Lyrics

Shosholoza - Traditional melody
Shosholoza was originally sung by migrant workers traveling by train from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) to work in the mines. The song later became a symbol of black South Africa’s independence from white minority rule (which officially ended in 1994). The words are Zulu, but the song was originally sung in the Ndebele language of Zimbabwe. (Thank you to Betsy Sansby for sharing this song with me and doing this research... :)

E . . . | A . . . | B . . . | E . . .

Low/Bass (This 4-line phrase repeats throughout song):
A lay oong-k...Oong

middle and high parts:
Shosholoza...kulay zon-tah-ba
Stee-may-la see-foomay South Africa!
Wen-we-yah bah-lay-kah
Kulay zon-tah-ah-ba
Stee-May-la see-foomay, South Africa!

Caller part:
Shosholoza...
Kulay...
zon-tah-ba  Stee-may-la
 Wen-we-yah bah-lay-kah-ahhh
Kulay ...
zon-tah-ba Stee-may-la