Olufunmi - ish

The last time I was in 9ja, I went out shopping for 9ja music - you know like Lara George. After walking around for a while I finally ask one of the CD hawkers specifically for Lara George-ish artists and the guy said - in geek speak - error! It reminds me of how when I was about to leave 9ja in 2006, I went about looking for Olufunmi's "Go Quick" CD. You see, I had the tape and if cassette players could complain that cassette would have force the issue. Needless to say I didn't find the CD. I think there's probably like one or two artists every year that come out with really good quality stuff gospel wise - like that one year when it was Midnight Crew and the other one when it was Infinity. I liked Estar (of the Chinwe Ike fame) too. She reminds me of Sixpence none the richer's Leigh Nash - and on that note I think she solo album was a disappointment.

Anyway I was finally forced coerced into singing a special song in Church some days back - cue more hair pulling and heart wrenching. I first decided on Sanctus Real's "Whatever you are doing" or Brian McKnight's "home" - lofty dreams I know but at least the fact that I live in the land of dreams has to count for something. But Qemi felt "Home" was too R 'n' B - ish (which brings up the issue of why do I listen to her sef?) and I wasn't feeling the former song on my guitar. Eventually I settled for Olufunmi's "Oluwa oni dehin". I say settle in the sense that once it was impressed on my mind there was no going back - I can be impulsive sometimes. It's sad how hard it is to find somewhere to buy her songs (the fact that styl-plus has a song called Olufunmi doesn't help) online. Anyway I wrote out the words of the song as I heard them and I figured I'll share it here in case anyone needs them. There's also a link to Olufunmi's original version. I think she sings it in C# or so... but I played in it D. When I get the time I'll update the lyrics with the chords and maybe even upload my pitiful cover of the song. The cool thing about singing in church is that you are singing for/to God and if you give it your best shot He appreciates it regardless :)

Intro:
Oluwa oni dehin lehin mi o
Ewo ni mo gbojule
Ewo ni mo fihinti
la to wuro titi d'ale
Oluwa oni dehin lehin mi o

Verse 1
bi mo ba ji
bi mo ji lowuro
ma k'aleluya
patewo yin baba l'ogo
ma'a mura fun se
ise ojo mi
ti n'ba ti jade
ma k'aleluya fun baba
to ba mi se

Chorus:
Baba ba mi se
Oni se iyanu
Titi ra ye ra ye
ni mo ma yin o o Baba
Baba ba mi se
Oni se iyanu
Titi ra ye ra ye
ni mo ma yin o o Baba

Verse 2:
bi mo ba se de b'ise
ma'a yin o o Baba
gbogbo ohun t'o da l'aye
lo fi tan ona mi Jesu
ohun ko hun ti'n ba se laye mi
ma fi yin o l'ogo
ti mo ba ti wa pari ise mi
ma k'aleluya fun Baba
to ba mi se

CHORUS
INTERLUDE

Verse 3:
Mo tun pa da de le
Ogo ni fun oruko re
O wa wa pe lu mi
bi mo se n se to idi le
O wa pelu mi l'aro l'osan
 ti ti d'ale
Kin to lo sun
ma k'aleluya fun Baba

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Outro:
Oluwa oni dehin lehim mi o

Presenting... Qemi :)

It's been forever since I even visited this blog (talk less of actually writing something). I even tried to pawn off the blog on Qemi - the poor girl has been so busy with 'stuff' it's amazing she had the time to write what she did. Anyway, so Qemi calls me to say "I posted something" and in my mind I'm thinking "this is just perfect - I finally found her". Imagine my shock when I read the post and find it's all about devils, voodoo, black magic and idle hands. I mean, Qemi is my friend. I've known her since I was like seven. And never in my life would I have imagined she had such a deep grudge to pick with me - devils and idle hands (shakes head in disbelieve) - and she did it all in purple fonts ;).

Anyhow, so it's almost that time of the year. Nope, not the time for taking stock - who wants to do work?!. It's that time when it gets cold, I get holed up in my room because I'm too cheap to afford heating for the whole house and the space heater only works in my room. It's that time of the year that I absolutely detest. When I finally move away from the U.S. it will be to a country where it never snows - like Florida (okay, I kid). But it's also the first time in a long time that I'm home alone. Everybody knows that the word bachelor not only reflects your marital status but also your aloneness status - well I'm only just beginning to enjoy that latter part of bachelorhood. Family is nice and good but I think I understand the whole yankee take on it a little better now that I'm enjoying it - the very personification of "to thy tents o Israel".

I'm just rambling and Louis is to blame :). Imagine my surprise and disbelieve when I woke up to his comment on this here blog, Sunday morning. I actually then went about reading that particular blog. I'll tell you what I think. I think I like my writing style - it still sucks but reading my previous post I felt that like I saw glimpses of the writer I'd like to be if I ever were to become a writer (which I most likely never would be). I also like the content of the blog generally. I could rant about some of the craziest stuff on earth, trust me, but the crazy in me is very self conscious. I was grateful for Louis' comment - I kinda needed it.

Speaking of self-conscious, I read somewhere in Deut 28 (I think) about not been sure about the future and how that is tied to not trusting or obeying God. I like Moses. I remember reading Prophets and Kings (E. G. White) and almost having tears in my eyes when he dies. Anyway, so my understanding is that there is a clear confidence and surenesscertainty of the future that comes from trusting God - and I'm not talking about the type of cockiness that televangelist generally have. Inversely, if I find myself getting all worried about tomorrow and not sure of the future then there's a good chance that something is wrong with my relationship with God.

I don't know... I needed to hear myself say (or type) that last paragraph. At a little over 60 words per minute the keyboard actually does talk :)