In honor of mother's day (US/Canada), I present Asa's 'So Beautiful'.
Asa is absolutely talented and the raving reviews from her fans and music critiques alike all point in one direction - greatness. I hope that someday, Asa, and other highly talented Nigerian musicians will become regular fodder for airwaves everywhere.
The song choice for today, 'So Beautiful', is apparently written for Asa's mother. The song extols the virtue of her mother and praises her for being beautiful. According to one Amazon.com reviewer, Nse Ette, -
...the ode to her mother "So beautiful" ... [is] outstandingly sung in English and Yoruba, it is a tempo shifting acoustic ballad/Highlife tune sprinkled ever so lightly with talking drums...is so heartfelt...The lyrics offer additional insight into the warmth of this song. For the fluent Yoruba readers amongst us, a translation (taking into account the nuanced meanings of the Yoruba language) would be greatly appreciated.
Beautiful is your name
Wonderful is what you are to me
It’s you I see in my dreams
Everyday and I pray for you
Queen of my life you are so beautiful mama
You’re beautiful
Emi n wa mama kan
Ta lori ye ye yen
Mama mi o roju ri
That’s why am loving you
Nitori omo o jiya
Ni le oko
Mama mi o roju ri
That’s why am loving you
la la la la la la la
Oh oh you are so beautiful
Oh oh you are beautiful
Oya, la la la la la la la
Oh oh you are so beautiful
Oh oh you are beautiful
Ebami kira fun mama mi
orisha bi iya o
ko o si laiye
Ebami kira fun mama mi
orisha bi iya o
ko o si laiye
la la la la la la la
Oh oh you are so beautiful
la la la la la la la
Oh oh you are so beautiful
Woman there is No one like you oh oh
Woman there is No one like you oh oh
nitori omo
o jiya ni le oko
mama mi ko ro oju ri
That is why am loving you
nitori omo
o jiya ni le oko
mama mi ko ro oju ri
And that is why am loving you
la la la la la la la o o You are beautiful
Ebami kira fun mama mi
Orisha bi iya o ko si laiye
Ebami kira fun mama mi
Orisha bi iya o ko si laiye
oya la la la la la la la
That's why tou are beautiful
oya la la la la la la la
Aiye o roju ri
And that's why I'm loving you
Aiye o roju ri
And that's why I'm loving you
To all the mother's out there, the aspiring mothers, the mothers to many who are yet mother's to no one, this song, 'So Beautiful', is dedicated to you.
God bless.
UPDATE: Blogger, Toluwa Lase, has provided an excellent translation of the Yoruba parts of this song that illustrate even further the beauty of this song so aptly named 'So Beautiful'. Please click on Comment section to read them. Thank you Toluwa Lase and thanks to everyone for their kind wishes.
Further Reading:
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent II - P-Square "Say your Love"
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent III - Infinity's "Olori Oko"
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent IV - Tuface
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent V - Ty Bello's "Greenland"
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent VI - Banky W.'s "Ebute Meta"
-Nigeria vs. The African Continent VII - Fishe's "Africa"

20 Curiosities. Add Yours.:
I love this song so much and I got my wonderful mom to translate it for me a couple of months back. I'll go ask her again and post it...if someone doesn't beat me to it.
Happy Mother's Day to you, Solomon :)
noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
i just rushed to Balogun market and mr first is taken. why now?
i am crying.
Asa is a wonderful artiste and i respect her talent alot. There isn't a bad track in that album, and taking time out to pay such high and esteemed respect to her mother, is a good move, because mother's should be respected and adored for their contribution to everything that concerns humanity. that is how i see it.
Happy Mother's Day. Hope the kids and hubby got you good gifts.
this is actually quite a nice song.
Happy mothers day Sis mi!
my love to my aburos.
Nice song, i like her songs.
i c u ar tryin to do qualitative journalism.u said u took ur time n validated asa's musical prowess before takin time out to write bout her but i'm must tell u my dear ur far behind....asa has gone past d level of tryin2make sure im makin certain to you!--shes ready to take on the world!rightnow shes signed to a french record label(cant remember d name) she on tour thou out europe up until july(shes fully booked)sold out concerts--im tellin u!shes walkin in d steps of sade adu n seal....theres dis 9ja girl too in germany nneka shes massive too...back to asa,it seems u havent heard her album n u only have heard pieces of tracks frm d album,hey!she hasnt gotten there yet wen u compare her to d likes of tracy chapman but shes sure on her way to the international audience...the igwe has spoken!nolongtin!
Hi,
Thanks for visiting my blog. You may want to put your EC widget above the fold, that will help you in your campaign. Happy blogging :-D
Emi n wa mama kan
Ta lori ye ye yen
Mama mi o roju ri
That’s why am loving you
am searching for a mother
have you seen that woman
she never complained
thats why am loving you
Nitori omo o jiya
Ni le oko
Mama mi o roju ri
That’s why am loving you
because of a child
she suffered in her husbands house
she never complained
thats why am loving you
la la la la la la la
Oh oh you are so beautiful
Oh oh you are beautiful
Oya, la la la la la la la
Oh oh you are so beautiful
Oh oh you are beautiful
Ebami kira fun mama mi
orisha bi iya o
ko o si laiye
Ebami kira fun mama mi
orisha bi iya o
ko o si laiye
help hail my mother
theres no goddess like her
on earth
help hail my mother
theres no goddess like her on earth
Hope that helps...mothers are the best!
Big hattip to Toluwa Lase for her translation. Thank you so much. I hope that school is going well. You must be going through finals so I appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to help us all out with this. God bless!
i love this song. im off to see the meanin
Beautiful... I'll see if I can add it to the player on my blog.
Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day. Ours (UK) was in March.
I called my own MUMMY!!!! :)
im here and waiting too
Asa never ever ceases to amaze me! This song is...BEAUTIFUL. my gosh, she's got mad talent. She is the new india.arie in my books. If I didnt have a final tommorow, I soooo would have been in London tonight for her concert!
Hey what have u heard about Femi Kuti? He's having a concert here and I dont know much about him. Im wondering if he's worth my £30?!lol
I'm loving the song! Woowwszncr
Happy Belated mama's day to you Solo!
I loove this song, sent it to my mama a while ago and she loved it too! It's so so touching, so real for so many nigerian women (btw, have you read Buchi Emecheta's "JOYS of Motherhood")?
Ah well, hope your day was splendid and you got to kick your feet up and relax small. tk care!
i'm late o!!...but happy belated mother's day!!...hope the day was grand...
...i loved this song as soon as i had heard it a while ago...the new ode to mothers...a la sweet mother except that it helps to know yoruba...so beautifully sung!!...and touching...even without knowing the meanings, it touched me deeply...
...hat tip indeed to toluwa lase!!!...thank you because i had been wondering what the yoruba there meant...if you are not married, i will surely dance at your wedding for this your service to the greater nigerian community...
Did you know that the video that you have posted has been removed? Just an FYI in case you want to repost it.
um, thank you, Genital Wart...for goodness sake, what kind of name is that? Really?
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