Reviews (page 6 of 8)
African folk music. Beautiful voice, funny lyrics at times and some nice melodies, but not catchy enough that I would listen again.
I had never heard of this before. It was cool to hear different rhythms and instruments. Also, amazing to hear South African songs with click sounds. I can’t imagine choosing to listen to this, but I’m glad I did.
Some interesting parts. Some a bit samey. Interesting for a change, but I zoned out before we even got to house of the rising sun, which was a shame as I was interested to hear that!
Uh. Kinda cool to be cultured I guess. The clicking song was pretty cool
This was a fun album to listen to- very different than my normal style, but really good vocals. The cover of House of a Rising Sun was cool
Pretty easy listen. Short only 30 mins. Not really something I’d listen to again but pleasant enough.
pleasant musik
Good background music! I love the tone of her voice
Lovely. Lots to learn from this singer.
Not my style but I do acknowledge the talent.
Beautiful voice. When you listen to a song in a different language you start regarding the voice as an instrument and hers is gorgeous. Don’t think i’d revisit except a few songs, but beautiful.
Not my style but interesting
quite good. First few tracks a bit subdued. Better when she belts it out. The last song about the sick old husband was sort of upsetting. I like Voice of Africa better but this did inspire me to listen to it again
I wanted to give it a 2. But it's too good for that. And the "A lion sleeps tonight" song is really good.
Cool, jazzy, maybe a little calypso. Enjoyed
A very important record. Not only did this bring South African music to prominence in other continents, but Makeba was an important South African civil rights activist, commonly adding anti-apartheid messages in her music. For this particular record, I enjoy how the instrumentals are more stripped-back. It really allows for her voice to shine. This isn't the most cohesive record, but really none of them were at the time (1960).
Interesting. Cool to hear the African clicking language in song. 3/5
cheese burger
Full of sounds I am not familiar with, this self-named album by Miriam Makeba surprised for me good. Her voice is extraordinary and I completely fell in love with "Suliram". As tracks passed, my expectations got higher. I have to say the cover of "House of the Rising Sun" disappointed me a little bit, and that the second half of the album was not as much as I would have desired.
I liked this change of pace. This music was soulful and pleasant.
This is the first album/artist that I have not recognized. Beautiful style of music that I need to expand my horizons on.
It’s a warm music journey into a genre I that I haven’t really explored
Highlights: Suliram, The Click Song, Lakutsh'n Ilanga, Mbube, House of the Rising Sun. Overall: *click* (thumbs up) A delightful fusion of jazz, African melodies and blues. Makeba's voice is one you won't forget. Overall: 6/10
Not as many African harmonies as I was expecting, but this was still a very nice listen. She has a great, soulful, voice that would have fit in very well in many American nightclubs. This brought about hints of Sarah Vaughn's recording "At Mr. Kelly's". Despite all that, there wasn't much that really reached out and grabbed me.
She has a great voice. I did not like the English language tracks. I would rather hear her native language. The last track with the guy laughing seemed entirely inappropriate. It could have been a good song if the guy didn't spoil it.
I've never listened to African music, let alone a blues-inspired variation of it. This was a pleasant surprise.
Something wildly out of my normal choices and I dug it. She was an insane talent. Vocal range is fantastic. Songs are beautiful set up. Not my normal cup of tea, but wow. Also, I learned that she was revolutionary as all hell, was on the Paul Simon Graceland tour, has a huge discography and wow... I'm _into it_
Was okay. At least I hope I listened to the right one as there were a couple on Spotify with the same name. Beautiful voice and neat cover of Rising Sun
This was really cool! Got a little samey sound wise as it went on but the real joy was reading about what an absolutely inspiring individual Miriam Makeba was, highly recommend looking into her story.
The thing I love about this website is the exposure to music I otherwise might not ever hear
Ok
Not my usual kind of music but I like the singing. She has a good voice. I really liked the Click Song. The track with the male singer constantly laughing was weird.
She has a powerful voice and I enjoyed a few tracks. Sounded like strong inspiration for Elton John's Lion King soundtrack, and I was reminded of Harry Belafonte calypso music in parts. My high was ended when the weird duet track came around with a giggling man.
She has a beautiful voice and the music is good as well. I struggled to connect with the music and the song with the guy laughing all the way through just irritated me. I'm sure it was a fun take, but I tend not appreciate goofs that get in the way of the music. I'm sure others appreciate it. Is this album essential? Eh, maybe, but not for me.
Interesting. Great vocals. Guy laughing through the duet was...odd.
Sono tutte cover? Bella voce, ma canzoni ok.
Beautiful voice. Smooth sounding music, sounding culturally African. Excellent album for what it is, just not my regular listening style. High 3.
B- The Retreat Song 3 Suliram 3 The Click Song (Qongqothwane) 4 Umhome* 3 Olilili 3 Lakutshn Ilanga 3 Mbube 4 The Naughty Little Flea 3 Where Does it Lead? 3 Nomeva 4 House of the Rising Sun 3 Saduva 3 One More Dance 1 Iya Guduza 4 This was actually really good. I guess Elon Musk's native music is better than I imagined.
Overall I enjoyed listening to this album, new one for me. I really like 3-4 songs and couple I really didn't. So somewhere in the middle.
