Elmina Blues (Pidgin Drum Song)

dey took away
ppppppp dey took away the drum
ppppppp dey took away
ppppppp dey took away the drum so ah use my hands
pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp so ah use myself
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp to sing ov da rivah
an da blood
ppppppp to get across ah use myself
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp ah use myself*
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp ugene
ppppppp ugene
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp ugene
ppppppp ugene
ppppppp wit my chest ah sing
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp wit my chest ah sing
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp ov da flesh torn open
ppppppp ov da wall an da gate
ppppppp ov da hate
ppppppp dat took away my land
ppppppp dat took away da man
ppppppp from da shore
ppppppp took away da drum
ppppppp took away da drum
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh
ppppppp ah use myself
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp Abia

ppppppp dey took away
ppppppp dey took away
ppppppp da drum
ppppppp so ah use my feet
ppppppp so ah use my dance
ppppppp to step into da heavens
ppppppp an walk away
ppppppp to bring down da God
ppppppp ah know
ppppppp He kiss me
ppppppp wit His music
ppppppp an set fire to mah heels
ppppppp He bid me dance to
ppppppp da rhythm
ppppppp A new song
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp A new wail
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp Ah sail across da ocean
ppppppp an resurrect da bones
ppppppp dey rest alone at da bottom
ppppppp ov da sea
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp Ekwee

ppppppp an dis prayer is to
ppppppp da God ah know
ppppppp to da drum
ppppppp ov myself
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp yeh

ppppppp to da drum
ppppppp ov myself
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp Abia


From PAGAN OPERETTA (Fly By Night Press, 1999)