Lyrics & Knowledge Personal Pages Record Shop Auction Links Radio & Media Kids Membership Help
The Mudcat Cafesj

Post to this Thread - Printer Friendly - Home
Page: [1] [2]


Lyr/Tune Add: Zulu Warrior (Josef Marais)

DigiTrad:
AROUND THE CORNER
BRANDY, LEAVE ME ALONE
JOHNNY WITH THE BANDY LEGS
SARIE MARAIS


Related threads:
(origins) Origins: Sarie Marais (39)
Lyr ADD: Ah Goote Noodle Soup (Josef Marais) (15)
Lyr Req: Sarie Marais (answered) (10) (closed)
Lyr Req: Out in the wide world, Kitty? (28)
Lyr Req: Sugarbush (Josef Marais) (20)
Seeking Josef Marais (22)
Marais and Miranda Documentary (69)
Lyr Req: Henrietta's Wedding (Marais & Miranda) (11)
Help: Don't understand Sarie Marais (19)
Marais and Miranda - encore on WFDU (10)
Lyr Req: Aunt Cathy/Tante Koba (Josef Marais) (15)
Happy! - Nov 17 (Josef Marais) (1)
Lyr Req: Gold and Silver (by Marais and Miranda) (5) (closed)
Lyr Req: South African Folk Music (9)
Tune Req: Looking for a song by Jean Marais (6)
Lyr/Chords Req: Kitty (Joan Baez?????) (42)
Lyr Add: Oh Brandy Leave Me Alone (Josef Marais) (10)


In Mudcat MIDIs:
Zulu Warrior (from the Marais & Miranda songbook, Folk Song Jamboree)


Penny S. 19 Jun 01 - 02:42 PM
Bugsy 09 Mar 00 - 05:48 PM
bobby's girl 09 Mar 00 - 05:08 PM
GMT 09 Mar 00 - 06:50 AM
Dave (the ancient mariner) 08 Mar 00 - 09:42 PM
Joe Offer 08 Mar 00 - 08:34 PM
GUEST,Jim I 08 Mar 00 - 08:24 PM
Bud Savoie 08 Mar 00 - 07:54 PM
GUEST,Margi List 08 Mar 00 - 07:26 PM
Penny S. 27 May 99 - 05:13 PM
MMario 27 May 99 - 11:04 AM
Steve Parkes 27 May 99 - 10:47 AM
AndyG 27 May 99 - 09:39 AM
Susan of DT 26 May 99 - 07:43 PM
Ewan McVicar 26 May 99 - 12:30 PM
Penny S. 26 May 99 - 11:35 AM
Tom May 26 May 99 - 10:50 AM
Penny S. 26 May 99 - 10:32 AM
Tom May 26 May 99 - 09:03 AM
The_one_and_only_Dai 26 May 99 - 07:58 AM
Penny S. 26 May 99 - 07:49 AM
rechal 11 Sep 97 - 02:16 PM
BBJ 10 Sep 97 - 11:23 PM
Squid 10 Sep 97 - 11:57 AM
Ferrara 10 Sep 97 - 11:52 AM
Sharon 09 Sep 97 - 10:20 PM
Joe Offer 09 Sep 97 - 09:49 PM
Tim Jaques tjaques@netcom.ca 09 Sep 97 - 06:52 PM
Susan of DT 08 Sep 97 - 09:36 PM
Bert 08 Sep 97 - 11:51 AM
Ralph Butts 08 Sep 97 - 08:42 AM
Becky 08 Sep 97 - 12:00 AM
Share Thread
more
Lyrics & Knowledge Search [Advanced]
DT  Forum Child
Sort (Forum) by:relevance date
DT Lyrics:













Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 02:42 PM

Back again - I've been down to Rochester today, and the video presentation in the visitor centre included reference to Upnor Hard, where, I believe, training in making fast dinghy pontoons took place. Does anyone have the version which mentions Upnor?

Penny


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Bugsy
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 05:48 PM

In the British Forces, at least until the early late 60's when I was demobbed. The song was sung as:

Haul 'em down you Zulu Warrior.

whilst an inebriated Squaddie/Matelot/Airman who stood on a table and stripped to the buff. Then all the assembled crown threw their beer over him. Kind of like "This Old Hat Of Mine".

Ah, those halcien days of service to Queen and Country.

