Entertainment of Monday, 5 February 2018
Source: showbiz.citifmonline.com
2018-02-05
Dada Hafco
Introduction: At a time when some women are seriously creating the awareness of male patriarchy and its effects on women, one would have thought that any song that is meant to criticise women would be carefully thought through.
But no! Dada Hafco would want to point out a fault of women with Afriyie of Wutah fame in his new song. Before I get into the content analysis, let us dissect its elements and technicalities.
Instrumentation: Done in highlife style, the song is in Key E Flat Major, a key that gives Dada Hafco some laxity to navigate between the lower and upper registers. The lead guitar and the keyboard works bring out the highlife touch in the song. The strum of the guitar in the intro takes one’s mind to Atongo Simba’s ‘Beer’ or a typical Salif Keita songs. It may have been mere coincidence. Creativity sometimes overlaps with others from one’s subconscious.
Vocals: Dada Hafco may not be one of the country’s favourite vocalists but the wow factor in his voice is the enigmatic touch the pricks you from your sleep to listen. The key really suits the dynamics of his vocal range. I like the fact that he pitched the first verse an octave higher than he would have ordinarily done. That clearly projected his voice. Afriyie, as asual also did well with the chorus. He exuded an exceptional command on his verse.
Message and Arrangement: ‘Fault of a Woman’ simply blames women for all forms of cheating that occur in relationships. According to the composer, men cheat because women make them cheat – and they don’t just cheat on women but also with women.
Dada starts with an intro, cautioning women to be wary of their female friends because they can easily snatch their boyfriends and husbands from them.
Afriyie follows up with the chorus, singing ‘Fault of a Woman’ – 6 times.
Dada Hafco steps in with the 1st verse intimating that most women get jealous of their friends’ boyfriends or husbands. “Women dey talk say men dey cheat oo. Mmm, everyday dem be charters oo. But I never dey see a man dey cheat with a man oo. Mmm, women nor be the problem oo abi.”
The hook comes, then the chorus appears again. The hook repeats after the Chorus.
Afriyie adds more of his soothing touch to the song in the second verse. In his verse he cites an example of women giving their boyfriends’ number to their friends to trap them and test their love. He also makes reference to how Delilah made Sampson fall, affirming their argument that women are the cause of infidelity in relationships.
Content Analysis: The first time I heard the song, I got angry. I know how objective Dada Hafco is – so I least expected him to touch on such a sensitive issue in the manner he did.
It is about time we stopped blaming every negative thing that happens in relationships on only women.
Some of the points he raised were valid but my problem is narrowing everything down to the ‘fault of a woman’ and not broadening it to cover men too.
Now to the specifics!
Dada Hafco says he’s never seen a man cheat on a woman with another man. But that is possible if the man is bisexual. A lot of women are tearing in their marriages because their husbands don’t give them the attention they give to their homosexual counterparts.
Afriyie even made the matter worse by singing in his verse that “it is difficult for a man to g after his boyfriend’s girlfriend but very easy for a woman to go after her girlfriend’s boyfriend.” That is not true. There are many instances where men have also snatched their friend’s girlfriends.
The song’s impact on society: This song is going to encourage some men to mess cheat on their wives and girlfriends more.
No woman ties a man down to have sex with them. If you can’t stand the wiles of a woman, don’t blame the woman – blame it on your weakness.
There are a lot of men out there who have on several occasions been able to say no to harassment from women. Musicians should do songs in this wise and stop heaping all the blame on women.
Recommendations: The last time I said Kurl Songx should apologise to Krobo’s for his Okomfo Anokye comment and possibly edit the song, they treated with advice with disdain. They have no idea how that statement got to the Krobos.
I don’t care whether Dada Hafco will heed my advice and do a balanced song or maybe a part 2 of it to tackle the men’s side too. But if he does, it will be great.
Additionally, I’d be happy to see female artistes like Becca, Efya, Eno, Adina, MzVee, Ebony and co give him a reply.
We are supposed to build our society will songs that bode well for the people, not songs meant to hurt a minority for the wrong reasons.
I am not a feminist. I just an individual who believes both sexes need to be treated fairly.
Conclusion: But for the content, I’d have scored ‘Fault of a Woman’ 90%. Irked by the lyrical content, 70% will be good for him.
Listen to ‘Fault of a Woman’ in the link below: