Tumi and the Volume are made up of four members. Tumi Molekane (vocals), the centerpiece of the group, is an accomplished South African poet from Johannesburg. In 2002, he met Tiago and Paulo Chibanga and Dave Bergman, who were playing backup for MCs at the Bassline, in Melville, Johannesburg. Tiago and Paulo are both members of the Mozambiquean, South African-based band 340ml. For the production of their first album, At the Bassline the group added Kyle Rose Smith, a violinist, to complete The Volume. On their second album, the self-titled studio release, Smith is featured but she left the band in early 2005 to join Freshlyground.
Tumi and the Volume was founded when then-solo emcee Tumi Molekane met The Volume, a backup band at the Bassline. The first collaborative project, which evolved into At the Bassline, began in the beginning of 2003. Yet since before the release of their first album, Tumi and the Volume have been performing across southern Africa and Europe.
Their first year together, 2002, saw them mostly tour South Africa and contribute to music festivals across the country, as well as open for bigger international groups performing in Johannesburg and Cape Town, such as Positive Black Soul, from Senegal, and Blackalicious, from the United States.
The release, and following critical acclaim of, At the Bassline, shot them onto a bigger stage, as the group performed at the Quart Festival in Norway, alongside with The Roots and Coldplay.
2005 through 2006 saw the successive releases of their second album--and first studio album--Tumi & the Volume, in first South Africa, and then Europe and North America. Through June and July of 2006, the band traveled to Canada and performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
In August of 2006, their first album was re-released on Apple iTunes Music Store.
76
Tumi and the Volume Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The street blew in urbany mist
I′m treading it swift
And running past where Hector got hit
Bullets rang
Several kids ran
Better not flinch
I catch a glimpse
Chucking teargas cans, that hit you like anthrax
I, carry a brick load of black wrath in my stance
Hit him with a slab he drops, his rifle and
Flashlight
Walk towards him he's bleeding
My face, hardens grab his gun
As a crowd of overlooking youngs, take it from
Him
The place is humming
This mother- is gonna pay for something
For chasing and gunning and making martyrs of
The young′uns
We stare for a while with murder in our eyes
If he's never seen it before
Then he heard in our cries
I, drift to a time, when we was in a line
My only dad was a prison visitor bird
Caged in its prime pain
Ancient in its time like cells
Aimed to just find my soul
Waiting to find mercy
Wait but am I worthy
Hate can divide earthly
Based on divine verbs we
Chased to define words we
Supposed to be
Cause the last days are close to we
Eyes wide close to see
Pass the smoke scenery
I drift back to see him bleed
Cock the rifle shot him
To silence his misery
Crowd dispersed
After the gun, powder burst
Life escapes him
I'm well allowed
But I still
Got it worst
76 was not a very good year
We were so caught up, with fear
But I still got it worst
I still got it worst
Got it worst
The song "76" by Tumi and the Volume is a thought-provoking piece of art that captures the gritty reality of life in South Africa during apartheid. The song is rich in vivid imagery that paints a picture of an urban landscape that is both chaotic and dangerous. The lyrics describe the scene of a violent altercation on the streets of Johannesburg in 1976, a year that was marked by a series of protests against the apartheid regime.
The singer of the song is running down the street, dodging tear gas and bullets, and witnessing the violent clashes between police and protesters. He describes a moment when he comes face to face with one of the police officers, who is armed with a gas mask and tear gas canisters. In a fit of anger and frustration, the singer grabs a brick and attacks the officer, causing him to drop his rifle and flashlight. The singer then picks up the rifle and is about to exact his revenge when the crowd takes the gun away from him. The song ends with the singer reflecting on the violence of that day and the lasting effects it had on him.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the devastating impact of apartheid on the people of South Africa. It captures the sense of outrage and desperation that many felt at the time, as well as the deep-seated anger that still lingers in many people today.
