Juluka
Juluka was a South African music band formed in 1969 by Johnny Clegg and Si… Read Full Bio ↴Juluka was a South African music band formed in 1969 by Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu. Juluka means "sweat" in Zulu, and was the name of a bull owned by Mchunu. The band was closely associated with the mass movement against apartheid.
At the age of 14, Clegg met Zulu street musician Charlie Mzila, who taught him Zulu music and dancing over the following two years. In 1969 Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu met in Johannesburg when young sipho went there to find work. The 18-year-old Mchunu challenged the 16-year-old Clegg to a guitar contest, and the two became friends. Soon, they were performing together on the streets and in what few other unofficial venues a multi-racial band could safely play in under apartheid. They were forced to keep a low profile and their success came from word of mouth instead of through traditional publicity. Clegg himself was arrested and beaten up by the police on several occasions for his activities and also for the band's lyrics. For some commentators, Juluka was the band that had the greatest success in challenging the racial separateness of Apartheid. When performing, both black and white band members would appear on stage in traditional Zulu dress and perform the traditional Zulu war dance together while singing in Zulu and English.[1]
In 1976, they released their debut single, "Woza Friday", followed three years later by a critically acclaimed album, Universal Men.[2] The album's poetic lyrics were strongly influenced by John Berger's A Seventh Man as well as Pablo Neruda and Jean-Paul Sartre.[citation needed] Expanding to a quintet, they released a second album, African Litany, in late 1981. The album's lead single, "Impi", with its pointedly political lyrics about a defeat of the colonial British army by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana, was banned by South African radio but became an underground hit. In contemporary South Africa it is often associated with national sports teams. The album garnered them their first international attention, and they were able to successfully tour in Europe and North America in 1982 and 1983. However, in June 1983, the British music magazine, NME, reported that they were initially banned by the Musicians Union as, ..."since it would not be possible to approve one of our bands working in South Africa, there is no possibility of an exchange". The ban was eventually lifted, with the group donating their fees to charity.[3]
In South Africa, Juluka was also banned by Radio Bantu, a government approved radio station for the black population, which allegedly refused to play Juluka's music, because Clegg's efforts were seen as "an insult to the Zulu and their culture".[4]
The group disbanded in 1985 when Mchunu moved back to the farm where he was born in Natal to take care of his family. Clegg went on to form a new band, Savuka, with whom he achieved even greater international success. In 1997, however, the two friends came back for a final album together. It did not receive the critical acclaim of early Juluka albums like Universal Men, African Litany, Work for All and Scatterlings.
At the age of 14, Clegg met Zulu street musician Charlie Mzila, who taught him Zulu music and dancing over the following two years. In 1969 Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu met in Johannesburg when young sipho went there to find work. The 18-year-old Mchunu challenged the 16-year-old Clegg to a guitar contest, and the two became friends. Soon, they were performing together on the streets and in what few other unofficial venues a multi-racial band could safely play in under apartheid. They were forced to keep a low profile and their success came from word of mouth instead of through traditional publicity. Clegg himself was arrested and beaten up by the police on several occasions for his activities and also for the band's lyrics. For some commentators, Juluka was the band that had the greatest success in challenging the racial separateness of Apartheid. When performing, both black and white band members would appear on stage in traditional Zulu dress and perform the traditional Zulu war dance together while singing in Zulu and English.[1]
In 1976, they released their debut single, "Woza Friday", followed three years later by a critically acclaimed album, Universal Men.[2] The album's poetic lyrics were strongly influenced by John Berger's A Seventh Man as well as Pablo Neruda and Jean-Paul Sartre.[citation needed] Expanding to a quintet, they released a second album, African Litany, in late 1981. The album's lead single, "Impi", with its pointedly political lyrics about a defeat of the colonial British army by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana, was banned by South African radio but became an underground hit. In contemporary South Africa it is often associated with national sports teams. The album garnered them their first international attention, and they were able to successfully tour in Europe and North America in 1982 and 1983. However, in June 1983, the British music magazine, NME, reported that they were initially banned by the Musicians Union as, ..."since it would not be possible to approve one of our bands working in South Africa, there is no possibility of an exchange". The ban was eventually lifted, with the group donating their fees to charity.[3]
In South Africa, Juluka was also banned by Radio Bantu, a government approved radio station for the black population, which allegedly refused to play Juluka's music, because Clegg's efforts were seen as "an insult to the Zulu and their culture".[4]
The group disbanded in 1985 when Mchunu moved back to the farm where he was born in Natal to take care of his family. Clegg went on to form a new band, Savuka, with whom he achieved even greater international success. In 1997, however, the two friends came back for a final album together. It did not receive the critical acclaim of early Juluka albums like Universal Men, African Litany, Work for All and Scatterlings.
