Saturday, 29 January 2011

Good Luck Motella! (1968)

It is extremely honouring to become a part of the fantastic team here at ElectricJive, bringing forgotten gems to the fore again: flatint’s wonderful share highlighting The Movers last week certainly gives you an idea of the treats in store for you! For this post though, we’re going to be departing from the soul train for a while and putting the focus on some straight, no-nonsense mbaqanga – the tasty musical meld that dominated the townships for some twenty years.




















Our rare share today is Good Luck Motella, a compilation LP from 1968, bringing together the most successful singles from the past year. This LP is a classic example of the successful hit factory that was Mavuthela, Gallo’s African music subsidiary, the musical home of the biggest pop stars of the day. Some fantastic vocal jive is contained on this record, courtesy of the Mavuthela girl group collective under various names (Izintombi Zo Mgqashiyo, Dima Sisters, Mthunzini Girls, Mahotella Queens), with regular guest vocals from the King, Simon “Mahlathini” Nkabinde. All this along with two sax jives from the force behind the scenes – the wonderful Makhona Tsohle Band who so defined the mbaqanga scene for so long – makes this a truly definitive record.

I won’t spoil it by telling you what each track has in store for you, but I will say that fans of Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens (post-1986 reunion) are in for a surprise: this record contains the original versions of “Izulu Liyaduduma” (recorded for Thokozile in 1987), “Sihambile” (from 1994’s Stoki Stoki) and “Thokozile” (the title track on their 1987 album).

Enjoy!

GOOD LUCK MOTELLA (Various)
Motella LMO 107
1968

1. IZULU LIYADUDUMA – IZINTOMBI ZO MGQASHIYO
2. WOZA JIVE SOSOLO – MTHUNZINI GIRLS
3. MOKHOSI – DIMA SISTERS
4. KHUPA MARAMA NO. 2 – MARKS MANKWANE & HIS ALTO SAX
5. SIBUYILE – IZINTOMBI ZO MQASHIYO
6. SITHUNYIWE THOKOZILE NO. 3 – INTOMBI ZOMGQASHIYO
7. DLAMINI – IZINTOMBI ZO MQASHIYO
8. MATAMATO JIVE MATAMATO NO. 2 – MAKGONA - TSOHLE BAND
9. PHOROKGOTLHO – DIMA SISTERS
10. MAFEHLEFEHLE – MAHLATHINI & THE QUEENS
11. DIKGOMO – DIMA SISTERS
12. OKUSHA-SHA – MTHUNZINI GIRLS

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10 comments:

  1. Matt TempleSaturday, January 29, 2011

    welcome on board Nick...looking forward to many more electric jives!

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  2. gilhodgesSaturday, January 29, 2011

    Nick, I am grateful for all your past generosity and for the wonderful gifts, like this one, to come. Thanks!

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  3. FredrikOMonday, January 31, 2011

    This is a very generous contribution to the great, though inconspicuous, mbaqanga-loving community!

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  4. mattMonday, January 31, 2011

    Hi Nick-
    One thread to pick up on is that Mavuthela and the "Motella" label were referencing Berry Gordon and the first black record company Motown. It is surely no co-incidence that Motella sounds similar to Motown. And the commercial model of a studio band with a rotation of singers and groups, with different names, churning out the hits. Maybe I'm taking it too far but I'm sure these things didn't happen in isolation. The newly urban population of major urban centres of SOuth Africa took many cultural references from the next largest black urban population - the USA. Forgive my ramblings....

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  5. mattMonday, January 31, 2011

    Make that Berry Gordy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Siemon AllenFriday, February 04, 2011

    Charles Hamm has a couple of chapters on this subject (South African music relationship to the US) in his excellent book "Putting Popular Music in its Place".
    I highly recommend!

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  7. donpiperFriday, February 04, 2011

    Thanks for the share Nick,
    and thanks for the great articles and shares on matsuli and on this blog in the past. The Mavuthela - Sound of the Sixties article you posted on matsuli some time ago is the best I have read so far on that period in South African music.

    With you on board the future looks rosy.

    best wishes,
    donpiper

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  8. jordanTuesday, February 08, 2011

    Hello bloggy people! and to you blogmeister, thank you for these joyous sounds. I wonder if anyone knows where i might find some english translations of these great songs?

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  9. TonyMonday, December 05, 2011

    Hi - My daughter is doing a school project for her guitar class. She was born in South Africa in 1996 when I was working at WDL and I am introducing her to a different style of music. I am trying to find an English translation for the lyrics to the Song Marena by the Mahotella Queens. Can anyone direct me to this or help me out? Thanks

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  10. galebolokane thutlwaWednesday, July 18, 2018

    Hi Nick. Nick monna I trust you you have been around these things for long now I believe in all you are going to do.when we move from casette to CD radio Botswana bought all our mgqashioyos and mpqangas they have everything all bohlosa products or records are there. There is a radio program on radio botswana every Saturday at 18h45-19h45 they have more than King Mahlathini and the queens. Everything you can think of. Am Lukas 0833316007 dying for this music. I work with Hilda Tloubatla's son he was not yet been born when we jived to his mom's music (some body is calling out my name ).good luck.

    ReplyDelete

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