Can Anyone Help with a Ghanaian Song “Be Be Be Lay Bo”?
June 5th, 2009

Susan Gerber Berning wrote:

Hi Lisa. I’m looking for the Ghanaian words to the song that sounds like this “Be Be Be lay bo, Eiyhah yay ah yay,” I remember it as a song they used to pull boats into the shore. Help!? Tough one, I know. It’s a Ghana traditional song– everyone seemed to know it. Thanks!

If anyone can help out Susan with the lyrics and/or an English translation, and/or identifying the language, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!

Mama Lisa

This article was posted on Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Ghana, Ghanaian Children's Songs, Languages, Mama Lisa, Music, Questions, Readers Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

12 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Ghanaian Song “Be Be Be Lay Bo”?”

  1. MARANATHA Says:
    August 2nd, 2009 at 4:25 am

    I KNOW THE TUNE AND KNOW WHERE TO GET YOU THE ORIGINAL WORDS THE STORY BEHIND IT.

  2. MARANATHA Says:
    August 2nd, 2009 at 4:33 am

    IT IS OF GA [ language spoken by the natives of Accra in Ghana.] ORIGIN.It is sung by the fishermen as the canoes are actually pulled ashore.This is to get all ready to pull at one time,and this sung repeatedly as they pull bit by bit.

  3. MARANATHA Says:
    August 2nd, 2009 at 4:35 am

    HOW DO I HELP ,DO I HAVE TO SEND THE MUSIC SHEET.PLEASE DO GIVE ME DIRECTIONS.

  4. MARANATHA Says:
    August 2nd, 2009 at 4:37 am

    DO REPLY AND LET ME KNOW HOW BEST I COULD HELP YOU.

  5. Lisa Says:
    August 2nd, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    Thanks for writing! You can either reply here or you can email me directly at lisa@mamalisa.com … looking forward to hearing from you! -Lisa

  6. Brooke Says:
    May 18th, 2012 at 10:45 am

    I think this may be what you are looking for. We learnt this as a school in 2006.

    http://www.adzohu.com/music01.html

  7. Brooke Says:
    May 18th, 2012 at 10:52 am

    http://africandrummingclub.blogspot.com.au/

  8. Lisa Says:
    January 12th, 2014 at 2:09 pm

    Harry wrote:

    I also nee the lyrics to Baby Kafo.

    It’s in the Ga lanhuage. All I remember is:

    Baby Kafo
    Nimbo Maamieteh Leh
    Eh Teh Lai
    Minya shee ha bo.

    Thanks,

    Harry.

  9. Ama Says:
    November 25th, 2014 at 10:35 pm

    To Harry

    I am not a Ga but I have a Ga nanny who has taught this to my children. Forgive the orthography, I have just spelled everything as I hear it!

    Baby, kaa fo Baby, don’t cry
    Mgbe o mami e te? Where has your mother gone?
    E te lai She’s gone to the farm
    Mini e shi ha bo? What did she leave for you?
    E shi mi akpakpa She left me a pawpaw
    Ha mi eko ma ye Give me some to eat
    Inha bo fai! I won’t give you a thing!
    Ke o mami ba, ma kee le When your mother comes back, I’ll tell her
    Ke o papa ba, ma kee le When your father comes back, I’ll tell him
    Yaa yaa wushi-o! (not sure but I always assumed these were
    Yaa yaa wushi-o! just nonsense words)

  10. Lisa Says:
    November 25th, 2014 at 10:39 pm

    Thanks for sharing Ama! Would your nanny like to be recorded for us to post it?

    I might know someone who can help us with the spelling of the song.

    Cheers! Mama Lisa

  11. Naa Yarteley Says:
    January 14th, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    Hi Lisa,
    we also had this song when we were kids. And I sang it to my kids who loved it and learnt how to sing in both my english translation and my native Ga. Hope others will like it too.

    kwàkwè bi biõ alontè l3 ba mô bõ little mouse the cat is coming to catch you (2×)
    À baa æ, anyi3 òsé it’s coming after you
    kwákwé bi biõ jő fœ jő gbã little mouse run away so fast

    Kind Regards
    Naa Yarteley

  12. Lisa Says:
    January 14th, 2015 at 11:23 pm

    Thanks for sharing Naa!

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