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
Malaisha
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Zembe sigawule
Zembe malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Zembe malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Yiza nezembe malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Yiza nezembe malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Yiza nezembe sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
Zembe malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Zembe malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe malaisha)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe malaisha)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Yiza nezembe)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Yiza nezembe)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Yiza nezembe)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Yiza nezembe)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe malaisha)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe malaisha)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Zembe malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Zembe malaisha
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Yiza nezembe)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha
The lyrics "Zembe malaisha, Zembe sigawule" are repetitive throughout the song and serve as a chant or rallying cry. The word "zembe" means "spade" in Zulu, and it is often used metaphorically in South African music to symbolize spear or hoe, representing struggle against oppression. In this song, it is likely used as a symbol of unity and strength in the fight against apartheid.
The lyrics "Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha" mean "they say, they say, open the spade." This could be interpreted as a call to action, urging people to join together and fight against the injustice of apartheid. A similar phrase, "awuthe mshana," which means "bring down the boss," was often used in South African labor protests and anti-apartheid demonstrations.
Line by Line Meaning
Zembe malaisha
Let's go Malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Let's go Sigawule
Yiza nezembe malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
Come with me to Malaisha (Let's go Malaisha)
Yiza nezembe sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
Come with me to Sigawule (Let's go Sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Zembe malaisha)
They say, they say, they say open up Malaisha (Let's go Malaisha)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Zembe sigawule)
They say, they say, they say open up Sigawule (Let's go Sigawule)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe malaisha)
Come with me (Let's go Malaisha)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Come with me (Let's go Sigawule)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha
They say, they say, they say open up Malaisha
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule
They say, they say, they say open up Sigawule
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula malaisha (Yiza nezembe)
They say, they say, they say open up Malaisha (Come with me)
Bathi, bathi, bathi vula sigawule (Yiza nezembe)
They say, they say, they say open up Sigawule (Come with me)
Yiza nezembe (Zembe sigawule)
Come with me (Let's go Sigawule)
Zembe malaisha
Let's go Malaisha
Zembe sigawule
Let's go Sigawule
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Pio_Neto1975
Conheci essa maravilha através da peça, A Bofetada, da Cia Baiana de Patifaria, Salvador - Bahia!!!!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
@alcionelima8109
que espetáculo de musica Malayshia viva Miriam Makeba
@alvaroenfo1
Que maravilha! Estou vibrando!!! Deus nos levou essa rainha... Mas suas canções ficaram pra nos confortar.
@h0boErectus
I love this song!
@DJSocratesVibes
Excellent playlist! Warms my heart ;-)
@denizeappolinario2269
Linda!!! Saudades! Malayisha
@josedomingostadelman738
Beautiful song and singer
@anizior1
Awesome!
@lialoiola5041
Linda! Que saudades!
@jairgomes4836
Right now I´m fourteen years old!