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
Mommy
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it like a house?
So pretty and White
I don't understand, it doesn't seem fair
If Daddy loved us so
Why'd he go there?
Heaven my child is a beautiful place
Daddy loved us both but he had to go
We needed him so but they needed him more
Mommy, Mommy is Heaven very far?
How long would it take if we go by car?
If you cross me at the corner I could take my bike
Mommy please tell me what's Heaven like
You can't go there by a bike or a car
It's past the moon, way beyond a star
And maybe someday you'll go to Heaven too
If I know your daddy he'd save a place for you
Mommy, Mommy I can hardly wait
I'm so excited, Heaven sounds great
Can I run and tell Sister goodbye?
Why is there Mommy, a tear in your eye?
Mommy
Mommy
Mommy
Mommy
In "Mommy" by Miriam Makeba, the lyrics tell the story of a child trying to understand the concept of Heaven and grappling with the absence of their father. The first stanza expresses confusion and sadness, as the child questions why their father left them for Heaven if he loved them. The child sees Heaven as a pretty and white house, but doesn't comprehend why Daddy had to go there.
The second stanza is the mother's response to the child's questions. She explains that Heaven is a beautiful place where everyone is happy. Despite Daddy's love for them, he had to go because he was needed more there. This implies that the father's departure was not a choice, but rather something beyond his control.
In the third stanza, the child continues to inquire about Heaven's location. They wonder how far it is and suggest traveling there by car or bike. The mother explains that it cannot be reached through conventional means of transportation. Heaven is depicted as being beyond the moon, far away from our reach. However, there is an underlying sense of hope, as she suggests that maybe one day the child might go to Heaven too.
In the final stanza, the child expresses excitement about going to Heaven and asks if they can say goodbye to their sister. Here, the lyrics reveal the mother's emotional state, as she has tears in her eyes. The tear suggests that saying goodbye is not easy for her, highlighting the pain she feels due to the absence of the child's father. The repetition of "Mommy" at the end emphasizes the child's longing for comfort and reassurance.
Overall, "Mommy" explores the innocence and curiosity of a child trying to understand the concept of Heaven while also dealing with the loss of a loved one. The song portrays the mother's efforts to explain this complex subject, providing bittersweet moments of hope and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Mommy, Mommy what is Heaven like?
Mother, Mother, what is the nature of Heaven?
Is it like a house?
Does it resemble a home?
So pretty and White
Beautiful and gleaming with whiteness
I don't understand, it doesn't seem fair
I am confused, as it appears to be unjust
If Daddy loved us so
Considering the love our father had for us
Why'd he go there?
Why did he venture to that place?
Heaven my child is a beautiful place
My child, Heaven is an exquisite location
Where there's a smile on everyone's face
Where each person displays a joyful countenance
Daddy loved us both but he had to go
Father loved us both, but he was obligated to depart
We needed him so but they needed him more
We desired his presence greatly, but their need was greater
Mommy, Mommy is Heaven very far?
Mother, Mother, is Heaven a great distance away?
How long would it take if we go by car?
If we were to travel by automobile, how much time would it require?
If you cross me at the corner I could take my bike
If you permit me to navigate the street corner, I could utilize my bicycle
Mommy please tell me what's Heaven like
Mother, I implore you to describe the nature of Heaven
You can't go there by a bike or a car
It is impossible to travel there via bicycle or automobile
It's past the moon, way beyond a star
It exists beyond the moon, in a realm distant from the stars
And maybe someday you'll go to Heaven too
Perhaps one day, you may also journey to Heaven
If I know your daddy he'd save a place for you
Considering what I know of your father, he would reserve a spot for you
Mommy, Mommy I can hardly wait
Mother, Mother, I can barely contain my eagerness
I'm so excited, Heaven sounds great
I am filled with anticipation, as Heaven seems splendid
Can I run and tell Sister goodbye?
May I sprint and bid farewell to Sister?
Why is there Mommy, a tear in your eye?
Mother, why is there a tear in your eye?
Mommy
Mother
Mommy
Mother
Mommy
Mother
Mommy
Mother
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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.