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Friday 7 August 2009

Speaking of South Africa


Which is all that I seem to be doing these days, I have been asked to go on the radio by a work colleague to talk about where I am from. I know, like WHAT? Me, the shyest person in the world?

It is unlikely that I will have the guts to actually do it, in fact I feel ill just thinking about it. I really don't do the speaking thing and my voice sounds terrible, so whispy and insubstantial. I am not keen to do it at all. But I am useless at saying no to people, so if I do end up doing it, I need to come up with a selection of South African music for him to play.

It is a local hospital radio station and I am reckoning most of the listeners will be old, so I am going for old school, easy listening kind of stuff. I think kwaito may not go down so well with this audience. So far this is the cheesy list I have come up with:

  • Johnny Clegg- English and some Zulu
  • Mango Groove (hahahahahahahahahaha) ahem- English
  • Amampondo - Xhosa
  • Freshlyground - Xhosa and English
  • Miriam Makeba - Xhosa
  • Parlotones/ some other softish rock - English
  • Springbok Nude Girls (hmm, not so easy listening but they are just so legend) - English
  • Maybe some Ladysmith -Zulu
What else? I need ideas of classic songs in all languages. Do you know of any legendary bands or songs I am missing out on? In any language, official or not? He wants an eclectic mix because the whole point of the show is different cultures.

And what FreshlyGround song should I use? I am not a fan at all, but I reckon they will go down well with older folk.

Lastly, there is a grevious lack of Afrikaans liedjies on that list. What are the classic Afrikaans songs, man, I can't recall any? I prefer the older ones, but maybe you can suggest the latest hit to me as well?

And anything that I have missed. Please, any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

I want to represent well, even if I give them music that no one actually listens to any more :)


22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Afrikaans song: I lurve Karen Zoids song - Afrikaaners is plesierig, its a rock song and even if the listeners dont understand afrikaans they'd enjoy the song.
Also whats that really big afrikaans song, de la rey, i havent heard it but very popular.

Cam said...

GOLDFISH PO!!!!!

Gotta mention Goldfish!!!!

Cam said...

BRENDAN FASSIE PO!!!!

Gotta have Brenda!

Anonymous said...

and Mandoza - Tornado, I think thats what the song was called, was on all the time, its good.
andn some kwaito, Arthur Mofakate man, oyi oyi, maybe some boom shaka.

Janine / Being Brazen said...

Mandoza, Dirty Skirts...ummm....and Zebra and Giraffe (they rock)

LadyFi said...

Yep - you've got to have Brenda!

As for Freshlyground: Doo be doo is mellow but it's in English. Otherwise, you could go for Zithande (from the album Nomvula).

Don't forget The Click Song!

po said...

I need more Afrikaans stuff, what is old skool Afrikaans, please?

Anonymous said...

I vote for this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqkVq3u4_fY

For Afrikaans go Steve Hofmeyer. :)

Cam said...

LOSLAPPIE, KURT DARREN!

OU RYPERD!!!

po said...

Thanks for all your suggestions, much appreciated, keep them coming!

DelBoy said...

What? No Leon Schuster? No rugby songs?

po said...

Delboy: ah leon Schuster, nice one!

What rugby songs?

expateek said...

Andre Swiegers, Blou. Or Else se kraal. He's fab.
Yes, the de la rey song was super popular last year, include that one, as that has that whole Afrikaans political subtext thingy going on.
Johannes Kerkorrel, Hillbrow or BMW, or Mozambique!!!
Koos Kombuis, Elke boemelaar se droom

A Daft Scots Lass said...

don't worry about being shy - its radio - no one can see you remember!!!!

Play some old 80's Evoid.

Helen said...

Goldfish, Koos Kombuis, Kerkorrel, I've been listening to Disselblom lately because it makes me giggle (jy's my nicotine en my caffeine..."), Karen Zoid, and I'm sure there's more but I can't think of any right now...

You'll be fantastic! Go for it!

sarah said...

your label cracked me up

steve hofmeyer. now he`s a hottie!!!

Anonymous said...

oh my... I don't know... um... I only know house music and all the stuff you just mentioned is WAY above my head in terms of choices I would have made. There are songs out there but thier not easy to come by like its on the CD but not released which is insane.

Anonymous said...

oh my.... De la Rey

bwahahahaha!

Anonymous said...

sorry I am of no service.

Anonymous said...

Sadly lacking in any knowledge on the Afrikaans side, but for an older crew I would definitely include Soweto String Quartet and Sibongile Khumalo.

redsaid said...

Duuuude, Laurika Rauch's Kinders van die wind (off her Hot Gates album, because it is suitably Africanised with African drum beats, etc.). That must be like one of the most classic Afrikaans songs EVER (originally done by Koos du Plessis). And her voice is just so awesomely laid-back.

I agree, GOLDFISH! Oh, and how about Vusi Mahlasela and his version of the old Bright Blue classic Weeping. (Josh Groban also does a version of it with Ladysmith.) You can even tell them how it got radio play during Apartheid years because the sensors were too dumb to figure out the meaning of the words and that they totally missed the part where the melody of Nkosi is worked into the song.

Also, Dave Matthews IS South African, you know... (Yes, I'm a huge fan, bite me.) He wrote the song Lullaby which is also on that same Josh Groban album. (Josh performs it with Ladysmith as well.) Might appeal to that crowd.

There are so many. Also, you HAVE to get some Afro Jazz in there. For that, you can opt for something like Hugh Masekela performing the South African classic Mannenberg written by Basil Coetzee. Then there is also anything by Abdullah Ibrahim, who is just the most legendary jazz muso in SA.

Also, Johnny Clegg's son Jesse also has an album out now. (Just English.)

Totally do the show and embed the mp3 of your fifteen minutes of fame afterwards so that we can all share in the joy!

po said...

Redsaid: awseome, thank you! Kinders van die wind shall be hunted for!