Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Not a bad listen.
Not unlistenable, but nothing I'd ever really seek out again. 🤷
nicht meine Musik
nicht mein Ding, schwer zu beurteilen
Nicht mein Genre.
7/10… afro jazz / weltmusik / *1960
Day823 - she has such a beautiful clear voice. the click song was my favorite. it must have been a contractual obligation for every artist back then to cover the house of the rising sun
I liked her vibe. Fun and uplifting.
Great voice, interesting choices on covers. Some didn't even register what they were when first listening to them.
She has a great voice.
fun and enjoyable, Idk it's just some real like funky shit but it's also smooth and slow at some parts, I know this is because it's African but it does remind me of the circle of life from the lion king and that's a good thing
Thoughts before listening: This is totally new to me. Some sort of vocal jazz I'd assume. I'm sure it'll be great. Review: While Miriam was previously unknown to me, it does appear as though she has a powerful story and is considered one of the most important artists in African, and more specifically South African, history. Miriam also has a very nice voice, and while these pop arrangements aren't necessarily my go to style, I can certainly recognize the quality of the performance. This music here is less jazz-based than I was expecting, with this sounding very similar to what I would grow up with thinking of as Disney music....i.e. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (based on the song "Mbube" which is included here) and songs from the Jungle Book...but in actuality are African inspired pop music of the 50s and 60s. There is also a nice version of "House of the Rising Sun" on this album, which makes me wonder if that is the single song that appears on the 1,001 album list the most. This is pleasant enough music that has a classic sound. 3-stars
It’s sounds like some Disney songs, has different genres and represent the main culture of South Africa where is miriam
Interesting album. Goes back and forth between more authentic native songs, and dreamy renditions of English language standards. All enjoyable, but it doesn't cohere super well as a full album listen. I may check out other albums by her, but I'm not sure I'll come back to this one in full.
An album I never would have heard of without this and I'm glad I did because I absolutely love it.
Started off very promising - loved the African music Absolutely HATED the flea song and the one guy laughing. It was very unsettling I don't want to knock the score down too much because of those songs because the others were really catchy 3 ⭐️
Jodå
Not for me dog
It’s fine, kind of good but also not something I would listen to again
Admittedly I thought this one was a 2 for the first couple tracks...interesting enough but sort of boring. But from "The Click Song" onwards I was surprised and delighted again and again. "The Naughty Little Flea" sounds like something a mother would sing to her kid if she was an awesome mom."Mbube" was clearly the inspiration for "In the Jungle" (as I'm sure a million others will note, but I make a point not to look at the other reviews until I've done mine). By the time I heard the guy cracking up on "One More Dance" I was smiling. This records a charmer, and while I can't see having it in heavy rotation, I will be revisiting it again here and there.
Wonderful but at times dreadful.
*The musicianship is at a very high level and it is important music to recognize. *It just isn't a favorite genre for me.
Given the lack of international music on the list, feels like an odd choice for the very few albums on here not from the UK and US. But an interesting listen.
This album was incredible and not something I would have listened to on my own at all. Her voice was ethereal and so soothing. Beautiful music. Great woman as well.
4/5 This woman has such a wonderful voice, this entire album was such a treat to listen to. I felt like I was listening to lullabies sung by an angel. Knowing she was also a great person and activist makes me very happy to listen to her.
Clearly a supremely gifted singer with a very interesting story, but this is not something I would choose to listen to. The instrumentation is too sparse for my tastes, and while Makeba's voice is incredible, it is almost TOO powerful- I find this a very intense listen, and actually kinda unpleasant at times.
She has a great voice and even though I have no idea what she is singing about, it sounds good and is interesting. No idea what is going on in One Last Dance though. Charles Coleman is laughing his ass off and Miriam is still singing beautifully and keeping it together. Does fit with the vibe of the rest of the album. This was 1960 though and at that time most artists were known for singles instead and LPs were usually collections of singles and filler so this track might have been there as filler. Overall great. 4/5
Don’t think I’ve ever intentionally listened to this kind of music before and it’s definitely outside of my comfort zone as far as music goes. Miriam Makeba’s music is one of a kind, which made me feel like I really needed to sit and feel the music this time around. 35 minutes well spent. 👍
What a treat
Hadn’t heard of this album going in, entering with a free mind. Enjoyed the cover of House of the Rising Sun and Naughty Flea song. Overall pleasant album to build things to on a sunny day.
I imagine this has some sort of cultural or historical significance, but I just don't really enjoy South African music. That being said, this was definitely is the best South African album I've ever heard. Pleasantly surprised, and it reminds me a lot of Billie Holiday. And hey, it was short! The fact some songs don't even crack 2 minutes shows that Miriam Makeba was an OG punk.
Music you hear at nando's but less funky. Highlights: Olilili
More Jons shit but pretty good
Very nice surprise. 60’s crooner with a twist. Someone should write a book about Mama Africa.
3.5
Another surprise! I loved this album! 4/5
Miriam Makeba - Mama Africa and of course Len Houmous Papa New Guinea. 4.2 4/14 Umhome
африканские мотивы и джазы хорошее комбо
- This is very pretty - what a gorgeous voice. And, she sounds like she was an amazing person. - Her voice is definitely more interesting than the instrumentation, which doesn't really stand out. - It feels a bit dated, but still modern for 1960. I guess I'd say it is more background than foreground, but it has moments where it comes alive.
Great find
18/03/2026 I couldn't give it more than 3 stars because I just don't vibe with it, but there is definitely talent there so it isn't worth anything less. Spotify listeners: 606.4k
Not my jam
Her voice and voices of the backing singers are gorgeous. I found the laughing in One More Dance really irritating and pointless, which dropped it from a 4 to a 3.75.
Stunning voice, really enjoyed it
I enjoyed this, I’ve been listening to a lot of 1970’s Ethio-Jazz and Afro-funk on a Sunday morning so this hit at the right time! Great listen and I’ll definitely try to explore more of her music!
