Amandla

Eish! This song is GOLD!

"AMANDLA" AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS CULTURAL GROUP, 1982
"SASOL"
[**Sasol was a major state-owned oil refining company in South Africa.]

(translation:)
Leave them alone, we shall get them, we shall revenge
In the evenings, in the dark
They spending sleepless nights because of "umkhonto we sizwe"
They have no peace of mind because mkonto will exterminate them
They have no place to hide, because we are everywhere
This "mkonto we sizwe", we of "mkonto we sizwe"
Everybody knows about mkhonto, wherever they go
They spend sleepless nights because of Sasolberg
Vorster is ill as I am talking to you now."

* * *
This record was made in the USSR in 1982, These are the sleeve notes:

"South African musical culture enjoys long-time and well deserved recognition both on the African continent and all over the world. But "Amandla" Cultural Group holds a special place among the South African groups because its members live outside.
South Africa and their music, full of deep political content is banned in their native country. "Amandla" is an outstanding phenomenon in South African art because it uses an extraordinary broad range of creative means — from traditional dances to modern rock music, from drama and poetry to jazz. This is a kind of "political theatre" where dances and songs are the main means what helps increase its value.
"Amandla's" popularity is now rapidly growing both in South Africa, where its records are spread despite all the bans, and the world over.
Both audiences and experts highly appreciated the art of the group. A musician of world fame, a famous Soviet conductor Niyazi called "Amandla" "a unique phenomenon".
Though "Amandla" is playing mostly modern music its members representing various nationalities of South Africa — Zulu, Khosa, Shangaan, Venda, Pedi and others, display great respect for traditions of peoples' art.
The strength of "Amandla" is based on solid foundation of cultural traditions, on songs and dances created during several centuries of struggle against colonialism. This defines creative outlook of the group as a mouthpiece of ideals and aspirations of opressed peoples of South Africa, whose liberation struggle is led by a recognized and tested vanguard — the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa. The name of the group is a symbol in itself. "Amandla" in Zulu means "power" and its political content is "Power to the People". It is one of the most popular fighting slogans of the ANC.
"Amandla" was founded in 1978 in the period of preparations for World Festival of Youth and Students in Cuba. After the Havana festival where "Amandla" enjoyed great success the ANC decided to preserve its cast on permanent basis.
Members of "Amandla" took part in events of 1976, known as the Soweto uprising. They were forced to leave the country as they were facing inevitable detentions. And today far from their motherland young ANC activists are creating a new culture which has a deep political content and is founded on splendid cultural traditions of peoples of the South Africa.
"Amandla" started with a new concept after Jonas Gwangwa, a renown trombonist and a musician of international class joined the group. He helped transform "Amandla" performance into a theatre-type show with a clearly expressed political content and thus acquire the style that earned it a well-deserved reputation.
In 1980 "Amandla" toured Scandinavian countries, FRG and West Berlin. In 1981 they performed with a great success in Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia. In 1982 "Amandla" was warmly received in GDR, USSR, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria.
This disc, which follows the first one released in 1981 in Sweden, demonstrates a variety of forms in which "Amandla" is able to perform. It includes a jazz composition "Soweto by Night" and "Penny Whistle Song" played in best popular traditions. But songs undoubtedly have the leading place in "Amandla's" performance. Songs go through the entire show at times functioning independently, at times supporting drama and dance.
"Amandla" is full of creative plans and those who saw and heard its performances rest assured that it is "Amandla" that will create a core of the National theatre of the free South Africa."