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Peter Gabriel & Youssou N'Dour - Shaking The Tree
Identifier
025629
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
The Guardian - A song and a prayer Mark Hudson - Sunday 23 May 2004
'If you come from Africa with your economic poverty and your cultural riches, and you meet someone like Peter Gabriel or a person from a big record company, and they tell you that what you are doing is marvellous, that makes you feel powerful. Even if you don't know who they are, if they tell you that you think you are down here, but really you are up here, that gives you more confidence than if someone from Africa said that. Maybe that's not right - but it's the reality!'
The Guardian - Soundtrack of my life: Youssou N'Dour - Caspar Llewellyn Smith; Sunday 15 June 2008
After my first-ever show in London, Peter Gabriel came to my dressing room and told me he loved my voice. I knew of Genesis but I wasn't really aware of who he was. One of the technical people said: Do you know who that was? That was God ! So then I listened to his records, and I toured with him, and I became his friend.
And of course I sang on In Your Eyes on this album. But thats not why I like it. It was the first Western pop record that really touched me deeply. And Peter, with his Real World label and the Womad festival, has done so much to support music from undeveloped countries.
A description of the experience
Peter Gabriel & Youssou N'Dour - Shaking The Tree
Lyrics
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
Waiting your time, dreaming of a better life
Waiting your time, you're more than just a wife
You don't want to do what your mother has done
She has done
This is your life, this new life has begun
It's your day - a woman's day
It's your day - a woman's day
Turning the tide, you are on the incoming wave
Turning the tide, you know you are nobody's slave
[ 1989 version - Find your Brothers and sisters ]
[ 1990 version - Find your sisters and brothers ]
Who can hear all the truth in what you say
They can support you when you're on your way
It's your day - a woman's day
It's your day - a woman's day
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
[ extra lyrics from 1989 12" remix ]
There's nothing to gain when there's nothing to be lost
There's nothing to gain if you stay behind and count the cost
Make the decision that you can be who you can be
You can be
Tasting the fruit come to the Liberty Tree
It's your day - a woman's day
It's your day - a woman's day
[ end of extra lyrics from 12" remix ]
Changing your ways, changing those surrounding you
Changing your ways, more than any man can do
Open your heart, show him the anger and pain, so you heal
Maybe he's looking for his womanly side, let him feel
You had to be so strong
And you do nothing wrong
Nothing wrong at all
We're gonna to break it down
We have to shake it down
Shake it all around
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree
Souma Yergon, Sou Nou Yergon, We are shakin' the tree