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Miriam Makeba by Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba

1960
3.18
Rating
22270
Votes
1
6%
2
17%
3
39%
4
27%
5
10%
Distribution
Genres: Jazz, World Styles: African

Reviews (page 5 of 8)

This surprised me. I wasn't expecting much, but some songs were well done. A couple of cheesy numbers, though.

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

Beautiful tone to her voice, and a beautiful collection of songs, but I am not convinced it is an essential album

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.

17. beautiful voice

Very nice Not my thing but good tunes and a great voice

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.

Not my bag but interesting

It's not my thing, but I can still appreciate it.

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

Not sure who made this list, but this shouldn’t be on it. Good album, not one that I couldn’t have lived without.

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.

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

Beautiful.

Excellent

No real strong feelings about this. I support the inclusivity. 2.9/5

Delightful, probably wouldn't come back to it though

Amazing voice, interesting songs, but not my style

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.

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

Pleasant listen, not particularly my style of music, but it was still enjoyable. Fun cultural romp.

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

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.

Happy to have been exposed to this!

Exceptional musicianship, not really my cup of tea though.

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.

★★★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.

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

Not really my vibe. But cool to listen to a new genre of music! Also love the album cover the colours r beautiful.

I listened to this record for the first time thanks to the 1001 albums generator site and it really surprised me.

This is an easy 4+ if I was into this kind of music. Beautiful voice. Certainly influential given this album was 1960. Glad I got to hear it and know who she is. Just not something I’d ever buy or listen to regularly, so 3.5

Beautiful voice

Great voice but ok music

Angelical y religioso

uyimbube, uyimbube, uyimbube, uyimbube

This was nice - very much sounded like a record over 60 years old but something a little different with a delightfully sunny in sound

a little bit repetitive and boring and the laughing on 'one more dance' was distracting but I did enjoy it especially her voice

Favorite Track: Mbube

I didn't understand a word, but enjoyed it never the less.

Miriam Makeba's debut album of the same name offers a colorful selection of songs that are more or less based on traditional songs and are kept in a style that was contemporary for 1960. From Wikipedia and contemporary reviews, I gather that this album was the starting point for a broad international awareness of African pop music. Against this backdrop, it is a highly entertaining milestone in both world music and music history.

It's pretty cool to read that Miriam Makeba was able to use a film role in "Come Back, Africa", the 1959 South African "jazz opera" "King Kong", and an association with Harry Belafonte to escape South Africa's apartheid and to get a shot at a solo musical career. But I'm not all that sure this album is a particularly good showcase of her talents or her story aside from the novelty/world music factor; and of course her version of "Mbube", which would become "The lion sleeps tonight" with The Tokens in 1961. It's well-recorded and produced,in any case, and nice to read that she had a strong and long musical and activist career as "Mama Africa" long after this album.

Enjoyed this but I wonder if there are better albums for her. This felt a little like a greatest hits album. Also, I can't stop hearing that Jain song Makeba in my head now.

Top Track: Holilili / Mbube

Interesting in parts and naughty little flea is a lovely song. Charming album but a bit of a grind if you aren't taken with her voice.

If nothing else, it gives me "The Lion King" vibes. Every song seems like an epic introduction to a song that never really begins. I just wish there was more to each song. Favorite Track: "Mbube".

Pfff hoe moet ik dit album gaan beoordelen? Ik vind Miriam een goede stem hebben, qua muziek hoor je ook absoluut de Afrikaanse invloeden die gewoon lekker klinken. Maar is dit een album dat ik opnieuw en opnieuw ga luisteren? Nee, dat toch niet. Het is een album waarvan ik blij ben dat ik het heb gehoord, het is een verrijking ook voor de lijst. Als in weer eens iets anders, maar uiteindelijk is dit voor mij geen wereldschokkende ontdekking geweest. Wel echt tof om te horen! Ook wel leuk dat ze een aantal covers op het album heeft staan. Maakt het echt iets meer een crossover album, als dat ergens op slaat. FAVO: Mbube, House of the rising sun

An album of songs I would not search out but glad I got to listen. A talented woman who lived an important life.

Not bad. Not my thing, but I appreciate it. Mbube is familiar, yet new.

Failure of numeric rating systems as I enjoyed this a lot more than most of my 3 star albums but not as much as most of my 4 star albums. But yeah this is some great stuff

Not for me

Beautiful melodies. Didn’t keep my attention for long.

She has a really awesome voice that kinda gets kneecapped by recording quality. Wish the instruments were more prevalent, I liked the flute parts a lot. Enjoyed the back scratching flea song

She got a purdy voice

Imma sucker for a choir and a hater for a cover

This was a fun listen!