Wow some of the vocals recording was really harsh and hard to listen to. Which is a shame because she has a really good voice. I enjoyed this more than expected, and happy to have listened, but probably not on the list to put on again. A cover of House of the Rising Sun that I actually liked! She has a beautiful voice and the jazz guitar worked well.
Interesting. I don't think I'd listen to it again.
What a voice. Beautiful. I saw there was a collaboration between her and Harry Belafonte - think I’ll have to check that out. Also nice bit of “lion sleeps tonight” action - unexpected but welcome!
Miriam has a very lovely voice, and the arrangements here were very simplistic but complemented her well. It's nice to hear artists like this that are very left field from what I usually listen to.
A solid little album. I read a bit about her from the Wikipedia entry and I had no idea she was such an influential figure in apartheid South Africa. It wasn't all my cup of tea (especially the House of the Rising Sun cover, bleh) but she has a powerful voice and put her all into each of the tracks. Also I liked the silly little flea song.
This shaped up big st the end
3. It's good, but also just not really my cup of tea?
An interesting listen. Joyous and melodic. Glad to have heard, but not something I'd revisit.
Not sure what half the songs were saying, but they weren't bad.
One of the more unique records I’ve listened to in this experiment. This South African legend even gives us a fantastic cover to go with solid originals. Her voice is spectacular even if the music around it isn’t really something I’m too into.
Ok album - great singer. A little too dreary for my taste.
Rich and joyful. Miriam Makeba's voice is delightful, containing a depth of emotion that transcends any language barriers. Musically, this is a really nice blend of traditional songs with a polished pop sound. Fave Songs: Mbube; Lakutshn, Ilanga; Iya Guduza; The Click Song; Where Does It Lead?
It’s fine
This was going really well, until the second half of the album which just felt like it was there because they’d run out of material.
Nice enough in the background.
I can't say it was something I'd ever reach for but I hope I remember I've listened to it for a long time. It was lovely to have on whilst I was writing and listening to it again in that context would really work! I wish there was a bit more subtelty in the scoring, this is much more a 3.7 or something than a 3 but I'm leaning 3 so there we are.
Well now. This is EXACTLY why I joined this project! Hearing an album I would never have normally even thought about but this was AWESOME! Beautiful voice and the music is just excellent! Thoroughly enjoyed this one! It obviously won’t be for everyone, as many will hate it but if you allow yourself to open up to it, it’s really rewarding this one!
Väl värd att lyssna på
This was good, some of it better than other parts I guess. Waffling between a 4 and a 3 here... Not sure I like it enough to come back repeatedly though, so... 3.5 rounded down for now.
Okay, so she's got a good voice and all, but this does nothing for me and I don't have the appropriate cultural contextual background to understand it's significance. Overall, it's fine, but I'm completely disinterested in it as a musical offering.
Lite afrikansk melodiradio till kaffet? Riktigt bra röst.
Enjoyed listening to her sing the African songs, but did not like the English as much.
Good singer.
Good for what it is. However, South African tribal music is not normally my first go to when I want to listen to music
Extra star because Lion King
Great to have such an early entry from the non-western part of the world. Miriam Makeba's voice was incredibly powerful, and on her debut stuff like 'The Click Song' and 'Mbube' are wonderful. Things are a bit less impressive on the more western-influenced covers like 'House of the Rising Sun'. And then I don't know what the fuck is going on on 'One More Dance', but I do not like it.
Really excited to see an African album from the 60’s on this list. Miriam Makeba is a great singer and her incorporation of Xhosa musical traditions brings this debut album to life. But what the fuck is “One More Dance”? This train wreck of a song almost makes the entire album collapse. It’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever listened to. Who in their right mind allowed that to happen!?
Totaal buiten mijn dichtgenaaide muziekspectrum, maar het was bijzonder mooi!
Mooi. Het leek soms wel fado, terwijl het Zuid-Afrikaans was.
Really cool vocal work. Unlikely I’ll listen to it again but glad I heard it.
This is ok. Some of the South African some are very interesting, but the English tracks seem like they're out of place.
She is a good singer, but I have absolutely no context for this album so it's hard for me to give it a fair review. The background singers are called the "Belafonte singers", so maybe this was intentionally given to us today. I'd rather hear an album by Harry Belafonte instead and am hoping he iso n this list somewhere.
A lovely voice, very nice cover of House of the Rising Sun. Great 1960s vibes, wouldn't switch it off.
Prima, maar niet super boeiend. Paar leuke nummers, verder een beetje rommelige verzameling.
Such a beautiful voice
Enjoyed this. Except the song with laughing. Laughing in music is always a little creepy.
A weem ba wep 3.5/5
Ahhhhh woombawwh awoombawah awoombawahhh. Unique album. Short and sweet.
It's different from what I usually listen to, but I though it was average.
Streit
osea no escucharía esto pero me alegra saber que existe! 6.5/10
Timeless
Pas transcendant pas mauvais
PREFS : The Retreat Song, The Click Song, Lakutshn, Ilanga, Mbube, Where Does It Lead, Home of the Rising Sun, Saduva MOINS PREF : One More Dance
She has a beautiful voice. I preferred the upbeat songs to the more ballady ones, but it was fun to hear something so different from everything else I’ve had from this list and what I’d normally listen to.
Really enjoyed the click song and Mbube Loved the slow guitar in Lakutshn, llanga Vocals were amazing, super fresh and was pleasant on the ears 3/5
Well, it was different, at least. Not super interesting but beautiful in its own way. I didn't hate it.
