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once upon a time

from 333 by d'bi.

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about

about the cyclical nature of life, revolution and the inevitability of change

lyrics

once upon a time today
in a land so far away
there lived a people deep as the earth
mother womb blessed their birth

the land gave food and love and hope
the land gave children to grow old
but soon the people grew restless with change
seek new lands they were told

the people walked and walked and walked
and walked and walked and walked and walked
to every corner and around
settling in new ground
many moons waxed and waned
many tides grew and died
many suns rose and set
yet the people did not forget

ase ase oya mother of nine
ase ase oya mother of wind
ase thunder lightning death and rebirth
ase our mother of change

then came the time of the warring ones
who killed their neighbours their sistahs their sons
from village to village they plundered and raped
forgetting oya’s fate

they built great big birds of the seas
then packed their brothers and sisters beneath
then sold them one by two by three
how did this come to be

many more moons waxed and waned
many more tides grew and died
many more suns rose and set
and the people did forget

ase ase oya mother of nine
ase ase oya mother of wind
ase thunder lightning death and rebirth
ase our mother of change

come now my children of the night
wake you up from your slumbering sleep
our story calls with urgent flight
of how we came to be

across these oceans you must come
your sons and daughters have survived
five centuries beneath a divide
new meaning to our lives

you are oya mother of nine
you are oya mother of wind
thunder lightning dead and rebirth
your name is oya
thunder lightning death and rebirth
your name is oya
thunder lightning death and rebirth
your name is change

credits

from 333, released September 23, 2023
once upon a time
lyrics & vocals by d’bi.

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about

d'bi.

d'bi. is a global dub poet jamaican-dancehall-diva-womxnist-warrior-chanting-conscious-fyah on the mic. their lyricism stems from the socio-political genre of dub poetry fused with dancehall reggae, hiphop, punk rock, blues & performance art; producing a pepperpot of theatricality that crosses cultural boundaries, reconfigures social norms & inspires r/evolution. ... more

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