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Geoffrey Oryema — Land of Anaka
Album: African Odysseus (Best Of)
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 558









Released: 1993
Length: 5:15
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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(no lyrics available)
Comments (108)add comment
 helgigermany wrote:

I hear a sort of Leonhard C. and Peter G!? But nice!!


Yes. But, NICER!!
Posted 1 month ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
 eswiley2 wrote:

What a soft PURRRRRRRRRR  of a voice...  Very nice indeed.


YES!!   
Posted 1 month ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
Anybody have the lyrics?  ...along with a translation?  Thank You.
Posted 1 year ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
What a soft PURRRRRRRRRR  of a voice...  Very nice indeed.
Posted 13 years ago by eswiley2    [ Reply ]
 kerr wrote:
Glad I'm not the only one who heard a bit of Christy Moore in this.
 
That'll be the pipes in the background, I reckon. This song, and this singer, really grow on me. The goosepimples are rising as I write. 9 from the Nottingham jury.

Posted 13 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Glad I'm not the only one who heard a bit of Christy Moore in this.
Posted 13 years ago by kerr    [ Reply ]
 ThePoose wrote:

And the tune you are thinking of is Who by Fire.
 

Well, now that you mention it...
Posted 13 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
I hear a sort of Leonhard C. and Peter G!? But nice!!
Posted 13 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
 Cynaera wrote:
I've never heard this song, or this artist, before - it gives me chills.  In a good way. Irony:  I have a series of books written by the late David Eddings, and one of the characters is referred to as "Anakha," which means (in Eddings' world) "He who makes his own destiny." 
 

Serendipity! I've read Eddings AND own this album, I never would have made the connection or used the word serendipity...
thanks Cynaera and RP! I'm always entertained here...
Posted 14 years ago by df1489    [ Reply ]

Posted 14 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
I've never heard this song, or this artist, before - it gives me chills.  In a good way. Irony:  I have a series of books written by the late David Eddings, and one of the characters is referred to as "Anakha," which means (in Eddings' world) "He who makes his own destiny." 
Posted 14 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
beauty.
Posted 14 years ago by zipper    [ Reply ]
 df1489 wrote:

PG's doing background vocals...from his Real World label...
Exile is a great album

Thanks, I can hear that now. 


Posted 14 years ago by Dillinquent    [ Reply ]
{#Bounce}
Posted 14 years ago by stephw    [ Reply ]
 Dillinquent wrote:
Nice. Sounds like a PG song.
 
PG's doing background vocals...from his Real World label...
Exile is a great album

Posted 14 years ago by df1489    [ Reply ]
Nice. Sounds like a PG song.
Posted 14 years ago by Dillinquent    [ Reply ]
{#Meditate}
Posted 15 years ago by Beez    [ Reply ]
Funny you said that.  Before the vocals began, I thought it was Christy Moore. 

anotherlistener wrote:
Wonder if this guy ever heard of Cristy Moore?...looking back I have said this before...
 


Posted 15 years ago by Bridieboo    [ Reply ]
 Jared wrote:
Only about 50 RP listeners are shown on the Google Map App on RP's front page to hear this.
 
I'm one of 'em.  Love this song.  I don't think it originated on this album though.
Don't know if anyone's mentioned already that's PG back there.

Posted 15 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
 eastcoast wrote:
Reminds me of Cristy Moore.
 
An entry like yours I came to look for....


Posted 15 years ago by Bleyfusz    [ Reply ]
Only about 50 RP listeners are shown on the Google Map App on RP's front page to hear this.
Posted 15 years ago by Jared    [ Reply ]
Music like this is why I listen to rp. Never hear this anywhere else and this is top notch
Posted 15 years ago by myknjul2    [ Reply ]
 ThePoose wrote:

And the tune you are thinking of is Who by Fire.
 
I hear it.

Posted 15 years ago by ch83575    [ Reply ]
 Limpopoking wrote:

ten ten ten ten ten!!!!!!


 

{#High-five} first note: a shiver and goose bumps! Don't know why it feels like crying and smiling at the same time when I hear this. Pain and hapiness at the same time? 10-> 11 !
Posted 15 years ago by claire_k    [ Reply ]
This man has a voice smoother than mercury on glass, and that's smooth. More Oryema, please :)
Posted 15 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]

ten ten ten ten ten!!!!!!