Foreign language very African. Simple music. Pleasant but not my cup of tea.
funny
I liked this and am completely ill-equipped to tackle, linguistically or musically. Her voice and what she does to it is beautiful.
good voice nice tunes not hugely memorable
This was pretty interesting. Not something I would necessarily listen to repeatedly but pretty cool.
yup
It rattles along quite nicely but lacks the punch to be a big hitter
The vocals are really pleasing on this. This is my first introduction to African style music. Pleasantly surprised. Shall definitely revisit sometime.
Leuk, maar niks aparts. 3
not that memorable
The album is not on my personal style of music, but as a new discovery was okay. The highlight is the music "Mbube" , for the cultural importance and for being used in The Lion King (not the same version)
Beautiful voice, love this
Ok
Standouts: The Naughty Little Flea, One More Dance. 3/5
It’s pleasant but not something I’d listen to often. 6/10
What a wonderful warm hearted honest album, Miriam Makeba makes it feel like she's sitting right next to you and singing just for you. The album has a wonderful range of different sounds and languages that give it a brilliant amount of variety and held my attention throughout and it leaves you with that impression that she knew exactly what she wanted to make from the very start.
Lovely, and I’m very glad it’s on the list, but not an album I’d race to pull out again. (Although I am inspired to listen to some of her later work)
This is an important record - it was her debut effort & she was such an influential South African performer, who strutted the world stage with great dignity & to great success. But it’s not her best work. Still, it introduced The Click Song, which was so famous when I was ten years old. With Mbube (on which she used the Chad Mitchell Trio, who would soon launch John Denver’s career) she showed a different take on the song westerners knew as Wimoweh or The Lion Sleeps Tonight. She recorded House Of The Rising Sun the year before Dylan got his hands on it. It’s of it’s time & well worth a listen.
I was not at all familiar with Miriam Makeba's early career. A somewhat strange assortment of material, but I guess this is the concept of "world music" just starting out. I think we could have lived without the novelty songs like "The Naughty Little Flea" or "One More Dance" (especially with that horrible laughing all the way through), but the variety of material (however relevant) shows that she could sing _anything_. What a voice! I could happily listen to her sing the phonebook. The tracks closer to her South African background are the strongest tracks ont he album (The Retreat Song, The Click Song, Mbube, Umhome, Olilili, Nomeva, etc), but even with material from elsewhere, she is controlled, dynamic, and powerful. She has a confident projection in whatever genre she is singing. Enjoyed.
50's island stuff. Dr. No soundtrack kind of stuff. Tiki party?
Hmm, this one is kind of tough to rate. The songs were nice and pleasant, but I never really felt as though I was getting into them most of the time, and there were small things throughout the album that were annoying more than anything, such as Charles Coleman's laughing throughout the whole song, or when Makeba's singing was muffled by herself via saying certain syllables. I really can't ignore the impressive vocals, however, and I didn't outright dislike anything, so I think it'll go in the middle with a three.
Doesn't sound bad at all, but it's just not my style of music. Especially the instrumentation just sounds too sparse for me. Nice for the background, but can't really get into it deeply.
Pretty fascinating album I would have probably never listened to. Two songs especially stood out to me: The Click Song & One More Dance. The first one because it had really catchy rhythm and the other one because it just felt really weird to have a guy laughing with those lyrics. The cover of House of Rising Sun was a bit too mellow for me.
Really nice relaxing tone to her voice, enjoyed listening to the album even though nothing like my style of music, but unlikely to listen again
This is certainly a different and interesting album. The click song really stood out among the rest as I've never heard anything like it in music before. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Mbube) was surprising. She's got a great singing voice and some of the songs actually were actually impactful like "Where Does It Lead?". "One More Dance" is just strange. Why is he struggling to hold back his laughter? I'll probably wont revisit this again even though it had some good moments.
It's so nice to get a break from Brit rock. I enjoyed listening to this. Miriam has a great voice and this was a pleasant selection of songs. The incontrollable laughter from her duet partner on "One More Dance" made me laugh, too.
Mbube is seriously kicking in some Lion King Vibes to me!! I enjoyed some of the songs! I dont think this is something I'd listen to normally but it was an enjoyable listen.
Cool record from a culture who’s music I need to pay more attention to. Really all cultures who don’t play mostly English-speaking music. Very beautiful voice and downbeat instrumentation. Gonna need more relistens for sure
I'm guessing I'm not the only one who'd heard "The Click Song" before this, but the rest of the album was new to me. Not something I'd ever throw on myself, but I wouldn't mind if it was playing.
Miriam Makeba has a beautiful voice. It's just not really my style.
Enjoyed the album and the history, but I do think the history of Miriam and where this album takes her outweighs the album itself. Taken on its own merits it seemed a product of the time (outside of the context of history).
I have never heard of Miriam Makeba before today, and I was really enjoying the first half of this album, but I think the tracks in Xhosa are a lot better than the ones in English. I'd probably put this one as a 3 but I'll have to dig deeper on her as I was really liking a few of the tracks.
There's still a number of non-English musical genres I'm still unaccustomed to, including African music & the work of Miriam Makeba, so this was a really insightful listen and Miriam herself is a great singer, even if the music itself didn't really hold my interest outside of a few songs. 3/5 fav: The Click Song worst: One More Dance
Beautiful voice, her life is an incredible story worth reading about. It's hard to get into though, different cultures, languages, experiences, but I do appreciate the skill and craft of the songs. 3 stars.
