The 1960s hit song Pata Pata by the South Africa anti-apartheid artist Miriam Makeba has been re-released with new lyrics aimed at beating the spread of coronavirus.
Beninoise singer Angelique Kidjo, who was mentored by Makeba, sings the new version with words that encourage hand-washing and keeping a safe distance.
“Pata” means “light touch” in Xhosa. Some of the new lines include:
It's a time to ‘sit it out’. This is ‘no-pata-pata’... Stay at home and wait it out. It's a time to ‘sit it out’. This is ‘no-pata-pata’... Stay at home and wait it out.
We need to keep our hands clean. We need to keep our hands clean.
So ‘no-pata pata’... Don’t touch your face, keep distance please."So ‘no-pata pata’... Don’t touch your face, keep distance please."
The UN children's agency, which organised the release, says it will be played across Africa
Unicef quotes Kidjo as saying:
Pata Pata has always been there for people at a time of struggle. I hope it helps once more. Pata Pata has always been there for people at a time of struggle. I hope it helps once more.
And I hope from our confined spaces we can dance once more Pata Pata has always been there for people at a time of struggle. I hope it helps once more. And I hope from our confined spaces we can dance once more.”And I hope from our confined spaces we can dance once more Pata Pata has always been there for people at a time of struggle. I hope it helps once more. And I hope from our confined spaces we can dance once more.”
Pata Pata was once called the world's most defiantly joyful song.
Makeba, who died in 2008 at the age of 76, sang many political songs against the apartheid regime and saw Pata Pata as lightweight in comparison.
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