A few songs feel like they were stuck on here to make this album more commercially viable for the mainstream audience of the time. Those have aged less well, while the more traditional and original songs still sound great. 3.5/5.
My first impressions of this were that it was not going to be for me at all due to first few songs being in her native language. But later on the cover of House of the Rising Sun is great and so is Where Does it Lead. She seems like a good sort too.
I knew that “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was taken from “M’bube” but never listened to the original until now. This is the debut album by the South African artist and activist, from 1960. There are some traditional African songs here along with some English ones. I’ll give this one four stars partially because it’s totally different from the other music we hear, and partially because it’s a fun record to listen to.
A quote from Time Magazine on the cover is very appealing to me. Nice looking album cover in general. Also, I know the song 'Makeba' by Jain, so I am excited for this album. Xhosa! Indonesian! Zulu! The Click Song! Multiple lullabies! Lotta ox and cattle talk! Dare I say, this is kind of giving....Children's Favorites?? I enjoyed it. 3.5. Highlights: 'Nomeva', 'Iyz Guduza' (as I understand it, this is about a lazy guy, which is #relatable)
She has a beautiful voice for sure, and she had me ‘a-wim-ma-way-ing’ around the house to the joyous ‘Mbube’. And if her version of ‘House of the Rising Sun’ wasn’t used in a Tarantino movie then it should’ve been.
It was all going quite well until the the penultimate song where that strange man laughed his lyrics all the way through it. What was that? Why? It nearly killed the whole album for me. But there were many plus points, one being 'Mbube', where this version didn't suffer from a model singing about sleeping lions. Funny how odd vocal choices can murder songs.
Wow, absolutely floored by this! What a major blind spot for me. I had literally never heard of Miriam Makeba before and it was just a pleasure to listen to her and later look her up and learn about how important she was. Maybe one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever hear in my life? Delicate when it needs to be delicate, strong when it needs to be strong. So versatile, so pure. Amazing songs. I got so hyped when I realized I was listening to the original song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is ripped off from. Beautiful, beautiful stuff that I’m glad this project introduced me to.
As well as thoroughly enjoying the music itself, I found this very moving to listen to. Here is someone who became caught up in politics and was exiled from their homeland, all because they wanted to sing. I thought the blend of musical styles was beautiful.
This one is ok for world music, not my vibe in general. 2 stars
i’ve never heard south african music before, this woman’s voice is just divine!!! need to hear more women singing in their native language <3
Easy listen and some notable songs.
Angelic. I kept thinking it wasn’t holding my focus or the music wasn’t as varying as i’d like but then i’d find myself unable to do anything other than listen to her voice. Also the malevolence of one more dance was such a spooky shift i loved it.
The click song was a lot of fun
Darling, go home! Your husband is DEAD.
I could get into this. Just pretty pleasant to listen to. Thank you Miriam Wasn’t sure what to make of One More Dance?? he was just laughing so much about her husband dying
Lovely lovely voice
Álbum essência da música africana
What a pleasant little surprise. I can't not comment on the similarity between the opening track and the Lion King song. She has a helluva voice, and the African vibe was just right - clearly present, but I didn't feel bludgeoned by it. Influence 4. Quality 4. Intangibles 4. Hits 2. I likes it 4.
Brilliant voice and what I believe to be an excellent representation of popular music from the 50s and 60s in Johannesburg. It was nice to listen, but I will probably not put it in any kind of rotation unless I plan to visit Johannesburg.
This was a wonderful start to my day. A smooth beautiful soundtrack to my sunrise. I can't say I love the whole album, but it hit me at the perfect time.
Very good vocals here. Overall kind of boring with a few enjoyable songs. A lot of covers so not really an album IMO but credit for bringing genuine African music to a western audience and bonus for great vocals.
This is pretty cool, yeah I like it.
Beautiful voice
Quite fun! Wow, Charles Colman had a great time!
Pretty good actually. Sounded kind of pacific island even though I knew it was Africa
meh
I like this plenty. She's got a beautiful voice and the fact that it was a language I couldn't understand let me impart my own meeting so a lot of these songs. It's definitely something I never would have listened to without this app
Nice voice but this album is not for me
didnt understand anything but i liked the vibe
Really enjoyed it! Especially the 2 minute cover of House of the Rising Sun!
3.5
***an ok album, easy listening
She and this is amazing. It’s not for me, but I love everything about it.
A wonderful original and refreshing change of pace!!
I'd love to say I was more into this. It was very pleasant and a great historical lesson, but not a genre or artist I see myself going back to.
eh
gorgeous!! beautiful storyteller and beautiful voice. i really enjoyed all of it and wish it was longer. I also loved hearing fragments of songs that became so classic and ubiquitous that I just subconsciously think of them as authorless, but apparently they are from Miriam and her impact is just so wide without my even realizing! Fav tracks: The Click Song; Lakutshn, Ilanga; The Naughty Little Flea
No standouts
Album #30, Miriam Makeba, Miriam Makeba ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a treat. A genuine new discovery from an artist I’d never even heard of before. I didn’t know the name Miriam Makeba at all. A quick glance at her wiki shows she led a pretty incredible life, so I’m looking forward to doing a proper deep dive. The page for this album is sparse, but I know it’s her debut from 1960. I’m not very familiar with music from that time, especially anything coming out of Africa, so this felt like a proper discovery. The whole record is basically a vehicle for her voice, and what a voice it is. She’s funny, sweet, occasionally a little bit sexy, and genuinely beautiful throughout. The instrumentation is sparse, but it really suits the material. I’m not usually into flamenco style Spanish guitar, but it works here, especially on the more sombre tracks. The authentic African rhythms and vocals are the real highlight for me. Even more than her covers of traditional American songs like “House of the Rising Sun”, which I still enjoyed. I’m also a sucker for backing vocals. It’s usually female backing vocals I gravitate towards, but here it’s baritone male singers and it fits perfectly. This is exactly why I’m doing this list. There are bound to be gems I’ve never even heard of, and this is definitely one of them. Looking forward to hearing more.
