(The song was either called “Tsamina” or “Zangaléwa.”) Golden Sounds dressed up in World War II-inspired outfits, with crazy makeup and pillows stuffed into their costumes.
Apparently, the entire chorus from “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” is lifted from a 1986 Cameroonian song by a band called Golden Sounds. The mystery sentence that Shakira sings before that? It’s “Tsa mina mina eh eh.” “Tsa mina mina” means “come.” She also sings “Tsa mina mina zangalewa,” which means, “Where do you come from?”Ĭome, do it, this time for Africa! That’s a good chorus for a get-pumped-up-for-sports song.īut wait, the story doesn’t end there. It basically means “do it,” but derived from a shortened version of the phrase “walk while working.” (Granted, it’s from Wikipedia, so there is a chance that a 15-year-old made up a fantastic story, but in this case I’m inclined to believe it, as the New York Times backs up some of this information in the references.)įor starters, “Waka Waka” is a pidgin slang phrase from the Cameroonian Fang language. This Wikipedia entry is pretty enlightening on the whole thing.
Undeterred, I set out to do some Internet research, and what I found was pretty surprising. Maybe I would’ve been less confused if I understood the lyrics right before the offending phrase - to find out what, exactly, we’re doing for Africa this time - but it was in a language I didn’t understand. I admit, I raised my eyebrow in suspicion the first time I heard “Waka Waka” right there in the chorus of the song. I don’t know about you, but when I hear someone saying “Waka Waka,” I immediately think of Fozzie Bear. And it has Shakira bellydancing (always a plus). It has that spirit of countries and cultures coming together.
Undoubtedly, the song and video accomplishes all it sets out to do. Namely, Shakira’s globally-inspired, FIFA-approved official World Cup Soccer 2010 theme, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” If, somehow, you have not yet been exposed to its world-poppy-infectiousness, here is the equally globally-inspired, FIFA-approved official World Cup Soccer 2010 music video: And if I can’t comment on the action going on at the World Cup, at least I can say something about the music. I am, however, inclined to pay attention when half of the world starts watching something on TV. After all, it was only after the USA/England game that I learned, in soccer, it’s possible for games to end in a tie. (As an American, I don’t even have to pretend I know the rules of soccer 90 percent of the time.) For all of our benefits, I think it’s best if I don’t say anything at all about the competition. I shamefully admit that I know next-to-nothing about sports.
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