South Africa's Joyous Celebration Choir Featuring Nobathembu Mabeka - "Ngiphete' Ungqo" (information, video, & lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video of a Joyous Celebration choir (South Africa) featuring soloist Nobathembu Mabeka singing her composition "Ngiphete' Ungqo".

Information about Joyous Celebration is given in this post along with selected comments from this video's discussion thread. Lyrics to this song in Xhosa and their English translation are included in those comments.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Joyous Celebration and Nobathembu Mabeka for their music.

Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT JOYOUS CELEBRATION
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyous_Celebration
"Joyous Celebration is a South African Gospel choir which was formed in 1994 following the success of South Africa's first democratic elections. What was merely meant to be a one-time studio project by South African musicians turned into a massive platform for upcoming South African artists. The choir has enjoyed success in South Africa and the rest of the African continent, having released 22 albums as of 2018. It is one of South Africa's most successful gospel choirs, following acts like The Soweto Gospel Choir.[1] ...

****
From http://musicmag.co.za/joyous-celebration-profile/
..."The [Joyous Celebration] choir was formed by the well-known gospel producers in the country; Lindelani Mkhize, Jabu Hlongwane and Mthunzi Namba. The choir has been sponsored by Giant telecommunications Network MTN, hence the name ‘MTN Joyous Celebration’. Previous sponsors include ‘Old Mutual’ and other South African media partners. The choir usually comprises 30 to 35 singers and a 6 to 8 piece band. There are usually 8 to 10 soprano singers, 8 to 10 contralto singers and 10 to 13 tenor singers. The founders try to change singers often in order to give others the same platform and exposure, this by holding auditions often. Most singers stay with the choir for a period of 1 to 5 years; however, others do go over that period, with previous singers such as Ntokozo Mbambo, the previous musical director Nqubeko Mbatha, and the current lead guitarist Msizi Mashiane having stayed with the choir for 11 years each. The founders often refer to Joyous Celebration as a gospel project as the singers are not only trained in music but how one carries themselves as a gospel musician and how to basically stand on their own in the tough music and ministry industry."...

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE Joyous Celebration - Ngiphete' Ungqo



joyousVEVO, Published on Oct 19, 2015
-snip-
This song is included in the album Joyous Celebration 16: Royal Priesthood - Live in Johannesburg at Carnival City's Big Top Arena (2012)"...

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread, including lyrics in Xhosa and their English translations.

These comments are given in chronological order based on the year that they were published, with the oldest comments given first except for replies. Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only.

1. piecha23, 2015
"Can someone translate this song for me. Love it."

**
REPLY [Pancocojams Editor: This is the English translation of the Xhosa lyrics for this song.]
2. Moriti Molapo, 2015

"I'm untouchable
I'm unaffected
I'm not wandering
I'm not hurting
(Yes I'm unshakable, I've got the best of gospel)

I'm untouchable
I'm a holy girl/lady
No I'm untouchable
I'm a lady/girl of gospel

Even if you can give me money
A car, cellphone and all of that
I'm untouchable
I'm a lady/girl of gospel
Where my girl's at?

I'm not wandering
I'm a holy woman/mother
I'm not wandering
I'm a woman/mother of gospel

When times are hard
I look upon Christ
I'm not wandering, no
I'm not wandering
I'm not wandering
Where my mothers at?

The man says I'm unaffected
I'm a holy man
I'm unaffected
I'm a man of gospel

Even if you show me your cleavage
Mini-skirt, hairpieces and all that
I'm not affected
I'm a man of the gospel
Where the man at?

I'm unshakable
I'm a holy father
I'm unshakable
I'm a father of gospel

I sleep at home, I eat at home
I get everything at home
I'm a father, I'm a father of gospel
Where my fathers at?

