Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series that showcases the song "Vulindlela" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
Part II presents selected comments from this video's discussion thread. Most of these comments document how Brenda Fassie's now classic song Vulindlela has been widely known and loved throughout Africa & elsewhere for decades.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/10/south-african-vocalist-brenda-fassie.html for Part I of this series provides information about Brenda Fassie and also presents a YouTube video of this song as well as Vulindlela's Zulu lyrics and their English translation are also included in this post.
****
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
This is an expansion of this 2013 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/south-african-vocalist-brenda-faisse.html. That post includes 12 comments as of the publication date of this 2019 post.
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE - VULINDLELA-BRENDA FASSIE
SPHERNO, Uploaded on Jul 1, 2011
R.I.P BRENDA FASIE,AFRICA WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU.
-snip-
Statistics as of October 25, 2019
Total # of views - 15,705,060
Total # of likes - 67K
Total # of dislikes - 3.9K
Total # of comments- 6,334
Here are selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread with numbers assigned for referencing purposes only. (Note: I didn't read all of these comments, but I read LOTS of them.)
2016
1. tristan breet
"as a white South African ..i thought she was a power house amazing singer ..dont understand a word she is singing but i loved this song..just nice beat and sexy..RIP"
**
REPLY
2. Richardson Mzaidume
"Tristan, I thought white South Africans were not aware of great black musicians like MaBrr until Highveld Stereo in Joburg interrupted their regular programme and played Weekend Special when news broke out that she had passed away. Jeremy Mansfield and Samantha Cowan sounded very hurt. I changed my perception that day."
**
REPLY
3. Jonathan Phipson
"+Richardson Mzaidume Haha! You would be genuinely surprised at how many white South Africans (myself included) enjoy listening to black South African artists. That's the beauty of music. Anyone can listen to ANYthing. If it sounds good, you will listen to it :)"
****
2017
4. Mohammed Jalloh
"This used to play at every sierra leonean party when I was a kid!"
**
REPLY
5. Leo Johnson
"Liberian parties too"
**
REPLY
6. Mohammed Jalloh
"Lol similiar cultures so probaby"
**
REPLY
7. Nitro Gabanakgotla
"botswana parties too"
**
REPLY
8. Ibrahim Kai Dumbuya
"Another Sierra Leonean here to confirm"
**
REPLY
9. Debbie Caulker
"so true, by then it was the best hit in Sierra Leone. was so much in love with it, I used to win a dancing competition with it."
**
REPLY
10. Musa Jalloh
"Another Sierra Leonean here to confirm ✅💯"
**
REPLY
11. Johnoè
"I remember hearing this At Zimbabwean parties all the time"
**
REPLY
12. Remedyfon Fon
"Cameroon party too"
**
13. Angelic Sarele
"When I graduated from nursery school, 1999 Dec wen my mom was still alive we danced for this song. .when I get married I want it to be played this song though"
**
14. Zulu Janet
"who is still listening to this song since 1998. I remember l won a talent show at school in 1999 when I was in grade 4 hahahahahaha"
**
15. P john
"This was a hit all over Africa. Even tho we understand the words we still sang to it. RIP"
**
REPLY
16. thegigadykid1
"P john dont understand *"
**
17. Alain Lever Williams
"I don't understand anything at all, but I really love this song. Indeed, I love all African rhythms, they makes feel very proud of my African roots. Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴"
**
REPLY
18. Charles Kyambadde, 2018
"Bless you,I love Colombia.This song is about a proud mom happy that her son is getting married and no one is gonna stop him,and who had said that my son would never get a keeper and im so happy that I'm gonna have grand kids...And Vulindella means clear the way. Hope i helped.🤔"
**
19. xo MiLLiANA
"I am a Marshallese 🇲🇭 & I felt in love with this song when I was only 8 years old."
**
20. emmanuel joel
"This song forms part of our story as African children growing in Nigeria back in the day. I used to think she was Nigeria until my teenhood."
**
REPLY
21. Abulay Barrow
"emmanuel joel same to me I use to think this was a Gambian song. I think this song depicts Africa at large, cuz the whole continent was vibing with it. I LOVE IT"
**
REPLY
22. Ben Ngumi
"haha.. all african i tell you. used to think she was kenyan..."
**
REPLY
23. FRE ALVA STILL GINA
"emmanuel joel lmaoo. I used to thing she was Congolese"
**
REPLY
24. emmanuel joel
"Smiles. But why was it so to us all? I think it was the true Africanism that was at the core of the video and the song. Just like the book, "things fall apart"."
**
REPLY
25. Claude Guechussi
"Nija Gina Ramírez DeOuen nope she was South African"
**
REPLY
26. Joie Love
"😂😂😂 I used to think it was a Liberian song! Lol
We used to be at the party dancing singing along with our made up words. Lol"
**
REPLY
27. Nancy Keisher
"I thought it was a Tanzanian song. still love It, it used to be the entrance song at every wedding party."
**
REPLY
28. Dylane Chedjou, 2018
"I thought dhe was Cameroonians..my Sisters always sang and danced this song"
**
29. Emile Riderman
"The whole east Africa played this song in the 2000s for sure"
**
REPLY
30. Dareminder Blackseed, 2018
"I can testify this on behalf of Kenya..."
**
REPLY
31. Kevin A, 2018
"Also the West, the North, the South, Central, and all corners."
