LE GLAS A SONNÉ by TABU LEY (LYRICS and TRANSLATION)

LE GLAS A SONNÉ by TABU LEY (LYRICS and TRANSLATION)

INTRODUCTION:

This song was part of the Exil Ley album which Tabu Ley recorded while in political exile. He had to flee the Congo for his safety after he criticized then-President Mobutu Sese Seko much to the latter’s fury.
This is a moving song in which Tabu Ley recounts the tribulations that his country, the Democratic Republic of Congo has gone through since independence.
He talks about how the Congolese fought off Belgian colonialism. But instead of seizing the opportunity to build the country, the Congolese leaders turned against each other. As a result, the wealth of the nation was wasted especially be the selfish leaders who only looked out for themselves.

He expressed shock at the suffering of the Congolese people amid poor schools, a lack of jobs, and inadequate health facilities. The oft-repeated phrase is Ngonga Ebeti, Tango Ekoki which means the bell is tolling and the time has come. It is an exhortation to the Congolese people to put their differences aside and work to build the country. The phrase is then followed by the ominous toll of a Church bell.
Tabu Ley sings in reverence of the greatest leaders ever from the Congo: Kasavubu, Lumumba, and Tshombe who are politicians, Cardinal Malula, and Simon Kimbangu who are religious leaders, as well Kabaselleh and Franco Luambo, the pre-eminent musicians from the Congo. Most notably he does not mention Mobutu Sese Seko who was the president at the time. The snub was intentional.
Tabu Ley then ends the song exhorting God with the phrase Oh Nzambe oh oh oh…………amid the wails of a funeral.

LYRICS and TRANSLATIONS 

Ngonga ebeti, Tango ekoki

Ah Nzambe ngai naleli oh Tokomi solo suka

Pasi eleki na mboka bandeko Tokomi suka ya bomoyi

Mboka ezanga bakonzi

Ba Peuple bayebi epayi balela te

Oh Nzambe

The Bell is tolling. The time has arrived

Ah God am crying out

We have reached the end

The country is full of problems brothers and sisters

We have reached the end of our lives

The country has no leaders

The people don't know whom to cry out to

Oh God

Tobunda na mondele

Tolonga etumba ya colonie Tozuwaki lipanda ya peuple

Mpo bato babonga

Tolekisi ba tango nionso

Mpo na bakonzi kosuana

Bawelaka bibonga

Batiki ba peuple na nzala

We fought the Europeans

We won the battle against colonialism

We got independence for the people

So that people's lives could improve We wasted a lot of time

With our leaders insulting each other Having petty quarrels As the people starved

Mboka ebebi nsoni mokili mobimba

Mboka ya mbongo

Mboka etonda mosolo

Bakonzi ya mboka oyo

solo balingi mboka te

Ngonga ebeti, Tango ekoki

The country is in ruins

The country has shamed itself in front of the world

A wealthy country A country full of jobs and money

The leaders of the country do not love the country The Bell is tolling. The time has arrived

Kasavubu eh

Lumumba eh

Bolikango Ya Tshombe

He calls upon Political leaders of the past to intercede for the country

Joseph Kasavubu eh (The first President) Patrice Lumumba (The first Prime Minister) Jean Bolikango (Served twice as Deputy Prime Minister) Moise Tshombe (Former prime minister and secessionist)

Bombombani wapi

Bopesi Mboka mokongo

Bosenga na Nzambe Atala ba peuple balembi Tango ekoki

Where are you hiding?

You have turned your backs on the country Intercede for us with the most high So that he can look at his people

They are tired The time has arrived

Malula

Kimbangu

Kabaselleh

Ya Luambo

He calls upon cultural leaders of the past to Intercede for the country

Cardinal Malula (Archbishop who was a critic of Mobutu) Simon Kimbangu (Founder of the Kimbanguist church) Kabaselleh (Joseph Kabaselleh, father of modern Congolese music) Luambo (Franco Luambo, one of the greatest Congolese musicians)

Tosambwe tosambwe tolembi

Ngo Oh Nzambe

Tovanda tozela tolembi

Mpe Mpasi eleki

We have dishonoured ourselves, We are tired

Oh God

We have lived and waited

But the problems keep increasing

Ba Peuple bazelaka mbula nionso

Kaka likambo moko

Baliaka na ntongo Balia na midi mpe na pokwa Ba tata Ba mama bakota misala na mboka eh Bato ya maladie bakuta Lopitalo bakisi etonda Wana tokoyoka na malembe

Bana bakendaka kelasi

Mpe ya mikolo nionso

The people wait and hope every year For one thing

That they have a meal in the morning A meal at midday and a meal in the evening

For their children to go to school everyday

For men and women to get jobs

For sick people to find enough care in hospitals

This will bring peace

Ngonga ebeti Oh Nzambe

The bell is tolling Oh God

Kasavubu eh

Lumumba eh Bolikango Ya Tshombe

Kasavubu eh (The first President)

Lumumba (The first Prime Minister) Tshombe (Former prime minister and secessionist)

Bolikango (Served twice as Deputy Prime Minister)

Malula

Kimbangu

Kabaselleh

Ya Luambo

Cardinal Malula (Archbishop who was a critic of Mobutu) Simon Kimbangu (Founder of the Kimbanguist church) Kabaselleh (Joseph Kabaselleh, father of modern Congolese music) Luambo (Franco Luambo, one of the greatest Congolese musicians)

Ngonga ebeti, Tango ekoki

La puissance et le pouvoir d'un pays C'est le peuple, et le dernier mot appartient au peuple

The power and power of a country It's the people, and the last word belongs to the people

Ba Nkoko Boyoka

Botika biso awa

Tobeba oh

Toyebi te soki tokobonga Topesi kaka na bino

Our ancestors please listen

You left us here

We are in pain

We don't know if things will improve We place our problems on you

Oh Nzambe Oh

Yokela biso mawa

Oh God

Listen to our problems

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