Arlo Guthrie - Guabi Guabi Lyrics
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Guabi guabi kuzwan le toum diome
Ize les gambi shooey entana
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
Ni izome tingy la ma bonza
Ize widgy le ba na na
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Rand Lyrics
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Arlo Guthrie Guabi Guabi Comments
Love Arlo- but, Pete sucks.... metaphysical Vito, my ass!
Bona baya zama shame... Haven't laughed this much in a long while... Proper spelling is Gwabi Gwabi...
This just came to mind a few days ago...I don’t think i’ve heard it for about 40 years. Of course I knew nothing of the song’s background (except that it’s from Africa) and that bananas were involved.
hebneh I fell in love with this song long ago. Nice to meet you, Moppet
LOVE this version!!!
From Arlo's 1976 album "Amigo". I have always wondered who the male chorus singers were on this at 1:27. I didn't know Linda Ronstadt was also on this as backup vocal. Also, your meaning description is near exactly what Arlo told me it meant in 1977 backstage at the Hollywood Bowl during a Grateful Dead concert.
GereDJ2 I appreciate your comment that this was similar to what Arlo told you. I care about the music & try to present it as the artist intended. Glad to see I got this close. LOVE Arlo & his music. I've seen him in 3 states. My son got lost yrs ago & Arlo came out while I was still searching. I'll be forever grateful...he "got the cops". Nice to meet you.
0:52 -- What bananas looked like before human beings started selectively breeding them.
Gwabi-Gwabi...(translates to look i got the girl, most probably that you also wanted?)...Ngizamthengela (I will buy her)....bananas (as in fruits)...iziwiji (sweets) lamabhanzi (buns)....this man is happy with his girlfriend and his triumph so much that he is wanting to lavish his girl with all the goodies he can lay his hands on..what with his meagre salary......nice piece...(This is Ndebele language spoken/sang in Zimbabwe..precisely Bulawayo areas and other Matabele regions)...
Ndebele? I was told it was southern Swahili dialect.
Heard this song years ago in Tanglewood,Mass, at a concert. even named my cat guabi. Never knew what the lyrics meant. Saw Arlo at a concert at the Berkley Music school in Boston and asked what the Lyrics meant. He didn't say. Maybe he didn't know. THANKS FOR THE INFO. Only took 40 or so years but got it.
Mthandazo Lucky Dlodlo on point. This song belongs to George Sibanda from Bulawayo. It was first recorded in 1948. And yes, the language is ndebele not Zulu not Xhosa
Love his. Amigo was one of the great lost albums.
Love it
+Pete Woods Thank you for letting me know. The photos are of baked goods and treats in that area. Actual receipes/photos. I had earlier comments about this being racist & Arlo was bad at singing it. I told them I followed Arlo across 3 states & can't even count the times I've seen him. This is pure Arlo & in now way is disparaging to this song. Thank you for a positive comment. I love his version. :)
oh-very great!-thank you for upload and explaining the lyrics....-so much!
+MathiasCorvin so glad you enjoyed it. I like to try to give a history on many of my posts. Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it. I have caught some flack on this song. The ppl commenting don't know Arlo's singing technique. Just to let you know...all the photos of baked goods are real pics of real receipes from that part of the world. Thank you, Moppet
My 12th grade European Lit teacher played this for our class. Why he did this I don't remember. 30 years later and I can still recall the lyrics. Great song. Great memories. Thanks for posting.
+M Doc Hi. Just now seeing this. So glad you enjoyed. I don't really know the lyrics, but that doesn't stop me from singing along with Arlo. I enjoy this song very much. My best to you, Moppet
Also, I didn't publish that cultural post or write these comments seeking sympathy. I took those actions as a means of sharing my opinion. That said, I want to make clear that I'm not calling Arlo Guthrie a racist (not that he would care if I did so or not).
I'm older than you (not that that matters either) & I believe that a person can do or think something racist and he or she and others can learn from discussion about that racist act or thought.
You're welcome, MyMoppet52.
You will notice that in my comments I separated the musicality of Guthrie's performances from his tall tale introduction and comments within some performances of "Gwabi Gwabi".
And I will note, as I'm sure you know, there are huge differences between telling tall tale stories about bears and wild dogs and telling tall tale stories about a Black African which depict that African as stupid and the victim of police brutality during the apartheid regime or not.
I know one of the most famous singers is from Ndebele, but appreciate your info on this also. I will make changes as needed. I need all the help I can get! Thank you. I must say, I enjoyed the research for this video. I found so many wonderful receipes for some of the "treats" the young gentleman is offering his sweetheart. I hope to try some soon! Thanks for your compliment on the slideshow. I tried to find photos which truly represent the great cultures,peoples, & art of many African nations.
continued...
He could go on for days. I guess that is why I like Arlo's stories. I take them as tall tales, and as with Reuben Clamzo especially, you can see how it IS a tall tale.
I do apologize for how it made you feel. I am sorry you feel it is racist. I will look up the article you mentioned. You are speaking to someone who has been in love with Arlo Guthrie since I was 14 & I am now 61. I have loved his stories...Thank you so very much for commenting and showing a different side, Moppet
I appreciate you leaving your comment. I will look up the info that you mention. I can also understand many peoples concerns on racism and other prejudices. (I have concerns of my own.) I will say that Arlo is Arlo. If you listen to Reuben Clamzo, you can see his thinking. (perhaps you have listened.) He is like his uncle, Hoyt Axton. He is a tall-tale, storyteller in the old fashioned sense. I remember my great grandpa had some good stories about bears and wild dogs in the mountains...
I appreciate the musicality of Guthrie's performances of "Gwabi Gwabi" (which is the actual spelling of this song). I also appreciate the photo slide that is found with this recording. But as an African American, I DON'T find Arlo Guthrie's tall tales in the introduction of some of his "Guabi Guabi" songs amusing. I consider them to be racist.
I explain why I reached that conclusion in my post about this song. Google Pancocojams The REAL Meaning of The Song "Gwabi Gwabi" (Guabi Guabi).
In other videos or sound files of this song, several Africans have indicated that the language in this song is not Zulu but Ndebele .
Thank you so much for leaving a comment! I've been out of commission so I'm running a bit late. I love Arlo & love this song. So glad you found it here. If you do like Arlo, you can see all of my videos by typing his name on my Channel Page in top rt "Search Channel" area. I tag artists, genres (blues, bluegrass, Native American, mountain music, Celtic, Civil War era +), instruments even. It's a fun way to play around w/music. Thanks again & appreciate your comment! My best, Moppet
one of the good old songs, love it!!!
It's supposed to be Zulu. I am taking that on faith, since I don't speak Zulu. Thanks for listening and giving me a "Swedish" comment! I like to listen to this ... I start smiling, moving my feet, and dancing. Without even knowing it! That is a good song, when that happens. So good to have you visit. My best to you, Moppet