African Memories Of Singing Yvonne Chaka Chaka's 1988 South African Song "Umqombothi" (African Beer") With Made Up Lyrics In Their Own Languages

Yvonne Chaka Chaka Youtube Channel, Jan 25, 2018
-snip-
statistics as of July 24, 2023 at 10:20 AM EDT
total # of views - 7,404,127
total # of comments- 2,254

**** 
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka's 1988 hit song "Umqombothi" (English translation: "African Beer"). 

This post also presents information about Yvonne Chaka Chaka as well as some information and partial lyrics for that song.

Some comments from Africans about their childhood memories of "Umqombothi" are included in this post. Most of those comments focus on how people in Kenya, East Africa and in some other African nations sung "Umqombothi" with similar sounding lyrics from their own language instead of singing the Xhosa words of that song. 

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

These comments help to document how -prior to the internet- many people throughout Africa were familiar with certain recorded songs from other African nations even if those songs were in languages they didn't understand.

This is in contrast to how - prior to the internet- most people in United States weren't familiar with music from other nations, and particularly weren't familiar with non-English language songs from within the United States and from outside that nation.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Yvonne Chaka Chaka for her musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.  
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/07/african-commenters-childhood.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Africans' Childhood Remembrances Of Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens' 1987 Hit Song "Kazet" ("Gazette")

****
INFORMATION ABOUT YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA AND HER HIT SONG "UMQOMBOTHI"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Chaka_Chaka
"Yvonne Chaka Chaka (born Yvonne Machaka on 18 March 1965) is a South African singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, humanitarian and teacher. Dubbed the "Princess of Africa" (on a 1990 tour),[3] Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 35 years and has been popular in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.[3] Songs such as "I'm Burning Up", "Thank You Mr. DJ", "I Cry For Freedom", "Motherland" and the ever-popular "Umqombothi" ("African Beer") ensured Chaka Chaka's stardom. The song "Umqombothi" was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda."...
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Yvonne-chaka-chaka-umqombothi-lyrics for complete lyrics the song "Umqombothi". Here are partial lyrics to that song in Xhosa with English translations in parenthesis:

"We Ma Dlamini (Everybody)
Uph'umqombothi? (Come and drink my)
We MaDlamini (Magic beer)
Uph'umqombothi?
We Ma Dlamini (Everybody)
Uph'umqombothi? (Come and drink my)
We MaDlamini (African beer)
Uph'umqombothi?"

**** 
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD 
This is a small portion of the comments from the discussion thread for this embedded YouTube video that refer to childhood memories of the South African song "Umqombothi".

Numbers are added to these comments for referencing purposes only.

English translations are added from Google translate. Additions and corrections are welcome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUrPy6wG-i4

1. @dorrisnzilani1417, 2022
"Where are the 🇰🇪 🇰🇪 kenyans?,,,I know I'm not the only one that sang,," yesu mkombozi" growing up ahah,,, a perfect example of good literature,  it's timeless 😉"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "yesu mkombozi" = "Jesus Savior"

**
Reply
2. @eddynaingasian2813, 2023
"😂😂😂wee mashabiki yesu mkombozi ...I wish someone could record us them days ...our lyrics heheee"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "wee mashabiki yesu mkombozi" =" O fans of Jesus the Redeemer"

**
Reply
3. @mariavanessanakayiki2480, 2023
"As a Ugandan all I grew up singing was, “owamaso amelu Okomukomboti”😂 indeed this was an African and still an African song…90s baby here

** 
4. @rosinakithinga8839, 2022
"This song rocked Kenya..Was young I could not master the lyrics,,,, had mine in my language Swahili,,, how beautiful ❤❤❤❤"

**
Reply
5. @dolldelly8347, 2022
"The "ngombe za meru" version"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "ngombe za meru"= "meru cows"

**
Reply
6. @barryweke,2022
"Ngombe za Meru hazina magoti😂😂"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "The Meru cows have no knees."

