Though seasons would eventually separate these blood brothers by miles, a strong bond remained. These two were rooted in the same soil, and the sound of that union resounded across state lines and through telephone wires. It was in 2005 that ELANI was born, a Greek word or name that means 'light'. Many contributed to the sound and direction that was 'ELANI' over the next 5 years, and the music was positively shaped and formed by these experiences and collaborations between these friends and fellow creatives.
There has never been one genre to pin to what the Brothers Miller have accomplished over these last six years, but it could be said that the songs spin a tale, weaving a story full of depth and discovery, soul, Spirit, and the scent of the seasons. Like many who have come before, The brothers Miller were born with the breathe of the centuries, and the rhythm of life itself. Every sound comes from the overflow of that reality.
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Hapo Zamani
ELANI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miaka kumi na sita kidato cha Kwanza
Pokea salaam siku mpya
Insider za Kwanza zasifiwa boma
N'kaipokea tetesi
Moja shuleni wikendi
Barua uliyoituma nimeshasoma na
Sijaweza kupumua
Sijaweza kupumua.
Hapo zamani kajua ningekuoa
Hapo zamani ukiambiwa
Unapendwa.waamini
Ukipendwa una imani.
Nilikuwaza sana michana kutwa
Wewe sukuma mimi ugali wishwa
Na tulipendana kinyama
N'kaipokea tetesi kuna mwengine
Akula mishikaki aishi kifahari
Mi sikuweza kupumua
Moyo wangu ukavunjika
Sikuweza kupumua.
Sikujua miaka kumi na sita siyo miaka
Ya kuelewa dunia
Sikujua miaka kumi na sita
Siyo miaka ya kuelewa mahaba.
Moyo... moyo.
The lyrics of ELANI's song Hapo Zamani are nostalgic and bittersweet. The song takes the listener through the memories of the singer's teenage years, the innocence and the ignorance that were part and parcel of being a sixteen-year-old in Kenya. The singer remembers the first day of high school, receiving compliments from their peers, and the excitement of being young and free. However, the song takes an unexpected turn as the singer reminisces about a lost love, someone who they once thought they would marry. They received news that their lover was with someone else, and this led to a broken heart.
The lyrics are reflective of different aspects of adolescence, including navigating new experiences, peer acceptance, and discovering love. All these leave an indelible mark on a young person's heart and mind. The lyrics capture the pain that comes with losing a first love and the realization that life moves on, and the naive optimism of youth fades away.
Line by Line Meaning
Rauka jamaa kumekucha
Wake up brother, dawn has broken
Miaka kumi na sita kidato cha Kwanza
16 years old in first year of high school
Pokea salaam siku mpya
Receive greetings on this new day
Insider za Kwanza zasifiwa boma
Firsthand experiences praised in the neighborhood
N'kaipokea tetesi
I received rumors
Moja shuleni wikendi
One from school on the weekend
Barua uliyoituma nimeshasoma na
I have already read the letter you sent
Sijaweza kupumua
I couldn't breathe
Moyo wangu waridhika
My heart was content
Sijaweza kupumua.
I couldn't breathe
Hapo zamani kajua ningekuoa
Back then you knew I would marry you
Hapo zamani ukiambiwa
Back then you were told
Unapendwa.waamini
You're loved. Believe it
Ukipendwa una imani.
If you're loved, you have faith
Nilikuwaza sana michana kutwa
I thought of you day and night
Wewe sukuma mimi ugali wishwa
You make me cook ugali late at night
Na tulipendana kinyama
And we loved each other lustfully
N'kaipokea tetesi kuna mwengine
I received rumors of someone else
Akula mishikaki aishi kifahari
Eating skewers, living luxuriously
Mi sikuweza kupumua
I couldn't breathe
Moyo wangu ukavunjika
My heart was broken
Sikuweza kupumua.
I couldn't breathe
Sikujua miaka kumi na sita siyo miaka
Ya kuelewa dunia
I didn't know 16 years old wasn't the age to understand the world
Sikujua miaka kumi na sita
Siyo miaka ya kuelewa mahaba.
I didn't know 16 years old wasn't the age to understand love
Moyo... moyo.
Heart... heart.
Writer(s): Bryan Chweya, Maureen Kunga, Wanyoike Kimani
Contributed by Lincoln S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@delvinkimani2526
2023 still a vibe these guys made timeless music
@mutosanrc1933
Just not the ones who made the music. The song was written for Miriam Makeba and this version isnt even good. There is not feel in it, misses the groove
@miky5941
They fell off
@siralexogega6073
Elani to the world
@alexnjakai4653
This song is meant for future and future generations
@kimpeter5755
We don't look for old songs, We look for the memories they carry
@brianthomasM
YESS BROHHH
@felixjeremy
Sublime yes
@rimun5235
The lyrics are just fantastic. I like how the first verse sets it up. The excitement and naivete of being 16, the belief in a fantasy and the excitement of your heart beating for believing in fiction.
Then the second verse is the reality, the inability to breathe from your heart breaking and the maturity that comes with age. That "when you're 16, you are not aware you don't know the world."Β
@mollygitonga5431
N