Nursery Rhymes›Yo, Yo, Mwana Oyo
Yo, Yo, Mwana Oyo
Key: A minor~60 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Democratic Republic of the Congo
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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.”
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
Am
Guitar
Piano
Dm
Guitar
Piano
E
Guitar
Piano
C
Guitar
Piano
G
Guitar
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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