Sjava - Umama | A COLORS SHOW

Johannesburg based artist and actor Sjava delivers a deeply personal and heartfelt tribute to his mother on ‘Umama’ (produced by Mace), taken from his sophomore album ‘’Umqhele’.

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[COLORSxSTUDIOS]

*Lyrics*
[Intro]
Ngikhumbul' uMa
Aksavumi (Ngikhumbul’ uMa)
Ang'sakhoni
Ngikhumbul' uMa
Aksavumi
Ngikhumbul’ uMa

[Chorus]
Sebeth' indod' endala kangaka ikhalel' uMa wayo
Hawu bafethu ngeke ni understand-e
Ndod' endala kangaka ikhalel' uMa wayo
Hawu bafethu ngeke ni understand-e

[Verse 1]
Yojabula mang'fika
Athi uShembe uyaphila
Kuley'ngozi zomgwaqo mntanami ng’yajabula ufike usaphila
Bek’ iykhwama le emsamu
Land' impepho kaGogo erondweni
Ngiphahle ngikhulume nabadala, ngibatshele usemagcekeni
Mvul’ iyana emakhaya, sesiphelile amakhaza
Mawubuy' eGoli ngicela ungiphathele iheater ngoba ngempela uzong'ngcwaba
Yaz' uMa, avunamahlaya
Ngeke ushone ngisak’thanda
Kuyoba isibusiso kimi ukuthi ubekhona Ma wami mangishada
[Bridge]
Ngoba uyokwazi ukungibonisa
Mase zingibuyela emshadweni
Ngoba uyokwazi ukungiduduza
Mase zingibuyela emshadweni

[Pre-Chorus]
Angsakhoni, angisakhoni, angisakhoni
Ngikhumbul' uMa
Angsakhoni, angisakhoni, angisakhoni
Ngikhumbul' uMa

[Chorus]
Sebeth' indod' endala kangaka ikhalel' uMa wayo
Hawu bafethu ngeke ni understand-e
Ndod' endala kangaka ikhalel' uMa wayo
Hawu bafethu ngeke ni understand-e

[Verse 2]
Into engiyithanda ngekhaya
Ukuthi ekhaya akungwenwa ngemali (ngemali, yeah yeah)
Noma ngingasebenzi uMama ungithanda ngingenani
(Ungithanda ngingenalutho)
Noma umhlaba ungang'shaya uzong'thulisa athi mntanami ungakhali (ungakhali)
Ubukeka ukhathale awuthi ngilande ukudla baba hlala phansi (hlala phansi)
[Pre-Chorus]
Angisakhoni, angisakhoni, angisakhoni
Ngikhumbul' uMa
Angisakhoni, angisakhoni, angisakhoni
Ngikhumbul' uMa

[Chorus]
Sebeth' indod' endala kangaka ikhalel' uMa wayo
Hawu bafethu ngeke ni understand-e
Ndod' endala kangaka ikhalel' uMa wayo
Hawu bafethu ngeke ni understand-e

[kakatagi]

Big up to all South Africans. I'm Kenyan and we love your music.

[poptemporanea]

I get so emotional but I do not even understand a word. That´s the power of music!
Thanks!
Love from Argentina

[tandilevuyo]

😄😄😄Sjava is on colors. 🇿🇦 so proud. Proudly South African ✌🇿🇦

[NelisiweSibiya]

I cant believe I am crying 😭🙏🎙🇿🇦🤞🏽 I am so happy for Sjava. May I please be the next one 🙏🙏 and sing Mama Ka Bafana 🎶

[xolisilejack]

I'm South African working in Turkey, and this just took me back home. NdingumXhosa ✊✊✊❤❤❤

[vuyolwethu_m]

Basic breakdown of the song


He's been away working on his music career and now his homesick and missing his mother.
His friends are judging this grown ass man for crying for his mom and he's telling them they wouldn't understand.
His mom will be happy when he gets home safe with all the dangers in this world.
And he's saying he's mom will never die with all the love he has for her and he hopes she lives long enough to see him get married.
What he loves about home is that you don't need money to get in and if he didn't have a job and had nothing his mom would still love him.
And when times are tough his mom will console him and tell him not to cry and when he's tired his mom will tell him to have a seat and make him something to eat.

