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
Love Tastes Like Strawberries
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love is soft like tears are crying
Wine and spices interlaced
Love's got a fresh strawberry taste
And when the pedlar cries, strawberries
That's when my heart replies, strawberries
Love tastes like strawberries
I met my love in the marketplace
My heart stopped when I saw his face
The berry man cried, won't you try this
We looked, we stopped, we stole a kiss
The berries are gone and the spring has passed
But I know my love will always last
Though rain has come with sudden haste
Love's got a fresh strawberry taste
And when the pedlar cries, strawberries
That's when my heart replies, strawberries
Love tastes like strawberries
Strawberries, love tastes like strawberries
Strawberries, love tastes like strawberries
The song "Love Tastes Like Strawberries" by Miriam Makeba presents love as a sensory experience that can be tasted just like the juicy sweetness of strawberries. The lyrics describe the sensations of falling in love and the power of attraction that can be felt even in the busy marketplace. The image of the peddler selling strawberries becomes a metaphor for the irresistible allure of love, as the singer's heart responds to the call of the fruit and the promise of romance.
The lyrics also suggest the transitory nature of love and its fragility in the face of external events. The changing seasons and the passing of time are reflected in the imagery of the berries being gone and the rain coming suddenly. Despite these challenges, the singer's conviction in the endurance of true love remains strong, as she affirms that its taste is as fresh and sweet as strawberries.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the joy and intensity of love, expressed through the rich imagery and metaphorical language of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, it sparks like pinwheels playing
Love is exciting and lively, like the spinning of colorful pinwheels.
Love is soft like tears are crying
Love can be gentle and tender, like the flow of tears.
Wine and spices interlaced
Love is a mix of different flavors and experiences, like the combination of wine and spices.
Love's got a fresh strawberry taste
Love is sweet and pleasant, like the flavor of fresh strawberries.
And when the pedlar cries, strawberries
When street vendors advertise strawberries, it reminds me of the sweetness of love.
That's when my heart replies, strawberries
My heart feels happy and hopeful when I hear about strawberries, which represents love to me.
Love tastes like strawberries
Love is reminiscent of the taste of fresh strawberries.
I met my love in the marketplace
I fell in love with someone I met while shopping in the market.
My heart stopped when I saw his face
I was immediately infatuated with him when I first laid eyes on him.
The berry man cried, won't you try this
The seller of berries encouraged us to try his product in hopes of making a sale.
We looked, we stopped, we stole a kiss
We were so attracted to each other that we couldn't resist stealing a kiss while trying the berries.
The berries are gone and the spring has passed
The time of year when strawberries are in season has ended, and so has the time of our meeting.
But I know my love will always last
I am confident that my love will endure even though the season has changed and the berries are gone.
Though rain has come with sudden haste
Despite the hardships and challenges that have come our way, such as sudden rain, our love still remains.
Love's got a fresh strawberry taste
Even though time has passed, my love for my partner is still sweet and refreshing, like the taste of fresh strawberries.
Strawberries, love tastes like strawberries
The flavor of strawberries is a symbol of the love that Miriam Makeba shares with her partner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLEMAN HAWKINS
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.