Cardinal Rex Lawson - Sawale (Audio)

The late Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson (c.1930 - 1971).

Cardinal Rex Lawson Article by John Beadle culled from www.onlinenigeria.com/music/Rex

Until his untimely death in the 1970s, Erekosima (Rex Jim) Lawson was a standard-bearer of the Nigerian highlife scene whose tunes achieved popularity across Africa. Of mixed Kalabari and Igbo parentage, he was born in the town of New Kalabar in present-day Rivers State, and got his start in Port Harcourt's Starlite Melody Orchestra, led by "Lord" Eddyson.

By 1960 he was leading his own group, the Nigeraphone Studio Orchestra of Onitsha and had played with the "big names" of Nigerian highlife - Bobby Benson, Roy Chicago, Victor Olaiya and others. With his second group, the Majors Band of Nigeria (variously called the "Mayors Band," and in later years the Rivers Men), he scored innumerable hits over the sixties and early seventies, notably "Jolly Papa," "Adure," "Ibi na Bo," and many others. Of these, the biggest was "Sawale," in pidgen English, which has become an African music standard and been remade numerous times by various artists. Lawson's fluency in various languages and dialects has only enhanced his appeal across class and ethnic lines in West Africa.

In the 60s during the thick of the Biafran war and to boost morale of the Biafran people, Cardinal Rex Lawson released an album titled Hail Biafra . Lawson was latter detained by Nigerian Federal Government troops and questioned about this pro-Biafran record: "...He proudly and courageously responded: 'I did the song to uplift the rebels.' Lawson died tragically in 1971 in a car accident on his way to play a show in Warri, Nigeria.

A highly emotional and deep musician, Lawson was known to weep and shed tears while singing his own songs, notably the haunting So ala teme. Lawson is famed for his infectious gregariousness, his musical vision, talent, perseverance and individuality.

After Lawson's death, his backup group 'The Rivers Men' reestablished themselves as the Professional Seagulls Dance Band and recorded several LP's of their own in the 1980s.

His music is loved to this day in Nigeria. His songs are regularly performed and danced at live band shows in Nigeria, and a number of young musicians have resang some of his old hits, and his relevance continues to be felt.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• cardinal
• rex
• lawson
• highlife
• naija
• nigeria
• igbo
• sawale
• okulolo
• kalabari

[computrgreen]

Can anyone give a rough trans on this song, am Haitian and my girls Kenyan; she tells me some words are Swahilli. We wanted to know if these words in Igbo mean the same

regards

Zo

[planetolusola]

@computrgreen The song is performed purely in Kalabari (Eastern Nigerian dialect) and pidgin English. The beat itself may have a trans-african flavor, since African highlife music of the 60's borrowed heavily from latin-cuban rythmn popular throughout the continent.

[jimbimedia]

@planetolusola I do not speak Kalabari, but there is enough West African pidgin in there for me to pick up that he is admonishing a wayward girl who has become an Ashawo (prostitute). Corner Corner baby! Wuru Wuru baby! Suku suku baby! I will tell your mom! She will tell your dad! I will tell your sister etc.

[planetolusola]

@jimbimedia You are right. I did mention the pidgin english in my original comment.

[youngnigerian]

That's what I call real nigerian music with passion

Breaks your heart,

not like todays sell outs that are swinging with their money

while the average nigerian is struggling.

[NextJLO]

Rex was the epitome of invigorating music that trancended across all races. You do not need to understand some of his lyrics but this Rivers State brother cut some of the best jams ever produced in Nigeria. May his soul rest in peace. He left a musical legacy for posterity to cherish.

owunna jeff

[emecca123]

@sssnsule Bros I feel you, U tell'em that when they get to be ur age and someone does a remix of Flavour's version..., they would understand where you coming from.

Until then, Flavour's is off the hook..., but I prefer the ORIGINAL. Rex carry go nothing do u, rip!!.

[emecca123]

@JJToyo Blasphemy.., which map,lol. 

[planetolusola]

@sssnsule I can relate to that. Please tell your kids to keep their minds open.

[orangeandblue585]

@computrgreen Sawa Sawa means get going or go in Swahili but the rest is in Nigerian pidgin annd Kalabari.

Basically saying "Get gone you whore"

[jimbimedia]

Rex Lawson remains arguably the best exponent of the style known as highlife, which was big all over West Africa from the 50s to the 80s. Everything Rex Lawson touched was outstanding and very popular in the mid to late 60s. This music was the soundtrack of my childhood with Congo music, 60s American Folk music and jazz.

[Kenruschick]

@computrgreen am kenyan i have close friends who are yoruba and igbo (Nigeria) there is no swahili and the words meaning are totally different from Swahili. except for Mama. there is a latest verion of this song sang by some else by the name FLAVOUR....from the same country called "Nwa baby" or "Ashawo remix" its very popular in Nairobi well the whole of Africa..tell your gal to listen to it realy nice its actually abig hit.

[sexiano]

Flavour took the beat from someone else and took the lyrics to this song

[JJToyo]

Thanks to Flavour for putting Rex on the map, this is the original of the current hit.