Already in his youth, Johnny Clegg, a white, English-speaking person with what he called a "secular Jewish" upbringing in the UK, Israel, Rhodesia, Zambia, and South Africa, became interested in Zulu street music and took part in traditional Zulu dance competitions.
As a young man, in the early stages of his musical career, he combined his music with the study of anthropology, a subject which he also taught for a while at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he was influenced, among others, by the work of David Webster, a social anthropologist who was assassinated in 1989.
Clegg formed the first inter-racial South African band, Juluka, with gardener and Zulu street musician Sipho Mchunu. Because it was illegal for inter-racial bands to perform in South Africa during apartheid, their first album Universal Men received no air play, but it became a word-of-mouth hit.
Juluka's / Clegg's music was both implicitly and explicitly political: not only was the fact of the success of the band (which openly celebrated African culture in a non-racial band) a thorn in the flesh of a political system based on racial separation; the band also produced some explicitly political songs. For example, the album "Work for all" (which includes a song with the same title) picked up on South African trade union slogans in the mid-80's. Even more explicit was the (later) Savuka album "Third World Child" in 1987, with songs like "Asimbonanga", which called for the release of Nelson Mandela, and which called out the names of three representative martyrs of the South African liberation struggle: Steve Biko, Victoria Mxenge, and Neil Aggett.
The following albums "Shadow Man" (which sold 250 000 copies within a week after it's release went on to sell more than 1 000 000 copies in France alone)[1], and "Cruel Crazy, Beautiful World" were dealing with more romantic topics, including "Cruel Crazy Beautiful World", where a father gives a message to his son, "Dela" where the very essence of love is explored, and more politically focused songs, such as "Warsaw 1943" and "One (Hu)'man one vote" which go back to political messages. The blend of topics is somehow confusing at first but gives an idea of the creative process underlying it, while the music and lyrics retain all the talent of the singer and his band. "Third World Child" and "Shadow Man" occupied 1st and 2nd position respectively in France and became the most successful foreign band in France and "Shadow Man" topped the charts in Montreaux, Canada.[2] During the prime of the band in 1988 Michael Jackson had to cancel his show as he attracted fewer audience as compared to Johnny Clegg and Savuka.[3] Their last album "Heat Dust and Dream" was nominated for a Grammy Award for best album in the category of World Music.[4]
Juluka were able to tour in Europe, and had two platinum and five gold albums, becoming an international success. Juluka was disbanded in 1986, when Mchunu was asked by his father to return home and herd the family goats, although Mchunu made some solo recordings afterwards. Clegg went on to form his second inter-racial band, Savuka, continuing to blend African music with European, especially Celtic, influences.
Briefly reunited with Mchunu in the mid-90's, Clegg reformed Juluka and toured throughout the world as the opening act for King Sunny Ade, as well as headliner performances.
The name Juluka is based on the Zulu word for "sweat", and Savuka is based on the Zulu word for "we have risen" or "we have awakened".
Clegg and his band often make an international tour during May-August (South African winter). However, the tours are usually limited to France and surrounding countries. In June 2004, the Johnny Clegg Band toured North America for the first time in over eight years, doing 22 concerts in one month. Even though they had no albums for sale in North America during those eight years, and no significant media coverage, they filled most of their venues. At the close of the final concert at the Keswick Theater in Philadelphia, Clegg stated that he was amazed at the reception they had gotten, and promised to return the following year with a full band. He then thanked his Internet fans for their support.
The band returned to North America in July 2005, with dates booked throughout the U.S. and Canada. Clegg's new album One Life was remixed at Real World Studios in Bath, England, and released on October 30th, 2006 in the UK.
In 2004 he was voted 23rd in the SABC3's Great South Africans.
Mad Dog
Johnny Clegg & Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!
She loves the mad dog in my heart
She doesn't love me
She loves to see it chase its tail
When she touches me
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!
Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!
Mad dog howls when she goes away
What are you doing to that poor dog I hear the neighbours say
I have to wait for her to calm him down
'Cause when I say "Mad dog, down!" he just growls
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!
Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!
I don't want a mad dog in my heart I want to be free
'Cause she loves the mad dog in my heart she doesn't love me
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
She loves to tease it
She loves to make it bark
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
The song "Mad Dog" by Johnny Clegg & Juluka is a metaphorical depiction of a tumultuous romantic relationship. The singer is likened to a "mad dog," who is wild and uncontrollable when it comes to his love for his partner. The woman he loves doesn't reciprocate his feelings but instead takes pleasure in teasing and manipulating him. She enjoys seeing the "mad dog" in his heart chase its tail and bark, and she keeps it chained up inside his heart, leaving him powerless.
The chorus "Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!" is a command to the singer to control his emotions and to hold back his uncontrollable love for the woman. The chorus acts as a reminder that he needs to put his feelings in check, and that he is not at the mercy of his emotions. The line "I don't want a mad dog in my heart, I want to be free" is representative of the singer's realization that he wants to be his own person and not a slave to his emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Down! Down! Down! Mad dog! Down!
The singer is commanding their inner 'mad dog' to calm down.
She loves the mad dog in my heart
The singer's love interest enjoys the intensity and passion they feel for her.
She doesn't love me
Despite the singer's feelings for her, their love interest does not reciprocate those feelings.
She loves to see it chase its tail When she touches me
The artist's love interest enjoys the idea of the artist constantly desiring her attention and affection.
She loves to tease it
The artist's love interest enjoys leading on the artist's intense and passionate feelings.
She loves to make it bark
The singer's love interest enjoys provoking the singer's inner 'mad dog' to react.
She loves to keep it chained up inside my heart
Despite the singer's love interest enjoying the intensity of their feelings, they do not want the singer to act on those feelings.
Mad dog howls when she goes away
The artist's intense feelings for their love interest intensify when they are not around.
What are you doing to that poor dog I hear the neighbours say
The artist's neighbors question the intensity of the artist's emotions and why they continue to pursue their love interest despite the lack of reciprocation.
I have to wait for her to calm him down 'Cause when I say 'Mad dog, down!' he just growls
The artist can only suppress their inner 'mad dog' when their love interest calms them down, as when they try to calm it themselves, it only intensifies.
I don't want a mad dog in my heart I want to be free
The singer no longer wants to be consumed by their intense feelings for their love interest.
'Cause she loves the mad dog in my heart she doesn't love me
Despite the artist's intense feelings for their love interest, they understand that those feelings are not reciprocated and the love interest only enjoys the intensity of those feelings.
Lyrics © RHYTHM SAFARI PTY LTD, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JONATHAN PAUL CLEGG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mthokozisimazibuko2969
GREAT SONG
@nobbyclark1346
This song is amazing. Way worthy of just one comment. Johnny - MAD DOG ....
@patriknilsson2466
Bought this Lp in -82, crappy pressing, A-side all fcuked up... Ty, for uploading, brother!
(Swedish musicfreak)