adminLove songs have been around since the existence of human kind. In the African culture, love songs were composed simultaneously before and after play (lovemaking).
When a man has been away hunting or drinking with friends, he would announce his arrival through song.
If it was in evening, he would usually pen a love song. This was to warn those who were in the house to leave — children, relatives and friends included.
This was a remotekind of romance, and by the time the husband got home, the couple would be ready for play, as music would have created a romantic mood.
If the husband performed well the wife would sing praises using the husband’s totem. In Shona culture it is called “kudeketera mutupo”. While praising, she would end up going into a song, as songs are created when one has passed the talking level. That level, which is higher than talking is music.
This song could stimulate her partner again, resulting in a second “round” and this one would send them both to sleep and relax. Thus romantic songs act like lullabies.
A woman can say the whole totem (kudeketera mutupo wese) only if the man has done a real good job. This genre is now used in contemporary music — love ballads.
Zimbabwe has been blessed with brilliant composers who have recorded some beautiful love songs.
Some of these composers are George Sibanda — Gwabi Gwabi Kuzwa, which was recorded in 1948 by Gallo; Dorothy Masuka — Unolishwsa, recorded in 1953 by Trutone; Stephen Mtunyani (City Quads) — Lindi, recorded by Polydor; Iwe Maggie Huya Utore Tsamba Yako by Simangaliso Tutani — it was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s.
Faith Dauti — Rosvika Zuva Rekuti Iwe Neni Tidanane, recorded in the 1950s by the Federal Broadcasting Corporation, Euna Chipere — Kana Usingandide Nditaurire — recorded in 1956 by the Federal Broadcasting Corporation, Susan Chenjerai — Isaac Hawuchandida Here? Dali Iwe, Dali Iwe; Dayi Tiri kwaHunyani and Mwedzi Muchena.
The Pied Pipers (Ruva Rangu), Tanga wekwa Sando (Wake), Mbare Trio (Chigaba Chinemanyuchi) and Louis Mhlanga’s instrumental Distant Lover and Take Me, to name but a few.
A fusion of traditional and jit rhythms has seen musicians create love songs like Pabhasikoro Bata Mwana Wadonha (Hold on to the child on the bicycle lest it falls).
I still have to understand why this song is sung at funerals. Maybe, because death is the last part in a person’s life cycle, the song is a reminder of where a human came from. We have also had international love songs which have been popular with Zimbabweans since the introduction of radio.
Some of the songs are “Tomorrow is Forever” by Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. This song was very popular at township weddings in the 1970s and was used by the bridal dance party.
Take my hand and run with me out of the past of yesterday
and walk with me into the future of tomorrow.
Yesterday must be forgot
No looking back no matter what, there is nothing there
but memories that brings sorrow . . .
Yesterday is gone, gone but tomorrow is forever.
It was important to leave the past behind and concentrate on the future.
“Guava Jelly” by Johnny Nash . . . was also very popular in the 1970s.
You said you love me; I said I love you. Why won’t you stop your cryin’? Dry your weeping eyes.
You know that I love you Groovin’ Here I am, Groovy Child Come rub ‘pon me belly Like a guava jelly, (Here I stand)
(Come rub it ‘pon me belly) Like a guava jelly), You say you need me I say I need you, too Baby Why don’t, stop your cryin’ . . .
“Is This Love, Is This Love” by Bob Marley was very popular in the 1970s. He composed this song for Rita Marley, his wife.
I wanna love you and treat you right; I wanna love you every day and every night: We’ll be together with a roof right over our heads; We’ll share the shelter of my single bed; We’ll share the same room, yeah! — for Jah provide the bread.
Is this love — is this love — is this love — Is this love that I’m feelin’? Is this love — is this love — is this love — Is this love that I’m feelin’? I wanna know — wanna know — wanna know now! I got to know — got to know — got to know now!
