Miriam Makeba used her voice to entertain, but also to give a voice to millions of oppressed fellow South Africans who suffered as a result of apartheid. The price she had to pay for her actions was high, namely her South African citizenship. After she appeared, in 1960, in the an anti-apartheid documentary Come Back, Africa, the South African regime banned her from returning to her home country and took away her citizenship.
This event didn't stop her from continuing to raise her voice against the apartheid regime. Between 1964 and 1975, as a United Nations delegate of Guinea where she was granted asylum, Miriam Makeba addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations regularly on the tragic developments in South Africa.
Meanwhile she carried on singing, a process in which she put South African music on the map. Over the years Makeba worked with artists as Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Arthur Adams, and David T. Walker of The Crusaders. In the late 1980's she joined Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo during their world-wide Graceland tour and in 1990 she worked with Odetta and Nina Simone for the One Nation tour.
Following Nelson Mandela's release from prison, the citizen of the world Makeba returned to South Africa in December 1990; more than thirty years after she went in exile. In April 1991 she performed her first concert in her homeland in three decades.
The years after were busy ones for Makeba. She starred in the South African award-winning musical Sarafina! , about the 1976 Soweto youth uprisings, playing the role of the title character's mother. She then reunited with her first husband, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, for the Tour Of Hope. She also performed at the Vatican's Nevi Hall during the world-wide broadcasted show, Christmas In The Vatican. In 2000 Makeba released the grammy-nominated Homeland, her first studio album in a decade. In 2002 she shared the Polar Music Prize with Sofia Gubaidulina, in recognition of her exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music.
After her return to South Africa Miriam Makeba recorded over ten albums. In 2004, at the age of 72, she relased Reflections honoring the tenth anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa. In that same year Makeba was voted 38th in the Top 100 Great South Africans. She also started a 14 month worldwide farwell tour in 2005, holding concerts in all countries she had visited during her life.
With an impressive career spanning more than four decades Miriam Makeba is, indeed, one of the most respected, loved and cherished treasures in (South) Africa.
On the early morning of 10th of November 2008 she died at the age of 76 after being taken ill near the southern Italian town of Caserta, after performing at a concert against organized crime.
Source: Miriam Makeba, A true South African musical Legend
Discography on last.fm
External links:
Official website
Unofficial website
Movie database
In My Life
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all
But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more
The song "In My Life" by Miriam Makeba speaks to the depth of human relationships and the memories they create, even after those people or places are no longer a part of our lives. The opening lines, "There are places I'll remember, all my life, though some have changed", highlight the enduring nature of certain memories and how they can stay with us through time and change. The following lines, "Some forever, not for better, some have gone and some remain", suggest that not all memories are happy or positive and that we can still hold onto them even if they bring up feelings of sadness or loss.
Makeba then goes on to talk about the people who have made an impact on her life, saying "All these places had their moments, with lovers and friends, I still can recall. Some are dead, and some are living. In my life, I've loved them all." The repetition of "in my life" throughout the song emphasizes the idea that our experiences shape us and stay with us, even as we move forward in life. Makeba even acknowledges that while she may have new experiences and new loves, the impact of those who came before will always remain, saying "Though I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before, I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I'll love you more."
Overall, "In My Life" is a touching tribute to the people and places that have shaped us, and a reminder that even as time moves forward, those memories can still hold immense meaning and impact.
Line by Line Meaning
There are places I'll remember
The singer has memories of certain places that she will always cherish
All my life, though some have changed
The memories of those places have been with her throughout her life, even though some of those places have transformed over time
Some forever, not for better
Unfortunately, not all the changes to the places she remembers have been for the best, and some of those places have gone downhill permanently
Some have gone and some remain
Some of the places have disappeared altogether, while others still exist
All these places had their moments
Each one of these places has its own stories and memories, some happy and others not so much
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
The singer has fond memories of the people she shared those places with
Some are dead and some are living
The people who were there with her at those places are a mix of those who are still alive and those who have passed
In my life, I've loved them all
Despite the changes to the places and the state of the people who were with her, the singer cherishes all the memories she has of them
But of all these friends and lovers
Despite her affection for all her memories of friends and lovers from the past, there is one person who stands out above the rest
There is no one compares with you
This special person in the singer's life is unparalleled by anyone else she has known
And these memories lose their meaning
Even though she cherishes her memories, when she is with this special person, the past fades in significance
When I think of love as something new
The love she feels for this special person eclipses any love she may have felt before, making the memory of that love seem less significant
Though I know I'll never lose affection
Even though her love for this special person is stronger than any previous loves, the singer will always hold her previous affections in her heart
For people and things that went before
She is determined to not forget the people and things that she has loved in the past
I know I'll often stop and think about them
Her memories of the past will still come to her even though this special person is now in her life
In my life, I'll love you more
Even though she will always cherish her memories of the past, her love for this special person will always be the greatest love she has ever known
Though I know I'll never lose affection
Even though her love for this special person is stronger than any previous loves, the singer will always hold her previous affections in her heart
For people and things that went before
She is determined to not forget the people and things that she has loved in the past
I know I'll often stop and think about them
Her memories of the past will still come to her even though this special person is now in her life
In my life, I'll love you more
Even though she will always cherish her memories of the past, her love for this special person will always be the greatest love she has ever known
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ONErpm, Unison Rights S.L., Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mfundo Piti
on To Those We Love (Nongqongqo)
At the time the song was composed and released all the people mentioned ((Mangaliso) Sobukhwe, (Albert) Luthuli, (Nelson) Mandela, and (Walter) Sisulu were alive. While the three were in prison at Robben Island, Luthuli was not in prison, hence the question to Luthuli asking what "will you do?". Luthuli was the president of the banned African National Congress (ANC). Sobukhwe the president of Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Mandela and Sisulu occupied executive leadership positions within the ANC at the time of their sentencing to serve life sentences in prison (1964). The same question is asked to all Africans.
Mfundo Piti
on To Those We Love (Nongqongqo)
The lyrics of "To Those We Love" by Miriam Makeba are about the struggles, sacrifices, and resilience of great African leaders who fought for freedom, justice, and equality. The repetitive chorus, "Bahleli bonke entilongweni, Bahleli bonke kwaNongqongqo" refers to how all these leaders, including Sobukwe, Luthuli, Mandela, and Sisulu, are resting in peace or buried in their respective homes. The verses pose questions about their legacy and the continuation of their work, asking "Why, Baba Luthuli? What will you do?" and "What will happen to us, MaAfrica?" These questions are a call to action for listeners to carry on the struggle for freedom and justice.
Junior
on Soweto Blues
The melancholy in her voice
Junior
on Mama
It makes me cry I could not bury my mother cause I was in prison when I ask prison authorities to allow me an opportunity to go and attend the funeral they refused. We always underestimate the role of women
no
on Beware, Verwoerd! (Ndodemnyama)
no
hi! i enjoted. this song. i loved it
Matt Olomu
on Noweva
This is your challenge, South Africans who understand the lyrics of NOWEVER. Do yourselves and Africa a favour. Interpret it.