**
32. Mimsxo
"Who remembers this song being played in Nigeria when you were little 😂❤️ I don't even know the words she's saying. God bless Africa🌍❤️"
**
REPLY
33. Michelle Eke
"True!. I remember dancing to this in Primary 2 and i had no idea who or what she was saying. 11 years on I just had to find this song because it brought back such fun memories. Just shows you how far good music can go"
**
REPLY
34. Shara Dailey, 2018
"Mimsxo it wasn't my language but I used to listen this a lot when I was a kid with friends and dances to it, in Africa. I love this song.😍"
**
REPLY
35. Amanda Nkansah, 2018
"In Ghana too 😍"
**
REPLY
36. aklesia berhanu, 2018
"In Ethiopia too! I grew up listening to this ❤️"
**
REPLY
37. Shaggy, 2018
"Zimbabwe too"
**
REPLY
38. Ahmadou Barry, 2018
"Mimsxo in Guinea too"
**
REPLY
39. Ivy Werimba, 2018
"Kenya too"
**
REPLY
40. TCRGaming,2018
"namibia too"
**
REPLY
41. saker manu, 2018
"everywhere my dear even Cameroon, i cant forget it😍"
**
REPLY
42. matenind, 2018
"Mimsxo it jammed everywhere in the Ivory coast and I new all the lyrics even though i didnt understand it"
**
REPLY
43. Amarula, 2018
"Mimsxo lol I remember playing this in Liberia when I was little, didn't even know what she's saying 😂"
**
REPLY
44. K B, 2018
"It was played every Saturday night on music choice show in Ethiopia too sister"
**
REPLY
45. Tim Ray, 2018
"Mimsxo this song was all over Africa back then"
**
REPLY
46. Maleeha Barrie, 2018
"Mimsxo I'm Sierra Leonean and they played this song sooo many at the parties! They still play it now🇸🇱🇸🇱🇸🇱"
**
REPLY
47. This Life, 2018
"Lol. I love this song. At a family gathering, everyone flies to the dance floor for this song"
**
REPLY
48. Sonja Martens, 2018
"Germany too! :-))))"
**
49.Onize Ajayi
"we sang it at primary school grad. I don't think even our teacher knew what she asked us to sing"
**
REPLY
50. Ngoako Sehata
"Hi @Onize Ajayi, from which side of the world? "I don't think even our teacher knew what she asked us to sing" Lol, i don't think so too because i am a south african speaking a different language and i just learned the lyrics of the song recently after knowing the language."
**
REPLY
51. Onize Ajayi
"+Ngoako Sehata Nigeria"
**
REPLY
52. Ngoako Sehata
"Alright my sister, The song is basically about a happy mother, his son is getting married, she asks those who are jealousy to open the way for his son. The mother was not expecting to have daughter-in law because the gossipers were convincing her that his son will never get married. Vula= open, Ndlela=way/path, Vulidlela=open the way/path. Mam'gobhozi =Gossipers, Makoti=daughter-in law, Yekela uMona=stop jealousy. uMona=Jealousy. I tried my best, you will correct your former teacher :) :)"
****
2018
53. Gracia mbihah
"I am from Tanzania and i remember this song from my childhood,Talk about a star👐"
**
54. Gitau Charles
"We can make this song national Anthem of Africa ,,I remember when I was young ,, every day on K.B.C radio station in Kenya 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪..."
**
REPLY
55. Tony Mike, 2019
"U sure know what to say I born in Ethiopia grew up in Kenya now live live in New York City I sure do remember this song every day on k.b.c love Kenya and their beautiful welcoming people I went to ealsligh airport elementary school big up to everyone that went there"
**
REPLY
56. Leah Kamere
"Kenya has to make the cut too. Loved it then love it now in 2018"
**
57. Latonya Elia
"I’m American but My husband was from Tanzania 🇹🇿 and when they played this at the African parties this would get me off my seat!!!!! R.I.P. Brenda"
**
REPLY
58. Moi S
"If you go to a African party and no Brenda it ain't no party."
**
REPLY
59. JAG
"@Moi S Ohh so it is an African thing, I'm Zimbabwean and as a child every family event, party, wedding etc they'll be Brenda without fail😂"
**
60. bodli bodli
"Steel watching end 2018 from cameroon 🇨🇲 i was Steel a baby when this song came out. But i remember my Mother used to put this song for me when i cry may my mom's soul rip Brenda's soul too.🇨🇲🇿🇦"
****
2019
61. Oliver Wonder
"I'm from Angola ... this song was released the same year I was born, but during my childhood I listened a lot and the video clip is constantly on the Public Television of Angola (TPA). I missed her today and decided to listen to her again. Rest In Peace Brenda Fassie! Eternally in our memories and in our hearts! Your songs are immortal."
**
62. Vic7@coc
"Is there anyone who can translate the lyrics into english?"
**
REPLY
63. Feivor Emus
"Pave the way miss gossip
My baby boy is getting married
Pave the way please
My boy is getting married
People say my boy doesn't woo women
But this time woman says yes
Join me in the ceremony you are invited.
I'm a Nigerian my little knowledge about the song. (It's a wedding song tho.)"
**
64. Sina Vereivalu
"All time favorite Fiji Islands...."
**
65. seyram kulewosi
"This is top 10 most popular African songs of all time...😊✊🏿💯🔥"
**
66. Madame Madame
"Cameroonian , I love this music. Stop Xenophobia my SouthAfricans brothers please"
**
67. Biruk Tesfaye
"It reminds me my childhood, we grow up listening this song am Ethiopian may God bless our beautiful land
Africa"
**
68. Julie Julia
"Timeless!! Choreography song for every basic school in 🇬🇭 Instrumental @ 00:19 gives me goosebumps EVERY TIMEEEE!!!!❤❤❤"
-snip-
"GH" = Ghana
**
69. Bamlak Tesfaye
"We grew up with this in Ethiopia! ETV would play the video with Madiba dancing to this alllll the time! Absolutely amazing! One Love!"