Sweet, brave. Love it. Idk, i recognize 'sulleram', it's indonesian traditional song?

I enjoyed this album as much as one can enjoy a 65 year old album sung mostly in another language. The Click Song was fun, The Naughty Little Flea was probably my favourite track on the album. I could have done without the weird dude laughing throughout One More Dance though. Definitely a weird choice.

I really enjoyed my time with this album. I thought it was so unique and very fun all the way through.

Another interesting selection. Simple but a good vibe, nice rhythms and good to hear the mix of African and western music.

When she's singing actual South African music, this is fantastic, I mean, it's Miriam Makeba. The rest of the time, sadly, it's an array of questionable covers of standards and novelty songs that just screams "released in 1960". It's no Welela, that's for sure.

I’m torn on this one. I love Miriam, but so much of this is done to a lounge music beat or just a straight up novelty song. One More Dance made me want to throw something at the TV.

Not for me but by no means bad.

I can certainly appreciate the beauty of the percussion rhythms. She has a very nice voice for the style. That being said, it's so far outside my wheelhouse that I wouldn't rate it very high.

The naughy flea song is a banger, fight me.

What a refreshing album, a powerful and beautiful voice. All that's great about African music, which after all is at the roots of all rhythmic music.

Very interesting. Enjoyed listening to it Standout songs: The Click Song Mbube

- ganz moody und kurzweilig eigentlich, lief gut im Hintergrund, ohne zu stören, aber auch ohne groß herauszustechen 3 – War okay / Interessant 👌 Solides Album, einige gute Momente oder Ideen. Vielleicht nichts, was ich nochmal hören würde, aber spannend zu kennen.

Hard to have a bad time with this.

Lite småtrevligt. Sjunger fint. Kul med Lejonkungen-låten.

Hon har en bra röst och det är hyfsat kul och trevlig lyssning, men för mig lyfter det inte till några astronomiska höjder.

Beautiful vocals.

6 / 10 - Quite an interesting listen, and something I'd never go for out of my own fruition, still I found it a bit slow in parts, but still a good album overall

Enjoyed it more than I expected. Highlights were suliram, discovery the source of the wimbaway and the guy just dying laughing in one more dance. Wouldn't listen again but it was a fun ride

Different words with classic sounds. Interesting.

African folk music is underrated.

The fact that this album got a release in 1960 on a major label astounds me. A female African vocalist singing in a different language does NOT strike me as a profile that would attract a lot of labels in the late 50's and early 60's. Clearly RCA thought differently and signed her and supported her. I'm dying to know that story and how she got this deal. I'm really glad she did though. While I didn't love the album as much as others, it was a good listen. Makeba has a great voice, very listenable and full of energy. The backing vocalists also work well with her voice, and they come together to form one voice at times. I do think the album as a whole suffers from the era in which it was produced. It feels like it was produced to be a jazz album, with elements and some cliches familiar to that genre. That, plus what was considered standard at the time for album like this (the way the backing vocals were recorded sounds all too familiar, like something I've heard a thousand times in other pieces from the era). The tracks that are sung in African languages (there were three present, apparently) feel shoehorned into an American, western aesthetic, leaving me wondering if that was some sort of compromise she had to make or if that's what she wanted. I can't imagine she had too much control or say in those matters. This was a wonderful listen. It's the birth of a legend's career, the coming out of an artist who somehow got a record deal with RCA at a time where racial discrimination was still firmly part of American culture. I'll need to read about her story, because I can only imagine it's interesting. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Mbube, Where Does it Lead, House of the Rising Sun

Not my thing

Not everything works but her voice is brilliant and some of the songs here are incredibly moving.

This was a very pleasant listen

Not my kind of music but the version od House Of The Rising Sun worthed the trip. 3 stars

No really my vibe, but really loved the powerfull voice !

Today, my family told me that my dog can no longer hear. I haven't seen him in four years since I left home. I don't know the exact lyrics to The Retreat Song, but as I listened, I imagined my dog napping peacefully in his quiet world. It breaks my heart to know that the next time I see him, he won't hear my voice. But there is comfort knowing that he can drift into deep, gentle sleep, undisturbed, in silence.

3- Stars (7/15)

At least she has a nice singing voice. The music didn't do a whole lot for me. There must be a story behind the laughing man in One More Dance. It seems kind of dark.

Ein Album das nicht meine Musik ist aber mit viel Emotionen und Veränderungswillen. „House of Rising Sun“ ist eine Gänsehautinterpretation.

Weirdly really liked this, but keeping at a 3 just because I don't see myself throwing this on again.

Fantastic voice, great rhythms but not my thing

Not really for me.