Posted 15 years ago by Limpopoking    [ Reply ]
love it
Posted 15 years ago by ulibcn    [ Reply ]
Peter Gabriel produced this. Definitely can hear the influence
Posted 15 years ago by cooch    [ Reply ]
 robco1 wrote:
Leonard Cohen? (Just the lower notes at the beginning).
 
And the tune you are thinking of is Who by Fire.
Posted 16 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Absolutely beautiful...so serene. {#Meditate} 10

Posted 16 years ago by lalalisa25    [ Reply ]
For 1.2 seconds I thought this was Madrugada / Leonard Cohen

Edit:  Oh, so did you guys :P

Posted 16 years ago by pugifat    [ Reply ]
robco1 wrote:
Leonard Cohen? (Just the lower notes at the beginning).

Geoffrey Oryema is on the highly recommendable LC-tribute sampler I'm Your Fan with a version of Suzanne.

Posted 16 years ago by TanteJensen    [ Reply ]
Wonder if this guy ever heard of Cristy Moore?...looking back I have said this before...


Posted 16 years ago by anotherlistener    [ Reply ]
 Chi_Guy wrote:


I've seen those chaps from Krackow, Poland to Melbourne , Australia...it's spooky, they seem to follow me around the world?

 
Well, Odysseus did travel quite a bit.