The situation under which Bob and Rita Marley lived then in the ghettoes of Kingston, Jamaica, was synonymous with that of black people in the townships.
Those who were around in the 70s will remember how we got this song. It was smuggled into the country since Bob Marley was not given airplay on the then Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation. One of the best love songs of the 1970s was “Have You Seen Her?” by the Stylistics and composed by Eugene Record and Barbara Ackin. I will take a part of the chorus.
. . . Why, oh why did she have to leave and go away?
Oh, I’ve been used to having someone to lean on
And I’m lost
Baby I’m lost
Have you seen her?
Tell me have you seen her??
Have you seen her?
Tell me have you seen her?
Love songs in Zimbabwe were recorded as far back as 1948. Gwabi Gwabi Kuzwa.
Gwabi Gwabi kuzwa ngilentombi yami, ihlale nkambeni shuwa ngiyayithanda, ngizayathengela amabhanzi, iziwitshi konke lobanana, ubokuzwa ngilentombi yami ihlale nkambeni shuwa siyezwanana. (I am showing off with my girlfriend — I have my girlfriend she stays in the police camp and I love her, I will buy her sweets, buns and bananas).
Indeed, sweets and buns were a delicacy and men bought these to impress their girlfriends especially back in the rural areas where young women would be staying helping their mothers with house work and farming. This song was played as far afield as Tanzania. In 1990 when I was in Sweden for a conference, I met a man from Tanzania and he started singing Gwabi Gwabi Kuzwa. Although he did not understand siNdebele he could tell that the song was a love song.
George Sibanda is said to have been a loving gentleman compared to Josaya Hadebe who used to ridicule women in his songs. One of Josaya’s songs was “Dali Ngiyakuthanda Kodwa Ulihule (Darling I love you but you are a prostitute). Despite the songs that mocked women, women still loved Josaya. Women would throw themselves onto him, and when he was playing on the streets, women followed him.
Sometime in the early 90s while coming from South Africa, I met a woman who lived in the same area as Josaya Hadebe, in Ntabazinduna, and when I asked her about him, she giggled like a teenager: “UJosaya bantu, ah, uJosaya bakithi (Oh Josaya, oh Josaya, oh please).”
I asked again: “Waye njani uJosaya Hadebe.” (Can you tell me more about Josaya Hadebe?). She giggled again. It was evident that she had gone back in time. Researchers have found that a number of women are attracted to rough men, like Josaya Hadebe, while some prefer the George Sibanda type — gentlemen.
Musicians in the 1950s composed great love songs such as Lindi, by Stephen Mtunyane of the City Quads group, a popular band of the 50s. The song went like this:
Iwe Lindi, ah Lindi, Lindi mwana wakanakisisa, oh Lindi, Lindi, Lindi mudi wemwoyo wangu, kana iwe usipo ini handifari, mwoyo wangu unorwadza kwazvo, iwe, uri kupenya kusingapere. (Lindi, Lindi you are a beauty, ah Lindi, Lindi, Lindi you are the love of my life, if you are not around I am not happy, you are a shining star).
The song was very popular in the 50s60s, and I am sure many women then associated themselves with Lindi, and, when their husbands or boyfriends played this song it would uplift them romantically. Let us sing the song again, “Iwe Lindi ah Lindi . . .” You can substitute your own words and sing it for John or Peter, or Rudo. Yes, you can do it.
“Ruva Rangu” by the Pied Pipers is one of the evergreen love songs and other musicians have done their own renditions of the song. This is a love song dedicated to a lover who is far away.
Ruva rangu, ndiwe chete, ndiwe muridzi wemwoyo wangu, mamba kuyedza mudiwa wangu ndinotarisa mufananidzo wako ndichifunga kwauri kure kure, parunhare mudiwa wangu ndinonzwa inzwi rako ndichifunga kwauri kure kure. Ruva rangu ndiwe chete ndiwe muridzi wemwoyo wangu.
Online Reporter