Didn’t know what to expect going into this as I haven’t really heard anything similar. There were a few decent songs on the album but overall I’d say it’s a 5/10 Had its moments but it just isn’t for me.

Oh that is so pleasant! Stand out songs: Retreat Song The Click Song The Naughty Little Flea

Not something I'd revisit but it was nice listening to traditional African music

This was really interesting, I don't know if it was in 4 Star territory, because I wasn't compelled to save multiple songs, nor do I feel the need to listen again, but it was refreshing and unique.

It's good, she has a nice voice. Probably won't listen again. Mid 3.

It’s weird hearing an earlier version of house in the rising sun, I knew it was a song lots covered but still

I felt that the English language standards on this dragged a bit and detracted from the overall experience.

C’est pas mon style de musique mais c’est très beau !

Afrikkalaiset soundit, niissä on jotain duurisävytteistä joka tuo hyvän mielen. Originaali kielessä kuuluu kliksaukset ja klaksaukset. Osa englanniksi. Hyvä kuuntelu!

Off the cuff remark: A fairly uplifting album, even in the Emavungwini (Down in the Dumps) perhaps the lyrics say otherwise, but vocals are a delight Standout Track: Umoya, on a first listen Revisit?: Yes. Look forward to it.

A pleasant listen. One More Dance is pretty funny.

Nice easy listening. Good voice, some world as well as jazz influences.

Not what I expected but very enjoyable!

not for me

While I had heard of Miriam Makeba, I had never taken the time to actually listen to her music until this album came up in the project yesterday. I knew her name, her reputation, and her role as a political figure, but not the sound of her voice or the emotional weight of her songs. Released after her exile from apartheid South Africa, Miriam Makeba is a culturally significant debut that introduced many listeners to African languages, rhythms, and traditions at a time when most Western audiences had never heard anything like it. The album blends South African folk, spirituals, and a few international selections with minimal instrumentation, keeping the focus squarely on Makeba’s voice. My favorite track was “Olilili,” a playful song about a nasty little flea. It’s catchy, weird, and full of charm. “The Click Song” and “Mbube” also stood out, the former for its unique vocal delivery and energy, the latter for its emotional weight and cultural legacy. That said, this isn’t an album I would revisit for pleasure. While it was enjoyable and interesting, it doesn’t fit my personal taste enough to land on any regular playlist. Its value lies more in its historical and cultural importance than in repeat listening. Still, I’m glad the project pushed me to hear it, because it holds an undeniable place in music history.

Why are there so many albums on here from Africa but there's like nothing from Asia? You have a few Indian artists and like one guy from Pakistan, but other than that there's nothing from Asia compared to how many albums I've gotten from Africa? Why is there nothing from East Asia? I don't get it! Whatever. This Miriam Makeba album is alright. I don't have a ton to say. It sounds nice. It seems they've got some good instruments in Africa. Miriam's singing is also pleasant. I think it's cool that this album shows off sounds that aren't in the English language, specifically that clicking sound that's highlighted in "The Click Song." That's not really a music thing though. That's more of a language thing. The album's nice and short. I think the writing's good. The album's good, but I'm not too invested in it myself. 3/5.

It was okay. Not really my thing. She does have a good voice though.

It was ok, not one of my favorites but definitely it wasn't a waste of time

Fine album, quite basic at times, but still enjoyable to listen to. The highlight of the album are the vocals for sure. They are front and center on all of the songs and are powerfull and clear, commanding the album with ease. The background music is somewhat simple, with easy going rhythm section, african and jazz melodies. Even though it's simple, it acompanies the vocals well and creates a pleasant atmosphere. With that being said, the album comes of as a bit monotonous and simplistic, with not much excitement.

It has its flaws but one thing I appreciate about this list is the inclusion of so many albums from non-English speaking countries. Its nice to leave my little bubble every now and then :) Favorite track: The Click Song 3.5/5

What a beautiful voice. Very unusual to hear a woman singing with men providing the background vocals.

This was good. Feels like some of these songs were sampled (which is probably true). Pay attention to the lyrics on the song “One More Dance” and how the story progresses. At first I thought it was dumb but the further into the song it went, the end result was quite hilarious.

So raw and emotional, unfortunately not my style

Pleasant enough. Lovely voice. 3.5*

It's okay I guess 3

Very cool and unexpected, enjoyed this one!

Fun AfroPop/ World Music type stuff, lovely voice not something I would play all the time but once in a while it really hits the spot.

We started off enjoying this quite strongly but there were some musical theatre elements - e.g. One More Dance - that we didn't enjoyed as much and felt removed from the cohesion of the album as a whole. Overall, it was ok but we wouldn't listen again.

