Jambo Bwana

"Jambo - Hakuna Matata (No Problems)"
Single by Boney M.
Released	July 1983
Format	7" single, 12" single
Recorded	1983
Genre	Pop, Disco
Length	4:06 (1st mix) 3:39 (Final mix)
Label	Hansa Records
Writer(s)	Teddy Kalanda-Harrison, Peter Bischoff-Fallenstein
Producer(s)	Frank Farian
Boney M. singles chronology
"Zion's Daughter" (1982) "Jambo - Hakuna Matata" (1983) "Somewhere in the World" (1984)

"Jambo Bwana" (in Swahili "Hello Sir") is a Kenyan pop song. It was first released in 1982 by Kenyan band Them Mushrooms, and later covered by a number of other groups and artists, including Mombasa Roots, Safari Sound Band, Khadja Nin, Adam Solomon and the German group Boney M.. Some versions come under different titles, such as "Jambo Jambo" and "Hakuna Matata".

"Jambo Bwana" has been largely adopted as a hotel pop song, targeting a tourist audience. Its lyrics includes several common phrases and greetings in Swahili, such as habari gani? nzuri sana ("how are things going? very well") and hakuna matata ("no problem"). The original version by Them Mushrooms also included lines celebrating Swahili language, reggae music, Africa, and "mushroom soup" (a reference to psilocybin mushrooms).

"Jambo Bwana" by Them Mushrooms was a huge commercial success, selling over 200,000 copies between 1982 and 1987 and getting platinum certification in Kenya. As a consequence of this popularity, many other bands covered the songs, in some cases with a similar success; the version by Safari Sound Band, in particular, is one of the most played songs in tourist venues in East Africa. The use of the Swahili phrase "hakuna matata" in Disney's "The Lion King" might be a reference to the chorus of the song.

Them Mushrooms released the song in several of their albums, and both their version and cover version of the songs are found in many compilation of African pop music, including those dedicated to parties and children (such as the African Playground CD published by Putumayo Kids).

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Wikipedia