Formerly self-exiled from South Africa in the 1960s, Caiphus Semenya has bu… Read Full Bio ↴Formerly self-exiled from South Africa in the 1960s, Caiphus Semenya has built a solid reputation as a musical director and composer, working with his wife, vocalist Letta Mbulu, as well as with a variety of other exiled and semi-exiled African artists, such as Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba. Moving to Los Angeles, Semenya found himself working with and composing for a broad range of jazz and pop artists, including Lou Rawls, Nina Simone and Cannonball Adderley, his facility with both jazz and African forms serving him well.

Semenya's Los Angeles stay also yielded an ongoing collaboration with Quincy Jones, resulting in Semenya providing African compositions for the scores to Roots (both parts) and Steven Spielberg's adaptation of The Color Purple. He later worked on the score to Disney's The Lion King. After his return to South Africa in 1990, he composed scores for Molo Fish, Vicious Circle and Gaba Mootho, three series broadcast by the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation. He continues to work in America, Europe and Africa in a variety of capacities, including with Letta Mbulu as Caiphus & Letta. He is an executive producer for Quincy Jones' Qradio website, for which he also writes a regular column.

Mdali Wethu
Caiphus Semenya Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nkosi... Mdali wethu
Yiba nathi u lethu kuzi
Nazi izitha zethu zisimele, zisimele ngenyawo
Uyazi bawo thinasilwinamtu, nomakunjalo syabulawa
Emakhaya, nezi timeleni igazi lethu liya phalala
Mdali wethu, siphamandla sikwazuku zi vikela
Siph inhliziyo zengo nyama...
Singa bulawi o kwe zimvu

Singa bulawi nje nge zimvu
Silandela izwi lakho unceda a bazi ncedayo
Siph inhiziyo zengonyama singa bulawi okwe zimvu
Singa bulawi nje nge zimvu
Hallelujah Ameni ahaha
Nkosi sivul a mehlo si thandane si hlangane
Si fundise ukuthi singazi hlula zoki zitha zethu

Amen (aaahman aman aman)2
End.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Caiphus Semenya's song Mdali Wethu are a reflection on the power of faith and the importance of unity in the face of adversity. The song begins with the singer acknowledging God as the ultimate authority, imploring Him to be with them as they face the challenges of life. The next lines refer to the various obstacles that they encounter in their lives and how they must remain vigilant and steadfast in their efforts to overcome them. The singer acknowledges that they are not alone in their struggles, as many others are also struggling to survive in a difficult world. The line "u lethu kuzi" speaks to the idea that they are not just individuals, but part of a larger group that needs to work together in order to succeed.

The song goes on to describe the difficulties that they face, both at home and abroad. The line "nomakunjalo syabulawa" speaks to the violence that often accompanies poverty and despair, while "igazi lethu liya phalala" refers to the blood that is shed in the struggle for survival. Despite the harsh reality of their lives, the singer maintains a sense of hope and optimism, declaring that they are strong and capable of withstanding any challenge. The line "siphamandla sikwazuku zi vikela" speaks to their inner strength, while "siph inhliziyo zengo nyama" refers to their resilience and determination.

Overall, the lyrics to Mdali Wethu are a powerful expression of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It is a call to unity, faith and strength in the face of the many challenges that life presents.

Line by Line Meaning

Nkosi... Mdali wethu
God... Our Creator

Yiba nathi u lethu kuzi
Be with us, ours to command

Nazi izitha zethu zisimele, zisimele ngenyawo
We know our enemies are lurking, waiting to attack us

Uyazi bawo thinasilwinamtu, nomakunjalo syabulawa
Father, we are struggling as people, and we are being killed for it

Emakhaya, nezi timeleni igazi lethu liya phalala
In our homes and on the streets, our blood is being spilled

Mdali wethu, siphamandla sikwazuku zi vikela
Our Creator, give us the strength to protect ourselves

Siph inhliziyo zengo nyama...
Our hearts are like those of beasts...

Singa bulawi o kwe zimvu
We are not afraid of those who roar like lions

Singa bulawi nje nge zimvu
We will not be defeated by those who are weak

Silandela izwi lakho unceda a bazi ncedayo
We follow your word, help us to understand it

Siph inhiziyo zengonyama singa bulawi okwe zimvu
Our hearts are like those of lions, we will not be defeated by the weak