Throwback Thursday: Miriam Makeba – “Pata Pata”
South African singer, songwriter and activist Miriam Makeba would’ve turned 89 years old today, so in honor of this Afropop legend, let’s revisit her signature hit, “Pata Pata.”
Originally recorded in the ’50s — some say as early as 1956 — by the Skylarks (of which Makeba was a member), “Pata Pata” was a club banger in its day. The song, originally written and sung in Xhosa, is basically the soundtrack to a dance craze — think “The Twist” by Chubby Checker or “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It” by Dem Frachize Boyz.
In 1967, Miriam Makeba re-recorded “Pata Pata” as a solo act and included spoken verses that are done in English. In the spoken verses, she explains that “Pata Pata” — which translates to “touch touch” — was a dance the young’ns used to do in Johannesburg back in the day. This version of the song would go on to become a transatlantic hit and her biggest in the States, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Long Live Mama Africa!
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