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
Singa
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
AseRhawutini singamadoda
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi, hay, hay, hay sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi, hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (Hoyiye singamadoda)
Hayi, hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi, hayi, sihleli nje hayi singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi, hayi, hayi, hela bo sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hay, hay, hay heh babo
Sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi heh baba
Sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi, hayi
The lyrics of Miriam Makeba's song Singa are sung in the Xhosa language and express the frustration of women towards men who do not take responsibility and leave the burden of work and care to the women. The phrase "Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda" is repeated throughout the song, which translates to "We do not just sit as men". The repetition emphasizes the women's frustration with men's inaction and lack of contribution to society.
The line "AseRhawutini singamadoda" refers to the town of Retreat in Cape Town, where there are many men who do not work, leaving women to provide for their families. The song calls for men to step up and take responsibility for their families and communities, instead of relying on women to do all the work. Makeba's powerful vocals and the repetitive chorus convey the urgency of this message.
Overall, Singa is a song of empowerment for women, urging them to demand more from men and inspiring men to take action and contribute to society.
Line by Line Meaning
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda
We do not just sit idle as men (We are not just sitting idle like men)
AseRhawutini singamadoda
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi, hay, hay, hay sihleli nje singamadoda
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Hayi, hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda
We do not just sit idle as men (We are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (Hoyiye singamadoda)
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Hayi, hayi, hayi, hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We do not just sit idle as men (We are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi, hayi, sihleli nje hayi singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Hayi, hayi, hayi, hela bo sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We do not just sit idle as men (We are not just sitting idle like men)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hay, hay, hay heh babo
They say, 'Hey, hey, hey there father'
Sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are simply here as men (We are simply here as men)
Bathi hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi heh baba
They say, 'Hey, hey, hey there father'
Sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are simply here as men (We are simply here as men)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
Hayi sihleli nje singamadoda (AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We do not just sit idle as men (We are not just sitting idle like men)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
(AseRhawutini singamadoda)
We are from Rhawutini, as men (We are from Rhawutini, like men)
Bathi hayi, hayi, hayi, hayi
They say we do not just sit idle as men (They say we are not just sitting idle like men)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meshackochieng4778
2023 who’s here with me?
@eddyvos2628
❤
@ingridv2118
PRESENTE 😊❤❤❤
@chelsemma204
November, i love this song
@keamoore5849
Meee
@Queensland-girl
Aussie here & loving Miriam. 21st November 2023
@emilyeah
I'm Swedish. When I was in middle school we used to sing this song in music class. Today, I read a book for my daughter: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls — 100 tales of extraordinary women. I read about Miriam Makeba and her song "pata pata" was mentioned as her most celebrated song. I immediately knew. It's been 30 years since I heard it. I immediately put it on and DANCED! I still know the words!! Love it ❤️ Thank you Africa. Thank you Miriam 👋🏽
@user-nm6dl8gl4d
Wow, that's lovely
@KasTheGike
@@Naledi-ep2vf Europeans are white.
@youcallmehero
@@KasTheGikenot all europeans are white, this isn’t the 1500s