Girgiza Kai: Shake Your Head: The Lyrics to Nazir Hausawa's industry anthem

I sat down with Nazir Hausawa the other day, and we transcribed and translated his song "Girgiza Kai" ("Shake Your Head"), which has become somewhat of an industry anthem since he released it. The song was played on Freedom Radio for a few days before it was banned. It has since passed on blue tooth from phone to phone. It can be downloaded from his My Space page.

There are a whole collection of songs now that are responding to the current situation in Kano. I hope to eventually transcribe and translate them all and post them. In the meantime, here are Abdulaziz A. Abdulaziz's thoughts on Adam Zango's response to his imprisonment in September 2007.

Girgiza Kai

Ehen. This is Pastor Dan productions. Ziriums…

Mai dokar bacci, ya bige da gyangyed’i.
The one who says sleep is against the law is the one nodding off…

Kar ku taka. Ku girgiza kai kurrum.
Don’t dance. Just shake your head.

Girgiza girgiza
Shake shake


Chorus:
Girgiza kai/ Girgiza kai. Girgiza kai. Girgiza kai.
Shake your head, shake your head. Shake your head. Shake your head.

Girgiza kai. Girgiza kai. Girgiza kai.
Shake your head. Shake your head. Shake your head.

Girgiza kai. Girgiza kai. Girgiza kai.
Shake your head. Shake your head. Shake your head.

1.
Kai karku taka kun san an hana.
Hey, don’t dance, you know they banned it.

Gwamnan garinmu ran nan. Shi ne ya hana.
The governor of our city here. He banned it.

In ka ji kid’a ya yi dad’i. Girgiza kai kurrum.
If you hear a good beat, just shake your head.

Eh, In ka ji kid’a ya yi dad’i. Girgiza kai kurrum.
Yeah, if you hear a good beat, just shake your head.

Chorus


2.
Kai tsalle waka a gidan giya.
Hey, [stop] jumping and singing in a bar

In an kafa doka. Ku bi ta daidai wisely.
If they make a law, make sure you follow it wisely

Eeeeh, an hana. Eeeeh, sun hana.
Eeeh, it’s against the law. Eeeeh. They said it’s against the law.

Chorus

3.
Kai ku daina arufta an hana.
Hey stop roughriding, it’s against the law.

Kyale tukin maye sassauta, an hana.
Stop drunk driving. It’s against the law.

Eeeeh, an hana. Eeeeh sun hana.
Eeeeh, it’s against the law. Eheheh, they said it’s against the law.

Chorus


4.

Kai mai tauye mudu an hana
Hey, you, who weight your measures. It’s against the law.

Algus a cikin wasko, ai shi ma an hana
You, who thin down food. It’s against the law.

Eeeh an hana. Eeeeh, sun hana.
Eeeeh, it’s against the law. Eeeeh, they said it’s against the law.

Chorus.

5. (RAP)

Wanda duk ya hana mu sana’a
Anyone who keeps us from working

Ya Allah ka zuba musa maruru sittin da bakwai
Oh God, send him sixty-seven boils

A ta karshensa shawara da basir mai seedling
On his backside, give him yellow fever and piles.

Sore throat ya kama mak’oshinsa.
May his throat catch fire

Likitoci su kasa ganoshi.
May doctors say they can’t find what’s wrong.

Da Dala da Goron Dutse
So Dala and Goron Dutse [hills in Kano]

Da gidan birni da gidan k’auye
The house in the city and the house in the village

Na hada na cusa a gajeran wandon mmmhmmhmmm
I put ‘em together in the underpants of his mmhmmmhmmm

Bari d’aya ne.Ya ji labari. Bari d’aya bai san komai ba.
One side knows what’s going on. One side has no idea.

Eeeh an hana. Eeeeh sun hana.
Eeeh, it’s against the law. Eeeeh, they said it’s against the law.

Come on.

Chorus


6.
Mmmmmm, waka ba gadona bace.
Mmmmm, I wasn’t born into singing.

Dan malam ne ni k’yank’yank’yan wasu sun sani
I’m the son of a complete Islamic scholar, everybody knows.

Kar ku ce min na k’i halin malam samsam kurrum.
Don’t tell me I don’t have character.

Na yi karatun boko har da na addini, kwarai.
I’ve done Western education and religious. Oh yes.

Samartaka ce na kad’ana domin zamani.
It’s the way of the young. It’s the beat of our time.

Eeeeh an hana. Eeeeh, sun hana.
Eeeh it’s against the law. Eeeeh, they said it’s against the law

Chorus 2X


End