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.
Crocodile Love
Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lapha enhlizweni yami (x2)
(my spirits are down, a thief has entered my heart)
Laqegeza lathatha uthando lwami lonke,
Ngasala ngingenalutho
(the thief has broken into my heart and taken all my love,
And I remain totally empty, I remain with nothing)
I remember the summer but not the rain,
There's a vision in my head of a gun on the bed
A message in your eyes which your lips never said:
I want your crocodile love.
I'm on the runway and I'm ready to fly
I know I'm going to find you under the sky
Oooh yea, it's a mighty fine day
Oooh yea, you are coming my way....
With your crocodile love.
I want your crocodile love.
Umoya wami onakele nansi inkinga
Isingena enhlizweni yami (x2)
(my spirits are down, there's a problem
That has entered my heart)
Inyakaza ngaphakathi ingwenya
Ifuna ukungiqeda yami (x2)
(I feel it moving inside me, a crocodile,
It wants to devour me, I feel it moving inside my heart)
I never quite know what you're going to do
Heal my soul or cut me through
Like a sacrificial lamb
Like a green marine in vietnam
If you touch me now I will fly like a bleeding dove
Oooh... I want your crocodile love.
I'm on the runway, and I'm ready to fly
I know I'll meet you under the sky
Oh yea, I'll come from above
Oh yea, I want your crocodile love...
This is not the one
This is the one
This is not the one....
The song "Crocodile Love" by Juluka features poignant, emotional lyrics that portray a sense of desperation and longing. The opening lines suggest that the singer feels dejected and heartbroken as a result of a thief who has invaded his heart and taken away all of his love. The image of a thief stealing his love suggests a sense of betrayal and heartbreak. The memory of the summer but not the rain, and of the fire but not the pain, suggests that the singer remembers the good times but has pushed the memories of the bad times out of his mind.
The chorus features the repeated refrain of "crocodile love," which represents a dangerous kind of love that can easily consume and destroy the singer. Just as a crocodile takes its prey with a swift and vicious bite, this love threatens to swallow the singer whole. The lines "If you touch me now I will fly like a bleeding dove" suggest that this love could be both liberating and destructive at the same time.
Overall, the lyrics of "Crocodile Love" convey a sense of vulnerability and the risk of getting hurt when one follows their heart. The singer is willing to take the risk, however, and pursue this dangerous love because he desires it so intensely.
Line by Line Meaning
Umoya wami onakele kunsela elangena
My spirits are down, a thief has entered my heart
Lapha enhlizweni yami (x2)
In my heart, repeating
Laqegeza lathatha uthando lwami lonke,
The thief has broken into my heart and taken all my love,
Ngasala ngingenalutho
And I remain totally empty, I remain with nothing
I remember the summer but not the rain,
I recall the happiness but not the sorrow
A memory of fire but not the pain
Only the good moments remain
There's a vision in my head of a gun on the bed
A memory of violence and danger lurks in my mind
A message in your eyes which your lips never said:
I sense a hidden meaning behind your gaze
I want your crocodile love.
I want your dangerous, yet passionate love
I'm on the runway and I'm ready to fly
I'm prepared to take off and search for you
I know I'm going to find you under the sky
I'm confident you'll be waiting for me
Oooh yea, it's a mighty fine day
It's a great day to find you
Oooh yea, you are coming my way....
I sense that you're nearing
With your crocodile love.
With your unpredictable and wild love
Umoya wami onakele nansi inkinga
My spirits are down, there's a problem that has entered my heart
Isingena enhlizweni yami (x2)
It has penetrated my heart, repeating
Inyakaza ngaphakathi ingwenya
I feel it moving inside me, a crocodile,
Ifuna ukungiqeda yami (x2)
It wants to devour me, I feel it moving inside my heart
I never quite know what you're going to do
I'm never quite sure of your actions
Heal my soul or cut me through
You could either bring me joy or pain
Like a sacrificial lamb
Like an offering
Like a green marine in vietnam
Like a soldier fighting for love
If you touch me now I will fly like a bleeding dove
If you touch me now, I'll be vulnerable and exposed
Oooh... I want your crocodile love.
I want your unpredictable and wild love
I'm on the runway, and I'm ready to fly
I'm prepared to take off and search for you
I know I'll meet you under the sky
I'm confident we'll reunite
Oh yea, I'll come from above
I'll approach you from above
Oh yea, I want your crocodile love...
I want your unpredictable and wild love
This is not the one
This is not what I'm searching for
This is the one
I've finally found what I was looking for
This is not the one....
This is not the person I thought I'd find
Lyrics © RHYTHM SAFARI PTY LTD, RHYTHM SAFARI DBA HRBV MUSIC
Written by: JONATHAN PAUL CLEGG, MVUSENI MCHUNU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@John-de5bg
I remember 1998 , April ..listening to this in my car while driving on a journey .
@Fro-fq9jk
un chef d'oeuvre de plus ...
@adigavrus1
"I remember the summer but not the rain,
A memory of fire but not the pain..."