From the recording The Land of Yangalele
Siama singing, mbira, guitar, bass
Dallas harmony, handclaps, shaker
David Tullis drums
When Siama was young, sometimes a big hawk would fly overhead scaring the kids and causing a lot of excitement. They’d run around, flapping their arms like a bird’s wings, singing, “Ko Yimbi Ko”
(KO yeembee ko)...“No, Hawk, No!” in Kikongo.
Lyrics
When a Yimbi tries to scare you say, “Ko, Yimbi, Ko!”
(Oh ye oh yah oh ye oh yah repeat)
Lumbu kimosi nsangu za kuvata ba tata ngolo zawu mu tanzi.
Ba mama ngolo zawu mu nsengo nuni zibongele bongele nguba za nsusu ye za mama. repeat
Yimbie, Yimbie (Ko, Yimbi, Ko). Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!)
Yimbie, Yimbie e (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) O, Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!)
Yimbi e e e e, O Yimbi, tala mono buyisalanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko). repeat
Yimbi, Yimbi, bayaye bika bana bame. (Ko Yimbi Ko! Ko! Ko!) repeat
O Yimbi ye, bika bana bame, bana bame bike. O Yimbi, O Yimbi, yehe, O Yimbie, bikq bana bame.
Yimbie, Yimbie. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) Yimbi, tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!)
Yimbie Yimbie e. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) O Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!)
Yimbi e e e e, O Yimbi, tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) repeat
(Oh, ye oh yah oh ye oh yah repeat)
Yimbie, Yimbie. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) Yimbi, tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!)
Yimbie Yimbie e. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) O Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga. (Ko, Yimbi, Ko!) repeat