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Sounds of South Africa: A Musical Journey

As an experiment to find out how much South African musical knowledge it had, we asked the Artificial Intelligence system called ChatGPT to compile us this week’s mixtape. The following is a transcript of our conversation and the result:

Do you know what a “mix tape” is?
Yes, I’m familiar with the concept of a “mixtape.” A mixtape is a compilation of songs or music tracks, typically from different artists and genres, recorded onto a cassette tape or other medium. Mixtapes were especially popular during the 1980s and 1990s when cassette tapes were the dominant format for music distribution. People often made mixtapes to share their favorite songs with friends, or as a personalized gift for someone special. The term “mixtape” has evolved over time and can now refer to a digital playlist or a compilation album released by an artist, although the original concept of a mixtape remains rooted in the idea of curating a collection of songs for a specific purpose or theme.

We would like you to compile a 20 song mixtape to introduce an international audience to the music of South Africa, including a wide range of styles from that country, including – but not limited to – rock, pop, jazz, folk, reggae, mbaqanga, kwaito, and a range of styles to get a broad overview. It is important that all the artists are South African.
I have compiled a mixtape of 20 songs to introduce an international audience to the music of South Africa. This list includes a wide range of styles and genres to provide a broad overview of South African music:

  1. Miriam Makeba – “Pata Pata” (Afro-pop)
  2. Johnny Clegg & Savuka – “Asimbonanga” (Afro-pop, World Music)
  3. Ladysmith Black Mambazo – “Homeless” (Isicathamiya, Zulu A Cappella)
  4. Hugh Masekela – “Grazing in the Grass” (Jazz)
  5. Brenda Fassie – “Vuli Ndlela” (Pop, Kwaito)
  6. The Parlotones – “Push Me to the Floor” (Rock, Indie)
  7. Freshlyground – “Doo Be Doo” (Afro-fusion, Pop)
  8. Abdullah Ibrahim – “Mannenberg” (Jazz)
  9. Mafikizolo – “Khona” (Afro-pop, Kwaito)
  10. Simphiwe Dana – “Ndiredi” (Afro-jazz, Soul)
  11. Yvonne Chaka Chaka – “Umqombothi” (Afro-pop, Bubblegum)
  12. DJ Mujava – “Township Funk” (House, Kwaito)
  13. Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens – “Kazet” (Mbaqanga)
  14. Die Antwoord – “Enter the Ninja” (Alternative Hip-hop, Rave)
  15. Jeremy Loops – “Down South” (Folk, Acoustic)
  16. Black Coffee ft. Bucie – “Superman” (House, Electronic)
  17. Spoek Mathambo – “Control” (Electronica, Afro-futurism)
  18. BLK JKS – “Molalatladi” (Alternative Rock, Art Rock)
  19. Lucky Dube – “Different Colours/One People” (Reggae)
  20. Mango Groove – “Special Star” (Afro-pop, Marabi)

This mixtape covers a variety of genres and eras in South African music, showcasing the country’s rich musical heritage and diversity. Enjoy!

Thank you. Do you know what “sleeve notes” are?
Yes, I am familiar with the term “sleeve notes” (also known as liner notes). Sleeve notes are the written material that accompanies a physical music release, such as an album or an EP, typically found inside or on the packaging of vinyl records, CDs, or cassette tapes. They can provide various types of information, such as:

  • Background information on the recording, composition, or production of the music.
  • Song lyrics.
  • Credits for the musicians, producers, and other personnel involved in the creation of the music.
  • Personal anecdotes or stories from the artist(s) or other contributors.
  • Artwork or photography related to the music or the artist(s).

Sleeve notes offer additional context and insight into the music, and they can help listeners form a deeper connection with the artist and their work. In the digital age, sleeve notes have largely been replaced by digital booklets, which can be accessed through certain music platforms, or by artist websites and social media.

Could you write (approximately 750 words) sleeve notes to accompany your 20 song selection?
Title: “Sounds of South Africa: A Musical Journey”
Welcome to “Sounds of South Africa,” a carefully curated compilation of 20 songs that showcase the rich and diverse musical landscape of South Africa. This mixtape is designed to introduce an international audience to a wide range of styles from this vibrant country, including rock, pop, jazz, folk, reggae, mbaqanga, kwaito, and more. We invite you to immerse yourself in these captivating sounds and explore the unique musical tapestry of South Africa.