-snip-
"Madiba" is a referent for Nelson Mandela.
From https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nelson-mandela/10501587/Nelson-Mandela-Madiba-Tata-whats-in-a-name.html#targetText=Madiba%20was%20the%20name%20of,Africans%20regardless%20of%20their%20age.
"Madiba - the name of the clan of which Mandela is a member. A clan name is much more important than a surname as it refers to the ancestor from which a person is descended. Madiba was the name of a Thembu chief who ruled in the Transkei in the 18th century. It is considered very polite to use someone’s clan name."...
**
70. Lemtip Izzy
"May- 25- 2019.. this has been African anthem 4eva .. period... rip brenda fassie"
**
71. Andrea Audrey Kouamé
"Je suis ivoirienne et j'adore cette musique là 😍😍😍😍"
**
72. mejury shiri
"Back then in Zimbabwe when weddings were not by invitation😂😂😂. The song takes me to those days when rice and chicken used to taste nice. We danced to this song on almost every wedding. 🤣🤣"
**
73. Lirio Pinto
"I speak Portuguese I don't understand one word. but I'm listening to this song since I'm 5 my mother is African so I heard this always I love it I feel like I understand every word with my heart rip brenda Africa forever"
**
74. Lwando Giyose
"Ever since this song came out. It has been played at every wedding I've been to. Nearly two decades, but still a wedding anthem. R.I.P to my homegirl."
**
75. Smithieboy10
"You not African if you don't know this song, I will jol to this song til I'm old and grey... RIP Brenda"
**
76. Crystal Eira
"We still listen to this in the Pacific 🔥 Been listening to it since I was a child as my parents were big fans and I'm sure my kids are gonna listen to it too !"
**
77. Ami Lavore
"Today’s kids won’t understand how this song made parties lit back then"
****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Brenda Fassie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brenda Fassie. Show all posts
Friday, October 25, 2019
South African vocalist Brenda Fassie - Vulindlela (information, video, & lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series that showcases the song "Vulindlela" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
Part I of this series provides information about Brenda Fassie and also presents a YouTube video of this song as well as Vulindlela's Zulu lyrics and their English translation are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/10/comments-about-how-brenda-fassies-song.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases the same video of this song that was presented in Part I and presents selected comments from this video's discussion thread. Most of these comments document how Brenda Fassie's now classic song Vulindlela has been widely known and loved throughout Africa & elsewhere for decades.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
This is an expansion of this 2013 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/south-african-vocalist-brenda-faisse.html. That post includes 12 comments as of the publication date of this 2019 post.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRENDA FASSIE
Excerpt #1
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Fassie
"Brenda Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004)[1] was an anti-apartheid South African Afropop singer.[2] Her bold stage antics earned a reputation for "outrageousness".[3] Affectionately called Mabrr by her fans, she was sometimes described as the "Queen of African Pop"...
Fassie was born in Langa, Cape Town,[4] as the youngest of nine children. She was named after the American singer Brenda Lee...
With very outspoken views and frequent visits to the poorer townships of Johannesburg, as well as songs about life in the townships, she enjoyed tremendous popularity. Known best for her songs "Weekend Special" and "Too Late for Mama", she was dubbed "The Madonna of the Townships" by Time in 2001...
From 1996 she released several solo albums, including Now Is the Time, Memeza (1997), and Nomakanjani?. Most of her albums became multi-platinum sellers in South Africa"...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/11/guardianobituaries.southafrica
[in 1998 Brenda Fassie] released [the album] Memeza, with its hit single Vulindlela. It became South Africa's biggest-selling album in 1998, and was followed by an album a year for the next four years. The money rolled in again, and Fassie resumed her lavish lifestyle.
A talented musician, her genius lay in her ability to reinvent herself, and give voice to the frustrations and aspirations of the township. She started off as a pop queen but, politicised by growing up in Langa at a time of tremendous upheaval - the 1976 student uprisings had deeply affected her school - she easily tapped into the political militancy of the 1980s.
In 1990, she released the single Black President, a tribute to the still imprisoned Nelson Mandela, which was banned by the apartheid regime. She stopped singing in English, declaring: "I am proud to be an African." All her subsequent songs were in Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho. When kwaito, the first authentically African sound in decades, emerged from Soweto street parties in the early 1990s, Fassie adopted the genre as her own."...
****
Excerpt #3
From http://richmondsajini.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/13/
..."One of a kind! Many said that Brenda was the “Madonna of the townships” but for me she was more than that. She was our own Michael Jackson. Brenda was THE QUEEN! Many tried to be like her and many have been accused of trying to be her yet none of them has the energy that she had on stage. Lebo Mathosa came very close, but she was just not Brenda.