That was fun, I gotta see which ones were covers and origionals covered by others.

Interesting, yet ultimately forgettable album.

This is another one of those albums I probably wouldn’t have come across on my own. It was a good mix of traditional African music, folk, and jazz. Basically world music blended with Western culture. While it was a cool album to listen to, I have to admit it’s more of a one-time listen for me. This particular style just doesn’t connect with me as strongly as others do, but it was definitely worth checking out at least once.

Nicht ganz so meins, aber gut gemacht.

that second to last song was a but too much…..

Fine. If I heard this playing as background music in a restaurant i would enjoy it enough to think “this is nice” but not enough to find out what was playing.

This was pleasant.

Allez, on continue le périple au cœur de cette bible musicale qu'est le "1001 Albums". Et aujourd'hui, on tombe sur une artiste dont, je dois l'avouer honteusement, je ne connaissais que le surnom : Miriam Makeba, alias "Mama Africa". Son premier album éponyme, sorti en 1960, figurait sur ma liste, et franchement, avant ça, c'était le désert musical dans ma tête concernant cette dame. Une lacune, apparemment, car ce disque est souvent présenté comme une pierre angulaire, un pont jeté entre les continents. Et il faut reconnaître que dès les premières notes, on est saisi par une certaine douceur, une élégance qui tranche avec pas mal de productions de l'époque. On est en 1960, les yéyés commencent à peine à agiter leurs Hula Hoops en France, Elvis est revenu de l'armée et remet le cuir, et pendant ce temps, Miriam Makeba, fraîchement exilée d'Afrique du Sud à cause de ce putain d'apartheid, balance aux oreilles occidentales un mélange inédit. Une fusion assez bluffante pour l'époque. On sent les racines sud-africaines, les mélodies traditionnelles Xhosa, Zoulou, Sotho… Mais tout ça est enrobé dans des arrangements qui lorgnent clairement vers le jazz cool et vocal qui cartonnait alors aux States, avec déjà des petites touches qui annoncent ce qu'on appellera plus tard l'afropop. C'est là que réside la force et, peut-être pour mes oreilles de vieux rockeur blasé, la petite faiblesse du disque. La force, c'est cette accessibilité incroyable. Makeba et ses producteurs (dont Harry Belafonte, excusez du peu) ont réussi à rendre ces sonorités africaines digestes pour un public qui n'avait probablement jamais rien entendu de tel. La voix de Miriam est une pure merveille : claire, juste, pleine d'une émotion contenue mais palpable. Les fameux "clics" de la langue Xhosa sur des titres comme "The Click Song", ça a dû faire un effet bœuf à l'époque, un truc totalement exotique et fascinant. Et puis, il y a ce fameux "Mbube", et il est impossible de ne pas reconnaître la mélodie qui deviendra, via The Tokens, le tube planétaire "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Rien que pour ça, l'album a marqué des points et prouve son influence souterraine sur la pop culture. Et franchement, ça a remarquablement bien vieilli, plus de 60 ans au compteur, et ça s'écoute sans aucune difficulté. La production est soignée, les arrangements sont fins, jamais envahissants. Pas de sons datés, pas de tics de production embarrassants. C'est classe, tout simplement. Une belle découverte, indéniablement. Alors pourquoi seulement un 3/5, me demanderez-vous ? Eh bien, parce que si l'album est historiquement important, s'il est plaisant à écouter, il lui manque ce petit grain de folie, cette rugosité, cette tension qui me fait vibrer dans mes groupes fétiches. C'est… lisse, presque trop poli, parfois. C'est là qu'intervient ma subjectivité de mec né en 1970, qui a usé ses fonds de culotte dans les bacs à vinyles indie et sur les ondes radios. Cet album, c'est une magnifique pièce de musée, parfaitement conservée, qui témoigne d'une époque et d'une ouverture culturelle naissante. Mais ça ne me prend pas aux tripes, ça ne me donne pas envie de hurler avec la chanteuse. C'est une écoute agréable, instructive, mais qui ne laisse pas une marque indélébile dans mon panthéon personnel. C'est plus une introduction douce à la "world music" qu'une œuvre qui te retourne comme une crêpe. Cependant, ne nous y trompons pas. Un 3/5, dans le grand schéma du 1001 Albums, ça reste une note plus qu'honorable. Ça signifie que l'album mérite sa place, qu'il faut l'écouter au moins une fois pour comprendre d'où viennent certains courants musicaux. Ce n'est juste pas un disque que je vais user jusqu'à la corde, mais respect éternel à Mama Africa pour avoir ouvert la voie avec autant de grâce.

