Southern Cities (feat. Mandisa Mteshana) Lyrics

Hook

Da da da li lada da da

Verse 1 (Mandisa Mteshana)

Here it is

Alas we see a bit clearly

It's here with us

And it's going nowhere now

Informality, struggle for inclusiveness

The voice of ordinariness

shaping our cities

Chorus 2x

Southern city

Balanced city

There's inclusivity

Mixed uses

Healthy city

Balanced city

There's inclusivity

Mixed uses

Hook

Da da da li lada da da

Verse 2 (De Joe Quarcoo)

A force so strong

It cannot be stopped, now

The everyday lives of millions of people

Characterized by shacks

Informal settlements

Oh! Informal economy

Emergence, Insurgence

Oh slums everywhere

Slum Urbanism!

Repeat Hook & Chorus 2x

Vamp

African Cities

Balanced Cities

QUOTE NARRATION

Hend: We strive for decency, Respect for human lives, Dignity, and well-being

Bronwin: Peripheral urbanism does not mean an absence of the state or planning,

But rather a process in which citizens and governments interact in complex ways.

Kadria: Incorporating informality into official logics opens up new perspectives of understanding the city

The state also practices informality, we know

RAP (Romeo Dipura)

Our cities are our futures, the truth is, they elude us,

They treat us like we’re losers and polluters of the futures

In Shona:

Mapumba, it’s hard living here; they’ve made the city their own

De Joe, it’s hard being here; they’ve made the city their own

Arabic: Bread, Freedom, Social Justice

Hook

Da da da li lala la la

Chorus 2x

Southern city

Balanced city

There's inclusivity

Mixed uses

Healthy city

Balanced city

There's inclusivity

Mixed uses

@InsurgentPlanner @DeJoeQuarcoo

_________________________________________

#SouthernCities #CapeTown #music #songsaboutcities #africa #urbanisation #urban #city #Ghana #musician #Conference

credits

released September 23, 2021

A special thanks to ACC, (Prof. Edgar Pieterse, Dr. Anna Selmeczi, and Ithra Najaar) for funding this project. Thanks also go to Dr. Laura and Simbi Nkula for making their home studio available for the recording, as well as to close collaborator Jinty Jackson and the rest of the Southern Urbanism 2020 cohort.

CREDITS

- Mapumba Cilombo (Music Producer)

- Lead Vocals: Mandisa Mteshana, De Joe Quarcoo

- Fiifi Hyppa - Guitars

- James Geldenhuys - Flute