A calabash is a large gourd that African musicians cut in half, hollow out, dry and then strike with their hands to use as a drum. The calabash appears most often in music made in Saharan West Africa, especially among nomadic and semi-nomadic musicians in countries like Mali and Niger who make electrifying music known as “desert blues” or “desert rock
[Information about Desert blues coming soon.]
All Around This World found inspiration in the creation of this camel-friendly African desert song from many sources, such as the phenomenal music of Tinariwen, YouTube videos of Tuareg nomads riding camels and songs from the Smithsonian Folkways recording, “Tuareg Music from the Southern Sahara.”
Country: Mali
Language: originally in Tamashek
Genre: Desert rock
Lyrics of All Around This World version
Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya . . . CAMEL!
Riding a camel is uncomfortable
Walking through the desert is difficult
Running through the desert is impossible
Hopping through the desert is inadvisable.
The desert is hot, the desert is hot, the desert is hot, the desert is hot
So riding a camel is wonderful! Riding a camel is wonderful! Riding a camel is wonderful Riding a camel is wonderful.
Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya hey ya, Hey ya . . . CAMEL!
Tuaregs and their camels
