Soweto Blues (1977)

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Soweto Blues is a protest song written by Hugh Masekela and performed by Miriam Makeba.[1] The song is about the Soweto uprising that occurred in 1976, following the decision by the apartheid government of South Africa to make Afrikaans a medium of instruction at school. The uprising was forcefully put down by the police, leading to the death of between 176 and 700 people. The song was released in 1977 as part of Masekela's album You Told Your Mama Not to Worry.[2] The song became a staple at Makeba's live concerts, and is considered a notable example of music in the movement against apartheid.[3]

Key Lyrics

The children got a letter from the master

It said: no more Xhosa, Sotho, no more Zulu

Refusing to comply they sent an answer

That's when the policemen came to the rescue

Children were flying bullets dying

The mothers screaming and crying

The fathers were working in the cities

The evening news brought out all the publicity


Benikuphi ma madoda (where were the men)

Abantwana beshaywa (when the children were throwing stones)

Ngezimbokodo Mabedubula abantwana (when the children were being shot)

Benikhupi na (where were you?)

Background

In 1976 the apartheid government of South Africa decided to implement the use of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in all schools instead of English. In response, high school students began a series of protests on the morning of 16 June that came to be known as the Soweto Uprising.[4] Students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools. An estimated 15,000–20,000 students took part in the protests. The police were caught unawares by the protests. After initially asking the students to disperse, the police opened fire on the protesting children in order to quell the protest.[5] The number of people who died is usually given as 176, with estimates of up to 700, while several hundred more were injured. The killings sparked off several months of rioting in the Soweto townships, and the protests became an important moment for the anti-Apartheid movement.

Performances

The song became a standard part of Makeba's live performances for many years after its release. It was also performed by Makeba on the tour for Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland, along with many other anti-apartheid songs.[6] Makeba was unable to perform the song in her native South Africa until after her return to the country in June 1990, only a few months after Nelson Mandela was released from prison. She was given a strong welcome back to her home country and regained her South African citizenship in 1992, the same year that she starred in the film Sarafina! about the Soweto uprising.[3]

References

  1. Plasketes, George.B-sides, Undercurrents and Overtones. 2009. Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  2. You Told Your Mama Not To Worry. Discogs. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Lusk, Jon. Miriam Makeba: Singer banned from her native South Africa for fighting apartheid. 11 November 2008. The Independent. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  4. Gallagher, Michael. The birth and death of apartheid. 17 June 2002. BBC. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  5. Boddy-Evans, Alistair.16 June 1976 Student Uprising in Soweto. 3 July 2019. Thought Co. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  6. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/0EB4EF465BD57A19?p=AWNB. John J. O’Connor. 19 May 1987. San Fransisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 22, 2021.