One of the rumbas where I pay particular attention to the lyrics. And his signature laugh always makes my days. Ah liwa eza moyibi!
Here is the lyrics and translation for non lingala speakers.
Madilu Systeme – Frere Edouard (Le Grande Ninja Sings about Edouard a greedy man)
1) Ha ha ha ha,
Frere edouard
A pimelaka moto ko seka na ko lela te, frere edouard
Soki ngolo ayebisi yo que ngando aza malade
Ndimela ye oh, po bango nyoso ba vandaka na mayi
Ha ha ha ha,
Brother Edouard
They share laughter and not crying
If Catfish tells you that crocodile is ill
Believe it because they both live in water
2) Butu eko komaka eh
Tongo pe eko tanaka eh
Ba mama bako lamuka na tongo
Ko luka mapa na boulangiere
Bango nde bako lamusaka biso, tongo esi etani
Nights come
The sun also rises women wake up
They go to buy bread from the bakery
They are the people who wake us up, early in the morning
3) Ba mama ya mapa
Kinshasa a bosana bino eh
Que bino bato ba lamusaka bison a tongo
Po ba ndeko na ba soso ba bandaka ko lamusa
Biso na tongo, ba bunga oh
You, women who sell bread
Kinshasa has forgotten about you
It forgot that you wake us up in the morning
Because birds and chickens that used to wake us up disappeared
4) Nga, Diesa, na botama na nga mokolo ya eyenga ah
Yango mpe na mesana ko sambela
Mikolo minso ya lomingo
Na pokwa nga na mesana ko kende messe na nga
Po nalula nzambe eh
I, Diesa, was born on a sunday
This is why I am used to worshipping on Sundays
I am used to going to evening prayers
Because I love God
5) Nakomi na ndako ya nzambe
Frere Edoire a luli nga na miso ya bato
A beleli na miso ya ba ndimi
Ngai mwasi naye ya molimo
Na tika mibali nyoso ya misuni
I arrive at church
Brother Edouard admires me in public
He shouts in front of believers saying that I am his spiritual wife
I should leave all fleshly men
6) Na landi nanga lokuta ya frere edouard
Nakomi na ndako ya frere edouard
Frere Edouard alobi na lata robe ya molayi
Na tiya kitambala na moto
Frere Edoure okamwisi nga
I follow Brother Edouard’s lies
I arrive at brother Edouard’s house
Brother Edouard makes me wear a long dress
Cover my hair with a scarf
Brother Edouard you surprise me
7) Ah ngai, ya liwa, mawa ah Frere Edouard
Olulaki na ndenge na ngai te, Frere Edouard
Boni yo moyimi boye
Olingi ba tala nga na ndeko mosusu te
Oh me, Liya, it is sad brother edouard
Didn’t you admire the way that I was
How come you are so greedy
You don’t want other people to look at me

Kaka yo moko
Nayebi nyonso naza mwasi nayo
Obangaka nini, Frere Edouard
Pesa nga confiance lokola na mi pesa na molimo
Only you alone
I know that I am your wife
What makes you scared, Brother Edouard
Trust me the way I trust my faith
9) Ba ndimi eh
Eloko na monaka Frere edouard mabe
Soki ba paya ba ye ndako
To ya famille na ngai, to ya famillie naye
Believer!
The thing that I don’t like about Brother Edouard
If visitors come to see us
My relatives or his
10) Oko mona Frere Edouard akomi mawa mawa
Lokola mwana ya moke ya 5 ans
Nanu azwi petit dejeuner na tongo te
Eh, ba frere na ba souer
Surtout kanda ezalaka na frere edouard
You will notice that Brother Edouard will become very sad
Like a 5 years old boy who hasn’t had breakfast yet
Eh, brothers and sisters brother Eduard gets especially mad
11) Ko meka ata senga ya sucree ten a sombela ba paya
Wana oko mona frere edouard abimiseli yo bible
Bo tanga esika moko
Et puis eloko mosusu, ezalaka na frere edouard
If you ask him for money to buy juice for visitors
He often brings out a bible, so that we can read it together
Another thing about Brother Edouard
12) Soki akangeli yo kanda
Eza lokola moto ba kangi ye na menotte na ba police
Ah, nga, Liya eh
Nga moko nazalaka mwasi ya elongi elengi
If he is upset with you
It is like somebody who has been handcuffed by police
Ah, me, Liya
I used to be a fine woman
13) Lelo nakomi lokola safu oyo eyindi na nzete
Batu kutu ya misuni ba koma kamwa ngai
En fin, nayebi te
Soki ba frere nyoso ba zalaka obe oboye oh
Ha, ha, ha, ha
Today I look like a black African pears
Sinners are now surprised about how I look
Well, I don’t know
I am wondering if all brothers behave like him
Ha,ha,ha,ha
14) Na voiture nayo
Autocallant nyoso ba koma grace dieu
Na ndako na biso mur nyoso photo ya yesu
In your car all stickers say Grace to God
In our house
Jesus’s pctures are everywhere in our house
15) Na maboko naye oh
Chapelet ezalanga te, frere edouard
Yekola ko kaba, yekola pe ko limbisa baton go oh
In your hand
You always hold a rosary, Brother Edouard
Learn how to share, learn also how to forgive people
16) Kake ebataka likolo oh
Ebomaka nango bato nyoso te oh
Tango mosusu eko boma mobali
Etiki mwasi na bana
Lightning strikes in the sky
But it doesn’t kill everybody
Sometimes it kills the husband
And leaves the wife and children
17) Mabe toko salaka o se, eko futamaka o se
Bolamu toko salaka o se
Eko futamaka o likolo
Frere Edouard yekola ko baba
Yekola pe ko limbiso bato eh
What goes aroud comes around
Good deeds that we do on earth are rewarded in heaven
Brother Edouard learn how to share
Learn also how to forgive people
DEDICATIONS AND LAMENTATIONS…
Le grande ninja alobi yo oko sambelaka te,
eza boye te, cette probleme individuale… instrumentals.