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.
Don'T Go Lose It Baby
Hugh Masekela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't go lose it, baby
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, babyDon't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it, baby
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
A winner never, ever
Never ever stays behind
A winner comes a quick run far
And a winner don't give up
A winner breaks the record
And a winner stands up tall
Yes, a winner is on the move
And a winner is the mood
Yes, a winner is on a highAnd a winner is on the move
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it, baby
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it baby
A winner and a loser
And a loser and a winner
Let me tell you that's the name of the game
When you lose you booze
And when you booze you lose
And then you wonder why you lose your shoes
I met a girl one day
She was on her way
To make a movie down in L.A
She said: "I never lose"
I said: "You never win"
I bet you never ever heard her name
When every winner's name
Is in the Hall of fame
And you're a winner when you beat the game
And you're a winner when you beat the game
And you're a winner when you beat the game
And you're a winner, and you're a winner, and you're a winner
And you're a winner yeah
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it baby
Baby baby baby
Everybody out here loves a winner
Don't go lose it baby
Baby baby baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Baby baby baby
Don't go
Don't go lose it, baby
Baby baby baby
You're a winner when you beat the game, yeah
The song "Don't Go Lose It Baby" by Hugh Masekela is a motivational piece that encourages listeners to push themselves to be winners and not give up. The song emphasizes that being a winner requires constant effort and hard work, and that losing is not an option. Masekela sings about the love that people have for winners and the importance of staying positive and focused.
The chorus of the song features Masekela's repeated refrain of "Don't go lose it, baby." This refrain serves as a warning to listeners not to give up, to stay the course, and to persevere. It is a call to stay motivated and focused. The lyrics of the song describe the qualities of a winner, stating that a winner breaks records, stands tall, and never gives up.
The verses of the song feature personal anecdotes that highlight the importance of staying motivated and focused. Masekela sings about a girl he met who was on her way to make a movie in L.A. She boasts that she never loses, but Masekela points out that she has never won either. This anecdote serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of overconfidence and the need to stay humble and focused on achieving one's goals.
Overall, "Don't Go Lose It Baby" is a motivational song that encourages listeners to stay focused and never give up. It emphasizes the importance of hard work, perseverance, and staying positive.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody out here loves a winner
Being successful is highly valued in society.
Don't go lose it, baby
Don't squander your success and fall back into failure.
Don't go
Do not move in the direction that leads to failure.
A winner never, ever
A successful person never falls behind.
Never ever stays behind
A successful person never stops moving forward.
A winner comes quick run far
A successful person quickly moves forward and far.
And a winner don't give up
A successful person never gives up on achieving their goals.
A winner breaks the record
A successful person sets a new standard of achievement.
And a winner stands up tall
A successful person exudes confidence, poised and ready.
Yes, a winner is on the move
A successful person is always moving forward.
And a winner is the mood
A successful person stays in the mentality of winning.
Yes, a winner is on a high
A successful person feels great about their achievements.
A winner and a loser
In life, there are successes and failures.
And a loser and a winner
In life, there are also reversals of fortune.
Let me tell you that's the name of the game
That is just how life works.
When you lose you booze
When you fail, you often turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
And when you booze you lose
But using alcohol to cope only leads to more failure.
And then you wonder why you lose your shoes
Then you end up losing even the basic things in life.
I met a girl one day
The singer meets a girl.
She was on her way
She was moving forward in her life.
To make a movie down in L.A
She was pursuing a career in acting.
She said: "I never lose"
She claims to never experience failure.
I said: "You never win"
The singer counters that she is not necessarily successful either.
I bet you never ever heard her name
The girl is not yet a well-known actress.
When every winner's name
Well-known, successful people's names
Is in the Hall of fame
Are recorded for posterity in the Hall of Fame.
And you're a winner when you beat the game
Success is achieved after overcoming obstacles.
And you're a winner yeah
This is the state of being successful.
Baby baby baby
This line is repeated, perhaps to emphasize the message.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AldenRDavis
A classic.. Still loving this in 2023.. anyone else?
@MathieuDamon
This song Is pure dope
@porkdread2950
Badass tune
@AldenRDavis
A classic.. still loving this in the new year 2024.. anyone else?
@petaruric9991
Forever !
greetings form Serbia, ex Yugoslavia !!!
@StanfordtheArtist
Yessir! What tune, still.
@DavidKuver
Absolutely!!! From Barcelona: Donnnnnnnnnnnt goooooooooooo
@richiedavies9931
Just wanna dance - thanks for that and all the other great music Bra Hugh Masakela...RIP
@illwitness
this song reminds me of my beautiful mother, god bless her soul. she would sing this all the time, cooking, cleaning, washing making me lunch, dinner and even in her sleep. she was the greatest mother of all time.......all mums are awesome. man, south african people really are special. rest in peace mum, rest with all those others mums that have gone. we'll see you all again one day, peace all.
@mikehartney1670
When I heard this over 40 years ago, I just thought “Pure Joy!” It is an enduring classic to this day…