Great SA Songs: Thugs

Artist: The Dynamics
Song: Thugs
Album: Switch It On and Wind It Up (1984)

From the driving organ comes the muted sax, then the first audible word, ‘killer”. A newsreader recounts the crime scene of a gruesome murder.

‘A half naked body” has been discovered. Chants of ‘thugs”, ‘watch ya back” and ‘back stab” punctuate the music. The bass strolls in with a little dab and then the song explodes into a punchy ska-jive mashup.

Every week, the M&G chooses one great song that says something about what it means to be South African. We write from the perspective of the listener, and in the belief that art is greater than artists will ever know. Suggest your own great South African songs here.