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.
In the Market Place
Hugh Masekela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the market like a butterfly
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
Just like the dawn, bringing in the rays for that sunshine in Congo
A flaming torch she lit up the marketplace so brightly
Colors as in a flower garden
And all the shades sparkling in the skies in the rainbows of the Congo
Corn row hair in a million braids
Eyes lit up like the northern star
A smile that leaves a spell when she goes to look into my eyes
She turning me on with fever
As she passes me by
Suddenly I'm walking right beside her, really turning her on
When I tell her I'm going wherever
she'll be going when she leaves the market
Right away I go to carry her bag of vegetables
We walk towards the road that goes down to her village
She locks the door that leads into her hut
The talking drums and the xylophones
All the tom toms and the tumbas they were wailing
We had a night time of ecstasy
And we woke up to the roar of the lion
She had to rise to the market place
To her vegetable stall at the market place
That's where the sun rises
Oooh
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
The song "In the Market Place," by Hugh Masekela, is a story of a man's infatuation with a woman he sees in a market in Congo. The man is struck by her beauty, which he describes as breathtaking as she floats through the market like a butterfly. He marvels at her colorful lappa, shimmering in purples and yellows, and her cornrow hair in a million braids. He is drawn to her smile, which leaves a spell when she looks into his eyes, and he is turned on just by passing her by.
The song takes a sensual turn when the two begin walking together, the man offering to carry the woman's bag of vegetables. They walk towards the road that leads to her village, and when they arrive, she locks the door that leads to her hut. The night is filled with the sound of talking drums and xylophones, tom toms and tumbas, and the two share a night of ecstasy. The song ends with the woman rising early in the morning to head back to the market, and the man reflecting on the day the sun came shining in.
The lyrics of the song are filled with vivid descriptions of the woman and the setting of the market. Masekela's use of colorful imagery evokes a sense of place and time, transporting the listener to the bustling marketplace in Congo. The song is a celebration of love and sensuality, a vivid portrayal of how two people can come together in an unexpected way.
Line by Line Meaning
I see her floating lazily
I notice her moving slowly through the market, carefully observing her surroundings.
Through the market like a butterfly
Her movements through the market are graceful and light, like a butterfly.
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
This day was memorable for the brightness and warmth brought by the sun.
Just like the dawn, bringing in the rays for that sunshine in Congo
Like a sunrise bringing light to the Congo, the day was bright and full of energy.
A flaming torch she lit up the marketplace so brightly
The woman's presence in the market was a bright and captivating sight.
Colors as in a flower garden
The vibrant colors of the woman's clothing are reminiscent of a garden full of blooms.
Gracing her lappa shimmering in purples and yellows
The woman's skirt is adorned with shimmering purple and yellow fabrics, adding to her beauty.
And all the shades sparkling in the skies in the rainbows of the Congo
The colors of the woman's attire seem to reflect the vibrant colors in the sky and rainbows of the Congo.
Corn row hair in a million braids
The woman's hair is expertly styled in countless braids.
Eyes lit up like the northern star
The woman's eyes are bright like a star and captivate the attention of those who look at her.
A smile that leaves a spell when she goes to look into my eyes
The woman's smile is enchanting and captivating.
She turning me on with fever
The woman's presence has a powerful and exciting effect on the artist.
As she passes me by
The woman moves past the singer, leaving them energized and excited.
Suddenly I'm walking right beside her, really turning her on
The singer is suddenly close to the woman, and their presence excites her.
When I tell her I'm going wherever she'll be going when she leaves the market
The singer informs the woman that they will follow her wherever she goes after leaving the market.
Right away I go to carry her bag of vegetables
The artist quickly takes on the task of carrying the woman's bag of vegetables.
We walk towards the road that goes down to her village
The artist and the woman make their way down a road leading to her village.
She locks the door that leads into her hut
Upon arriving at her hut, the woman securely locks the door.
The talking drums and the xylophones
The sounds of talking drums and xylophones fill the air.
All the tom toms and the tumbas they were wailing
The sounds of tom toms and tumbas create an energetic and celebratory atmosphere.
We had a night time of ecstasy
The passion and excitement experienced by the artist and the woman creates a memorable night.
And we woke up to the roar of the lion
The morning is ushered in by the roar of a lion.
She had to rise to the market place
The woman must wake up early to return to the market.
To her vegetable stall at the market place
The woman returns to her stall at the market to sell vegetables.
That's where the sun rises
The market is a place where the energy and excitement of the day can begin.
Oooh
An exclamation conveying emotion and excitement.
I won't forget the day the sun came shining in
The singer will always vividly remember the bright and beautiful day represented in the song.
Writer(s): Hugh Masekela
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.