We have the best, we have the best
We have the best, we have the best
We have the best, we have the best
Of gospel

I'm not hurting
I've got the best of gospel
No I'm not hurting
I've got the best of gospel"

**
REPLY
3. Marielyn Tonui, 2015
"+Moriti Molapo thanks..why am I not zulu again..this songs are awesome"

**
REPLY
4. Made in South Africa, 2016
"+Marielyn Tonui This is actually Xhosa, not Zulu. No worries you can thank me later :)"

**
5. REPLY
3. Timothy Mckenzie, 2016
"+Moriti Molapo hey can u write the lyrics in that language she is singing on...kindly thanks

**
REPLY
6. Moriti Molapo, 2016
"+Timothy Mckenzie pls go on Facebook and like Joyous celebration lyrics. You will all their song lyrics there including this one. Enjoy."

**
7. Timothy Mckenzie, 2016 [Pancocojams Editor: These are the Xhosa lyrics for this song.]

"And'phatha phathwa,
And'thinta thintwa
And'khathazeki

And' bheka bheki
(Yebo and'shukunyiswa
ndipheth' ungqo wevangeli)

And'phatha phathwa,
And'thinta thintwa
And' bheka bheki,
And khathazeki
(Yebo and'shukunyiswa
ndipheth' ungqo wevangeli)

And'phatha phathwa
Ndiyintombi engcwele
And' phatha phathwa
Ndiyintombi mina yevangeli

Nob'ungandinikeza imali
Imoto, icellphone nditsho konke
And'phathwa mina
Ndiyintombi mina
Yevangeli
Zithin' izintombi?

And'phatha phathwa
Ndiyintombi engcwele
Luth' and' phatha phathwa
Ndiyintombi yevangeli
[Repeat]

And'bheka bheki
Ndingumama mina ongcwele
And' bhekabheki
Ndingumama mina wevangeli

Se kufik' ubunzima
Ubuhlungu, and'bheki
Ndijong' uKristu
And'bheki
And'bheki, and'bheki
And'bheki, and'bheki
Hay'bo, bathin' oomama

And'bheka bheki
Ndingumama ongcwele
Hay' and' bhekabheki
Ndingumama wevangeli
[Repeat]

Imali, imoto, cellphone
Konke

Ziph' iinsizwa
Ith' insizwa and'thintwa
Ndiyinsizwa mina engcwele
And'thinta thintwa
Ndiyinsizwa mina yevangeli

Nob'ungandivezel' icleavage, Isigcebhezane, amahairpiece
Nditsho konke, ndiyinsizwa mina
Ndiyinsizwa mina yevangeli.
Zithin' izinsizwa

And'thinta thintwa
Ndiyinsizwa engcwele
Luth' and'thinta thintwa
Ndiyinsizwa yevangeli
[Repeat]

And'shukunyiswa
Ndingubaba ongcwele
And'shukunyiswa
Ndingubaba mina wevangeli

Ndilal' ekhaya, ngidl'ekhaya
Konk'ekhaya ndiyak'thola
Ngingubaba mina,
Ngingubaba mina
Wevangeli
Bathin' oobaba

And'shukunyiswa
Ngingubaba ongcwele
Hay' and'shukunyiswa
Ngingubaba wevangeli
[Repeat]

Icleavage, is'gcebhi, hairpiece
Konke
Dance

Sipheth' unqo, sipheth' ungqo
Sipheth' unqo, sipheth' ungqo
Sipheth' unqo, sipheth' ungqo
Wevangeli

As'khathazeki
Sipheth' uNgqo wevangeli
Luth' as'khathazeki
Sipheth' ungqo wevangeli

Andiphatha phathwa
And'bheka bheki
Thinti konke
Ndipheth' unqo
Ndipheth' unqo wevangeli

As'khathazeki
Sipheth' uNgqo wevangeli
Luth' as'khathazeki
Sipheth' ungqo wevangeli"

**
8. Hepsibah Effange, 2016
"+Moriti Molapo please what's the meaning oh "ivo" she keeps saying?"

**
REPLY
9. Moriti Molapo, 2016
Moriti Molapo
"+Hepsibah Effange its Evangeli meaning I stand for the Gospel... A mother, a brother, a girl, a father standing for the Gospel."

**
REPLY
10. Ntomboxolo Nkwali, 2017
"Hepsibah Effange you asked the meaning of "ivo" according to your understanding of the song, it's "iyhooh" meaning "oh yes" I think I tried to make it understandable hey....

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.