were also seated,
Even their slaves were seated,
The youth of the city also took their seats,
And so were the young girls of the city of Dabo,
I found the princes subjected to Garaya music as if they were Yan Babule.
I found the princes subjected to Garaya music as if they were Yan Babule.
God forbid the palace become the arena of Yan Babule!
(10) I have pondered and groaned,
There and then I uncovered myself,
And said, You have now felt the absence of Shata, the singer.
Even among kolanuts there are Marsa,
Well much more so among the singers,
Princes, I hope and think that you will lend me your ears,
And listen to my song.
(11) It is not parting with the hero that is painful,
But filling the gap which he created.
Hausa-land recognized your ancestors,
Those on the other section of the city too accepted their leadership,
Their patience is very great,
They have no fear only respect for people s freedom.
(12) I am singing for the royalists,
And I will sing in Hausa, our language since our grandfather s fathers,
Our fathers too and ours with sons and grandsons,
And Kano is no doubt the embil of Hausa the city of Bagauda,
And every virtuous singer will do the same
Unceasingly, to demonstrate his pleasure for this great occasion.
(13) Now let me list the bridegrooms for the audience,
They are Nadawaki, Maje, Ado, Barde and Shirama,
The day of the Princes wedding
During the reign of Sanusi Mamman,
Was engraved in my mind,
Sanusi invited all the village singers,
All of us gathered in the palace.
(14) That day I rose and praised myself,
And praised God and his messenger,
That day I outshined Hamisu, outwitted Caji and put Dabolo out of action,
They cast a spell on me but to no avail,
And had I prior knowledge,
I would have brought my billy-he goat, and my speckled fetish cock,
What! Would that I were able to know in advance,
I would have prepared for it.
I ignored banjo and guitar players,
Because they are insignificant musicians who,
Play for money clothes to wear and a few pounds to get married.
(15) That day I saw the elephant swaggering,
And the dog and its master watched,
There they remained motionless and speechless and unable to utter self praise.
(16) Your wedding delights everyone no one will deny it,
Your wish had been fulfilled,
No one will be so wilful, I can never forget,
Your gracious gifts showered on me,
By your relatives and friends,
That day Shata was given horses, gowns, gold and all the good things of this world,
I will never be a hen that eats and brushes its beak,
God bless you all, you have been generous,
You have sown good seeds
And you will reap its fruits.
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