It has a story, it's fun, and even though there aren't that many words, it's a great album.
I absolutely love African vocal harmonies. So, I really enjoyed the majority of this album. Miriam Makeba was clearly trying to "ease" Western listeners into African melodies by placing these alongside soft jazz songs. It was 1960, so I fully get it, but I'd happily skip past those to get to the African choral songs. "The Retreat Song" opens things with a nice blend of the two genres. Strong African vocals mix with music that feels framed more for Western ears of the time. The songs that lean fully into the African township choral harmony sounds are the ones that stand out the most: "The Click Song", "Holilili", "Saduva" and "Iya Guduza", to name but a few, are brilliant examples. When "Mbube" came on first, I thought I was hearing things. Nope, turns out it's a song that went on to "influence" the melodies of "Wimoweh" and the "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". It's not just because of recognition, I genuinely really, really love this song. This version of the song over the later interpolations of the melody in particular. Something about the falsetto lead vocals over the deeper background percussive harmonies just works so well. I'd never heard of Miriam before, so I'm happy to have discovered this. The soft jazz standards let things down a bit (I could live the rest of my life happily if I never heard "The Naughty Little Flea" again), but the traditional African vocal harmony-strong songs are hugely enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to discovering more of her music.
I really like the experience of listening to albums like this, never something I would normally listen to or even know where to discover. And even though this isn't really my thing at all, it did make for a really interesting listen. I still really admire the voice she has as well as how genuine and passionate she sounds. The album as a whole can feel a bit bare bones, a capella isn't a style I'm hugely fond of, but I still felt very captivated by her storytelling abilities and all the different languages she showcases too.
#868. She's a good singer, but I don't think I care about this type of music much. 3/5: acceptable
I’m sure it has cultural significance, but it’s still a boring album.
Warm, unexpected and enjoyable. This was something I had never heard about, it was well done, competent, relaxing and even funny. She has a really easy voice that conveys emotion even across language barriers. Her singing on One More Dance played perfectly off the laughter of the male singer, and you could tell she was playing it straight while also having a playful and coying quality that sounded like she was smiling while singing. If there were any weak spots, the songs in English just weren't as good as the songs in whatever the other language is. Great Highlights: Retreat Song, Click Song, Mbube, One More Dance
Pleasant enough, but its an a style of music I wouldn't return to, other than background music.
One more dance irritated me, but otherwise, this was an engaging and entertaining listen. This is definitely not something I would have found on my own, and I’m not sure how much I’ll revisit it, but I’m glad I heard it. Click song was a clear standout.
Pretty good.
that tone
What a voice. In other news, she's an important figure of the 20th century that most don't know about.
I did enjoy don't think it would be in my 1001 albums though
Nice voice but the songs just didn't hit like I thought they would
El jazz no es lo mío, pero puedo reconocer que ella tiene una voz fenomenal. "The Naughty Little Flea" me dejó un poco desconcertada, pero decidí ignorar la canción para intentar disfrutar del resto del álbum; esto sucedió hasta que llegó "One More Dance", que arruinó cualquier buen puntaje que podría haberle puesto a este disco. ↑: The Retreat Song, House of the Rising Sun ↓: The Naughty Little Flea, One More Dance
3.5 stars. Beautiful voice. Fascinating artist singing guitar-based South African music. Album is more of a front to back listen as opposed to having super varied individual tracks.
Album No. 0162 on my list. I had heard the name Miriam Makeba before and I knew that she was from South Africa, but I had only a rough idea about what music she performed. I have to say that even though it's not necessarily my favorite style, this is a pretty good album! Very unique style, even though it nicely blends into "Western" jazz and soul music so that it was very accessible to me with the little understanding I have about South African music. Good songs, incredible voice. I also like the mixture between English and Non-English lyrics. Sounds pretty good despite its age as well. I 100 % get why this album must have been pretty influential and why it landed on the 1001 album list. I'm glad I'm participating in this 1001 album journey, because I would probably never have discovered this great album otherwise. This is really why I'm doing it. Not all songs were very memorable to me, but at the same time, I didn't encounter a really bad one either. All songs have a certain level of quality to them (even "One More Dance" which is a bit annoying is still interesting because of the dialogue between a man and a woman it represents). I'll add "Suliram", "The Click Song", and "Mbube" to my playlist. Very glad I discovered this. 4/5 stars.
2.5
Always great to get an album on this list that you would never have listened to in a million years. Makeba has a very beautiful voice, and it was really great to hear the original 'Mbube'. Nice combination of tunes, but I definitely have to dock a point for Charles Colman though.
Mukavan letkeää menoa, rytmikästä vaikka ei aina ole perkussioita mukana. Hyvä levy
278/1001. Her legacy, sotory and influence is much more greater that can be heard from this album. That can be even seen from the album's wiki page, which is basically empty. There is some sort of cautiousness at display here. Perhaps it would be quite wrong to blame her for sounding too western or not exotic enough - that would just enflame the otherness, and after all she was a cosmopolitan mover already in the early 60s. But what if most of the music just sounds dated? Meaning - I don't consider it a classic which has stood the test of time, but rather an album which just pinpoints one era? The latter is of course valuable as well, and there are classic songs here, which helped to make it easier for music from non-western cultures to emerge. But is it due to this album alone? Not in my opinion. However, for the songs, the interpration and legacy and the fact that albums defying the western canon are quite scarce here, a four.
The Retreat Song // Mbube // 2.5/5
Interesting album because of the African elements, of course. Miriam has a great voice and certainly charisma. Most songs seem to be tailored to a Western, especially American taste, though. The "naughty little flea" reminds me of the similarly silly "how much is that doggy in the window" for example. All in all it's not for me, although I certainly appreciate the opportunity to have listened to it.
Her voice is quite lovely, however, I don't really see myself revisiting this one
I wnjoyed this album a lot. Was that one song the influence for "lion sleeps ttonight?"
Beautiful voice and pleasant enough. Sounded like old time international radio from much earlier than 1960. Just not my thing.