Style icon! Whatever outfit MaBrrr was rocking, it was sure to be a trend. My mom recalls wanting a pair of shorts she saw Brenda wearing in a picture in the 80s. The desire for these short shorts spread like wildfire and it became a trend. Then Brenda went on to rock a blonde hairstyle. Best believe, this too became a trend."...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT & LYRICS TO "VULINDLELA"
Excerpt #1:
From http://livingladolcevita.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/27/
sundayschild, 15 August 2006
"And vulindlela means ‘clear the way’ or clean the path."
sundayschild (16 August 2006)
"on multiple levels – in one sense clearing the path for the [newly married]* couple to walk down, in another clearing the way for the start of a new life… it’s about clearing things up so there’s room for (positive) change, which is why the ANC appropriated the song for its ’99 election campaign…
it’s a GREAT track (but then most of Ma Brrrrrr’s are…)"
-snip-
*I added the words in brackets which are implied from the preceding comments.
****
Excerpt #2
From http://1001sasongs.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/vulindlela-%E2%80%93-brenda-fassie/
"Listening to Vulindlela, it’s quite hard to believe that someone who had so many problems in life could sing so beautifully, but Brenda Fassie’s vocals on this track are hauntingly so. Set against a decidedly danceable synth background, the song epitomises the township sound of the late 90s.
You don’t have to understand the words to be moved by the song. Check out the Youtube video link below and you will see comments from people from Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cameroon to name a few. Brenda was huge throughout Africa, and Vulindlela is widely appreciated around the globe.
A month after her death on 26 April 2004, the song was voted Song of the Decade at the South African Music Awards. It is highly likely that the emotional outpouring that followed her death led to this vote, however, that should not distract one from the fact that it would probably have been a contender for the award anyway…
Lyrics:
Vul’indlela wemamgobhozi (Open the gates, Miss Gossip)
He unyana wam (My baby boy)
Helele uyashada namhlanje (Is getting married today)
Vul’indlela wela ma ngiyabuza (Open the gates please)
Msuba nomona (Don’t be jealous)
Unyana wami uthathile (My son has had a good catch)
Bengingazi ngiyombon’umakoti (I never thought I’d see a daughter in law)
Unyana wam eh ujongile this time (My son has been accepted (woman said yes))
Makgadi fele usenzo s’cede (Help us finish the ceremony (you are welcome))
Uzemshadweni ngiyashadisa namhlanje (Come to the wedding, I’m taking
my son to the altar today)
Bebesithi unyana wam lisoka (People said my son is (someone who
doesn’t get women)
Bebesithi angeke ashade vul’indlela (People said he would never get married but open the gates)
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE - VULINDLELA-BRENDA FASSIE
SPHERNO, Uploaded on Jul 1, 2011
R.I.P BRENDA FASIE,AFRICA WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU.
-snip-
Statistics as of October 25, 2019
Total # of views - 15,705,060
Total # of likes - 67K
Total # of dislikes - 3.9K
Total # of comments- 6,334
****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams post.
Thanks visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series that showcases the song "Vulindlela" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
Part I of this series provides information about Brenda Fassie and also presents a YouTube video of this song as well as Vulindlela's Zulu lyrics and their English translation are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/10/comments-about-how-brenda-fassies-song.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases the same video of this song that was presented in Part I and presents selected comments from this video's discussion thread. Most of these comments document how Brenda Fassie's now classic song Vulindlela has been widely known and loved throughout Africa & elsewhere for decades.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
This is an expansion of this 2013 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/south-african-vocalist-brenda-faisse.html. That post includes 12 comments as of the publication date of this 2019 post.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRENDA FASSIE
Excerpt #1
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Fassie
"Brenda Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004)[1] was an anti-apartheid South African Afropop singer.[2] Her bold stage antics earned a reputation for "outrageousness".[3] Affectionately called Mabrr by her fans, she was sometimes described as the "Queen of African Pop"...
Fassie was born in Langa, Cape Town,[4] as the youngest of nine children. She was named after the American singer Brenda Lee...
With very outspoken views and frequent visits to the poorer townships of Johannesburg, as well as songs about life in the townships, she enjoyed tremendous popularity. Known best for her songs "Weekend Special" and "Too Late for Mama", she was dubbed "The Madonna of the Townships" by Time in 2001...
From 1996 she released several solo albums, including Now Is the Time, Memeza (1997), and Nomakanjani?. Most of her albums became multi-platinum sellers in South Africa"...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/11/guardianobituaries.southafrica
[in 1998 Brenda Fassie] released [the album] Memeza, with its hit single Vulindlela. It became South Africa's biggest-selling album in 1998, and was followed by an album a year for the next four years. The money rolled in again, and Fassie resumed her lavish lifestyle.
A talented musician, her genius lay in her ability to reinvent herself, and give voice to the frustrations and aspirations of the township. She started off as a pop queen but, politicised by growing up in Langa at a time of tremendous upheaval - the 1976 student uprisings had deeply affected her school - she easily tapped into the political militancy of the 1980s.
In 1990, she released the single Black President, a tribute to the still imprisoned Nelson Mandela, which was banned by the apartheid regime. She stopped singing in English, declaring: "I am proud to be an African." All her subsequent songs were in Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho. When kwaito, the first authentically African sound in decades, emerged from Soweto street parties in the early 1990s, Fassie adopted the genre as her own."...
****
Excerpt #3
From http://richmondsajini.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/13/
..."One of a kind! Many said that Brenda was the “Madonna of the townships” but for me she was more than that. She was our own Michael Jackson. Brenda was THE QUEEN! Many tried to be like her and many have been accused of trying to be her yet none of them has the energy that she had on stage. Lebo Mathosa came very close, but she was just not Brenda.
