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.
Gunship Ghetto
Juluka Lyrics
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Feather Pillow Dream
Crazy boym your sister's crying
Tell me where the hell you been
Border Order Prison Warder
Mortar Bomb Daughter Scream
Gunship Ghetto -- steeleye stiletto
To find where time stands still
I need to find some peace of mind
And if you let me in I probably will
Speak to the sky, there's no reply
Just the endless empty blue
While deep in the night, there is a fight
Hamba madoda! Aya hamba madoda
(March away men, the men are marching away)
Sodibana pambliyo sodibana phambili yo!
(We will meet up ahead)
Paper holder holds a soldier
Not yet born to be
But six months older, he'll be much bolder
See things he's never seen
I need freedom, just like the next one
But sometimes it doesn't do
'Cause I need you to be there
When I'm troubled
I need to see this thing through with you
Behind the barrel of a gun
Love and friendship can become
Just another point of view
The battle is won but my heart overcome
'Cause what is lost of part of you
Speak to the sky, there's no reply
Just the endless empty blue
While deep in the night, there is a fight
Hamba madoda! Aya hamba madoda
I'm just marching away -- just marching away
What do you say -- I'm just marching away
Sebehambile hambile (They have all gone, all gone)
Sebehambile hambile
Umhlaba unzima sodibana phambile yo!
(The world is a difficult place -- we shall meet up ahead)
Umhlaba unzima sodibana phambile yo
The Juluka song "Gunship Ghetto" starts with the voice of a young girl crying and calling for her brother, who the singer addresses as a crazy boy. The lyrics paint a picture of a violent and oppressive world where there are mortar bombs and the screams of girls. The image of a gunship ghetto evokes the idea of a place where the machinery of war and violence is ever-present, and the sounds of marching men suggest that things are not going to get better any time soon.
The singer of the song is looking for a way out of this reality, and feels that perhaps he can find it by escaping to a place where history won't reach him, where time stands still, and where he can find some peace of mind. He acknowledges that he needs the support of others, including the listener when he's troubled, to help him see things through.
The lyrics also touch on the dehumanizing aspects of war and violence, where love and friendship can become "just another point of view." Despite the heartbreak and loss, the song ends on a note of resilience, with the assertion that what is lost is part of us and that we will meet up ahead, as we all march away.
Line by Line Meaning
Gunship Ghetto -- steeleye stiletto
The dangerous neighborhood where military aircrafts fly overhead and where the people wear sharp shoes.
Feather Pillow Dream
A peaceful dream that contrasts with the harsh reality of the gunship ghetto.
Crazy boym your sister's crying
The singer is addressing someone who is acting recklessly and causing distress to their family.
Tell me where the hell you been
The artist is demanding to know where the person being addressed has been and why they have been gone so long.
Border Order Prison Warder
The oppressive forces that control the border and imprison those who try to cross it.
Mortar Bomb Daughter Scream
An explosive weapon that can cause great harm and destruction, and the cries of a child who is affected by it.
I'm going to where history won't reach me
The singer is seeking a place where they can escape from the negative effects of history and find peace.
To find where time stands still
The artist is searching for a place or moment where they can escape the pressures of time and its relentless forward motion.
I need to find some peace of mind
The artist is seeking inner calm and tranquility.
And if you let me in I probably will
The artist is asking for permission to enter a space where they can find peace, and they are confident that they will indeed find it once they are there.
Speak to the sky, there's no reply
The singer is talking to the sky, but there is no answer - this highlights a feeling of isolation and lack of communication or understanding.
While deep in the night, there is a fight
Although the artist is in a peaceful place, there is still conflict happening nearby - this is a reminder that peace is not easily achieved.
Hamba madoda! Aya hamba madoda
The singer is urging the men to march away, and they comply.
(March away men, the men are marching away)
Further explanation of the above line, indicating that the men are following orders.
Sodibana pambliyo sodibana phambili yo!
The men will meet up ahead, indicating a planned destination or goal.
Paper holder holds a soldier
A bureaucratic tool used to control soldiers.
Not yet born to be
The soldier has not yet fulfilled their destiny or purpose as a fighter.
But six months older, he'll be much bolder
With experience and time, the soldier will become braver and more skilled.
See things he's never seen
The soldier will encounter new and challenging situations as a result of their service.
I need freedom, just like the next one
The artist desires freedom just as much as anyone else.
But sometimes it doesn't do
Often, the desire for freedom is not enough to achieve it in reality.
'Cause I need you to be there / When I'm troubled
The artist is in a vulnerable state and requires support and companionship from another person.
I need to see this thing through with you
The singer requires assistance and support to complete a difficult or complex task.
Behind the barrel of a gun
A reminder that violence and conflict can arise from the use of firearms.
Love and friendship can become / Just another point of view
In the midst of war, relationships and emotions can be easily forgotten, reduced to just another aspect of the situation.
The battle is won but my heart overcome / 'Cause what is lost of part of you
Although the singer has won the conflict, they still feel the impact of the loss they have experienced.
Sebehambile hambile / (They have all gone, all gone)
A statement that everyone has left, perhaps indicating a feeling of abandonment or isolation.
Umhlaba unzima sodibana phambile yo! / (The world is a difficult place -- we shall meet up ahead)
Despite the hardship of the world, there is still hope and a plan to meet again in the future.
Contributed by Ryan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.