The Ewe people went through various times of war and oppression before settling down in the Volta Region of Ghana and in Southern Togo.

[8] Through Agbadza, at the time known as Atrikpui, Ewe singers and poets sang about battles, life and death, heroism, cowardice, migration, conquest, imperialism, and a warrior ethos.

[7] The move towards Agbadza was done due to a period of peace that was enjoyed by the Ewes around the 1920s, and so instead they decided to use some of their old songs as entertainment.

[1] Bell: It has a recurring phrase that establishes the tempo of the song and serves as a timeline for the rest of the ensemble.

[6] Kagan: This is a support drum, which has a recurring rhythm throughout the performance that interacts with the bell to create a specific melody.

[6] Rattle/ Axatse: This is a beaded-rattle that follows the rhythm of the timeline closely to complement the Agbadza song.

[6] The song is based on a call and responses system, which is widely present in the music of West Africa.