Lyrics - Ashanti

(Folk song from Ghana)

Tue tue barima tue tue
Abofra ba
Ama wa da wa
Tue tue.

English Translation*

Sorry man sorry,
This small boy
Has made you fall flat
Sorry, sorry.

*Translation is disputed. This meaning is from a source that states this language is Ashanti.

Motions

Formation: Students stand in a circle.

Touch the ground 2x,
Pat 2x
Turn to partner on the right and pat hands together 2x
Clap own hands 2x

Touch the ground 2x,
Pat 2x
Turn to partner on the left and pat hands together 2x
Clap own hands 2x

On “Hei!” throw both hands up in the air, continue the last measures, getting faster and louder.

See also

  • Country: Ghana
  • Activities: hand-clapping
  • Harmony: one chord
  • Meter: 4
  • Scale: pentatonic
  • Tones: drmsl
  • Source: The Musical Classroom: Backgrounds, Models and Skills for Elementary Teaching,Hackett, Lindeman, Prentice Hall, Inc. 1979

YouTube

  • PDF of song with chords
  • MIDI file
  • Listen to the melody

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2 thoughts on “Tue Tue”

  1. This song is also a Fanti (Akan) song . According to your English translation:
    ‘Sorry, sorry’ in Fanti is Du-e, du-e
    (NOT ‘Tue, tue’ )

    ‘’Tue” means a meal of ‘cooked rice balls’ and soup.
    Your English translation is not consistent with your ‘Akan’ lyrics.

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