Style icon! Whatever outfit MaBrrr was rocking, it was sure to be a trend. My mom recalls wanting a pair of shorts she saw Brenda wearing in a picture in the 80s. The desire for these short shorts spread like wildfire and it became a trend. Then Brenda went on to rock a blonde hairstyle. Best believe, this too became a trend."...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT & LYRICS TO "VULINDLELA"
Excerpt #1:
From http://livingladolcevita.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/27/
sundayschild, 15 August 2006
"And vulindlela means ‘clear the way’ or clean the path."
sundayschild (16 August 2006)
"on multiple levels – in one sense clearing the path for the [newly married]* couple to walk down, in another clearing the way for the start of a new life… it’s about clearing things up so there’s room for (positive) change, which is why the ANC appropriated the song for its ’99 election campaign…
it’s a GREAT track (but then most of Ma Brrrrrr’s are…)"
-snip-
*I added the words in brackets which are implied from the preceding comments.
****
Excerpt #2
From http://1001sasongs.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/vulindlela-%E2%80%93-brenda-fassie/
"Listening to Vulindlela, it’s quite hard to believe that someone who had so many problems in life could sing so beautifully, but Brenda Fassie’s vocals on this track are hauntingly so. Set against a decidedly danceable synth background, the song epitomises the township sound of the late 90s.
You don’t have to understand the words to be moved by the song. Check out the Youtube video link below and you will see comments from people from Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cameroon to name a few. Brenda was huge throughout Africa, and Vulindlela is widely appreciated around the globe.
A month after her death on 26 April 2004, the song was voted Song of the Decade at the South African Music Awards. It is highly likely that the emotional outpouring that followed her death led to this vote, however, that should not distract one from the fact that it would probably have been a contender for the award anyway…
Lyrics:
Vul’indlela wemamgobhozi (Open the gates, Miss Gossip)
He unyana wam (My baby boy)
Helele uyashada namhlanje (Is getting married today)
Vul’indlela wela ma ngiyabuza (Open the gates please)
Msuba nomona (Don’t be jealous)
Unyana wami uthathile (My son has had a good catch)
Bengingazi ngiyombon’umakoti (I never thought I’d see a daughter in law)
Unyana wam eh ujongile this time (My son has been accepted (woman said yes))
Makgadi fele usenzo s’cede (Help us finish the ceremony (you are welcome))
Uzemshadweni ngiyashadisa namhlanje (Come to the wedding, I’m taking
my son to the altar today)
Bebesithi unyana wam lisoka (People said my son is (someone who
doesn’t get women)
Bebesithi angeke ashade vul’indlela (People said he would never get married but open the gates)
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE - VULINDLELA-BRENDA FASSIE
SPHERNO, Uploaded on Jul 1, 2011
R.I.P BRENDA FASIE,AFRICA WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU.
-snip-
Statistics as of October 25, 2019
Total # of views - 15,705,060
Total # of likes - 67K
Total # of dislikes - 3.9K
Total # of comments- 6,334
****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams post.
Thanks visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
South African Singer Brenda Fassie - "Mama" (sound file with lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the song "Mama" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: BRENDA FASSIE - Mama
Kegnaste, Published on Jun 27, 2010
Tribute to the QUEEN, you'll always be in our hearts
****
LYRICS: MAMA
(Brenda Fassie)
This is for you mama
I love you, I miss you
I miss you so much
Hmm mm
Mama, rest in peace
You'll always be in my heart
Mama, God bless your soul
I know that you
You're in good hands
Life ain't easy
Without you mama
Cause you've been there for me
Anytime, anywhere, everyday
Yeah
Mama, ooh mama
Everybody misses you
Mama Ma Mkoena
We love you
You'll always be in our hearts
It's reality no no
Ain't no fantasy oh no
I promise you Ma Mkoena
I'll take care
Mama, rest in peace
You'll always be in my heart
Mama, God bless your soul
I know that you
You're in good hands
Ma Mkoena don't worry
I promise you I'll take care
I'll take, I'll take care
I'll take care, Ma Mkoena
Mama, rest in peace
You'll always be in my heart
Mama, God bless your soul
I know that you
You're in good hands
Source: http://www.lyricshall.com/lyrics/Brenda+Fassie/Mama/
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post showcases the song "Mama" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: BRENDA FASSIE - Mama
Kegnaste, Published on Jun 27, 2010
Tribute to the QUEEN, you'll always be in our hearts
****
LYRICS: MAMA
(Brenda Fassie)
This is for you mama
I love you, I miss you
I miss you so much
Hmm mm
Mama, rest in peace
You'll always be in my heart
Mama, God bless your soul
I know that you
You're in good hands
Life ain't easy
Without you mama
Cause you've been there for me
Anytime, anywhere, everyday
Yeah
Mama, ooh mama
Everybody misses you
Mama Ma Mkoena
We love you
You'll always be in our hearts
It's reality no no
Ain't no fantasy oh no
I promise you Ma Mkoena
I'll take care
Mama, rest in peace
You'll always be in my heart
Mama, God bless your soul
I know that you
You're in good hands
Ma Mkoena don't worry
I promise you I'll take care
I'll take, I'll take care
I'll take care, Ma Mkoena
Mama, rest in peace
You'll always be in my heart
Mama, God bless your soul
I know that you
You're in good hands
Source: http://www.lyricshall.com/lyrics/Brenda+Fassie/Mama/
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Brenda Fassie - My Black President (A Tribute To Nelson Mandela) video & lyrics
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases Brenda Fassie's song "My Black President". This song was composed, recorded, and released in 1983 as a tribute to Nelson Mandela who was unjustly imprisoned in South Africa for his anti-apartheid actions. Fassie added another verse to this song when Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994. She sang this song during Nelson Mandela's inauguration.