Posted 16 years ago by AlienRelic    [ Reply ]
flyboy wrote:
One year I saw those guys at a Fourth of July parade in Bellingham, WA, and then in March of the next spring I went on a trip to Africa, and stopped in Amsterdam on the way back and saw them outside the main train terminal there. There wasn't anything going on, just them playing, and we were the only ones around. Some old wino dude was asking my 12 year old sister to dance with him. Then they (the Andes guys, not the wino) started coming to the Alaska state fair the last few years. They must like traveling.
I've seen those chaps from Krackow, Poland to Melbourne , Australia...it's spooky, they seem to follow me around the world?
Posted 16 years ago by Chi_Guy    [ Reply ]
SDBob wrote:
I've heard this song so much on RP... and I am always glad to hear it end...
Just say no to crack. Especially yellow crack.
Posted 16 years ago by keller1    [ Reply ]
I've heard this song so much on RP... and I am always glad to hear it end...
Posted 16 years ago by SDBob    [ Reply ]
I just love Geoffrey Oryema. Such a gr8 muso! Thanx RP
Posted 16 years ago by Naaldekoker    [ Reply ]
robco1 wrote:
Leonard Cohen? (Just the lower notes at the beginning).
Fine, I'm not alone. Anyway, the song and it's mood are beautiful.
Posted 16 years ago by prickelpit96    [ Reply ]
xc_para_puravida wrote:
Transcendental, Ethereal, Sublime, Exquisite...
Yes.
Posted 16 years ago by keller1    [ Reply ]
squidish wrote:
Nice and mysterious, except for that damn pan flute whistle thing. Reminds me of those dudes in ponchos that pop up selling CDs with their amplified Andes flute=pipe sound system at every bloody street fair around the world. They followed me around Tx and NY and CA, then even showed up under the Eiffel Tower! You've seen them, too, right? Or should I up my meds?
One year I saw those guys at a Fourth of July parade in Bellingham, WA, and then in March of the next spring I went on a trip to Africa, and stopped in Amsterdam on the way back and saw them outside the main train terminal there. There wasn't anything going on, just them playing, and we were the only ones around. Some old wino dude was asking my 12 year old sister to dance with him. Then they (the Andes guys, not the wino) started coming to the Alaska state fair the last few years. They must like traveling.
Posted 16 years ago by flyboy    [ Reply ]
Leonard Cohen? (Just the lower notes at the beginning).
Posted 16 years ago by robco1    [ Reply ]
Reminds me of Cristy Moore.
Posted 16 years ago by eastcoast    [ Reply ]
I like
Posted 16 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
Transcendental, Ethereal, Sublime, Exquisite...
Posted 17 years ago by xc_para_puravida    [ Reply ]
squidish wrote:
Nice and mysterious, except for that damn pan flute whistle thing. Reminds me of those dudes in ponchos that pop up selling CDs with their amplified Andes flute=pipe sound system at every bloody street fair around the world. They followed me around Tx and NY and CA, then even showed up under the Eiffel Tower! You've seen them, too, right? Or should I up my meds?
Thought it was just me.
Posted 17 years ago by bronorb    [ Reply ]
I've stopped and restarted the stream several times because something in this song exactly mimics the sort of distortion I get when I have buffering problems. Otherwise pretty cool.
Posted 17 years ago by thewaxtadpole    [ Reply ]
Nice and mysterious, except for that damn pan flute whistle thing. Reminds me of those dudes in ponchos that pop up selling CDs with their amplified Andes flute=pipe sound system at every bloody street fair around the world. They followed me around Tx and NY and CA, then even showed up under the Eiffel Tower! You've seen them, too, right? Or should I up my meds?
Posted 17 years ago by squidish    [ Reply ]
xkolibuul wrote:
Do you understand the lyrics? I don't see how you can make that judgement without them. Utterly baseless.
I just found the music to be pretentious (maybe oozing was a little harsh). Honestly though, I generally divorce the music from the lyrics when I first listen to a song. If the music doesn't move me in some way, I usually don't get to the lyrics. It is music after all and not poetry. Put another way, lyrics can bump a song up a point or maybe two if I think they are tremendous, but can only detract a point or so provided they are extremely dumb or offensive. So maybe the statement I made about pretentiousness wasn't "utterly" baseless, just different than those who put more emphasis on lyrics. The lyrics (and his story) were quite moving (what I could find of them after some searching--please post them if you have them): "we had hopes, we had dreams, dreams of a clear green land. In place of the family house, dead sand, dead sand". The "dead sand" part is especially evocative. I still think the music itself seemed manipulative of emotion (pretentious/contrived/affected, whatever). A good 80% of the people who rated this song do not agree with me on that one. I'll listen to it again, but I'm not sure that will help.
Posted 17 years ago by Wizzuvvoz    [ Reply ]
seedeater wrote:
An African Leonard Cohen?
No kidding! I looked him up on RP because - language and background vocals aside - I couldn't believe it wasn't Leonard Cohen. This is cool music. Leonard Cohen with a better producer.
Posted 17 years ago by littlerat    [ Reply ]
It reminds me of every dark Dire Straits song, with an echo of something very NOT Dire. Me likey.
Posted 17 years ago by kelly652    [ Reply ]
An African Leonard Cohen?
Posted 17 years ago by seedeater    [ Reply ]
eres un maestroooo
Posted 17 years ago by arturomeade    [ Reply ]