Never heard of Miriam Makeba so I like being exposed to new music. This is pretty good, I'm glad I listened to it but not sure I would ever put it on.
Miriam Makeba isn’t really my thing. I can absolutely appreciate that she has a beautiful, distinctive voice that is rich, controlled and full of character but this was, at times, a real struggle to get through. You do have to place the album in its historical context. Recorded in 1960, it’s very much of its era, with arrangements and production that feel rooted in that time. However, even allowing for that, much of the album feels quite repetitive. The pacing rarely shifts, and there’s limited variation across the tracks, which makes the listening experience feel longer than it needs to be. There are moments that stand out. “Where Does It Lead” has an almost medieval, folk-like quality that I found intriguing, and her version of “House of the Rising Sun” is genuinely haunting — restrained, atmospheric, and beautifully delivered. Overall though, I found too many of the songs drifting into the same mid-tempo, understated space. While technically accomplished and historically important, it’s not an album I can see myself returning to. Favourite tracks: “Where Does It Lead”, “House of the Rising Sun” Least favourite tracks: One More Dance is awful!! Album artwork: A fairly standard cover for the era its simple and understated.
Beautiful voice and a nice sparse album
Lovely and bright easy-listening
Yeah...I'm not going to pretend that I'm cultured enough to have enjoyed this. Clearly she's got some pipes, but this is not a style of music I can bring myself to get into.
Omg that was Theblion king song. Some songs I enjoyed a lot but some I wanted to turn off. Her voice is amazing and the song Where does it lead is sooooo beautiful. Also house of the rising sun cover was pretty cool.
This is a lovely album. Beautifully sung.
Like almost everything about this. The one song with the bloke laughing all the way through was fucking horrible.
Favorite tracks: The Retreat Song, The Click Song, Mbube, The Naughty Little Flea, Iya Guduza Ok this album is exactly why I'm going through this list. I've never heard of Miriam Makeba before this album and that feels like a tragedy. She has a beautiful voice and does a stellar job of bringing her native language/music to an English audience while still staying true to her culture. 10/10 would listen to again!
It was nice, but utimately not a very spectacular album of African music. At some point, it all blended into each other.
Really enjoyed this and this style of music doesn't grab me so ready 5*
Maybe if I wasn't very tired the day I listened to this I would have enjoyed it more. As it was I didn't find this album engaging at all. The high point was probably the click song, though the introduction felt unnecessary, though perhaps a product of the times. Somewhere around 2500 songs in I can confidently say the song with the guy laughing has taken the 'so bad it is good' crown. I can't imagine it will be threatened by any of the remaining 8000 or so.
Pleasant and positive. Happy vibes.
It was really nice, I like her voice and it was groovy
Was expecting to appreciate it, didn’t realize that I would really like it: lovely sound made powerful by knowing the singer’s symbolic importance
Miriam Makeba's self-titled debut is a rare example of a record feeling simultaneously extremely genuine and extremely farcical. I'm going to owe the majority of that to this being a record from 1960 by a South African woman, as I'm sure a lot of creative control was taken away from her, but what is left of it is a unique experience to say the least. Makeba has a great voice, and it really shines when she's singing songs that she's passionate about, which is clearly not all of them. Harry Belafonte's involvement with this record in particular is really interesting to read about, and in general the history of Miriam Makeba is arguably a lot more interesting than the music itself. I think the record is a little too primitive to hold up outside of its historical context in the modern day; at times it really does just end up sounding like The Barbra Streisand Album with some African influence. There was definitely a great album hiding in here somewhere, but I don't think the world was quite ready for it back when this was released.
Loved her voice, and learned more about South Africa!
not really my thing but my mom would've loved this
I liked this south African take on jazz / blues album, whilst also having it's own influences and speaking in her native tongue on a few songs. what i didn't like however, was I experienced a lot of issues with phase? really detracted my experience of it.
Look, I really appreciate the significance of this album and that it landed on the list. Especially due to the significance of the Apartheid in South Africa and how blacks were heavily segregated against, and how she was a voice to counteract that narrative. Showcasing not just South Africa but the talents of the whole continent is something that is memorable and should be recognised today and on lists like this. However, I'm not really a fan of this style of music, and that track where the guy was laughing was really off-putting for some reason.
1. retreat - 1 2. zuliram - 1.5 3. click - 1 4. 5. holli - 1.5 6. ilanga - 1.5 7. mbube - 1 8. flea - 1 9. lead - 1.5 10. nomeva - 1 11. zun - 0 12. zavuba - 1.5 13. dance -0 14. guduza - 1
1960 and glad to hear some world music however this doesn't do much for me and would not seek to come back to it.
Generator got me on an African kick rn and I am not complaining.
This is a great example of what I hoped for with this list. I know of Miriam Makeba but just the one song and for some reason I never bothered looking up her other songs. Its a really interesting and beautiful album with some songs that are unlike anything I usually listen to. Loved the experience throughout the entire album.
good, good fun.
Nice and soothing
Beautiful voice. Occasional Lion King vibes with humor and softer ballads too. Lovely
Never heard of Miriam Makeba before. Makeba has an incredible voice. The Retreat Song is beautiful. She has a sense of humour with the Click song, too. The combination of the click in her voice and the claps is enchanting. Ooh Mbube is clearly inspiration for "in the Jungle", and probably Makemba is the inspiration for much of the Lion King soundtrack. The Naughty Little Flea is whimsical, much enjoyed that one too. And then she takes on House of the Rising Sun! A very different take, but definitely cool. One More Dance is a strange one too, but definitely notable
Yeah it’s cool
красивый голос, не мой жанр, зато узнала откуда ауимба уэ
Some songs sound a bit like disney trying to make foreign music, but most of it charming and joyful
oh wow stimm. ha sie auscho ghört aber nie mega viel. super super geile erste song wow. suliram meh lamsam aber super schöni disney bgvs. the click song isch huere funny dass de so heisst. aso nai trurig. aber es goht um hochziit? solo acapella au schön. holilili uuuh wieder chörliii one more dance isch uuuuuhuere funny hahahaha. aha und house of the rising sun banger sie singt so schöööön.
hahah bin gad chli verwirrt, jz sinds iwie alles livesongs? han vlt au z wenig guet glost the naughty little flea isch zwar chli es chinderlied aber iwie machts na spass where does it lead isch sehr cute! weiss nanig wasi vo house of the rising sun halte, spannend uf jede fall HAHAAH ICH BIN SO VERWIRRT VOM LACHENDE MAA am ahfang hanis gfühl gha, er probiert fake brüelle😭 aber iwie auno cute?