  • Miriam Makeba – “Pata Pata” (Afro-pop)
    Known as “Mama Africa,” Miriam Makeba was a legendary singer and activist who brought South African music to the world stage. “Pata Pata,” released in 1967, remains her most famous song and features her distinctive vocal style alongside a danceable Afro-pop rhythm.
  • Johnny Clegg & Savuka – “Asimbonanga” (Afro-pop, World Music)
    Johnny Clegg, often referred to as the “White Zulu,” was a British-born South African musician and anthropologist. “Asimbonanga,” released in 1987, is a powerful anti-apartheid anthem that pays tribute to Nelson Mandela and calls for unity among South Africans.
  • Ladysmith Black Mambazo – “Homeless” (Isicathamiya, Zulu A Cappella)
    Formed in 1960, Ladysmith Black Mambazo is an award-winning male choral group that specializes in isicathamiya, a traditional Zulu a cappella style. “Homeless” was co-written with Paul Simon for his “Graceland” album and showcases the group’s intricate vocal harmonies.
  • Hugh Masekela – “Grazing in the Grass” (Jazz)
    Hugh Masekela was a renowned South African jazz musician and trumpeter. His 1968 instrumental hit, “Grazing in the Grass,” combines elements of jazz with South African rhythms, creating an uplifting and timeless tune.
  • Brenda Fassie – “Vuli Ndlela” (Pop, Kwaito)
    Brenda Fassie, dubbed the “Madonna of the Townships,” was a beloved South African pop and kwaito singer. “Vuli Ndlela,” released in 1997, is a high-energy track that showcases Fassie’s incredible vocal range and infectious charisma.
  • The Parlotones – “Push Me to the Floor” (Rock, Indie)
    The Parlotones are a South African indie rock band known for their emotive lyrics and anthemic sound. “Push Me to the Floor,” released in 2009, features driving guitar riffs and a soaring chorus, making it a standout track in the South African rock scene.
  • Freshlyground – “Doo Be Doo” (Afro-fusion, Pop)
    Formed in 2002, Freshlyground is a multiracial South African band that blends elements of Afro-fusion, pop, and folk. “Doo Be Doo,” released in 2005, is a catchy, feel-good song that celebrates life and the power of music to bring people together.
  • Abdullah Ibrahim – “Mannenberg” (Jazz)
    Abdullah Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand, is a celebrated South African jazz pianist and composer. His 1974 composition “Mannenberg” is considered a cornerstone of Cape Jazz and serves as a symbol of hope and resilience during the apartheid era.
  • Mafikizolo – “Khona” (Afro-pop, Kwaito)
    Mafikizolo is a South African duo that combines Afro-pop and kwaito elements to create infectious dance tunes. Their 2013 hit “Khona” showcases their signature harmonies and energetic beats, making it an irresistible addition to the mixtape.
  • Simphiwe Dana – “Ndiredi” (Afro-jazz, Soul)
    Simphiwe Dana is a talented South African singer-songwriter known for her Afro-jazz and soul fusion. Her 2004 song “Ndiredi” highlights her emotive vocal delivery and thoughtful songwriting, earning her a place among South Africa’s most respected artists.
  • Yvonne Chaka Chaka – “Umqombothi” (Afro-pop, Bubblegum)
    Dubbed the “Princess of Africa,” Yvonne Chaka Chaka is a South African music icon whose career spans over three decades. “Umqombothi,” released in 1988, is a catchy, upbeat song that showcases her powerful voice and a lively bubblegum pop sound.
  • DJ Mujava – “Township Funk” (House, Kwaito)
    DJ Mujava is a South African producer and DJ known for blending house music with kwaito influences. His 2008 track “Township Funk” features hypnotic beats and syncopated rhythms, making it a dance floor favorite in South Africa and beyond.
  • Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens – “Kazet” (Mbaqanga)
    Mahlathini, known as the “Lion of Soweto,” and the Mahotella Queens were a groundbreaking mbaqanga group that combined powerful vocals with driving rhythms. Their 1987 hit “Kazet” showcases their unique sound, which helped popularize mbaqanga music both locally and internationally.
  • Die Antwoord – “Enter the Ninja” (Alternative Hip-hop, Rave)
    Die Antwoord is a controversial and provocative South African group that blends hip-hop, rave, and performance art. “Enter the Ninja,” released in 2010, captures their edgy aesthetic and confrontational lyrics, making them a standout act in the South African music scene.
  • Jeremy Loops – “Down South” (Folk, Acoustic)
    Jeremy Loops is a South African singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for his folk-infused sound. “Down South,” released in 2014, features catchy melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and a laid-back acoustic vibe that showcases Loops’ diverse musical talents.
  • Black Coffee ft. Bucie – “Superman” (House, Electronic)
    Black Coffee is a renowned South African DJ and producer known for his soulful house music. His 2010 collaboration with singer Bucie, “Superman,” combines deep, groovy beats with Bucie’s sultry vocals, creating a captivating dance track.
  • Spoek Mathambo – “Control” (Electronica, Afro-futurism)
    Spoek Mathambo is a South African musician and producer who pushes the boundaries of electronic music with his Afro-futuristic sound. “Control,” released in 2011, is a haunting and experimental track that showcases Mathambo’s innovative approach to music.
  • BLK JKS – “Molalatladi” (Alternative Rock, Art Rock)
    BLK JKS is a South African alternative rock band known for their genre-defying sound that blends rock, jazz, and traditional African music. “Molalatladi,” released in 2009, features intricate guitar work and powerful vocals, making it a standout track on this mixtape.
  • Lucky Dube – “Different Colours/One People” (Reggae)
    Lucky Dube was a South African reggae musician and one of the country’s most successful artists. His 1993 song “Different Colours/One People” is a call for unity and understanding, reflecting the spirit of the post-apartheid era and showcasing Dube’s distinctive reggae sound.
  • Mango Groove – “Special Star” (Afro-pop, Marabi)
    Mango Groove is a South African band that fuses marabi, kwela, and pop music to create a lively and upbeat sound. Their 1989 hit “Special Star” features catchy horn arrangements and infectious rhythms that capture the essence of South African music.

“Sounds of South Africa” aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the music of this incredible country. The tracks on this mixtape represent a broad spectrum of genres, each with its own unique flavor and cultural significance. South Africa’s music scene is a testament to its rich history, resilience, and diverse heritage, and we hope that this collection inspires you to delve deeper into the sounds and stories of South Africa.

