Excuse-O (1975) / Monkey Banana (1975)

CD INCLUDES:

Excuse-O
The deepest song here is the second track, "Mr Grammarticalogylisationalism Is The Boss,” which ridicules the notion that speaking "proper" English demonstrates superior intelligence, and bemoans the fact that doing so is, unfortunately, a requirement for upward mobility. As the chorus repeats the line “Him talk oyinbo pass English man” (“He talks English better than an Englishman”), Fela lays it down: “The better oyinbo you talk, the more bread you get, school start na grade four bread, B.A. na grade three bread, M.A. na grade two bread, Ph.D na grade one bread, the better oyinbo you talk, the more bread you get….Wey talk oyinbo well well to rule our land-o.” Originally released by Coconut.

Monkey Banana
"Monkey Banana" is a song of solidarity with, and admonishment of, Nigeria's working class, toiling without social security or decent public healthcare and education systems while the Nigerian elite grows fat on oil-boom backhanders. “Dem run run about everywhere,” sings Fela, “dem jump jump about the place, na carry for morning day and night (but) I no sing happy monkey for you, I no say I be fool for you.” If you are going to act like a monkey, Fela signs off, make sure the boss at least throws you a banana. Side two’s "Sense Wiseness" is a satire about “been-to”s, Nigerian’s who had been to America, Europe, Russia or China to study, and came back home ashamed of their own culture (see also the note on 1977’s J.J.D. Johnny Just Drop, below). Originally released by Coconut.