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".

Usemncane
Dorothy Masuka Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mncane lomntwana
Mncane lomntwana
Mncane lomntwana
Hhey wena uzobotshwa

Mncane lomntwana
Mncane lomntwana
Mncane lomntwana

Hhey wena uzobotshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzomephula)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzomephula)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzomephula)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzomephula)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzobotshwa

Mncane lomntwana
Mncane lomntwana
Mncane lomntwana
Hhey wena uzobotshwa

Mncane mncane mncane
Mncane mncane mncane
Mncane mncane mncane
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzomephula)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzomephula)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzomephula)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzomephula)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane))
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Mncane lomntwana (Ungam'bambi)
Mncane lomntwana (Uzomephula)
Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane))
Hhey wena uzoboshwa

Ungambambi
Uzemephula

Usemncane
Uzoboshwa

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dorothy Masuka's song "Usemncane" talk about a young child, referred to as "Mncane lomntwana," who is being warned about the consequences of misbehaving. The phrase "Mncane mncane mncane" is repeated throughout the song and translates to "small small small," emphasizing the child's young age and vulnerability. The lyrics warn the child that if they misbehave, they will be punished or "uzoboshwa." The lyrics also list three potential reasons for the child to be punished: "Ungam'bambi" (if the child is disobedient), "Uzomephula" (if they make a mess or cause trouble), or simply for being "usemncane" (young and maybe not knowing any better).

Overall, the lyrics convey the message that the child should behave and be mindful of their actions to avoid getting into trouble. The repetition of the phrases "Mncane lomntwana" and "Mncane mncane mncane" create a sense of urgency and repetition, emphasizing the importance of the message being conveyed.

Line by Line Meaning

Mncane lomntwana
This child is small and young

Hhey wena uzobotshwa
Hey you, you're going to be in trouble

Mncane mncane mncane (Ungam'bambi)
Small, small, small, don't be foolish

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzomephula)
Small, small, small, don't be arrogant

Mncane mncane mncane (Usemncane)
Small, small, small, you're still a child

Hhey wena uzoboshwa
Hey you, you're going to get a beating

Mncane lomntwana (Ungam'bambi)
This small child, don't be foolish

Mncane lomntwana (Uzomephula)
This small child, don't be arrogant

Mncane lomntwana (Usemncane)
This small child, you're still young

Mncane mncane mncane (Uzoboshwa)
Small, small, small, you'll get punished

Mncane lomntwana (Uzoboshwa)
This small child, you'll be punished