[clementrose]

Don't understand shit, but love it all ❤❤ respect Sjava. There's this African rythm, bouncy and entertaining as possible can be 🎶Love from France 🇫🇷

[akanaistyping]

this sounds so beautiful. i checked the meaning of the lyrics and now i’m in tears.

sending my love all the way from the philippines! 🇵🇭

edit: i listened to this again after a year and it still brought me to tears. goosebumps. also, to everyone who commented, hello!

[rarelyjunior]

This is not just for South Africa but the whole Africa!
#ProudAfrican

[indigomoon]

A Colors Show

A music platform that allows artists of all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds to express their individuality

[Mallt]

Didn't understand anything but it was beautiful 😍 Thanks for showing us him 💕

[knasti]

Glad this channel exists. Wish society would stick together like in this comment section. Love to all of you

Greeting from germany!

[eltonalberto]

Watching from China colors just brought home closer🇿🇦

[zarsintv]

Here are the 'direct' translation of lyrics with no respect to grammar.

[Intro]
I miss my Mom
Nothing's working anymore (I miss my Mom)
I can't take it anymore
*(In reference to the pain of missing his mom)*
I miss my Mom
Nothing's working anymore
I miss Mom

[Chorus]
They keep saying such an old man crying for his mom
*(People surprised that he misses his mom)*
Hawu guys you'll never understand
*(Hawu is a Zulu interjection, Used when you surprised)*
Such an old man crying for his mom
Hawu guys you'll never understand

[Verse 1]
She'll be happy when I return
Exclaiming that Shembe is alive
*( Shembe is a leader they pray through to reach God)*
With all the road accidents my child I'm happy you made back safely
Put your back there emsamu
*( Emsamu is a place in the house where it is usually used to talk to the ancestors)*
Get grandma's incense from the rondavel
So I can contact the ancestors and tell them you're back in one piece
The rain is pouring here back home, we're finished here we're corn stovers
When you come back from eGoli please bring me a heater 'cause it's clear you'll be the one to bury me (eGoli is a province of hustlers)
You know mom, you've got jokes
You'll never leave me while I still love you
It'd be a blessing to me Mom if you'd be there when I get married


[Bridge]
'cause You'll be the one to advise me
when it's getting difficult in marriage
'cause You'll be the one who'll be able to comfort me
when it's getting difficult in marriage

[Pre-Chorus]
I can't anymore, I can't anymore, I can't anymore
I miss my Mom
I can't anymore, I can't anymore, I can't anymore
I miss my Mom

[Chorus]
They keep saying such an old man crying for his mom
Hawu guys you'll never understand
Such an old man crying for his mom
Hawu guys you'll never understand

[Verse 2]
What I love about home
Is that at home you don't get in with money (with money, yeah yeah)
Even if I'd be jobless Mom loves me without anything
(She loves me with nothing at all)
Even if the world would beat me up she'd comfort me and say my child
Don't cry (don't cry)
You look tired let me fetch some food baba sit down (sit down)

[Pre-Chorus]
I can't anymore, I can't anymore, I can't anymore
I miss Mom
I can't anymore, I can't anymore, I can't anymore
I miss Mom

[Chorus]
They keep saying such an old man crying for his mom
Hawu guys you'll never understand
Such an old man crying for his mom
Hawu guys you'll never understand

I suggest you watch the official music video to better understand the emotion he is trying to invoke as it gets lost in the English translation.
If there is anything I got wrong or missed, Please reply.... I'll try make changes

[Sunyattah]

You don't need to understand the language to know it's a beautiful. I really like this song.

[Thando_Tida]

Jongaaaa, I'm here for all of this mntase! super proud🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[tendanirabali]

I’m back here because I’m waiting for Sho Madjozi, proudly South African!!🇿🇦

[thando]

The next South African artist they should have on here is Msaki

[p.aulasy]

I have no idea of what he's saying, but I needed it somehow. This has brighten a pretty dark day for me, that's the power of music for you. Thank you, Colors, for another great discovery ❤️