One of the best-loved lullabies of the Zulu people of South Africa. A parent sings it to soothe a child while waiting for a loved one to return home from a day’s work — a bright star in the night sky becomes a gentle guide leading them safely back. Here you will find a singable English adaptation, the meaning, and chords.
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Verse 1
C F C
Thula thula, thula baba,
F C G7
Thula sana, ungakhali.
(Hush, hush, hush now baby — hush, my darling, don’t you cry.)
C F C
Sweet one, hush now, don’t you cry,
F C G7
Papa’s coming by and by.
Verse 2
C F C
Kukh’inkanyezi, zihol’ ubaba,
F C G7
Zikukhanyisela indlela yokuya khaya.
(There’s a star that guides daddy home, lighting the path back to us.)
C F C
There’s a star up in the sky,
F C G7
Lighting papa’s way home tonight.
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
C
Guitar
Piano
F
Guitar
Piano
G7
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What this song means
Thula Baba is one of the best-loved lullabies of the Zulu people of South Africa. A mother sings it to soothe her child while waiting for a loved one to return home from a day’s work — a bright star in the night sky becomes a gentle, comforting guide leading them safely back. Its simple call-and-response shape has carried it from voice to voice for generations.
Traditional Zulu lullaby, passed down through oral tradition. The English lines here are a singable adaptation for this arrangement, offered as a respectful tribute — not a literal translation.
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