5 unforgettable Johnny Clegg songs

With a career of nearly five decades, the ‘white Zulu’, as he was often referred to, spoke to different generations and reminded them of the role music can play in bringing open dialogue, even in times of racial hostilty.

Clegg's fusion style of music could make one think, move to its rhythm and sing along unabatedly; his catchy melodies will be remembered for many years come.

As we mourn the great artist, we have decided to put together a playlist of five unforgettable songs that Johnny Clegg shared with his fellow South Africans, who through them could put aside their differences and come together as one.

‘Asimbonanga’

Asimbonanga’ (We’ve Never Seen Him) is a tribute to Nelson Mandela. It was employed as a protest song during apartheid when images of Mandela were banned. The two great men share the stage in the live video below. 

‘Impi’

Like ‘Asibonanga’, ‘Impi’ (War) is sung in Zulu and English. The song is off the 1981 African Litany album. It is loaded with political lyrics and narrates the defeat of the British colonial army by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana. ‘Impi’ was censored by South African radio stations but became an underground hit nonetheless. In modern South Africa, ‘Impi’ is often sung at sporting events.

‘Great Heart’

‘Great Heart’ is off the 2003 A South African Story album and was the title song for the 1986 film Jock of the Bushveld. The song was covered by US singer Jimmy Buffett for his 1988 Hot Water album. Clegg did a remake of the song titled ‘Spirit of the Great Heart’ featuring various South African musicians. Produced by Michael Canfield, the song was made in support of the Starfish Greathearts Foundation, an international development charity that supports more than 34 000 orphaned and vulnerable children across South Africa.

‘Human Rainbow’

‘Human Rainbow’ was made alongside Clegg's band Savuka. Released in 1998, the song is off the Shadow Man album and is mainly sung in English, with backing vocals in Zulu.

'Scatterings of Africa'

This is perhaps Clegg's best-known song. It was released in 1982 with his band Juluka on the Scatterings album. A Savuka version of the song is featured in the 1988 Oscar-winning film Rain Man, but we've opted to playlist the original below.