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
Sabelani
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sabelani
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
Sabelani means answer me
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
I wanna sing a township-song
Sabelani
They do in Soweto
That make you answer me
Together again
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
They're singing it in Soweto
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
They are singing Sabelani
Sabelani
It's just a simple thing
They do in Soweto
And when you answer me
Together again
If you answer to my call
You can come among with me
To a place where we can all
Get around and come together
Sabelani from today
Sabelani til tomorrow
Everybody answer me
Everybody: "Sabelani"
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
Sabelani means answer me
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
I want to sing a township-song
Sabelani
(2x)
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
They're singing it in Soweto
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
They're singing Sabelani
Sabelani
(fade out)
The song "Sabelani" by Miriam Makeba has a simple yet powerful message of unity and togetherness. The repetition of the word "Sabelani" throughout the song is a plea for people to answer the call to come together and sing a township-song. The song speaks about the simple things that happen in Soweto, and how these things bring people together. Makeba sings about the power of answering each other's calls, and how it can lead to a sense of community and belonging. She encourages people to come together and join her in a place where they can all get around and come together.
The lyrics of "Sabelani" are a reflection of Makeba's passion for her homeland and her commitment to using her music to bring people together. The song is an expression of her hope for a brighter future for South Africa, where people of all races and backgrounds can come together in unity. The song's message is simple yet powerful, and it continues to resonate with people around the world today.
Line by Line Meaning
Sabelani (Sabelani ma) (2x)
The song begins with the repetitive use of the word 'Sabelani', meaning 'answer me', calling out for a response
Sabelani
The singer wants a response from the listener
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
The repetition of 'Sabelani' continues, with the persistent call for an answer
Sabelani means answer me
The lyrics state that 'Sabelani' means 'answer me', further reinforcing the theme of the song
Sabelani (Sabelani ma)
The singer repeats the call for an answer, perhaps emphasizing the importance of receiving a response
I wanna sing a township-song
The singer expresses a desire to sing a song that is unique to their community
It's just that simple thing
The following lines discuss how a simple thing done in Soweto can bring people together, emphasizing the power of unity in the face of adversity
They do in Soweto
Referring to the people of Soweto, the song highlights their unique qualities and traditions
That make you answer me
The actions of the Soweto people encourage the listener to reply and engage with the song
Together again
This phrase could refer to the unity and sense of community that comes from singing the same song with others
They're singing it in Soweto
The continuation of the refrain emphasizes the importance of Soweto and its community in the song's message
They are singing Sabelani
The people in Soweto are answering the call and singing the song with the singer
If you answer to my call
The singer invites the listener to engage with the song and participate in its message
You can come among with me
By answering the call, the listener can feel a sense of belonging and unity with the singer and their community
To a place where we can all
Through participating in the song, the listener can feel a connection to a larger community, transcending physical location
Get around and come together
The song's message is about uniting and coming together, overcoming differences and challenges
Sabelani from today
The singer encourages the listener to remember the message of 'Sabelani' and practice it every day
Sabelani til tomorrow
The message of 'Sabelani' is one that should be practiced and remembered continuously
Everybody answer me
The refrain is repeated, with the call for everyone to engage with the song's message
Everybody: "Sabelani"
The song ends with the singer and listener answering the call together, demonstrating the power of unity and community
Sabelani (Sabelani ma) (2x)
The song ends with a repeat of the refrain, emphasizing the importance of its message
Sabelani
The final repetition of 'Sabelani' is a call to action, to continue engaging with its message beyond the song's end
(fade out)
The song fades away, but its message of unity and community lives on
Contributed by Callie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.