Lyrics

[Chorus] Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi? Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi? Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi? Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi? [Verse 1] All along the river Chelmsford's army lay asleep Come to crush the Children of Mageba Come to exact the Realm's price for peace And in the morning as they saddled up to ride Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel The General told them of the task that lay ahead: To bring the People of the Sky to heel [Chorus] Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi? Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi? [Verse 2] Mud and sweat on polished leather Warm rain seeping to the bone They rode through the season's wet weather Straining for a glimpse of the foe Hopeless battalion destined to die Broken by the Benders of Kings Vain glorious General and Victorian pride Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives [Chorus] Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi? Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi? [Verse 3] They came to the side of a mountain Scouts rode out to spy the land Even as the Realm's soldiers lay resting Mageba's forces were soon at hand And by the evening, the vultures were wheeling Above the ruins where the fallen lay An ancient song as old as the ashes Echoed as Mageba's warriors marched away [Chorus] Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza Ubani 'bengathinta amabhubesi? Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Ubani obengathinta amabhubesi? [ad libs] Yash' inkani babhemu Wo 'nans' impi iyeza! Yash' inkani babhemu Seng' bonile Yash' inkani babhemu Seng'bonile Yash' inkani babhemu Haw nkonyane kandaba Haw ngithi yasha ngempela Yash' inkani babhemu Seng'bonile Wenkonyane kaNdaba Seng'bonile Yansh' inkani babhemu! Impi! wo 'nans' impi iyeza