News / National
Zifa courts Jah Prayzah to coin a song for the Warriors
15 Jun 2019 at 04:38hrs | Views
FROM teams marching onto home grounds accompanied by theme songs, to World Cup anthems and pop culture references, the music industry has strong ties to the world's most beautiful game.
Football lovers have heard Liverpool's You'll Never Walk Alone being played at Anfield, while Manchester City's Blue Moon and Newcastle United's Local Hero are other well-known examples.
The World Cup has also become synonymous with music.
Ever since Los Ramblers penned the song El Rock del Mundial to inspire host nation Chile at the 1962 edition, the World Cup has had an official song.
Queen's We Are The Champions in 1994 and Ricky Martin's Cup of Life four years later are two of the more prominent examples.
In 1990, the BBC used Luciano Pavarotti's classic Nessun Dorma as its theme for the World Cup in Italy which aligned beautifully with slow motion footage of the game's biggest stars strutting their stuff.
Back home, it seems to have become a norm that when the country's flagship football team — Warriors — qualifies for the prestigious Afcon tournaments, songs to motivate them ahead of their hunts in the African tourney are composed.
Months before Warriors' first Afcon dance in 2004, artistes got into the studio and did a piece. The 2006 edition Zimbabwe's qualification was not spared with the song Go Warriors Go becoming an anthem in every household, as this soccer-crazy nation could not wait to watch King Peter Ndlovu and his teammates do duty in Egypt.
Two years ago, local dancehall artistes Bounty Lisa, Abra Simzz, T-Mula teamed up to compose a song dedicated to the Warriors who were then taking part in the Afcon in Gabon.
The song was a spin-off of John Chibadura's Baya Wabaya, a yesteryear tune that reminds many of Tanga Wekwa Sando's Vakomana Vekwedu, a tune that undoubtedly played in every part of the country before and after the Warriors embarked on a hunt.
With exactly a week before 2019 Afcon football action explodes in Cairo, Egypt, we reveal that the Zifa president has courted the country's most sought after contemporary musician and lead member of the band Third Generation, Jah Prayzah to coin a new song for the Sunday Chidzambwa-mentored side.
"We know that Jah Prayzah has quite a number of followers and he is also a Warriors fan. So, I asked him to compose a song for the Warriors. I hope that will also motivate our Warriors," said Felton Kamambo.
For Jah Prayzah, the challenge is huge and he understands the role that music plays in football.
"The idea is amazing and we are going to do it. . . . Just to get everyone in the football mood, needs music. Football does not go without music. We are going to do a great song," said the dreadlocked muso.
Indeed music plays a part before, during and after the match.
Hopefully the next offering by the singer will evoke feelings of happiness as it connects the Knowledge Musona-led ship with the fans.
Zimbabwe are in Group A where they open their campaign against the hosts Egypt on June 21 (at 10pm Zimbabwean time) before they take on Uganda on June 26 (at 7pm Zimbabwean time).
They then wrap up their group stage matches against the Democratic Republic of Congo four days later at 9pm.
Football lovers have heard Liverpool's You'll Never Walk Alone being played at Anfield, while Manchester City's Blue Moon and Newcastle United's Local Hero are other well-known examples.
The World Cup has also become synonymous with music.
Ever since Los Ramblers penned the song El Rock del Mundial to inspire host nation Chile at the 1962 edition, the World Cup has had an official song.
Queen's We Are The Champions in 1994 and Ricky Martin's Cup of Life four years later are two of the more prominent examples.
In 1990, the BBC used Luciano Pavarotti's classic Nessun Dorma as its theme for the World Cup in Italy which aligned beautifully with slow motion footage of the game's biggest stars strutting their stuff.
Back home, it seems to have become a norm that when the country's flagship football team — Warriors — qualifies for the prestigious Afcon tournaments, songs to motivate them ahead of their hunts in the African tourney are composed.
Months before Warriors' first Afcon dance in 2004, artistes got into the studio and did a piece. The 2006 edition Zimbabwe's qualification was not spared with the song Go Warriors Go becoming an anthem in every household, as this soccer-crazy nation could not wait to watch King Peter Ndlovu and his teammates do duty in Egypt.
Two years ago, local dancehall artistes Bounty Lisa, Abra Simzz, T-Mula teamed up to compose a song dedicated to the Warriors who were then taking part in the Afcon in Gabon.
With exactly a week before 2019 Afcon football action explodes in Cairo, Egypt, we reveal that the Zifa president has courted the country's most sought after contemporary musician and lead member of the band Third Generation, Jah Prayzah to coin a new song for the Sunday Chidzambwa-mentored side.
"We know that Jah Prayzah has quite a number of followers and he is also a Warriors fan. So, I asked him to compose a song for the Warriors. I hope that will also motivate our Warriors," said Felton Kamambo.
For Jah Prayzah, the challenge is huge and he understands the role that music plays in football.
"The idea is amazing and we are going to do it. . . . Just to get everyone in the football mood, needs music. Football does not go without music. We are going to do a great song," said the dreadlocked muso.
Indeed music plays a part before, during and after the match.
Hopefully the next offering by the singer will evoke feelings of happiness as it connects the Knowledge Musona-led ship with the fans.
Zimbabwe are in Group A where they open their campaign against the hosts Egypt on June 21 (at 10pm Zimbabwean time) before they take on Uganda on June 26 (at 7pm Zimbabwean time).
They then wrap up their group stage matches against the Democratic Republic of Congo four days later at 9pm.
Source - bmetro
