"Transkaroo"
Song
LanguageXhosa
GenreFolk music

"Transkaroo" is a South African anti‐apartheid folk song. It is a Xhosa train song that was performed by Herman Holtzhausen.

The song has been around at least since the 1970s, and it reached the height of its popularity during the 1980s.

Lyrics

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There does not seem to be one universally agreed on set of lyrics. Below are two versions, the bottom one being the more aggressive of the two:

IsiXhosa/IsiZulu original
Transkaroo
Bring haar huistoe
Laat jou yster wiele rol
Bring haar en maak my lewe vol
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Snel voor die spore (Transkaroo)
Want met jou bring jy my liefde terug na my
Waar is jy nou op jou spoor?
Hoe ver is sy nog van my?
Is jy deur die ou karoo?
Rol nou aan!
Was daar eensaamheid by haar
Deur die verlate droë ou land?
Bring haar gou terug na my
Rol nou aan!
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Bring haar huistoe
Laat jou yster wiele rol
Bring haar en maak my lewe vol
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Snel voor die spore (Transkaroo)
Want met jou bring jy my liefde terug na my
In die boland sal sy voel
Sy kom terug waar sy behoort
Terug deur haar ou heide land
Rol nou aan!
In die verte hoor ek jou nou
En jou ou fluit geluid soos musiek
Hier's jou eindpunt maar my begin
Transkaroo
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Bring haar huistoe
Laat jou yster wiele rol
Bring haar en maak my lewe vol
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Snel voor die spore (Transkaroo)
Want met jou bring jy my liefde terug na my
Want met jou bring jy my liefde terug na my
English translation
Transkaroo
Bring her home
Let your iron wheels roll
Bring her and fill my life
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Speed ​​ahead of the tracks (Transkaroo)
Because with you you bring my love back to me
Where are you now on your trail?
How far is she still from me?
Are you through the old karoo?
Roll on now!
Was there loneliness with her
Through the desolate dry old land?
Bring her back to me
Roll on now!
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Bring her home
Let your iron wheels roll
Bring her and fill my life
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Speed ​​ahead of the tracks (Transkaroo)
Because with you you bring my love back to me
In the upland she'll feel
She's coming back where she belongs
Back through her old heath land
Roll on now!
In the distance I hear you now
And your old whistle sounds like music
Here's your end but my beginning
Transkaroo
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Bring her home
Let your iron wheels roll
Bring her and fill my life
Transkaroo (Transkaroo)
Fast ahead of the tracks (Transkaroo)
Because with you you bring my love back to me
Because with you you bring my love back to me

Appearances in the Western world

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While best known in South Africa, "Transkaroo" has gained some popularity overseas. It was the theme song to a TV series which aired back in 1984. It was also sung by Leon Schuster, in a medley which also contained the song "Senzeni Na?" by Kenneth Nkosi, in the 2012 film Mad Buddies.[1]

References

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  1. ^ Customized South African (2022-04-23). "Leon Schuster's- Mad Buddies FULL MOVIE HD". YouTube. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
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