Makeba's songs are better than the ones written by other folks. I want to punch The Naughty Little Flea in the face. Not the flea, just the song. There are other songs that are equally cloying. House of the Rising Sun and Mbube are important bits of cultural DNA, but Iya Guduza is the real banger.
Interesting hearing songs from South Africa but not massively my kinda music
No idea what was being said but I still enjoyed the music, I've saved a few into a world playlist, don't think I'll listen to it as a whole again but I had fun listening. Favourite track The click song.
A little bit too old-fashioned. Would not listen again
Good sound overall
Miriam Makeba is a jazz singer from South Africa. Makeba is specifically singing Marabi, a form of jazz from Southern Africa that takes from the traditional music of the region. Makeba would make music in the United States after political tensions from the apartheid caused her passport to be cancelled. Unable to return to her home country, she would continue to make music in tandem with her political activism, as Makeba was fiercely against the apartheid. Thanks to her popularity from her music, she was able to raise awareness on the political issues in South Africa. This would be a cause that she would champion for years, all the way up to the 90's when Mandela was released from prison, negotiated the end of apartheid, and eventually became President of South Africa. Historically rich, but what of the music? It's incredible, for the most part. The more traditional-sounding songs, particularly the ones sung in Xhosa and Zulu, are endlessly interesting. The greatest thing this album as to offer, aside from Makeba's wonderful voice, is the unique showcase of culture. To learn and appreciate the music from another part of the world is exciting and enriching, and there's quit e a bit here to enjoy. However, perhaps to make it more appealing to a western audience, there are some English-language songs that aren't quite as interesting. The Naughty Little Flea and One More Dance don't quite fit, in my opinion. However, her rendition of House of the Rising Sun is incredible. A great album that is held back by weak points, I think that Miriam Makeba's album is a lovely experience nonetheless.
I wasn't super into it but it's not bad. The singing is really nice.
Switched to Bladee
Det är på grund av sånt här jag vill hålla på med detta projekt. så mysigt!
Enjoyable. She has a great voice and it was interesting hearing where The Lion Sleeps Tonight came from.
I kinda enjoyed this.. the stands out were the Click Song, and Mbube and Naughty Little Flea. Just a really nice laid back listen for the most part.
En ollut kuunnellut tällaista aiemmin. Ihan hyviä kappaleita, ja hieno lauluääni! Joissakin kappaleissa oli myös hyvä sanoma, kuten: What Is Love. Muita hyviä: Ring Bell, Ring Bell ja Saduva.
Tosi kivaa vaihtelua siihen, mitä normaalisti tulee kuunneltua. Tykkäsin tosi paljon Miriamin äänestä ja tästä koko levystä tuli jotenkin tosi hyvä mieli :) Ainut kappale, josta en ehkä erityisemmin pitänyt, oli One More Dance. Suosikkeja: The Click Song, Mbube, Saduva
Rilassante, carina. un po' troppo da ninna nanna
This was a great listen, a little naffly westernised in places but she has a fantastic voice. Solid three stars.
This was a total vibe! Very enjoyable, vibrant performances. Solid album.
Went in expecting to dislike it. But the singing ability is fantastic and can tell the meaning is special even if I can’t understand what is said
Okay I liked this one. But I thought the first 5 songs were better than what followed. I especially liked it because of the quality of the background vocals, whenever those appeared; just magical. See "Holilili" At times it reminded me of the Tiki Room show at Disneyland lol Also "Mbube" was definitely on that Classical Baby show I used to watch as a kid
Fabulous voice. Enjoyed the African harmonies and rhythms.
Calming, island/African sound, jazzy tunes. All of the songs are quite short. Great album to listen to if you are cooking breakfast on a Sunday morning. I definitely will give this album a listen again in the future.
I am obsessed with the dress she's wearing; they really nailed the cover art. Miriam Makeba puts a lot of emotion into her singing, much of which is upbeat. Her lovely voice and cheerful tone combined with the short unusual songs flying result in a charming listening experience.
Beautiful voice
Wow! Miriam Makeba posses the voice of an angel. Some lovely jazz-tinged songs here; some in English, many in what I assume is her native tongue. Standouts for me Mbube, The Click Song and a a lovely rendition of House of the Rising Son. Very happy to have discovered this album. 3.5 stars
I don't have the sentiment, but the vibes are chilly
Hot take: I really love moments like One More Dance. The two singers are clearly having fun and it makes the record feel more human. Laughter is a very universal language that speaks to anyone, especially in a semi foreign language like this album. Overall, this is a record that you need to grow on you. Miriam is such an undeniable talented singer. Even though half of the album is in english, the parts that arent are able to be told though universal emotions like love, loss, tradition, is a pretty good feat. I wish I could give this a 3.5 so im split on a 3 or a 4 star. This album deserves a bit more love though
traditional and happy-go-lucky old school choruses. the sound of sitting in a cafe in South Africa on a cozy and listening to unusually proficient live music.
Why is this on the list. It's not bad though.
One of the greatest African singers of all times. Good music but I like her later music better. Great example of how you get better with the years.
