Fela Anikulapo Kuti was not just a musician chasing the fame and the name, Fela was a prophet on a mission to help liberate his people.
With the kind of audacity that made James Baldwin, and a vision that drove the likes of Martin Luther King, Fela set out fearlessly to take on, heads on, the sharp claws of the military juntas of the 80s and 90s in Nigeria, who had limitless powers and took out whoever dared to oppose their often nefarious ideas and intentions.
After Fela released his album Zombie which took a direct shot at the entire military, a retaliatory invasion was carried on his Kalakuta Republic home by members of the armed forces. Properties were destroyed and Fela’s mother, old Funmilayo Ransome Kuti -- the mother of Nigeria -- was thrown out of a storey building window.
The record, Sorrows Tears and Blood describes the chaos at the raid.
“Police don go away
Army don disappear
Them leave sorrow, tears and blood
Them regular trademark”
- Fela Kuti, Sorrows Tears and Blood
You will agree this is a big big song, that has a huge place in Nigeria’s history.
Now my cover.
Chord Progression
Intro: (Capo on 1st Fret, Standard Tuning) E2 - A2 - Dmaj7 - G7
Verse 1 Gmaj - Cmaj - Amin - D7
Verse 2 E7 - Amin6 - Dmaj7 - G7 - E7 - Amin6 - Dmaj7 - G7
I hope you enjoy my version of that huge song, and my first entry into Steemit Openmic.
Few notes, I deliberately appeared minimally clad in clothing to, hopefully, give it a little of Fela feel. Hahahaha. The incomplete brick building is attached to my parent's house and it's where I get the most inspired. And I had to record in 240p to make it lighter to upload with crappy internet. Lastly, worth mentioning I got this on the first take.
With love from Nigeria,
Mfoniso Udeme