Woyaya

Woyaya
Woyaya
Studio album by Osibisa
Released	1971
Recorded	1971
Genre	Afro-rock, Afro-pop, jazz fusion, funk rock, progressive rock
Length	40:44
Label	MCA
Producer	Tony Visconti
Osibisa chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Christgau's Record Guide	B–^[2]

Woyaya is the second album by Ghanaian Afro-rock band Osibisa released in 1971 by MCA. It was reissued in 2004 in a two-CD pack together with the self-titled album Osibisa by BGO Records.

Album title

Although conventionally spelled Woyaya the album's title is actually Wɔyaya (with an open-o), which comes from the Ghanaian Ga language and translates as "We are going".^[3]

The title song was covered in 1973 by Art Garfunkel on his debut solo album Angel Clare and by the group The 5th Dimension on their 1973 album Living Together, Growing Together. "Woyaya" was also used as the signature tune for the popular Ghanaian television drama series Osofo Dadzie, which was broadcast between 1972 and 1981.^[4]^[5]^[6] The lyrics to the song "We are going nobody knows..." were written by Annie Masembe from Uganda.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Beautiful Seven"	Osei, Tontoh	6:42
2.	"Y Sharp"	Osibisa	6:20
3.	"Spirits Up Above"	Roland Kirk	7:18
4.	"Survival"	Tontoh, Osei	6:07
5.	"Move On"	Richardson	4:42
6.	"Rabiatu"	Amao	5:07
7.	"Woyaya"	Amarfio	4:28
Total length:			40:44

Charts

Chart (1971/72)	Position
United States (Billboard 200)	66
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[7]	15
Canada	61
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company)	11

Personnel

Teddy Osei – tenor saxophone, flute, African drums, percussion, vocals
Sol Amarfio – drums, fontonfrom, bongos, African drums, cowbells, percussion, vocals
Mac Tontoh – trumpet, flugelhorn, cowhorn, kabasa, percussion, vocals
Spartacus R (Roy Bedeau) – bass guitar, prempensua, assorted percussion
Wendell Richardson – lead guitar, vocals
Robert Bailey – organ, piano, timbales, percussion, vocals
Loughty Lasisi Amao – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute, congas, fontomfrom
Osibisa choir – friends and lovers

Production

Producer – Tony Visconti
Engineer – John Punter
Recorded at Air Studios, London, England
Cover illustration (and Osibisa logo) – Roger Dean
Cover design - Roughedge

Chart positions

Chart (1971)	Peak position
Billboard	66
RPM Magazine	61

References

^ "Osibisa: Osibisa/Woyaya (reissues)", Sea Of Tranquility.
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: O". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ "Osibisa – Wɔyaya" at Discogs.
^ "NA ME WO HO ON ADOM TV (19-12-13)". youtube.com. Adom TV. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^ "Osibisa – Woyaya (live in Greece)", Explore Africa.com.
^ "We're Going", Christ Episcopal Church, Columbia MD.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 226. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

All information from liner notes of CD Woyaya (Copyright © 1971 MCA Records).
Allmusic Review by j. poet

External links

Woyaya at Discogs (list of releases)
Lisa G. Littlebird, "Woyaya", TheBirdSings.com

[1] "Osibisa: Osibisa/Woyaya (reissues)", Sea Of Tranquility.

[CG-2] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: O". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[3] "Osibisa – Wɔyaya" at Discogs.

[4] "NA ME WO HO ON ADOM TV (19-12-13)". youtube.com. Adom TV. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2020.

[5] "Osibisa – Woyaya (live in Greece)", Explore Africa.com.

[6] "We're Going", Christ Episcopal Church, Columbia MD.

[aus-7] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 226. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]