Pfumvu Paruzevha -- Trouble in the Reserves (1977)

Thomas Mapfumo

1. Aiye-iye hona ndazove rombe -- repeat 5 times
Oh! I have become a destitute

2. Waiona pfumvu iri paruzevha -- repeat twice
You have seen the trouble in the Reserves

3.Repeat verse 1:Aiye-iye hona ndazove rombe
Oh! I have become a destitute

4.

Inga zvenyu makagarika mune dzimba dzine moto
How fortunate you are to have houses with a fire

Inga zvenyu makagarika munofamba nemotokari
How fortunate you are to move around in cars

Inga zvenyu makagarika munogara mutaundi
How fortunate you are to live in urban areas

Inga zvenyu makagarika munodya rinopisa
How fortunate you are to have hot meals

Inga zvenyu makagarika mune mari muhomwe
How fortunate you are to have money in your pockets

Inga zvenyu makagarika mune pekurara
How fortunate you are to have somewhere to sleep

5. Repeat verse 2: Waiona pfumvu iri paruzevha
You have seen the trouble in the Reserves

6. Repeat verse 1: Aiye-iye hona ndazove rombe
Oh! I have become a destitute

7.

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P> Wakazvinzwa here kuti mbuya vakashaya?
Have you heard that granny is dead?

Wakazvinzwa here kuti mai vakashaya?
Have you heard that mum is dead?

Wakazvinzwa here kuti mukoma vakashaya?
Have you heard that brother is dead?

Wakazvinzwa here kuti baba vakashaya?
Have you heard that father is dead?

Wakazvinzwa here kuti mvura haichanaya?
Have you heard that rain no longer falls?

Wakazvinzwa here kuti minda yakapera?
Have you heard that the fields vanished?

Wakazvinzwa here kuti mombe dzakaenda?
Have you heard that the cattle went away?

Ndiyo pfumvu iri paruzevha
This is the trouble in the Reserves

8. Repeat verse 1: Aiye-iye hona ndazove rombe
Oh! I have become a destitute

9. Repeat verse 4:

10. Repeat verse 7:

11. Vanoona pfumvu vari paruzevha -- repeat 3 times
They are suffering in the Reserves.

[from Alice Dadirai Kwaramba, Popular Music and Society: The Language of Chiumurenga Music: The Case of Thomas Mapfumo in Zimbabwe. Oslo: University of Oslo, 1997, pages 35-36. Available from Department of Media and Communications [[email protected]].