**
7. @queendalynchy733, 2022
"Good old days! This was my brother's and mine favorite back them. As kids we didn't care about the lyrics we just sang along how we understood. My younger sis will also be seriously sing everything upside down😂😂😂. I feel so  nostalgic right now.

Thank you mummy chaka chaka for this memorable song."

**
Reply
8. @mihajasonrakotondraibe693,2023
"This song also hit Madagascar, I remember singing the lyrics differently when I was a kid, we were singing it in our language..."

**
9. @mwandangomusa467, 2022
"Sweet memories, in Kenya the church goers used to sing it happily thinking it was 'mkombozi' only to learn later it was African beer"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "mkombozi" ="the redeemer"; "savior" 

**
10. @nabaddaalice5545, 2022
"We used to listen to this song wen we are still young 😂😂😂😂 without knowing even it's meaning 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Uganda is my country ❣️🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬❤️🙏"

**
Reply
11. @nancynatasha8034, 2022
"Waaahh...we as kids we use to sing  "ng'ombe za meru hazina mkia lakini kukunia hauzitomboi" Kenyans in the house can relate"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: Meru cows don't have tails but you don't cut them off"

**
12. @muhatiastephen684, 2022
"when i was growing up i thought this is a Swahili Christmas carol. "Amezaliwa Yesu Mkombozi"🤣  Am sure am not alone. Anyone from Kenya or Tanzania will understand me so well."
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Amezaliwa Yesu Mkombozi" = "Jesus the Redeemer is born"

**
Reply
13. @nchokosamuel2818,2023
"Same here😂🇰🇪"

**
14, @danngoso746, 2022
"So in Kenya when I was young my friends were like Bwana Asamehe, Yesu Mkombozi......🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣..

We thought it was some gospel song.....

But this has remained a jam all through the passage of time.

God bless Africa, God bless E.A. region 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Bwana Asamehe, Yesu Mkombozi".="Lord Forgive, Jesus Redeemer"

**
Reply
15. @noelakhasoa4923, 2023
"😂 " yesu mkombozi". 🇰🇪 Childhood memories.  This song never gets old."

@SuperBizzle10, 2023
"My Mom and Grandmother are from South Africa this was thier song back in the day just love this song all good memories

This song made us rename alcohol "Mkomboti" in our local village in Kenya. We would be asked where our fathers were and we would answer, they have gone "Mkomboti" 😀😀😀"

**
16. @johnanwoh, 2023
"Nostalgia at its peak.... This song blew all over Ghana when i was very young. We did not understand the lyrics so we came up with our own twi version.... our sbasically translated ... someone's goat is dead, take it to the mortuary..... oh my [emoji of a smiling face that is the color blue]

**
17. @eunicemusyoki3489,2022
"Wema wa Mungu,Yesu Mkombozi",this is how my sisters and I  used to sing this beautiful song!"
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Google translate from Swahili to English: "Wema wa Mungu,Yesu Mkombozi" = "The Goodness of God, Jesus the Redeemer"

**
18. @jumapatrickkurwa4231, 2022
"2022 and am still singing, " Ng'ombe za moi, hazina magoti."
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Moi cows, they don't have knees."

**
Reply
19. @calebtarus3022, 2022
"..... lakini kwa mbio, huzitoboi"
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Google translate from Swahili to English: "..... but for racing, you don't break it"

**
20. @lorainecheptoo5944, 2022
"The Kenyan 🇰🇪 me who grew up singing 'ng'ombe za lodwar hazina magoti' because that's what my big bruh told me,,, the song is still a lit🔥🔥 though

It's 2022 but still here"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English -"lodwar cows have no knees"

**

21. @Psalmsvs, 2022
"🇺🇬It's 29th 11-2022 am here enjoying Mukomboti song,thanks maama chaka chaka,long live."
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English = "Mukomboti" = "Liberate"

**
22. @ngurapoultrycare, 2022
"Growing up in Kenya I used to think it's a swahili song meaning Amezaliwa Yesu mkombozi😂😂😂"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Jesus The Redeemer is Born"

