In the best of times and in the worst of times

 In A thought, Personal Project

It is that time in the offices of 4381 Productions where things get tense and anxious fills the air. If you were allowed to breathe without a mask, you could take a deep breathe and get agitated out from all second hand tension in the air. Maybe is the hope of cooler weather or the frustrations from darkness arriving sooner and sooner each night. It could also be caused by the tremendous amount of worked heaped on everyone. Basically, it can all be blamed on me.

So, in an uncharacteristic moment of inspirational and motivational talk, allow me to share the following from Johnny Clegg. Most will be completely unfamiliar with this talented individual who left the world too soon. Cancer cares not who it takes. Anyway, getting into the un-motivational side of things.

Listen to the song and the lyrics are translated below.

As Clegg explains, the song says that things will work out in the end and if they don’t work out; then it ain’t the end.

Your Time Will Come

WAQAMB’ AMANGA MUS’ UKUQAMB’ AMANGA
(You were lying, do not tell lies)
WANGI QAMBELA AMANGA UFUNA UKUNGILAHLISA
ITHEMBA LAMI WEMAME!
(You told lies, trying to mislead me,
So that I would give up my faith and hope.)
WASHO NJALO! WATHI IKUSASA LETHU
SELIMNYAMA HAWU WASI QAMBELA AMANGA
(That is what you said — you said that our future is hopeless,
Our tomorrow is bleak, you were lying,
Trying to mislead us)
NGEKE SIVUMA — NGEKE SILAHLA ITEMBA
(No can do! we will never relinquish our faith)
KUZULONGA UKUTHI NINI? ASAZI!
(Everything will be all right —
It’s just when this will be, we cannot know)
KUZOLONGA WENA ‘MNGANE WAMI
(Everything will come right, I tell you friend]] MASUKU LAHLA ITHEMBA LAKHO
(Do not throw away your hope)
MINA NGAPHA WENA NGAPHA SIZOYI BAMBA
(Me holding on one side, you holding on the other side
Together we will pull through)
THINA NAWE, THINA NAWE
(You and me, you and me)
UMOYA WAMI ONAKELE
(My spirits are down)
WENA WEMTAKA ANTIE HAWU WANGI SHAYISA UVALO
(I say to you child of my aunt, you have caused me great fear)
WASHO NJALO! WATHI IKUSASA LETHU
SELIMNYAMA HAWU WASI QAMBELA AMANGA
(You told lies, trying to mislead me,
So that I would give up my faith and hope.)
WASHO NJALO! WATHI IKUSASA LETHU
SELIMNYAMA HAWU WASI QAMBELA AMANGA
(That is what you said — you said that our future is hopeless,
Our tomorrow is bleak, you were lying,
Trying to mislead us)
NGEKE SIVUMA — NGEKE SILAHLA ITEMBA
(No can do! we will never relinquish our faith)
KUZULONGA UKUTHI NINI? ASAZI!
(Everything will be all right —
It’s just when this will be, we cannot know)
KUZOLONGA WENA ‘MNGANE WAMI
(Everything will come right, I tell you friend)
KUZOLONGA ‘MNGANE WAMI NGIYAKUTSHELA
(It will be all right my friend, I’m telling you)
WOZA WESIBINDI! UYAPHILISA UYABULALA
(Come true courage, for it is you who gives
Life and takes it away
MINA NGAPHA — WENA NGAPHA SIZOYIBAMBA
(Me on this side, you on the other,
We will hold it together)
UNGALALLELI LAW’ AMANGA ‘MNGANE WAMI
(Don’t listen to the lies of my compatriot)
OH SIZOBAHLULA THINA NAWA
(We will be victorious in the end, just you and me)
OH THINA NAMA
(Just you and me)
I saw the Berlin Wall fall
I saw Mandela walk free
I saw a dream whose time has come
Change my history — so keep on dreaming
Dreamer, dreamer, dreamer
In the best of times and in the worst of times
Gotta keep looking at the skyline
Not at a hole in the road
Your time will come, sister, your time will come
Nobody’s gonna rush history, we have to ease it along
— just ease it along
Remember to keep looking at the skyline and not all the damn holes in the road.
Clegg was an important musical figure in the fight against Apartheid. At 17, he formed a band with Sipho Mchunu, a Zulu migrant worker. They were regularly arrested because it was illegal in South Africa for a white and black man to perform together. After that band, which grew to six members – three black and three white, gained international success, broke up he formed another interracial band that performed as Johnny Clegg and Savuka. That band broke up when his band member Dudu Zulu was assassinated while trying to negotiate peace in a war between rival taxi companies in Greytown in KwaZuluNatal. I saw him perform in 1990 or 1991. I can’t find my t-shirt from the show. I have seen many, many, many performances in the decades since. That performance from Johnny Clegg and Savuka is still, hands down, the most energetic, enthusiastic, powerful and fun concert I have ever attended.
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