Very interesting and uplifting
No quiero sonar bien mamón pero no me gusta como esos momentos que suena mal algunas canciones, entiendo que son antiguas pero meh, pero no deja que sea bonito este álbum. :) 6.5/10
Amumbawe amumbawe amumbawe En la jungla, tan imponente, El leon rey duerme ya, En la jungla, tan imponente, El león rey duerme ya Procede a cagarse de risa.
Not my kind of music but it's pretty. 3 stars.
i didnt save my notes from before. this is a really nice album to listen to.
This was interesting & enjoyable, but I doubt I'd ever want to listen to it again.
Not my thing
Really nice. Strong and beautiful vocals with nice instrumentals
Quelle énorme frustration d'entendre Miriam Makeba fredonner l'air du lion étant mort ce soir-là sans jamais annoncer la triste nouvelle, obligeant ainsi son audience à rester dans le déni le plus total. Et je ne parle même pas du morceau One More Dance dans lequel Makeba reçoit un Carlito hilare, incapable de chanter la moindre note. Comme sur l'interlude de son album avec Mcfly.
J'a failli mettre 4 pour cet album pourtant prehistorique. Seulement, les sud africanaiseries déblatérées tout au long de l'album ont fini par me destabiliser, j'accorde donc un très gros 3/5.
Pretty good, but questionable (e.g. the laughing in the song that is about a man dying).
It was fun to hear something from a completely different era and part of the world than I'm used to. That ended up being its biggest downfall for me however, because I simply couldn't find much of anything to connect to as I listened. It's difficult to rate something like this, but my lasting impression is that I'm glad I heard it but I'm in no hurry to listen to it again.
catchy easy listening beach vibes
Cool voice, cool songs, thats all i can really say. Not something id instantly switch to, but was definitely a cool experience to listen to, especially some of the songs that were sang in Xhosa (the click language of SA).
Top songs: The Click Song, Lakutshon' Ilanga, Where Does It Lead, House of the Rising Sun, Iya Guduza VERY cool album. Not something I would have thought to listen to, but definitely enjoyed it. The House of the Rising Sun cover is a really neat interpretation of the song. 3.5/5
Interesting album
This was really nice. 3 stars.
Je n’ai pas eu le temps de terminer cet album, mais j’ai aimé ce que j’ai entendu. Je vais assurément y revenir et je suis content d’avoir fait cette écoute.
Another one of those albums I appreciate being on the 1,001 list because I'd otherwise never run across it. Similar to the recent Nyro album where it's mainly about the strong vocals of the female artist. Miriam Makeba's voice is not quite as captivating as Laura Nyro's, but it was still an enjoyable listen (except for One More Dance - WTF was the point of the laughing?). Not sure if I'm going back for more though.
A pretty good album overall and a hodgepodge of different moods throughout from the somber “Umhome” and “Olilili” to the humorous “The Naughty Little Flea” and “One More Dance.” She has an amazingly rich voice, and the songs were a good listen but not something I could see myself coming back to often.
Pleasant album, but not sure I needed to hear it before I die. Most fun part was hearing "Mbube" and saying, "hey! That's The Lion Sleeps Tonight!" Turns out "Mbube" means "lion" and the original song was written in 1939 by Solomon Linda (a capella song - check it out on YouTube). And, of course, typical for the music industry, American record companies ripped it off and barely paid him a cent (check out the Wikipedia entry - Pete Seeger tried to share his royalties with Solomon Linda but the publisher never sent the payments). I also learned that "wimoweh" is a mispronunciation of "uyimbube" which means "you are a lion." You learn something new every day. Back to Miriam Makeba, pleasant album, don't need to hear it again. That's a 3.
Fun album, but maybe makes too many concessions to trying to attract the English language market at the time. One More Dance is super strange too. I really like the guitar and deep makes backing vocals. 6/10
Something to sleep to but gotta skip One More Dance cuz it’s creepy.
Not my usual, but gorgeous performance.
Interesting listen. Seemed like at least one of the songs was maybe a traditional song that served as the inspiration to A Lion Sleeps Tonight.
Gorgeous Nina Simone-esque voice and it’s really cool to see how Africa pop was introduced to the US. I probably won’t listen if it regularly, but it was very interesting
I thought this started off really beautifully and I got less into it by the end. But some really gorgeous tunes and harmonies in there. I thought Holilili was epic and so beautiful. The little bits of speech in there were a nice touch too
Great vibe, great voice.
Quite enjoyed coming home and playing this after a long Monday at work. An amazing voice and interesting arrangements. It really makes me think of fllm soundtracks of the time (1960s). No bad thing.
A good album, but overall, a few very nice moments. The track "Where Does It Lead" was my highlight of this album, it might be the only song that I will listen again in the future.
Lovely voice. Bold album for the timeframe. Snaps to the producers here
Kinda into it.
