My songs sometimes take up to 2 years to finish – Daddy Lumba

Ghanaian musician Charles Kwadwo ‘Daddy Lumba’ Fosu has revealed in an interview on his official YouTube channel that his songs are created and finished over long periods of time, sometimes beyond two years.

“You know, sometimes, it takes us about 6 months to finish one song,” he said.

“For another song, even after 2 years, you would still not be done working on it,” he disclosed.

The reason is “I often want to pick up proverbs and philosophical things that when I incorporate, would get the listeners thinking and pondering for the rich meaning therein,” the 58-year-old elaborated on his creative process.

Regarded by many as the GOAT (greatest of all time), he cited an illustration for how he wrote the lyrics for his acclaimed 2011 hit, ‘Yene Wo Sere Kwa’.

“You know my wife’s grandmother is still alive. I was speaking to her one time when she said to me: ‘Kwadwo, I’ve heard about you and I’ve been told when you are spotted in town, the women become joyful, which equally upsets the men’,” Daddy Lumba narrated and noted up until then he did not know an in-law could love one so dearly.

The Highlife legend further disclosed that his grandmother-in-law shared with him a Ghanaian proverb during this encounter: “People hate on the individual who wears a decorated hat,” she said.

“Note and remember that because of the famous name you’ve obtained, you will have many haters and no lovers,” Mr Lumba recalled his in-law’s words.

“The thing she said that I loved the most was, ‘Your reign is like that of the tiniest squirrel which is yet able to shake the mighty Odum tree’,” the singer nicknamed DL, excitedly revealed: “So these are the wise sayings I started putting together [to make the song ‘Ye Ne Wo Sere Kwa’].”

The businessman and singer proceeded to recite a stanza from the song, regarded as a classic by many music lovers.

During the interview, he mentioned the song was mainly inspired by a period of severe sickness during which he felt abandoned by his loved ones.

‘Yene Wo Sere Kwa’ translates as ‘They wish you evil despite their smile’.