CHeers

Bugsy


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: bobby's girl
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 05:08 PM

We had a slight problem with this song at a birthday party when I was stationed at RAF Cosford in 1976. There were several visiting airmen on courses from all over the world who had come to the party, and when the Zulu Warrior chant began, aimed at the guy whose birthday it was, we had a heck of a job persuading one of our African friends not to go forward - but as he said, he was a Zulu warrior!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: GMT
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 06:50 AM

I seem to remember a verse going something like (excuse the spelling phonetic atempt only)

Incumta sereena fooee
Incumta sereena foo
Incumta sereena fooee
Incumta sereena foo
Massa billy billy billy billy

Or do I have the wrong song altogether :)

Gary


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 09:42 PM

Chanted while drinking down a yard of ale in some pubs in England the idea being to be finished before the chant or go again... Just my tuppence worth. Aye. Dave


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Girl Scout Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:34 PM

Hi, Margi - Welcome to the Mudcat Cafe! I'm often amazed how a visitor will come across a thread somebody started way back in our early days in 1997, and then bring the thread back to life and add new information. Can you tell us how you came across the thread? I'm guessing you found it while you were doing a Web search for "Zulu Warrior," and maybe the page you got didn't include the entire thread (which includes at least two complete sets of lyrics for versions of the song.

I used to think that Girl Scout songs were horribly obnoxious, since I heard them over and over from my younger sister, who brought them home from Girl Scout camp. Of course, the Boy Scout songs I learned and sang over and over were terribly cool. I guess I've softened in my old age. I broke down and bought $25 worth of Girl Scout songbooks Monday, and I have to say they're terrific - far better than the U.S. Boy Scout songbooks. Their Sangam Git / Sangam Songbook is a very nice collection of songs from various countries - and it includes lyrics for "Zulu Warrior" that are almost exactly the same as those that Good Old Rechal posted above, many long years ago.

-Joe Offer-
(Gee, I sometimes hope my sister never takes me up on my invitation to visit Mudcat - I've said some things about her here and there that could be used as serious ammunition....)


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: GUEST,Jim I
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:24 PM

Showing my age a bit here.

Back in the 1960's the female members of the Royal Observer Corps used to sing this in the pub and on occasional coach trips. Their version (after the pseudo Zulu chanting) was

Pull them down my Zulu warrior Pull them down my Zulu Chief, Chief, Chief

Their gestures and actions made it quite obvious which item of male clothing they were singing about!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Bud Savoie
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:54 PM

I don't know why he was so called, but in 'Nam a sapper was a VC who had the training, ability, and courage to snake through the concertina wire surrounding the post. He was, of course, armed with plastic explosives, and I don't believe he had a long life expectancy.

About this Zulu thing: this is the first I have heard about British origins. We used to sing it as kids, and I just supposed it was invented by kids in some schoolyard.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: GUEST,Margi List
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:26 PM

I'm new to this, but it looks like you folks don't have words to "Zulu Warrier", and I do!

It's an old camp song, and it goes like this:

I come a-zimba, zimba, zaya(first a pronounced like long i), I come a-zimba, zimba, zee. I come a-zimba, zimba, zaya, I come a-zimba, zimba, zee.

Here he comes, the Zulu warrier. Here he comes, the Zulu chief (chief, chief, chief)

Terribly complicated! It's done as a round, with both parts going at the same time. When you get to the chief, chief, chief part, you can continue to sing that ad nauseum, while everybody does the words. I guess you can have three things going at the same time, come to think of it!

I don't have a piano here, but I think the tune is:

D,D,R,M,R,M,R,M,S. (I come a, etc.) D,D,R,M,D,R,R,D. (REPEAT)

D',L,S,M,F,R,M,S. (Here he comes, etc.) D',L,S,M,F,R,D.

D,D,D,D,D,D,D,ETC. (Chief, chief, etc.)

In case you have this already, disregard this message!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Penny S.
Date: 27 May 99 - 05:13 PM

Is this anything to do with Isandlwana(?) and Rourke's Drift?


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: MMario
Date: 27 May 99 - 11:04 AM

took me a while to contact the music person I learned this from at camp....from her notes when SHE learned it....[this is urban myth...no documentation ever seen]

"sung by defending whites to keep spirits up while under attack by Zulu tribesmen"

the words as she had them

"See him dance, the Zulu warrior.. "See him dance, the Zulu chief... then.. "hold him back, the Zulu warrior.... "Hold him back, the Zulu chief....

we learned the chorus phonetically - she didn't forward that part to me...

