Desire Marea - Rah (feat. Zoë Modiga) (Official Audio)

From "On The Romance of Being", out April 7 on Mute.
https://mute.ffm.to/desire-otrob


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Photography by Tatenda Chidora @tatendachidora
Assisted by Lethabo Machela @lethabomachela
Styling by Nao Serati @naoserati
Assisted by Duane Zissou @didizissou and Lesedi Mpotsang @bohemian___
Hair and makeup by Julene Paton @julenemakeup
With Lieschen Saayman @lieko_studios
Production by Lampost Production

Rah
Written by Buyani Duma, Zoë Modiga and Sanele Ngubane.
Produced by Desire Marea, Sanele Ngubane and Thuthuka Sibisi

Engineered by Jacques Du Plessis. Assisted by Onkgopotse Tiro
Mixed by Marta Salogni
Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis

Performed by Desire Marea, Zoë Modiga (vocals), Sibusiso Mashiloane (keys), Portia Sibiya (bass), Sibusiso Zondi (drums), Andrei Van Wyk (guitar), Lwanda Gogwana (trumpet), Leroy Mapholo (violin), Alex Hitzeroth (trombone), Ann Masina (vocals).

Management: Taylor Brode & Udaravi Widanapathirana
@semaphoremgmt

Label: Mute

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Lyrics

Langa libalele
Kwaba ngathi umhlab’ umsulwa
Kwaphenya izinkungu
Kwadela amazolo
Gqwaba gqwab’ amafu
Athwel’ iinyembezi zay’zolo
Nawo ayathembisa
Inhlambuluko

Umhlaba unamanxeba
Isomiso asishiyi lutho (asishiyi lutho)
Umhlaba unamanxeba
Lapho kwakukhona imihosha
Imihosha

Mhlaba ulimele
Mhlaba ulimele
Iyofika lemini oyilindele
Zonk’ izizwe zidla kwisilonda njengezimpethu
Mhlaba ulimele

Mhaba, mhlaba yo
Sitha sethu, somiso
Mhlab‘ onameva
Wena onenxeba
Silonda sethu asilapheki
Nyembezi azisuleki
Asisakwazi
Siyagoloza
Siyasindelwa (sindelwa)
Zulu sixolele
Buya Nomkhubulwane
Netha, netha, netha
Siyakucela, vakasha Nomvula
Kuningi, kunini
Siyakhothama
Sicela isambulo thina
Hheh-mmm
(Hheh-mmm)
Hheh-mmm

Izulu lisho okuningi
Akusacaci, akunasigqi
Wacwayiza liyaduma
Wazamula libalele
Izulu lisho okuningi
Akusacaci, akunasigqi
Wacwayiza liyaduma
Wazamula libalele

Libalele
Libalele
Libalele
Libalele

Mhlaba ulimele
Mhlaba ulimele
Iyofika lemini oyilindele
Zonk’ izizwe zidla kwisilonda njengezimpethu
Mhlaba ulimele

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Translated Lyrics in English

A new sunrise dawns upon us
Illuminating illusions of innocence
As the fogs recede
And the dew disappears

Clouds gather above
Carrying the tears of yesterday
Thunder threatens to set free
The cumulous cries for repentance

Scarred is the earth
With flesh excavated by drought
Leaving nothing in sight

Only the scars remain
Where rivers and streams once ran
Rivers and streams

Mother is wounded
And the long awaited day will soon come
All the nations, all the people
Feed on her wounds like a grumble of maggots

Mother, oh mother
The drought has made an enemy of us
It’s your soil that grew the thorns
Yet here you are, wounded
With no remedy for these lesions
A grief without solace

Our hands are thrown up into your skies
Burdened by the nothingness
Begging for forgiveness
Praying for your return, Nomkhubulwane
Let it rain, and rain, and rain
Let it be a visitation from Nomvula

The gravity and the weight of it all
Has brought us to our knees
Bowing before you
Asking for a revelation

The diviners can no longer read the skies
Nature’s rhythm has gone extinct
A blink of an eye brings a thunderstorm
A yawn ushers in a new dawn

The diviners can no longer read the skies
Nature’s rhythm has gone extinct
A blink of an eye brings a thunderstorm
A yawn ushers in a new dawn

A new dawn
A new dawn
A new dawn

Mother is wounded
And the long awaited day will soon come
All the nations, all the people
Feed on her wounds like a grumble of maggots