Miriam Makeba – Miriam Makeba (1960) PEAK LISTENING. This album is a "triumphant symphony" of Jazz and African Soul that stands "on Mars" compared to everything else I've heard this month. As a young African boy who grew up with these sounds, finally hearing the full LP was a cinematic experience that unlocked reminiscing memories. Miriam’s vocal performance is the definition of "immaculate" from the technical skill of "The Click Song" to the emotional weight of "Lakutshon' Ilanga." Discoveries like "The Naughty Little Flea" and "The Retreat Song" show a level of vocal triumph and organic chemistry that is simply top-tier. This isn't just a historical record; it is a blueprintfor musical admiration in my motherland. A perfect, effortless 5/5.
Interesting. But i didn't quite enjoy it.
I hadn’t heard of this before it came up today. I’ve now learned plenty about Miriam’s story. I wanted to like the album more than I actually did though. Perfectly serviceable period world music. I certainly didn’t have a bad time listening to the album (except One More Dance, a duet on which Charles Coleman laughs like a fucking clown and ruins the album’s vibe completely) in fact it was all very pleasant but I don’t feel the need to add it to my collection and I can’t see me searching it out for another listen any time soon.
This was a very cool album and I'm really happy I know about her as an artist now. She has a beautiful voice and all of these songs are beautifully done. Nothing blew me away, but this is certainly a classic of world music. Would revisit. Top Songs: The Retreat Song, The Click Song, Olilili, Mbube
I don't know. It's fine for what it is. Kinda cool to hear a song in the Xhosa language, I guess, but it's really nothing I'll ever listen to again on purpose.
Fun
Voice like honey, mad lines about a flea scratching your back - what an absolute balm to the batshit 2026 world we live in. This is the 1960s music I want to listen to; it sounds great, it's got good danceable beats and smooth vibes, it's got some man giggling about your dead husband (?). This is a great album, one I would not have come across otherwise (call me uncultured) - but one I am glad to have listened to now.
Nice to mix things up a bit! And it's a real nice one to boot, you can see why her voice has always been talked about as one of the best. Soothing vibes then joyful dancy vibes, fun for the end of a long week! Shout out to the wacky song about a flea. Scratch, scratch me back! The weird duet about a dead husband is very odd but I like it.
Had never heard of Miriam Makeba, but found this to be a really solid record. Miriam's voice is wonderful and there's a good mix of songs ranging from the soulful to the humorous. Whilst it might not make it onto my regular rotation I can see myself listening to this again.
Owes more to jazz than soul, but enjoyed the combination of influences 4*
Very cool, liked the emotion and the “community” feel to these tracks.
The singer has a beautiful voice. I liked a few songs, but overall, it's not my taste.
I can appreciate the music and she's got a great voice but this one's not for me
What a beautiful voice and a pleasant venture into some African rhythms. Never would have expected to have listened to this in my life and was happy to come across it today. Not necessarily my go to thing but didn't stop me appreciating!
3.5 4
Muy interesante, había escuchado de ella antes pero no conocía de cerca su trayectoria.
This is why I started doing this, I absolutely loved this album. ‘Mbube’ is fucking great I can’t believe I’d never heard the original before. I enjoyed every song, Miriam Makeba is so fun to listen to.
Dull I’m afraid.
This was a total surprise, this is completely not my thing, but this lady had a great voice, there were a couple of weak tracks, but I enjoyed most. I really liked the Mbube track, good to dance to. I won't be rushing out to buy the album, but I certainly will not avoid in the future.
This is a lovely album! I was really taken back by her voice. Even the music, which normally isn't something I would gravitate toward, I loved hearing it. It's uplifting but has some quieter tender moments throughout too. I will definitely save this one off for future listens. Biggest Hit - The Click Song Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - Lakutshn llanga Hidden Gem - Nomeva
Great 🔥🔥
Another wonderful discovery from this project. Enjoyed this immensely. What a beautiful voice. I agree One More Dance does not fit and detracts from the rest of the album a bit but this quirky album is a breath of fresh air. 4.5 /5
This album is charming. Very high quality vocals. Not all the songs are my style, but this is a calming album for the most part. Leave out the flea song and One More Dance and I would be comparing this to Jack Johnson level calming influence. Not as listenable as JJ though, the only song I can see myself coming back to is Mbube.
Couldn't be bothered to listen to the whole album
Enjoyed listening, new music for me
Very pure vocals, excellent clear recording for 1960! However the music itself is not for me. Much like the Ravi Shankar album, I can appreciate the talent and introduction to another country’s music, but I don’t like it. One More Dance is particularly horrible.
LOVED IT
Wow. I feel so worldly after listening to this. The album cover says it all: a mature South African black woman singing South African songs.
some songs I like some I dislike, averages out over the whole album
Beautiful music, excellent singing quality - mostly in African languages
Very pleasantly surprised
Afraid I’d never heard of Miriam Makeba, how I’ll never know. I loved this
Okay, “The Click Song” slaps. Gonna add that one to the music library. The rest of the songs are pretty easy listening. Not bad.
6/10 Beautiful voice, not always the most exciting listen
I don't think I've listened to any African music recorded from the 60's, but this was interesting. I loved Miriam's voice and her use of South African dialect in some songs. 60's production was sometimes cheese, but overall I liked this and might come back to it. 3/5
Was moving around and enjoying this. I didn't care as much for that laughing man duet song, but otherwise, I liked pretty much all of it. That being said, I don't really see myself revisiting it, as it's not really a vibe I find myself wanting to hear often. 3/5
Enchanting rhythms and a beautiful voice. Blew me away the first time I heard it and still love it now.
