Zenzile Miriam Makeba (1932-2008), also known as Mama Africa, was beyond di… Read Full Bio ↴Zenzile Miriam Makeba (1932-2008), also known as Mama Africa, was beyond dispute one of South Africa's true legends. Born March 4, 1932 in Johannesburg, Miriam Makeba was barely 21 years old when she, as a member of the Manhattan Brothers, reached for the stars in her home country. It didn't take long before Miriam Makeba's career was brought to another level. In 1966 she received a Grammy Award for the album An Evening with Harry Belafonte & Miriam Makeba, making her the first African artist to win a Grammy. Her star rose further when she released her 1967 globally acclaimed Pata Pata, including the worldwide hit "Qongqothwane" (better known as the 'Click Song'). Shortly thereafter she published her autobiography .
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
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
Where Does It Lead?
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
Only heaven and the lilies know
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
I must go down where the lilies grow
Play on the lily reed
Lowly low
Play to him till he heed
To my woe
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
Only heaven and the lilies know
Play on the lily reed
Lowly low
Play to him till he heed
To my woe
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
Anywhere it takes me
I will go
This strange young love of mine
Only heaven and the lilies know
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
I must go down where the lilies grow
Lowly low
Play to him till he heed
To my woe
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
Only heaven and the lilies know
Play on the lily reed
Lowly low
Play to him till he heed
To my woe
Where does it lead?
This strange young love of mine
Anywhere it takes me
I will go
In Miriam Makeba's song "Where Does It Lead?", the singer is questioning the direction of her new love affair. She asks where it will lead and acknowledges that only heaven and the lilies know the answer. She expresses her willingness to follow her heart, even if it takes her down an unknown path. Her desperation to be with her love is evident in the repeated phrase "This strange young love of mine".
Line by Line Meaning
Where does it lead?
Questioning the destination of a curious journey
This strange young love of mine
A unique and unfamiliar type of affection
Only heaven and the lilies know
Unclear, hidden knowledge of the answer
I must go down where the lilies grow
The search for answers requires going somewhere unknown
Play on the lily reed
Musical accompaniment to express emotions
Lowly low
Softly, gently
Play to him till he heed
Persistent playing to gain attention and understanding
To my woe
To my pain and suffering
Anywhere it takes me
Being open to following the unpredictable path of love
I will go
Embracing the unknown and facing it with courage
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLORIA GWEN DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Pugo Bio
Such an emotionally charged projection! I see a beautiful lady walking alongside a moderately moving creek or river. Flowers lace the path. As she slowly walks and sings with her eyes half closed her hand is placed above het heart. Even the leopard stops drinking from the water source and begins to lap up the waves of sound coming from this angelic being. She continues to walk. Undisturbed by her loneliness, you can see the pain, yet, an undying hope. For the lilly she seeks. This is what i see
EnRico van Keeken
``EYE líkE WhAt YOU C´´
Nico FRENCHMAN
She says : Where does it lead this strange young love of mine Only heaven and the lilies know Where does it lead this strange young love of mine I must go down where the lilies grow Play on a lily reed, lowly low Play to him til he heed(s) to my woe Where does it lead this strange young love of mine Anywhere it takes me I will go
Ismael
Thank you!
Ola Williams
I too I'm grateful. Excellent.
Rolando Nieves
A haunting lovely melody by a one of a kind voice.
hermajesty52
still as fresh as the day I heard it more than 45 years ago.....beautiful
bisonette5
I first heard it over 55 years ago....and I immediately went out and bought the album (several other outstanding songs on that album); I bought her follow-up album also.............hauntingly beautiful
EnRico van Keeken
@bisonette5 I th?nk Í heard this the moment I was born, then deciding 2 sing it before I started talking
RainaEmeral
Thanks for posting this haunting song. I remember it from the 60's!