emile kojidie

Original Zangalewa Videos

One of the few things more pleasurable than listening to Zangalewa is listening while watching them. Many thanks to the following YouTube uploaders who have helped preserve the history of Zangalewa. Do visit their channels:

Long version of Zangalewa: idamawatu
Three-part Zangalewa: kmerunezz
FESTAC '77: oronbaba
Malumba & Makrita: steeve8911
Maladie Difficile: TheKingofkongo

This is the full 11 1/2 minute version of Zangalewa. It was recorded with two cameras in one take early one morning in the CRTV studios not long after television came to Cameroon. The familiar "Waka Waka" part that was used by Shakira for the World Cup starts at 7:20. But you will do yourself a disservice if you don't watch the entire video.

The image quality is sharper and brighter in the following 3-part version, but at the cost of continuity. The final notes aren't cut off the way they are in the version above, but at the 1:53 mark, Part 3 segues into an unrelated song by the late Samson Chaud Gars ("Hot Guy"). That's him in the last thumbnail.

The Golden Sounds played in Lagos, Nigeria, for FESTAC '77. Emilio hadn't joined the band yet.

The melody for “Maloumba” came to Emilio when he was just 11 years old. A year before Nelson Mandela was freed from prison, Emilio had a dream that he sang this song to welcome him. Emilio has written a new version of this song called “Mandela.” You can listen to it on the Songs and Lyrics pages.

The late Andre Destin Ndenga was chef d'Orchestre of Golden Sounds. He is featured in "Makrita" for which Emilio arranged the brass.

"Maladie Difficile" has some more impressive horn arrangements by Emilio, and a swinging Latin beat. Annie Anzouer was with the band back then.