Ba-Baaba Maal

Ba - Baaba Maal The agouyadji is sounding Able bodied men rise up In today's world, honor is becoming rare So let us examine our consciences And seek to refine our race Our language is not the least important factor In our dignity So let us learn it and let us teach it That will pay off From here to the Fouta, Poular is spoken From Somalia to Mali From Benin to Guinea From Cameroon to Gambia From Egypt to Ethiopia, they speak Poular If all these people came together They'd know we have the same mother Whatever the difference in our dialect We have the same father I called Coumba and Coumba replied I called Samba, Samba replied likewise I used to believe those of us who speak Pulaar Were inferior, but I realized I was wrong Let us be united From whichever part of the country we come We are all Senegalese If you go to Casmance, they speak Diola Go to Cap Verde, and you'll hear Lebou In St Louis, the dialect is Wolof At Sine, it is Serer If you address the Senegalese, the Mandinkas will reply Or the Bassaris, or the Halpoulars The Kassounkes, the Manjacks or the Gnominkes Sayang, Sayang, Ibrahima Malick Malick Barou Sall, you are a good friend Sayang Sissokho who comes from Mali Ibrahima Kalilloulaye Yangkou Ba, my friend from the Gambia Malick Pathe Sow, father of Pathe Sow My friend from Senegal Baaba Baidy, Baaba Debbo from the Fouta Wherever we come from We are all Senegalese Ah, it is late my dearest Mariama Dianke It is very late Mariama Soda, Mama Marie don't be cross with me Dearest one, be careful not to cross me Peace is all I want Don't ever take my love for granted I would never give you my love and then withdraw it If we break that trust our enemies will laugh at us For me all I want is peace Let us be of one mother Let us have one father Let us work together So that our country may prosper Mama Ah my son, Oumar Malle My friend, my little babe Oumar yoo, Oumar Don't lose your temper with me Oumar, Oumar Barou Don't be angry with me