What is the title? (Fela)

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I wanted to inquire what the title is to this Fela song? The following are some lyrics from it, "I nor be thief, you be thief. I nor be rogue, you be rouge. I nor be armed robber...Argument, argument argue..."
I'm sure most of you recognise it. One thing about listening to Fela when we were growing in Warri (Nigeria) is that altho' we know most of the lyrics, we don't (back then at least) the titles to the songs. There are still some songs I do not kow the title to. Ta!

Abo, Friday, 21 October 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

Authority Stealing Pt.2

Good Dog (Good Dog), Friday, 21 October 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

Uh, and Pt.1!

Good Dog (Good Dog), Friday, 21 October 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

Good Dog. Thanks for giving the title to that song. I just checked it and Authority Stealing was released in 1980 although the Part 2 you mentioned may have been released later on. I'm beginning to find out that my favourite Fela songs (Army Arrangement [sometimes refered to as Army Agreement], Beasts of No Nation, CBB, ODOO, Coffin For Head of State) were not actually the ones belonging to the so-called 'classic' 70s period. I don't believe as many writers have claimed that his music began to wane after the 70s. I don't know about you.

I also wanted to find out the title of this song, these are some of the lyrics:
"Welly welly o (well well)
Na true I wan talk again o (well well) 2x
If I dey lie o... "

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. One!

Abo, Thursday, 27 October 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Authority Stealing was released in 1980 although the Part 2 you mentioned may have been released later on.

er, no. it's just the second half of the (looong) song.

Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Thursday, 27 October 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

the "wella wella" song is I.T.T. (International Thief Thief) and is a SCORCHER. the Egypt 80 band was pretty awesome.

amon (eman), Thursday, 27 October 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

i suspect the 80s stuff gets panned because there's no Tony Allen, but really i don't know why.

amon (eman), Thursday, 27 October 2005 12:03 (twenty years ago)

--the "wella wella" song is I.T.T. (International Thief Thief)--

Then it must be I.T.T. 2 (PART 2). The original ITT I have is a different song from the lyrics I posted earlier (the "welly well" song).

--i suspect the 80s stuff gets panned because there's no Tony Allen, but really i don't know why.--

Tony or no Tony, they are still excellent songs. Take Beasts of No Nations for example. Fela is still Fela, he is the nucleus, not Tony Allen (with all due respect to Tony).

Abo, Thursday, 27 October 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

the only I.T.T. i'm aware of is the one you quoted from:

*[CHORUS] INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF (x3)
I.T.T
*[CHORUS] INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF – [AFTER EACH LINE]
International Thief
Oh
*(CHORUS) INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF (x2) [Bass Guitar enters]
I.T.T.
*[CHORUS] INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF – [AFTER EACH LINE International rogue
Oh, eh
*(CHORUS) INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF (x2)

Wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella,
wella, wella, wella-- Ha (x2)

Wella**, **(this is true)
wella, wella, wella,
Wella, wella, wella, wella, wella
Wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella
Wella, wella * [Rhythmic- improvise]
Wella, wella, wella, wella, wella
Wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella, wella,
wella, wella, wella---Ha - Yeh- Ch – Ch – Ch -Ch

Mother fuckers, Bastard Mother fuckers
*(CHORUS) YEAH –[AFTER EACH LINE]
We yab** dem **(make fun of/abuse)
Hurry up der
Say, “yeah”


Wella well, na true I want talk again o
*(CHORUS) WELL WELL – [AFTER EACH LINE]
Na true I want talk again o
If I dey lie o

Make Osiri punish me
Make Ifa dey punish me o
Make Edumare punish me o
Make the land dey punish me o
Make Edumare punish me o
I read ‘em for book ee-o
I see so myself ee-o (2x on the 3rd repetition)
Well-ee well-ee o
*(CHORUS/LEAD) WELL WELL-EH-EH-EH-EH-EH-EH-ELL- WELL WELL
Well-ee well-ee o
*(CHORUS/LEAD) WELL WELL-EH-EH-EH-EH-EH-EH-ELL- WELL WELL [REPEAT STANZA 3X]

Long time ago
Long, long time ago
*(CHORUS) LONG TIME AGO – [AFTER EACH LINE]
Long, long, long, long time ago
African man we no dey carry shit
We dey shit in-side big big hole
For Yourba-land na "Shalanga"
For Igbo-land na "Onunu-insi"
For Hausa-land na "Salunga"
For Ga-land na "Tiafi"
For Ashanti-land na “Yarni"
For Ethiopia-land na "Sagara-bet"
For Voodoo-land na “Cho-Cho”
For Bemba-land na “Chimbuzi”
For Tunga-land na “Echibuzi”
Long, long, long, long time ago
African man we no dey carry shit
We dey shit inside big big hole
Long, long, long, long time ago
Long, long, long, long time ago
Before them come for suss us away as slaves
During the time them come for suss us away as slaves
Na European man, na him dey carry shit
Na for them culture to carry shit
During the time dem come colonize us
Dem come teach us to carry shit
Long, long, long, long time ago
African man weh no dey carry shit
Na European man teach us to carry shit


