Nursery Rhymes›African Lullabies›Yo, Yo, Mwana Oyo
Yo, Yo, Mwana OyoYo, Yo, Mwana Oyo
A lullaby from Democratic Republic of the Congo

Yo, Yo, Mwana Oyo

Key: A minor~60 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Democratic Republic of the Congo
Relax In No Time video

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Yo, Yo, Mwana Oyo Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Congo Basin’s cradle-song tradition, where the region’s great rivers often appear in lullaby imagery. Here you will find the lyrics, English translation, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.

Verse

Am E Am
Yo, yo, mwana oyo, lala,
Dm E Am
moliba mokei, pola.
C G
Nzete ezali koningana,
Dm E Am
yo, yo, mwana, lala.
In English

What the words mean

“You, you, this little child, sleep — the river flows on, gently. The trees are swaying, you, you, little one, sleep.”
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Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
C
x
Guitar
CEG
Piano
G
Guitar
DGB
Piano
Good to know

What “Yo, Yo, Mwana Oyo” Means

The great rivers of the Congo Basin run through daily life and through its music — even a traditional rowing song like ‘Uele moliba makasi’ (‘the current is very strong’) doubles as a cradle song in some communities. This original lullaby echoes that river imagery in Lingala, with ‘mwana’ (child) as its gentle refrain.

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Sources & rights

  • An original lullaby by Relax In No Time, inspired by the musical traditions of its region. The words, melody, arrangement and recording are ours.
  • Recording and arrangement: real instruments played by hand, no AI music, by Relax In No Time.
  • Chords: written by us for guitar and piano.
  • Translation: our own meaning-for-meaning translation, written for understanding. The sung words stay in the original language.

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