**
23. @catherinewamaitha4559,2022
"@faithwafula7466  in Kenya we sing our own things...what's important is that we enjoy😂😂"

**
Reply
24. @faithwafula7466,2022
"@catherinewamaitha4559  that's the joy of being us we sing our hearts out with our own lyrics especially other African songs beautiful written in our native languages 😂😂😂😂😂"

**
Reply
25. @brigitm.masaku9412, 2022
"Hee, kwanza versions za Kenya za hii song, acha tu😂😂"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Hey, first the Kenyan versions of this song, stop it😂😂"

**
Reply
26. @jomanioluwadare8611, 2023
"No lies here. I’m Nigerian, and I knew this song as a child, way before we had the internet."

**
27. @AsaGoB, 2022
"We used to call it Omkombozi in Eastern Africa somewhere in central !!"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Omkombozi" ="Liberate him"

**
28. @mosakonnet, 2022
"My childhood we sing along like.. Won'le Samanja osa 240, won le Samanja... 😄😃😀😃😅. There was a drama aired on NTA Nigeria 🇳🇬  called Samanja🤣😂🤣"

**
Reply
29. @akataman7319,2022
"It’s Samanja, not Samaga. It’s a popular army comedy."

**
Reply
30. @mosakonnet,2022
"@akataman7319  Thanks. Phone autocorrect error."

**
31. @kurashigesir8709, 2022
"I was like..

Yesu mkombozi...alimwaga mimba....Yesu mkombozi....wamwaga mimba.  1995 @5yrs old 😂😂🇰🇪🇰🇪💪🏾💪🏾 It was big in Kenya"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Jesus the Redeemer...he aborted....Jesus the Redeemer...he aborted."

**
32. @catherinewanjiku9238, 2022
"At the Kenyan animal orphanage Singin to this "ngombe za Meru"😂😂"

**
33. @ruthotieno828, 2023
"Remember singing wepo mkombozi as a kid them days much love from Kenya"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "wepo mkombozi" = "there is a redeemer"

**

34. @mrmayor7828,2022
"Gen Babaginda was president back then, beautiful song was corrupted to "women are many looking for husband's" by some miscreants 😂😂😂"
-snip-
From https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ibrahim-Babangida
"Ibrahim Babangida, (born August 17, 1941, Minna, Nigeria), Nigerian military leader who served as head of state (1985–93)."...

**
35. @TukondjeniJohannes, 2022
"August 2022 and I am still listening to Mama Yvonne... This sound will forever remain echoed in my mind because I knew it since my childhood. In Namibia, they use to play it on radio every Friday on a entertainment program called “weekend special ".

**
36. @moniqueblessed7878, 2023
"OMG 😲 what was I singing when young 😳

"Mkombozi" I was like "wema jameni"

Thanks for the Internet 😄 🤣"

**
Reply
37. @anastansianyangoto6809, 2023
"Me at 5 yrs .😂wema thambeni yesu mkombozi 😂much love from kenya"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "thank you Jesus the Redeemer"

**
38, @dantan704, 2023
"Haha used to think it says “mama samina Yesu mkombozi” 😂😂"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Mother Samina, Jesus the Redeemer"

**
39. @kwasigyamerah9133, 2023
"Ha!!!! obi abonkye awu 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.for years my family swore that was the right lyrics"
-snip-
Google translate from Ewe [a Ghanaian traditional language to English: "obi abonkye awu" = "someone's bones are dead"

**
40. @crackerjack9691,2023
"This song reminds me of my first year in college-medical school at the university of Nigeria in 1987...it was a hit that year. We used this song as the basis of our student union election campaign that year for the student unions president, Joe Jackson...our translation was some thing like this...when guys are many...voting for Jackson!...when guys are many....voting for Jackson!🥰...those were fun days no doubt!...I am sure anyone who was there that year could relate to this. Really nostalgic!"

**
Reply
41. @isobaramark7032, 2023
"But the song was release in 1988, maybe u got the dates wrong"

**
42. @WamumeruCheru-tl2ep, 2023
"Back 1992..we used to sing this song in Kikuyu and swahili way..."Mama sammy wiku mkomboti..mama sammy wiku mkomboti..long live KBC swahili channel Kenya...saturday Early in the morning i remember.

