Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Coz e wah he, coz e wah he, mah ka simba
Airay, da ka simba kanamah ka simba oh
Da kah simba, da kah simba
Da ka simba kanamah ka simba oh
You raise your head, beneath the sun
But your boys they lie, so close to you
Do you dare get up? And wake the two
Oh Elias, I see you there, at work in the daytime do you think you could,
answer all the questions of the world
In just one word, I think you could.
If you die will i get word that you're gone
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Honest and Manuel well you know, they're at school now
Getting the chance that, their father's never seen
See whats beyond, section 17
And in 10 years, when you look back at your boys
well you know they've grown, way taller than the tallest sugar cane in the field
If you die will i get word that you're gone
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
Hold my hand just one more time
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet meee.
And I see your wife, she stands, stooped over by the fire outside
And I see your boys, and when they look up, you know i think they've got their mother's eyes
Cause she looks so proud, she looks so happy, she looks so proud, she looks so happy, yeaahhh
If you die will i get word that you're gone
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more tiiiime (Aya, Aya, Ayaahah)
Hold my hand ,one more time (Aya, Aya, Ayaahah)
Dayah ya ya, yah yah yah, yah yah yah (Aya, Aya, Ayaahaha)
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
After high school Chad Stokes traveled with his next door neighbors, who were a pastor's family, to Zimbabwe in West Africa. He met a man named Elias, whom he befriended. Elias's dream was for his sons to leave section 17 and attend school. The song is also just about how horrible of a state Zimbabwe is in right now (Aids, malnourishment, poverty). He tries to reach out to his fans to help Zimbabwe in their upside down state right now. You can donate to the Elias Fund, started by Chad, to help out Zimbabweans. The beginning of the song is in the language Shona and is saying "Are you strong" answered with "I am strong if you are strong", a common greeting in Zimbabwe.
I always thought that the band member who went to africa- chad? met elias, and worked closely with him, and found that elias was so wise, compassionate, caring... there was none of the strife americans have within family units, no divorce...
elias wanted more for his sons than he had, and the sons were actually living up to the expectations of the parents. and chad was overpowered with the love and respect in the family and community. Chad knew when he went home he'd probably never hear from elias again, becuase maybe elias can't read or write, and theres no internet, of course. and chads distraught, he wants confirmation that he'll see elias in the next life, in heaven, etc, so he wants to hold his hand one more time...
and since elias is such an amazing person, it seems like everyone should know of his death, it seems like it should be on the news, or something. or maybe only he'll know, he'll instincivly fall to the ground becuase some part of him, the part of africa and elias in him is suddenly changed, gone.
in such a simplified society, with just sugar cane and the immidiate community, everything seems so much clearer.
if you use all your senses in the world, things won't be as hard. "distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found" when your eyes and hands work in unison, when your body is unison with itself some how things arent' as hard? thats my take.
@corriebird "if you use all your senses in the world, things won't be as hard" that's a nice interpretation, but don't you think that perhaps this is a reference to manual labor and to how Elias faces the obstacles in his life with hard work and optimism?
@corriebird "if you use all your senses in the world, things won't be as hard" that's a nice interpretation, but don't you think that perhaps this is a reference to manual labor and to how Elias faces the obstacles in his life with hard work and optimism?
Oh and "Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me" i think means, he wants to pray for him again, so he accepts Jesus, and will meet again in heaven. P&L
@rastamanP&L "he accepts Jesus"? Where did you get that from? I don't think that's remotely close to what they meant
@rastamanP&L "he accepts Jesus"? Where did you get that from? I don't think that's remotely close to what they meant
I'm not sure who he's talking about, but I think it's a song about acceptance of your friends and their respective lives.
What do the beginning lyrics mean? Are they in another lanuage or something? which one?
its saying like i think if i met jesus i think that i would like him.
its saying like i think if i met jesus i think that i would like him.
then it says are you strong? then it says i am strong if you are strong its in swaheeleigh or somethin
then it says are you strong? then it says i am strong if you are strong its in swaheeleigh or somethin
@carom117 It's in Shona
@carom117 It's in Shona
@carom117 It's in Shona: Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Kwaziwai? Kwaziwai? Makasimba, here? Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo Ndakasimba, ndakasimba. Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo
@carom117 It's in Shona: Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Taizofara naye fara naye Kwaziwai? Kwaziwai? Makasimba, here? Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo Ndakasimba, ndakasimba. Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo
Roughly.... If I could feed Jesus, I would have fun with him If I could feed Jesus, I would have fun with him We would have fun with him We would have fun with him If Jesus were fed, I would have fun with him If Jesus were fed, I would have fun with...
Roughly.... If I could feed Jesus, I would have fun with him If I could feed Jesus, I would have fun with him We would have fun with him We would have fun with him If Jesus were fed, I would have fun with him If Jesus were fed, I would have fun with him We would have fun with him We would have fun with him Hello there? Hello there? Are you strong? If you are strong then I am strong I am strong, strong. I am strong if you are strong too
The beginning is in an African dialect called Shona, its basically saying "are you strong" then "I am strong". The song was written about one of the band members experiences teaching in West Africa.
i agree with somthin clever. i think that its about getting to know your friends and your friends getting to know u. So many people think they know their friends but then they reveal something shocking to their friend and they realize they dont.
i think this about your old friends that u kind of lose contact with.. dont make fun of me yall :) .... and they plan to meet someday. like maybe they are leaving high school. the singer wants to make sure the other man will tell him the biggest news in his life.. then its talking about his friend's family. thats after they have meet... and he is talking about what he sees! hehe! thats what i hear!
I think that this song is a story told by a friend. It is about Elias, a father who works hard to provide for his family, and how although he won't be remembered his "blood, sweat, and tears" can be shown through his children named Honest and Manuel. He labored in the sugar can fields under the sun but his children will go to school and have a job that pays well. I think the friend is more like an aquaintance who has been effected by Elias and I think he is saying that if Elias can be strong for his family, he can be strong for Elias and although he won't be there when he dies they'll meet in the end.
This is an awesome reflection of family and friendships...I made my mom listen to the lyrics over and over again...and now she's hooked on JUST Elias! :-) I love it for the amazing words, music, and beat, but also because I had it personally serenaded to me once...not by Dispatch of course (although that would have rocked quite a bit) but by a local band who covers their songs...and it was pretty damn good. I've loved this song even more since then. Fantabulous song, with an amazing lesson to teach.