2.29
This was mostly nice. I preferred the non-english tracks more, with the exception of A Piece of Ground (not on the original release). Apparently Tidal only has the US version of the album. The original release is different enough that I think folks should seek that out instead as several songs are excluded, though there are songs on the US version not present on the original ⭐⭐⭐
Pretty fun & lively listen. Gives you a glimpse into traditional African music from the 60's from who I can only assume was a very influential artist in her native country in Miriam Makeba. Hearing 'Mbube' was fun too, a cover itself but later famously coivered by the Tokens as 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'.
I was really enjoying this album, right up until the song "One More Dance". I struggle to put into words how odd this song is. It's the only song that features another "singer" if you can call what Charles Colman does singing. What an odd, strange, bizarre, bewildering choice to not only make this song but put it on an album for all to hear. Why is Charles laughing throughout the song? Why is it funny to him that a man is dead? A woman's husband dies and Charles busts a gut like he's got front row seats to Eddie Murphy's RAW show. The song is so odd that it taints the rest of the album. All I can think about now is this stupid strange song.
Wow! She appears to be the catalyst of lots of trends in the 60s.
What a beautiful surprise this turned out to be. I had zero idea about the massive legacy here, which feels crazy now that I’ve heard it. The music is incredibly infectious and full of life. Just a lovely, warm listen from start to finish. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - The Retreat Song - Suliram - The Click Song - Mbube
Incredible vocals and emotion. Love this entire album and will listen again.
Really pleasant surprise as I don't normally listen to anything like this. Loved her voice and the blues influences in here. Super cool to hear 'Mbube' and to get some context for 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' (even though Miriam's version is a cover). 4⭐️
I enjoyed the uptempo ones. Most of it was the sparse slower ones that really let her voice do the heavy lifting. Her voice is quite special but I still typically dont like songs like that. Rating: 2.5
This surprised me. I wasn't expecting much, but some songs were well done. A couple of cheesy numbers, though.
Yeah this one's a 5. Never listened to afro pop before. This is why I love this challenge.
One thing I've come to realise about myself in the course of listening to 500 or so albums from this site, is that my enjoyment of songs strongly depends on how nice the vocals are. So many albums on this list have people shouting, screaming, talk-singing, mumbling, or just with irritating voices, and that fully puts me off a piece of music from the get go, even if I like the instrumental parts and the lyrics are interesting. So it's so, so refreshing to hear someone who can really sing and just has a conventionally lovely, strong, sweet voice. This album also has quite a joyful vibe to it that makes it hard to listen to without smiling. Great stuff
Very different from my usual genre but was impressed, mindblowing vocals
Interesante conocer una artista de este estilo. Nunca hubiera escuchado esta música, ni descubierto que el tema de El Rey León es africano, ni que Pata-Pata es de ella. Luego de la fascinación de los primeros tema el album me fue apagando. Está bueno igual. 5/10
I loved the version of house of the rising sun.
Beautiful tone to her voice, and a beautiful collection of songs, but I am not convinced it is an essential album
Prachtig, in hou ervan. Zal het vaker gaan draaien.
Wouldn't listen to it all the time but I can appreciate it every now and then. Liked her version of House of the Rising Sun more than the Animals version so that's a plus.
Really lovely album this. Didn’t like One More Dance particularly but her voice is incredible and the songs are broad and interesting.
17. beautiful voice
Yeh man, great stuff.
Very nice Not my thing but good tunes and a great voice
Her voice is really special. This is a really good listen. I really appreciate her also singing in English, since I can understand what she's saying it actually helps me understand the quality of her voice even more. The "House of the Rising Sun" cover was really unexpected but so good. I'm not great at comparisons, and I'm not sure if this is fair, but it does remind me a bit of Aretha Franklin; if not in tone/style, then definitely in vocal prowess. Favorite Song(s): The Retreat Song, Naughtly Little Flea
2:5
This is difficult to review. Its beautiful and its entertaining and like ive said in other reviews, musically i can appreciate it. But without understanding the lyrics, the impact of the music is somewhat limited. 6.4
This was a fun listen, and one of the great things about this project.
Brilliant!
I am on my second listen 🎧! On my first listen the first song 🎵 shocked me but mom and I are thoroughly enjoying the album although we cannot understand the artist at times 👯♀️. I added a few songs to my personal playlist on the first listen 👂 ❤️.
Amazing voice, great biography…heroic, really. I clicked along during the click song. It’s just a lot to listen to in a foreign language.
Not my bag but interesting
A powerful singer with a strong message.
click!
8 Best vocals award so far more African music pls
Lovely arrangement of blues and african song writing and rythmns against a late 50s early 1960s pop sound. I think this album was really worth the slop on this list. I'm not a total hater of the project here but a lot of the time its a junk album or something lackluster. This really made me smile today.
It's always a joy to broaden the musical horizons and listen to music from different cultures, and there's a unique beauty to the voice of South African singer-songwriter Miriam Makeba. Her debut album is full of tracks that show off her unique voice, with lyrics switching between English and her native Xhosa tongue, and utilises the band of famous American singer Harry Belafonte to add serene beauty to the songs. Makeba was the first singer to bring African music to a Western audience, so this album is trailblazing in that respect, but it also emerged at the height of the darkest period in South African history. The Apartheid movement had exiled Makeba to the US and, through her songs and profile as a musician, expressed plenty of opposition and condemnation of the white-minority South African government enforcing institutionalised racial segregation in their country, something that resonated with African-Americans who were facing their own battles for civil rights. This is probably an album where the sociopolitical significance of it trumps the actual quality of the music, but the traliblazing quality of Makeba is warranted given her impressive, relaxed vocal chops and the creation of something new and unique for Western audiences to sink their teeth into. Best songs: The Click Song, Olilili, Mbube, Suliram
It's not my thing, but I can still appreciate it.