**
43. @stephen_adol, 2023
"If you don't know your community's version of the intro then you don't deserve to be their tribesman. Go to Antarctica."

**
44. @latifahmumbejja6378, 2023
"Any ugandan here how you was sing it owamaso ameru yawasa mukombot😂😂 😂😂"

**
Reply
45. @kawooyaismail7663, 2023
"that me😂🙋"

**
46. @michequejemusse3036,2023
"Finally i have found this master piece. Mozambique 🇲🇿 loves this song sooooo much. 2-4 generations grew up listening and vibing to this song."

**
47. @mkanku9506, 2023
"The only South African song I ever listened to when I was still small in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It brings back my childhood memories in my parents house. This song played over and over while I was playing outside with my big sis. Best song of all times!"

**
48. @ruthmithamo2118, 2023
"Kikuyu from kirinyaga and I used to sing it like "Comba Kanyiri....umbwa mkomboti,,,"

**
49. @wendynunoo8862, 2023
"Obi n'aponkyi awu, monfa nko mortuary..... This was me singing along with my own lyrics in the 80's all the way in Ghana.."
-snip-
Google translate from Twi to English "Someone's door is dead, take it to the mortuary."

**
50. @justusobara1019, 2023
"Always my song, big memories! We always sung it in our own words, no song cannot be sung in one's own words that are completely not related to the singer's ."

**
51. @jidafricrealtors8894,2023
"Growing up in Nigeria in the 80s , this song dominated the airwaves.. fond memories of

kids always humming the song without getting the lyrics right but it makeshift us happ the all the Same.... Thanks Chaka Chaka 🙌🙌"

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM ANOTHER YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THIS SONG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZAWo_K3yNA

Umqombothi (African beer), by Yvonne Chaka Chaka, South African music, published by Multimedia Online by TheHarvard.com, Jan 17, 2010

Numbers are added to these comments for referencing purposes only.

1. @cowperdandara2088, 2020
"I sang this song so wrongly! ahahahhha  wemanzabi ukulukombodji. Ahahahhahahaha oh Gosh!"

 **

2. @CHRISKASSMUKEN,2022
"I'm from DRC a French speaking country, this song was very popular while I was growing in the 90s, my uncles use to play it, yet we didn't know the lyrics, we just used to dance and say Umqombothi 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Yvonne made us dance in joy."
-snip-
DRC= Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) 

**
3. @genevievemakafuiamewoseany191,2022
"lol! My dad used to play this with his gramophone player every evening. I finally got the word right ''umqombothi " Ghanaians in western region definitely in that era would remember how we pronounce that word "wo ko " 'mortuary' "🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣"

**
Reply
4. @keltar2007, 2022
"For me it was Loko Comoti. 😂🤣😅"

**
5. @muragesimon9627, 2022
"Mama sammy...yesu mkomboti....used to sing my own lyrics.....frm kenya"

**
6. @lilsavage2064,2022
"anybody from Kenya>ngombe za meru hazina magoti if you dont gerrit forget about it."

**
7. @alexmanya6750, 2023
"I wonder who lied to Kenyans that this song is about "Ng'ombe za Meru, ni supuu mgongoni"?"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "The cows of Meru, are they a burden on their backs?"

****

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Africans' Childhood Remembrances Of Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens' 1987 Hit Song "Kazet" ("Gazette")

Gallo Music, Sep 16, 2020
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Statistics as of July 16, 2023 at 11:03 AM EDT
total # of views = 5,603,342 total # of comments = 1,554

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: July 24, 2023

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of South African music group Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens's 1987 Hit Song "Kazet" ("Gazette"). 

This post also presents some comments from Africans about their childhood memories of that song. In addition, this pancocojams post includes a few comments from Africans that are iabout the song "Kazet" ("Gazette") itself.

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

These comments help to document how -prior to the internet- many people throughout Africa were familiar with certain recorded songs from other African nations even if those songs were in languages they didn't understand.

