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.
Been Such a Long Time Gone
Hugh Masekela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I often try to remember how it was
My memory draws faded pictures
Although in my dreams I see myself
Walking through the market place, in a tiny Moroccan town
Waiting for the caravan, to take me across - the mighty Sahara.
The Desert sand is blazing hot
The nearest oasis is 1000 miles away
We've got 10 days to go to reach the Nile
Sailing down the river Nile
To be in valleys green with dates and olives on the banks
Tanzania's lakes are sparkling ahead
Flowing through Uganda straight into Malawi
Where the beat of Mozambique flows
Where the beat of Mozambique flows into
Zambezi, Zambezi, Zambezi, Zambezi.
Here I cross the river Limpopo
White soldier standing in the road
Suddenly they open fire and then POP
Goes my dream
Been such a long time gone
I've got to cross over.
Been such a long time gone
I've got to cross over.
Been such a long time gone
I've got to cross over.
Been such a long time gone
I've got to cross over.
The song “Been Such a Long Time Gone” by Hugh Masekela speaks to the artist trying to recall his past experiences and dreams. The singer is remembering the time he spent waiting in a Moroccan marketplace for a caravan to take him across the Sahara. The imagery of faded pictures drawn by his memory implies that the events were so long ago that he has difficulty recalling them with clarity. However, despite the inability to recall the details, the singer still sees himself walking through the market as if it were yesterday.
Next, there is a shift in the lyrics where the artist talks about sailing down the river Nile, moving towards lush valleys where dates and olives grow on the banks. The narrative moves on to Tanzania's lakes and the country's sparkling bodies of water. As the song progresses, we find ourselves moving on from one location to another, with Uganda flowing straight into Malawi and then leading into Mozambique. Finally, we come upon the Limpopo river, where our speaker's dream is suddenly interrupted by a white soldier standing in the way. Without warning or reason, the soldier fires, shattering the dream and jarring the singer back to reality.
In conclusion, the song “Been Such a Long Time Gone” is a thoughtful reflection upon the past and experiences, how sometimes memories fade with time, and the importance of being present in the moment to actively create our dreams. The song is written in a way that seamlessly blends the idea of reminiscence with thwarted dreams, and it speaks to anyone who may have unfulfilled aspirations or lingering nostalgia for times past.
Line by Line Meaning
Been such a long time gone
It has been a long time since I was in Africa.
I often try to remember how it was
I frequently think back to my memories of Africa.
My memory draws faded pictures
But my recollection of those times is blurry and unclear.
Although in my dreams I see myself
My subconscious mind still envisions me in that place.
Walking through the market place, in a tiny Moroccan town
Meandering around the bazaar of a small Moroccan village.
Waiting for the caravan, to take me across - the mighty Sahara.
Waiting for the caravan that will transport me across the vast expanse of the Sahara.
The Desert sand is blazing hot
The desert sun scorches the sand beneath my feet.
There's a sandstorm coming our way
An impending sandstorm is visible on the horizon.
The nearest oasis is 1000 miles away
The closest watering hole is more than 1,000 miles away.
We've got 10 days to go to reach the Nile
We have a journey of ten days before we reach the Nile River.
Sailing down the river Nile
Cruising on a boat in the Nile River.
To be in valleys green with dates and olives on the banks
Enjoying the lush valleys lined with date and olive trees along the river.
Tanzania's lakes are sparkling ahead
Ahead, Tanzania's glistening lakes beckon.
Flowing through Uganda straight into Malawi
The river flows through Uganda and empties into Lake Malawi.
Where the beat of Mozambique flows
Where the rhythm of Mozambique is heard.
Where the beat of Mozambique flows into
The rhythm of Mozambique continue to reverberate as the river flows into
Zambezi, Zambezi, Zambezi, Zambezi.
Zambezi River, Zambezi River, Zambezi River, Zambezi River.
Here I cross the river Limpopo
Now, I cross the Limpopo River.
White soldier standing in the road
I come across a white soldier blocking my path.
Suddenly they open fire and then POP
Without warning, they begin shooting and then a gunshot goes off.
Goes my dream
My dream is shattered.
I've got to cross over.
I have to move on from this memory of Africa.
Been such a long time gone
It's been a while since I last traveled to Africa.
I've got to cross over.
I must let go of the past and move forward.
Been such a long time gone
It's been ages since I've been to Africa.
I've got to cross over.
I must leave behind my memories and face new experiences.
Been such a long time gone
It's been so long since I've seen Africa.
I've got to cross over.
I must take the leap to a new chapter in my life.
Been such a long time gone
It's been too long since my last visit to Africa.
I've got to cross over.
I must let go of the past and explore new horizons.
Writer(s): HUGH MASEKELA
Contributed by Eli P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.