Dem dey fear

Lyrics

DEM DEY FEAR AM O! Political Highlife / Live Band Version [INTRO — 0:00–0:30] Slow guitar enters… bass follows… talking drum answers… trumpet warming up. LEAD: Heeeey! My people, una ready? If you hear trumpet, no run o! Na political highlife dey come! 😂 BAND: Ehhh-heyyy! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! LEAD: Ogene, talk to me! OGENE: Kpang! Kpang! Kpang-kpang! LEAD: Trumpet, answer am! TRUMPET: Paa-paa-paa-paaaaa! --- [CHORUS — 0:30–1:00] LEAD: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! BAND: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! LEAD: Anywhere chairman enter— BAND: Dem dey look left and right! LEAD: Anywhere minister waka— BAND: Opposition no sleep at night! 😂 ALL: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! Kpom! Kpom! Kpom! One by one! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! --- [VERSE 1 — 1:00–1:35] LEAD: Everywhere don scatter, Drum dey talk, trumpet dey answer! Chairman stand gidigba, No shaking, no surrender! One man shout for television, Another one call press conference, Before dem finish explanation— BAND: Minister don enter another junction! 😂 LEAD: One run left! BAND: One run right! LEAD: One say, “Wait, make we unite!” BAND: Before coalition see daylight— Band don start another fight! 😂 --- [CHORUS — 1:35–1:55] BAND: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! LEAD: Who dey knock dem? BAND: One by one! LEAD: How dem dey fall? BAND: Kpom! Kpom! Kpom! ALL: Political wahala don turn highlife! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! --- [HORN BREAK — 1:55–2:20] Trumpet solo. Guitar answers. Saxophone enters. Talking drum begins conversation with horn. LEAD SPOKEN: Trumpet, abeg no expose anybody! 😂 TRUMPET BLAST. LEAD: Ah-ah! You don mention name with trumpet now! 😂 BAND: Leave am! Leave am! Make the music continue! --- [VERSE 2 — 2:20–2:55] LEAD: Morning time, dem hold meeting, Afternoon, dem change position, Evening come, new coalition, Midnight—another resignation! 😂 BAND: Chai! LEAD: One dey calculate permutation, One dey calculate election, One dey shout revolution— BAND: But everybody dey watch direction! LEAD: Chairman stand gidigba! BAND: Gidigba! LEAD: Minister carry microphone! BAND: Fire dey enter megaphone! 😂 --- [CALL & RESPONSE — 2:55–3:25] LEAD: If dem fear chairman, say EHHH! BAND: EHHHH! LEAD: If dem fear minister, say OHHH! BAND: OHHHH! LEAD: If politician change party— BAND: Welcome ceremony! 😂 LEAD: If coalition break again— BAND: Emergency meeting! LEAD: If dem call another press conference— BAND: Bring chair! Bring popcorn! 😂 ALL: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! --- [VERSE 3 — 3:25–3:55] LEAD: One say, “Na strategy!” BAND: Strategy! LEAD: Another say, “Na ideology!” BAND: Ideology! LEAD: But when election bell ring— BAND: Everybody remember geography! 😂 LEAD: North to South, East to West, Everybody dey beat him chest, But when the political drummer starts— BAND: Na there we go know who pass the test! --- [DANCE BREAK — 3:55–4:20] Heavy bass line. Highlife guitar riff. Ogene and conga. LEAD: Two steps to the left! BAND: Kpom! LEAD: Two steps to the right! BAND: Kpom! LEAD: If your coalition still dey intact— BAND: Dance! LEAD: If your chairman never defect— BAND: Dance quickly! 😂 LEAD: Because tomorrow— BAND: Nobody know! 😂😂 --- [FINAL CHORUS — 4:20–4:45] LEAD: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! BAND: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! LEAD: Chairman stand gidigba! BAND: Gidigba! Gidigba! LEAD: Minister dey knock dem— BAND: One by one! ALL: Kpom! Kpom! Kpom! One by one! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! Dem dey fear am o, ehhh! --- [OUTRO — 4:45–5:10] LEAD: Play the trumpet! TRUMPET BLAST. Beat the ogene! OGENE: Kpang! Kpang! Kpang! LEAD: Wake the talking drum! TALKING DRUM RUN. Political wahala don turn highlife! 😂 BAND: Dem dey fear am oooooo! Ehhh-heyyy! Dem dey fear am oooooo! LEAD: One by one! BAND: Kpom! Kpom! Kpom! LEAD: No be fight o! BAND: Na highlife! 😂 LEAD: No be quarrel o! BAND: Na political entertainment! ALL — fading: Dem dey fear am o, ehhh… Dem dey fear am o, ehhh… One by one… Kpom! Kpom! Kpom! Dem dey fear am ooooooo…! Trumpet closes with long highlife flourish.