I need some help identifying a song. I know that it’s by Chief Stephen Osadebe, but I don’t know the song name. It’s off a compilation titled “Ebeano’s Greatest Hits” that I picked-up in Nigeria, but the liner notes are completely wrong as so often happens with these bootlegs. If anyone knows more please let me know.

While listening to the Osadebe tune this morning it occurred to me that I hadn’t yet posted any highlife from Ghana. Highlife has its roots in Ghana during the 1930s and only later showed up in Nigeria. It’s only appropriate that we feature some here.

Highlife as most of us know it evolved out of a fusion of West African and Western European/American sounds in and around Ghana during the 1960s. At this time post-colonial West African countries were actively encouraging the development of local culture while trying to become modern nations. These efforts are in a way perfectly represented by highlife: traditional rhythms and local languages fused with electric instruments and Western funk/soul elements.

Today’s track by Ahamano’s Guitar Band is an older-school highlife classic from the 1960s gold-coast heydey.

Chief Stephen Osadebe – ?
Ahamano’s Guitar Band – Me Nsae Da