I was a guest Minister in a Church in the United States where the choir raised the song 'Tambira Jehovah' and the atmosphere changed with everybody dancing.
Though I had no idea what the lyrics meant, I just whispered to myself - It is my turn to dance!
On a second thought, I took a deep plunge into the Internet in frantic search for Tambira Jehovah.
I was deeply blessed by Mkhululi Bhebhe/Joyous Celebration's version of the song - Tambira Jehovah.
Tambira Jehovah is a Shona folk song from Zimbabwe meaning "Come and dance for the Lord". That nailed it. I was greatly inspired to pop up my version and on my return to Nigeria, I consulted with Daniel Adegbenro, a South African trained musicologist whom I was very certain could best interpret the song.
And who could have done a better justice to the visuals than OLUYINKA Davids, a Nigerian-born South African trained cinematographer and video director. Promotional fingerprints by Gospogroove!
Tambira Jehovah is laced with English, Shona, Swahili and Yoruba languages.
IT IS YOUR TURN TO DANCE!
Lyrics
Tambira Jehovah x4
Tambira Jehovah
O sa! x7 Tambira
Tambira Jehova x4
One more time say
Iyelele
Hallelujah
Tambira Jehovah
Iyelele
wo wo wo wo wo oh oh
Tambira Iyelele, Iyelele oh oh
CHANT
For our God is great and greatly to be praised and now with a heart of thanksgiving, come let's dance!
Chorus
(Come let's dance to the Lord x4)
Come let's dance to the Lord
He's worthy to be praised
from generations to generations
dance, dance, dance
to the ancient of days
hallelujah
come lets dance to the Lord
iyelele, yelele
oh oh
from the rising of the sun and to the going down of the same the name of the Lord be praised
Male Voice
Oya Imo ba mi rababa foba ogo
Oba aterere (terere o, terere o, E! Baba o!) kari aye
kari aye, o ya ka jo o
Chorus: (Wa ka jo f'Oluwa x4)
Adlibs
Eniyan gbogbo
Fore to se laye wa
Olorun ana, Olorun oni, Oba titi ayeraye o
Iyelele e korin
o ya iyelele o e korin, e gbohun soke
iyelele, iyelele oh oh
Olorun oni, Olorun ojo gbogbo
iyelele, wa ka jo f'Oluwa
iyelele o
iyelele till fade
