Impi
Juluka/Savuka/Johnny Clegg Lyrics
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Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
All along the river
Chelmsford's army lay asleep
Come to crush the Children of Mageba
Come to exact the Realm's price for peace
And in the morning as they saddled up to ride
Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel
The General told them of the task that lay ahead
To bring the People of the Sky to heel
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Mud and sweat on polished leather
Warm rain seeping to the bone
They rode through the season's wet weather
Straining for a glimpse of the foe
Hopeless battalion destined to die
Broken by the Benders of Kings
Vainglorious General, Victorian pride
Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
They came to the side of the mountain
Scouts rode out to spy the land
Even as the Realm's soldiers lay resting
Mageba's forces were soon at hand
And by the evening the vultures were wheeling
Above the ruins where the fallen lay
An ancient song as old as the ashes
Echoed as Mageba's warriors marched away
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
The song "Impi" by Juluka/Savuka/Johnny Clegg tells the story of the Zulu Kingdom's battle against the British Army in 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War. The lyrics convey the impending arrival of the Zulu army, with the repeated question "Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza, obani bengathinta amabhubesi?" meaning "Warrior! Where is the army coming from, who will challenge the lions?" The song also mentions General Chelmsford's army laying in wait, preparing to crush the Children of Mageba (the Zulu warriors), and the Zulu army's eventual victory over the British forces. The lyrics describe the harsh conditions of the battlefield, with mud and sweat on polished leather and warm rain seeping to the bone.
Line by Line Meaning
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Warriors! Here they come!
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Who amongst us will challenge the lions?
All along the river
Chelmsford's army was spread alongside the river
Chelmsford's army lay asleep
Chelmsford's army was resting
Come to crush the Children of Mageba
The British army came to suppress the Zulu nation under Mageba
Come to exact the Realm's price for peace
They came to quell the threat of unrest that the Zulus posed to British rule
And in the morning as they saddled up to ride
The British army readied themselves for battle at dawn
Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel
Their eyes reflected their determination and readiness for combat
The General told them of the task that lay ahead
The General briefed his men on the mission at hand
To bring the People of the Sky to heel
To defeat the Zulus and assert British dominance over them
Mud and sweat on polished leather
Despite their uniform being polished, it was covered in mud and sweat
Warm rain seeping to the bone
The rain had soaked them to the core, making them cold and uncomfortable
They rode through the season's wet weather
The British soldiers marched on through the rainy season
Straining for a glimpse of the foe
The soldiers searched eagerly for sight of the enemy
Hopeless battalion destined to die
The decisions made for this battalion by their superiors would result in their inevitable death
Broken by the Benders of Kings
The Zulu warriors broke the British battalion
Vainglorious General, Victorian pride
The General's excessive pride in British imperialism and superiority caused him to make poor decisions
Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives
His actions led to the death of himself and eight hundred men
They came to the side of the mountain
The British army arrived at the foot of a mountain
Scouts rode out to spy the land
Scouts were sent to reconnoiter the area
Even as the Realm's soldiers lay resting
The British soldiers were resting at the base of the mountain
Mageba's forces were soon at hand
The Zulu warriors were quickly approaching
And by the evening the vultures were wheeling
By nightfall vultures circled the site where the battle had taken place
Above the ruins where the fallen lay
The vultures circled over the remains of the defeated British soldiers
An ancient song as old as the ashes
A song that had been around since the beginning of warfare, sang over the defeated soldiers
Echoed as Mageba's warriors marched away
The victorious Zulu warriors sang this song as they left the site of the battle
Lyrics © RHYTHM SAFARI PTY LTD, O/B/O CAPASSO
Written by: Jonathan Paul Clegg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amyellis8335
Chorus:
Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
All along the river chelmsford's army lay asleep
Come to crush the children of mageba
Come to exact the realm's price for peace
And in the morning as they saddled up to ride
Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel
The general told them of the task that lay ahead
To bring the people of the sky to heel
Chorus
Mud and sweat on polished leather
Warm rain seeping to the bone
They rode through the season's wet weather
Straining for a glimpse of the foe
Hopeless battalion destined to die
Broken by the benders of kings
Vainglorious general and victorian pride
Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives
Chorus
They came to the side of the mountain
Scouts rode out to spy the land
Even as the realm's soldiers lay resting
Mageba's forces were at hand
And by the evening the vultures were wheeling
Above the ruins where the fallen lay
An ancient song as old as the ashes
Echoed as mageba's warriors marched away
Chorus
@CaptainRecoils
Impi wo nans impi iyeza
Obanibenga thinta'amabhubesi
All along the river chelmsford's army lay asleep
Come to crush the children of mageba
Come to exact the realm's price for peace
And in the morning as they saddled up to ride
Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel
The general told them of the task that lay ahead
To bring the people of the sky to heel
Mud and sweat on polished leather
Warm rain seeping to the bone
They rode through the season's wet weather
Straining for a glimpse of the foe
Hopeless battalion destined to die
Broken by the benders of kings
Vainglorious general and victorian pride
Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives
They came to the side of the mountain
Scouts rode out to spy the land
Even as the realm's soldiers lay resting
Mageba's forces were at hand
And by the evening the vultures were wheeling
Above the ruins where the fallen lay
An ancient song as old as the ashes
Echoed as mageba's warriors marched away
@lindamasterson3469
I’d been in east London to the “final show” and came away with a strange but Burning desire,
I had something I wanted to Say to Johnny Clegg,
we were booked for the Harare concert a month or so later and I plotted and planned how to deliver my message.
Then, one morning, I was in Woolies new breakfast area in Rosebank and I spotted him.
Coming straight towards me in a green army style jacket and cap.
As he passed and turned around me to head off to my right, I grabbed his jacket elbow and said
“I’ve got something to say to you,”
surprised and embarrassed he promised to see me on his way out. Pleading time constraints
He met a man at a able in the corner, hat pulled low.
I thought, where can I get card to write my message?
I grabbed a napkin and a pen and wrote ....
Johnny Clegg
I am a better person, because of you
Millions,.. are less racist ... because of you
That’s a hell of a legacy!!!
THANK YOU
see you in Harare
I took it over to Johnny who lifted his hands in “No, not now!!!” But I reassured him and gave him the napkin. Didn’t say a word
A little later, our breakfast over, I called the waitress for my bill and was preparing to leave.
Message delivered ... I was happy.
He saw me preparing to leave and next thing he was at my side, arm around my shoulder and kissing my cheek. We chatted and he hugged me and thanked me for my message.
Thanked me for telling him what was in my heart.
Thanked me for telling him he had made a difference in my life, in who I grew into, through him and others,
Forever, Johnny
Forever. You made a huge difference for South Africa, for humanity
,
Hamba Gahle, Bro
@riggonasty1457
Let's be honest you did search for this song
@randommemes.
Absolutely….legend of a man
@Jinxffx..
❤
@Jinxffx..
Impl ❤😢 wow
@masentleramotholo9772
I did 😂love the song
@daviddonaldson3615
100%, legend of a man!
@siyamtembabomvu8199
Who is still listening to this gem :-)
@randommemes.
Oh yes!!
@user-yn4lq4mk2y
Myself
@desirehitekani3043
It's 2023 Day of The Rugby World cup in France and this is the Song For me #Mayibuye🇿🇦