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.
I Will
Hugh Masekela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime?
If you want me to, I will
I will
For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
I will always feel the same
Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear me to you
Ah, you know I will
I will
Do do do do do do do do do
Do do do
The song "I Will" by Hugh Masekela is a powerful expression of love, sacrifice, and commitment. The lyrics convey the sentiment that true love lasts a lifetime, and the singer is willing to wait and endure any hardship to be with the person they love. The first stanza says, "Who knows that I have loved you, will know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will." These lines show that the singer's love is unwavering and unconditional. No matter how long it takes, the singer will remain faithful and wait for their love to be returned.
The second verse speaks of a chance encounter where the singer saw their loved one but didn't catch their name. However, this doesn't matter because the feelings of love are so strong that the singer will always feel the same. The chorus repeats the singer's promise of enduring love: "Love you forever and forever, love you with all my heart, love you whenever we're together, love you when we're apart."
The final verse is a hopeful one, imagining the moment when the singer finally finds their loved one. The image of the loved one's song filling the air, loud enough to be heard, signifies the joy and relief of finally being reunited. The lines "Make it easy to be near you, for the things you do endear me to you. Ah, you know I will. I will" express the idea that the singer's love is not only unshakeable, but it is also grounded in the way the loved one has enchanted them.
Overall, "I Will" is a tribute to enduring, unshakeable love that lasts a lifetime. The song conveys the message that even when apart, love can remain an unbreakable bond. The music is upbeat and almost joyful, underscoring the song's hopeful message of everlasting love.
Line by Line Meaning
Who knows that I have loved you
If someone knew that I have loved you before, then they will know that I still love you now
Will know I love you still
Someone who has knowledge of my past love for you will understand that my love for you still exists now
Will I wait a lonely lifetime?
Am I willing to spend my remaining life alone, waiting for you?
If you want me to, I will
If you want me to wait a lonely lifetime, I will do it for you
I will
I will do anything for you, even if it means waiting forever
For if I ever saw you
If there was ever a time that I saw you before
I didn't catch your name
I didn't get to know your name that time
But it never really matters
However, it doesn't matter much
I will always feel the same
Because, I will always have the same feelings for you
Love you forever and forever
My love for you will last forever and beyond
Love you with all my heart
I love you with all the passion in me
Love you whenever we're together
My love for you will never be eluded by the passing time, and I will love you whenever we are together
Love you when we're apart
And my love for you doesn't diminish when we are apart from each other either
And when at last I find you
And when finally I meet you again
Your song will fill the air
The moment would feel like a musical because your voice will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Sing it in such a loud voice so that I can hear you properly
Make it easy to be near you
Your singing makes it easy for me to get close to you
For the things you do endear me to you
Because your actions attract me more towards you
Ah, you know I will
You know I will always have love for you
I will
I will forever cherish my love for you
Do do do do do do do do do
This line is a nonsensical phrase that doesn't have a direct meaning by itself but rather emphasis the song's melody
Contributed by Mason B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daisy Wong
Thank youuuu for uploading this version! Brought back wonderful memories from the 70’s growing up in Bandung 💕
Sandra Islas
This man is great, brings back a lot of memories.
C Darling
Thank you, this song I love how he sings it the African way, the right way!!!
Ngina Fayola
Praise God for this man. We will love you forevah and forevah...😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😭
rosadi affandi
Emut keur ngora, jaman pesta dangsa ... nineung ayeuna tos 69 thn yeuh ... Alhamdulilah mendak deui lagu ieu. Hatur nuhun
Bee Mw
Been so long looking for this song, but not by the beatles!!
Aan Stones
Wooow
icha aisyah
Why it is not available? Can u repost?