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.
Bullets For Bafazane
Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking for Bafazane
They want to gun him down -- oh no
They say he thunders too loud and his people are proud
They'll never give in while he's still around
And it's the sky above that he loves
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- They want to gun him down
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- And the word's got around
They've got bullets for Bafazane
Eyes wide open in the backroom,
Finger on the trigger
Listening for any sound that will
Betray the silent deadly figure
He's got iron in his soul,
He's got a smile in his eyes
He makes dancing shoes from old car tyres
And it's the sky up above that he loves
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- They want to gun him down
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- Now they're searching the town
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- And the word's got around
They've got bullets for Bafazane
It's the sky up above that he loves
'Cause for him he's alive and that's enough
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- They want to gun him down
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- Now they're searching the town
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- And the word's got around
They've got bullets for Bafazane
The lyrics of Juluka's song "Bullets for Bafazane" paint a picture of a man named Bafazane who is being hunted down by shadow men from the outlands. The reasons for their hunt are explained in the first verse; Bafazane is a figure who is thunderous and proud, and his people are fiercely loyal to him. The second verse portrays Bafazane as a man with iron in his soul and a smile in his eyes. He is ready for the hunt and has made preparations in the backroom, his finger on the trigger, waiting for the arrival of his attackers. Bafazane is a resourceful man, who makes dancing shoes from old car tires, and he loves the sky above everything else.
One way to interpret these menacing lyrics could be to see Bafazane as a symbol of an underdog, oppressed people, or even yourself, who are being threatened by those who want to silence their voice. In this sense, the song is an anthem for those who refuse to surrender to fear and intimidation, those who are willing to use whatever they have at their disposal to fight back against the powerful. The reference to the sky could symbolize a higher power or a feeling of spiritual freedom that Bafazane experiences despite the danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Shadow men from the outlands come to town
Men from a distant and unknown land have arrived in town
Looking for Bafazane
Their purpose is to find a man named Bafazane
They want to gun him down -- oh no
Their intention is to kill him
They say he thunders too loud and his people are proud
They claim that Bafazane is too powerful and his people are too proud to submit to them
They'll never give in while he's still around
His people will resist as long as he's alive
And it's the sky above that he loves
Bafazane finds joy and peace in the sky
Eyes wide open in the backroom,
Bafazane is alert and vigilant, hiding in the back room
Finger on the trigger
He's ready to shoot if necessary
Listening for any sound that will
He's actively paying attention for any indication that
Betray the silent deadly figure
someone may be revealing his location to the search party
He's got iron in his soul,
Bafazane is strong and resilient, toughened by his experiences
He's got a smile in his eyes
He remains hopeful and confident despite the threat to his life
He makes dancing shoes from old car tyres
He is resourceful and creative
And it's the sky up above that he loves
Bafazane finds joy and peace in the sky
They've got bullets for Bafazane -- They want to gun him down
The search party intends to kill Bafazane and are well-armed
Now they're searching the town
They are combing through the entire town looking for Bafazane
And the word's got around
The news of the search has spread throughout the town
It's the sky up above that he loves
Bafazane finds joy and peace in the sky
'Cause for him he's alive and that's enough
His love for life itself is enough to sustain him
Contributed by Addison P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@valerylopez2269
😀My favourite song, I've got the chance to see him two times in my life
@myradshow3655
Still the legend of SA.
@albanmahoudeau1779
SHADOW DEMON Gets TOWN.
@thivhafunimuthelo2461
R.I.P 💔 Jonny Clegg
@sadza28
like crazywitch.. me and my brother were flying down a dust road to a water fall to camp in his v 6 cortina listening to this blasting out too the bush around us,,i miss africa...
@antoniaescamez2787
R I P Mon zoulou Blanc que j'adore
@obedb6877
Oui c est un manque et tout une génération et sa mentalité qui se taisent.
Pas simple surtout for south africa!!.
@madeleinehague648
'So great to reconnect with this wonderful music. I had two LP's of this band in the 80's and told everyone I met about this band. Had the pleasure of seeing Juluka live - what a gig!
@accy72
Mitici anni '80, anche se un po' tristi!
@jesseberg3271
I got to hear him tell this story live, near the end of his touring. His friend and bandmate, Bafazane, was connected (very tangentially) to some kind of family vendetta that he wanted nothing to do with. He warned the others that people might come for him (they didn't) and this was Johnny and the boys teasing Bafazane about it, after the fact.