As you listen, you may notice themes of unity, resistance, and hope woven throughout the mixtape. These themes reflect the struggles and triumphs of South Africa’s past and present, showcasing the power of music to connect people across borders and cultures. Whether you’re dancing to the upbeat grooves of kwaito, swaying to the soulful melodies of Afro-jazz, or losing yourself in the hypnotic rhythms of house music, “Sounds of South Africa” offers a musical journey you won’t soon forget.

We encourage you to explore the works of the artists featured on this mixtape, as well as other musicians from South Africa who continue to shape the country’s diverse and evolving musical landscape. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and enjoy the sounds of South Africa!

Thank you. That is excellent work. Could you suggest a prompt to feed to an image generating tool to create a cover image for this mix tape?
Certainly! To generate a cover image for the “Sounds of South Africa” mixtape using an image-generating tool, you can use the following prompt:

“Create an album cover for a mixtape titled ‘Sounds of South Africa.’ The cover should evoke the rich cultural diversity and vibrant musical heritage of South Africa. Incorporate elements such as traditional African patterns, musical instruments, and the South African landscape, blending them together in a visually striking and harmonious composition. The color palette should be warm and inviting, reflecting the energy and spirit of South African music.”

This prompt should provide enough detail and context for the image-generating tool to create an engaging and visually appealing cover image for the mixtape.

Thank you
You’re welcome! If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m here to help. Enjoy your South African mixtape, and have a great time exploring the music!

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Death On The Road

The previous two mixtapes featured songs about roads and road trips respectively and in putting these together we got to thinking about how many South African musicians have died while travelling in their cars. Some of these accidents have taken place as the musicians have travelled to concerts while other accidents have been part of musicians’ day to day lives. In at least two instances – Gito Baloi and Lucky Dube – the deaths were the result of carjackings, while Tebego Madingoane was shot dead in a road rage incident following a car accident. Travelling anywhere in a motor vehicle in South Africa is more risky than in most parts of the world. And given the vast distances between South Africa’s major cities, the potential danger for South African musicians travelling to and from performances adds to the many sacrifices which they make in order to ply their trade. This mixtape is dedicated to all South African musicians in an acknowledgement of the many hours, days, weeks and months they end up spending on our roads, and in memory of those who have died on these roads.

Below is a list of musicians who have died on South African roads. The list is not definitive because – unfortunately – there are other South African musicians who have undoubtedly died in car accidents. If there are any names missing please let us know and we can add their details to the list, in remembrance. And if you know any or all of the names of the members of Sankomota who were killed in a car accident in April 1996 please get in touch with us. Finally, if any of the details listed are incorrect also please do get in touch with the correct information.

We have tried to include a song which features the musician(s) in question, and where possible, include a song which that musician wrote. In the case of Roger Cumming we could not locate a Silver Creek Mountain Band recording of a song on which we were sure he performed, and so we included a very fitting tribute to the Silver Creek Mountain Band by Bill Malkin, which includes a reference to Roger Cumming.

We thank Jonathan Handley of the Radio Rats for drawing and designing a special cover for this mixtape.

In remembrance:

  1. Don Christie of Dickie Loader and the Blue Jeans 1965
  2. Roger Cumming of the Silver Creak Mountain Band 1977
  3. Tuza Mthetwa and Pompie Sofibo of the Soul Brothers 1979
  4. Tony Hunter of the Uptown Rhythm Dogs 1980 (check when died?)
  5. Koos Du Plessis 15 January 1984
  6. Zakes Mchunu of the Soul Brothers 1984
  7. Adam Reinecke of Winston’s Jive Mix Up 17 December 1989
  8. Penny Power of Peach 24 April 1994
  9. Kevin Van Staden of Celtic Rumours 26 December 1994
  10. James Phillips 31 July 1995
  11. Four members of Sankomota 12 April 1996
  12. West Nkosi August 1998
  13. Johnny Mair of Sweatband 11 November 2002
  14. Bles Bridges 24 March 2000
  15. Gito Baloi 4 April 2004
  16. Tebego Madingoane of Mafikizolo 14 February 2004 (shot dead in a road rage
  17. incident following car accident)
  18. Lebo Mathosa of Boom Shaka Shaka 23 October 2006
  19. Lucky Dube 18 October 2007
  20. Tulsa Pittaway of Watershed (and Evolver One and Brotherly) 21 May 2017
  21. Jacques de Coning solo Afrikaans singer 9 June 2019
  22. Jethro Butow of Morocko and …. 19 January 2020
  23. Emmanuel “Mjokes” Matsane of Trompies 22 May 2021
  24. Sakhile Hlatshwayo (Killer Kau) 8 August 2021
  25. Mpura 8 August 2021 (Same accident as above)
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Censorship – Capital Played What SABC Would Not!

The first mixtape in our censorship series featured songs which Capital Radio played but which were banned from airplay on the SABC. We end our censorship series with a sequel to that first mixtape: focusing on 20 more songs which charted or were playlisted on Capital but which were ‘avoided’ by the SABC.

Back in September 1980, Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” was playlisted on Capital Radio. It is not clear whether or not the SABC censors realized the drug reference in the song, or even if they checked the lyrics at all, because the entire album was banned by the apartheid government’s Directorate of Publications. And so the SABC shelved the whole bang shoot, including “Comfortably Numb”.

