Valentines 2023: Download Free Les Wanyika Love Songs on Mdundo

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Written By: Brian Sikulu

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In 1974, two Tanzanian brothers, Wilson and George Kinyonga, migrated to the coastal region of Kenya in pursuit of greener pastures for their music careers. The migration came just a few years after the duo formed the Simba Wanyika band. The tough economic atmosphere in Tanzania necessitated the migration of the band to Kenya.

Simba Wanyika was treated to a warm reception in Kenya and even registered more members. The band became more prominent when it absorbed local vocalists and instrumentalists including Rashid Juma, Omar Shabani, Tommy Malanga, Sijali Salum Zuwa, and Phoney Mkwanyule. The Simba Wanyika band recorded a lot of hit songs and earned a huge fanbase within and beyond Kenya.

Unfortunately, a rift developed among the members of the band leading to a split in 1978. Led by Omar Shaban, a section of the members left the band and formed a new one dubbed Orchestre Les Wanyika band. This development not only marked a new dawn in the music industry but also a major landmark in the history of Kenyan music. Orchestre Les Wanyika through their many hit songs and extensive performances locally and globally laid a strong foundation and genesis to a thriving industry.

The band recorded and performed hundreds of songs. Its objective was not just to entertain, but also to inform and educate society on various subjects. One of the themes that are dominant in the band's work is love. The artists had a unique style of touching the hearts of their fans through emotional and relatable love narrations. Here are some of the best love songs from Orchestre Les Wanyika band as we get to enjoy Valentines day with a vintage taste of Swahili lyricism:

Sina Makosa

This masterpiece was composed by Omar Shaban shortly after he defected from the Simba Wanyika band. Approximately four decades later, the song has amassed prestigious achievements across the world. It ranks among Kenyan songs with a lot of covers and wide airplay. 'Sina Makosa' officially thrust Orchestre Les Wanyika back into the limelight and cemented them as one of the best bands at the time.

The song presents the story of multiple men who are in love with the same woman. Naturally, such a standoff would be dominated by hatred and jealousy. Orchestre Les Wanyika, however, preaches for peace and tolerance among the suitors. It is not just the uniqueness of the storyline that makes it interesting, it is the presentation and narration combined with the instrumentals of the song.

Barua Yako

The legendary song was written by Aaron Fanyana Mayisa. It was featured in Les Wanyika's Sina Makosa album. It is one of the songs that attracted immense success for the band. What makes this song unique is the plot twist that is expressed in the narration.

'Barua Yako' tells the story of a woman who has expressed her interest and affection to a man. The man, however, is reluctant to reciprocate the feeling and get engaged to the woman. Through the song, Les Wanyika who takes the person of the man cites various reasons why he is afraid to be with the lady despite the fact that he is in love with her.

Afro

'Afro' serves as a letter from Les Wanyika. In the letter, Les Wanyika pleads with the woman he is in love with to be patient with him. He expresses the adoration he has for her and the insecurity of losing her because of his humble status. The storyline paints the picture of a man who is determined to impress the woman of his dreams despite the odds of not being on his side.

Tafuta Wako

The hit song presents the narration of love mixed with jealousy and hate. Les Wanyika sings of how he is hated because of the woman the is engaged to. He points out that the majority of men are jealous of him and willing to harm him because of it. The persona, nonetheless, preaches for peace despite hatred and jealousy.

Penzi Halina Siri

Les Wanyika and John Ngereza preach about the open expression of feelings. It follows the story of a young woman who fights to keep her relationship private despite everyone knowing it. The singers advocate for freedom of expressing ones feeling without being afraid of being judged.

Kujenga Nyumba

The song was written by the late Omari Shabani. It narrates how hard it is to sustain a marriage and why partners should always tolerate each other to protect their love. According to the song, most of the time it is easy to part ways and thus many marriages never last. It further advises young couples on how to ensure that their marriage lasts.