Sabu Yerkoy - Cuban "Son" Travels to Africa

Sabu Yerkoy is sung in the Songhay language, spoken by 3 million people in Mali, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The title of the song means "Thanks to God" and the lyrics celebrate Mali's independence. This is the only time Ali recorded this piece even though he had sung it since the sixties, when Cuban music was sweeping West Africa. Notice Orlando "Cachaito" López on bass (from Cuba, deceased 2009). This was the last recording for both him and Ali. It is a beautiful example of Afrocuban-Cubafrican synthesis--the joy of heart recognition.

The Independence of Mali did us good
As we have got our land back
As we are now hopeful
As we have got our rivers back
As we have all that belongs to us
So we are proud and we are well