At the age of 14, Clegg met Zulu street musician Charlie Mzila, who taught him Zulu music and dancing over the following two years. In 1969 Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu met in Johannesburg when young sipho went there to find work. The 18-year-old Mchunu challenged the 16-year-old Clegg to a guitar contest, and the two became friends. Soon, they were performing together on the streets and in what few other unofficial venues a multi-racial band could safely play in under apartheid. They were forced to keep a low profile and their success came from word of mouth instead of through traditional publicity. Clegg himself was arrested and beaten up by the police on several occasions for his activities and also for the band's lyrics. For some commentators, Juluka was the band that had the greatest success in challenging the racial separateness of Apartheid. When performing, both black and white band members would appear on stage in traditional Zulu dress and perform the traditional Zulu war dance together while singing in Zulu and English.[1]
In 1976, they released their debut single, "Woza Friday", followed three years later by a critically acclaimed album, Universal Men.[2] The album's poetic lyrics were strongly influenced by John Berger's A Seventh Man as well as Pablo Neruda and Jean-Paul Sartre.[citation needed] Expanding to a quintet, they released a second album, African Litany, in late 1981. The album's lead single, "Impi", with its pointedly political lyrics about a defeat of the colonial British army by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana, was banned by South African radio but became an underground hit. In contemporary South Africa it is often associated with national sports teams. The album garnered them their first international attention, and they were able to successfully tour in Europe and North America in 1982 and 1983. However, in June 1983, the British music magazine, NME, reported that they were initially banned by the Musicians Union as, ..."since it would not be possible to approve one of our bands working in South Africa, there is no possibility of an exchange". The ban was eventually lifted, with the group donating their fees to charity.[3]
In South Africa, Juluka was also banned by Radio Bantu, a government approved radio station for the black population, which allegedly refused to play Juluka's music, because Clegg's efforts were seen as "an insult to the Zulu and their culture".[4]
The group disbanded in 1985 when Mchunu moved back to the farm where he was born in Natal to take care of his family. Clegg went on to form a new band, Savuka, with whom he achieved even greater international success. In 1997, however, the two friends came back for a final album together. It did not receive the critical acclaim of early Juluka albums like Universal Men, African Litany, Work for All and Scatterlings.
Àfrica
Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Afrika kukhala abangcwele
EAfrika kukhala abangcwele wena
Afrika kukhala abangcwele
EAfrika kukhala abangcwele wena
Hlala
Hlala
So gentle in the eye he was as any woman's child
Repeat Afrika chorus
As he grew people told him, son , don't you trust anyone
You learn how to trust a stone
This is not gentle and then it breaks those
Who never learned how to be alone
Repeat Afrika chorus
And so he walked in the fashion of his lands
Until at last he cried out
Can anybody hear me, hear me, hear the song in my heart
There's a song to be sung that can heal these broken men
Let us sing and we'll walk through the dark
Hand in hand, hand in hand
Repeat Afrika chorus; move it up a half step or so and repeat again
The song "Africa" by Juluka embodies a deep sense of longing for connection and healing between the people living in Africa. The chorus "Afrika kukhala abangcwele" translates to "Africa cries out for the holy ones." The use of "holy ones" here can be interpreted as a call to anyone who can help heal the pain and bring people together. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the urgency and desperation in this cry for unity.
The first verse describes a child who was born and orphaned in the African dawn. The innocence and vulnerability of the child is emphasized through the line "So gentle in the eye he was as any woman's child." This line also implies a certain level of femininity in the child's innocence. The child is then cautioned by people to not trust anyone, and to only trust a stone. This imagery of a stone is a metaphor for the harsh and unforgiving reality of life in Africa, where survival often requires one to harden themselves to the world.
The second verse continues with the theme of trust and the difficulties in living in Africa. The singer of the song walks with a sense of purpose and identity, but still feels disconnected from the world around him. The line "Can anybody hear me, hear me, hear the song in my heart" is a direct appeal to the listener. The idea of a song that can heal broken men suggests that music and connection might be the key to healing the pain and isolation felt by so many in Africa.
Line by Line Meaning
Afrika kukhala abangcwele
Africa cries out for the righteous
EAfrika kukhala abangcwele wena
Oh Africa cries out for the righteous, you
Hlala
Stay
He was born in the African dawn and orphaned to the land
He took his first breath in African sunrise, a child of the land without parents
So gentle in the eye he was as any woman's child
As innocent and pure as any woman's baby
As he grew people told him, son, don't you trust anyone
As he got older, people cautioned him to not trust anyone
You learn how to trust a stone
The only thing trustworthy is a stone
This is not gentle and then it breaks those
This lack of trust is not kind and can break those who haven't learned to be alone
Who never learned how to be alone
Those who didn't learn to withstand loneliness
And so he walked in the fashion of his lands
He walked as his culture taught him
Until at last he cried out
Until he eventually cried out
Can anybody hear me, hear me, hear the song in my heart
Can anyone listen to the song in my heart?
There's a song to be sung that can heal these broken men
There's a song that can heal those suffering
Let us sing and we'll walk through the dark
Let's sing and walk through the darkness together
Hand in hand, hand in hand
Hand in hand, we'll walk together
Afrika kukhala abangcwele
Africa cries out for the righteous
EAfrika kukhala abangcwele wena
Oh Africa cries out for the righteous, you
Hlala
Stay
Repeat Afrika chorus; move it up a half step or so and repeat again
Repeat the chorus for Africa, and then raise it a half step and repeat again
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stevenrossy9398
Bought this album while at US Army Airborne School the summer of 1992 and it changed my life.
@jende8652
My heart is opened every time I hear this song... Viva Mama Afrika xox
@hasielove
legend....an absolute legend. still missed.
@neilw259
One of his best songs
@ArielBerdugo
Proud of you Johnny, proud.
@DickMullen
RIP old son xx
@edwardsrsa
africa is crying today RIP a true legend
@thapeloradebe507
RIP Johnny
@andilelangelihle8477
this song reminds me of my late uncle(RIP)...Good music by
@lincolnseoloane5506
Beautiful tune