“Tyler” by UB40 reached number one on Capital Radio on the 20th of June 1981, and stayed there for one week. As far as the SABC censors were concerned, UB40 were guilty of recording a politically provocative song. The song was about the racially-biased trial of 17 year old Gary Tyler who was convicted of murder by an all-white jury in Louisiana, despite several irregularities in the prosecution’s evidence and the lack of a murder weapon. The chorus lamented, “Tyler is guilty, the white judge has said so; What right do we have to say it’s not so.” The censors believed that the song was too similar to the apartheid context to be spun on South African radio. And so it wasn’t.

“Ghost Town” by the Specials spent two weeks at number one on the Capital Countdown on the 19th and 26th of September 1981. It reflected the dire situation in inner cities in England, including urban decay, unemployment, and violence. Its release coincided with the riots in places like Brixton and so became a soundtrack to the riots. Lines like “Government leaving the youth on the shelf”, “No job to be found in this country, can’t go on” and “The people getting angry” also spoke to the South African situation. Out of fear the SABC censors decided not to play it.

“Reggae Man” by John Miles peaked at number 22 on the Capital Top 40 on the 2nd of January 1982. Despite John Miles claiming “the reggae man good for you”, the SABC censors banned the song from airplay because it mentioned marijuana use, especially because the reggae man was “growing weed” and could “take you so high”.

“Golden Brown” by the Stranglers spent one week at number one on the Capital Countdown on the 24th of April 1982. Many listeners regarded ‘golden brown’ as an ode to heroin, as did the SABC censors who consequently ‘avoided’ it. Perceptive listeners interpreted ‘golden brown’ as referring jointly to a woman and heroin, both of whom help the protagonist to escape into peaceful, distant places. Or perhaps the SABC censors DID realize that the song was about a white man singing about a black lover …

In late 1981, Epic released Dutch band Quick’s song “Zulu” in South Africa . It was playlisted on Capital Radio in May and June 1982 but banned from airplay on the SABC because the censors believed its contentious lyrics hinted at a Zulu uprising, even though the lyrics seem to be referring to a bygone colonial era: “Pick up that spear and fight; Now that the time is right; Zulu man; Sound of the burning flight; Run like the wind tonight; Zulu man.”

Third World’s “Try Jah Love” spent two weeks at number four on the Capital Countdown on the 19th and 26th of June 1982. The SABC censors viewed Rastafarianism as a false religion or cult, and being uptight conservative Christians they banned anything that promoted Rastafarianism, including songs with the word ‘Jah’ in them. So it was goodbye to “Try Jah Love”.

There was no doubt about the drug reference in Rita Marley’s “One Draw” which was playlisted on Capital in July 1982. Marley begins the song by singing “I wanna get high, so high, I wanna get high so high, I wanna get high, so high, I wanna get high, so high, one draw, one draw”. This also turned out to be the chorus, so the SABC prevented the song from getting anywhere near the South African airwaves.

Rita Marley’s late husband, Bob Marley, also got jilted by the SABC censors in 1982. His song “Natural Mystic” was playlisted on Capital in August 1982. The song warns of the approaching apocalypse as described in the book of Revelations, with reference to trumpets blowing and “a natural mystic blowing through the air”. While the song is quite vague it does have political undertones, especially to the paranoid ear. Marley refers to “Many more will have to suffer, many more will have to die” and “can’t keep them down”. The SABC censors must have feared that this could be interpreted as an overtly political song applicable to South Africa, so they banned it from airplay.

Pink Floyd’s “Not Now John” reached number 25 on the Capital Top 40 on the 18th of June 1983. It is a critique of western global politics and corporate greed. The SABC censors, primed as they were to detect swear words, would have had no need to go beyond the first two lines: “Fuck all that we’ve gotta get on with these; Fuck all that, Fuck all that”. Which pretty much summed up the SABC censors’ sentiments towards the possibility of airplay for the song.

“She’s Sexy (And 17)” by the Stray Cats peaked on Capital Radio at number 23 on the 29th of October 1983. The word ‘sexy’ no doubt raised the suspicions of the censors who went on to ‘avoid’ the song because of its rebellious tone and suggestions of promiscuity. This included mildly rebellious sentiments such as “I ain’t goin’ to school no more; It starts much, much too early for me; I don’t care about readin’, writin’, ’rithmatic or history” and slightly sexual allusions like, “Acts a little bit obscene; gotta let off a little bit of steam”. It would have been viewed as irresponsible to air such sentiments on public radio with a large school-going audience. So it was avoided.

Despite spending two weeks at number one on Capital on the 28th of April and 5th of May 1984, “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood was barred from airplay on SABC. The song was far too sexually overt for the narrow-minded censors to accept: “Relax don’t do it, when you want to come; Relax don’t do it, When you want to suck it, chew it” and then later in the song: “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow uh, I’m coming, I’m coming yeah.” Well, Frankie my dear, not on the SABC.

Bright Blue’s “Window On The World” peaked at number 11 on the Capital Countdown on the 10th of November 1984. Given that the SABC was an ideological wing of the apartheid state it is not surprising that they objected to the song. It commented on the disquiet which many white South African males felt about being conscripted into a war they did not want to fight. While the rhythm is upbeat and even jovial, the lyrics lament the situation of “The young men marching everywhere, trying their best to escape” and “The young men marching everywhere, not sure how to cope.” Capital had the perceptive foresight to air the song.

