Lilly Tchiumba - Songs of My People, 1975




      Lilly Tchiumba sings, with her powerful voice, Angola traditional songs. Some of them, like "Mona Ki N'Gui Xissa" and "Luanda M'Bolo", you can also find in Bonga's "Angola 72". From this interpreter, I recommend "Angola 74" too.

      Lilly sings in her native language - Kimbundo - but this is far from an obstacle for appreciating her interpretation. I'm copying below the short descriptions that are on the back side of the LP. The song's titles are translated too. Think these stretch can be illuminate information about the songs.

1.N'Zambi. "N'Zambi is God".  "A mother is torn between her reverence for God and her helplessness to save her sick child"

2.Mona Ki N'Gui Xissa. "The Daughter That I Leave Behind". "Before dying, a father asks his friends to take care of his daughter and to teach her how to work for the people"

3.N'Gongo Giami. "My Anguish". "The young man is dying but he knows not why: he asks his mother why this must be"

4.Manazinha. "A beautiful woman, however much she is dressed in luxury, is still the victim of the colonialists."

5.Dilagi Bu Kanga. "Medicine Men". "When the medicine men are on the loose you have to take the women and children into the house, close the doors and windows and stay at home."

6.Muato Mua N'Gola: "Women of Angola". "All women of Angola should be respected no matter what their condition or social standing and they have the right to fight for their position in society".

7.Madie Dia Muxima. "Madonna of the Fields". "A contract labore ris heard to say: "I heard your message through a vision. We will never allow our ideals to be changed by strangers. I know that our little farm is no more but we will return and cultivate our land and we will be sustained by it".

8.Monami. "My Son". "Singing a lullaby to her dead baby, the mother asks why God took one of her two children -- she being so good and devout."

9.Kubata Dia Rosinha. "Rose's House". "In Roses's house, there were Always big parties; the bongo drums played until dawn. Their rhythm was so strong that the mice would come out of their holes to dance."

10.Luanda M'Bolo. "The Bread of Luanda". "The bread we earn with such sweat -- digging the soil, shoe-shining, cultivating coffee and cotton -- bread that is not for us but that is made from our sweat."

11.Gienda Dia Luanda. "Nostalgia for Luanda". "At night I remember the palm huts, the sound of the sea, the mermaids, the children, my friends -- I want to return. I want to return in a canoe -- to stay, but I cannot because I have to bring our music to the rest of the world."

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