A Musical Trip to Africa

 Background of the Music:

I chose to research the wonderful world of Traditional African Music. I have always enjoyed this kind of music, because of it's amazing beats and instruments. There is a variety of music in Africa and the music has changed over time due to colonization. However, Traditional African music at its core is used to tell oral stories, talk about life and death, and pay respects to others. It's also a way of celebrating weddings, birth, successful hunts, and many other things (Music of Africa). The music of Africa is, overall, a way of expressing every aspect of life. Traditional African Music is a big part of a beautiful culture that has spanned many centuries.

The drum is a very important instrument in Traditional African Music:

Percussion instruments are very important to creating the intense rhythms and beats that keep the music of Africa together. From the larger Signal Drums to the smaller Djembe (made for warrior rituals, healing ceremonies and ancestral worship), there is a wide variety of handmade drums that span across all of Africa, especially in the west (Music of Africa). It is well known that the drum is the "Heartbeat of the Community" (The Heartbeat of Africa is the Beat of a Drum).

Analysis:

 Miriam Makeba - Qongothwane (The Click Song) (1963)

I have heard this song many times. I always find it fascinating that people can make those sounds with their mouths while singing a song! It's kind of like modern day beat boxing, but it's South African. The reason why it is called "The Click Song", is because the English couldn't pronounce "Ngqothwane" (I find that really funny). According to Makeba, this song is sung when a young girl gets married in her home village in Johannesburg, SA. The song literally means "knock-knock beetle", as the Xhosa people of South Africa believe that the knocking beetles (or various darkling beetles) bring good luck and rain. Thus, the song brings good fortune.

Lyrics:

In my native village, in Johannesburg
There is a song that we always sing when a young girl gets married
It's called The Click Song by the English
Because they can't say ngqothwane

Igqira lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Igqira lendlela kuthwa nguqo ngqothwane
Igqirha lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Igqirha lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Seleqabele gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Selequbule gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Seleqabele gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Selequbule gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Igqira lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Igqira lendlela kuthwa nguqo ngqothwane
Igqirha lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Igqirha lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Seleqabele gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Selequbule gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Seleqabele gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
Selequbule gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane

 

Tempo:

The tempo of this song is definitely allegro. It has this fast four beat tempo that carries throughout the song. If you listen closely, her clicks time with the beat really well. Makeba also claps two beats at the beginning of some phrases.

Melody:

The melody of this song is very unique. Unlike some of the other Traditional South African music I listened to, this song has a very clear melody. It takes some talent to sing some of those higher "yelling" notes and click at the same time. The melody is very in tune with the guitar playing in the background. It goes really well with the chord progression and doesn't overpower the quiet guitar.

Personal Opinion:

I believe this song is absolutely amazing. I think that the culture around this song is fascinating. The fact that I can't even think of pronouncing the people's name "Xhosa", because of how difficult it is to say proves how insane their language is! The melody and beat to this song are really catchy. Very underrated performance.

"Tekere" by Salif Keita (1995)

I really liked this song when I first heard it a few years ago. It's got a really good groove to it and uses a lot of traditional African instruments (drums and stringed instruments). They also use some modern instruments as well (Afropop genre). Salif Keita is from Mali, WA (West Africa) and blends a lot of traditional Mande into his music. Also, he is still singing and performing at 71, which is impressive! If you want a song to dance to, this is it.

Lyrics:

Tekere, Tekere, Tekere
Ka Tekere fo ye
Mousso lou, Tekere fo lan koun
Beka Tekere fo, billet ma na di jeli ke ba ma
O bara sewa, tenh koro Tekere bo fo.

Tekere, Tekere, Tekere
Moun yi dimina ne ma?
Moun yi dimi, nkanou yoko bere monelen
Mou yi monela nema
Mou yi monela nema, ne fourougnoko bere
Ne mena yoliyoli la
I te da la ka, n'kiye
Da laka, san ya kan
Awa, kanou dalaka, ji ye akan
Allah diyayemogo, dalaka, nene'a kan
Ali ni mo ye di fe bona
A faye, keleya mandiye
Kon te keleya, ahh keleya dimi ne
A ba wili ila moya
A te labana, na ma mojougouya banke-ila fou
Mo ka kena Djougouya
Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe
Koni, Djene, ka kena joukouya
Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe
Koni besi, ka kena joukouya
Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe
Solomani, i ka kena joukouya
Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe
Batterie fola, i kena kena joukouya
Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe
Na tioumba fola, i ka kena joukouya
Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe
Jourou fola, i ka kena joukouya

Ne ta kila, n'te joukouya fe

Tekere, Tekere, Tekere

Patoron, n'bolobila ne fouroulen
Kankorosigi m'a kela fiye?
Kankorosigi, n'bolobila ne fouroulen
Secretairi m'a kela fiye?
Secretairi, n'bolobila ne fouroulen
Pilanton m'a kela fiye?
Ma soucie pilanton na
Ahhh, e maye Pilanton jamani

An ba willi, a be francais fo ne ye

A di toubabou kan fin ye
Tention Madame, Tention Madame, Tention.

Tekere,

Generali, m'bolo bila ne fourou len
Coloneli ma kela fiye?
Colonel n'bolo bila ne fourou len
Capitaini ma kela fiye?
Capitaini n'bolobila ne fourou len
Lakourou m'a kela fiye?
Ma soucie Lakouroula

Ahhh, e maye Lakourou jamane
An ba willi, a be francais fo ne ye
A di toubabou kan fin ye
Tention Madame, Tention Madame, Tention.
Tekere.

Tolonou, Tekere willi la yan
Ka Tekere fo ye
Mousso lou, Tekere fo lan koun
Beka Tekere fo, billet ma na di jeli ke ba ma
O bara sewa, tenh koro Tekere bo fo.
Tekere...

Meter:

It sounds like there are four beats in this song as well. There is so much going on that it is difficult to find the core beats. It's either 2/4 time or 4/4 time and I can't tell very easily. The beat is very steady and the grouping doesn't seem to change much throughout the song.

Call and Response:

I don't know what to put this under, so I am giving it its own place as a musical element. The Call and Response in this song is very prevalent. I really like the parts where Salif will sing and the backup singers will "respond" to his singing. It's something I see commonly in Traditional African Music. Very interesting!

Personal Opinion:

I think this song is really groovy (I know, it's an old word)! It really makes you want to dance and clap your hands to the beat. I like the energy that Western African music brings to the stage. Salif Keita is a really good singer, especially for his age. Unfornately, I could not find the english translations to this song, but nonetheless, it's still a great song!

Conclusion:

The Traditional Music of Africa is very cultural and rich with unique and amazing musical elements. All of the singers are very talented and always bring good energy to their performances. I am glad that I learned about this kind of music, because it's impressive. If only there were english translations to the songs that I chose, though...

Sources:

Kristan. “The Heartbeat of Africa Is the Beat of a Drum.” Jenman African Safaris, 26 May 2017, www.jenmansafaris.com/heartbeat-of-africa-beat-of-a-drum/.

“Music of Africa.” Music of Africa - New World Encyclopedia, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Music_of_Africa#Drum_gallery.

Mediasanctuary, director. Salif Keita "Tekere". YouTube, YouTube, 11 June 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhPZ8StErSE&list=TLPQMDgwMzIwMjFajcJwQvpwOQ&index=3.

“Miriam Makeba - Qongqothwane (The Click Song) (Live, 1963).” YouTube, YouTube, 25 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjo8h5qLpU0.