Stonard Lungu was a Malawian singer-songwriter and guitarist who performed alongside Malawi’s guitar maestro Dr Daniel Kachamba in the 1970’s, before going on to establish a prolific musical career of his own. A short film about Stonard Lungu’s life and music can be found at the bottom of this post.
The sharply observed social commentary of Stonard Lungu’s lyrics led to him becoming labelled “Malawi’s Bob Dylan”. Lungu played both twelve string and six string guitar, but was most well known for playing with the sixth string unattached to give his music a unique feel.
One of the most popular of Lungu’s songs was Zapadziko (“The World”), which draws upon Biblical scriptures about the impermanence of worldly things. The singer reflects on the unpredictability of life and the prevalance of war, seeking salvation through prayer and a stoic acceptance of fate.
My thanks to Waliko Makhala of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation for the transcription and translation that follows.
The World
That of the World is but vanity
It is all vanity, generations are born and die
Just kneel down and pray.
That of the World is but vanity
It is all vanity, generations are born and die
Just kneel down and pray.
Everything that you are lacking
God gives and takes away
Everything of this World is but vanity.
Everything that you are lacking
God gives and takes away
Everything of this World is but vanity.
Observe the scriptures,
What was written has been fulfilled
The world is full of wars.
How are you my friends in the world?
It is all just vanity.
Observe the scriptures,
What was written has been fulfilled
The world is full of wars.
How are you my friends in the world?
It is all just vanity.
Just kneel down and pray
Everything that you are lacking
God gives and takes away
Everything of this World is but vanity.
Just kneel down and pray
Everything that you are lacking
God gives and takes away
Everything of this World is but vanity.
Just kneel down and pray
Everything that you are lacking
God gives and takes away
Everything of this World is but vanity.
Here are the lyrics in the original Chichewa.
Zapadziko
Zapadziko inu zapadziko zapadziko anzanga nzachabe chabe
M’bado wina nubandwa wina numpita
Mutanji nthawi nzachabe chabe.
Zapadziko inu zapadziko zapadziko anzanga nzachabe chabe
M’bado wina nubandwa wina numpita
Mutanji nthawi nzachabe chabe.
Ngwada pansi nu pemphere chomwe usowa Chauta Samana ayi
Amapatsa ndiponso amalanda
Zapadziko nzachebe chabe.
Ngwada pansi nu pemphere chomwe usowa Chauta Samana ayi
Amapatsa ndiponso amalanda
Zapadziko nzachebe chabe.
Taonani malemba
Akwanilitsilidwa dziko lapansi
Anzanga ndi nkhondo zokha
Kodi anzanga zapadziko mutanji nthawi?
Ndi zachabe chabe.
Taonani malemba
Akwanilitsilidwa dziko lapansi
Anzanga ndi nkhondo zokha
Kodi anzanga zapadziko mutanji nthawi?
Ndi zachabe chabe.
Gwanda pansi nupemphere chomwe
Usowa Chauta
Amapatsa ndiponso amalanda
Zapadziko nzanchabe chabe.
Gwanda pansi nupemphere chomwe
Usowa Chauta
Amapatsa ndiponso amalanda
Zapadziko nzanchabe chabe.
Gwanda pansi nupemphere chomwe
Usowa Chauta
Amapatsa ndiponso amalanda
Zapadziko nzanchabe chabe.
by Stonard Lungu,
from the Malawi Broadcasting Corporations archives,
translated and transcribed by Waliko Makhala.
Malawian filmmaker Michael Mutisunge Phoya has produced a short film about Stonard Lungu that provides more information about the artist and his life.
