Qkumba Zoo is a dance music trio from Johannesbu… Read Full Bio ↴www.qkumbazoo.co.za
Qkumba Zoo is a dance music trio from Johannesburg, South Africa, consisting of vocalist Levannah, dancer/sculptor Tziki and producer Owl.
Their first album, Wake Up & Dream, was a unique break into the music scene in 1996, featuring 11 tracks of feel-good dance music. The songs provided an enjoyable listening experience, with Owl's mix of sounds and beats backing up Levannah's incredible voice. Their song "The Child (Inside)" hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1996 and #69 on the Hot 100. Recently the track has been used in several US television commercials, the most popular being from Seaworld amusement parks. Wake Up & Dream also reflected the band's strong feelings in supporting anti-apartheid, shown in the song Weeping. The trio, like many others in South Africa, struggled with being white in a nation torn apart by racism.
Several years after the album's release, band member Tziki committed suicide. This was one of the catalysts that changed Owl and Levannah over the next several years, which can be heard in the music of their second album, Butterfly Peepl, released in 2000. In addition to the album's release, the band's name was officially shortened from Qkumba Zoo to QZoo. The group also left Arista in favor of their own independent label, Zoocumba Music.
While Wake Up & Dream did not have as big an impact on the music scene as was hoped, Butterfly Peepl was barely noticed at all. Even most fans weren't lucky enough to grab a copy when QZoo's official site still existed. However, the second album musically surpassed the first one, showing the true potential of Owl's songwriting. The music seemed to mature beyond Wake Up & Dream, and in QZoo terms, one could say that they had finally hatched from the coccoon.
In 2001, long after their domain had disappeared, QZoo popped up on a new website under the name Innaskinz. The band still consisted of Owl and Levannah, who were now paired with a woman named Cajun. The site promoted the band and its history, as well as Owl personally running a mailing list. Lyrics for a new song, Rise Up Against the Tide, appeared on the main page for a brief while.
Innaskinz seems to be the last sighting of the band, for not long after, the new site disappeared as well, and the band cut off email communication with its fans, vanishing back into the darkness of Africa. There is no doubt that such magical musicians are still creating music in some way, shape, or form, but outside of South Africa, they now remain a mystery.
Cloud Eyes
Qkumba Zoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Picture me tonight
Hold me in the waters of your oldest feeling
Cloud eyes
In the starlight
Touch me inside, and breathe me into find your healing
Even as she breathes and in her lungs, I am the sea
She waits until my fear has whispered softly down to sleep
And in her dreasm, she swims through me
The song Cloud Eyes by Qkumba Zoo is a dreamy and mystical track that leaves a haunting imprint on listeners. The lyrics are poetic and beautiful, describing the ethereal experience of being held in the waters of someone's oldest feeling. The reference to cloud eyes suggests that the person the singer is addressing is a dreamlike entity, perhaps out of reach or even imaginary. The imagery of being held in water represents a deep connection and trust, as if the two souls are merging and becoming one.
The chorus of the song speaks to the power and depth of this connection, with the singer asking to be touched inside and breathed into to find healing. It's as if the person with cloud eyes has the ability to mend the singer's emotional wounds and make them feel whole again. The lines "Cloud eyes has a way of drowning, even as she breathes" further emphasize the idea that this person has a strong hold over the singer, almost as if they are drowning in their love. The reference to the dream state in the last line suggests that this connection is not necessarily a physical one, but rather a spiritual or emotional bond that exists on a different plane.
Line by Line Meaning
Cloud eyes
The person being addressed has eyes that resemble clouds.
Picture me tonight
Visualize me in your thoughts tonight.
Hold me in the waters of your oldest feeling
Embrace me in the deep and profound emotions you've held onto for the longest time.
Cloud eyes
The person being addressed still has cloud-like eyes.
In the starlight
Under the light of the stars.
Touch me inside, and breathe me into find your healing
Connect with me on a deeper level and let me help you find your path to healing.
Cloud eyes has a way of drowning
The intense gaze of the person being addressed can easily overwhelm someone.
Even as she breathes and in her lungs, I am the sea
The person speaking feels they are a part of the person being addressed, present in her very being.
She waits until my fear has whispered softly down to sleep
The person being addressed waits until the artist's fear has dissipated before making a move.
And in her dreams, she swims through me
In the woman's dreams, she is connected to the artist.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brentleonards1735
Yanaba
Havayena
Takenya
Surata wakanda
[Verse 1]
Cloud eyes, picture me tonight
Hold me in the waters of your oldest feeling
Cloud eyes in the starlight
Touch me inside
And breathe me in to find your healing
[Pre-Chorus]
Cloud eyes has a way of drowning
Even as she breathes and in her lungs
I am the sea
She waits until my fear has whispered
Softly down to sleep and in her dreams
She swims through me
[Chorus]
I'm scared, so you're scared
So what fear has ever mattered anyway?
I'm scared, so you're scared
So what fear has ever mattered, mattered?
[Verse 2]
Cloud eyes in a silver sky
Where the moon flies
Like a paraglider lost in your mind
Cloud eyes in a dream flight
Let your wings slide
Across the moon into the dark side
[Pre-Chorus]
Hold me, touch me, fill me, heal me
Let me feel the mist that flows in me
And in your dreams
[Chorus]
I'm scared, so you're scared
So what fear has ever mattered anyway?
I'm scared, so you're scared
So what fear has ever mattered, mattered?
[Bridge]
Yanaba
Havayena
Takenya
Surata wakanda
Yanaba
Havayena
Takenya
Surata wakanda
@JayvEden
A million years later and still loving this!
@jeffjohnson8624
it's August and everything after by the counting crows in the year 2022. i'm eek in the future? who else is here? ☮️🎶
@ca9968
1996 and this coming on the radio at work always brightened up my day...
@goingsolo324
❤
@BlackMidnight12am
The memories it brings back for me.
@lashame1
goooooooooooowd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love this song. I used to watch it on SABC tv I think in 1996 just before they called it SABC 1. Love the group!!!!!!!
@brentleonards1735
I was looking for this song for years it's so beautiful.
@thedragonesss
I was just transported back to my early teens remembering how I used to dance on my bed to this... Also really shocked to learn this video was made in a Joburg winter! Jisss
@hawkshephard151
Shame she passed on. She was such an amazing and beautiful dancer. The world seems darker
@coenraadjoubert-strauss8261
What a nostalgic song! I've forgotten about it! Bringing back so many memories... Oct 2018!!