MMario


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 27 May 99 - 10:47 AM

Joe, I can't believe that BP ever got inebriated!

The Ian Campbell band used to do a number called "Cho-cho-losa", which they learned parrot fashion from a Zulu dance group in the sixties. (Zulus wear wellies decorated with beer-bottle caps on string, and hard hats, and work down mines; or they did then.) "Zulu warrior" sounds like it's derived from a real original. Any native southern Africans out there care to comment? It'd make this thread a bit more pc!

Steve


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: AndyG
Date: 27 May 99 - 09:39 AM

A "sap" technically is part of an entrenchment. It's a short spur running off a trench. It may of may not have head cover. A sapper is the bloke with the spade who dug it. Mining is the act of digging a tunnel under a fortification in order to bring about its collapse. Hence "Sappers & Miners".

AndyG


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Susan of DT
Date: 26 May 99 - 07:43 PM

Tom et al - Isn't a "sapper" one who dug under the wall of a castle or fort? The name "Royal Sappers and Miners" would sem to substatiate this.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Ewan McVicar
Date: 26 May 99 - 12:30 PM

I sang my version (below, learned from my father but also sung in the Scouts - invented by Baden Powell) to Prince Mposi Mamba of the Swazi people, and asked if the first lines were in any way rude. He said, "No, it just says that a warrior should be brave".

I ziga zumba zumba zumba
I ziga zumba zumba zay

Hold im down, you Swazi warrior
Hold im down, you Zulu chief CHIEF CHIEF

For we're marching on to Laffamsmere
To Laffamsmere, to Laffamsmere
For we're marching on to Laffamsmere
Where they can't tell sugar from - tissue paper, tissue paper, marmalade or jam.

I saw a little boy sitting by the fire

I saw a little boy playing with his wire

[Plus I think the dinghy bit above - which I had forgot!]


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Penny S.
Date: 26 May 99 - 11:35 AM

Thanks Tom - I was actually referring to another, can't remember it's name, thankfully, thread, in which there was a little heat generated, and part of it seemed to be due to a misunderstanding of the term. This was dissipated by an explanation of how it was used in the RE, but there remained in my mind a puzzle about an alternative.

Anyway, I only remember a little of my father's Engineers version, from WW2, when the make up of the group may have affected the way it was sung. It was certainly repeatable to daughters.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Tom May
Date: 26 May 99 - 10:50 AM

> I'm not a sapper. (British version - certainly not USA >version, whatever that insulting term means).

Sapper isn't an insult in any way shape or form (well, except to the gunners). A sapper is mearly a private in the RE. It all goes back to the when the REs were divided into the Royal Engineers (officers only) and the Royal Sappers and Miners (non-commissioned ranks only).

Regards

Tom


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Penny S.
Date: 26 May 99 - 10:32 AM

Hmm, not the version I knew, which was about making fast the dinghy:

You make fast, I'll make fast
Make fast the dinghy
Make fast the dinghy
Make fast the dinghy
Make fast the dinghy pontoon.

And then the Zulu, or was it Swazi, warrior,

And something about marching on to Laffensplain.

What do I know? I'm not a sapper. (British version - certainly not USA version, whatever that insulting term means).


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Tom May
Date: 26 May 99 - 09:03 AM

I seem to remember hearing a Royal Engineers version to the same tune as the Rugby song. the only part I can recall runs somethine like

"I saw a Colonel sitting on a raft, "I saw a Colonel looking bloody daft, "Hold him down 'til we get over, "Hold him down you pontooneers, eers, eers, eers,"

then back to the "Ay zumba, zumba..." bit

Just my two penn'orth

regards

Tom


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 May 99 - 07:58 AM

...and the "Chief! Chief! Chief!" part is greatly improved by banging a beer tray on your (or somebody else's) head in time. Cetewayo is, no doubt, rotating gracefully in his grave.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Penny S.
Date: 26 May 99 - 07:49 AM

My father knew the "Hold him down" version through the Engineers, though not the preceding zimba bit. His version fitted in with some other engineering words about pontoons.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: rechal
Date: 11 Sep 97 - 02:16 PM

I learned it at Girl Scout Camp as

I kama zimba, zimba zimba
I kama zimba, zimba zee
I kama zimba, zimba zimba
I kama zimba, zimba zee

Hold him down
(Oh hold him down)
You Zulu Warrior!
Hold him down
(Oh hold him down)
You Zulu Chief - Chief - Chief

Fade chant of "Chief" to dead silence, then scream in unison:
MULLA-GUY!