A transcription of this song is also provided in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, historical, educational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT NELSON MANDELA'S PRESIDENCY OF SOUTH AFRICA
From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
"[Nelson] Mandela served 27 years in prison, initially on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. An international campaign lobbied for his release, which was granted in 1990 amid escalating civil strife [in the nation of South Africa]."
-snip-
From http://www.ask.com/question/when-did-nelson-mandela-become-president
"Nelson Mandela became president on 10th May 1994 after South Africa's first multi-racial elections were held on 27 April 1994. The African National Congress (ANC) won 62% of the votes in the election, and Mandela, as leader of the ANC, was inaugurated as the country's first black President. He presided over the transition from minority rule and apartheid, winning international respect for his advocacy of national and international reconciliation."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRENDA FASSIE
From http://www.answers.com/topic/brenda-fassie#ixzz2mrnELZhT
"Known as the "Madonna of the Townships" or simply as the "undisputed queen of the vocals," and generally deemed one of South Africa's biggest female pop stars of recent years, Brenda Fassie [born in 1964] notched a long string of infectious pop hits. Her music was deeply woven into the fabric of South African life, and more than once her music played a role in the country's tumultuous political scene. A major talent whose popularity survived several waves of musical fashion and extended at its height to Europe and the United States, Fassie struggled with personal demons before dying a tragically early death in 2004.
By 1983 Fassie had formed an act of her own called Brenda and the Big Dudes, and that year she had a breakthrough hit with "Weekend Special," singing in the disco-flavored "bubblegum" style. "Weekend Special" sold over 200,000 copies and had an extended life in cover versions and remixes, including one by New York producer Van Gibbs in 1986 that spent eight weeks on Billboard magazine's Hot Black Singles chart. The song's international success led to a Fassie tour of the United States, Europe, Australia, and Brazil.
After parting ways with the Big Dudes, Fassie partnered with producer Sello "Chicco" Twala to record the 1989 album Too Late for Mama. Among several hits that became widely known in South Africa's black townships was "Black President," a single that looked forward to the dismantling of the country's apartheid system. That song was banned for a time by the South African government, but Fassie's popularity only increased."...
****
FEATURED VIDEO: Brenda Fassie - Black President
tode m, Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008
Brenda Fassie( Deceased) of South Africa made this song for Nelson Mandela. I now see a reflection of it on Barack Obama and I wish a very good singer like Rihana, Skakira, Beyonnce', Leona Lewis, or the like can remix it for Obama's Inauguration on 01/20/2009.
****
LYRICS: MY BLACK PRESIDENT
(Brenda Fassie)
The year 1963
The people's president
Was taken away by security men
All dressed in a uniform
The brutality, brutality
Oh no, my, my black president
Him and his comrades
Were sentenced to isolation
For many painful years
For many painful years
Many painful years
Of hard labor
They broke rocks
But the spirit was never broken
Never broken
Oh no, my, my black president
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma mama
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma mama
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma Madiba
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma Madiba
Ahh uyem-yem
They broke rocks
But the spirit was never broken
Never broken
Oh my black president
Let us rejoice for our president
Let us sing for our president
Let us pray for our president
Let us sing, let us dance
For Madiba, Madiba's freedom
Now in 1990
The people's president
Came out from jail
Raised up his hand and said
"Viva, viva, my people"
He walked the long road
Back, back to freedom
Back to freedom
Freedom for my black president
Let us rejoice for our president
Let us sing for our president
et us pray for our president
Let us sing, let us dance
For Madiba, Madiba's freedom
We thank You Lord,
For listening to our prayers
Oh, my president
I will die for my president
I will sing for my president
I will stand and say
Viva, viva, viva, viva, viva, viva my president
Source:
http://www.lyricshall.com/lyrics/Brenda+Fassie/Black+President/
****
Thank you to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. My thanks to Madiba Nelson Mandela for his life's legacy. Thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
RIP Mandiba Nelson Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013)
This post showcases Brenda Fassie's song "My Black President". This song was composed, recorded, and released in 1983 as a tribute to Nelson Mandela who was unjustly imprisoned in South Africa for his anti-apartheid actions. Fassie added another verse to this song when Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994. She sang this song during Nelson Mandela's inauguration.
A transcription of this song is also provided in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, historical, educational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT NELSON MANDELA'S PRESIDENCY OF SOUTH AFRICA
From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
"[Nelson] Mandela served 27 years in prison, initially on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. An international campaign lobbied for his release, which was granted in 1990 amid escalating civil strife [in the nation of South Africa]."
-snip-
From http://www.ask.com/question/when-did-nelson-mandela-become-president
"Nelson Mandela became president on 10th May 1994 after South Africa's first multi-racial elections were held on 27 April 1994. The African National Congress (ANC) won 62% of the votes in the election, and Mandela, as leader of the ANC, was inaugurated as the country's first black President. He presided over the transition from minority rule and apartheid, winning international respect for his advocacy of national and international reconciliation."
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRENDA FASSIE
From http://www.answers.com/topic/brenda-fassie#ixzz2mrnELZhT
"Known as the "Madonna of the Townships" or simply as the "undisputed queen of the vocals," and generally deemed one of South Africa's biggest female pop stars of recent years, Brenda Fassie [born in 1964] notched a long string of infectious pop hits. Her music was deeply woven into the fabric of South African life, and more than once her music played a role in the country's tumultuous political scene. A major talent whose popularity survived several waves of musical fashion and extended at its height to Europe and the United States, Fassie struggled with personal demons before dying a tragically early death in 2004.