Many foreign companies dey Africa carry all our money go
*(CHORUS) SAY AM, SAY AM –[AFTER EACH LINE]
Many foreign companies dey Africa carry all our money go
Dem go write big English for newspaper, Dabaru we Africans
Dem go write big English for newspaper, Dabaru we Africans
I read about one of them inside book like that- Them call him name na I.T.T
I read about one of them inside book like that- Them call him name na I.T.T


Them go dey cause confusion
*(CHORUS) CONFUSION
Cause corruption
*(CHORUS) CORRUPTION
Cause oppression
* (CHORUS) OPPRESSION
Cause inflation
*(CHORUS) INFLATION

Dem go dey,
Cause oppression
*(CHORUS) OPPRESSION
Cause confusion
*(CHORUS) CONFUSION
Cause corruption
*(CHORUS) CORRUPTION
Cause inflation
*(CHORUS) INFLATION

Cause oppression
* (CHORUS) OPPRESSION
Cause confusion
*(CHORUS) CONFUSION
Cause inflation
*(CHORUS) INFLATION
Cause oppression
*(CHORUS) OPPRESSION
Oppression, Opression, Inflation, Corruption, Opression, Inflation----

Dem get one style wey dem dey use
Dem go pick one African-i man
A man with low mentality
Them go give am million naira breads
To become of high position here
Him go bribe some thousand naira bread
To become one useless-i chief
Like rat dey do, dem go,
Dey do from
Corner corner pass-ee, pass-ee
Under, under pass-ee, pass-ee
Inside-ee, Inside-ee pass-ee, pass-ee
In-ee, in-ee, pass-ee, pass-ee
Out-ee, out-ee, pass-ee, pass-ee
Peep-peep, peep-peep, pass-ee pass-ee

In-ee, in-ee, pass-ee, pass-ee
Corner corner, pass-ee, pass-ee
Under, under, pass-ee, pass-ee
Inside-ee, Inside-ee, pass-ee, pass-ee
Over world, pass-ee, pass-ee
Corner corner, pass-ee, pass-ee
Under, under, pass-ee, pass-ee
Inside- inside
Then he gradually, gradually, gradually, gradually (2x)
Them go be:
Friend friend to journalist
Friend to friend to Commissioner
Friend friend to Permanent Secretary
Friend to friend to Minister
Friend to friend to Head of State
Then start start to steal money
Start start them corruption
Start start them inflation
Start start them oppression
Start start them confusion
Start start them oppression
Start start to steal money
Start start to steal money
Like Obasanjo and Abiola

*(CHORUS) INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF –[AFTER EACH LINE]
I.T.T
International rogue
International thief
We fight them,


Well well
*(CHORUS) WELL WELL - [AFTER EACH LINE]
Wella wella
We don tire
to carry
anymore of
them shit
**[repeat indefinitely, add next stanza occasionally]

am0n, Thursday, 27 October 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

amon, you're absolutely right. It is I.T.T. (my bad). I wonder if you or anyone could me help with the title of this song then. I'm trying to recall it from my childhood days in Waffi (Nigeria).

These are some of the lyrics:
"For Libya, na their cul-ture for dia (there)
Iraq, na their cul-ture for dia (there)..."

It is isn't much, but you may be able to recognise the song. Much love. One!

Abo, Thursday, 27 October 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

sorry Abo, i don't recognize that one. I agree about how good his 80s stuff was though, and i'm not too crazy about some of Fela's early records. i have a dub of this live video, which i believe is from early-mid 80s, and its an amazing performance:
http://www.greenplanetmusic.com/images/t14186ef7jo.jpg

amon (eman), Thursday, 27 October 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

also you might try this thread, maybe the song titles will sound familiar:
Fela Kuti: S&D

amon (eman), Thursday, 27 October 2005 22:26 (twenty years ago)

No shakin'. Thanx anyway. When I found out what the title is, I'll let you know. I'll try to check out that video. One!

Abo, Friday, 28 October 2005 06:48 (twenty years ago)

'ITT' is possibly my favorite Fela tune, so, yes, another vote for 80's Fela, tho I haven't heard his stuff with Laswell.

Baaderonixx says DANCE!! TAKE A CHANCE!!! (baaderonixx), Friday, 28 October 2005 08:16 (twenty years ago)

are you thinking of Teacher Don't Teach Me No Nonsense? Its not eaxctlyw hat you remember but I'm putting teh chorus down below if that seems right


Engi-land
Italy
Germany
Na dem culture
For der’
Be teacher
For dem
Go China
Russia
Korea
Viet Nam
Na dem culture
For der’
Be teacher
For dem
Go Syria
Jordan
Iran
Iraq
Na dem culture
For der’
Be teacher
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

H (Heruy), Friday, 28 October 2005 08:50 (twenty years ago)

Thanks H, it is definitely Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense, another Fela 80s classic. I guess classic in the way some refer to Fela's 70s works must mean "older" not necessarily better. The real "classics" were in the 80s.

Baaderonixx, you only need to check out the Bill Laswell's mix of Fela's Army Arrangement (an exploding guitar riff to start off). Although it has been said that Fela himself didn't like the mix but it is definitely, without a doubt, one of Fela best songs.
One!

Abo, Friday, 28 October 2005 09:38 (twenty years ago)


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