Line by Line Meaning
It was 76
Referring to a specific year, likely in the past
The street blew in urbany mist
The street was filled with an urban mist or fog
I′m treading it swift
I am walking or moving quickly
And running past where Hector got hit
Passing by the area where someone named Hector was injured
Bullets rang
Gunshots were heard
Several kids ran
Several children ran away from the gunshots
Better not flinch
It's important to stay calm and not react with fear
I catch a glimpse
I see or notice something quickly
Of this bastard running past us with a gas mask
A person wearing a gas mask is seen running past us
Chucking teargas cans, that hit you like anthrax
Throwing teargas cans that have a strong impact, like anthrax
I, carry a brick load of black wrath in my stance
I am full of anger and ready for action
Hit him with a slab he drops, his rifle and Flashlight
I hit him with a heavy object, causing him to drop his weapon and flashlight
Walk towards him he's bleeding
Walking towards him despite the fact that he is bleeding
My face, hardens grab his gun
My expression becomes stern as I grab his gun
As a crowd of overlooking youngs, take it from Him
A group of young people take the gun from him
The place is humming
The place is filled with activity and excitement
This mother- is gonna pay for something
This person is going to face consequences for their actions
For chasing and gunning and making martyrs of The young′uns
For pursuing and shooting young people and making them into martyrs
We stare for a while with murder in our eyes
We look at him with a strong desire for revenge or violence
If he's never seen it before Then he heard in our cries
He may not have witnessed it before, but he can hear it in our emotions
I, drift to a time, when we was in a line
I remember a specific time when we were waiting in a line
My only dad was a prison visitor bird
My dad could only visit me in prison
Caged in its prime pain
Feeling trapped and in great physical or emotional distress
Ancient in its time like cells
Feeling very old or antiquated like prison cells
Aimed to just find my soul
Trying to find peace or clarity in my life
Waiting to find mercy
Hoping to receive forgiveness or kindness from others
Wait but am I worthy
Questioning if I am deserving of mercy or forgiveness
Hate can divide earthly
Hatred can cause division and conflict on earth
Based on divine verbs we
Following spiritual teachings or principles
Chased to define words we supposed to be
Trying to understand words and concepts that we are expected to know
Cause the last days are close to we
The end of time or the apocalypse is approaching
Eyes wide close to see
We can see what is happening, but it is difficult to comprehend
Pass the smoke scenery
Move beyond the smoke and confusion
I drift back to see him bleed
I go back in my mind to see him bleeding
Cock the rifle shot him
Preparing the rifle and shooting him
To silence his misery
To put an end to his suffering
Crowd dispersed
The people in the crowd scattered or left the area
After the gun, powder burst
After the gun was fired, smoke or powder came out
Life escapes him
His life has ended
I'm well allowed
I am permitted to do what I want
But I still
Despite this
Got it worst
I am in a worse situation than others
76 was not a very good year
Referring to a specific year that was not good
We were so caught up, with fear
We were overwhelmed by our fears and anxieties
I still got it worst
I am still in a difficult situation
I still got it worst
Repeating that I am still struggling more than others
Got it worst
Continuing to emphasize that my situation is worse than others'
Contributed by Hudson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stylez
Its the reality that South Africa is not a rainbow nation, and nothing has changed since 1976 when children died for freedom
Kagiso
How the hell do I download this song I've been struggling for the past 10 years
@user-qd4vb5dg5z
2023 still love this song 😢
@musasoko1322
Whose still listening in 2022?
@user-nz6rf1ju1q
Here in 2023❤
@BantuMadikizela
This song still hits hard till this day! Marking Youth Day
@JeremyToy
This is one of the great songs of my life. I heard it in 2003 when I was visiting Capetown on community radio, it came on every morning on the alarm clock radio. I fell in love with it as every single time it took me on a deep challenging journey. It was my introduction to SA music culture and history all in one song. I took two copies of the CD back to New Zealand with me.
@thulaganyophetlhe7496
from 03 to 23. How lucky some of us are to still know when music is art.
@quincymlangane8464
still sound amazing in 2023
@tshililofunzani8351
Still sounds good in 2021