“Steel Claw” by Dave Edmunds was playlisted on Capital in early 1985. While being a fairly cryptic song the SABC nevertheless objected to the political lines, “The politicians have forgotten this place”, and “So many people hanging onto the edge; Crying out for revolution, retribution.”

Don Henley’s “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” peaked at number 25 on the Capital Top 40 on the 27th of July 1985. The song is generally viewed as a critique of Reagan-era USA intervention in Central and South America. The woman in the song is seemingly oblivious to all the military shenanigans going on around her because “all she wants to do is dance”. The song includes lines like “Rebels been rebels since I don’t know when; But all she wants to is dance” and “Molotov cocktail – the local drink; When all she wants to do is dance”. For the SABC censors these references to war resembled the guerrilla warfare South Africa was involved in. They thus decided it was safest to ban the song from airplay.

Night Ranger’s “Sentimental Street” peaked at number 23 on the Capital Countdown on the 28th of September 1985. It is not immediately apparent why this song was ‘avoided’ by the SABC censors. It is about a person watching someone else walking down a street called Sentimental Avenue, and reflecting on their life. Perhaps the censors thought the line “Did you get your fill? Did you think you had to pay?” referred to prostitution. But it seems a flimsy reason to censor a song.

“Your Latest Trick” by Dire Straits peaked at number seven on the 14th of June 1986. The protagonist in the song describes the down town scene in a city: “And most of the taxis, most of the whores; Are only taking calls for cash”. That, together with reference to the prostitute’s “latest trick”, was enough for the SABC censors to ‘avoid’ the song.

Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing” went to number one on the Capital Countdown on the 3rd of June 1989, where it spent one week. The ‘wild thing’ referred to by Tone Loc was inconsequential sex for fun. The song describes various scenarios where this happened to the central character. In one scenario, for example, he describes how he “Couldn’t get her off my jock, she was like static cling; But that’s what happens when bodies start slappin’ from doin’ the wild thing.” The SABC censors promptly slapped the song with an airplay banning order.

In “Together As One” Lucky Dube asked the question, “Too many people hate apartheid, why do you like it?” The SABC censors’ answer was to ban the song from airplay. However, on Capital it reached number two, where it spent two weeks, on the 3rd and 10th of June 1989.

If anything, Salt N Pepa’s “Let’s Talk About Sex” is a positive song about the importance of sex education. It charted on Capital in late 1991, reaching number 6 on the 7th of December 1991 (we’re not sure if it moved further up the chart because we are missing some charts). In the song they sing, “Now we talk about sex on the radio and video shows; Many will know, anything goes; Let’s tell it like it is; How it was, and of course, how it should be; Those who think it’s dirty have a choice; Pick up the needle, press pause, or turn the radio off.” Talk about inviting the censors to the party! They needed no second bidding and couldn’t get to the record player quick enough … and picked up the needle for the entire nation.

Fortunately Capital Radio didn’t waste money and time on censorship committees and sticky pieces of paper with ‘avoid’ written on them. Capital listeners got to hear a wider array of music both musically and lyrically, often not even realizing that the SABC wasn’t playing some of their favourite songs. They were encouraged to be more open-minded and free. Which is exactly what the apartheid censors were trying to repress. This mixtape goes out to Capital Radio, for being there when South Africans needed you most!

  1. Window On The World – Bright Blue
  2. Not Now John – Pink Floyd
  3. Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
  4. Let’s Talk About Sex – Salt N Pepa
  5. All She Wants To Do Is Dance – Don Henley
  6. Steel Claw – Dave Edmunds
  7. She’s Sexy (And 17) – Stray Cats
  8. Sentimental Street – Night Ranger
  9. Your Latest Trick – Dire Straits
  10. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
  11. Golden Brown – The Stranglers
  12. Ghost Town – The Specials
  13. Tyler – UB40
  14. Reggae Man – John Miles
  15. Natural Mystic – Bob Marley
  16. One Draw – Rita Marley
  17. Together As One – Lucky Dube
  18. Try Jah Love – Third World
  19. Zulu – The Quick
  20. Wild Thing – Tone Loc
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Censorship – Never The Twain Shall Meet On SABC Radio

A core aspect of apartheid was to keep people apart in order to provide them with unequal resources and to treat them inequitably. There were separate areas to live in, separate buses, cinemas, park benches, public toilets, libraries, beaches, schools, hospitals, radio stations and on and on. Furthermore, the Immorality Act made it illegal for people of different races to have sex with each other, let alone get married. This mixtape delves into the SABC censors’ attempts to stop racial mixing as much as was in their stifling power to do so.

The SABC censors’ extreme paranoia about racial mixing led to the banning of politically innocuous songs like the Gladys Knight and the Pips cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together” because they believed that the lines “One thing I can tell you is you got to be free, come together right now, over me” could be interpreted to be about freedom from apartheid separation and about people of different races coming together (and that’s not even sexually). However, most of the songs banned from airplay for calling on racial unity were more overt. This included several songs which referred to inter-racial dating and god forbid, inter-racial sex.

Examples included on this mixtape include “Melting Pot” by Blue Mink which included the lines “What we need is a great big melting pot, big enough to take the world and all it’s got, keep it stirring for a hundred years or more, and turn out coffee-coloured people by the score.” The apartheid mind surely boggled. As it surely did with “Black Boys” from the Musical Hair soundtrack, which, like “Melting Pot” was also banned by the Directorate of Publications. The singers, including white women, profess that: “Black boys are nutritious, black boys fill me up, black boys are so damn yummy, they satisfy my tummy, I have such a sweet tooth, when it comes to love.” These sexual expressions did not go down well with prudish and racist 1960s apartheid sentiments.

