April 11, 2010

Liyanzi

He had to go on television and explain the song in Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo and Cameroon. They were invited to the US because of this song. Wherever the T.P. O.K. Jazz went Ntesa Dalienst was asked about "Munsi".

But "Munsi" may be the title by which most people know the song, it is not the original title. The song was released in 1980 as "Liyanzi Ekoti Ngai Na Motema". As Ntesa explained in this interview in 1990, the liyanzi of the title is a nasty insect that can burrow into your toe to lay its eggs, causing a very nasty disease called tungiasis (or tungosis). In the song it is not an insect which has infected a man, but the love for a woman. It is causing him pain, and can't be removed by a doctor. Only when the woman will return his love the pain will go away. But the woman doesn't want him because he is married. The man retorts by pointing out that the woman's father too was polygamous. The woman's name, "Munsi", was invented by Ntesa to hide the true identity of the lady, and consists of the first letters of her surname combined with the first of her first name.

The song was first released on the lp "A Paris Volume 1". In this version Franco is not playing. In fact, Franco hardly ever played on the songs composed by Ntesa Dalienst. There are of course exceptions. Like this version recorded in 1980 during a concert in Abidjan.

Ntesa Dalienst & TP OK Jazz - Liyanzi Ekoti Ngai Na Motema
Uploaded by wrldsrv. - See the latest featured music videos.

And, while we're at it, here's a second version. This time recorded in Zaïre, by Telezaïre, and probably also in 1980. This time Thierry Mantuika replaces Franco, - as he does in the version on the lp.


From the same year, but this time at the home base of the T.P. O.K. Jazz, the "1-2-3" Club, here is a third version. Again with Thierry Mantuika.


Originally released on the same lp, "A Paris Volume 1", here is a song composed and performed by singer Ndombe Opetum, called "Youyou". Supporting Ndombe are Wuta Mayi, Lukoki Diatho and Ntesa Dalienst.

There is also a version recorded in Abidjan , which can be found here.

Also on "A Paris Volume 1", but also on video, is the song "Kadima", composed by Lutumba Simaro and sung by one of Simaro's favourite singers, Djo Mpoyi. During this concert at "1-2-3" he has difficulty not to succumb to the (material) praise that is bestowed on him.
Note that both Franco and Simaro are playing in this song.


Unfortunately I have never seen a video of the remaining track of "A Paris Volume 1": "Na Komipesa Na Nani?", composed and sung by Franco himself. This is even more unfortunate, because it is my favourite track of the album. The track was previously released as "Mobali Aboyi Na Ye Kaka" on African (Nigeria) 360.129 in 1979 (and later in digital form on Sonodisc CDS 6862).

The rather exaggerated stereo separation on these tracks suggests that "Youyou" and "Na Komipesa Na Nani?" are from the same recording session, and recorded a year earlier than "Liyanzi Ekoti Ngai Na Motema".

VISA 1980 FRAN 003

11 comments:

Kostas from Greece said...

Thank you,my friend for this masterpiece...thank you very much...

John B. said...

Talk about an embarrassment of riches! This has always been one of my favorite Franco songs. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Wow
The history behind the songs interests me a lot

wuod k

Anthony Angasisye Kisondella said...

Thanks for your valuable posting and overall explaination surrounding the song "Liyanzi Ekoti Ngai Na Motema" composition by Zitani Dalienst Ya Ntesa.

My Concern is why Franco hardly played Zitani Dalienst compositions??, I heard somewhere in blogs that Papa Carylito Lassa used not to sing well or not all along side Franco, but was very closely and could sing to heart when it comes to Simaro Lutumba composition

Nigua Nigua said...

Any particular reason Franco never played on Ntesa's compositions ?

WrldServ said...

I will come back to the issue of why Franco is not playing in Ntesa Daliensts compositions in a future post. Please be patient....

Anthony Angasisye Kisondella said...

Thx, I think we should be in aposition to learm more from this blog to the music/songs and those who did them.

For example I have seen in instrumentation, Franco will occassionaly pair with Gerry Dialungana (franco playing Mi-solo)while Gerry (playing solo), Gerry Dialungana with Thiery Mantiuka, (Mantiuka playing Mi-solo)while Gerry (playing solo), Dizzy Mandjeku vs Gerry BUT I find rare situation where Franco pairs otherwise. Was this an arrangement or it is the same theme like what we stated Franco hardly not playing Zitani Dalienst Ya Ntesa composition

Koronya Mwambia said...

AboubacarSiddikh [youtube] has a completely different "Na Komipesa na Nani ?" and had me confused. I have same as the one you've posted. So what is the real title of this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4amYCUSoBug

WrldServ said...

@Koronya Mwambia: Sorry for the delay in answering.
That song is "Yo Ma Mayenge Ngai Na Kabalo", composed by Franco and previously released on African (Nigeria) 360.129 in 1979.

Bana said...

It si not true that Franco hardly played in Ntesa's compositions. In many live occassions both within DRC and abroad Franco played solo in this song "Liyanzi"

WrldServ said...

@Bana: It was in fact Ntesa himself who commented that Franco did not play in his songs. Of course this was a generalisation. In fact, I have recordings of Franco singing "Tantine".