This is in contrast to how - prior to the internet- most people in United States weren't familiar with music from other nations, and particularly weren't familiar with non-English language songs from within the United States and from outside that nation.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens for their musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.  
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/mahlathini-mahotella-queens-south.html for a 2013 pancocojams post that presents information about Mbaqanga music and showcases four YouTube videos of this South African music group.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/07/african-memories-of-singing-made-up.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "African Memories Of Singing Made Up Lyrics In Their Own Languages For Yvonne Chaka Chaka's 1988 South African Song "Umqombothi" (African Beer")".

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
These are some of the comments from the discussion thread for this embedded YouTube video that refer to childhood memories of Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens' 1987 Hit Song "Kazet" ("Gazette").

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR7UbvhVT8g

****
Commenters from some nations outside of Africa (particularly from Colombia, South America) also shared their memories of this song. 

Numbers are added to these comments for referencing purposes only.

****

2021

1. @vikelpedro2381, 2021
"May 2021, listening from Angola🇦🇴

This song reminds me my childhood. I am proud of being African. Thank You Africa 🌍🇿🇦🙏😊🤗"

**
2.  @wilsonnyadzo3993
"Used to watch this song back in Zim on Ezomugido. Real music 🎶"
-snip-
"Zim" = "Zimbabwe"

**
3. @suleimanosman9739
"What a song we really enjoyed such music frm RSA those days here in Kenya. When music was real.

Viva Africa Our Motherland"
-snip-
"RSA"= Republic of South Africa

**
4. @etibadamedame3390
"I listen to this song since childhood when I didn't even understand the lyrics! Much love, what a memory from childhood still watching in 2021 in Ghana the heart of Afrika💝💝💝💝💋"

**
5. @patienceqibi8880
"There's no a Congolese who is over 30 years  old and  say that l don't this song"

**
Reply
6. @blacknegro7890
"Lol it's all over Africa bro.In Cameroon in the late 80's going into the early 90's I think it was hit"

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7.@dlelolelo1352
"I was 12 years old every day I listen that in Congolese radio the song reminded me my youngest"

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8.@bdkeita71
"I love so much South African music even if I don't understand the words"

**
Reply
9. @mishacknthane1060, 2022
"It is a song about massive development that is happening in gazankulu in limpopo, he says there are buses we should celebrate"

**
10. @kundaieddie756
"Anyone to translate the message in this song for me"

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Reply
11. @ronnymorwaswi6941
"He is signing about Gazankulu known as gazet a former homeland in Apartheid South Africa."

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12. @sarahmofolo1057
"Mahlathini use to drive our granny's mad...I'm lucky to have known him personally and his brother...He use to come at home and yes not beer but he was drinking umqombothi..."

**
13. @kinanamorisho3263
"I remember listening these song when I was young in Burundi and asked my brother where are this song come! and told me from south Africa, the said I wish to be there,and he told me there is big war pple are dying, and I said but why they still singing,,, I will go there...then "

**
14. @123naenaee
"Reminds me of my childhood 😭 in Tanzania 🇹🇿"

**
Reply
15. @ichicarodan6931
"Mine too 🇹🇿🇹🇿"

**
Reply
16. @cassyhenry3384
"Let’s just be honest asilimia kubwa ya hii Nyimbo hatuielewi ila tunaipenda"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "Most of these songs we don't understand but we love them"

**
Reply
17.@samtinpeter453, 2022
"@cassyhenry3384  😁 kweli kabisa... Mimi naipenda vibaya ila hata maana yake sijui"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "really... I like it badly but I don't even know what it means"

**
Reply
18. @cassyhenry3384, 2022
"@samtinpeter453  😂"

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19. @prosperysp
"Hello Africans! Hello everyone! Am Rwandan, am African, am a human race! I love this song, have been listening to it since my childhood... Best memories.... Anyone who may tell me briefly of its message? Thank you!"

