Songs banned from Radio Ethiopia
Kumneger, a monthly Amharic magazine, today came up with a list of Amharic songs banned from Radio Ethiopia and F.M 97.1.According to the magazine, the list is displayed on the walls of Radio Ethiopia and F.M 97 studios and offices. Most of the songs are banned for their political nature, including four of Teddy Afro’s and two of them for their sexual nature.
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1. Teddy Afro -Jah Yasteseryal (Redemption) Chemin de Fer, Semiyelelew Afie, Kab Dahlack (from Dahlak, an island in the Red Sea, Eritrea)
2. Aster Awoke –Ayizoh (Take heart), Netsa Negn (I am free), Anid Adregen (Make us one.)
3. Gosaye Tesfaye -Lalibela
4. Moges Teka- Kutahan Abredew (Restrain thy anger)
5. Fikre Addis Neka Tibebe –Yam Yam
6. Bistat Seyoum -Basresagn (Would that you make me forget!)
7. Monica Sisay- Zim bileh shek shik
8. Ephrem Abebe- Tsom Adari (Those who go hungry)
9. Ye Gibts Hiwot Abay- Honkibgn yehuda (you have turned into Judah)
10. Simachew Kasa- Banch Maryam
11. Hibist Tiruneh- Yikerta (Sorry)
12. Kebede James- Ye Negestat Ager (Land of the kings), Modelist Temari, Min Yadergal Siltan (What is the good of power?)
13. Solomon Tekalegn –all songs except his Millennium single
(Though the magazine didn’t include it, I’ve heard that Gigi Shibabaw’s “Enen Yerabegn Fikir New (it is love that I am craving for) is also in the list.)
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Addis Journal 
benegerachin lay ‘basresagn’ Bitsat Seyoum’s song was written by Teddy Afro.
i don’t think i’ve laughed this hard in a long time!!! this is hilariousssssssssss!
Anything that speaks truth is blocked in Ethiopia! Aster is considered al amoud’s puppet and even her song is blocked.
However, ” zim bileh shekshik” is hilarious!
Hahahaha! I dedicate Monica Sisay’s ‘Zim bileh shek shik’ to Melese Zenawi!
The non-political songs were banned because of “morality” issues, which I think Radio’s editorial policy supports . The political ones are pretty obvious, I guess.
Arefe ,
I think Ye gibtse Hiwot is the name of the performer not the song.
I forgot the title of the song.
My personal perspective is some of the song are total BSs. But the same is true of banning them.BTW, I think someone did an MA thesis at AAU journalism on these same issue.
These songs have been misconstrued. Most of these songs, if not all of them have positive messages in them.
Funny thing is you can potentially turn any song into a political one and hence have a reason to ban it from the airwaves.
Then again like the song goes “you can only steal the fruits, not the roots.”
Specefog,
thanks for the correction. Yeah the name of the singer is Yegibts Hiwot Abay and the song honknbegn yehuda (You have turned into Judah).
This is another sign Ethiopia under Weyane is at its last breadth. Stoping people from listening to music is a sign of the end is closer than many think. I say as George Bush is leaving office, Weyane is looking to pack and move to Tigrai. The animal is dying in Ethiopia, they are transfering all the hard currency to Tigrai, many of the security documents have already crossed into the Tigrai killil.
wow….”yihem ale leka”….as my mother says…
well,in any ways,if someone was eager to listen to a particular song,the radio wont be the first thing that would come in his mined,if you know what I mean…