Ikke for meg
Lovely
Was good, probably doesn't sound as groundbreaking now to a western audience as it did on release.
Not for me
Really interesting album. Unique voice. Unique sounds. Worldly. Not really my bag but I enjoyed it.
This is the kind of album I signed up to this list for. Pretty incredible this came out in 1960. While it uses some 50s/60s contemporary elements (barbershop quartet choruses, etc.), and a lot of traditional sounds, it's very forward looking in that the rhythms and vocal arrangements became a staple of a lot post punk and new wave music more than 20 years later. She also has an incredible voice. That said, not every song is enjoyable, and some of them are a downright struggle to get through (see "One More Dance"). 3.0/5.0: Good
great voice, not very dynamic but the music is good. i was borderline on giving it a 5 up until charles couldnt stop laughing on one more dance. it really detracted from an otherwise interesting song and dropped it a full point for me.
Not bad, there was some cool stuff in here, but nothing that actually appeals to my tastes.
Not sure who made this list, but this shouldn’t be on it. Good album, not one that I couldn’t have lived without.
One of the things I was looking forward to with this project was to be exposed to albums or artist I haven't heard before. This is one. Will it be on regular rotation? No. Did I enjoy it? Sure. Will I now be singing the Naughty Little Flea song over and over again? Yes.
I liked this. At times, I felt like I was having a profound cultural experience, other times it kind of sounded like I was in a cabaret somewhere in New York. "One More Dance" was hilarious.
I know nothing about Miriam Makeba, but the limited amount I read today is pretty incredible. I kinda want to read her autobiography now. As for this album, it's lovely—minus the two irritating novelty songs, "The Naughty Little Flea" and "One More Dance"—and it's the reason I'm doing this project. "The Retreat Song" stands out for me, especially how she comes out swinging with her vocals. I'll definitely check out more of her stuff.
Makeba's vocal range is sadly beyond the recording range of the equipment of the era. 'Mbube' highlights this limitation the best, but sadly it makes for unpleasant listening. The rest is quite enjoyable. Although not my cup of tea. ('Makeba', a tribute by 'Jain' is worth a listen, and the video is good too).
this was really cool to listen to!
Very fun and light album. However it is only influenced by African music, rather than being the real thing. Miriam Makeba certainly is a genuine South African artist, but this is more of an Easy Listening and Calypso record with all the edges sanded off for Western audiences. I'm not criticising though, I'm just stating a fact. I liked this album. Key tracks: The Click Song Mbube One More Dance
What great voice!
This artist had an amazing voice and I would like to hear more of her material. Plus it's always nice to discover, and find that I like, an artist I never heard before. I don't think I will add this album to my collection, but I may well listen to it again sometime.
I love this album. I've never heard of her before, but I will hear a lot more from her. Great mix of jazz and Afro-pop.
Much prefer her 70s work, but such a beautiful voice regardless of decade.
Beautiful.
Cool music, could not find that particular album though.
What a voice! This is the reason I’m doing this project; discovering artists I was previously unaware of who charm me with their talent and music. Makeba’s soulful take on African folk music is captivating. I don’t own or collect vinyl, but this album made me think “I want to own this on vinyl.”
Excellent
No real strong feelings about this. I support the inclusivity. 2.9/5
I nearly always seem to give "world music" a 3/5 which is a bit of a cop out. However this one stands above most, in part because The Click Song and Mbube alone are gems. Glad I've listened to this one.
Beautiful voice and an interesting break from the usual suspects on the list, but this album sounded very dated and a strange mix between the Lion King and singers like Lena Horne or Harry Belafonte. It wasn’t for me, but it was better than listening to Brazilian death metal, so there’s that.
From the opening song, all I could envision was the Lion King soundtrack. I obviously have no clue what these songs are about, but I feel like any one of these songs could be played while Pumbaa, Timon, and Simba are roaming the African plains. Mariam can clearly sing and for that I’ll give her credit. Otherwise it’s nice background music.
A strong voice but not much else here. Afro jazz that Is very dated. It is not traditional African music, as many have mistakenly written, though it is certainly influenced by it, but Makeba sang jazz from an early age and her music bears this influence most prominently. Yes, there are elements of her cultural upbringing, and some of those traditional elements appear, but that is no different than Springsteen singing about cars and the boardwalk with a Jersey accent. To treat it differently is to tokenize it. If we get past the ‘uniqueness’ of her ‘point of view’, its actually pretty boring and uninspiring in its arrangements and its instrumentations. Great woman, meh album.
Not the least bit enjoyable. Oddly enough I enjoyed the songs sung in english the least. This was a rough one for me, not good.
I like this way more than I thought I would.
Think it’s great great showcase of jazz/classical voice. 3.5
Delightful, probably wouldn't come back to it though
Amazing voice, interesting songs, but not my style
Her voice is warm, expressive, and unmistakable—but the album as a whole just didn’t do it for me.
Gear: SIMGOT SuperMix 4 Artwork: 👗🟧🟥 Production: 🎙️😍🫂 Music: 👅💥👀 Rating: 🇿🇦 🇿🇦 🇿🇦 (🇿🇦)/5
I might never listen to this again, because it really wasn't my thing, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good.
Enjoyable listening...however, One More Dance would have been much more entertaining (and perhaps funnier) without dude laughing all the way through.
Definitely enjoyed this. My favorite was “The Click Song”
Even though I couldn’t understand the words her voice was so good I liked it. 3.5
3 - pretty good album
Lovely surprise!
I enjoyed having it on but wouldn't choose to again. The artist seemed to be an incredible person from a little research though
Pleasant listen, not particularly my style of music, but it was still enjoyable. Fun cultural romp.
It’s been too long! What a talent. Fantastic record!
refreshing
Her voice is so rich and emotional. I really enjoyed the album, even though it is far outside my normal jam. Her version of House of the Rising Sun was haunting.
