Lazaro Lyrics
Amai mwana muteuro
Mwandimwaya muteuro
Hembe dzese muteuro
Hembe dzese muteuro
Handina mari ndiri Razaro
Handina mari ndiri Razaro
Vane mari ndiana Gono
Vane mari ndiana Gono
[Verse 2: Lynol Siwela]
Amai mwana muteuro
(Heeh muteuro)
Hona mwandimwaya muteuro
(Heeh muteuro)
Hembe dzese muteuro
(Heeh muteuro)
Hembe dzese muteuro
(Heeh muteuro)
Handina mari ndiri Razaro
(Heeh ndiri Razaro)
Handina mari ndiri Razaro
(Heeh ndiri Razaro)
Vane mari ndiana Gono
(Heeh ndiana Gono)
Vane mari ndiana Gono
(Heeh ndiana Gono)
Hona majaira shegede shegede
Imi majaira shegede shegede
Hona majaira shegede shegede
Imi majaira shegede shegede
[Chorus: Winnie Khumalo]
Handina mari ndiri Razaro
(Heeh muteuro)
Handina mari ndiri Razaro
(Heeh muteuro)
Vane mari ndiana Gono
(Heeh ndiri Razaro)
Vane mari ndiana Gono
(Heeh ndiri Razaro)
[Verse 3: Busiswa]
Sikulento together
S'oqokelela amaqanda together
S'opheka inqina nepapa together
Bayek' omakhelwane ba apha
Asoze ba understand-a
Money makes the world go round
But you make my heart go up and down, down
And we gonna get by
Instead of saying goodbye
I am gonna love you for life
Love you for life
Woyo, woyo oohh
Woyo, woyo, woyo, woyo oohh
Love you for life
Woyo, woyo oohh
Woyo, woyo, woyo, woyo, woyo, woyo oohh
[Bridge: Lynol Siwela]
Haiwa chiripo chandaona
(Heeh muteuro)
Haiwa chiripo chandaona
(Heeh muteuro)
Haiwa chiripo chandaona
(Heeh muteuro)
(Heeh muteuro)
About
“Lazaro” is taken from the Shona translation, Razaro, of the biblical name Lazarus. This is the beggar in one of Jesus' parables found on Luke 16:19-31 of the rich man and Lazarus.
The song is about a poor man who refers to himself as Lazarus and is complaining to his wife who is constantly spraying him with holy water (muteuro) to change his dire fortunes. Gono refers to Gideon Gono, the former governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
This song is inspired by the Apolostic churches (mapostori in Shona) prominent in Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe where Lyonel Siwela is from; and South Africa where Busiswa and Winnie Khumalo are from. The Apostolic churches are known for wearing white apparel, men with shaved heads and long beards, miracles using holy water and stones and they mostly conduct their services out in the open and not in a traditional church building.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The controversy was about who was the owner of the song. The song credits Winnie Khumalo as the primary artist and credits Lyonel and Busiswa as featuring. However, Winnie Khumalo who is South African, sings throughout the song in Shona, a Zimbabwean language. The song was also initially released in Zimbabwe with a different beat and without the two South African artists. This angered Lyonel who contemplated legal action and had this to say, according to the The Sun:
Winnie is greedy! She’s taking advantage because I’m a foreigner. The song was meant to be a collaboration. I have all the original versions of that song and first released it in Zimbabwe last year (2015). I met Winnie early this year (2016) through producer, Bongo Beats, from Soshanguve in Pretoria. She liked the song and we agreed to collaborate on it. Clearly, she had other plans for my song. She didn’t even write it, but she goes around taking credit for the work and doesn’t even own it. She blocked me on WhatsApp and does not take my calls. I regret meeting her. Winnie really betrayed me.
Winnie Khumalo however said she was not responsible for the credits issue:
The song was given to me by Bongo Beats. I met Lyonel through Bongo Beats and they gave me the song. I don’t own anything in that song. They own the publishing rights. I’m pushing the song in every way possible. I’m the one going around the country promoting it. I have on several occasions asked him to join me ahead of time when going to perform, but he always comes up with excuses every time I call him.
