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.
Simple Things
Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stars infest the heavens in the southern skies
Otter swim against the river, whisper in the water
The stars are dead and what you see are shining lies
Body-smoke tie the night in a misty web of blue
Simple things are all we have left to trust
An apple, a horse, some milk and a little bread
Will help time stop slipping through our fingers
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
What you got left to trust? (M-oh-hum)
Stones in the dust! (M-oh-hum)
A simple thing you got left to trust (M-oh-hum)
Someone in your heart (M-oh-hum)
Crickets learn the final chorus of their night song
Standing at your door 'cause I have nowhere else to go
Tried to fill the empty spaces with my songs
Came here 'cause I know you sometimes also feel this way
I brought an apple and a horse, some milk and a little bread
These simple things are all we have left to trust
I hope I will not find you smiling in a dream
I've come too far to face again what I have passed
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
What you got left to trust? (M-oh-hum)
Stones in the dust! (M-oh-hum)
A simple thing you got left to trust (M-oh-hum)
Someone in your heart, singing (M-oh-hum)
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
M-oh-hum-oh, M-oh-hum-oh
What you got left to trust? (M-oh-hum)
Stones in the dust! (M-oh-hum)
A simple thing you got left to trust (M-oh-hum)
Someone in your heart, singing (M-oh-hum)
What you got left to trust? (M-oh-hum)
Stones in the dust! (M-oh-hum)
A simple thing you got left to trust (M-oh-hum)
Someone in your heart (M-oh-hum)
"Simple Things" by Juluka is a song that reflects on the beauty and simplicity of life. The first verse paints a vivid picture of nature and its elements, as the singer describes the "rain forest talking to the dragon-mountain-moon" and the "stars infesting the heavens in the southern skies." He then mentions the otter that "swims against the river, whispering in the water," and how the stars we see are "shining lies" because they may not even exist anymore. The second verse strikes a more human note, as the singer reflects on how "simple things are all we have left to trust," such as "an apple, a horse, some milk and a little bread," because time seems to be "slipping through our fingers."
The chorus repeats the same melody and lyrics as the second verse, emphasizing the message of the simplicity of life, and what we have left to trust. The final verse brings the focus back to the singer, who has come to someone's door because he has "nowhere else to go," but he has brought simple gifts of an apple, a horse, some milk, and bread. He hopes that he will not find the person smiling in a dream, implying that he hopes that they will be able to face reality and not dwell on something that is fleeting.
The song's overall message is one of finding peace and happiness in life's simple pleasures, rather than trying to seek fulfillment in things that don't last forever. The repeated "M-oh-hum-oh" throughout the song emphasizes the message of simplicity and the importance of recognizing it in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Rain forest talking to the dragon-mountain-moon
The natural world communicates with itself in ways we may not understand or sense.
Stars infest the heavens in the southern skies
The sky is full of stars, but their vastness and mystical nature can be overwhelming.
Otter swim against the river, whisper in the water
Animals have their own ways of communicating and interacting with the environment, but we may not always be able to witness it.
The stars are dead and what you see are shining lies
The stars we see may be long gone, and the beauty we perceive in the world may be misleading or illusory.
Body-smoke tie the night in a misty web of blue
The night is mysterious and filled with unknowns, like the smoke that creates an ethereal haze.
Simple things are all we have left to trust
In a world full of complexities and uncertainties, we can find comfort and reliability in the simplicity of basic necessities.
An apple, a horse, some milk and a little bread
Even the most basic, everyday items can bring us joy and sustenance.
Will help time stop slipping through our fingers
By focusing on the small pleasures in life, we can slow down and appreciate the present moment.
What you got left to trust? (M-oh-hum)
The repetition of this question emphasizes the theme of uncertainty in the world.
Stones in the dust! (M-oh-hum)
This line suggests that even the most solid or stable things can crumble and become dust.
Someone in your heart (M-oh-hum)
The hope or belief that we can find comfort and solace from within ourselves or through meaningful connections with others.
Crickets learn the final chorus of their night song
Nature has its own rhythms and patterns, such as the sound of crickets at night.
Standing at your door 'cause I have nowhere else to go
The singer may be seeking refuge or companionship, perhaps because they feel lost or alone in the world.
Tried to fill the empty spaces with my songs
The singer may be trying to find meaning or purpose in life through their creative expression.
Came here 'cause I know you sometimes also feel this way
The singer may be seeking connection with someone who understands their struggles or perspective on the world.
I brought an apple and a horse, some milk and a little bread
The gifts the artist brings are simple yet meaningful, and may symbolize their desire to share the small pleasures in life with others.
I hope I will not find you smiling in a dream
The artist may fear that their hope for connection and understanding is unrealistic or unattainable.
I've come too far to face again what I have passed
The singer may have overcome difficulties or hardships in their past, and does not want to revisit them.
Someone in your heart, singing (M-oh-hum)
This line echoes the theme of finding comfort or solace within oneself or through meaningful connections with others.
Lyrics © RHYTHM SAFARI PTY LTD, Downtown Music Publishing, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: JONATHAN PAUL CLEGG, MVUSENI MCHUNU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thundaGawd
This song, never gets tired for me.
@jason.eschumann6144
flipping brilliant.... one of South Africa's best..
@stevebuttner4642
"the stars are dead and what you see are shining lies" Sipho definitely penned this one. The pain of modern knowledge, astrophysics and all that shit, while throwing away all that was simple, that tied us to the earth.
@susanlarhubarbe9475
Steve Buttner Sipho Mchunu and Johnny Clegg were co-writers on this one I believe. Beautiful song and so profound in its ‘simplicity’ 😍😍❤️
@nanbanjinmachado4353
i love
@evah787
Great! 😊