Wiyaala and Atongo Zimba songs listed among the 500 greatest of all time

Songs by Ghanaian duo Wiyaala and Atongo Zimba are among the Greatest of All Time songs according to World Listening Post. The list was published following a 2-year review of songs from different artists, countries and languages.

According to the publisher Alan Tigay, the aim “has been to judge, as faithfully as possible, all the songs and artists I surveyed in the context of their own cultural milieu, and to imagine what music critics and listeners in any given country or language community would consider the greatest”.

Explaining the criteria for selection, Alan Tigay said he “looked for multiple sources on every element of every entry, but sometimes a single source was all” he “found”.

Village Sex by Wiyaala made the list at number 419, sandwiched between Russia’s Pussy Riot’s Chaika and Dancing Queen by Swedish pop supergroup Abba. Released in 2018, Wiyaala said it was a remake of another village song. She said, “This is another village song which I have re-invented. Traditionally it’s sung by the women and girls at a party before the marriage ceremony. They are making fun of the young groom because they know he is desperate to get his wife on the marriage bed.”

Taking the lead in the ranking before Wiyaala’s Village Sex is Atongo Zimba’s 2005 hit record “No Beer in Heaven“. According to Atongo Zimba, the song was an advice to people who drink excessively. He said people take advantage of occasions like parties, funerals and other social events where free drinks are shared to drink excessively. According to him, if you like something and you want to do it every day then you should do it with limits daily to stay alive long to enjoy that thing. If one enjoys beer and decides to drink more than required and end up losing their lives are a result, they will go to heaven where there is no beer and their friends on earth will continue to enjoy the beer.

Meanwhile, Ghana was not the only African country featured in the list. Soum Bill of Ivory Coast made it to number 453 with his 2003 masterpiece “Made for Each Other”. Aziza Brahim of Western Sahara also made the list at number 452 with her 2014 song “Resist”. “You See?” by Franco & TPOK from DR Congo, “The Coffee Cup Reader” by Egypt’s Abdel Halim Hafez produced in 1976 as well as “Beng Beng Beng” by Nigeria’s Femi Kuti released in 1998.

Also, Cameroon’s Henri Dikongué year 2000 produced “Nasi Kane” translated as No One Is Safe is on the list. “Radiant Flame” by Ethiopia’s Hamelmal Abate released in 2005 made it. And “Tell My Beloved” by Morocco’s Mohamed Rouicha released in 2005 is part of the top 500. Algerian singer Warda Al-Jazaira’s 1992 song “I Cherish Your Company” made it at number 489.

Another Algeria representation is “O Father Inouva” by Hamid Cheriet better known by his stage name Idir which featured Mila is ranked at number 312. Escaping Love by Netsanet Mèllèssè of Ethiopia, Thank You by Mali’s Rokia Traoré and The Quest by Tanzania’s Saida Karoli are all part of the top 400.

Benin’s Angelique Kidjo’s 2002 song Afrika off the Black Ivory Soul album, “Tere Mbi” or My Body by Céline Banza and “Don’t Be Discouraged” by Tarika of Madagascar are among the African songs featured on the list.