Similarly, Gino Vanelli’s “Mama Coco” was overtly about sex between people of different races, while also managing to rhyme ‘anticipation’ which ‘Caucasian’: “I love you Mama Coco … Mama Coco such anticipation, Mama Coco, mam you’re blowing my mind, Mama Coco I’m just a male Caucasian, Mama Coco I’m a virgin to your kind.” A similar theme was explored in “Do It Anyway” by John Miles, but far less overtly: “I’m gonna do it anyway, it doesn’t matter what the people say, and in the end you all will see, the only one who’s right is me. In my own mind, she’s the right kind, even though her colour scares you, try to see straight, it’s never too late, maybe see the light of day”.

Meanwhile, Boy George’s “Girl With Combination Skin” was about inter-racial dating: “Her mother called her angel, so imagine her surprise, when she walked into the party, with a black boy at her side”. In “Basin Street Blues” the Dorsey Brothers sing of inter-racial fraternizing: “That’s where the white and dark folks meet, a heaven on earth, they call it Basin Street”, while in a cover of Freedom Children’s “Tribal Fence” Rabbitt and Margaret Singana gave the censors some worrying images to ponder censoriously upon: “Say you are my lover,
say you are my child … When will we be, past tribal fence and family tree”.

It was not only inter-racial sex and dating which caused the SABC censors to reach for the ‘avoid’ stickers. Songs which promoted inter-racial harmony in general were also frowned upon, particularly before the mid to late 1980s when various reforms meant that selected petty apartheid laws were relaxed and not all racial mixing was illegal. The political changes meant that by the mid-1980s there seems to have been a degree of confusion among the SABC censors who banned some songs about racial harmony while others with a similar theme were allowed airplay. An obvious example is “Ebony And Ivory” by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder which became a hit on SABC stations, and the government’s own Bureau for Information propaganda song – “Together We’ll Build A Brighter Future” – which could well have been ‘avoided’ given that it was so terrible, but the SABC played it regularly for a while because of government orders and probably because they got paid to play it (anyone with information about this please step forward!).

All that aside, some songs were nevertheless banned from airplay simply because they called on people to come together, even without any mention of race or ethnicity. For example, back in 1966, in “Get Together”, Julie Felix sang “Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another, right now”, and just over a decade later, “One Love” by Bob Marley & the Wailers was also prohibited from airplay for including lyrics like “One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel all right.”

However, the censors were most troubled by songs which specifically called for racial unity. For example, Janis Ian’s “Society’s Child” was problematic in the rigid apartheid days of 1960s South Africa, as it explored friendship across races and questioned racial prejudice: “Walk me down to school, baby, everybody’s acting deaf and blind, until they turn and say, ‘Why don’t you stick to your own kind?’ My teachers all laugh, their smirking faces, cutting deep into our affairs, preachers of equality, think they believe it? Then why won’t they let us be?”

In the early 1970s, in “All Kinds Of People”, Burt Bacharach also called for inter-racial unity in the face of racial prejudice: “Light kind of people, should feel compassion, for dark kind of people, should feel compassion, and care for each other. All kinds of people, should reach out, and help one another”. Very similarly, and just one year later, Timmy Thomas (in “Why Can’t We Live Together”) sang: “No matter what colour, you are still my brother, everybody wants to live together, why can’t we be together?” Three Dog Night’s cover of “Black And White”, also from 1972, called for racial unity: “The world is black, the world is white, it turns by day and then by night. A child is black, a child is white, together they grow to see the light.” And in 1975 War released “Why Can’t We Be Friends” with the lines “The colour of your skin don’t matter to me, as long as we can live in harmony.” Along with the rest of these songs, it was banned from airplay for undermining the righteousness of racial separation which the apartheid government believed in.

In 1980, Steve Kekana released “Colour me Black”, calling for racial unity: “Won’t you colour me black, colour me white, you can colour me any way you like, colour me red, colour me brown, it’s love that makes the world go round.” And four years later, in “People Are People” Depeche Mode questioned racial and cultural prejudice: “So why should it be, you and I get along so awfully. So we’re different colours, and we’re different creeds, and different people have different needs. It’s obvious you hate me, though I’ve done nothing wrong, I’ve never even met you so what could I have done?”

In “One And The Same Heart” Friends First declare that racial separation is anti-biblical: “One and the same heart, yet so far apart, can’t help but wonder what the fuss is about. To a blind man a question of colour, would be so hard to work out, made in the same Godly image, but categorised by skin”. Niki Daly was also critical of apartheid separation – in “Sunny S. Africa”. The song, with an oft-repeated chorus of “That’s the way it is in sunny South Africa”, ends with the ‘chameleon dance’: a review of the number of people in South Africa who had, in the previous year, officially changed their racial classification, statistics which were published in the government gazettes. While the statistics Daly reels off reveal that many people changed from one race to another, he ends by noting that ‘No blacks became white and no whites became black’. Thus was white superiority indelibly stamped in the statute books and upheld by the SABC censors.
In “Together As One” Lucky Dube asked, “Too many people hate apartheid, why do you like it?” and then called for unity “Hey you Rastaman, Hey European, Indian man, we’ve got to come together as one.” It was not a vision shared by the SABC censors who promptly gave it the same treatment as all the other songs on this mixtape, by banning it from airplay.

