In English, Qongqothwane is also known as The click song. This second title which was given to this song full of clicks refers to the language in which it is interpreted: Xhosa.

Indeed, in Xhosa, which is one of eleven official languages in South Africa, certain syllables are formed by pressing the tongue against the palate, which produces a clicking sound. So it's no accident that the little story of Qongqothwane contains many of these clicking and cracking noises. It tells the story of a ladybird and its friend the shepherd. They become so inseparable that the ladybird will happily guide the way when the shepherd gets lost.

Mbube Wimoweh literally: The lion sleeps  is a traditional Zulu song which achieved immortality in 1939 with Solomon Linda, a South African from Durban and his quartet The Evening Birds.

The frightened native people are singing this song to give themselves courage. Sung in the evenings around the campfire, this song makes them believe that the lion sleeps and the native people have therefore nothing to fear from this King of the savannah.

The original by Solomon Linda became soon known amongst the Jivers of the black townships, the most famous of which is undoubtedly the group Ladysmith Black Mambazo who recorded another version of it in 1990 on its CD Do it Accapella. But also in the 50s, Miriam Makeba had released a different version in Xhosa. 

It is not possible anymore to retrace exactly how it got overseas, but it is certain that the song translated as Mbube Wimoweh and abbreviated as Wimoweh is recorded in the early fifties by The Weavers and Karl Denver. Under the title The Lion sleeps tonight it becomes world famous in 1961 in its version close harmony sung by the Tokens who originally came from America. One year later, the Strangers bring it to their home country under the title Awelawel Wadisdana Oekandana to celebrate it for the first time as a hit in Antwerp. In 1972, the song is again a huge success for British singer Dave Newman, and ten years later for the English group Tight Fit.

The disturbing rhythm of the trains who are pushing their way through the landscape on their way towards infinity. Workers from Mozambique and Zimbabwe who are hurrying to the gold and diamond mines of South Africa. As a way of passing the time, they are singing Shosholoza, this song of love which gives them strenght. That is how Shosholoza evolves in the musical tradition of Africa to become the unofficial national anthem of the Zulu people. 

But the history of a song can be strange, as it turns out that the same Shosholoza has in the meantime been adopted by rugby fans in South Africa to encourage their teams. Maybe Shosholoza is for Out of Africa the same as You´ll win on Helmut Lotti goes Classic II.

And here comes the bride! The train of her dress sweeps the ground behind her. The noises of the festivities become more distinct. Umakoti is one of the most favourite songs of the Zulu people. 

This charming melody is indeed one of the musical "toasts" by which the family of the groom welcomes the bride in their midst. No wedding is complete until Umakoti has been interpreted. 

And as the Zulus are still polygamous even nowadays, there is always a whole number of lovely brides to welcome. 

Helmut Lotti extends the same welcome with open arms by supplementing the Zulu text with some verses in English which he wrote himself.

With Jikela Emaweni Hamba, the time of play has come for the young shepherds. As a way of passing time, they confront one another with their shepherd´s sticks. The loser of this rural game must hide behind rocks while the winners are teasing him by singing Jikela Emaweni Hamba . Which means in Xhosa: "little turn around the rock". 

With its clear and dreamy arrangements, there is no doubt at all : Tula Tula is a lullaby. And it is best sung under this superb sky full of stars where all the respect for Africa transpires. Tula Tula, a Zulu song which is known everywhere in Black Africa. And it is always very popular with moms who like to calm their child and lead it into the world of paradise of their dreams: sleep baby sleep, tomorrow your mom will be with you again".

Jacobus Toerien is one of the first poets to use Afrikaans, a mixed language derived from Dutch which was imported into South Africa by the explorer Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 and which developed in a very particular way during the centuries of colonisation. Already in 1889 Toerin wrote Sari Maré as a hymn for his wife Maré.

But only 10 years later the song will become famous when the Afrikaner soldiers sing it for consolation during the Boer War. The title Sarie Marais came about by accident, because at the time music was passed on in writing using scores; the typing mistake Marais instead of Maré - is only discovered by Toerin when it is too late and the song is known long since.

In Kumbaya My Lord the real cries of the primitive jungle can be heard, the rhythmical beatings of the galleys, the slaves on their way to the New World, anxious to know what to expect. That is why they invoke the Almighty and beg Him to have mercy on them and protect them.

In Europe, this spiritual song has maybe even more of a reputation than it does in Africa. In a lot of youth movements, Kumbaya My Lord is part of the standard repertoire for their song evenings. 

Thanks to the impressive voice and charisma of Miriam Makeba, probably the best known South-African singer, Pata Pata becomes a major hit in 1967. The song is however much older and has its origins in Xhosa culture where it is accompanied by a traditional and very agile dance during which man and woman touch as much as possible by "brushing" against each other in a slightly erotic manner. 

Being the official producer of the Helmut Lotti Classic saga, Peter Koelewijn sometimes accompanies him on his tours in South Africa. The Dutchman therefore knows what it's all about when he adds spice and African ingredients of this up-tempo song.

This is not a traditional African song "because I'm neither Afrikaner nor Zulu". But obviously the modern vision of a European who is in awe with admiration and amazement for this "second paradise" which is Africa. He got the impression that it's "so difficult to express" when he discovered the Nature Reserves and immense landscapes while travelling across the country by train. 

Thanks to the poetry of the music, the reality of the sunrise, which is the title of the song, is reflected by the promising dawn of this impressive continent.

The love of Africa is omnipresent in the project Out of Africa, but recognition for this piece of music must also go to Will Tura and his musical talents. Six months prior, Helmut Lotti had asked Will Tura to compose a song especially for this CD. To the majestic melody written by Will Tura, Helmut himself added a deeply moving English text which was developped from Will's title Minapendawe and can be translated roughly by "I love you much".

Nkosi Sikelele Afrika is nothing more or less than a hymn of purity and the grand finale of Out of Africa, a token of Helmut's unconditional love for Africa. There are eleven different versions of this traditional appeal to the Allmighty where he is implored to protect the people of Africa: in the nine official black languages of Africa, in English and in Afrikaans. 

The "Master" Helmut Lotti will "limit" himself to Sotho and Xhosa. Another reason why Nkosi Sikelele Afrika was chosen as the final masterpiece of Out of Africa lies in its historical background.