In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURER BE YOUR NAME
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURE BE THE SAME
MAKE-EE NO TEACH-EE ME AGAIN OH
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-O
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-OME AND YOU NO DEY FOR THE SAME-U CATEGORY
NA THE SAME CATEGORY-O
Let's get down, to the underground spiritual game
We all sing together, play music together in happiness
All you have to do is sing what I play on my horn
Now Let's go...
A kujuba, A kujuba
YE-EHHHH!
Yehhhhhh-Ey!
Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-ke, Ke-re-Ji-Ke-Ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
All the wahala, all the problems,
All the things, all the things they go do,
For this world go start,
When the teacher, schoolboy and schoolgirl jam together
Who be teacher?
I go let you know
When we be pikin
FATHA/ MAMA BE TEACHER
When we dey for school
TEACHER BE TEACHER
Now dey University
LECTURER BE TEACHER
When we start to work
GOVERNMENT BE TEACHER
CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Who be government teacher? CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Who be government teacher? CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Cu-ulture and tradition CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Cu-ulture and tradition CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Now the problem side, of a teaching student-ee
I go sing about
I don pass pikin, I don pass school, university, se-fa pass
As I don start to work, na government I must se-fa pass
Da go for France
YES SIR/YES MAAM
Engi-land, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Italy, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Germany, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For dem , YES SIR/YES MAAM
Go China , YES SIR/YES MAAM
Russia, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Korea, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Viet Nam, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For dem, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Go Syria, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Jordan, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Iran, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Iraq, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For dem Let us face ourselves for Afrika
Na de matter of Afrika
This part-ee of my song
Na all the problems of this world
In we dey carry, for Afrika
Wey no go ask-ee me
WHICH ONE? (*after each line)
Problems of inflation
Problems of corruption
Of mismanagement
Stealing by government
Nothing we dey carry
All over Afrika
Na de latest one
Na him dey make me laugh
AUSTERITY (*after each line)
Austeri-
Austeri-
Na him dey latest one
Na him dey make me laugh
Why I dey laugh?
Man no fit cry?
Who be our teacher na Oyinbo?
Who be our teacher na Oyinbo?
A na false, the first election
And the second election held in Nigeria
Na the second election na it was pass
BOBA LA NONSENSE
Boba la nonsense, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Boba la nonsense, BOBA LA NONSENSE
He pass redeem, BOBA LA NONSENSE
He pass corruption, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Which kind election be dis? BOBA LA NONSENSE
People na go vote, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Dem come get big big numbers , BOBA LA NONSENSE
Thousands to thousands, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Millions to billions, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Which kind election be dis? BOBA LA NONSENSE
Boba la nonsense, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Na dem-o-cr-azy be the deal
Na dem-o-cr-azy be the deal
Who don teach us ee dem-o-cr-azy?
(Bo-ptch!) Oyinbo teach-ee us
(Yuh-ngh!) Oyinbo for Europe-oh
Oyinbo teach us many many things-ee
Many of dem things I don sing about-ee
Me I no gin copy Oyinbo style
Let us think say, Oyinbo no pass me
When Shagari finish him elections
Wey dem no tell am, say him make mistake-ee
Say this yo, no be democracy
Oyinbo dem no tell army self
Na for England-ee, I me no fit take over
I come think about this demo-crazy
Democrazy
DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demo, DEMO-CRAZY
Demonstration of craze, DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demonstration, DEMO-CRAZY
If it no be craze, DEMO-CRAZY
Why for Afrika? DEMO-CRAZY
As time dey go, DEMO-CRAZY
Things just dey bad, DEMO-CRAZY
They bad more and more, DEMO-CRAZY
Poor man dey cry, DEMO-CRAZY
Rich man dey mess, DEMO-CRAZY
Demo-crazy, DEMO-CRAZY
Democrazy, DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demo, DEMO-CRAZY
Demonstration of craze, DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demonstration, DEMO-CRAZY
If good-u teacher teach-ee something
And student make mistake
Teacher must talk-ee so
But Oyinbo no talk-ee so
I suffer dem, Dey suffer dem
Dem dey say da teaching get meaning
Different different meaning
Different different kinds of meaning
That is why I say
That is the reason of my songThat is the conclude
The conclud-ee of my song I say,
I sing, I beg everyone to join my song
I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my
I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURER BE YOUR NAME
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURE BE THE SAME
MAKE-EE NO TEACH-EE ME AGAIN OH
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-O
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-OME AND YOU NO DEY FOR THE SAME-U CATEGORY
NA THE SAME CATEGORY-O
Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-ke, Ke-re-Ji-Ke-Ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURE BE THE SAME
MAKE-EE NO TEACH-EE ME AGAIN OH
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-O
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-OME AND YOU NO DEY FOR THE SAME-U CATEGORY
NA THE SAME CATEGORY-O
Let's get down, to the underground spiritual game
We all sing together, play music together in happiness
All you have to do is sing what I play on my horn
Now Let's go...
