According to reports, Nathaniel Bassey remarked, “Can I please ask Ghanaian music ministers to write songs in English?” Yes, I am aware that you adore Twi and your regional accent, but your music need to be heard by everyone.
Instead of a moment to contemplate, this has caused what I see as an unnecessary chaos—a SELAH!
First of all, I don’t think of myself as a musician. I’ve created the word “music hobbyist” to refer to my interests. However, I have composed and/or produced a few songs that Ghanaian gospel music fans both within and outside of the country regard to be “hits.” However, the songs haven’t really had an impact on non-Ghanaians. The songs are all in Akan, thus the obvious explanation is that they don’t understand the other languages!
I could live with being the pretend area lad or local champion. However, I’m not. Why?
Related stories:You are anointed, sing in English for the world to hear you-Nathaniel Bassey to GH gospel acts
Just one tale. It seems that Bishop Dag Heward-Mills (I’m not even sure if he knows who wrote it) particularly enjoys the first song I ever composed, W’ahenni, and wants the choirs to sing it at each of his crusades throughout Africa. However, how will a choir sing a Twi song in, let’s say, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Rwanda, or Madagascar? Babylonian Key of Wisdom! He therefore had to go to the difficulty of having the song translated into various local languages in several African countries (I’m told it’s over thirty African languages), and then sing it in those languages. Feeling shivers! I adore it!
So…
You are the Lord
You never change
Everlasting King
You remain the same
You reign, Your kingdom shall never end (2X)
[Yeah, the last line needs some tweaking, but you get the point🫣]
It could have made the job simpler and the song could have gone further, much further. No guarantees, but worth the thought and maybe, effort.
So to the real gospel musicians (not hobbyists like me and pretenders who haven’t written a line of a song before but know better than the actual musicians), think deeply about what Bassey said.
It doesn’t mean that you will automatically make better or bigger impact if you sing in English. Just try it. You have nothing to lose. Write some of your songs in other languages too. And let’s see. Try eg Jamaican Patois. How else would you know that ‘His only begotten son’ is ‘im wan dege-dege Bwai Pikni’? Its fun. Maybe… Perchance…
You could be anchored to our music styles and yet be geared to the times.
© They call me ‘Ace’
