- published: 22 May 2012
- views: 52827
An agogô (Yoruba: agogo, meaning bell) is a single or multiple bell now used throughout the world but with origins in traditional Yoruba music and also in the samba baterias (percussion ensembles). The agogô may be the oldest samba instrument and was based on West African Yoruba single or double bells. The agogô has the highest pitch of any of the bateria instruments.
The African each bell a different size. This allows a differently pitched note to be produced depending on which bell has been hit. Originally wrought iron, they are now manufactured in a variety of metals and sizes for different sound qualities. The most common arrangement is two bells attached by a U shaped piece of metal. The smaller bell is held uppermost. Either bell may be hit with a wooden stick to make a cowbell like sound or less commonly a clicking sound is produced by squeezing the two bells together.
It is used in the ceremonial music of religions in Yorubaland as well as in their new world practice, which are based on beliefs brought by slaves from Africa such as candomblé. It may be officially used for congregation or heralding the coming of a dignitary. It is the main instrument of Obatala and Orisa Nla (Orisa Nla o, Alagogo Oje o). (Both Obatala and Orisa n la are very important Yoruba deities or gods).
His head is a big black hole
Full of big black things
And it sucks so hard
You could never against the mud
Sugar plum, no ones ever seen anything come
Ouch, what a travesty, what a sad fate
Someone get a band-aid please
We gotta get this guy a machine for his cranium
I mean I don't need
Maybe I don't hear what I need
This never really goes anywhere
We dug a hole
And put our heads in it
We dug a hole
We dug a hole
And put our heads in
This winter, they come too quick and broad
With not enough hot spiced cider or cinnamon toast
You never think you know this
But when you got a dead start
Sucking up both times in your brain
Things start to change
And for the record let me say
It's not his fault that things never change
The summer is always too short
And still they broke up for a guy
With a black hole in his head
And you'll never meet him anyway
We dug a hole
And put our heads in it
We dug a hole
We dug a hole
And put our heads in it
We dug a hole