Shakira‘s ‘Waka Waka’ song which served as the FIFA World Cup 2010 anthem is quite popular among the listeners, especially the Football fanatics. However, for those who are unaware, it was reworked by Shakira and the original song is titled, Zamina mina (Zangaléwa) which is a 1986 hit by the Cameroonian group Golden Sounds. It is noted that neither Shakira’s record label nor FIFA initially credited or compensated the Cameroonian artists for using their lyrics and composition. Thanks to Instagram Reels and TikTok, the classic hit has resurfaced on social media.
Shakira drew inspiration from the song and it has resurfaced
A decade has passed by but Shakira’s version remains to be popular among the fans. Many have noted how the original is unexpectedly trending on Reels and TikTok these days, mostly being used on dog videos, football moments, or just bizarrely funny memes.
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The song was written and performed by a band from Cameroon that was originally named Golden Sounds (who later renamed themselves to Zangaléwa after the song’s immense popularity). The composition of the members is pretty amusing as they all were serving in the Cameroonian presidential guard when they formed the outfit in 1984.
The upbeat track with the original version clocking at 11 minutes, Zangaléwa falls in the Cameroonian urban music genre known as makossa. The genre traces its origins in funk, disco, and even Christian hymns and was a big hit in Cameroon in the 1980s.
The Doula language constitutes most of Zangaléwa’s lyrics along with some elements of French, Jamaican patois, and West African English dialects that are referred to as pidgin English.
The members had previous military experience as they served in the Cameroonian army during World War II back when France had been ruling over the African nation. Following the hit, Golden Sounds members put up a comedic show whenever they performed.
They often dressed up in military costumes and stuffed clothes and pillows down their bottoms and over their stomachs. The joke is that the army men would often travel in trains that would give them swollen backside while the bloated stomachs were just from eating too much state-sponsored food.
Many songs for FIFA World Cup has come and gone by but this song remains engraved in the heart of Football fans.
Check out both the songs below:
