Le Lion rouge
| English: Everyone strum your koras, strike the balafons | |
|---|---|
National anthem of  Senegal | |
| Also known as | "Le Lion rouge" (English: "The Red Lion") |
| Lyrics | Léopold Sédar Senghor, 1960 |
| Music | Herbert Pepper, 1960 |
| Adopted | 1960 |
| Audio sample | |
"Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons" (instrumental, one verse) | |
"Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons" (English: "Everyone strum your koras, strike the balafons"), known also as "Le Lion rouge" (English: "The Red Lion", is the national anthem of Senegal. It was adopted in 1960.
Development
The lyrics were written by Léopold Sédar Senghor, who became Senegal's first president. The music is composed by the French composer Herbert Pepper, who also composed the national anthem of the Central African Republic, "La Renaissance". The kora (a type of harp) and balafon (wooden xylophone) are Senegalese musical instruments.
