All,
We send joyous birthday wishes to South African trumpet player Hugh Masekela. He turns seventy-four today.
So in true celebratory fashion, here's an exceptional performance featuring his band filmed at the 1986 Freedom Beat Festival.
Kofi
HUGH MASEKELA
(B. APRIL 4, 1939)
(B. APRIL 4, 1939)
"Soweto Blues"
by Hugh Masekela
Sung by Miriam Makeba
Composed 1976
This song, originally by Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba, two exiled South African anti-apartheid musicians, tells the horrific story of the Soweto Massacre of June 16, 1976. Between 200 and 600 people died in the riots, many of them schoolchildren. The climax of the song is sung in Xhosa and translates to, "Where were the men, when the children were throwing stones, when the children were being shot? Where were you?" The irony in these questions is that the men were conscripted to work in coalmines away from home, thus leaving their families defenseless:
'SOWETO BLUES' (Lyrics)
The children got a letter from the master
It said: no more Xhosa, Sotho, no more Zulu.
Refusing to comply they sent an answer
That's when the policemen came to the rescue
Children were flying bullets dying
The mothers screaming and crying
The fathers were working in the cities
The evening news brought out all the publicity:
Chorus: "Just a little atrocity, deep in the city"
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
Benikuphi ma madoda
(where were the men)
abantwana beshaywa
(when the children were throwing stones)
ngezimbokodo Mabedubula abantwana
(when the children were being shot)
Benikhupi na
(where were you?)
There was a full moon on the golden city
Standing at the door was the man without pity
Accusing everyone of conspiracy
Tightening the curfew charging people with walking
Yes, the border is where he was waiting
Waiting for the children, frightened and running
A handful got away but all the others
Hurried their chain without any publicity
Chorus: "Just a little atrocity, deep in the city"
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
chorus: Benikuphi ma madoda (where were the men) abantwana beshaywa (when the children were throwing stones) ngezimbokodo
Mabedubula abantwana (when the children were being shot) Benikhupi na (where were you?)
Soweto blues
Soweto blues
Soweto blues - abu yethu a mama
Soweto blues - they are killing all the children
Soweto blues - without any publicity
Soweto blues - oh, they are finishing the nation
Soweto blues - while calling it black on black
Soweto blues - but everybody knows they are behind it
Soweto Blues - without any publicity
Soweto blues - they are finishing the nation
Soweto blues - god, somebody, help!
Soweto blues - (abu yethu a mama)
Soweto blues
Read more: MIRIAM MAKEBA - SOWETO BLUES LYRICS
Miriam Makeba with Hugh Masekela- South Africa freedom song