**
Reply
20. @ngmn5402, 2022
"Not word for word. The song is about deep rural place called 'ka zete ' in SA that started to have modern development and freedom then. They were happy to have bus transportation, food markets and connections with rest of Africa."

****

2022

21. @sashawambura
"Growing up listening to these beautiful African music..1980s to 1990s here in Tanzania...more than beautiful memories..thanks for music Libraries.."

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22. @demeoo
"Oh my goodness!! There's this song, and then there's this other one by Yvonne Chaka Chaka (Weh ma zame wofonkonboti)... In Cameroun, You couldn't go anywhere without listening to either, it was insane."

**
23. @dominiquebala2475
"Early 80's Dakar /Senegal this music 🎶was a bomb at those party.

**
24, @germaineguilavogui5681
"Mahotella music ,this music is the one of the best  in my child hood ,i really like ir my Mother ,and my sisters ,from Guinea Conakry"

**
25. @proudlyo1125
"I still don't know what  to say since I'm overwhelmed by all the memories I have from my South Africa.......Now that I no longer live in SA......it's so difficult to deal with the flashbacks"

**
26. @ishakakargbo9128
"My uncle would play this every morning 🇸🇱"
-snip-
"SL"=Sierra Leone

**
27. @cyfndobobonaberi2291
"Still remembering my childhood days. South Africans should stop Xenophobia. much love from Cameroon"

**
28. @michaelmasamba9536
"grew up between malawi and zimbabwe these songs were fire still are"

**
29. @josephabah5707
"I'm truly late 😪 2022, but this was my childhood 😭 music way back in Bauchi State, Nigeria."

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30. @freddyugzofficial5598
"I don't know the language but I felt in love with this song since when I was a baby, much love from Uganda 🇺🇬"

**
31. @henrykasiryemalcom3277
"Who doesn’t know this song and from Africa 👏🏿👏🏿 .. am a ugandan but this song was played like every day at home, am a millennial"

**
32. @boazomido2373
"I grew up listening to this song in rural Kenya. Its ingrained in my brain. Always special to listen to"

**
33. @emmanuelmukisa9302
"THUMBS TO THE PRODUCER THAT MADE THIS MASTER PIECE ……AFRICA TO THE WORLD 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾"

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34. @blacksunangel636
"Good old childhood memories from this song...God bless Africa.🇬🇦🇬🇦"
-snip-
"GA"= Gabon, Central Africa

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35. @CarAccessoriesStore
"One of the best good old South African songs. My husband is a Tanzanian and he loves this song. It actually reminds him of when he was doing his last year of matric in his country. It used to play on the radio in his country, Tanzania, then."

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36. @kingjumong1195
"Memories that will never be forgotten in South Sudan 🇸🇸 and Africa at large.. ❤❤❤"

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37. @zablonmasau6275
"I remember the first day I travelled by train from the place where I was born and grew up to Dar es Salaam city, I was listening to this song. I was with my class mate by the name John....it was being played almost at every railway station. It left me with everlasting memories!"

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38. @rannydewah8549
"Grew up with this in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 ts still fresh up to now what a timeless song"

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39. @franckvincent5190
"I am from Togo and I specifically looked for this song to remember my childhood. I don't even know the lyrics and didn't understand the English parts as a kid because I only spoke French back then, I just like the good feelings it creates in me ..."

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40. @em6744
"This was one of my  best childhood  song🥰👌 🎵still my favorite. Love from Liberia 🇱🇷"

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41. @honoresangwa1000
"This song reminds me my childhood in the '80s when I grew up listening to it because my uncle used to play it at home during Christmas. It was also aired on national TV. Much love from Cameroon"

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42. @m.b.kamara1162
"This song invokes vivid pictures of old times even though I'm just  24 yrs as I type. Yet, listening to it reminds me when I was much younger at our village at night our elders did play this song. So whenever I listen to it those memories return!!

