Malaika - Mmatswale (South African song about mother-in-laws)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part series on songs about mother-in-laws. This post showcases the song Mmatswale (English translation: "mother-in-law") by the South African Afro-Pop group "Malaika". Information about the group Malaika and selected comments about this song are also included in this post. Unfortunately, I've not been able to find the complete lyrics to this song. Any help with this would be appreciated.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/ernie-k-doe-mother-in-law-sound-file.html for Part II of this series. Part II showcases the American R&B song "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie k-Doe.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/lord-kitchener-nosey-mother-in-law.html fpr Part III of this series. Part III showcases the Trinidad & Tobago Calypso song "Nosey Mother-In-Law" by Lord Kitchener.

Notice the similarities between how mother-in-laws are depicted in the American and Caribbean song and how different mother-in-laws are depicted in the South African song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Malaika for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. And hat tip to Janell Richison for alerting me to this song in her comment that was sent to this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/south-african-vocalist-brenda-faisse.html

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INFORMATION ABOUT MALAIKA (South African Afro-Pop Group)
From http://www.afrometro.com/article/malaika--mmatswale.html
"Matshediso Florence Mholo and Bongani Kevin Nchang - two top artists from the South African group Malaika - shine in this fourth full-length studio album titled Mmatswale. Mmatswale is Tswana (Southern Africa) for mother-in-law and was released in 2009.

The group Malaika has won many awards since their debut album, Malaika, which sold over 350,000 copies. Awards include Best Newcomer Group statuette in 2004, Best Afro-Pop Group in 2005, Best Southern African Group at the 2005 Kora awards. Their 2007 album, Sekunjalo, won them the SAMAs award.

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From http://www.channel24.co.za/Music/AlbumReviews/Malaika-Mmatswale-20090908 "Malaika – one of the first breakthrough Afro-pop acts in SA [South Africa]"
"On their third album, Mmatswale, they keep to the formula that won them hordes of followers while at the same time splashing in a dash of the new by tinting – for example – some of their house-ier tracks with an electronic edge.

On numbers like "Find a Way to My Heart", "Sail Away" and "Ndifuna Wena" expect jubilant, flighty, summer-tinted love songs delivered over hip-swaying arrangements made up of infectious polyrhythmic drums, lo-tempo keys and deep bass-lines that cross in half-way between kwaito and township jazz. "Mmatswale" and "Roma Nna" showcase that patented Malaika sound: gospel-touched, warm and celebratory – as catching as an ululation, trumpet-y and chorus-heavy, guaranteed to get the dance floor heaving under the weight of summer-time revellers breaking into the 'bus-stop'.

The album has its calmer moments, too. Tshedi and Bongani take the opportunity to flex their vocal-chord brawn on the acoustic-driven, poppy, adult-contemporary tracks “Then Came You” and “Farewell” which, admittedly, seem like slow burners if not entirely out of place on Mmatswale. The pan-African unity-driven “I’m an African” is, on the other hand, a pleasant surprise. Very experimental by Malaika’s standards, it sounds like the baby version of the Ivorian hit “Premier Gaou” by Magic System – only steeped heavily in Mzantsi jazz trumpetry.

Looking at the CD cover it’s hard to believe that Malaika arrive with one member short on Mmatswale. When Jabu Ndaba – former third wheel and group co-founder – lost a battle to TB in 2008 it seemed like Malaika would be filing itself into obscurity. However, if Mmatswale and the globally scattered internet comments are anything to go by, it doesn’t seem like this will be happening anytime soon. The group’s making some of their most interesting music to date"...

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Malaika - Mmatswale



African music videos - Museke, Uploaded on Feb 23, 2010

New hit track from South Africa's Malaika

http://museke.com/node/4900 Home of the African Music Fan

Malaika is made up of Matshediso Florence Mholo and Bongani Kevin Nchang
Video edited by Andy Sherman for Black Orange Productions, directed by Mpumi Cuka and coloured at Blade; shot on RED
-snip-
These excerpted lyrics are from a summary statement of another video example of this song:
"MALAIKA - Mmatswale

Mother in law, leave those pots...
Cose the one who should deal with them is coming.
Give her some space...
I love her crazy...
She is the one for me to be my wife"

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE SONG "MMATSWALE"
From http://www.zawadi.info/south-africa/malaika-mmatswale/
1. daveangelo4u, September 8, 2011
"@misslivinlife88 “love him/her so much” its a traditional Tswana wedding song."

2. AdjoaTeiba, September 9, 2011
can somebody translate this for me? I absolutely love it but i don’t understand it cuz im from Ghana…

3. Nanaadjoa1990, September 9, 2011
"@proclusive matswale tlogela dipitsa tseo mongwatsona ke yo o etla.. the song is saying mmatswale (mother of the groom) should stop cleaning the pots or cooking n move aside coz the new owner (caretaker) is here..it’s a traditional tswana song…oh the memories!"

