(A song by Edo Bumba and Per Bergström)
There’s one big place where I want to be. The cosmos? The Cosmos!
And in that place there’s a galaxy! The Milky Way? The Milky way!
And right on its edge: a living ball! Which one: Tell us! You said it: Tellus!
And on that planet: A belt of green! The greenest you’ve seen? So green!
The sun rises straight up above that land and paints it green A green machine
So this planet’s land of bingo must be the Congo Of course: the Congo!
A ground full of metals – got to be the Congo!
Copper and coltan and gold in Katanga
Sunshine and water and heat: the Congo!
Ivory, rubber and copal – that’s bingo
A plentiful nature – got to be, the Congo!
Big game and diamonds, gorilla and mango
A 100 lane highway of water: the Congo!
Richest of all on the Earth, that’s the Congo!
Right on the Equator a flow without end The Congo?
Dark shadows of the day, bright lightning of the night The Congo!
The dance of the bongo: Boom chakka dum dum Boom chakka dum dum?
The sound of soukous, Papa Wemba, La rumba, Kanda Bongo!
Forty two million liters passing every second The Congo!
Three thousand miles from source to sea The Congo!
(À la campagne:)
Through the green carpet: A shiny, blue cut
Logs yawning with crocodile teeth
From Mountains of the Moon to the Inga Falls
Nets flying from speedy canoes
The people are scarce, but the peoples are plenty
…Baluba, Bakongo, Balunda, Bamongo…
A ground full of metals – got to be the Congo!
Copper and coltan and gold in Katanga
A plentiful nature. Kidding? The Congo!
Ivory, rubber and copal – that’s bingo
Sun, water, heat. Congo!
Big game and diamonds, gorilla and mango
Wide water highway
Richest of all on the earth that’s the Congo
Don’t let the companies steal from the Congo
Mandarine, nectarine, tangerine
We need to save for the future the Congo
Banana, cassava, guajava, papaya!
Richest of all on the earth that’s the Congo
Bingo Bongo Dingo Dongo Kingo Congo
We need to save for the future the Congo
Aaaahh…
…Baluba, Bakongo, Balunda, Bamongo…
Listen to the beat of the green heart of the planet of the universe!
C’est quoi? C’est quoi? C’est quoi? Must be the Congo!
Bobangi Bambuti Babemba Bakamba
Kingo Kängo Kango Congo