@  Sierra Leone, West Afrika"

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43. @giquelconcko9889
"I remember this song i was just a kid in Congo Brazzaville"

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44. @mugaberoberttibeitu5452
"Up to now this song is being played in many night clubs in uganda"

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45. @pascalkotoka9501
"Grew up to this music in Togo. Not even understand the language 😅🤣"

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46. @agustinohizza1395
"I rember 1993 from Tanga Tanzania my village one TV"

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47.  @bantutoonz
"Back again, 27 july 2022🙂 in Africa, Southern africa, RSA, Soweto, Dlamini, next to chiawelo aka Gazankulu where da song is from😎😎😎😎"

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48. @varsitystudents5276
"He was singing in Xitsonga language"

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49.@mwesigyejoram4087
"We really enjoyed these songs when we were still young and a few well to do people had radio cassettes of one speaker in our villages👍"

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50. @sandrovasconcelos3010
"I'm from Mozambique now living in Portugal and still listening this music, good old school, we used to dance this during 80's in our party's"

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51. @ksgrmdsdl2383
"All the way from Kenya. This song reminds me of my early Childhood late 1990s and early 2000s. I used to hear it almost everyday in KBC Swahili Service. I never new the name. Glad I found it."

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52. @suzannemongo4997
"À l'époque où cette vidéo passait à télévision camerounaise j'avais 5 ans et elle est restée graver dans ma mémoire"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English: "When this video was on Cameroonian television I was 5 years old and it remained etched in my memory".

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53. @k-dash_thenextbigthing6594
"Timeless hit

#proudlyTsonga

#proudlySouthAfrican"
 
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54. @verdemocambique9941
" "AFRICA, LET'S CELEBRATE...NOW WE HAVE BUSES AND TRAINS...WE ARE DEVELOPING" 

For those who don't understand the lyrics..."

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55. @ooluta7578
"Used to watch this on Music Time, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation...waay back in the early 90s! Love that I can find it here on demand!"

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56. @moyomnqinekilerose
"😁😁😁😁😁we used to sing our lungs out and I can't believe we were singing it all wrong 🤦🤦 Zimbabweans gather here who know what am talking about,,,we used to sing something else on the chorus there 😁😁😁😁"

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57. @kv43baby13
"Seeing people from all African countries say these songs are childhood memories, shows how connected we were as Africans through music, not even knowing the lyrics translations.

God Bless Africa 🌍🙏🏾🙌🏿💯"

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58. @rannydewah8549
"100%  true"

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59. @emmanueltafirenyika3613
"Absolutely ! 👏 I’m from Zimbabwe and we grew up listening to South African music, without understanding a word 😂"

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60. @steve-carolbobo4997
"Ivory Coast every saturday and sunday in the 80's and 90's on national tv this song 3 or 4 time at least"

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61. @franckvincent5190
"I am from Togo, grew up in Gabon and I specifically looked for this song to remember my childhood. I don't even know the lyrics and didn't understand the English parts as a kid because I only spoke French back then, I just like the good feelings it creates in me"...

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62. @jerryi3493
" @steve-carolbobo4997  Congo kinshasa during nineties every Sunday on tv with Yvonne Chaka n other South Africans and some west Africans music"

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63. @jerryi3493
"@franckvincent5190  same as you sometimes it’s even better to understand nun, the song become more legendary"

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64. @evanskirangi4664
"In Kenya, 1990s, we used to enjoy these songs, and even tried to sing along, although we didn't understand a thing that was said, or we ourselves said."

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65. @kofiansah7151
"From Ghana.This song has so much vibe and energy in it and it is really a true sound of Africa.Yes of course it reminds of our childhood days."

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66. @jerryi3493, 2022
"@tvs9978  same connection we all had even without understanding because francophone as we where, we could only get the vibe.."