Ik was even bang dat dit een Afrikaanse Astrud zou gaan worden, maar het valt me alles mee. Het is natuurlijk verschrikkelijk gedateerd, dus het is niet iets dat ik ooit uit vrije wil nog eens op ga zetten, maar ze kan goed zingen en afgezien van de klikgeluidjes en de dronken opa die op het een na laatste nummer meedoet, zitten er verder geen gekke of storende geluiden in. Het zit tussen een 2 en een 3 in.

Wunderschön!

Quite nice songs by a young Makeba. As a whole album ok, but for me not more.

African easy listening? This was a showcase of the lead’s vocals, and she has a lovely voice. I had a more difficult time finding this album online so I hope I listened to the right version but some of the songs were a little odd, like the duet where the man was just laughing the whole time?

Miriam Makeba had quite the robust voice! Though she always didn't sing in English on this album, the music and her vocals are captivating. When she did sing in English, she choose well-known songs that turned out different because of the South African flair she brought. I loved noticing those differences! Definitely an album worthy of placement here, and I feel buoyed after listening to it.

Miriam Makeba has a lovely voice! I felt like she tackled a lot of different song styles here and showed a range of ability. Though maybe not quite as well known, Miriam's career seems to have been similar to that of Harry Belafonte's, in terms of bringing an African genre of music to an American and European audience. Also like Harry Belafonte, Miriam was a civil rights activist! In any case, this album was her first, the album that began it all for her. In any case, this was a very pleasant introduction to someone who definitely seems worth knowing!

Miriam has a beautiful voice, and you can feel how passionate she is when she's singing. Musically it's somewhat minimal, which allows her vocals to be the main focus. I suspect that if I understood her native language I'd appreciate this even more. Overall it's nothing I would've found my way to without this project, and while I didn't love it I do think it's worth hearing.

Enjoyable in parts.

A really cool & warm record

i can't believe this was goor

väldigt ball album. coolt att det kom 1960. lite tråkigt för att det ska hålla hela vägen men bra längd på det och generellt kul. en stark trea

I liked this, One More Dance is deeply unsettling but otherwise enjoyable

every song was a treat except for the extra slow warbly one

A bit of meta-commentary first: it feels like this album represents many of my issues with this list. This album, I think, "oh interesting, is this a well-known musician from Africa? What region?" and I find an accomplished singer-songwriter who worked with Harry Belafonte, put down some of the earliest recordings of popular Xhosa songs, got exiled from South Africa for protesting apartheid and then her visa cancelled by the USA because she married a Black Panther. I look up the artists behind forty different British guitar rock albums here and I find "guys who were born in Britain who were in a band". Anyway. I really liked some of this but disliked a lot too - it seems to me like the English-language songs feel sing-songy (negative) but the version here of "Mbube" is really great.

Some great trac[lick]s on here, and some not so great ones.

This was fine. I liked this version of House of the Rising Sun. Generally pleasant, without being amazing.

Some weird songs here... But overall pretty nice.

Enjoyed this mostly.

This was a fun listen, and interesting to learn about, too. I'm excited to explore her work further. She seems like an amazing woman.

Interesting vocal world music. Not a huge fan of the vocal pop kitch songs, but liked the other stuff. Probably not another listen for me but good to know this exists.

Upbeat and generally fun. A terrific voice.

Some interesting choices. I like mixes of languages. I think one song was portuguese?

Ok, pretty catchy songs overall. Not my kind of music.

Not super my thing

She's quite good! I enjoyed this - sounds like she was a big deal in South Africa.

Might be important in the history of music. But for me it didn't give any emotions.

She has an incredible voice but I do find this slow vocal jazz just a bit dull so I probably wouldn't listen again

# Album Name: Miriam Makeba # Artist: Miriam Makeba # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Beautiful voice. Did not connect with most of the music. # Top Tunes: Mbube # Would I listen to it again? Nah.

I have a little anemoia for that late 50’s, early 60’s period, and this fits into that in a generally pleasant sounding way. She’s a good vocalist and the songs are musically pleasant enough. Not being in my language is both a downside, not understanding and if the lyrics are all like those in English also an upside, because those songs are fairly bland lyrically. 3 stars - pleasant enough 40 minute, but if a want my fake nostalgia I already have better sources.

Pleasant and moving at times. But most parts barely move the needle for me. 3.5/5

I realize that I have some troubles getting into music where the instrumentals are not that prominent, but that still wasn't bad at all. Even good. Oh, and I like the tragicomedy aspect of "One Last Dance".

Some solid vocal performances but ultimately the tepid instrumentals drag this thing down. Strange songwriting decisions too - One More Dance is a complete misstep. Ultimately this album was made to highlight Makeba’s awesome voice, but it doesn’t have the foundational elements necessary to truly do that.

