Review of "Okunkun E Ye Wa" by Demola Suzi

The song, “Okunkun e ye wa” was written and recorded by Demola Suzi and produced by KYteno. The music is rendered in Ikale dialect (a dialect found in Yoruba language, spoken by the people of Okitipupa and Irele local Government areas in Ondo State). 

“Okunkun e ye wa” by Demola Suzi, in spite of all odds, became a success and really extended his (Demola Suzi) fan base. The achievement of this song has its root on Piggybacking (riding on the back of something that already has its audience). Demola Suzi ingeniously wrote this song to express the pain and displeasure of total blackout in the southern senatorial district of Ondo State  and, as a result , gained the attention of all the people concerned.

In the subsequent paragraphs, I will write about other things that contributed to the success of the song and I will highlight the lessons songwriters, arrangers and producers can learn from “Okunkun e ye wa”.

Form of the music

The overall structure of “Okunkun e ye wa” by Demola Suzi is:

Intro-Chorus-Verse1-Chorus-Instrumental Interlude-Verse2-Chorus-Chorus-Coda(outro)

Intro

“Okunkun e ye wa” by Demola Suzi starts off with a fascinating instrumental introduction led by Brass (synth) which signifies “clarion call” (kéééére òòò). The intro creates unity in the whole work as it reoccurs after the second chorus at 3:18. It also sets the mood for the music as it starts with moderately slow tempo which is maintained throughout the music to express the theme of the work- “Expression of displeasure”.

Lyrics

The lyrics of “Okunkun e ye wa” is inspiring and heart-warming . No wonder, it stirs the consciousness of the listeners.

Melody

Demola Suzi is so dexterous as he keeps the melody of each section (verse, chorus, coda) of the song different despite the fact that all is built on the same chord progression. This creates interest to the listeners.

Another thing to note in this music is the BALANCE BETWEEN UNITY AND CONTRAST which always stands out great songs.

Elements of unity

·        The intro is repeated after the second chorus.

·        The same chord progression for all the sections.

Elements of contrast

·        Each section of the music has unique melody.

·        The fourth chorus at 5:05 is made different as it is rendered in acappella but accompanied with clave, contrasting to how listener has perceived the chorus in preceding section.

·        The coda or outro also comes up with new melody.

Lessons for songwriters

·        Hook your title. The title of “Okunkun e ye wa” by Demola Suzi is hooked. It comes up at the first line of the chorus, it is tuneful and easily remembered.

·        Introduce the hook as early as possible. The hook of “Okunkun e ye wa” is introduced at 0:59.

·        Bring out the emotional message of your song by all means. Demola Suzi expresses the emotional message of “Okunkun e ye wa” through his vocals, instrumental and tempo of the music.

·        The secret of great music lies in the balance between unity and contrast. Demola Suzi tells the world through “Okunkun e ye wa” that he knows what it takes to cook a great song as he reaches balance between unity and contrast.

·        Finally, you have to learn from the prowess of Demola Suzi in the area of piggybacking, to extend your fan base.

 Okunkun E Ye Wa mp3

Review of 'Iyawo Mi' by Timi Dakolo

Timi Dakolo

     Great songs are not just assumed to be great. They possess some features which stand them out of the crowd. This write up is based on the review of 'Iyawo Mi' written and performed by Timi Dakolo and produced by Cobhams Asuquo.

     In this review, I am going to cover the features that make the song a masterpiece; the intro, melody, vocals, instrumental arrangement and the outro. After that, I will highlight the lessons which songwritters, upcoming musicians, music arrangers and producers can learn from this music.

Intro

     'Iyawo Mi' by Timi Dakolo begins with an eight-measure exciting instrumental Intro which subtly reveals the melody of the Chorus of the song.

Melody

     The Melody of the song is interesting. Melody of each section (verse, chorus and coda) of the song is unique. Another thing that makes the melody of the song strong is that the highest note of the melody is hit in the chorus.

Vocals

     The singer's voice is very expressive. He expresses his feeling through his vocal. It could also be said that the singer lives in the song because his voice triggers the emotion of the listeners.

Lyrics

     The Lyrics of the song is original and meaningful as all the sections build up to the title of the song and it is universal. That is, anyone can relate to it.

Instrumental Arrangement

    The instrumental arrangement of this music is accomplished as it creates interest throughout. The relationship between the vocal and instrumental accompaniment is 'Contrapuntal'. In other words, the melody of the instrumental is independent but complements that of the vocals and there is dialogue between the vocals and instrumental accompaniment.

Coda

     'Iyawo Mi' by Timi Dakolo is rounded off with a Coda (outro) which brings something new to the music in terms of chord progression and style. It is based on 'I, vi, ii, V' chord progression, which contrasts what the listeners have heard in the preceding sections.

        Lessons to be Learnt from 'Iyawo Mi' by Timi Dakolo

• It is good to craft the 'Intro' from a section of the song you are working on. This will create unity in your work.
• Melody of each section of your work should be different. This will create contrast.

• Express the meaning of your song emotionally through your vocal.

Download 'Iyawo Mi' by Timi Dakolo mp3 file  here
Get the lyrics of 'Iyawo Mi' here