Ingoma Ayibizile

Ingoma... (ingoma)

Sunrise on the zinc roofs, the street is warming slow
Sis' Nomsa sweeps her doorstep, radio turned low
One thump from the corner house goes through the floor
Ngiyayizwa, ngiyayizwa, angisalali
Mkhulu taps his stick against the old gate, keeping time
Ngiyayizwa, ngiyayizwa, nami ngiyahamba
Even the dogs lift their heads and wait
Bread and tea can cool, the morning will not stay
Something in the ground is asking us to play

Thula, thula, listen to the ground, mfowethu
Izinyawo zazi, feet already know the sound
Ngiyeza... ngiyeza... (yebo)
Hear it in your chest before you hear it in your ears, ngiyeza

Ingoma ayibizile! (Yebo!)
Ingoma ayibizile (Sonke!)
Abantu bayavuka, Mzansi uyavuka
Ngiyeza, ngiyeza, ngiyeza (Woza)

Bhum, bhum, bhum-bhum, feet will talk (hayi)
Bhum, bhum, kuyashaya, feet will talk (sizobhina)
Ingoma ayibizile (yebo, yebo)
Ingoma ayibizile (yebo, yebo)

Taxi rank goes quiet, the drivers kill the horn
Aunties leave the washing, children leave the lawn
Boys in school-day sneakers, men in work-day shoes
Everybody walking where the low drum choose
Siyahamba, siyahamba, sonke sibhekile
Bayeza, bayeza, ikhaya lonke
From the church down to the corner shop
Nobody is sleeping and nobody will stop
Old Gogo in her slippers, dancing on the stoep, hands up
Siphelele up on the roof with his whistle and his hope

Thula, thula, listen to the ground
Izinyawo zazi, feet already know the sound
Ngiyeza... ngiyeza... (yebo)
Hear it in your chest before you hear it in your ears, ngiyeza

Ingoma ayibizile! (Yebo!)
Ingoma ayibizile (Sonke!)
Abantu bayavuka, Mzansi uyavuka
Ngiyeza, ngiyeza, ngiyeza (Woza)

Bhum, bhum, bhum-bhum, feet will talk (hayi)
Bhum, bhum, kuyashaya, feet will talk (sizobhina)
Ingoma ayibizile (yebo, yebo)

Who is calling? (Ingoma!)
Who is calling? (Ingoma!)
Siyaphi? (Phambili!)
Siyaphi? (Ebusuku bonke!)
Who is calling? (Ingoma!)
Sonke sizobhina, sonke sizobhina

(log drum talks, whistle answers, shaker only)

I came with nothing in my hands, nothing at all
Ngiyeza ngenhliziyo yonke
No one asked me who I am
Ngiyeza ngenhliziyo yonke
The drum does not ask for your name
It only says: come as you came
Ngiyeza (ngiyeza), ngiyeza (ngiyeza)

Ingoma ayibizile! (Yebo!)
Ingoma ayibizile (Sonke!)
Abantu bayavuka, Mzansi uyavuka
Ngiyeza, ngiyeza, ngiyeza (Woza, woza)

Bhum, bhum, bhum-bhum, feet will talk (hayi)
Bhum, bhum, kuyashaya, feet will talk (sizobhina)

Ingoma ayibizile (yebo)
Ingoma ayibizile (sonke)
Ingoma ayibizile (woza)
Ingoma ayibizile (woza, woza)

Ingoma... (ingoma)