Hugh Masekela was an old collaborator of Abdullah Ibrahim. He is reported to have been initially inspired in his musical growth by Trevor Huddleston, a British priest working in the South African townships who financed Masekela's first trumpet. Masekela played his way through the vibrant Sophiatown scene with The Jazz Epistles and to Britain with King Kong, to find himself in New York in the early 1960s. He had hits in the United States with the pop jazz tunes "Up, Up and Away" and the number one smash "Grazin' in the Grass".
A renewed interest in his African roots led him to collaborate with West and Central African musicians, and finally to reconnect with South African players when he set up a mobile studio in Botswana, just over the South African border, in the 1980s. Here he re-absorbed and re-used mbaqanga strains, a style he has continued to use since his return to South Africa in the early 1990s.
In the 1980s, he toured with Paul Simon in support of Simon's then controversial, but highly critically acclaimed, album Graceland, which featured other South African artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba, Ray Phiri, and other elements of the band Kalahari, which Masekela recorded with in the 1980s. He also collaborated in the musical development for the Broadway play, Sarafina! He previously recorded with the band Kalahari.
In 2003, he was featured in the documentary film Amandla!, about how the music of South Africa aided in the struggle against apartheid. In 2004, he released his autobiography, Grazin' in The Grass: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela, which thoughtfully details his struggles against apartheid in his homeland, as well as his personal struggles against alcohol addiction from the late 1970s through to the 1990s, a period when he migrated, in his personal recording career, to mbaqanga, jazz/funk, and the blending of South African sounds to an adult contemporary sound through two albums he recorded with Herb Alpert, and notable solo recordings, Techno-Bush (recorded in his studio in Botswana), Tomorrow (featuring the anthem "Bring Him Back Home"), Uptownship (a lush-sounding ode to American R and B), Beatin' Aroun' de Bush, Sixty, Time, and most recently, "Revival".
Essential recordings include:
* "Bring Him Back Home"
* "Coal Train (Stimela)"
* "Ziph'nkomo"
* "Don't Go Lose It Baby"
* "Ha Le Se Li De Khanna (The Dowry Song)"
* "Bajabule Bonka"
* "Grazing in the Grass"
* "U-Dwi"
* "The Joke of Life"
* "The Boy's Doin' It"
His song, "Soweto Blues", sung by his former wife, Miriam Makeba, mourns the carnage of the Soweto riots in 1976.
Hugh Masekela is the father of Sal Masekela, host of American channel E!'s Daily 10 show, along with Debbie Matenopoulos.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Hugh Masekela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough;
Baby if you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter how far;
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry;
You don't have to worry,
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
Remember the day I set you free
I told you you could always count on me
From that day on, I made a vow,
I'll be there when you want me,
Some way, some how.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand,
I'll be there on the double
As fast as I can.
Don't you know that there
Ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
No wind no rain or winters cold can stop me baby,
'Cause you are my goal.
If you're ever in trouble;
I'll be there on the double.
Just send for me, oh baby.
If you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter how far;
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry;
You don't have to worry,
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
The song "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Hugh Masekela is an anthem of unconditional love and assurance. The lyrics revolve around the central theme that nothing can ever come between two people who love each other. The opening lines "Listen baby, ain't no mountain high, Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough" portrays the confidence of the singer that no challenge, be it distance or obstacles, can prevent them from reaching the one they love.
The singer promises to always be there for their loved one and assures them they can rely on them in good times and bad times. The line, "My love is alive, Way down in my heart, Although we are miles apart," emphasizes the depth of the singer's love and their belief that distance doesn't diminish it. The song promises to be with their loved one always since they made a vow to be there when they are needed, no matter the distance or the struggle.
Overall, the song captures the essence of true love, which is unconditional and unbreakable, and the willingness to go to any extent to be with the one you love.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen baby, ain't no mountain high,
There is no obstacle, no matter how daunting, that can prevent me from reaching you.
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough;
There is no stretch of land or water that can hinder my journey to you.
Baby if you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter your location, I am always available to assist you when you call me.
No matter how far;
Regardless of the distance between us, I will always be here for you.
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry;
You have to do is mention my name, and I'll be with you as quickly as I can.
You don't have to worry,
You can trust me and have faith in me, knowing that I will always be here for you.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Once again, I assure you that no obstacle is too difficult to overcome and prevent me from being with you.
Ain't no valley low enough,
No valley is too low for me to reach you.
Ain't no river wide enough
No river is too wide to cross when it comes to getting to you.
To keep me from getting to you babe.
I will do everything to make sure nothing stops me from reaching you, my love.
Remember the day I set you free
I remember the day I let you go from my arms.
I told you you could always count on me
I reminded you that no matter what, you could always rely on me.
From that day on, I made a vow,
I promised you that I will always be there for you, starting from that day forward.
I'll be there when you want me,
Whenever you call me, I will come running to you whenever you need me.
Some way, some how.
No matter the situation, I will find a way to get to you and support you any way I can.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Just like I had promised earlier, I will overcome any hurdle, including mountains, to reach you.
My love is alive
My love for you is eternally present and always available for you.
Way down in my heart
My love for you is rooted deep within me, and nothing can change that.
Although we are miles apart
Despite the great distance between us, my love for you does not diminish.
If you ever need a helping hand,
Whenever you need me, I will be there for you to support you in any way I can.
I'll be there on the double
I will always be prompt, making sure I come through for you as fast as possible.
As fast as I can.
I will hurry to be with you whenever you need me the most.
Don't you know that there
I want you to remember that.
No wind, no rain or winters cold can stop me baby,
I will brave through any conditions, including harsh weather, to be with you.
'Cause you are my goal.
My ultimate aim is to be with you, and I will do anything to achieve that.
If you're ever in trouble;
Whenever you find yourself in trouble, do not hesitate to call me.
I'll be there on the double.
I will move swiftly and promptly to help you out.
Just send for me, oh baby.
All you need to do is let me know that you need me, and I will be there by your side.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind