Deni

D Deni is a balafon piece with Djoula song.
If you used to go to a party or a memorial party (funerail) and you didn’t have gold earrings / jewellery, everyone knew you were poor. If you did want to go it made you sad to have to share that knowledge with everyone, as indicated in the first sentence of the song.
There are many people who seem to be a friend during times when you have money or are rich. But when the money runs out (or if you just don’t have it), you only know what your real friends are. Those are friends who come anyway even if you don’t have any money (or gold earrings). This is the gist of the second sentence in the song.

Song 1

Deni we i da dje mama, na sanou tè nè mè ka na do torro la
darling, mother will do anything for you, don’t cry, she will give you gold earrings

Deni we i da dje n’bima, na sanou tè nè mè ka na do toro la
darling, i’ll do anything for you, don’t cry, i’ll give you gold earrings

Song 2

Wa re bi wa mogoya ti ba
When the money runs out, you know who your real friends are!

Pattern D was made (with some adjustments) by Anja Weck and Jenny Huinen. Pattern D is played as the basic accompaniment pattern in the second part, the fast part where you can enjoy dancing (compare Tamako pattern A, shifted). This includes solo accompaniment pattern E .

Songs sung

140 bpm Arrangement

140 bpm Pattern A

160 bpm Arrangement

160 bpm Pattern A

189 bpm Arrangement

189 bpm Pattern A

201 bpm Arrangement

201 bpm Pattern A

Sources:

Issa Bouba Kayta,
Balk, Friesland, 2017, 2019