The playlist is back after a brief interlude. After some time to marinate on all the music that’s been featured in the series up to now, Gabeba Baderoon, poet and academic, is our latest guest.
Remember the rules: 10 songs only. That’s it.
Here’s she’s introducing her list:
“… Reading Ntone and Rustum‘s playlists confirms that they’re officially the coolest music afficionados in the world. Which makes me want to say: now for something completely different. So, in the 70s and 80s, every holiday, I mean every holiday, my father, mother, three sisters and I squeezed into the canary yellow Corolla (a tight-fit and long before car brands were actually hip) to drive down from Cape Town to the family in Uitenhage.
My parents always bought the most basic, reliable car in the country that could fit six people, and drove that baby till they could afford to trade it in (their first, a VW Beetle after 6 years for the Corolla) or until it was stolen (the Cressida after 20 years). That meant no radio. Or before radios were even fitted in cars. Which meant on the 10-hour trip to Uitenhage every holiday – my father kept to the speed limit and the N2 somehow wasn’t very fast in those days – there was singing in the car.
Of songs with lyrics. Among four girls between the ages of two and ten lyrics were important. You needed words for a four-voice Black Girl harmony. Also plot. We had certain favorites. And this is where I permanently part company with coolness. People, relive a few long drives with me. I share with you: African Cheese, the songs. (Do I need to tell anyone I love cheese?).”
1. ‘Give a Little Love,” by Zayn Adams. Here’s a slightly upper class version with Tony Schilder, thanks to Rustum, secret cheese lover.
2. Joy’s “Paradise Road” – the first song by a Black South African group to top the local charts. I grasped none of the significance of this at 10. For my sisters and me, it was just a good song to sing. “Come with me, down Paradise road, …”
3. “Save Me,” by Clout. I woke up for a few mornings singing some of the lyrics for this song and then going crazy because I couldn’t remember who they were and what the song was. I phoned my brother and sang and hummed the bits to him, and he said, ja, I know it but I can’t remember what it is. Then I turned to the other sibling with the better memory, the internet, and I found – the lyrics, the website, the youtube link! I am currently frightening my partner by singing the song to him first thing in the morning.
4. Substitute, by Clout. Ohhh!
5. Richard Jon Smith, “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.” How come Cape Town had so many famous singers?
6. 7 and 8. Sonja Herold’s “Ek Verlang Na Jou,” “Jantjie kom huistoe,” “Waterblommetjies.” Okay, ja, I loved singing Sonja Herold in the car. Why did we know these Afrikaans songs? They were all over TV and radio at that time. Not all of them caught the ear, but some just did. You have to listen to them to appreciate them. The lyrics are purely for research interest. ” Ooo ek verlang na jouuuuuuu …”. (oh, I miss you) and the dirge of “Jantjie Kom Huistoe, Katryntjie wag op jou …” (Jantjie, come home. Katryntjie misses you). Thanks to Rustum, I know Jantjie is an Anton Goosen song, great lyricist and edgy Afrikaans singer.)
9 and 10. Leo Sayer’s ‘When I need you‘ and ‘More than I can say.” Leo is the bomb for cheese
Tell me you’re not singing these songs right now.
Next Playlist: Lara Pawson.
It is so good to know what song plays in such people’s heads, particularly writers…this is very creative and interesting.