Okay, this is very much out of my comfort zone. It’s one of those things that I’m glad I took the time to listen to, but don’t think I ever would again. However, if someone asked for a recommendation for something in the realm of world music or African sound, I’d be happy to point them in this direction. A prime candidate for 2.5 stars but I guess I’ll round up this time

interesting, calm, joyful, even fun at times. not really my thing, would maybe revisit some songs.

5/10 I'm not mad, just didn't like it much. 1-7-2024

This one was actually pretty great, definitely something new for me, sometimes though it feels a little bit watered down for my western musical brain to digest which is disappointing and feels like pandering. I did like even some of those songs though. She has a killer voice, gave me goosebumps a couple of times, would definitely recommend this, it's a great and novel experience for sure. Will I be listening to this thing again... eh, maybe...not really. Best: Lakutshn, llanga, Mbube, Where Does It Lead Worst: One More Dance (I can not overstate how awful this thing is, like my God I want to hit that guy with a shovel) 3.3/5

A lot of this is pretty good, and it must’ve been something of a revelation to many in the Western world at the time. Unfortunately, a fair amount is pretty weak.

A couple catchy fun tunes. Singer hits some great ghost notes, and I like the background vocals, soulfullness, melodies. Same artist that does the Pata Pata song the kids like in just dance.

A good, enjoyable album. I liked The Retreat Song and The Naughty Little Flea.

Finally something completely different after all the albums I was long familiar with. Her lovely voice is about 90% of the song. I wasn't really a fan of the English sang songs, especially the Charles Colman duet with the laughing throughout. Still a nice bit of variety from a country with a rich music history.

Mmmh brava indubbiamente ma non mi ha lasciato troppo.. Peccato, “Pata Pata” mi era piaciuto

Listened Before? N Surprisingly good. She has a great voice and the mixture of English and her native language was very nice. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Mbube

Such a gorgeous voice (and an impressive human to boot).

This isn't really something I'd choose to come back to, but it's an album that everyone should listen to once. Also, I never don't like a House of the Rising Sun cover. 3.5

It was better than expected, but still not my thing

Pretty voice, I suppose it’s good for all I know about 60s African music but sounds a bit dated to me

Not something I would normally listen to but good enough for 3 stars or C+.

An intimate sounding album. I get a bit of a festive feel to this one, maybe it's the chanting in some parts. Great voice and the music is more subtle than I expected, really letting her vibrato shine. Mbube seems to have heavily influenced the Lion King... and Where Does It Lead is a highlight, sparse and beautiful. Not all to my tastes, but credit where credit's due.

It is an interesting listen, even though it is not something that I would listen to regularly. Miriam had a great voice and it was interesting to learn about her.

3 out of 5. It's lovely.

This is a perfect example of an album that should be on this list. Never heard of it and cool to listen to. (The one track with the guy laughing throughout was surprisingly irritating.)

Beautiful voice and I was glad to listen to this. Unlikely to track it down again I suppose but a nice discovery.

I enjoyed this

Mesmerizing!

Surprised that I enjoyed this although the song about staying out dancing while your husband is at home dying was a bit weird.

The recordings are not the best quality, but the songs have a certain charm that, together with the clicking language, make for a quite interesting and entertaining result. 7/10

Not really my thing but I’m not gonna hold that against her.

Stunning voice. Certainly not the best album to listen to while commuting. Maybe next time...

Really nice little album. Not very familiar with this stuff. Recognize Mbube from Lion King. Overall an enjoyable album!

Забавный альбом. Вайбы Короля Льва. Намеренно перслушивать не стану, но как фоновый альбом пойдет

This reminded me a lot of a current Beninese Angélique Kidjo, who I really enjoy - but a few throwaway songs (or which aged poorly).

Absolutely beautiful voice she has got. She gives me cozy café vibes Caught myself dancing to The Click Song once or twice. Where Does It Lead is a beautiful song too. It's not something I'll likely listen to again in the near future but I can see why so many hold this album in such high regard. It'd be hugely disrespectful to rate this any lower than a 3.

I liked it.

Alright, some good stuff

lovely voice, enjoyed the whole thing

The penultimate track is a real low point, the rest I thought was nice and worth the listen. Unlikely to relisten however

Very beautiful voice with so much range, doubt that it's something I'll realistically revisit. But I learned more about South African history through googling who she is, that counts for something. I also didn't realize she was the wife of Kwame Ture. Anyway, none of that has to do with the music -- I guess I'll file it under "glad I listened, but unlikely I will again".

Very cool album. Easy to listen to and very chill. Enjoyed it.

