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.
Shake My Way
Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hau! ngidlalela izizwe sengijabule kulomhlaba
Baba yithi amagoso onke kulomhlaba
Shake my way, shake!
Jealous down!
The lyrics to Juluka's song Shake My Way are deeply rooted in African culture and traditions, with the use of words like "Mayebabo!" and "Baba yithi". The opening line "Mayebabo! sengijabule kulomhlaba" translates to "Hooray! I'm happy on this earth". This is a celebration of life and gratitude for being alive on this beautiful planet. The song praises the beauty of different nations and celebrates the diversity of cultures. "Hau! ngidlalela izizwe sengijabule kulomhlaba" means "Wow! I'm playing with nations and I'm happy on this earth". The lyrics encourage individuals to embrace and respect the differences in others, and to celebrate their uniqueness.
The next line, "Baba yithi amagoso onke kulomhlaba" means "Father says all tongues on this earth". This line emphasizes the importance of communication and how it connects the world. The song is a call to shake things up in life and to be confident in the path one takes. This is reflected in the refrain, "Shake my way, shake! Jealous down!". It encourages people to shake off negative energy and anything that may hold them back.
Line by Line Meaning
Mayebabo! sengijabule kulomhlaba
Everyone is welcome and I am happy in this world
Hau! ngidlalela izizwe sengijabule kulomhlaba
Wow! I play music for all nations and I am happy in this world
Baba yithi amagoso onke kulomhlaba
Father says there are treasures all over this world
Shake my way, shake!
I will dance my own unique style and have fun
Jealous down!
Don't be envious of me, just enjoy yourself
Contributed by Abigail P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@madeleinehague648
So wonderful to be brought back to this wonderful LP. When this band came to Toronto (Massey Hall), we danced and danced and danced.
@moeberbetsie
Awesome song!