Asa’s “Ore”: A Narrative Lyrical Analysis

Today, we do a quick x-ray of Asa’s “Ore”, from Beautiful Imperfection, her 2010 album. It’s a satire on friendship between female counterparts – how common vices like gossip and disloyalty can mix with adulterous tendencies to form an explosive mixture of hatred and distrust. The narrator is a young wife who issues strong warning to a friend from whom she has become estranged. Listen:

Listen to Asa – Ore
[audio: https://www.bellanaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/09-Ore-Girl.wma]

Ma ya’le mi, iwo ore atojubo onile [Don’t come to my house, you busybody friend]
Ma ya’le mi, iwo ore agbok’oloko [Don’t come to my house, you husband-snatcher friend]
Ma ya’le mi, iwo ore adugbo [Don’t come to my house, you – friend from the street]
Ma ya’le mi, ma ya le k’omo [Don’t come to my house to greet (my child)]

Ore ti mo mu bi aburo [A friend I took as my younger sibling]
Ore ore ti mo se dara dara [A friend’s friend that I treated very well]
Ore ti mo f’inu han [A friend that I revealed all to]
O wa da mi o; o tu mi s’ita [(S)he betrayed me; (s)he exposed my secrets (to the world)!]

Her friend’s offences bring back to mind an incident she once witnessed.

Haaaaa….
O dabi oro ana [It reminds me of an incident in the past]
Heiiii…
Bi oro ana [Like an incident in the past]

After a very short pause, she repeats her warnings and paints a more vivid picture of the friend in question.

Don’t come to my house,
Iwo ore eke adugbo [You, friend – the chief gossip of the street]
Don’t come to my house,
Iwo ore adaleru [You, friend – one who causes turmoil in another’s house]
Ma y’ale mi, ore kofenifere [Don’t come to my house; friend who never wishes one well]
Ma y’ale mi o, ma y’ale rara [Don’t come to my house; don’t even bother to stop by]

She soon runs out of description and after another short pause, she recollects the ‘true life story’, not after hinting that her husband is a lazy/useless man:

Ise ni mo wa l’ojo yi o [It was a job I went hunting for]
Oko t’o femi si le [The husband who married me into his house]
Ko ku (ku) lo wa ise se… [He wouldn’t even find some job to do…]
L’awon mejeji, won bere isekuse [The two of them started doing naughty things]
Won wu’wa omode, [They behaved like little children]
Won se b’o se wun won [They did as they liked]

Haaaaa….
O dabi oro ana [It reminds me of an incident in the past]
Heiiii…
Bi oro ana [Like an incident in the past]

There’s an instrumental interlude here. I must confess, I usually take delight in singing the actual tonic solfa notes alongside the hornet (I think) in this part. She soon returns after the much needed break to complete her story and vent.

Heii…
Odabi oro ana [It reminds of an incident in the past]
Haaaaa…
Bi oro ana [Like an incident in the past]

E wa wo ija l’ojo yen [You should have witnessed the brawl that day!]
E wa wo ero to tu’ta [You should have seen the crowd that poured out (to watch)]
E wa wo eje n’ile [You should have seen blood on the floor]
Ha, ore, ore o, o tu mi s’ita [Ha, friend, friend o, (s)he exposed my secret]

She sings ad libitum and soon ends this remarkable piece with a rather hilarious outburst that perhaps confirms the narrator only witnessed the bloody fight and not her own husband committed adultery in the story. Kudos to Asa!

{Ad lib :}
{Ma ya’le mi o – don’t come to my house o!}
{I don’t want to see you no more}
{Ma ya’le mi o – don’t come to my house o!}
{‘De ma bere mi n’le – and, don’t ask after me at home}
{Ma ya’le mi o – don’t come to my house o!}
{I don’t want to see you no more!}
{Ore, isekuse kun owo re – friend, naughty things abound in you!}
{Emi o tie le pa’yan – Me, I can’t even kill someone}

What’s your take on the song and the storyline? What have been your own experiences with randy/mischievous friends whose main vocation is gossip and primary target was/is your husband? Where do you draw the line with friends in discussing your spouse? I’d love to read from you. I’ll be back!

Photo credit:Nikolas Ernult

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Gbenga Awomodu is an Editorial Assistant at Bainstone Ltd./BellaNaija.com. When he is not reading or writing, Gbenga is listening to good music or playing the piano. Follow him on Twitter: @gbengaawomodu | Gbenga’s Notebook: www.gbengaawomodu.com | Facebook Page: Gbenga Awomodu