The Top Zimbabwean Songs of All-Time - Starting Eleven

 I asked some friends to name their top 5 songs ever, from Zimbabwe. I do not have a Zimbabwean alter-ego, yet. I used what I have learnt around Museke. I also asked Google Gemini & other AI bots. You know AI is my friend these days right? I also contributed my top 5.

I have never been to Zimbabwe. I learnt about Zimbabwean music from some friends, around my time at MIT and then later at Stanford. Google helped during the Museke days too.

I wanted to make a list of the top 5, but there are too many songs. So I have aggregated 11, to represent Zimbabwe in the World Cup of #MusicWeDeyFeel. The starting eleven. Drop your opinions, props, suggestions in the comments section. Here we go, in no particular order, you can suggest who plays centre forward, sweeper, maestro, left wing back or goalkeeper in the comments.

Chitekete - Leonard Dembo (1991) 

This is one of Zimbabwe's most beloved tracks of all time. It won the poll too. He brought this out with The Barura Express and it is sung in Shona. Chitekete was voted Zimbabwe's Silver Jubilee Best Song in 2005, beating out all other tracks produced since independence in 1980. It achieved international recognition when it was played at the 1996 Miss World beauty pageant held in Namibia, making Dembo a history maker for Zimbabwe. The album sold over 100,000 copies within just two weeks, an unprecedented feat in Zimbabwe at the time.

"Chitekete" is a term of endearment. The lyrics tell the story of a boy deeply in love with a girl who is physically or socially out of reach, comparing her to a beautiful flower. Dembo uses the image of a spider's web (dandemutande) to describe how she is protected by a strict family. The song is long though, 15 minutes long. I wonder if the Gen Z’s would listen to this. If your song is played at weddings then you know it is going to last for decades. This track is the last man standing in post. Apparently, Gift "The Umbro" Muzadzi, a legendary Zimbabwean goalkeeper, was a major fan of Leonard Dembo and often credited his music as his pre-match ritual to calm his nerves before big games. The song makes me think about Bruce Grobbelaar as well.

Mugove - Leonard Zhakata (1991)

Leonard Karikoga Zhakata became the youngest Zimbabwean musician to sell more than 100,000 copies of an album at just 26 years old . "Mugove" finished as Song of the Year on the Radio Zimbabwe Top 20 hits list. This Shona track is from the album Maruva Enyika. Many of his songs were blacklisted by the government, but he continued to sing them in live concerts. We would put this song as a left back, defending against political oppression.

"Mugove" means "Fair share" in Shona. It is a political song that addresses societal inequality and criticizes the corrupt elite. When Zhakata released this song in 1994, Zimbabwe was experiencing economic hardship due to IMF and World Bank Structural Adjustment Programs, with large-scale protests and strikes. Zhakata appears to be pleading with God: "Kana paine pamakandichengetera Baba / Ndokumbirawo Mugove wangu / Ndichiri kurarama Tenzi tarirai / Ndosakadzwa sechipfeko nevanemari / Ndisina changuwo" ("If there is somewhere you have kept for me, Lord / Please give me my share / While I'm still living, Lord look upon me / I'm tossed like a garment by the wealthy / While I have nothing of my own").

Neria - Oliver Mtukudzi (1993)

I know a lot of you were waiting for this. This is an all-time classic that also travelled well outside Zimbabwe. The song was released as the title track for the movie Neria in 1993. Oliver Mtukudzi himself took on the role of Jethro, Neria's brother, within the film.
The directors were so captivated by the track that they decided to rename the film after it. Just wow. The song became an anthem for women's rights and resilience across Africa.

"Neria", as sung in Shona, tells the story of a woman named Neria who finds herself in a challenging situation after her husband's untimely death. The repeated refrain "Usaore moyo ka Neria, Mwari anewe" translates to "Do not lose heart, Neria, God is with you”. The line "Kufirwa nemurume hanzvanzi, Zvinoda moyo wekushinga" means "Losing a husband, sister, requires a brave heart," courageous. 