This last is supposed to be some sort of triumphant war cry, but I am unable to substantiate this, having never actually known any Zulus, warriors or otherwise.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: BBJ
Date: 10 Sep 97 - 11:23 PM

I must have been in a school that used Becky's song book. I learned it just like Becky transcribed, but as an ending, a single line monotone chant/shout was done. The line was (phonetically at least): Me come a me go me, WAH!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Squid
Date: 10 Sep 97 - 11:57 AM

There is no question that there is a Rugby version of this song. Traditionally, a new player is forced to perform the dance in the bar after they scored their first try (touchdown) for the team.

The meaning of "Take em down.." is to take down your pants. And like the gentleman from Canada points out, the result is to get completely naked and fall off of the bar into the crowd.

I scored my first try so long ago, I can't remember if I performed this or not. I don't care what the pictures look like.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Ferrara
Date: 10 Sep 97 - 11:52 AM

I once read (on a Marais and Miranda album liner?) that the original words were sung by Boer soldiers as "Shoot him down, the Swazi warrior, shoot him down, the Swazi chief." Seems to me Marais and Miranda rewrote it because they liked the song but not the sentiment. They changed it to "See him there, the Zulu warrior."


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Sharon
Date: 09 Sep 97 - 10:20 PM

We sang it a girl scout camp I zigga zumba zumba zumba I zigga zumba zumba zay. I zigga zumba zumba zumba I zigga zumba zumba zay.

Hold 'em down, you Zulu warriors. Hold 'em down, you Zule Chief, Chief, Chief, Chief.....

The chant of Chief...... was sung by one group as a background drumbeat sound while the others repeated the song.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Sep 97 - 09:49 PM

Welll, the tune I learned at scout camp works fine with any of the lyrics here. Whether it started as a drinking song, a camp song, or a camp drinking song, is a tale yet to be told. My guess is that Lord Baden-Powell learned it one besotten night after a rugby game during the Boer War, and bestowed a sanitized version upon the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.
-Joe Offer-


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Tim Jaques tjaques@netcom.ca
Date: 09 Sep 97 - 06:52 PM

The one with "dance" does indeed sound like the rugby song. How many songs can there be titled "Zulu Warrior"?


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Susan of DT
Date: 08 Sep 97 - 09:36 PM

Gee, I thought it was "See him DANCE, the Zulu warrior, see him dance, the Zulu chief...' and the first part was garbled to

i giva zumba, zumba, zumba I giva zumba, zumba zay


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Bert
Date: 08 Sep 97 - 11:51 AM

Hold him down the Swazi Warrior,
Hold him down the Swazi King
Hold him down the Swazi Warrior,
Hold him down the Swazi King.

I come a zeema zeema rinktum
I come a zeema zeema zee
I come a zeema zeema rinktum
I come a zeema zeema zee

Hold him down the Swazi Warrior,
Hold him down the Swazi King.

HOI!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Zulu Warrior
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 08 Sep 97 - 08:42 AM

Becky......I have this on an old Brothers Four album and will check it out for you. Meanwhile, I can't recall any other words either.......Tiger


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Zulu Warrior
From: Becky
Date: 08 Sep 97 - 12:00 AM

Hi Tim,

I have no idea what the Rugby teams sing... and I don't ever remember Monty Phyton singing it, but here are the words:

I ka-ma zim-ba zim-ba za-yo, I ka-ma zim-ba zim-ba zie

repeat

See him there the Zulu warrior, See him there the Zulu chief, chief, chief.

That's it! Sing in rounds, but that's the whole song! The book doesn't even have any chords or I give ya' that too!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate
  Share Thread:
More...

Reply to Thread
Subject:  Help
From:
Preview   Automatic Linebreaks   Make a link ("blue clicky")


Mudcat time: 4 November 5:53 AM EST

[ Home ]

All original material is copyright © 2022 by the Mudcat Café Music Foundation. All photos, music, images, etc. are copyright © by their rightful owners. Every effort is taken to attribute appropriate copyright to images, content, music, etc. We are not a copyright resource.