Although the SABC continued to censor music until 1996, when the Broadcasting Complaints Commission came into being, they stopped taking issue with songs about togetherness by the time the ANC was unbanned in early 1990. That’s about the time when a wave of South African musicians embarked on all forms of cross-cultural musical expressions and collaborations, none of which were banned from airplay for promoting racial and cultural unity. Perhaps a theme for a future mixtape …

Playlist

  1. Colour Me Black, Steve Kekana, 00:00:00
  2. Together As One, Lucky Dube, 00:03:21
  3. One Love, Bob Marley & The Wailers, 00:07:27
  4. Melting Pot, Blue Mink, 00:10:04
  5. Black And White, Three Dog Night, 00:13:47
  6. Why Can’t We Be Friends, War, 00:17:30
  7. Society’s Child, Janis Ian, 00:21:03
  8. Get Together, Julie Felix, 00:24:09
  9. Come Together, Gladys Knight & The Pips, 00:26:44
  10. All Kinds Of People, Burt Bacharach, 00:30:01
  11. Basin Street Blues, Dorsey Brothers, 00:32:46
  12. Black Boys, Cast of ‘Hair’, 00:35:50
  13. One And The Same Heart, Friends First, 00:39:24
  14. Girl With Combination Skin, Boy George, 00:44:16
  15. Sunny South Africa, Niki Daly, 00:49:46
  16. Why Can’t We Live Together, Timmy Thomas, 00:55:18
  17. Mama Coco, Gino Vanelli, 00:59:45
  18. Tribal Fence, Rabbitt & Margaret Singana, 01:02:45
  19. Do It Anyway, John Miles, 01:06:22
  20. People Are People, Depeche Mode, 01:09:02
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Censorship – No Rumours Of Blasphemy On The SABC

The SABC censors took it upon themselves to safeguard the narrow Calvinist worldview which the government allegedly upheld. This included commandments one, three and four: “no other gods but me” and “do not take my name in vain” (blasphemy) and “respect the sabbath day and keep it holy”. The examples included in this mixtape were deemed to have broken these commandments in one way or another.

Duane Allman and Aretha Franklin’s “The Weight” was regarded as blasphemous because of its possibly irreverent take on biblical scenarios such as Joseph and Mary looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem, while Howard Tate’s “Part Time Love” fell afoul of the blasphemy criteria simply because Tate prays in anguish, “Lord, I’ve got to find me a part time love”. Similarly, in “Swearin’ To God”, Frankie Valli swore to god in thanks for the woman he addresses in the song. Other songs which were deemed to make fun of or belittle god included Bronski Beat’s “Truthdare Doubledare” in which the person singing the song asks the preacher if he thinks Jesus would like what s/he has done, and accuses the church of lying and being unfaithful to everyone, while in “Let’s Go” the Eurythmics sing “Forget about the preacher man, let’s do it on the ground’. In “Where’s The Party” by Nina Hagen, the singer claims that “Our landlord is Jesus Christ and Mickey Mouse” while in “Over The Wire”, Shriekback sing about: “The devil himself getting over the wire, well all god’s children got their dubious side; and it’s deep and dirty and it’s real wide”.

“Sheep” by Pink Floyd follows the theme of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, warning against simply following an ideology without thinking about why one is doing so. The song is written from the perspective of a sheep. The Lord’s prayer subsequently takes on a different form: “He maketh me to hang on hooks in high places; He converteth me to lamb cutlets”, which was viewed as blasphemous by the censors, as was Flash Harry’s “No Football” about not being allowed to play football on a Sunday, even though more people would have preferred to watch football than go to church.

In “Blasphemous Rumours”, Depeche Mode question human tragedy: “I don’t want to start any blasphemous rumours, but I think that God’s got a sick sense of humour; And when I die I expect to find him laughing”. Kate Bush’s “Waking The Witch”, is critical of the Christian practice of witch hunting and persecution. The SABC censors decided it was blasphemous, presumably for being critical of the religious people carrying out the practice.

Similarly, “Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son” by Iron Maiden was viewed as promoting some sort of witchcraft, being a song about a specially anointed person with superior powers as a clairvoyant because he is the seventh son of the seventh son.

Chris De Burgh’s “The Devil’s Eye” continues the “Spanish Train” saga in which the devil returns to control people through their tv screens. There is reference to how the devil cheated against god and won the world. Clearly, the SABC censors hadn’t gotten over the trauma of “Spanish Train” and decided to prohibit the song from airplay. “The Crippled Messiah” by Falling Mirror doesn’t include any specific reference to Christianity but the censors thought that the word ‘messiah’ must have involved some sort of suspicious reference to Jesus, the Christian ‘messiah’.

Black Sabbath’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” was written about the ups and downs of being members of Black Sabbath as a band, but was taken by the censors as a sacrilegious song about god’s ‘Sabbath’ day. Another song about being rock n’ rolls stars, AC/DC’s “Highway To Hell”, suggested that doing all the rock ‘n roll things they do put them on a highway to hell. Perhaps the censors banned it because they thought the song made the road to hell enticing for listeners. Another song about the allure of the dark side (although in a different sense) was “A Touch Of Evil” by Judas Priest, banned from airplay by the SABC censors as Satanic because of reference to “a dark angel of sin; preying deep from within; come take me in.” In the song the protagonist cannot resist the “touch of evil”.

