lenny unencumbered

This is the unknown grave
The one who died maintaining his might
His will being so strong and musically inclined
His sad melodies coming out like smoke from the wood fire…

–Vusi Mahlasela, opening lyrics, When You Come Back

Yesterday, I attended an intimate music recital at Michaelhouse, an exclusive senior boarding school for boys listed among the world’s top 100 private schools. The performing duo were South African artists Vusi Mahlasela, known as The Voice, and Guy Buttery, an acoustic guitarist cited as one of the country’s most influential artists.

Buttery’s guitar playing is something to behold in the flesh. He has collaborated with and toured with international artists such as Dave Matthews, Jethro Tull, Violent Femmes, Salif Keita and Vusi Mahlasela, on whose 2006 album Naledi Ya Tsela he played guitar and mandolin.

Mahlasela is well known for his songs about the struggle for freedom from apartheid. Yesterday, he spent much time between songs appealing to the audience to practice the Bantu philosophy of Ubuntu, as well as forgiveness and reconciliation. Vusi has also performed internationally with artists such as Bela Fleck and, in addition to being signed to his music label, has performed with Dave Matthews.

I have listened to Vusi’s music for many years, so I was a little disappointed that he didn’t perform my favourite track, When You Come Back. He, however, more than made up for it with those he did perform, one or two of which I hadn’t heard before.

While researching this piece, I found out that Vusi is also known for his cover of a song by another South African band, Bright Blue. Vusi performed a solo cover of Weeping and also performed it together with Josh Groban and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. You can decide which one you like better… apart from the original below, of course.

Meanwhile, Bright Blue, who originally recorded Weeping, seems to have disappeared into the mists of time, though they don’t seem to have officially disbanded. Keyboardist Dan Heymann moved to New York and apparently survived the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre. Guitarist Tom Fox relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, while drummer Peter Cohen and other members remain in South Africa. Peter now plays with another popular band, Mango Groove.

Weeping is an anti-apartheid anthem written by Dan Heymann towards the end of the apartheid era in 1987. It was a moving response to the oppressive state of emergency declared by then-South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha. Nic Hofmeyr, a music video pioneer, shot the uncensored music video above on the Cape Flats. The “man who lived in fear” in the lyrics below refers to P.W. Botha.

Lyrics

I knew a man who lived in fear
It was huge, it was angry, it was drawing near
Behind his house, a secret place
Was the shadow of the demon he could never face
He built a wall of steel and flame
And men with guns, to keep it tame
Then standing back, he made it plain
That the nightmare would never ever rise again
But the fear and the fire and the guns remain

It doesn’t matter now
It’s over anyhow
He tells the world that it’s sleeping
But as the night came ’round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping

And then one day the neighbours came
They were curious to know about the smoke and flame
They stood around outside the wall
But of course there was nothing to be heard at all

“My friends, ” he said, “We’ve reached our goal”
“The threat is under firm control”
“As long as peace and order reign”
“I’ll be damned if I can see a reason to explain”
“Why the fear and the fire and the guns remain”

It doesn’t matter now
It’s over anyhow
He tells the world that it’s sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping

It’s still around, it’s still around, it’s still around oh no
It’s still around, it’s still around, it’s still around oh no
It’s still around, it’s still around, it’s still around oh no
It’s still around, it’s still around, it’s still around oh no

It doesn’t matter now
It’s over anyhow
He tells the world that it’s sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping (we’re on our own)
(It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping)