Tumbling
Zola Lyrics

The lyrics to Zola's song Tumbling are a commentary on the negative impact of American culture on South African society. In the song, Zola critiques the way in which American culture and values have been imposed onto South African youth and how it has overshadowed African icons and heritage. The first verse talks about how the youth idolizes American icons and how they are more interested in reading about them on the front page of a magazine, rather than learning about African icons such as Zola, Mandoza, Bricks, Julius Malema or soccer players and TV presenters. He also notes that the older generation is to blame, as they have let this happen by glorifying everything foreign and expensive, and overlooking their own history and traditions.

The second verse continues to comment on the state of the youth, stating that even during important events like Heritage Day, they prefer to play foreign music and emulate American culture, rather than celebrate their own culture and heritage. He argues that this is a result of the Americanization of this generation and how the proliferation of American ideals has made it such a norm for people to look up to them that they have developed the mentality that they can't achieve anything unless they live up to American standards. The line "Mhlawumbe bebezo understander ukuthi ama worries ethu ava" means that maybe if we could understand our own worries, we would realize that we don't need to idolize America and look up those standards that have nothing to do with our culture, and that we should instead focus on preserving and showcasing our own heritage.

In summary, the song Tumbling is a critique of the way South African youth have embraced American culture at the expense of their own heritage and icons. It is a plea to preserve and celebrate the country's unique history and culture, rather than succumbing to the overwhelming influence of American ideals.