Lucky Dube’s “Jah Live”, Carlos Dje Dje’s “Jah Give Us This Day” and Pongolo’s “Jah Do That” are all reggae songs paying homage to the Rastafarian god, ‘Jah’, and were all ‘avoided’ by the SABC censors because of their view that Jah is a false god, and thus these songs were deemed to break the first commandment, that there should be only one god, and that god was certainly not Jah.

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Capital 604 – The Miss Parade: 1991

1991 saw a dismal number of only eight South African songs on the Capital Radio Top 40 countdown, and two of those were by a single artist: Wendy Oldfield. Others to chart that year were Robin Auld, Big Sky, Jo Day, Little Sister, Mango Groove and the Radio Rats. We have come up with a further 14 songs which we think were good enough to chart that year, and which would have added some welcome diversity to the South African music on the charts.

We suggested a second song by Robin Auld “Charlie Go Crazy”, but the rest of the songs we suggest are by artists who did not chart on Capital in 1991, although most of them have featured in previous “Missed” Mixtapes. There are four artists who had previously featured in Capital Top 40s: Robin Auld (as previously mentioned), Lucky Dube (“House of Exile”), Sipho Mabuse (“Thiba Kamoo”) and Tribe After Tribe (“White Boys in the Jungle”). Manfred Mann had also charted on Capital (“The Runner” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) but we didn’t feature that as a South Africa song because the entire group was British apart from Manfred Mann himself. However, Manfred Mann’s Plains Music album from which we feature “Medicine Song” is a neo-traditional South African album which features several South African musicians alongside Manfred Mann. Another new group, not previously featured on Mixtapes.ZA are the Getout, a relatively new band from East London. The song featured here is the title track of their one and only album Emerge And See.

In 1991 Shifty Records featured for the first time on the Capital Top 40 with the Radio Rats’ “Turn on the Radio”, a song from the 1990 Big Beat album, which is why we featured another song from that album in out 1990 Missed Mixtape and not the 1991 Missed Mixtape. Another Shifty artist, James Phillips, features here with “Africa is Dying” a song recorded in 1991 but only released by Shifty on the Soul Ou album in 1997. We have included it here because we think it should have ideally been released in 1991! Former Shifty artists the Genuines feature here with “Love Song”. Other artists who we think should have charted in 1991 are: Yvonne Chaka Chaka (“Who’s Got the Power”), Basil Coetzee (“Monwabisi”), Miriam Makeba & Dizzy Gillespie (“Eyes on Tomorrow”), No Friends of Harry (“Never Seen a Better Day”), Prophets Of Da City (“Boomstyle”) and Sakhile (“Welcome Home”).

This is our last missed tape for now. This is because, as mentioned in the sleevenotes for the Capital 1991 Mixtape, we do not have sufficient copies of charts from 1992 until the closure of Capital Radio in 1996 to determine a full list of the songs that charted in any one of those years. If by some chance we come across those charts we would love to explore the hits and misses on Capital right through to the station’s closure in 1996.

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Capital 604 – 1989

We end the Capital Countdowns of the 1980s with a bumper year of South African hits, with no fewer than eight songs making the top 5, four of which went all the way to number 1. In order to neatly round up the theme of South African music from the 1980s charting on the Capital countdown, this week’s playlist includes three songs which entered the Capital Countdown in January 1990 but which were released in 1989.

As we look back on the South African artists who charted on the Capital Top 40 Countdown in the 1980s we don’t see any groups who were around at the beginning of the decade but there were several prominent musicians from the 1970s and early 1980s who charted in 1989: Johnny Clegg began the decade on the very first Capital Top 40 performing “Africa” with Juluka and he was there yet again on the final countdown of the decade, this time with his subsequent group Savuka singing “Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World”.

Trevor Rabin, who reached great heights locally with Rabbitt and later internationally with Yes, was still charting in 1989, this time as a solo artists with two singles from his Can’t Look Back album. Neill Solomon began the 1980s with his Uptown Rhythm Dogs, a band that did not survive very long into the decade but he was back in the late 1980s with the Passengers, who charted in 1989 with “Honeytown”. Lucky Dube released albums throughout the 1980s and finally charted on the Capital countdown in 1989 with two songs. Another musician who had been around throughout the 1980s (in fact from the early 1970s), Edi Niederlander, finally made it on to the Capital Countdown with “Dance to Me” from her second album. And David Kramer, who, like Edi Niederlander, was a popular musician on the 1970s folk scene and who had charted on Capital in 1986 was back again with “Matchbox Full of Diamonds”.

As indicated, four South African songs made it all the way to number one where they all spent one week: “Quick, quick” by MarcAlex , “Your Kind” by Pongolo, “Be Bop Pop” by The Spectres, and “Special Star” by Mango Groove (who also reached number 3 – for two weeks – with “Hellfire”).

“Together As One by Lucky Dube spent two weeks at number 2 but he only reached number 12 with his follow-up single, “Prisoner”. “It’s Only Me” by Rush Hour also peaked at number 2. Savuka’s “Cruel, crazy, beautiful world” peaked at number 5 while “Something To Hold On To” – Trevor Rabin reached number 6 and “Honeytown” by The Passengers reached number 8.

Edi Niederlander’s “Dance To Me”, David Kramer’s “Matchbox Full of Diamonds” and Trevor Rabin’s “Sorrow (Your Heart)” all failed to reach the Top 20.

Show Playlist + Poll

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