The Coffee Cola Song - Francis Bebey (1982)
From Cameroon we time travel to hear the talented Francis Bebey play pygmy flute
Bebey was the first African musician to use electric keyboards and programmable drum machines which he set alongside traditional African instruments.1
They keep dreaming of war, man
Hate and crime everywhere
That is the way they can find the money
They need to buy coffee cola
His style merged Cameroonian makossa with classical guitar, jazz, pop, and electronics.2
They believe we are wild man
They believe we are wild
Just because we don't use any money
And we drink no coffee cola
The Coffee Cola Song - Francis Bebey (1982)
A Francis Bebey demonstration on how to play the pygmy flute?
Necessary Genius is here to oblige! Check out this gem of an interview from the archive at Real World Studios:
Francis Bebey at Real World Studios
"I'm teaching you how to do it, you should pay me."
Thanks for listening!
May, C. (October 9, 2018) The electric futurism of Cameroonian trailblazer Francis Bebey, The Vinyl Factory.
Hudgens, J. & Trillo, R. (1999) West Africa: The Rough Guide (3rd ed.), Rough Guides Ltd.