As Postcard's flagship band, Orange Juice quickly distinguished the label as a leading proponent of independent pop music; their 1980 debut single "Falling and Laughing," recorded for less than 100 pounds, garnered massive critical acclaim, and subsequent releases like "Blueboy," "Simply Thrilled Honey," and "Poor Old Soul" further established the group as a major new talent. Soon, sessions began for a full-length album; however, in the midst of recording, Orange Juice left Postcard to sign to Polydor, which funded the LP's completion. After the 1982 release of the album, titled You Can't Hide Your Love Forever, ex-Josef K guitarist Malcolm Ross joined the group, hastening the exit of Kirk and Daly (who went on to form Memphis) and paving the way for Zimbabwe-born drummer Zeke Manyika.
The addition of Manyika gave Collins the new capability of exploring a more complex fusion of pop and blue-eyed soul; consequently, 1982's Rip It Up was a more ambitious affair than its predecessor, veering from the buoyant Motown tribute "I Can't Help Myself" to the energetic pop of the title track, Orange Juice's lone Top Ten single. However, subsequent releases failed to chart, and relations between the group and Polydor began to disintegrate; amid these tensions, both Ross and McClymont quit, with Ross later resurfacing in Aztec Camera. Reduced to the duo of Collins and Manyika, Orange Juice enlisted reggae producer Dennis Bovell to record the 1984 EP Texas Fever.
After a makeshift tour, Collins and Manyika returned to the studio to record a dark, ambitious full-length effort; released in 1984, neither The Orange Juice nor its singles "What Presence?!" and "Lean Period" charted, and Collins was dropped from his contract, although Polydor kept Manyika on as a solo act. Only in 1995 did the stunning single "A Girl Like You" finally win Collins the commercial respect that had so long eluded him and his former bandmates. Later on, throughout the late '90s and early 2000s, the rise of Scottish bands as disparate as Belle & Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand won Orange Juice a younger set of fans, helped in great part by the 2005 compilation The Glasgow School.
Biography by Jason Ankeny
A Million Pleading Faces
Orange Juice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Asi aonamo chino
Mayo wako wakazoreba
Ai wakaboutswa vamganimo
See how hard they cry
A million pleading faces
See how hard they cry
Nyika yedu yazotonhova
Inzwawo kumeta kwenyika
Moto werudo wave kmazimwa
Herere invewe mwama ime
See how hard they cry
A million pleading faces
See how hard they cry
A million pleading faces
Dzeve dzako, dzimonzwawo here
Dzeve dzako - heya - dzimonzwawo here
Dzeve dzako, dzimonzwawo here
Dzeve dzako - heya - dzimonzwawo here
The lyrics to Orange Juice's song "A Million Pleading Faces" appear to describe the hardships faced by the people of Zimbabwe, focusing on poverty and political turmoil. The opening lyrics, "Makumbo ako akazafamba/Asi aonamo chino/Mayo wako wakazoreba/Ai wakaboutswa vamganimo," translate to "Your legs are wandering/But you see what's happening/Your eyes are open/But you're ignored by the rulers."
The following lines, "Nyika yedu yazotonhova/Inzwawo kumeta kwenyika/Moto werudo wave kmazimwa/Herere invewe mwama ime," continue this theme of political unrest and economic instability. The lyrics suggest that the people of Zimbabwe are struggling to survive, with poverty and unemployment rampant.
The chorus, "See how hard they cry/A million pleading faces," highlights the desperation and helplessness of the people, as they cry out for help and support.
Overall, "A Million Pleading Faces" appears to be a powerful commentary on the struggles faced by the people of Zimbabwe, and a call for greater awareness and support for those suffering in the region.
Line by Line Meaning
Makumbo ako akazafamba
My legs are tired of walking
Asi aonamo chino
But I see what's here
Mayo wako wakazoreba
Your eyes are tired of crying
Ai wakaboutswa vamganimo
And you were beaten, just because
Nyika yedu yazotonhova
Our country is falling apart
Inzwawo kumeta kwenyika
Voices are silenced in the nation
Moto werudo wave kmazimwa
The fire of love has been quenched
Herere invewe mwama ime
Despair in my heart has taken root
Dzeve dzako, dzimonzwawo here
Your secrets, can they be heard?
Dzeve dzako - heya - dzimonzwawo here
Your secrets - hey - can they be heard?
Dzeve dzako, dzimonzwawo here
Your secrets, can they be heard?
Dzeve dzako - heya - dzimonzwawo here
Your secrets - hey - can they be heard?
Contributed by Lillian I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.