By 1983 Fassie had formed an act of her own called Brenda and the Big Dudes, and that year she had a breakthrough hit with "Weekend Special," singing in the disco-flavored "bubblegum" style. "Weekend Special" sold over 200,000 copies and had an extended life in cover versions and remixes, including one by New York producer Van Gibbs in 1986 that spent eight weeks on Billboard magazine's Hot Black Singles chart. The song's international success led to a Fassie tour of the United States, Europe, Australia, and Brazil.
After parting ways with the Big Dudes, Fassie partnered with producer Sello "Chicco" Twala to record the 1989 album Too Late for Mama. Among several hits that became widely known in South Africa's black townships was "Black President," a single that looked forward to the dismantling of the country's apartheid system. That song was banned for a time by the South African government, but Fassie's popularity only increased."...
****
FEATURED VIDEO: Brenda Fassie - Black President
tode m, Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008
Brenda Fassie( Deceased) of South Africa made this song for Nelson Mandela. I now see a reflection of it on Barack Obama and I wish a very good singer like Rihana, Skakira, Beyonnce', Leona Lewis, or the like can remix it for Obama's Inauguration on 01/20/2009.
****
LYRICS: MY BLACK PRESIDENT
(Brenda Fassie)
The year 1963
The people's president
Was taken away by security men
All dressed in a uniform
The brutality, brutality
Oh no, my, my black president
Him and his comrades
Were sentenced to isolation
For many painful years
For many painful years
Many painful years
Of hard labor
They broke rocks
But the spirit was never broken
Never broken
Oh no, my, my black president
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma mama
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma mama
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma Madiba
Hmm maa, hmm maa, hmm ma Madiba
Ahh uyem-yem
They broke rocks
But the spirit was never broken
Never broken
Oh my black president
Let us rejoice for our president
Let us sing for our president
Let us pray for our president
Let us sing, let us dance
For Madiba, Madiba's freedom
Now in 1990
The people's president
Came out from jail
Raised up his hand and said
"Viva, viva, my people"
He walked the long road
Back, back to freedom
Back to freedom
Freedom for my black president
Let us rejoice for our president
Let us sing for our president
et us pray for our president
Let us sing, let us dance
For Madiba, Madiba's freedom
We thank You Lord,
For listening to our prayers
Oh, my president
I will die for my president
I will sing for my president
I will stand and say
Viva, viva, viva, viva, viva, viva my president
Source:
http://www.lyricshall.com/lyrics/Brenda+Fassie/Black+President/
****
Thank you to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. My thanks to Madiba Nelson Mandela for his life's legacy. Thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
RIP Mandiba Nelson Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
South African vocalist Brenda Fassie - Vulindlela (with lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the song "Vulindlela" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
Information about Brenda Fassie is also included in this post along with lyrics for this song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRENDA FASSIE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Fassie
"Brenda Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004)[1] was an anti-apartheid South African Afropop singer.[2] Her bold stage antics earned a reputation for "outrageousness".[3] Affectionately called Mabrr by her fans, she was sometimes described as the "Queen of African Pop"...
Fassie was born in Langa, Cape Town,[4] as the youngest of nine children. She was named after the American singer Brenda Lee...
With very outspoken views and frequent visits to the poorer townships of Johannesburg, as well as songs about life in the townships, she enjoyed tremendous popularity. Known best for her songs "Weekend Special" and "Too Late for Mama", she was dubbed "The Madonna of the Townships" by Time in 2001...
From 1996 she released several solo albums, including Now Is the Time, Memeza (1997), and Nomakanjani?. Most of her albums became multi-platinum sellers in South Africa"...
-snip-
From http://richmondsajini.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/13/
..."One of a kind! Many said that Brenda was the “Madonna of the townships” but for me she was more than that. She was our own Michael Jackson. Brenda was THE QUEEN! Many tried to be like her and many have been accused of trying to be her yet none of them has the energy that she had on stage. Lebo Mathosa came very close, but she was just not Brenda.
Style icon! Whatever outfit MaBrrr was rocking, it was sure to be a trend. My mom recalls wanting a pair of shorts she saw Brenda wearing in a picture in the 80s. The desire for these short shorts spread like wildfire and it became a trend. Then Brenda went on to rock a blonde hairstyle. Best believe, this too became a trend."...
FEATURED SONG: VULINDLELA-BRENDA FASSIE
SPHERNO, Uploaded on Jul 1, 2011
R.I.P BRENDA FASIE,AFRICA WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT & LYRICS TO "VULINDLELA"
From http://livingladolcevita.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/27/
sundayschild, 15 August 2006
"And vulindlela means ‘clear the way’ or clean the path."
sundayschild (16 August 2006)
"on multiple levels – in one sense clearing the path for the [newly married]* couple to walk down, in another clearing the way for the start of a new life… it’s about clearing things up so there’s room for (positive) change, which is why the ANC appropriated the song for its ’99 election campaign…
it’s a GREAT track (but then most of Ma Brrrrrr’s are…)"
-snip-
*I added the words in brackets which are implied from the preceding comments.
-snip-
From http://1001sasongs.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/vulindlela-%E2%80%93-brenda-fassie/
"Listening to Vulindlela, it’s quite hard to believe that someone who had so many problems in life could sing so beautifully, but Brenda Fassie’s vocals on this track are hauntingly so. Set against a decidedly danceable synth background, the song epitomises the township sound of the late 90s.
