alapala

Gilberto Gil

Aganju, Shango
Alapala, Alapala, Alapala
Shango, Aganju

A little boy, the age of three
He asked about his family tree:
"Oh, father, who is my grand papa?"

The father said: "My boy, grandpa is dead
And right before he died
He told me who was my grandpapa

"My grandpapa, your grandpapa?s
Daddy was born in Africa
A king, a tribal king Yoruba

"So you, my boy, you?ve got to be
Yourself a little new Shango"
Oh, Aganju, baba Alapala

Aganju, Shango
Alapala, Alapala, Alapala
Shango, Aganju

Alapala, egun, spirit of the family man
Ancestral soul of our tribe until this day
The tribe of Aganju-Shango, an axe is in his hand
His lightning axe could strike the sky above
And make the sound of crashing thunders threaten God
And that is why Shango became a God himself
And that is why you should be proud, my boy