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67. @peacepeace8662, 2022
"Yes, one here from the Gambia🇬🇲"

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68. @kelvinmutethia476, 2022
"This was my Kenyan childhood song .every single day"

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69. @trictrac02, 2022
"From Angola with love. This song doesn't only represent cultural panafricanism but also political panafricanism. Throughout mid 80s to early 90s we're fiercely engaged in a hot war with the apartheid regime is SA. We had ANC and SWAPO (Namibia's  independent movement) military bases in our territory. I vividly remember countless times we danced though this song convinced of the righteousness of our cause and victory.  The confraternity was amazing. One day uur unity will prevail. One love"

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70. @yusub2543, 2022
"1988/1989 partying in Dakar. I was 19 years. Absolute gem this track"

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71.@jupe9388,2022
"Kenyan🇰🇪 & Haitian🇭🇹 here and I 100% grew up with this music, dancing, singing along, without even knowing a word. 😂🤣 You just felt it in your spirit. Definitely unforgettable childhood memories and I still listen till this day."

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72. @zaitunjumakeji4120, 2023
"African music belongs to every African in the continent the may not understand the languages but it's sounds African and it's for us. In Uganda if people don't understand the meaning of the songs the  add their words in it and keep going” …

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73. @abrahammuchina9174
"Indeed indeed ,I find this true ,Long Live Africa ,,,,From Kenya"

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74. @marumoemmanuel8741
"I remember the excitement of seeing my late uncle on TV, he's the one on the keyboards... Rest in peace Aobakwe Ralph Mahura"

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2023

75.. @bettybasirika4704
"Am glad I found this song 35 years ago in Uganda, it played on every radio station upto now......good memories"

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76. @theresao2469
"I remember when this song came out! We were living in Botswana at the time. This version is a cover of Obed Ngobeni & the Kurhula Sisters' 'Ku Hluvukile Eka "Zete" in 1983. Ngobeni's song was also covered by Lizzie Mercier Descloux 'Mais où sons passées les gazelles?" In 1984"

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77. @ambrosebarigyethetrucker
"Iam Ugandan by birth now in Maryland-USA but I find myself playing all these 90s and 80s songs in my car because it is the music that raised us..I remember as kids in our village sitting to watch our black and white tiny TV with a show called "Music Africa" by Mike Makamazibu and this song got locked in my brain because I didn't know the title.One day when I typed Yvone Chaka Chaka's umqomboti in my YouTube music playlist,this song was the second on play..As I talk I am watching the video on YouTube in my living room😅.

My life is all about old school music😊"

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78. @dandymusic254
"From Kenya 🇰🇪 I was a little boy when this song was playing on radio like everyday, i didn't even know lyrics the language but what i know is music brings people together..... 🇰🇪 KBC radio"

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79. @eugeniomonjane7829
"I am from south of Mozambique 🇲🇿,  this music bring me good memories, especially my grandmother, she liked this kind of South Africans Music."

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80. @jamesp346
"Rwanda television used to play this song a lot when I was kid!! Big love from 🇷🇼"

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81. @jeanmagloiremihyndou
"Je suis au Gabon depuis toujours j'écoute cette belle chanson ça me rappelle beaucoup de choses !.
-snip-
Google translate from French to English: "I have always been in Gabon listening to this beautiful song it reminds me of many things!."

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82. @franckwilliamkoffi6475
"Childhood memories … From Yamoussoukro 227 logements 🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮 … GOD BLESS AND INSPIRES MORE ARTISTS THROUGH THE AFRICAN CONTINENT 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 PEACE!!!…"
-snip-
"CI" = Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast, West Africa)

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83. @saabajoe
"Crazy how I even remembered the name of this song to search for it 😊! Dang!! Talk about a song stamped in my childhood memories in Senegal! 🔥"

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84. @abrahammuchina9174
"From Kenya ,this is African Identity ,African Music ,African Ryhtmes, African Style.......and All Sub-saharan and all Africa relate to this as an original.

This is classic African Music that can represent all Sub-Saharan Africa.

Close ur eyes add the volume ,listen to the drums,the guitar,the rythym,and how the singers interweave in the song

Africa,Africa,Africa,Africa......Yes  Beloved Africa .....Yes....Long Live Africa"

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85. @Guildeteuton
"I was hearing this when l was kid in Dakar Sénégal. I never knew that song were singed in SA."

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86. @ousewinter4574
"Not understanding a single lyric but it grew with us deep in Uganda. Thank you South African you are forever indebted by your communication contribution through music."

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