This was an enjoyable album, Miriam has an incredible voice and is at her best when performing songs from her native culture, I just wish the whole album had been made of those rather than being mixed in with covers of English classics.

This album has a very upbeat sound that I liked. I appreciated hearing it, but it is not something I'd ever seek out to listen to on my own.

Afrikanisch, Folk Toptitel: Olilili

Good background music yk

Oscillated on this one. Ultimately can’t see myself listening again, though I do feel it’s important this is out there.

Not my jam, but strong voice.

old school, lovely, fun

Interesting

Disney def stole from Mbube for The Lion Sleeps Tonight Curious how much of this is straight up African stuff versus a blend of culture once more colonizing started affecting it. Really beautiful stuff tho

Warmth and charismatic voice. Loved some songs. I don’t think I’ll come back to it anytime soon, though, but I fulfilled my duty to listen to it before dying.

3+ Mbube One More Dance!

Sadly, Graceland will appear higher on this list, I have no doubt.

p51. 1960. 3 stars. Fantastic voice, let down by dated production and a peculiar choice of material. Bonus point for the children's classic One More Dance.

A charming debut that brought Makeba's distinctive South African voice to the global stage.

Soulful and beautiful voice.

Nice to hear something different for a change, but I can’t see myself going back to this.

The click song was all I knew. Nice to know world music has a godmother. This album is nicely varied. Her lilting voice fully exploited. Pure magic. And her activism, I'm reading, makes it worth even more attention.

Lovely voice and interesting to hear The Lion Sleeps Tonight in its original language. I quite liked the mix of styles and languages. It was obviously done to show her versatility. Although I don’t think she needed to do House of the Rising Sun. And why they chose to include Charles Coleman corpsing I don’t know. It doesn’t enhance the satire of that song. The version with MM and Harry Belafonte is gentler but allows the words to mean more rather than be lost in laughter. Vacillating between Okay and Fine!

This was fun, and certainly not something I would have come across on my own. The laughing dude on track 13 was not a welcome addition, IMO, but other than that, I'm going down the middle because what do I know about '60s South African music? This is it.

An absolute delight to have something like this for a change, but I lost interest and my appreciation faded a bit when ~Jazz Ballad~ and English came around. As in: I've kinda heard this before. And I'm sorry to use that word, but: generic. "Jazz/World" produced for the audience of its time. I'd love to have this on vinyl, to sometimes fill a room with this music, but listening to it, with intent, on headphones, it's not giving me what I would like it to.

Album 504 of 1001 Miriam Makeba - Miriam Makeba (1960) Rating : 3 / 5 I like getting these albums that would have never normally crossed my path. Classified as Jazz/World, it can't really compare to most others offered in the list. One of those that got some attention back in the day but would get lost in today's offerings. Really enjoyed this. Won't make it to my list of top favorites but I'm glad I listened and it just might find its way in the queue again, one day. Wikipedia: Zenzile Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa. Makeba was among the first African musicians to receive worldwide recognition. She brought African music to a Western audience, and popularized the world music and Afropop genres. She also made popular several songs critical of apartheid, and became a symbol of opposition to the system, particularly after her right to return was revoked. Upon her death, former South African President Nelson Mandela said that "her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us."

Nice, track 1 was the best I think

Very nice voice. Some of this is very good for what it is, but not my type of music.

Ny genre for mig. Hyggeligt at lytte til, men kunne have været bedre. Jeg nød i sær a naughty little flea

Fullt godkänd. Och då var inte Pata Pata med.

This was pleasant to listen to. Liked hearing the origins of the lion sleeps tonight. Glad the writer of this song here got a credit on that hit. Same with House of the Rising Sun. Incredible voice and control by this woman. Glad I listened. This is the kind of stuff I am here for. Not Hole.

Hmm different in a semi good way - 3 stars

Fallegt... nema textinn í einu lagi.

pretty cool, wouldn't otherwise hear, thank you 1001

At least interesting. Did I hear the Lion King?

I liked her voice and the vibes.

Another nice MM album

Some songs are great, others just ok. Later albums from. Miriam Makeba are much better (from my point of view). As the music does not hurt, 3 stars ;-)

pretty sure mrs bessisera made us sing these in primary school

I know of this artist for the song Pata Pata, but never listened to any of her other work. Overall this was an interesting listen with a few standout tracks, but I don't think I'll find myself returning to it. Glad to have listened to it though, it is definitely unique on this list.

She's got a great voice. I liked how simple the accompaniment was. Just let her sing.

Only listened this morning and I can't remember. African. 3.5

Interesting

She’s got a great sound

Would I listen to it again: no Is it a no-skip album: no Do I like it: yes* * Beautyful voice. I'm glad I listened to it. It's not for me though, so I don't think I will revisit the album.

