Che Che Kole

If you have kids, then you know that "Che Che Kole" is a Ghanian children's chant that's usually taught in the US to kids in pre-school or the early years of school as part of having them learn children music from other nations.

It goes on like this:

Chekere, kalimba

Che che kole, che che kole
Che che kafisa, che che kafisa
Kafisa langa, kafisa langa,
Co co shi langa, co shi langa,
Koom ma dye day, koom ma dye day,
Ya!

Great artists have the ability to take anything, including a Ghanian children's chant and re-invent it as another song, such as Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe did with Che Che Kole as a 70s super mega dance floor salsa hit. Listen and see them below as they perform the hit and then hear the Ghanian words in the song.



From something with a long history and tradition, something new and exciting, but aligned with the past and with tradition without any issues or baggage.