Scatterlings of Africa

The song introduced the music of Johnny Clegg, the cofounder of Juluka and Savuka, to Western audiences.

[3] As a multiracial band in apartheid-era South Africa, Juluka frequently had trouble with the police, and their songs were banned by state-run radio stations, but their brand of Afro-pop nonetheless became popular.

"[4] According to scholar Timothy Taylor, they describe the story of "the hungry, the searching, all trying to make a better South Africa".

[5] The song switches between major and minor keys, a device which, according to scholar Timothy Taylor, reflects its rejection of fixed views of identity and social position.

[2] In a 1987 cover by Savuka, founded by Clegg after Juluka disbanded, the bass drums are enhanced in volume, creating an exceptionally resonant sound.

[2] Its success allowed Clegg to leave his academic position as an anthropologist at the University of the Witwatersrand, to become a full-time musician.