Ladysmith Black Mambazo, formed by Joseph Shabalala (1941 – 2020) in 1960 i… Read Full Bio ↴Ladysmith Black Mambazo, formed by Joseph Shabalala (1941 – 2020) in 1960 in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is a South African male choral group that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his 1986 album Graceland, and have won multiple awards, including four Grammy Awards. They have become one of South Africa's most prolific recording artists, with their releases receiving gold and platinum disc honors, and have come to represent the traditional culture of South Africa. They are regarded as South Africa's cultural emissaries at home and around the world. They are a national treasure of the new South Africa in part because they embody the traditions suppressed in the old South Africa.

It has been years since Paul Simon made his initial trip to South Africa and met Joseph Shabalala, and the other members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, in a recording studio in Johannesburg. Having listened to a cassette of their music sent by a DJ based in Los Angeles, Simon was captivated by the stirring sound of bass, alto and tenor harmonies. Simon incorporated the traditional sounds of black South Africa into the Graceland album, a project regarded by many as seminal to today's explosive interest in World music

'60s Africa found the Zulu and Sotho beginning to incorporate the influences of African American R&B, jazz, and blues into their traditional, indigenous music. New styles such as township jazz, pennywhistle street music, Kwela, and marabi were formed. Eventually, these myriad styles coalesced to create a new hybrid pop music that came to be known as mbaqanga. Though mbaqanga employs the traditional instrumentation of Western pop (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals), the approach to song structure and rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic phrasing is uniquely African.

Recorded between 1981 and 1984, THE INDESTRUCTIBLE BEAT OF SOWETO is the first (and arguably the best) of a slew of South African pop recordings that soon followed. Characterized by insistent, rhythmically complex beats, elastic, burbling basslines, tight, ska-sounding guitar accompaniment, and thick, multi-part vocals, this music is as intriguing as it is appealing. Groups with such names as Udokotela Shange Namajaha and Amaswazi Emvelo serve up bright, infectious melodies and percussively insistent tracks that are clearly intended for dancing.

Oh Happy Day With Betty Griffin
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

Black Betty had a child (Bam-ba-Lam)
The damn thing gone wild (Bam-ba-Lam)
She said, "I′m worryin' outta mind" (Bam-ba-Lam)
The damn thing gone blind (Bam-ba-Lam)
I said "Oh, Black Betty" (Bam-ba-Lam)

Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

Oh, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

She really gets me high (Bam-ba-Lam)
You know that′s no lie (Bam-ba-Lam)
She's so rock steady (Bam-ba-Lam)
And she's always ready (Bam-ba-Lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

She′s from Birmingham (Bam-ba-Lam)
Way down in Alabam′ (Bam-ba-Lam)
Well, she's shakin′ that thing (Bam-ba-Lam)
Boy, she makes me sing (Bam-ba-Lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)

Whoa, Black Betty
Bam-ba-lam

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to this song are quite simple and straightforward. The first verse mentions a woman named Black Betty who had a child, and that child has gone wild and blind, causing her to worry endlessly. The second verse goes on to talk about how Black Betty makes the singer feel - she gets him high and is always ready, making him sing. The final verse mentions that Black Betty is from Birmingham, Alabama and that she makes the singer want to sing and dance with her.

What is interesting about this interpretation is that this song has been covered and reinterpreted by many other artists. The original writer and artist of this song is not known, but it is believed to be a traditional African-American work song. It has been covered by artists such as Lead Belly, Ram Jam, and Spiderbait, among others.

Some people have suggested that the "Black Betty" referred to in the song could be a whip, a car, or even a bottle of whiskey. However, most agree that it most likely refers to a woman. Despite the many different interpretations and covers of this song, it remains a classic and is still played and enjoyed by many people today.

Line by Line Meaning

Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm as the singer introduces Black Betty

Black Betty had a child (Bam-ba-Lam)
Black Betty gave birth to a child

The damn thing gone wild (Bam-ba-Lam)
The child became uncontrollable

She said, "I′m worryin' outta mind" (Bam-ba-Lam)
Black Betty is distressed and anxious about the child's behavior

The damn thing gone blind (Bam-ba-Lam)
The child has lost its way and is no longer following a clear path

I said "Oh, Black Betty" (Bam-ba-Lam)
The singer addresses Black Betty with compassion and understanding

She really gets me high (Bam-ba-Lam)
Black Betty's presence brings the singer joy and elation

You know that's no lie (Bam-ba-Lam)
The singer is emphasizing the truth of their statement

She's so rock steady (Bam-ba-Lam)
Black Betty is dependable and reliable

And she's always ready (Bam-ba-Lam)
Black Betty is prepared and eager for anything

She's from Birmingham (Bam-ba-Lam)
Black Betty comes from the city of Birmingham