The soundtrack to my childhood is music that played on a ZBC TV programme which used to be called Mvengemvenge (meaning assorted) which later became Mutinhimira wemimhanzi/Ezomgido meaning the rhythm of music on Thursday evenings. The video playlist was mostly local music with some regional songs from the continent making an appearance.
For the international music fix one tuned in on Saturday evening for Sounds On Saturday, which became Music Box and later known as Coke On The Beat when Coca-cola started sponsoring it.
Cecilia by the Rusike brothers was one of my favourite songs…
I loved the video and tried to dance along to the Michael Jacksonesque choreography.
If I squinted my eyes like so …^_^… and turned my head at an angle, the lady featured in the video as Cecilia reminded me of my mum. So yeah, the song has had a special place in my life, every time I heard it I smiled, never mind the lyrics flew over my head but I rolled on the floor and laughed and laughed just like they did at the end of the video… She loves me again!!!
I grew up, the song half-forgotten in my memories, until, years later, while scrolling through South African channels on the TV, I ran into this song by The Vamps – Oh Cecilia (breaking my heart)
My first thought had been wow, those Rusike brothers had made it so global they were being sampled by an international outfit… allow me, please.
The beauty and curse of the internet though, within a few clicks on the information superhighway, I had gotten to the bottom of this curious case to the shocking revelation that The Rusike brothers song had actually been a cover version…. Noooo
The 2014 release Oh Cecilia song by The Vamps had been adapted from a 1970s hit Cecilia.
Cecilia was originally written by Paul Simon and performed by the duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel in April 1970 as their 3rd single of the album Bridge Over Troubled Water.
The song’s percussive rhythm is said to have to come about from a late-night party at which the duo and friends had began banging on a piano bench.
Did you know: The song’s title refers to St. Cecilia, patron saint of music and thus the song might refer to the frustration of fleeting inspiration in songwriting than about a literal capricious lover.
Older me looking at the lyrics like I can’t believe I actually sang along to this at the top of my voice: why would someone go wash their face after__ oh? ok never mind me.
~B
PS after getting over the disappointment that my childhood was a lie, I have decided I still like the Rusike Brothers rendition better than the Simon & Garfunkel original..



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