JoBurg Hawk
Africa She Too Can Cry

This classic album has now been released 4 times with 3 different track listings. It was first released in 1972 in South Africa by Hawk. It was then released in 1973 in Europe with a slightly different track list and credited to JoBurg Hawk. In 1998 (or thereabouts) an unofficial CD was released by the Never Never Land label in Japan with a different cover and track list. And in January 2004 Retrofresh released a CD of the European version with bonus tracks.

South Africa | Europe | Japan | Official CD | Singles

1973 European release

Tracks:

1. Uvuyo (Happiness) (D Ornellas/M Kahn/R Mackay) [3.11] aka Jabula
2. Elegy for Eden (R Mackay) [2.34]
3. Rolling of the bones (R Mackay) [2.40] Listen
4. Dark side of the moon (R Mackay) [2.54] Listen
5. War talk (Kahn/Ornellas) [2.39]
6. Africa (Ornellas) [2.48]
7. African sun (D Ornellas/M Kahn/R Mackay)
8. This elephant must die (R Mackay)
9. Beaters (R Mackay)
10. Hunt (Ornellas/Kahn)
11. The elephant is dead (R Mackay/A Lerfelo)
12. Nglovu ephili (Ornellas)
13. Yebo mama (R Mackay)
14. Sunset (Ornellas)

Musicians:

• Dave Ornellas: Vocals
• Mark "Spook" Kahn: Guitar
• Braam Malherbe: Drums
• Les "Jet" Goode: Bass
• Julian "Ipi" Laxton: Guitar
• Ivor Back: Drums
  
  
• Alfred "Ali" Lerfelo: African drums, vocals
• Billy "Knight" Mashigo: Percussion, vocals
• Audrey Motaung: Vocals, percussion
• Pete Kubheka: Vocals, percussion

Release information:

LP 1973, Charisma, 6369 928 released in UK, Netherlands, Sweden and many other countries
LP 1984, Charisma, CHC 20 re-issue in UK
CD 2004, RetroFresh, freshcd137 South African CD re-issue with bonus tracks

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Inner sleeve - click image for bigger picture

Comments:

Record Collector magazine issue #222 lists an album titled simply Jo'Burg Hawk that was released in February 1973 on the Charisma label with catalogue number CAS 1964.

Sweden: I am 24 years old and a university student. When I was about 6 or 7 or so I got hold of this fantastic album, Jo'burg Hawk's Africa she too can cry from 1973. This has haunted me thru the years and I find it an all time great. I have never had a chance to learn more about this band so this day when I found your website about their records Igot stunned. I didn't know they had a previous album (African day) but I can tell youthat I could walk thru fire for that album. I suppose that the chance that their album ever got out on CD are minimal. That's unfortunate since my only vinyl is really torn down and scratchy.I am a bit confused about the tracklisting you had written down.
-- Krister, Sweden, April 1999

Rare Record: Just another interesting piece of info, Record Collector's Rare Record Price Guide 2000 lists Jo'Burg Hawk's single 'Orang Outang/Dark side of the moon' (Charisma CB 194) released in '72 as being worth �4 in mint condition while the LP 'Jo'Burg Hawk' (LP with gatefold sleeve) (Charisma CAS 1064) released in '73 as being worth �12 in mint condition. This would be referring to the UK release. Not a fortune, but hey, it's better than a kick in the teeth I guess.
-- John Samson, May 2000

Review:
Bas Möllenkramer
Soest, the Netherlands
webmaster www.the-flames.com
October 2000

Released about a year after the original album, on the English Charisma label, this record is a mixture of Africa She Too Can Cry and the previous Hawk album African Day. To explain this it's best to go backwards. That first album was named after its title track which took up the whole of side two. It tells the story of an elephant hunt, no longer politically correct but nevertheless an exciting musical tale in the context of the era.

The track African Day was re-recorded for the European album, and once again featured on side two, but now as separate songs, with This Elephant Must Die thrown in for topicality. This was not part of the original side-long track.

Of the eleven songs which comprised the original South African release of Africa She Too Can Cry, four had to make way, these being The Return, Predictions, My Spear and White Bird Of Peace. That was a sad loss indeed. The remaining tracks were presented in a totally different order, mostly on side one, with one of them being integrated in the epic b-side, as outlined above.

This reviewer is of the opinion that the album was substantially weakened by this apparently arbitrary reshuffling. However it is nevertheless recommended as second-best if an original South African record cannot be found. The inner sleeve depicted hand-drawn images of the elephant hunt with hand-written notes outlining the story. The South African album instead shows a grainy black-and -white photo hinting at the exciting stage presence of Hawk. Indeed this reviewer was mesmerised by the Rhodesian introduction of Africa She Too Can Cry in live concert in the Rhodes Cinema, in Salisbury on 22 July 1972 (seat O-18!). The headline act the Troggs had to take a back seat to the excitement of Hawk.

Webpages:

• Hawk
• Julian Laxton
• Ramsay Mackay