Fela Kuti Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am Lyrics

TROUBLE SLEEP, YANGA WAKE AM

(lead vocal scats melody), sax solo, organ intro

*[CHORUS]
RA RA-RA RA, RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
RA RA-RA RA, RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
RA RA-RA RA

When Trouble sleep,
Yanga go wake am,
Waking him dey find
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver**, he go get-e o **(trouble)
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver

When cat sleep,
Rat go bite him tail,
Waking him dey find,
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver, he go get-e o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver

Tenant lost him job,
Him sit down for house,
Him dey think of job,
Mr. Landord come wake am up,
He say, "Mister, pay me your rent"
Waking him dey find
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver, he go get-e o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver

My friend just come from prison,
Him dey look for work,
Waka* waka day and night, *(walk)
Police man come stop am for road,
He say, "Mister, I charge you for wandering"
Waking him dey find
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver, he go get-e o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver

Mr. Husband marry for church, He make big party,
Then he start to spray**, **(tip, usually musicians)
Because him love him wife,
Him say, "wife come run away"
Bank manager run come,
He say, "Mister, pay me your debt"
Waking him dey find, for Lagos e-o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver, he go get-e o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver

When Trouble sleep,
Yanga go wake am,
Waking him dey find
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver, he go get-e o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver, he go get-e o

When cat sleep,
Rat go bite him tail,
Waking him dey find,
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE DEY FIND
Palaver, he go get-e o
*[CHORUS] PALAVER, HE GO GET
Palaver, he go get e-o

*[CHORUS]
RA RA-RA RA, RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
RA RA-RA RA, RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
RA RA-RA RA

RA RA-RA RA, RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
RA RA-RA RA, RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
RA RA-RA RA

Explanation:

Don't kick people when they are down,
Nor bother them at inappropriate times:
There is a limit to patience.

When things are calm,
Don't start trouble by bothering people who are
struggling to get by.