I can't say that I was familiar with Miriam Makeba before I used this app. I might grumble about Dimery and co.'s choices sometimes, but we can still be grateful for most of them, especially when they allow you to discover great or important arists, as Makeba surely is. This album should probably be counted as an essential listen if only for two tracks-"The Click Song" and "Mbube", sort of a preliminary sketch of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", here in one of its best versions. That being said, now that I've browsed though Makeba's impressive list of releases (and it will take some time for me to find my way around it), it also seems that this first international solo release by the South-African singer might not be the best entry point into that sweeping discography of hers. Sure, *Miriam Makeba* probably sounds more "authentic" than some of "Mama Africa"'s subsequent albums recorded and produced in the US... But once you've listened to *Pata Pata*, for instance, it's hard to dismiss that later (and admittedly more famous) record. And not only because of its killer title, one that I *did* know before, actually--who can forget that sweet and oh-so-catchy melody?--indeed, "Ring Bell, Ring Bell" and "West Wind" are absolute gems too, and the rest is great, making *Pata Pata* another essential purchase. Makeba's performance on "West Wind" is even reaching levels of emotion that are worthy of Nina Simone herself. And don't get me started on that incredible string arrangement in the background... So if *Miriam Makeba* is an essential listen, you might also need to add *Pata Pata* to the list. That other album even has a new version of "The Click Song" (even though that new version is not nearly as good as the original here). And then, how many other great tracks has Makeba recorded during her long career? Wish I could listen to everything in a split-second. Music *is* a rabbit hole, is it not? Number of records left to review or just listen to: 935 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 31 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 18 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 17
Miriam is the name I sometimes use when I groom young boys and girls online. They find the name comforting and are more likely to turn up at my lair. Other names to consider are Barbara and Pat. Keep on grooming, baby!
Gorgeous voice but not my cup of tea
This was really nice except for that guy laughing it up. Rude.
Nice voice but the album is a mixed bag. Not bad but just not for me
Música racial. Tranquila y diferente
She has a very nice voice. The song about the sick husband was fun!
very Africa
great voice and arrangements.
Such a a beautiful voice - the guy in One Last Dance is very annoying though
A lot of the songs were very good, some goofy ones like One More Dance that I didn’t hate. Overall not a bad album
World music is unclassified
I am by no means an expert on world music. The story of this album (a South African musician who escaped apartheid) is obviously very big. The tracks where she sings in Xhosa are very interesting, and something I've never heard before, and despite the language barrier, Lakutshon Ilanga is beautiful. Unfortunately, the old fashioned trad jazziness does very little for me, and there's also some novelty song rubbish on here too. Definitely an important album, and some great moments on it.
She has a good voice, and the album does a good job focusing on her and not a lot of instrumentals or production. I appreciate a good singer, but the album just isn't for me. It's not bad though, so 3 stars.
Quote listenable even though the majority of it is in a foreign language
I want to play the click song at my wedding ✌🏼
I felt like I was listening to lion King soundtrack. This was a very enjoyable journey, now darling go home your husband is dead 3.5/5
That was an unexpected slice of Africa served up in an easy listening sandwich. More Africa and less not-Africa and it would have gotten another star.
clicking and singing along
Not something I'll go back to, but superb voice.
Can't say this is really my thing, but it was at least a bit of a fresh change from the rest of the albums on this list. The more typically-African songs are kinda cool, but the English covers are really dated. Overall pretty easy going Friday morning vibe. I'll never listen to it again, but at least it wasn't another album with Neil Young in it. 3/5.
Enjoyed it. Reminded me of Margaret Sengata of Ipi Tombi.
Another hard to rate album. Miriam definitely has a great voice but in all honesty the songs and style just aren't really for me. This is really a 2.5 but I'm going to bump it to a 3 since I've given for worse a 2.
Afrikaanse muziek doet me altijd denken aan het album Graceland van Paul Simon. Dit album is toch wel wat anders, met een paar geinige covers. Verder helaas ook wat saaie liedjes. ***
Some African music! Nice to hear
Good voice. Not my style of music. Interesting House of the Rising Sun cover.
Miriam Makeba’s voice doesn’t belong in this century. It’s really cool, some of the songs reminded me of the Broadway Lion King soundtrack. Her cover of House of the Rising Sun was haunting, and neat that the focus was almost 100% on the vocals rather than the instrumentation.
Bellafonte influence for sure. Fun, great voice, probably won't come back to it
I like this and the other Miriam music I've heard, but the poppier choices on her self-titled make for more misses than hits. The second half of the album is stronger and Makeba's voice on those songs makes the earlier cuts seem better.
Incredible voice and a cool inclusion of world music on the list. I'm not particularly taken with any of the arrangements.
Never heard of her before. This was a great experience. There are a couple of songs on here that I absolutely loved - The Naughty Little Flea and One More Dance. Her version of the House of the Rising Sun was very good (four years before the Animals made it iconic). The African songs are nice, and I think that Lakutshn Ilanga was my favorite. Standouts: One More Dance, The Naughty Littel Flea, Lakutshn Illanga, Where Does it Lead, House of the Rising Sun. Glad I got a chance to get to know your music Mama Africa. 3/5
It's like the vocal jazz of the era I'm used to, except the vocal style and African instrumentation is very traditional, yet still accessible to the popular audience. It is no wonder she was a sensation in not just her own country. She reached #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with her later hit "Pata Pata." The most surprising aspect to me was the clicks. Since click consonants aren't vocalized, I always thought they would be quiet and thus couldn't be sung. After all, that's why it was used for hunting signals. At first I couldn't tell if the production distinguished them, but now I believe that's how it would be heard live. Sometimes like the bilabial click early in "Lakutshon's Ilanga" sticks out to the point of being a distraction, but it blends really well into the later songs. Really cool though. Highlights: Qongqothwane (The Click Song), Mbube, House of the Rising Sun
Appreciated, not my thing. Going to listen to again though
Who knew there were any exports from South Africa beyond Charlize Theron, Die Antwoord, and Paul Simon’s collaborations from ‘Graceland.’ Well coincidentally, Miriam Makeba was on that record (I need to go back and check it out). This was her debut from 1960 and sounds like she was already a dear matronly soul. Lots of fun, wholesome, amusing. Who can resist the charm of the ‘click’ song, fleas climbing up your knees, and the paradoxically slap-happy duet about her dying ‘old man’ - “Is he worse? Well I am no nurse.”
relaxing, but nothing standout
Really liked the South African bits, the English songs are just a bit dated.