Fine
Super fun world music, I really enjoyed it. 3.5/5
I dug this South African lady. More jazzy than soul with a traditional sound. I’ll come back to this.
Sounds nice, didn't find a ton out of it. Only had time for one listen.
She has a very nice voice and this album has a pretty good sound quality, but the album as a whole doesn't do anything overall memorable. I assume from what I read that she is more important than the album.
Poleee paha
What's so funny in "one more dance"? :D
She’s got a beautiful voice. The highs are stunning (Where Does It Lead, her cover of House of the Rising Sun). The lows felt pretty low (The Naughty Little Flea, and whatever the hell laugh/cry annoyance Charles Colman brings to One Last Dance). I‘m not quite sure how to rate this…
classic south african. Can't go wrong
ok.
beautiful voice and musical arrangements
I love world music Sucks that we are so racist
that mbube song just sounds like in the jungle. she got a great voice and singing the clicks is supa cool but this doesn't resonate with me all that much.
Better than i thought it would be Okay Covers and all fine 2
Iconic album cover. Interesting music. Far better than some of the Brit electronic trash this list has too much of.
Some of her english songs are a little too slow for me and like too 60s disney. Otherwise though…. This album is amazing. Had a lot of fun and would share this with anyone and could listen to whenever I feel.
Happy to have been exposed to this!
Exceptional musicianship, not really my cup of tea though.
Wonderful vocals
From the outset, I'll say that I lack sufficient context or interest to give this a proper review. I think that for what it is, it sounds great, and there is a ton of variation in here. Some songs give me a "Christmas Music" vibe (e.g., Holilili). But Lakutshon' llanga is a superb swanky jazz entry. The Naughty Little Flea has a sort of Bossanova air about it. Interesting, stripped down take on House of the Rising Sun -- I really enjoyed it. Really this was a solid album, but not something I see myself spending a ton of time with. High 3 verging on 4 for me.
Mbube has lyrics that are definitely in the In the Jungle song from Lion King. Further research says it's originally from a song in 1939, covered by Miriam, then covered again for Lion King. Rest of the album is perfectly pleasant. Nothing really outstanding.
Some good singing and a nice mixup of music we don't normally get. But it was nothing spectacular. There were a couple really good parts but overall didn't do too much for me
Pretty much what I expected for this, except I did not realize how far back Mbube (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) went! Thought it was just for the Lion King so that was fun to learn. Where Does is Lead? sounds like it should be in a Tarantino movie. Incredible song. Not my favorite rendition of House of the Rising Sun but respect it. I do not like this dudes laughing in One More Dance.
FYI, Apple Music, this IS available, you just have to search for it. And I was just not in the mood for this. (ntm.)
Wow
This was so interesting and lovely.
★★★½
A pleasant little album
Very pleasant to listen to. Needed a little more musically for me to really get my teeth into though.
Interesting and chill. Reminds me of Ravi Shankar’s album where he’s explaining to all the dumb westerners how Indian music is played. Makeba’s just like, nah, you can’t pronounce this click word.
That song with the manic laughing was pretty unsettling. Everything else was good though.
This debut has a charming, almost understated confidence to it. You can tell Miriam Makeba was already something special even at this early stage. The mix of traditional African songs with jazz and pop arrangements feels fresh, even if the production has that unmistakable 1960s polish that keeps it a bit restrained. Her voice, though, cuts through everything — expressive, clear, and full of character. The album moves between upbeat folk rhythms and softer, melodic moments that show off Makeba’s range. Tracks like “Mbube” and “The Click Song” stand out most, partly because they carry the most life and authenticity. You can feel the energy of her roots pushing through the tidy arrangements, giving the whole thing a warmth that’s hard to fake. At the same time, it’s a product of its time. The orchestral backing and occasional over-arrangement take away some of the rawness you sense she’s capable of. Still, there’s something magnetic here — a spark that would later define her career. Miriam Makeba might not be her most dynamic record, but it’s a fascinating introduction to one of the most distinctive voices of the 20th century.
It’s interesting to hear so much alignment with the music of the Caribbean, and yes I know the reason. This is nearly the same genre as Harry Belfonte. No matter the reason it’s fascinating to hear how music travels, adapts and maintains. These tunes are objectively danceable and beautiful. As is her voice.
Miriam Makeba's debut album was a delightful surprise! Her voice is so expressive, graceful and beautiful, even though I don't understand a non-English word. Warm and engaging, a pleasant listen.
I’m not familiar with Miriam Makeba, and while a lot of the world music albums on this list haven’t really been my cup of tea, they’ve been really enriching and eye-opening experiences. I don’t have any expectations of this album, but I’m interested to see what it’s in store here. Miriam Makeba’s self-titled debut was pretty good. The beauty and power of her voice hit like a freight train on the first track, and every song afterwards was a further exploration of her singing abilities. I enjoyed that this album had a mixture of her singing in English and in native African languages. No matter what language she was singing in, her voice always sounded great. I wish there had been more musical arrangements accompanying her singing, but I guess that would have taken away the main focus of this album. I found a fair amount of the songs on this album a touch boring, and some of the songs just didn’t really add much to the album as a whole, as I found them to be a pretty similar to what I had already heard on other songs, in terms of sounds and emotions. However, “The Click Song,” “Mbube,” and “The Naughty Little Flea” were really great. I loved that Miriam used traditional clicks on “The Click Song,” and I thought this was a really interesting glimpse into traditional African music. “Mbube” was really beautiful, and I enjoyed hearing the basis for “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” “The Naughty Little Flea” was my favorite song on the album though. I loved the narrative of the lyrics, which I found really fun, and Miriam’s voice added a level of playfulness to the song that I thought worked really well. This isn’t the type of album I’d go back to, but it was still fun and interesting to listen to this today.
Fantastic for what it is, but I doubt I'll look for this any time soon. You can hear the influence in a lot of Western music that came afterward, I just wish more people knew where it came from. It still sounds like there may be a lot of potential for samples.
in the jungle - mbube house of the rising sun
Beautiful, but not my thing