, Sep 13, 2012
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube examples of South African singer Miriam Makeba singing "Ring Bell".
Information about Miriam Makeba is included in this post along with lyrics for this song and some comments from the discussion threads for these YouTube examples.
The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to Miriam Makeba for her music and role modeling. Thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT MIRIAM MAKEBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Makeba
"Zenzile Miriam Makeba... 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa.
Born in Johannesburg to Swazi and Xhosa parents, Makeba was forced to find employment as a child after the death of her father. She had a brief and allegedly abusive first marriage at the age of 17, gave birth to her only child in 1950, and survived breast cancer. Her vocal talent had been recognized when she was a child, and she began singing professionally in the 1950s, with the Cuban Brothers, the Manhattan Brothers, and an all-woman group, the Skylarks, performing a mixture of jazz, traditional African melodies, and Western popular music. In 1959, Makeba had a brief role in the anti-apartheid film Come Back, Africa, which brought her international attention, and led to her performing in Venice, London, and New York City. In London, she met the American singer Harry Belafonte, who became a mentor and colleague. She moved to New York City, where she became immediately popular, and recorded her first solo album in 1960. Her attempt to return to South Africa that year for her mother's funeral was prevented by the country's government.
Makeba's career flourished in the United States, and she released several albums and songs, her most popular being "Pata Pata" (1967). Along with Belafonte, she received a Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording for their 1965 album An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. She testified against the South African government at the United Nations and became involved in the civil rights movement. She married Stokely Carmichael, a leader of the Black Panther Party, in 1968, and consequently lost support among white Americans. Her visa was revoked by the US government when she was traveling abroad, forcing her and Carmichael to relocate to Guinea. She continued to perform, mostly in African countries, including at several independence celebrations. She began to write and perform music more explicitly critical of apartheid; the 1977 song "Soweto Blues", written by her former husband Hugh Masekela, was about the Soweto uprising. After apartheid was dismantled in 1990, Makeba returned to South Africa. She continued recording and performing, including a 1991 album with Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, and appeared in the 1992 film Sarafina!. She was named an FAO Goodwill Ambassador in 1999, and campaigned for humanitarian causes. She died of a heart attack during a 2008 concert in Italy."...
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LYRICS - RING BELL
If I could be a shimmering star
I'd shine now, shine now
How I would shine
Someone I love has promised to be
Mine now, mine now
Someone is mine
So ring bell, ring bell
Tell the world that all is well
Ring bell, ring bell
Love is here and all is well
If I could be a beautiful song I'd
Sing now, sing now
How I would sing
Warm is the sunlight in his eyes it's
Spring now, spring now
Suddenly spring
So ring bell, ring bell
Tell the world that all is well
Ring bell, ring bell
Love is here and all is well
Yesterday, just another day
But today everything is going my way
So ring bell, ring bell
Tell the world that all is well
Ring bell, ring bell
Love is here and all is well
I said ring bell, ring bell
Tell the world that all is well
Ring bell, ring bell
Love is here and all is well
All is well
All is well
All is well
https://genius.com/Miriam-makeba-ring-bell-lyrics
-snip-
Information about that song from that genius.com page:
"Miriam Makeba released “Ring Bell” in 1967.
“Ring Bell” by Miriam Makeba was written by George David
Weiss & Jerry Ragovoy."
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM SHOWCASE YOUTUBE VIDEO #1
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. @carla0151, 2012
"I LOVE this song and thank the person who posted this! Have been looking for this particular version
for years!"
2. @martin-valeriegrosso2760, 2013
"
**
3. @mikebt2000, 2013
"Man..I remember this song growing up in Jamaica in the
70's!!! Thanx for the upload!!"
**
4. @bill12616, 2013
" she sound beautifull,
reminded me when i was a kid growing up in Panama."
5.
"this is the album I carried about the hallways of high
school in the '70's, sharing it with my friends. I loved this song, it always
made me feel hopeful and uplifted. Sweet high school memories!"
**
6. @jakko6467, 2015
"Simply Beautiful!!!!!"
**
7. @ticket88, 2019
"About 25 years ago I found this album on vinyl LP. It's
awesome!"
**
8. @francisdenedo8299, 2019
"this song still brings tears to my eyes... seeing the
unnecessary wars, deaths of innocent children and mothers... defenseless
fathers. may God touch the hearts of the wicked leaders of this world. may
religious strifes end. this song touches the soul."
**
9. @maxineasterling9463, 2020
"I love this song, it reminds of Sunday evening on the radio
in the Caribbean , beautiful memories"
**
Reply
10. @4meincognito, 2021
"You're so right. I am a Caribbean woman and this is one of
the many songs that were played on the
radio on a Sunday. I call them Sunday
songs. Lol."
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SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #2 - Miriam Makeba - Ring Bell (Live)
MIRIAMMEKEBAVEVO, Jan 17, 2014
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. @jakko6467, 2016
"This is exactly what we mean when we say "Black is
Beautiful""
**
Reply
2. @Kosmo4tanga, 2016
"That's right. NO skin bleaching, NO Weaves, No extensions.
"Just genuine beauty"."
**
3. @martinamaasailova1203, 2018
"Que dire de cette grande dame sinon qu' elle continue à
éblouir le monde entier par son intelligence,sa générosité
d'âme et sa
combativité pour un monde plus humain et plus juste..Je suis Martiniquaise mais
je continue à pleurer cet artiste de talent, à la voix unique et au swing
inimitable. Cette dame dont la beauté du corps, de l' âme et de l' esprit
fait l' unanimité..continue à transmettre ses valeurs aux
nouvelles générations❤"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"
of soul and his
combativeness for a more humane and fairer world..I am from Martinique but I
continue to mourn this talented artist, with a unique voice and inimitable
swing. This lady whose beauty of body, soul and spirit
is unanimous..continues to pass on its values to new
generations❤"
**
4. @channakumararatne6109, 2018
"Dear zenzile miriam mkeba i like your every songs. Please bon again and sing for us again. God blless you mama africa.you are every one to mama.
**
5. @elsasanchez680, 2018
"Definitibamente toda una diva de la cancion una presencia
ecenica majistrar Dios benndiga a mama africa siempre te recordaremo"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English:
"Definitely a diva of the song, a masterful stage presence. God bless Mama Africa, we will always remember you."
**
6. @ronaldgarber7041, 2022
"An iconic voice. Queen of Africa"
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