I have been a loyal Mango Groove fan (are fans called...Mangoes? Man-gogos?) since their first multi-platinum self-titled album was released in 1989. For those of you who didn't grow up in South Africa in the 80s and 90s, Mango Groove is a multiracial afro-pop band that crossed boundaries of age, race and language through their music. Lead singer, Claire Johnston, was only 17 when she joined the band and, despite changes to the band's membership (at the height of the band's success there were 11 members), she has remained the band's front woman, providing her distinctive and powerful vocals on six studio albums.
Mango Groove was the first local band I saw live in concert and I clearly remember being somewhat starstruck when they walked onto the stage and their electrifying energy radiated through the stadium. I have been privileged to see them live in concert many times since then, including a special New Year's Eve performance at Kirstenbosch in Cape Town, and each performance was just as rousing and entertaining as the first one I witnessed.
A friend told me that she has been listening to Mango Groove while isolated at home because their music is so uplifting which in turn prompted me to revisit their discography in an attempt to come up with the best Mango Groove songs to enjoy while self-isolating. Here are my top 7 songs to keep you dancing, singing and feeling good:
Dance Sum More
In Everybody's Free (commonly referred to as The Sunscreen Song), Baz Luhrmann advises you to "dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room" and with bars and clubs shut down in cities across the world, now seems like a good time to follow this advice. And Mango Groove's hit single is a great one to get you moving around your living room. The song's iconic opening spoken words by "Big Voice Jack" Lerole, the escalating "aahs" of the backing singers, Claire's "oww!" and the emphatic call to "dance sum more!" get you ready to dance for the next two and a half minutes.
Keep On Dancing
Taken from their album, Another Country, this song keeps the party going. The album was released in 1993, one year before South Africa's first democratic elections - a time when South Africans needed to "keep on dancing" in the face of tremendous uncertainty and sweeping changes in the country. Nowadays, people could use some positivity to cope with the uncertainty and fear that flood our homes every day: "But sometimes the music's the answer / And the rhythm can tell us what we've got to do". Just ignore the part of the song that tells you to "come on over" #socialdistancing
Faces To The Sun
Mango Groove has always been about spreading joy and optimism through music, which is why I think they appeal to so many people. Faces To The Sun is the title track from their 2016 album (a fantastic double album featuring cover versions of classic South African songs and collaborations with some of the country's greatest musical talents) and continues to promote hope despite hardship: " A battle lost, a battle won, another journey's just begun / And yet when all is said and done we'll turn our faces to the sun".
Place In The Sun
This is one of the band's most exceptional downtempo tracks, appearing on the 1995 album Eat A Mango. The beautiful harmonies and repetition of "tulani" (a comforting Zulu word meaning "calm down") at the start of the song give it the feel of a lullaby, and, just like a lullaby, soothe you when you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed. The lyrics of the chorus are particularly apt in the midst of this global pandemic:
Time hurts
Time can heal
Love lingers on
We can be strong
And keep holding on
'Cause we'll find a place in the sun
No Problem
This song also appears on Eat A Mango and features the band's signature pennywhistle sound. The lyrics also reference other familiar and reassuring songs such as Bobby McFerrin's Don't Worry Be Happy, Hakuna Matata from The Lion King and Everything's Gonna Be Alright by their "other friend", Bob Marley. Follow their advice: "If you wanna be strong, you sing along" and before you know it, your shoulders will feel a little lighter.
Special Star
Arguably one of Mango Groove's best songs: a slow pennywhistle intro before the saxophone- and trumpet-infused beat drops and then pauses again to give Claire a chance to show off her vocal prowess. Then the party resumes with a finger clicking and toe-tapping beat and the fabulous backup singers chanting "Special Star". I dare you not to sing along and clap your hands to the "ooh-wah" refrain as the song reaches its climax. Such (much-needed) fun!
Hometalk
Maya Angelou said "The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned". Many people are temporarily separated from their families at the moment, which, let's be honest, may be a blessing for some. But for others, the distancing and inability to travel to reconnect with loved ones might be causing some homesickness. A video call doesn't quite replace face-to-face conversations or the smell of a home-cooked meal. Hometalk, released in 1990, is a catchy reminder that the memories of home are always in your heart even when you're apart from those you love.
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