Miriam Makeba used her voice to entertain, but also to give a voice to millions of oppressed fellow South Africans who suffered as a result of apartheid. The price she had to pay for her actions was high, namely her South African citizenship. After she appeared, in 1960, in the an anti-apartheid documentary Come Back, Africa, the South African regime banned her from returning to her home country and took away her citizenship.
This event didn't stop her from continuing to raise her voice against the apartheid regime. Between 1964 and 1975, as a United Nations delegate of Guinea where she was granted asylum, Miriam Makeba addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations regularly on the tragic developments in South Africa.
Meanwhile she carried on singing, a process in which she put South African music on the map. Over the years Makeba worked with artists as Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Arthur Adams, and David T. Walker of The Crusaders. In the late 1980's she joined Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo during their world-wide Graceland tour and in 1990 she worked with Odetta and Nina Simone for the One Nation tour.
Following Nelson Mandela's release from prison, the citizen of the world Makeba returned to South Africa in December 1990; more than thirty years after she went in exile. In April 1991 she performed her first concert in her homeland in three decades.
The years after were busy ones for Makeba. She starred in the South African award-winning musical Sarafina! , about the 1976 Soweto youth uprisings, playing the role of the title character's mother. She then reunited with her first husband, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, for the Tour Of Hope. She also performed at the Vatican's Nevi Hall during the world-wide broadcasted show, Christmas In The Vatican. In 2000 Makeba released the grammy-nominated Homeland, her first studio album in a decade. In 2002 she shared the Polar Music Prize with Sofia Gubaidulina, in recognition of her exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music.
After her return to South Africa Miriam Makeba recorded over ten albums. In 2004, at the age of 72, she relased Reflections honoring the tenth anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa. In that same year Makeba was voted 38th in the Top 100 Great South Africans. She also started a 14 month worldwide farwell tour in 2005, holding concerts in all countries she had visited during her life.
With an impressive career spanning more than four decades Miriam Makeba is, indeed, one of the most respected, loved and cherished treasures in (South) Africa.
On the early morning of 10th of November 2008 she died at the age of 76 after being taken ill near the southern Italian town of Caserta, after performing at a concert against organized crime.
Source: Miriam Makeba, A true South African musical Legend
Discography on last.fm
External links:
Official website
Unofficial website
Movie database
Pata Pata
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hay yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Helele saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPhata Phata)
Hayi ke saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPhata Phata)
Hayi ke aguquka sathi bheka bo (Nants'iPhata Phata)
Hayi ke saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPhata Phata)
Hay yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata is the name of a dance
We do down Johannesburg way.
Everybody starts to move
As soon as Pata Pata begins to play
Hayi saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hayi ke saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hayi ke saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hayi saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hay ke yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
IPata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Every Fridays and Saturday nights (Iyo Pata Pata)
It's Pata Pata time (Nants'iPata Pata)
The music keeps going all night long (Iyo Pata Pata)
Till the morning sun begins to shine (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hayi saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Hay ke yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
The lyrics to Miriam Makeba's song "Pata Pata" describe the excitement and joy of participating in the dance known as "Pata Pata." The opening lines, "Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)," are translated to mean "We have changed and said we must look at Pata Pata." This suggests that the song calls for people to embrace the dance and the happiness it brings. The repeated use of "yiyo mama" throughout the song adds to the celebratory tone, as it is often used as a cry of joy and triumph.
The lyrics also refer to the fact that Pata Pata is a popular dance in Johannesburg and is played every Friday and Saturday night. As soon as the music starts, everybody begins to move in the Pata Pata dance. The song implies that the dance is so infectious that it continues all night long until the morning sun begins to shine. The use of the phrase "Nants'iPata Pata" throughout the song emphasizes the importance and excitement of the dance, urging everyone to join in.
Overall, the lyrics of "Pata Pata" are a celebration of the joy, unity, and happiness that comes with participating in the Pata Pata dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
Everyone stands up and pays attention when the Pata Pata music starts playing
Hay yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
The joyful sound of the music makes people say 'Yeah yeah mama! Yes, let's dance to Pata Pata!'
Pata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
As soon as the Pata Pata rhythm starts, people can't resist the urge to move their bodies to the beat
Helele saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPhata Phata)
The excitement is contagious and everyone around is urged to stand up and dance to the Phata Phata beat
Hayi ke saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPhata Phata)
The people can't resist the Pata Pata urge and start doing the Phata Phata dance and move to the beat
Hayi ke aguquka sathi bheka bo (Nants'iPhata Phata)
The dance rhythm keeps getting faster and the people start to move their entire bodies to follow the beat
Pata Pata is the name of a dance
Pata Pata is the signature dance style that is enjoyed by many people down Johannesburg way
We do down Johannesburg way.
In the city of Johannesburg, everyone knows how to do the Pata Pata dance
Everybody starts to move
As soon as they hear the Pata Pata rhythm, people can't resist the urge to start moving and dancing
As soon as Pata Pata begins to play
The music starts and the joyous dancing immediately follows
Every Fridays and Saturday nights (Iyo Pata Pata)
On Friday and Saturday nights, it is the perfect time to dance and enjoy Pata Pata, the happy dance rhythm
The music keeps going all night long (Iyo Pata Pata)
The Pata Pata beat is so infectious that it keeps playing throughout the night as people enjoy dancing to it
Till the morning sun begins to shine (Nants'iPata Pata)
The sun eventually rises, it's a new day in Johannesburg, and everyone takes a well-earned rest
Saguquka sathi bheka (Nants'iPata Pata)
The Pata Pata rhythm is simply irresistible, and everyone joins in, lively and dancing
IPata Pata yiyo mama yiyo mama (Nants'iPata Pata)
The happy sound of Pata Pata is in the air all around, making everyone sing 'Yes yes mama, let's enjoy and dance to Pata Pata'
Lyrics Β© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Miriam Makeba, Jerry Ragovoy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mfundo Piti
on To Those We Love (Nongqongqo)
At the time the song was composed and released all the people mentioned ((Mangaliso) Sobukhwe, (Albert) Luthuli, (Nelson) Mandela, and (Walter) Sisulu were alive. While the three were in prison at Robben Island, Luthuli was not in prison, hence the question to Luthuli asking what "will you do?". Luthuli was the president of the banned African National Congress (ANC). Sobukhwe the president of Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Mandela and Sisulu occupied executive leadership positions within the ANC at the time of their sentencing to serve life sentences in prison (1964). The same question is asked to all Africans.
Mfundo Piti
on To Those We Love (Nongqongqo)
The lyrics of "To Those We Love" by Miriam Makeba are about the struggles, sacrifices, and resilience of great African leaders who fought for freedom, justice, and equality. The repetitive chorus, "Bahleli bonke entilongweni, Bahleli bonke kwaNongqongqo" refers to how all these leaders, including Sobukwe, Luthuli, Mandela, and Sisulu, are resting in peace or buried in their respective homes. The verses pose questions about their legacy and the continuation of their work, asking "Why, Baba Luthuli? What will you do?" and "What will happen to us, MaAfrica?" These questions are a call to action for listeners to carry on the struggle for freedom and justice.
Junior
on Soweto Blues
The melancholy in her voice
Junior
on Mama
It makes me cry I could not bury my mother cause I was in prison when I ask prison authorities to allow me an opportunity to go and attend the funeral they refused. We always underestimate the role of women
no
on Beware, Verwoerd! (Ndodemnyama)
no
hi! i enjoted. this song. i loved it
Matt Olomu
on Noweva
This is your challenge, South Africans who understand the lyrics of NOWEVER. Do yourselves and Africa a favour. Interpret it.