A kujuba, A kujuba
YE-EHHHH!
Yehhhhhh-Ey!
Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-ke, Ke-re-Ji-Ke-Ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
All the wahala, all the problems,
All the things, all the things they go do,
For this world go start,
When the teacher, schoolboy and schoolgirl jam together
Who be teacher?
I go let you know
When we be pikin
FATHA/ MAMA BE TEACHER
When we dey for school
TEACHER BE TEACHER
Now dey University
LECTURER BE TEACHER
When we start to work
GOVERNMENT BE TEACHER
CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Who be government teacher? CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Who be government teacher? CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Cu-ulture and tradition CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Cu-ulture and tradition CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Now the problem side, of a teaching student-ee
I go sing about
I don pass pikin, I don pass school, university, se-fa pass
As I don start to work, na government I must se-fa pass
Da go for France
YES SIR/YES MAAM
Engi-land, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Italy, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Germany, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For dem , YES SIR/YES MAAM
Go China , YES SIR/YES MAAM
Russia, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Korea, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Viet Nam, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For dem, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Go Syria, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Jordan, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Iran, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Iraq, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM
For dem Let us face ourselves for Afrika
Na de matter of Afrika
This part-ee of my song
Na all the problems of this world
In we dey carry, for Afrika
Wey no go ask-ee me
WHICH ONE? (*after each line)
Problems of inflation
Problems of corruption
Of mismanagement
Stealing by government
Nothing we dey carry
All over Afrika
Na de latest one
Na him dey make me laugh
AUSTERITY (*after each line)
Austeri-
Austeri-
Na him dey latest one
Na him dey make me laugh
Why I dey laugh?
Man no fit cry?
Who be our teacher na Oyinbo?
Who be our teacher na Oyinbo?
A na false, the first election
And the second election held in Nigeria
Na the second election na it was pass
BOBA LA NONSENSE
Boba la nonsense, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Boba la nonsense, BOBA LA NONSENSE
He pass redeem, BOBA LA NONSENSE
He pass corruption, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Which kind election be dis? BOBA LA NONSENSE
People na go vote, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Dem come get big big numbers , BOBA LA NONSENSE
Thousands to thousands, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Millions to billions, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Which kind election be dis? BOBA LA NONSENSE
Boba la nonsense, BOBA LA NONSENSE
Na dem-o-cr-azy be the deal
Na dem-o-cr-azy be the deal
Who don teach us ee dem-o-cr-azy?
(Bo-ptch!) Oyinbo teach-ee us
(Yuh-ngh!) Oyinbo for Europe-oh
Oyinbo teach us many many things-ee
Many of dem things I don sing about-ee
Me I no gin copy Oyinbo style
Let us think say, Oyinbo no pass me
When Shagari finish him elections
Wey dem no tell am, say him make mistake-ee
Say this yo, no be democracy
Oyinbo dem no tell army self
Na for England-ee, I me no fit take over
I come think about this demo-crazy
Democrazy
DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demo, DEMO-CRAZY
Demonstration of craze, DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demonstration, DEMO-CRAZY
If it no be craze, DEMO-CRAZY
Why for Afrika? DEMO-CRAZY
As time dey go, DEMO-CRAZY
Things just dey bad, DEMO-CRAZY
They bad more and more, DEMO-CRAZY
Poor man dey cry, DEMO-CRAZY
Rich man dey mess, DEMO-CRAZY
Demo-crazy, DEMO-CRAZY
Democrazy, DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demo, DEMO-CRAZY
Demonstration of craze, DEMO-CRAZY
Crazy demonstration, DEMO-CRAZY
If good-u teacher teach-ee something
And student make mistake
Teacher must talk-ee so
But Oyinbo no talk-ee so
I suffer dem, Dey suffer dem
Dem dey say da teaching get meaning
Different different meaning
Different different kinds of meaning
That is why I say
That is the reason of my songThat is the conclude
The conclud-ee of my song I say,
I sing, I beg everyone to join my song
I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my
I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURER BE YOUR NAME
TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURE BE THE SAME
MAKE-EE NO TEACH-EE ME AGAIN OH
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-O
AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-OME AND YOU NO DEY FOR THE SAME-U CATEGORY
NA THE SAME CATEGORY-O
Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-ke, Ke-re-Ji-Ke-Ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
Ke-re-ke-Ke Ji Ke-ke
YAA!
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