Zao: Moustique (Mosquito)
[purchase]
One of the funniest songs I know is about insects, but, eh, it's in French, in this West African colourful French that I love so much.
Casimir Zoba, aka Zao (see bio), a Congolese singer songwriter from Brazzaville, uses humor as a social and political weapon in songs such as "Ancien combattant" (war veteran), "Ivrogne" (drunkard). He's a sort of clownish Fela, although more limited musically than the Nigerian.
Awkward home made translation :
Mosquito, mosquito, You are a bandit
Mosquito, mosquito, You are a bastard
You sting me, you sting me, I can't sleep
You are a bastard
You suck my blood and bring it to the factories where they make red wine
You're so tiny but your name is big, ah, you are a bandit
You come and sing to my ear, without any fear, ah, you are a pain
You sting my wife without paying adultery, ah, you are a crook
You're romantic, tragic oh and you are indecent
You tickle the European girl, and sting the African girl, you are a racist
You slip past the sentry, you sting Mr. President, you're an assassin
You come and sting the king, without protocol, you are a criminal
Mosquito, Mosquito, you're an assassin
You give me malaria, death, and misery
There are many corpses in the neighbourhood, wakes every night
Every town hall in the world fights you, but you're still alive
They use insecticide, acid, but you're invincible
You sting my comrades, the sick, and the salad
You're in ponds, in jars and in bars
I'm gonna suit you in court, before the judge
You give me the fever that cracks my lips so that I can no longer eat the goat
Mosquito, mosquito, You are a bastard
Mosquito, Mosquito, you're an assassin
Mosquito, mosquito, You are a bastard