Captivating - sounded loads more modern than it is. Fav new track: Mbube, though One More Dance made me smile and House Of The Rising Sun was one of the best covers I've heard.
Beautiful voice that reminds me of Sarah Vaughn, especially in the ballads. The album offers a variety of songs that sound okay overall, but aren't particularly overwhelming either.
Niet mijn ding, kleinkunst uit zuid Afrika
Never listened before. Lovely voice.
Very beautiful voice. Not much else to say about the music as it follows formula but is very pleasant.
"A weema weh" in "Mbube!?" Or almost? Was it? If it wasn't, is that, let's just say culturally insensitive of me to think it was? I wasn't listening super closely, because I was just enjoying Makeba's lovely voice, not being able to understand most of the lyrics. "House of the Rising Sun" cover was very cool. But again, a lot of it became background as most of it was not in English. No fault of the music, but rather a fault in my listening. Great voice, deserved better.
Nice voice, read into her history on Wikipedia and sounds like a tough road. Not my genre but live would be lovely.
She has a beautiful voice and an interesting style to introduce to American audiences in 1960. I was hoping to hear more rhythmic songs, like Pata Pata, which is one of the few of her songs I know, vs acapella or novelty numbers.
It's good, just not my style of music. Favorite track might be Mbube or One More Dance.
this was pretty good! just enough world music content to be interesting with some very good singing.
I dig the variety, was surprised at how many songs I knew on this one
Wow! Her voice and tone are really a joy to listen to. An infectious energy.
Miriam has a rich voice and it definitely shares an interesting variety of songs... from the click song to the naughty little flea.. not sure what to make of one more dance. I like her take on House of the Rising Sun... overall the album is enjoyable, though not sure i would choose to listen to more from Miriam.
Beautiful voice, fun and funny. Musicianship was solid throughout, but nothing like-changing.
This is definitely outside of my usual listening sphere and so provided a nice diversion from my usual fare. I did have to steer my expectations in a way since I generally don't focus much on vocals and seeing that Miriam Makeba is very clearly a vocal artist...:D but this was very much worth the trip. One standout song is "The Click Song" because of how obviously different and very non-Western it is. I'm not sure how to properly describe it but you have to listen - she sings with a "click-consonant" that is part of some African languages - very cool! "Olilili" also features a deep background chorus that sounds funereal yet uplifting in a way. As with many well-produced older (analog) albums, I really enjoyed the clarity of the mix. Since I'm much more a rock fan I don't feel really qualified to rate this in a proper way and wouldn't "measure" it against other collections more to my knowledge - but the vocals are truly unique (from my POV) and this was fascinating to listen to. 7/10 3 stars
Not in YouTube music
-Miriam has some pipes! -I like this version of "Lion Sleeps Tonight / Mbube" - Mbube actually dates back to the 1920s and is in the public domain🌈, but most of all it reminds me of Ace Ventura👌 -"The Click Song", The Naughty Flea", and "Where Does it Lead" are some of the standout tracks on here 🌟🌟🌟
A fabulous voice, effortlessly moving between styles and injecting passion into every note and lyric. Not my absolute favourite style and I think some of the songs drag a little but overall a lovely listen.
Same sonic environment as Harry Belafonte at Carnegie Hall.
zulul
African, smooth, classic. Great vocals.
It was alright. I didn't love it or hate it.
I guess I don't understand how these 1001 albums are chosen and the link to Wikipedia doesn't help either as far as context is concerned. I was surprised to hear "Mbube" though - I had no idea that "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was based off an South African classic.
Beautiful
Seems fine. Have no idea how to contextualize this with a list of 1000 additional albums.
Never heard of this woman but she had a crazy life, from being taken under the wing of Harry Belafonte to marrying Stokely Carmichael and fighting Apartheid. 'The Click Song' was interesting; didn't know that the Xhosa language does all the clicking and stuff while they sing too. Had to smile when I got to 'Mbube' and realized that's where 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' comes from.
No complaints, but nothing grabbed me either.
Enjoyed it but wouldn't necessarily listen to it again
Really unique. Good music, good songs.
Lovely voice and interesting songs. I much prefer the non-English tracks in the first half but also I can't see myself listening to it again. Probably good for a name check to boost my multi-cultural credentials.
not my cup of tea, but i see its appeal
not my usual listening but her voice is beautiful Holilili gave definite Disney vibe with that backing chorus
Stunning clicky vocals
Der weibliche Harry Belafonte
Makeba has a lovely voice that one day would blend perfectly with Belafonte in several concerts, on her own though it is largely lacking any "catchiness" or "replay-ability" that would make the listener want to revisit the album. It was a solid first effort, and very unique voice, but lacking in greater substance.
