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Malaika

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For the South African musical group, see Malaika (Group).

Malaika, which means "angel" in Swahili, is the most famous love song in Kenyan pop music, as well as one of the most widely known Swahili songs. Authorship of the song is usually credited to Kenyan musician Fadhili William, but this is disputed;[1] in any case, William was the first to record the song, together with his band the Jambo Boys, in 1960.

It was later re-recorded at Equator Sound Studios by the British-born Kenyan music promoter Charles Worrod, who marketed the ballad to eventually becoming an internationally acclaimed song. The song went on to be popularised by international artists such as The Brothers Four, Helmut Lotti, Hep Stars, Rocco Granata, Miriam Makeba, Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Boney M, Usha Uthup and Angélique Kidjo. The lyrics to the song differ slightly from version to version; the title itself is subject to variation, e.g. to Ewe Malaika or My Angel.

Boney M. version

"Malaika"
Song
B-side"Consuela Biaz"
"Malaika"
Song

The version by German band Boney M. is the first single taken from their fifth album Boonoonoonoos (1981). It peaked at #13 in the German charts, their lowest placing so far after their commercial breakthrough. Boney M. would use the double A-side format in this period, typically with the A1 being the song intended for radio and A2 being more squarely aimed at discos. "Consuela Biaz" was first promoted as the A-side in Germany where the group performed it in pop show Musikladen. After a promotional visit to Spain where the group found "Malaika" had become a Top 10 hit, the title was remixed and then promoted as the A-side. It was the second consecutive Boney M. single not to be released in the UK and Japan.

The original German and Spanish 4:30 single mix featured no percussion ad-libs and most notably, after the second verse it has a key-change to a drum, handclaps and a cappella chant before the song quickly fades. When producer Frank Farian remixed the song for the 12" single and a new 7" edit, he added more percussion and synth and deleted this key-change part and replaced with an outro with himself singing "Wimoweh, wimoweh" (deliberately borrowed from another African tune The Lion Sleeps Tonight).

Personnel

Releases

7" Single

  • "Malaika" (Original single mix) - 4:30 / "Consuela Biaz" (Early version) - 5:05 (Hansa 103 350-100, Germany)
  • "Malaika" (Single remix) - 5:02 / "Consuela Biaz" (Single remix) - 4:57 (Hansa 103 350-100, Germany)
  • "Malaika" (Single remix) - 5:02 / "Consuela Biaz" (Unedited single remix) - 5:20 (Pepita SPSK 70518, Hungary)

12" Single

  • "Malaika" (Long Version) - 5:42 / "Consuela Biaz" (Single remix) - 4:57 (Hansa 600 400-213, Germany)

1989 Remix

"Malaika (Lambada Remix)" is a 1989 single by German band Boney M., the only single taken from their remix album Greatest Hits of All Times - Remix '89 - Volume II. Although sampling bits of the original 1981 recording, it was more a re-recording than a remix since lead singer Liz Mitchell recorded new vocals for it, being the only member present on this recording since the other three original members Marcia Barrett, Bobby Farrell, Maizie Williams who had teamed up with singer Madeleine Davis had been fired by Farian.

Germany
7"

  • "Malaika" (Lambada Remix) - 2:59 / "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" (Remix for the 90s) - 3:35 (Hansa 112 809-100, 1989)

12"

  • "Malaika (Lambada Remix - Long Version) - 5:02 / "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" (Remix for the 90s) - 3:50 / "Happy Song" (French Kiss Remix) - 5:17 / "Malaika" (Lambada Remix - Radio Version) - 2:59 (Hansa 612 809-213, 1989)

CD

  • "Malaika (Lambada Remix - Long Version) - 5:02 / "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" (Remix for the 90s) - 3:50 / "Happy Song" (French Kiss Remix) - 5:17 / "Malaika" (Lambada Remix - Radio Version) - 2:59 (Hansa 612 809-213, 1989)

Vocals

The original text and the translation by Rupert Moser originally into german is:

Malaika, nakupenda Malaika
Angle, I love you angel
Malaika, nakupenda Malaika
angle, I love you angel
Nami nifanyeje, kijana mwenzio
and I, what should I do, your young friend
Nashindwa na mali sina, we,
I am defeated by the bride price that I don't have
Ningekuoa Malaika
I would marry you angel
Nashindwa na mali sina, we,
I am defeated by the bride price that I don't have
Ningekuoa Malaika
I would marry you angel

Kidege, hukuwaza kidege
little bird, i think of you little bird
Nami nifanyeje, kijana mwenzio
and I, what should I do, your young friend
Nashindwa na mali sina, we,
I am defeated by the bride price that I don't have
Ningekuoa Malaika
I would marry you angel
Nashindwa na mali sina, we,
I am defeated by the bride price that I don't have
Ningekuoa Malaika
I would marry you angel

Pesa zasumbua roho yangu
The money (which I do not have) depresses my soul
Pesa zasumbua roho yangu
the money (which I do not have) depresses my soul
Nami nifanyeje, kijana mwenzio
and I, what should I do, your young friend
Ningekuoa Malaika
I would marry you angel
Nashndwa na mali sina, we
I am defeated by the bride price that I don't have
Ningekuoa Malaika
I would marry you angel

Footnotes

  1. ^ Some sources claim that the song was written by Tanzanian songwriter Adam Salim in Nairobi in 1945-46. Producer Charles Worrod provides yet another version, crediting the song to Grant Charo, William's brother in law (see Ondevo 2006). Anyway, Charo is not known to have confirmed this claim. On the other hand, Fadhili William has always insisted on his authorship of Malaika, even providing a detailed description of the circumstances were he wrote it.

Sources

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