Do you understand the lyrics? I don't see how you can make that judgement without them. Utterly baseless. Wizzuvv_oz wrote:
Ooozes pretentiousness and pomposity IMO. Great, huge, oily globs of it.
Posted 17 years ago by xkolibuul    [ Reply ]
this is hauntingly beautiful music...
Posted 17 years ago by mem_313    [ Reply ]
Radio_Man wrote:
What a nice pleasing song.
I concur.
Posted 17 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
Is this guy Dutch by any chance?
Posted 17 years ago by drtjdel    [ Reply ]
Sounds like fog and rain...like driving from the blistering heat of California's central valley into San Francisco fog...no idea why, but thats what it reminds me of.
Posted 17 years ago by Arianrhod    [ Reply ]
Ooozes pretentiousness and pomposity IMO. Great, huge, oily globs of it.
Posted 17 years ago by Wizzuvvoz    [ Reply ]
So simple but so beautiful. I have probaply owned the CD (Exile) for 15 years, but this song still stops me in my tracks every time.
Posted 17 years ago by araja    [ Reply ]
celadonstone wrote:
In a parallel universe, perhaps everyone is not speaking English, instead, an african dialect is the language of business.
If Guns, Germs, and Steel is an accurate analysis of geographic factors, said alternate universe would require a different configuration of the continents. I'm really interested in the current preservation work going on in Timbuktu - the library there was the center of world knowledge ca. 1400, thanks to the gold-fueled Malian trade empire. Unfortunately, desertification has turned Mali into one of the poorest countries in the world.
Posted 17 years ago by UltraNurd    [ Reply ]
queenjill wrote:
No, I think it is just that crackly dry-spit sound. Yuck.
This is my first time hearing the song, so those sounds eluded me. But since the discussion mention clicking in African languages, I do recall seeing a film on the !Kung in anthropology in college. In a parallel universe, perhaps everyone is not speaking English, instead, an african dialect is the language of business.
Posted 17 years ago by celadonstone    [ Reply ]
What a nice pleasing song.
Posted 17 years ago by Radio_Man    [ Reply ]
Thank you Bill for playing Geoffrey. Please play 'Ye ye ye ' too, one of his best.
Posted 17 years ago by FAY    [ Reply ]
Shesdifferent wrote:
I love this! Man, is his voice loooooowwwwww. Well, your in Nebraska go figure
Did you see that south park episode when they go to nebraska and everything is brown @ the state line?
Posted 17 years ago by skyguy    [ Reply ]
reminds me of Christy Moore
Posted 17 years ago by eastcoast    [ Reply ]
jbtidwell wrote:
Anybody else hear "Via Las Vegas" being sung in the backgound? O:)
You mean Viva Las Vegas?
Posted 17 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Shesdifferent wrote:
Well, your in Nebraska go figure
Posted 18 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
I love this! Man, is his voice loooooowwwwww. The_Waker wrote:
Well, your in Nebraska go figure
Posted 18 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
Wow! It takes a lot to pull me up out of a nap, but this song did it. Beautiful! As to the clicks and clacks... if you cannot handle the speech and sounds of another's language without rudeness spewing forth from your own mouth, go listen to Barney the Purple Dinosaur and have some more pablum.
Posted 18 years ago by jadewahoo    [ Reply ]
algrif wrote:
Hi. Thanks for such an ignorant comment. Don't you know that many African languages have clicks etc sounds that are not normally found in European languages?
No, I think it is just that crackly dry-spit sound. Yuck.
Posted 18 years ago by queenjill    [ Reply ]
algrif wrote:
Hi. Thanks for such an ignorant comment. Don't you know that many African languages have clicks etc sounds that are not normally found in European languages?
But it still sounds gross.
Posted 18 years ago by drtjdel    [ Reply ]
MrSpaz wrote:
Ok, not to detract from the song too much, because I do like it, but: the sticky-saliva clicks when the guy is singing drive me bonkers. There's a piece of studio equipment specifically to prevent those from being recorded, why did they leave it off?
Hi. Thanks for such an ignorant comment. Don't you know that many African languages have clicks etc sounds that are not normally found in European languages?
Posted 18 years ago by algrif    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by Mari    [ Reply ]
Thanks, Bill.
Posted 18 years ago by AlienRelic    [ Reply ]
beautiful as ever what about some salif keta
Posted 18 years ago by shampa1n    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by The_Waker    [ Reply ]
oscar_driver wrote:
Beautiful, no need to understand lyrics! just plain beautiful!
So true. The feeling is all there; the lament, the sadness. I didn't know what it meant either, of course, but this is what I found out: The song is indeed a lament. It's about yearning for the singer's homeland, Uganda, which he terms the "Land of Anaka." Anaka is a resettlement camp for former exiles and is located in northern Uganda. Geoffrey Oryema has lived in exile from Uganda since 1977, following his father's death during Idi Amin's regime. (The elder Oryema was at the time the minister for natural resources and was murdered on Amin's orders.) In the song, the grown-up Geoffrey attempts to soothe the pain of his widowed mother.
Posted 19 years ago by lester    [ Reply ]
I can't believe how shallow I was about this at first listen, (a year ago?) really, REALLY grown on me...into me. Quite an artist. I used to categorize this as 'Subtitle ' music. Respectful 8.
Posted 19 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmgoooooooooooooood
