Becoming The Muse

Hosiah Chipanga is a Zimbabwean musician whose music takes on a satirical and philosophical social commentary of the country’s narrative. At some point, the musician harboured presidential aspirations with his church turning into a political party, although he pulled out of the 2013 presidential polls at the last moment.

I had occasion to relisten to Hosiah Chipanga’s music after a tweet by Alex Magaisa suddenly made the song COVID-19 from Hosiah’s latest album Mushonga neHuori (medicine and corruption) released December 2020, trend. A lot of comments on the song on Youtube give credit to Alex for referring them there.

I listened to the track then transcribed and translated all 12 minutes of the song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q44OW-XH1Ko

COVID-19 Hosiah Chipanga lyrics and translation

Chazesesa muparadzi
The dreaded destroyer
Muenzanise corona
The Equaliser Corona
Uri mukono pane imwe mukono
You are a bull amongst bulls
Uri ndururani
You are wayward
Chazesesa muparadzi
The dreaded destroyer
Muenzanise corona
The Equaliser Corona
Uri mukono pane imwe mukono
You are a bull amongst bulls
Uri ndururani
You are wayward

Zvimwe zvirwere zvinoda dzin’nanga madhokotera nemaporofita
Some diseases need healers, doctors and prophets
Iwe unotoda nemapurisa
You require the police
Asi uri mbavha?
Are you a criminal?
Zvimwe zvirwere zvinoda dzin’nanga madhokotera nemaporofita
Some diseases need healers, doctors and prophets
Iwe unotoda nemauto
You require the army
Covid uri gandanga
Covid you are a terrorist
Zvimwe zvirwere zvinoda dzin’nanga madhokotera nemaporofita
Some diseases need healers, doctors and prophets
Iwe unotoda nemauto
You require the army
Covid uri gandanga
Covid you are a terrorist
Zvimwe zvirwere zvinoda dzin’nanga madhokotera nemaporofita
Some diseases need healers, doctors and prophets
Iwe unotoda nemauto
You require the army
Covid uri gandanga
Covid you are a terrorist
Zvimwe zvirwere zvinoda dzin’nanga madhokotera nemaporofita
Some diseases need healers, doctors and prophets
Iwe unotoda nemauto
You require the army
Covid uri gandanga
Covid you are a terrorist
Terrorist chaiyo
A real terrorist

Pasi rese wavharisa
The world you have locked down
Vanhu muromo ma curtain
People curtains on their mouths
Mushandi nerovha kuswera mumba here
Employed and unemployed staying at home
Uri ndururani
You are wayward
Pasi rese wavharisa
You have locked down the world
Vanhu muromo ma curtain
Curtains on people’s mouths
Mupfumi nemurombo kuswera mumba
The rich and the poor staying at home
Uri ndururani
You are wayward

Kana ndege wakavharisa, zvitima nemabhazi
Even planes you shut down, trains and buses too
Vana hwindi kuswera mumba here
Touts staying at home
Uri ndururani
You are wayward
Covid
Kana ndege wakavharisa, zvitima nemabhazi
Even planes you shut down, trains and buses too
Vana hwindi kuswera mumba here
Touts staying at home
Kunge makonzo
Like mice
Covid
Kana ndege wakavharisa, zvitima nemabhazi
Even planes you shut down, trains and buses too
Vana hwindi kuswera mumba here
Touts are staying home
Kunge mapete
Like cockroaches
Covid

***repeats from start to fade…

---

While this post is not about how about social media can influence society I would probably not have sat down to actively listened to this song seeking out all the nuances between the notes

~B