Can You Name a Song that Has an African Nation or City Mentioned in it?

Question

Okay, I am trying to think of songs that have African cities or countries in it. My list is very short, so far:

Africa - Toto (well, it just mentions the continent)
We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel (Congo)
Walk Like an Egyptian - Bangles (Egyptian)


That's all I can think of... Can you add any to this pathetic list?

I thought of a couple more:
Runaway - Janet Jackson (Nairobi)
Orinoco Flow - Enya (Khartoum, Tripoli)

Answer 1

Kanye West - Diamonds from Sierra Leone
Amadou and Mariam - Senegal Fast Food
Eddy Grant - Hello Africa
Eddy Grant - Gimme Hope Joanna (great song about apartheid in S. Africa, Joanna meaning Johannesburg)
Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) - Hugh Masekela (Soweto)
Biko - Peter Gabriel
Artists Against Apartheid - (Not going to play) Sun City
Don't Give Up Africa - Alicia Keys and Bono
Africa Unite - Bob Marley
Akon - Mama Africa; also Senegal
Do They Know it's Christmas Time - Various (original Band Aid for Ethiopian famine)
Women from Liberia - Jimmie Rogers
Genesis - Congo
Night in Tunisia - Charlie Parker
Rancid - Nighthawk Down
Aaron Neville - Angola Bound
Guns n Roses - Madagascar
Patti Smith - Somalia
Kate Bush - Egypt
Seals and Crofts - Sudan Village
Billy Joel - Zanzibar
Crosby Stills and Nash - Marrakesh Express
Lorenna McKennitt - Marrakesh Night Market
Leonard Cohen - First We Take Manhattan (Cairo)
Ambrosia - Angola
Mandela Day -Simple Minds (might mention somewhere in South Africa...)
Free Nelson Mandela - The Specials

I imagine there's some other rap or reggae songs that must include references to Africa...

Answer 2

There's an old, lively and a bit risque song from the 20's called "Nagasaki" (Japan). It was featured in a Woody Allen movie made a few years ago called "Bullets Over Broadway." It begins, "Hot ginger and dynamite, there's nothing but that at nIght, back in Nagasaki, where the fellers chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo." (You have to hear it to appreciate it - it's a bit loopy.) Another famous song from the 20's is "Japanese Sandman," which was used in an old Julie Andrews movie called "Thoroughly Modern Millie." And if that's not Japanese enough, don't forget the opera Madame Butterfly by Puccini and the operetta The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan, both of which are set in Japan and have some Japanese-related lyrics.

Answer 3

You are really into international songs!

There's an old, old song (40's?) called "Civilization," sung by a long-gone comedian named Danny Kaye with the lyrics

"Bongo, bongo I don't want to leave the Congo
Oh no no no no no
Bingle, bangle, bungle I'm so happy in the jungle I refuse to go .."

Also, there's a song by Paul Simon song on his "Graceland" album from about 20 years ago called "Under African Skies."

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby made a series of "Road" pictures back in the 40's, with a song from one called "We're off on the road to Morocco," that became one of their biggest hits.

And there's a very famous opera, Aida, by Verdi, set in Egypt with characters from Ethiopia, with plenty of references to both countries in the lyrics.

And if you're still thinking about Asia, there's a song sung by Ricky Nelson (teen idol of the 50's) called "Travelin' Man," that mentions Hong Kong in the lyrics.

Answer 4

Maestro Fresh Wes names Africa the continent, as well as Kenya and Nigeria in his song A black tie affair

Answer 5

SONG: Ahimou bi Tounis
ARTIST: Latifa Arfaoui
CITY, COUNTRY: Tunis, Tunisia

Answer 6

there's "take me back to cairo" don't remember original singer, and can't seem to find it in search...