^{page 126 note 1} The writer wishes to express his gratitude to the Rev. K. A. Dickson, Mr. J. H. Nketia, and Mr. I. D. Riverson for helpful suggestions, criticism, and, at certain points, actual contributions to this article.

^{page 128 note 1} Obaatan is literally a mother who has been well blessed with children, or a parent (it is said, a parent with about ten children). In the context of the lyric, and in the Church's prayers and praises, the word is used to mean one who shows great kindness: it can mean a loving and good parent, and is considered to connote the Christian concept of ‘father’.

^{page 128 note 2} The verb wo, to bring forth, is the common word for parturition. Fante esteem for the fertile woman and the potent man is extended, without physical implications, to describe the creative and gracious Father hood of God.

^{page 129 note 1} This lyric arises from Gen. xxxii. 26. The opening address is, however, a little startling. In traditional thought Onyame is essentially Creator; and in Fante thought the Christian ‘Father’ seems to mean this.

^{page 130 note 1} Owura = ‘master’. It is used colloquially as a mode of respectful address to another adult, but here it carries the notion of ‘ownership’ (cf. the Hebrew ba'al).

^{page 130 note 2} This line is literally translated. It means that no human tongue can tell God's praise.

^{page 130 note 3} Translated literally, meaning something like ‘Ancient of Days’. God was before all things.

^{page 130 note 4} From lyric iv, above.

^{page 130 note 5} An okyirtaafo is one who stands solidly behind you.

^{page 130 note 6} Lit. ‘If you are not in it, we attempt but cannot do’.

^{page 130 note 7} Edu, a name used for Onyame. Its history is obscure. Dr. J. B. Danquah’ in his book The Akan Doctrine of God, translates the honorific Tweaduampon ‘the great Adu of the Twis’. While R. S. Rattray's translation of the word is to be preferred (see lyric iv, note 2), it may be that Dr. Danquah has been led in some part to his particular exposition of this title by the fact that Adu (Twi), Edu (Fante) is a name applied to Onyame.

^{page 130 note 8} This phrase is very obscure: lit. ‘we take water (rain) ascribe to you’. A Fante has offered ‘we bless you’, ‘we thank you’, ‘we prostrate ourselves before you’ as possible renderings; but the found the phrase difficult. Mr. Acquaah was noted for his erudition in the Fante language and his use of uncommon phrases. In the light of the context provided by the first line I have translated ‘we throw ourselves upon you’. To baptize is bo…asu, and the phrase may, by a process of inversion, be in mind here, with osu (rain) instead of asu (water), since rain is Onyame's gift. In baptism a believer casts himself upon God. But this is entirely conjectural.

^{page 130 note 9} Observe the form of the lyric, and cf. lyric v, note 2. The ‘verses’ turn out to be lines 3, 4, 5; and while a conventional ‘chorus’ has been indicated, the opening two lines might also be considered ‘chorus’. The conventional lyric of this type begins and ends with a chorus. The final chorus in this lyric undergoes a change.

^{page 132 note 1} Mr. J. H. Nketia, who kindly criticized this article and made some valuable suggestions, concluded his notes as follows: ‘The lyric, it appears, has confined itself to the old familiar concepts, to the vision of the song of exhilaration. It has yet to grow in depth of poetic vision, and to reflect more adequately and clearly the Christian experience.’ He added, ‘There is a problem of art—of creation, of translating experience into poetry—as well as the theological problem. One cannot be quite sure whether lyricists are failing to translate this experience because they lack it or because they have not found the means of doing so. Mr. Acquaah's contribution, I think, does not make a clear answer possible.’