Music and Me: Songs I remember Most From My Childhood

Caiphus Semenya- A woman has a right to be

This reminds me of road trips with my family to Swaziland in the cream white Sierra. The road that seemed enless back then, I always imagined it was a full day trip which was in reality a four hour trip. 

Mama Said Knock You Out- LL Cool J

Holidays in Swaziland: my cousin Mandi and my older brother Sibusiso. First clear memory of rap music. Sibusiso says it’s more like the days when NWA first came out, but I don’t really remember those so I’ll still say that LL Cool J, MC Hammer and Run DMC were the reasons I fell in love with hip hop (I was six/seven).

Abide With Me- Ella Fitzgerald

This was one of my maternal grandmother’s favourite hymns along with What a Friend We Have In Jesus and Rock of Ages. We had them all on record. I remember coming back from school in my blue and white school uniform and hearing her singing along. I miss both my grandmothers…

Dear Mamma-TUPAC and Juicy-The Notorious BIG

I remember these years of hip hop when we had to choose between two great MCs. We couldn’t admit to loving them both, even though we did. I could list twenty songs that each dropped that moved me during this time right up to their deaths and beyond. With their death, the course of Hip Hop changed and I’m not sure if it was for the better…

Wannabe- Spice Girls

The only reason this song is on this list is because it was my last year of primary school. I remember short skirts, mini shift dresses and platforms were big then and so was trying to act older than I really was. I guess I now realise that I should have held on longer to being a child instead of rushing into my high heels.

Higher-Creed

This song was my first confession that I loved rock (after denying for years that I liked Alanis Morisette, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, REM...). Until this song came out I remember making statements like, “I only listen to hip hop”. It was uncool to identify with anything remotely white, but it was a huge hit in 2000. It was a new century, a new decade and I guess it was time for a change and for being me and being okay with being me. Biggy was dead, PAC was dead and Hip Hop would never be the same again.