This Shona track slots into 1 of the centre back slots. It protects vulnerable people, stands up against gender inequality, and provides a foundation of hope. I saw Tuku perform live in San Francisco once, and Neria made an impression on us all.

25 - Winky D (2016) 

When I started learning more about popular Zimbabwean music during the Museke heydays, I realized dancehall was a major genre. I also learnt about
Winky D whose real name is Wallace Chirumiko. Winky D is Zimbabwe's biggest dancehall star, often called the "Big Man" or "Gafa." He delivered this all-time classic in Shona and English.

"25" is a song where Winky D laments the "quarter-life crisis" faced by many Zimbabweans. I was older than 25 when this song came out in 2016. It is interesting that many 25 year olds would expect to have a stable life—a house, a car, and financial security. The hustle is real and takes more time. Either way, the song was an anthem for the youth, talking about their feelings and wants, and the hope for a breakthrough. Like a creative attacking midfielder who unlocks defenses, Winky D’s 25 (wearing the #25 jersey) unlocked the emotions of a generation. This song is the maestro, creative, influential, and changing the game, the playmaker.

Kutonga Kwaro - Jah Prayzah (2017) 

Jah Prayzah is known in real life as Mukudzeyi Mukombe. He has become Zimbabwe's leading contemporary artist, with several collaborations with international stars. Kutonga Kwaro is the title track of Jah Prayzah's 2017 album. It was as popular as it was controversial.

The Shona lyrics "Hero rasvika gamba" translates to "the hero has arrived"). There’s more. "Ndaakuchinja mutemo" translates to "I am introducing new laws"). "Zaruraiwo dura" which means open the granary, implies that the new hero wants the wealth of the country to benefit many people. Now, that is very bold. Surely a left winger.

People aligned the song with the political climate of the time, when Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was positioning to take over from President Robert Mugabe. The song was reportedly used by both the military and the opposition during the final years of Mugabe's rule. The album launch at the Harare International Conference Centre drew arguably Jah Prayzah's biggest crowd to date, with Oliver Mtukudzi and Winky D.

Jit Jive - Bhundu Boys (1987)

Jit Jive introduced global audiences to Zimbabwean pop music and influenced countless artists. It was composed by the Bhundu Boys (Biggie Tembo, Rise Kagona, David Mankaba, Shakie Kangwena, Kenny Chitsvatsva). This song was part of the album Shabini which was critically acclaimed worldwide. It is an upbeat, moving track, and gave birth to "Bhundu beat"—a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean mbira music with electric guitars, etc. 

The song repeats the phrase "let's stay alive" post turbulent times in Zimbabwe, sung in Shona and English. Apparently, Jit refers to a style of dance music that originated in Zimbabwe's townships. The Bhundu Boys became Zimbabwe's most successful international export in the 1980s. They toured extensively in the UK, opened for Madonna, and recorded with producers who worked with The Smiths. Like an attacking right back who bombs forward, the Bhundu Boys took Zimbabwean music to the world.

Mundikumbuke - Alick Macheso (2000) 

Alick Macheso is Zimbabwe's biggest-selling musician ever, based on the tracks in his landmark album Simbaradzo, which sold an astounding 350,000 copies. The arrowhead for this was Mundikumbuke. He performed this with Orchestra Mberikwazvo. This sungura song slots in defence as well. This breakout hit brought Alick into the limelight.

"Mundikumbuke amayo ndatsala ndeka" translates to "Remember me, I have been left behind". The refrain "Udzafune fune moenda Bambo ulinawo" translates to "You will realize the importance of your father when he is no longer with you". The Shona song asks us to cherish loved ones and never take their presence for granted.