Posted 19 years ago by trompetilla    [ Reply ]
great song just amazing vocalization got me dragged into the song almost like a religious experience
Posted 19 years ago by L0NE_vAT0    [ Reply ]
jbtidwell wrote:
Anybody else hear "Via Las Vegas" being sung in the backgound? O:)
Very witty
Posted 19 years ago by tony99    [ Reply ]
hmmmmm- pretty repetative though. zzzzz
Posted 19 years ago by jeremydgreat    [ Reply ]
Caught the first few notes right away.....really beautiful!
Posted 19 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
Anybody else hear "Via Las Vegas" being sung in the backgound? O:)
Posted 19 years ago by jbtidwell    [ Reply ]
Beautiful, no need to understand lyrics! just plain beautiful! OScar
Posted 19 years ago by oscar_driver    [ Reply ]
MrSpaz wrote:
Ok, not to detract from the song too much, because I do like it, but: the sticky-saliva clicks when the guy is singing drive me bonkers. There's a piece of studio equipment specifically to prevent those from being recorded, why did they leave it off?
This doesn't bother me too much, but reminds me of a hilarious parody MAD Magazine did some years back of Lee J. Cobb's delivery, "Smack, smack, drool..."
Posted 19 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
MrSpaz wrote:
Ok, not to detract from the song too much, because I do like it, but: the sticky-saliva clicks when the guy is singing drive me bonkers. There's a piece of studio equipment specifically to prevent those from being recorded, why did they leave it off?
I think it must be part of his schtick
Posted 19 years ago by Zweiblumen    [ Reply ]
Ok, not to detract from the song too much, because I do like it, but: the sticky-saliva clicks when the guy is singing drive me bonkers. There's a piece of studio equipment specifically to prevent those from being recorded, why did they leave it off?
Posted 19 years ago by MrSpaz    [ Reply ]
redeyespy wrote:
The first bars sounded like Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat," then the voice came on and I almost thought it WAS Leonard. Nice tune.
I always think it's going to be "The Partisan"!!...(that's the one with "there were two of us last evening, there is one of us this morning"...right?) I love both that and this.
Posted 19 years ago by Angloray    [ Reply ]
UPLOAD "DRUMMER BOY" BY VBC...
Posted 20 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
deathmstrss wrote:
Geoffrey Oryema actually does a beautiful version of Suzanne on the "I'm Your Fan" tribute album to Cohen. That is where I first heard his voice and have made a point to seek out more of his work since then.
...and Peter Gabriel does "Suzanne" too on another Cohen tribute. Small (green) world, yes?
Posted 20 years ago by slawjam    [ Reply ]
alanb wrote:
You should play Leonard Cohen after this, something like "Hunter's Lullaby" or "Suzanne". It would flow very well together with this...
Geoffrey Oryema actually does a beautiful version of Suzanne on the "I'm Your Fan" tribute album to Cohen. That is where I first heard his voice and have made a point to seek out more of his work since then.
Posted 20 years ago by deathmstrss    [ Reply ]
I heard this song and I was really touched so I look and saw Oryema with Eno. Then paying attention I could sing Peter Gabriel in the background, what a delight.
Posted 20 years ago by masterhead    [ Reply ]
Wow, so much of this would fit in with Hobbiton/Shire. Must be the Celt part. A 7.
Posted 20 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
alanb wrote:
You should play Leonard Cohen after this, something like "Hunter's Lullaby" or "Suzanne". It would flow very well together with this...
The first bars sounded like Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat," then the voice came on and I almost thought it WAS Leonard. Nice tune.
Posted 20 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
You should play Leonard Cohen after this, something like "Hunter's Lullaby" or "Suzanne". It would flow very well together with this...
Posted 20 years ago by alanb    [ Reply ]
This is probably my favorite song of all-time. I can't believe that it was on RadioParadise. I am going to be an even more devoted listener now. AJ
Posted 20 years ago by ajsthind    [ Reply ]
Roverfish wrote:
For some reason, this reminds me of the Nick Cave/Kylie Minogue duet "Where the Wild Roses Grow."
The first seconds of the song I was remided of "Where the Wild Roses Grow." but then I heard it was quite different.
Posted 21 years ago by rklein    [ Reply ]
For some reason, this reminds me of the Nick Cave/Kylie Minogue duet "Where the Wild Roses Grow." Anyone else know that song or hear it too? Really beautiful song!
Posted 21 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
What a song! Not very surprised when I saw '& Brian Eno'. He probably told Peter Gabriel to chant in that way, although PG rules himself too, of course....
Posted 21 years ago by Jeronimus_Funk    [ Reply ]
I must admit that I\'m a bit surprised, but I actually liked this one. Wahey!
Posted 21 years ago by timojuhala    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by Eagan: This is from Geoffry Oreyma's first release, I think Peter Gabriel is helping out too. All of this guys CD's are awesome. the original Afro -Celt sound system.
Yeah, you can hear PG vocalizing in the background.
Posted 21 years ago by gillicious    [ Reply ]
Somebody wake me up when it\'s over...
Posted 22 years ago by GregX59    [ Reply ]
This is from Geoffry Oreyma\'s first release, I think Peter Gabriel is helping out too. All of this guys CD\'s are awesome. the original Afro -Celt sound system.
Posted 22 years ago by Eagan    [ Reply ]