Impi - Johnny Clegg, Soweto Gospel Choir

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi?

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi?

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi?

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi?

All along the river Chelmsford’s army lay asleep

Come to crush the Children of Mageba

Come to exact the Realm’s price for peace

And in the morning as they saddled up to ride

Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel

The General told them of the task that lay ahead:

To bring the People of the Sky to heel

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza

Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi?

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi?

Mud and sweat on polished leather

Warm rain seeping to the bone

They rode through the season’s wet weather

Straining for a glimpse of the foe

Hopeless battalion destined to die

Broken by the Benders of Kings

Vain glorious General and Victorian pride

Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza

Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi?

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi?

They came to the side of a mountain

Scouts rode out to spy the land

Even as the Realm’s soldiers lay resting

Mageba’s forces were soon at hand

And by the evening, the vultures were wheeling

Above the ruins where the fallen lay

An ancient song as old as the ashes

Echoed as Mageba’s warriors marched away

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza

Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi?

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi?

Yash' inkani babhemu

Wo 'nans' impi iyeza!

Yash' inkani babhemu

Seng' bonile

Yash' inkani babhemu

Seng’bonile

Yash' inkani babhemu

Haw nkonyane kandaba

Haw ngithi yasha ngempela

Yash' inkani babhemu

Seng’bonile

Wenkonyane kaNdaba

Seng’bonile

Yansh' inkani babhemu!

Impi!

wo 'nans' impi iyeza