Todii - Oliver Mtukudzi (1999)

This is a monumental song. Todii was about the desperation and helplessness experienced in Zimbabwe during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the late 1990s. I knew about this as part of my initiation to Zimbabwean music. The repetition of the question "Todii?" ("What shall we do?") reflects the collective search for answers in the face of a devastating crisis. This line is also sung in other local languages aside from Shona. This song is from the album Tuku Music.

Apparently, Tuku lost four members of his band, including his brother, to this epidemic. He sang: "zwinorwadza sei kurera rufu mumawoko", which translates to "how painful it is to carry death in your hands". In 2020, it was adapted to raise awareness about COVID-19, showing the enduring strength of its message across different crises. This song is versatile in different languages and for different times, so it would be the utility player. The box-to-box midfielder can do all sorts of roles on the field, connecting all areas of play.

Shumba - Thomas Mapfumo (1981)

There cannot be a list of all-time songs from Zimbabwe that does not include Thomas Mapfumo. He is known as the "Lion of Zimbabwe" and the founder of chimurenga music—a genre that uses traditional mbira sounds with electric instrumentation to create protest music. Shumba was released in 1981 on the album Gwindingwi Rine Shumba, just after Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, capturing the revolutionary spirit of the time. Mapfumo's music was banned by the government, and he eventually went into exile.

For Shumba, he worked with Jonah Sithole on guitar, Leonard 'Pickett' Chiyangwa on guitar, Charles Mayana on bass, Sebastian Ferado on drums, Everson Chibamu and Temba Ncube on trumpets. Some of its Shona lyrics, "Gwindingwi rine shumba inoruma kuza ngoma" translates to "The thick black forest has a killer lion—beat the drum". Like a left winger who cuts inside with purpose, "Shumba" cuts to the heart of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.

Wandirasa - Chiwoniso Maraire (1998) Did you think no Zimbabwean women would feature? Gotcha. Wandirasa was the track that defined Chiwoniso Maraire as a global Queen of Mbira. This was from her breakout album Ancient Voices which also included fan-favorite Amai. Wandirasa dominated Zimbabwean radio and became a "World Music" hit in Europe and North America. It won the Radio France Internationale (RFI) Decouverte Afrique award. 

The song is about heartbreak and abandonment. “Wandirasa, wandirasa mudiwa” in Shona means "You have discarded me, you have discarded me, my love”. "Wandisiya ndega parujeke" also means "You have left me all alone in the light/clearing". I had actually heard this song before. This track slots in to the striker position.

Mu Garden - Winky D (2019)
This is one of the most significant collaborations in Zimbabwean music history, featuring Winky D and the soulful Gemma Griffiths. If you think this name is for a white lady, yes, it is. The song was released as a "Valentine’s Day gift" to fans. It became an instant viral sensation, breaking Zimbabwean YouTube records at the time by hitting 1 million views in just 48 hours. The music video reimagines the biblical Garden of Eden story, shot in the scenic Vumba Mountains, where Winky D plays the role of Adam, and Gemma plays Eve. They portray a love that is pure, original, and "untouchable" by the outside world.

In Shona, the lyrics go, “Vose vanoda kutitonga, asi rudo rwedu rwakasiyana” which means “Everyone wants to judge us, but our love is different”. Then, “Ndiwe wega wandinoda mudiwa” which means “You are the only one I love, my dear”. This song introduced Gemma Griffiths to the mainstream Zimbabwean audience, launching her career as a household name. It won multiple awards, including Song of the Year at various national ceremonies, and solidified Winky D's title as the "Gaffa" (leader) of the industry. Mu Garden is still a staple at Zimbabwean weddings.

Many thanks to friends like who contributed to this –David Takawira, Gerald Chirinda, Innocent Yekeye, Loice Chingozha, Nicola Grace Hove, Precious Lunga, Primrose Manyalo, Tatenda Mutseyekwa, Tawanda Sibanda. Have more #MusicWeDeyFeel to contribute? Drop a comment.

Check out this playlist of songs that were nominated, etc on YouTube.