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Shakira's "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was based upon a traditional African soldiers' song named Zangaléwa, a 1986 makossa hit for Cameroonian group, Golden Sounds. The song was released on May 7, 2010 in the album, Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album.
Shakira's management and Sony Music Entertainment, the company that chose Shakira to sing the song, began to run into trouble with Jean Paul Zé Bella, Golden Sounds' group leader. Zé Bella accused Shakira of pirating the song as he did not grant permission to Shakira to use the chorus, nor did he receive any form of letter asking for it. An undisclosed deal was struck with Sony, promising to provide compensation to Zé Bella to borrow from Zangaléwa. Sony did not mention how much compensation it would provide.
The song was chosen as the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In response, Shakira said:I am honored that Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) was chosen to be part of the excitement and the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Many South Africans complained that they would have liked a local singer to perform the song instead of Shakira, in which she responded:The World Cup is about this melting pot, you know, in which so many cultures come together. So when Sony ... asked me to write a song for the World Cup, I decided to bring a little bit of my culture, too, which is attached to Africa through an umbilical cord. I mean, I was raised listening to music that was heavily influenced by African music ... that's how close Colombians are to African culture. So I decided to use a little of Colombian and Afro-Caribbean elements, these chants from Cameroon ... and invite a South African artist to also bring their own flavor to this song. And I thought in that way we could create a song that would be more emblematic of what the world cup spirit is, that spirit of tolerance and integration and that melting pot that South Africa is right now.
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Taiga
Vivi(Music plays...)
Shakira: You're a good soldier, choosing your battles
Pick yourself up, and dust yourself off, and back in the saddle
You're on the frontline, everyone's watching
You know it's serious, we're getting closer, this isn't over
The pressure's on, you feel it
But you got it all, believe it
When you fall, get up, oh, oh
And if you fall, get up, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
'Cause this is Africa
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
This time for Africa
(Music plays...)
Shakira: Listen to your god, this is our motto
Your time to shine, don't wait in line, y vamos por todo
People are raising, their expectations
Go on and feed them, this is your moment, no hesitation
Today's your day, I feel it
You paved the way, believe it
If you get down, get up, oh, oh
When you get down, get up, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
This time for Africa
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
Anawa ah, ah
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
This time for Africa
FreshlyGround: Awela majoni biggie biggie mama one "A" to "Zet"
Athi sithi la majoni biggie biggie mama from East to West
Bathi...waka waka ma, eh, eh
Waka waka ma, eh, eh
Zonke zizwe mazi buye
'Cause this is Africa
Background singer: Tsamina mina, anawa ah, ah
Tsamina mina
Tsamina mina, anawa ah, ah
Shakira: Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
Anawa ah, ah
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
This time for Africa
Django, eh, eh
Django, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
Anawa ah, ah
Django, eh, eh
Django, eh, eh
Tsamina mina, zangalewa
Anawa ah, ah
(Music plays...)
Shakira: This time for Africa...
(Music plays...)
Shakira: This time for Africa...
(Music plays...)
Background singer #2: We're all Africa...
(Music plays...)
Background singer #2: We're all Africa...
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