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

You Are In Love
Miriam Makeba Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When your heart is light and gay
And you can't find words to say
Just what makes you feel that way
You are in love
You are in love

When each hour seems like years
Till that moment he appears

If your heart stands up and cheers
You are in love
You are in love

I know that fabulous feeling
That burning desire
It can make your heart sing like a choir
The world was made for loving
And a lifetime of heaven is yours
Once you've started turtle doving

If he's always on your mind
And as time goes on you'll find
To all others you are blind
You are in love
You are in love

I know that fabulous feeling
That burning desire
It can make your heart sing like a choir
The world was made for loving
And a lifetime of heaven is yours
Once you've started turtle doving

If he's always on your mind
And as time goes on you'll find
To all other you are blind
You are in love

You are in love
You're in love

Overall Meaning

In these lyrics, Miriam Makeba describes the various signs and emotions associated with being in love. The first stanza sets the stage by stating that when someone's heart is light and joyful, and they struggle to find the words to express their happiness, it is a clear indication that they are in love. The repetition of the phrase "You are in love" emphasizes the intensity and certainty of this emotion.

The second stanza focuses on the notion of time standing still when the person you love is not present. Each hour feels like years until that special person appears, and when they finally do, the heart rejoices. This emphasizes the longing and anticipation that often accompanies being in love.

Makeba then shares her personal experience of this "fabulous feeling" and "burning desire" that love ignites within. She compares it to a choir singing, suggesting that love has the power to make one's heart sing with joy and harmony. The lyrics imply that love is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, and it brings a sense of fulfillment and happiness.

The final stanza reinforces the idea of being consumed by thoughts of the person one loves. As time passes, all other distractions and attractions fade away, and the person becomes blind to others. This shows how love can dominate one's thoughts and feelings, deepening the emotional connection between two people.

Overall, Miriam Makeba's lyrics in "You Are In Love" celebrate the enchanting and captivating nature of falling in love. They capture the overwhelming emotions, the sense of timelessness, and the single-minded focus on the person who holds one's heart. The song embraces the idea that love is a powerful force that can bring immense joy and create a lifetime of happiness.

Line by Line Meaning

When your heart is light and gay
When you feel joyful and carefree

And you can't find words to say
When you are at a loss for words

Just what makes you feel that way
Just what causes your happy emotions

You are in love
You are experiencing love

When each hour seems like years
When time appears to move slowly

Till that moment he appears
Until the moment he arrives

If your heart stands up and cheers
If your heart fills with joy and excitement

I know that fabulous feeling
I am familiar with that wonderful sensation

That burning desire
That intense longing

It can make your heart sing like a choir
It can make your heart feel euphoric

The world was made for loving
The world was created for the expression of love