In terms of chords and melody, Mo Bamba is more basic than the typical song, having below average scores in Chord Complexity, Melodic Complexity, Chord-Melody Tension, Chord Progression Novelty and Chord-Bass Melody.
Mo Bamba is written in the key of E Phrygian. According to the Theorytab database, it is the most popular key among Phrygian keys and the 47th most popular among all keys. The E Phrygian scale is similar to the E Minor scale except that its 2nd note (F) is a half step lower. Chord progressions in Phrygian often rely on the major chord built off of this 2nd scale degree (F major) which gives the key its distinctive sound. See the E Phrygian Cheat Sheet for popular chords, chord progressions, downloadable midi files and more!