I like this. I’d buy it if I could find a used version at one of my local record shops, which is very likely. Very chill, has a Harry Belafonte vibe which is both to be expected and very much welcomed. I’d say a solid 3 here
Nice voice but not really my thing
Didn't give a fair listen to in time
My only familiarity with this style of African music is from the Lion King. Overall a very evocative and quite beautiful - she has a great voice. The three English language songs feel very out of place and detract from it, but otherwise a very enjoyable listen.
El rey león. One More Dance
3.5 Ich mag das sehr, passt aber nicht in jede Situation.
Buena voz femenina con un buen timbre para un estilo muy africano y que, aunque no sea un género que me guste especialmente, se deja escuchar por ser algo diferente
I know of her through Paul Simon. She has a great voice and listening to this is important in discovering the voices and sounds of Africa.
Soul, jazz, Africana.
3 - Macht Spaß
Pretty cool. A solid 3.5.
Had a great jam to this first thing in the morning
The basis is good, but tbh i find the click style jarring - just like the english mentioned in The Click Song ;)
This. Was. Cool
Beautiful voice
impeccable vocals
Pretty solid. New sound will return to this.
nice slow jazz ones. her voice was great. I did NOT like the guy laughing on the penultimate song
sounds like a disney soundtrack pretty
nice but not my thing
The folk ones weren't my cup of tea, but the remakes were good.
I am sure it was a significant Album to reach international fame singing in an African Language. One More Dance was fun - but overall not my sound
Not something I would have listened to before but I liked it
Classic African soul music. Lovely stuff, a very pleasant surprise this morning
Decent World music
.
I started listening to the wrong album first, and found it pretty dull. The correct one is really cool, though - even apart from The Click Song.
Admire her voice and style of music but couldn’t finish listening
the song with the guy laughing fucking ruins this so bad like holy shit leave it off the record
Very beautiful, but I’m almost certainly not going to come back to it sadly 2
Culturally interesting and was pleased to hear something not from the UK or America. I recognise Miriam’s impact on South Africa during apartheid…the music, however, is not something to think I’ll be rushing back to play.
Miriam’s voice is so angelic this felt a bit like a Christmas album to me. Holds up well for being world music released over 65 years ago. Nice debut, enjoyed the listen. (2.2*s) Awlright, maybe The Naughty Little Flea doesn’t hold up, but it had to make ya smile!
I'm always impressed by someone who is able to speak multiple languages well enough to be able to effectively sing in their non-native language. This is especially impressive when the difference between the languages is so stark. Miriam Makeba clearly has South African roots but her English is really soft and smooth when she is vocalizing. Her voice is surprisingly tender and effective enough to carry a tune with minimal accompaniment. I appreciated that the songs on this album were 2-3 minute entries that were quick to visit and moved on with dragging. It was cool to get a glimpse into some of the African language that contains clicks and beats that we don't have in English. Nice to get some exposure to a traditional cultural songs like The Click Song that is evidently used in South African weddings. Otherwise I think heard some excerpts from The Lion Sleeps Tonight and a slowed down vocal version of House of the Rising Sun. Though I didn't expect much from this album there are parts of it that stuck with me more than some of the prior world music entries. I don't expect to ever return to Miriam Makeba but this 30-minute listen certainly wasn't wasted on me. 1.81 stars
A little too laid back and easy, like an African James Taylor.
Den afrikanska kontinenten är en vit fläck i min skivsamling. Det svarta Amerika är desto mer representerat. I sina bästa stunder smälter Mariam Makeba ihop de både sidorna och visar att mycket av musiken på båda sidor om Atlanten härstammar från samma plats. Bäst är hon i de långsamma sorgsna melodierna, som Suliram, Where does it lead och Lakutshon Ilanga, där hennes starka röst verkligen kommer till sin rätt. Men det är också en del larv, Whimawee och klicksång som jag inte riktigt är mottaglig för. En hyfsat stark tvåa på totalen.
Malena har en fin röst. Tyvärr håller inte arrangemangen samma klass. Känns mer som replokalsupptagningar än ett riktigt album. Dessutom väldigt klent med enbart bas, gitarr å sång. Vad som är syftet med Charles Colemans garv i One more dance, går över mitt förstånd. Svag tvåa.
Miriam har säkert haft stor betydelse för att öppna upp västerländska ögon för afrikansk musik. Här får vi en blandning av Sydafrika, amerikansk folkmusik (house of the rising sun) samt lite trams (the Naughty little flea och one more dance). Vi slipper åtminstone Pata pasta.
5/10 It's nice to have diversity on the list. If anything there should more picks like this. Unfortunately that doesn't mean I enjoyed listening. Not my cup of tea I guess. Highlights: Iya Guduza Mbube
Good album.
Not my thing
Not my style but I really liked her voice.
She does have a beautiful voice.
Brilliant voice, but I won’t revisit.
South African music - first album on here from there I got
1.7 2x it's actually pretty good, just not my thing at all
This is #day622 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to some world sounds again, something clearly outside my wheelhouse. The soothing moments give off a kind of "Christmas time in Africa" feel. Otherwise, I can't connect with this music, and I've nothing else left to say. Let it be a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day623.
Meh, eerste deel klinkt oke, daarna minder
Totally not of interest to my ears. This is not bad music, and I do not doubt it's merits for being in the 1001. It's just not appealing to me.