Best Song: Suliram. This song really shows off the angelic quality of her voice. Honorable mention to "The Click Song", which was just pure fun. Worst Song: Where Does It Lead. I find these kind of long, painfully slow songs unenjoyable. Overall: A really fun album. She clearly has an extraordinary voice. The songs are short and varied, so it feels fresh through the entirety of its short runtime. The only downside is some of the slower songs, which drag down the mood of the album considerably. Also, even though I usually love most covers of "House of the Rising Sun", I felt the cover on this album was really lacking.

This album was pretty solid, especially for 1960. One More Dance was an absolute vibe with Charles Coleman cracking up on the track. It was a cool mix of African music with traditional folk music, definitely a good unique inclusion on this list

Very unique soothing album. I was vibing while working to this one for sure

I can't say I liked it very much, but it's still worth listening to

There a couple fun and a couple really interesting tracks on here - great voice and a skilled singer, but a long way from music I'd choose to listen to.

Lovely. Such a strong voice, it seems like studio recordings just don't capture her power. Very accessible, firmly grounded in popular formats - I swear I can hear samba, some calypso, jazz, and everyone will recognize Mbube - The Lion Sleeps Tonight, but the roots version. One More Dance is one of the absolute most bizarre recordings I've ever heard, I think.

This was ok. The first note that she hit was fire.

Very enjoyable. Just judging by my ears and musical experience, I am giving this 3 stars. But for all I know, it might be ground breaking. And, I can at least recognize that it was probably significant in the history of African music in the Western world.

Estuvo muy cool, lleno de sentimiento BUT its just not my type of music. I'll give it a light 5/10.

Don’t know much else like it but it made me want to listen to the lion king soundtrack. Different but I don’t really see myself going back to it.

Good background music

Quite enjoyed this. Relaxing, happy and chilled out. Surprised myself 👍

Beautiful voice. I enjoyed hearing some music with African influence for a change. Miriam was an amazing person who fought for what she believed in. A couple songs were quite irritating, but enjoyed the rest.

Not something I would listen to but some nice singing

Great voice, very pleasant easy listening apart from that track about her husband which was just creepy

Nice, easy listening, all very pleasant.

She has a really great voice. Fun, but blends. Fav songs: Suliram, House of The Rising Sun

On the one hand, it’s a powerful and unique voice set free in a brisk, tasteful album. On the other hand, I had to listen to all four minutes of “The Naughty Little Flea.”

Don’t think I’ll revisit this one but it was a cool listen

Being exposed to albums and artists like this is why I’m doing this project. I had never heard of Miriam Makeba before but I am so glad that I have now. This is a really fun album and “Pata Pata” is an incredible song that I found after listening to this album and reading the artist’s Wikipedia page.

What a powerful voice

música africana a la que se notan los años.

Cool and interesting

Notable tracks: Lakutshn, Ilanga, The Naughty Little Flea, House of the Rising Sun

Has obviously been influential, but not something to revisit in the 21st century

African american singer with top hit patapata on it. Mandela liked it so you like it too.

Enjoyed this today. Not every song was as exciting as the text on the album cover (from 1960) made it out to be, but it was good overall.

This is the kind of stuff I want more of from this list. This isn't music I would listen to on a given day, but I love her voice. Its nice to be pushed out of my comfort zone

Afrikanische Musik mit sanfter Gitarrenbegleitung und großer Stimme dargeboten; auf Love Tastes Like Strawberries singt Miriam einer Sitar ähnlich; auf Can't Cross Over interpretiert sie einen beschwingten Calypso im 50er Jahre Stil, auf Thanayi klingt sie fast brasilianisch, faszinierend und rhythmisch sehr spannend

I liked it but I think there is better world music out there

hygge afrikansk musik, det kan jeg godt lide. tror det vil være virkelig hyggeligt på en sommerhustur hvor man sidder udenfor og chiller solid 3/5 eller 4/5 indtil videre

Surely for its time, this self-titled debut from Miriam Makeba must have set the music world on fire for its groundbreaking and revelatory glances towards cultures outside the limited purview but it kind of falls flat for this modern ear. Sure, Miriam sings beautifully but the sparse arrangements did her more harm did good, I believe and the less said and thought of the penultimate track (One More Dance), the better. Still, there wouldn't be a place for South African music were it not for this. Favorites: The Retreat Song, Suliram, The Click Song, Umhome, Olilili, The Naughty Little Flea, Nomeva, Iya Guduza.

It was a really nice album. The vocals and instrumentation were really good.

I appreciated this album. I probably wouldn't listen again but I'm glad to have heard it

Intéressant mais parfois pousse trop la note pis ça me gosse