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VuHFJ4EOI0
gemzyangel, 2010
"oh wow, am from Ghana, but lived in Botswana all my life, n i must say this song really brings back memories from all those tswana weddings i went to!! thanx for posting it up..... :)"
-snip-
Note: Tswana people are in Botswana and South Africa.

ASPRINALARD, 2011
"Just attend a wedding in Botswana to hear the original version of this brilliant song! It's beautiful too! They have pure voices!"

3. Letticia Makgopa, 2013
"the song is about the mother in law basically she is being told to leave the cooking alone because the son has a [w]ife and she will take care of that"

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Five South African Wedding Songs By Platform One

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases five videos/sound files of the South African music group Platform One. Information about this group and selected comments from some of the featured videos YouTube viewer comment threads are also included in this post.

If you have information about the meaning of these songs, please add it in the comment thread of the video and/or this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT PLATFORM ONE
From https://www.facebook.com/PlatformOnesouthafrica/info
"Platform One was formed in 1989. It consisted of Pure Gold, Senior Choir and Nani Ntengo. It was formed in Mzimhlophe Soweto. It recorded its first album titled Isencance Ingane which was released in 1990. The song was very popular around South Africa and it sold more than 500 000 copies, and for that album Platform One reached Gold and Double Platinum...

Description
We are a group of 3 members and do Traditional wedding songs, We rocked SA and we back to rock more. Members: Nani Ntengo, Sonto Dladla and Nelisiwe Jele"

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FEATHRED EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date on YouTube with the oldest videos given first.)

Example #1: Isencane Platform One



Thandielove, Uploaded on May 30, 2008
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Here are selected comments from this song's viewer comment thread:

freddiep21, 2008
"ahh i love this tune!! it should play on my wedding. it brings back memories of early 90's. it was a hit it played on my uncle's wedding! where can i get this CD?"

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bluerings20, 2008
"lovely song,takes me back in time when i was a lot younger in Zim,reminds me of weddings in Zim too!!"
-snip-
"Zim" = Zimbabwe

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ziya139, 2009
"The song says: Can't u c this disaster the child is still young 2 get married..."

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Vincent Simelane, 2012
"Amen amen ... proudly south african!! gone are the day when weddings abt singing and dancing !! now all therre is is BEER BEER BEER..."

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lindo shozi. 2013
"I will need a hand,who who in their right mind wud marry this child is still young,My baby is too young to get married. In short thats the meaning of the song"

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Example #2: Platform One Sizolala La



Thandielove, Uploaded on Nov 9, 2009
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Here are selected comments from this song's viewer comment thread:

Boikanyo Molale, 2009
"we danced to this at uncles wedding way bac in 1999. i was still a small boi aniway."

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2thobza, 2011
"i love this song thnx Thandielove it reminds me of hw my mom cn b at weddings"

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Example #3: Platform One - Womnyakazisa Mayelele

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Bi Tra, Published on Nov 2, 2012

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Example #4: Platform One - Ivalaza



Bi Tra, Published on Jan 2, 2013
South African Music
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this song's viewer comment thread:

Cecil Gape, 2013
"classic tune guys !"

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Vincent Simelane, 2013
"suka !!! gone are the days when wedding were fun and nyc eish now its more of a show off and fanancial transaction than anything else"

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TheBong27, 2013
"@ Muziwenhlanhla Mchunu_ valaza refers to the car, its a short township name for the American muscle car "Valiant".
-snip-
I don't know what "muscle car" means except that it may mean a "sports car". I'm American but I had to look up information about the Valiant car. The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Valiant. South Africa was one of the nations around the world in which the Plymouth (also known as the Chrysler) Valiant was marketed.

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Example #5: Platform One: Taste & Pass



zuluboys, Published on Aug 14, 2013

Forget fancy studio and stage setup, this is simplicity at its best and with cows and goats to boot!

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Thanks to Platform One for their musical legacy. Thanks also to those who I quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos/sound files on YouTube.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Seven Videos Of African American Wedding Songs

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases seven videos of African American wedding songs.

The content of this post is presented for aesthetic purposes. The copyrights remain with their owners.

My thanks to the composers and performers of this music. My thanks also to the videographers and uploaders of these featured videos.

This post is dedicated to my daughter & my new son.
God bless you both!

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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in no particular order.)

Video #1: Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack - Tonight I Celebrate My Love



Uploaded by fernandroanuwar on Aug 1, 2010

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Video #2: If this world were mine--Luther & Cheryl



Uploaded by 24Adrian24 on Aug 21, 2007

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Video #3: Lionel Richie Feat Diana Ross - Endless Love



Uploaded by bewitchedchick87 on Aug 3, 2009

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Video #4: Atlantic Starr - Always



a6896023, Uploaded on Dec 23, 2007

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Video #5: Tyrese - For Always



Uploaded by koolbreez22 on Nov 19, 2010

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Video #6: Natalie Cole - Inseparable



21MusicSoul, Uploaded on Jun 7, 2010

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Video #7: Regina Belle & Glenn Jones - From Now On



Uploaded by lovesongsmad on Mar 21, 2010

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.