Pick yourself up and dust yourself off And back in the saddle

My daughters, age 8 and 10, came home from school last week – very excited because the leaders of the year 7 class had performed a song that they loved.

“Mum, remember the song that was played at Graeme and Janice’s wedding?” they asked me,

“Um,” I replied, trying desperately to scan through the possible 1000 songs (some of which I didn’t even recognise!) that we may have danced to only 6 weeks ago.

“You know, the one that goes Waka Waka, oh oh”

Could it be the All Blacks war cry – the Wakka Wakka?  No didn’t think I’d heard any Kiwi songs at the wedding!

It’s not only recently that it dawned on me how ignorant I am about song titles (yes,  I’m afraid even as a teenager, I could sing along to a song and still not know it’s title or who sang it!).

Lucky for modern technology – a quick search on You tube picked it up as the Soccer World Cup 2010 theme song.  As soon as I heard it I could see my nephew’s new bride in all her white finery, full skirt and all, leaping around on the dancefloor just like Shakira!

So I thought I would share the words of the song with you – because even if you’ve heard the song, you may have, like me, not really listened to these inspirational words! Think of how these words apply to business, to sport – to life in general.

Here’s to getting back in the saddle as we head towards 2011. Tomorrow is a new day – and everyday is Chooseday!

Kind regards

Jill Hutchison

Here are the lyrics for Waka Waka:

You’re a good soldier
Choosing your battles
Pick yourself up and dust yourself off
And back in the saddle

You’re on the frontline
Everyone’s watching
You know it’s serious, we’re getting closer
This isn’t over

The pressure is on
You feel it
But you’ve got it all
Believe it

When you fall, get up, oh oh
And if you fall get up, eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa  (translation: where do you come from?)
‘Cause this is Africa

Tsamina mina eh eh (tr: Come)
Waka Waka eh eh (tr:  do it – as in perform a task)
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa

Listen to your god
This is our motto
Your time to shine, don’t wait in line
Y vamos por todo (tr: and we go all out)

People are raising
Their expectations
Go on and feed them, this is your moment
No hesitation

Today’s your day
I feel it
You paved the way
Believe it

If you get down, get up, oh oh
And you get down, get up, eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa

Tsamina mina eh eh
Waka Waka eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa

[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/waka-waka-lyrics-shakira.html ]

Anawa aa

Tsamina mina eh eh
Waka Waka eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa

I went on a journey, biggie biggie mama
Went a to zed
But this wasn’t on my journey, biggie biggie mama
From east to west

But he waka waka ma eh eh (nevertheless, do it)
Waka Waka ma eh eh
Zonne zizwe mazi buye (can’t find a direct translation but it’s close to: everyone heard, obeyed and is coming)
‘Cause this is Africa

Tsamina mina, anawa a a
Tsamina mina
Tsamina mina, anawa a a

Tsamina mina, eh eh
Waka waka, eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa a a

Tsamina mina, eh eh
Waka waka, eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa

Django eh eh
Django eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa a a

Django eh eh
Django eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa a a

This time for Africa
This time for Africa
We’re all Africa
We’re all Africa