ALAPALA (THE MYTH OF SHANGO) 

(Babá Alapalá, de Gilberto Gil) 
versão de Gilberto Gil e Carol Rogers 
(1979) 

Aganju, Shango 
Alapala, Alapala, Alapala 
Shango, Aganju 

A little boy, the age of three 
He asked about his family tree: 
"Oh, father, who is my grand papa?" 

The father said: "My boy, grandpa is dead 
And right before he died 
He told me who was my grandpapa 

"My grandpapa, your grandpapa’s 
Daddy was born in Africa 
A king, a tribal king Yoruba 

"So you, my boy, you’ve got to be 
Yourself a little new Shango" 
Oh, Aganju, baba Alapala 

Aganju, Shango 
Alapala, Alapala, Alapala 
Shango, Aganju 

Alapala, egun, spirit of the family man 
Ancestral soul of our tribe until this day 
The tribe of Aganju-Shango, an axe is in his hand 
His lightning axe could strike the sky above 
And make the sound of crashing 
thunders threaten God 
And that is why Shango became a God himself 
And that is why you should be proud, my boy