You don’t have to understand the words to be moved by the song. Check out the Youtube video link below and you will see comments from people from Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cameroon to name a few. Brenda was huge throughout Africa, and Vulindlela is widely appreciated around the globe.
A month after her death on 26 April 2004, the song was voted Song of the Decade at the South African Music Awards. It is highly likely that the emotional outpouring that followed her death led to this vote, however, that should not distract one from the fact that it would probably have been a contender for the award anyway…
Lyrics:
Vul’indlela wemamgobhozi (Open the gates, Miss Gossip)
He unyana wam (My baby boy)
Helele uyashada namhlanje (Is getting married today)
Vul’indlela wela ma ngiyabuza (Open the gates please)
Msuba nomona (Don’t be jealous)
Unyana wami uthathile (My son has had a good catch)
Bengingazi ngiyombon’umakoti (I never thought I’d see a daughter in law)
Unyana wam eh ujongile this time (My son has been accepted (woman said yes))
Makgadi fele usenzo s’cede (Help us finish the ceremony (you are welcome))
Uzemshadweni ngiyashadisa namhlanje (Come to the wedding, I’m taking
my son to the altar today)
Bebesithi unyana wam lisoka (People said my son is (someone who
doesn’t get women)
Bebesithi angeke ashade vul’indlela (People said he would never get married but open the gates)
****
Thanks visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post showcases the song "Vulindlela" by South African singer Brenda Fassie.
Information about Brenda Fassie is also included in this post along with lyrics for this song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Brenda Fassie for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BRENDA FASSIE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Fassie
"Brenda Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004)[1] was an anti-apartheid South African Afropop singer.[2] Her bold stage antics earned a reputation for "outrageousness".[3] Affectionately called Mabrr by her fans, she was sometimes described as the "Queen of African Pop"...
Fassie was born in Langa, Cape Town,[4] as the youngest of nine children. She was named after the American singer Brenda Lee...
With very outspoken views and frequent visits to the poorer townships of Johannesburg, as well as songs about life in the townships, she enjoyed tremendous popularity. Known best for her songs "Weekend Special" and "Too Late for Mama", she was dubbed "The Madonna of the Townships" by Time in 2001...
From 1996 she released several solo albums, including Now Is the Time, Memeza (1997), and Nomakanjani?. Most of her albums became multi-platinum sellers in South Africa"...
-snip-
From http://richmondsajini.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/13/
..."One of a kind! Many said that Brenda was the “Madonna of the townships” but for me she was more than that. She was our own Michael Jackson. Brenda was THE QUEEN! Many tried to be like her and many have been accused of trying to be her yet none of them has the energy that she had on stage. Lebo Mathosa came very close, but she was just not Brenda.
Style icon! Whatever outfit MaBrrr was rocking, it was sure to be a trend. My mom recalls wanting a pair of shorts she saw Brenda wearing in a picture in the 80s. The desire for these short shorts spread like wildfire and it became a trend. Then Brenda went on to rock a blonde hairstyle. Best believe, this too became a trend."...
FEATURED SONG: VULINDLELA-BRENDA FASSIE
SPHERNO, Uploaded on Jul 1, 2011
R.I.P BRENDA FASIE,AFRICA WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT & LYRICS TO "VULINDLELA"
From http://livingladolcevita.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/27/
sundayschild, 15 August 2006
"And vulindlela means ‘clear the way’ or clean the path."
sundayschild (16 August 2006)
"on multiple levels – in one sense clearing the path for the [newly married]* couple to walk down, in another clearing the way for the start of a new life… it’s about clearing things up so there’s room for (positive) change, which is why the ANC appropriated the song for its ’99 election campaign…
it’s a GREAT track (but then most of Ma Brrrrrr’s are…)"
-snip-
*I added the words in brackets which are implied from the preceding comments.
-snip-
From http://1001sasongs.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/vulindlela-%E2%80%93-brenda-fassie/
"Listening to Vulindlela, it’s quite hard to believe that someone who had so many problems in life could sing so beautifully, but Brenda Fassie’s vocals on this track are hauntingly so. Set against a decidedly danceable synth background, the song epitomises the township sound of the late 90s.
You don’t have to understand the words to be moved by the song. Check out the Youtube video link below and you will see comments from people from Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cameroon to name a few. Brenda was huge throughout Africa, and Vulindlela is widely appreciated around the globe.
A month after her death on 26 April 2004, the song was voted Song of the Decade at the South African Music Awards. It is highly likely that the emotional outpouring that followed her death led to this vote, however, that should not distract one from the fact that it would probably have been a contender for the award anyway…
Lyrics:
Vul’indlela wemamgobhozi (Open the gates, Miss Gossip)
He unyana wam (My baby boy)
Helele uyashada namhlanje (Is getting married today)
Vul’indlela wela ma ngiyabuza (Open the gates please)
Msuba nomona (Don’t be jealous)
Unyana wami uthathile (My son has had a good catch)
Bengingazi ngiyombon’umakoti (I never thought I’d see a daughter in law)
Unyana wam eh ujongile this time (My son has been accepted (woman said yes))
Makgadi fele usenzo s’cede (Help us finish the ceremony (you are welcome))
Uzemshadweni ngiyashadisa namhlanje (Come to the wedding, I’m taking
my son to the altar today)
Bebesithi unyana wam lisoka (People said my son is (someone who
doesn’t get women)
Bebesithi angeke ashade vul’indlela (People said he would never get married but open the gates)
****
Thanks visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
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