Dorothy Masuka (3 September 1935 - 23 February 2019) was a South African ja… Read Full Bio ↴Dorothy Masuka (3 September 1935 - 23 February 2019) was a South African jazz singer.

She was born in Bulawayo, (Southern Rhodesia, nowadays Zimbabwe), the fourth of seven children, and her mother was Zulu while her father was a Zambian hotel chef. Still, she attended a Catholic school deemed good by the standards of education allowed blacks. Her family moved to South Africa when she was 12 due to her health. By the time she was 19 she was touring in South Africa with singers she had admired as a girl.

Masuka's music was popular in South Africa throughout the 1950s, but when her songs became more serious, the government began questioning her. Her song "Dr. Malan," mentioning difficult laws, was banned and in 1961 she sang a song for Patrice Lumumba, which led to her exile. This exile lasted 31 years in total during which she lived in Zambia and worked as a flight attendant. She returned to Zimbabwe in 1980 after independence. Many of her songs are in the Ndebele language or Sindebele languages.

In August 2011, Dorothy Masuka and Mfundi Vundla, creator of the popular South African soap opera Generations, confirmed plans to make a film of Masuka's life. The film would concentrate on the years 1952 to 1957.

On 27 April 2017 she featured in the concert "The Jazz Epistles featuring Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya" at The Town Hall, New York City, opening the show and delivering "one passionate performance after another, warming up and winning over the crowd".

Baya Goli
Dorothy Masuka Lyrics

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Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)

Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Ey mama (Abafana)
Yebo mama (Bay'eGoli)
Yebo mama (Babuyele)
(Behlupheka)

Ey mama (Abafana)
Yebo mama (Abafana)
Yebo mama (Abafana)
(Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Abafana)
Babuyele (Abafana)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Abafana)
Babuyele (Abafana)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Ey mama (Abafana)
Yebo mama (Bay'eGoli)
Yebo mama (Babuyele)
(Behlupheka)

Ey mama (Abafana)
Yebo mama (Bay'eGoli)
Yebo mama (Babuyele)
Yebo mama (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Abafana)
Babuyele (Abafana)
(Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Abafana)
Babuyele (Abafana)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Ey mama (Abafana)
Yebo mama (Bay'eGoli)
Yebo mama (Babuyele)
(Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Bay'eGoli (Bay'eGoli)
Babuyele (Babuyele)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Abafana (Abafana)
Abafana (Abafana)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Abafana (Abafana)
Abafana (Abafana)

Abafana (Abafana)
Behlupheka (Behlupheka)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dorothy Masuka's song "Baya Goli" discuss a group of men or boys, referred to as "abafana." They are going to Johannesburg, known as "Goli," and are returning home, or "babuyele." The repetition of "behlupheka" suggests they may be leaving their homes due to economic hardship or other difficulties. The lyrics also include the refrain "Ey mama" and "Yebo mama" which can be interpreted as a call and response between the singers and their mothers, as the mothers express concern and the boys reassure them of their return.

The lyrics are an example of the migrant labor system in South Africa, where rural men would go to work in cities and mining areas and then return home. The journey to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, was a common destination for migrant workers hoping to find employment. The fears and worries of the mothers left behind are highlighted in the lyrics, adding a layer of emotional depth to the song's meaning.

Overall, the lyrics capture the life of migrant workers and their families, shedding light on the economic conditions and social structures of South Africa during the early half of the 20th century. Through the repetition of certain phrases and the use of traditional call and response, the lyrics create a sense of a shared experience that resonates across generations.

Line by Line Meaning

Abafana
Young men

Bay'eGoli
Are going to Johannesburg

Babuyele
They have returned

Behlupheka
They are in trouble

Ey mama
Oh mother

Yebo mama
Yes mother

Abafana
Young men

Bay'eGoli
Are going to Johannesburg

Babuyele
They have returned

Behlupheka
They are in trouble

Abafana
Young men