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Juluka Lyrics
Africa Chorus Afrika kukhala abangcwele EAfrika kukhala abangcwel…
African Litany Trapped in a moment of history You changed the world and…
African Sky Blue African sky blue, your children wait for the dawn African sk…
Baba Nango I'mm travelleing light, I'm going to Baba Nango I'm leaving…
Bull-Man-Free Baba, ngizwe isimanga, mina Ngizwe isimanga Baba, ngizwe i…
Bullets For Bafazane Shadow men from the outlands come to town Looking for Bafaz…
Circle Of Light In the history of all dreams None has shone as brightly…
Crazy Woman I cannot suffer in silence anymore Once again I’m banging at…
Crocodile Love Umoya wami onakele kunsela elangena Lapha enhlizweni yami (x…
December African Rain Hum Standing on the Earth seagull flying Standing on the E…
Deliwe Deliwe can you see the clouds rolling in The wind…
Digging For Some Words Wanderers and nomads have gone to see their chieftains Will…
Fever I'm walking through the night Walking through the night str…
Gijem' Beke Ngiyesaba kwelamaBhaca, ngiyesaba KwelamaBhaca, ngiyesaba (…
Gunship Ghetto Gunship Ghetto -- steeleye stiletto Feather Pillow Dream C…
Heart of the Dancer I want to look into the heart of the dancer His…
High Country There's a girl who lives in the high country Where the…
Ibhola Lethu Ikiti esandleni ma izibukeli zonke zakithi (Tickets in your …
Impi Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza Obani bengathinta amabhubesi? Imp…
Inkunzi Ayihlabi Ngokumisa Yiyo lenkunzi yiyo isimaqobotshana mama Yiyo lenkunzi yiyo i…
Isoka Lizo Kuthatha Sizwa ukukhala emzini wendoda (we hear crying in the home o…
Jarusalema Sizofika nini Kulomhlaba wakiti Awu siphe amandla, Nkosi yam…
Journey's End Every day now when I wake up You know I feel…
Juluka Chorus Afrika kukhala abangcwele EAfrika kukhala abangcwele …
Jwanasibeki Wemadiliza, wemadiliz' inkani! Wemadiliza, wemadiliza wenzan…
Kancane Kancane Wo sawabona kancane (Kancane, kancane) Ayabaleka amasoka (Na…
Kilimanjaro I'm sittin' on the top of Kilimanjaro All my heart is…
Kwela Man Long ago there was a sound in the night Kwela man,…
Love Is Just A Dream Something in the way she moves In a way she touches…
Love Is Just a Dream (Tatazela) I was thinkin about you, thinkin about me. Thinkin about us,…
Makhelwanee Makhelwane (my neighbour) Impela ayikho into esifuna lemh…
Mama Shabalala An old lady walking down the dusty farm road Looking for…
Mana Lapho Voices in the air of those gone before sing "Mana Lapho"…
Mantombana Soyilanda intombi yami kulezo 'ntaba (We will fetch the gir…
My Big Lady She's round like the moon, loves like a big monsoon And…
Ngeke Wokhal'uz'uthule weh ndoda Wokhal'uz'uthule weh ndoda Awubhe…
Old Eyes I was the only one who witnessed my homecoming So…
Scatterlings of Africa Copper sun sinking low Scatterlings and fugitives Hooded eye…
Shake My Way Mayebabo! sengijabule kulomhlaba Hau! ngidlalela izizwe sen…
Simple Things Rain forest talking to the dragon-mountain-moon Stars infest…
Siyayilanda Bamba! Siyayilanda! Siyayibamba siyayilanda! Ngithi bamba! S…
Sky People Hums Zulu stuff that I can't begin to make out enough…
Spirit Is The Journey Ploughed the moon reached an island Balanced on the edge of…
Studla Sami She's round like the moon, loves like a big monsoon And…
Tatazela Something in the way she moves In a way she touches…
Thandazani Johnny: Eshe mfowethu! ithini lenkunzana yasesemanzani? (…
Thandiwe Zisho inggaba Iyangala intombazane eshawela Hawu! inyangal…
Tholakele Tholakele (A Girl's Name) Wetholakele ngiyakuthanda Weth…
Trouble Musa Ukungilandela Trouble, trouble upheny' impilo yami njengebhuku, wena Lokhu…
Two Humans On The Run Ngikhanyisele wedlozi lami Two humans on the run (repeat) Th…
Umbaqanga Music Umbaqanga man won't you play it if you can That special…
Umfazi Omdala Uyishayelani lengane sencane, wemfazi omdala? Uyishayelani l…
Umuzi Wami Kuthi angihambe, ngihamba lekhaya, ngidlala isangoma (I fel…
Universal Men I have undone this distance so many times before That…
Unkosibomvu Carry him carry him onana Carry the spirit of unkosibomvu We…
Uthando Luphelile I came to this town some time ago to find…
Walima 'Mabele Ngaze ngahamba mina Ngashona emoliva [I have journeyed until…
Walima Mabele Ngaze ngahamba mina Ngashona emoliva Umhlaba waphenduka kulo…
Walima'mabele Why don't you sing about the African moon? Why don't you…
Wangizonda Wo kwami ngaziyala, wo ngazenza madoda bangizonda Wo kwami n…
Work For All Keep the home fires burning While Papa's earning the pittan…
Woza Friday Webaba, kunzima kulomhlaba Webaba, lo msebenzi ubhokile Weba…
Woza Moya So near yet so far away Spirit of a new African…
Zodwa Zodwa wadla imali yami (Zodwa you have finished my money)…