Gambling Playlist: The Best South African Songs to Listen to When You're Playing Casino Games

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Gambling Playlist: The Best South African Songs to Listen to When You're Playing Casino Games

Every casino room online or offline, makes use of music. The famous Oscar Wilde's "Rough Beast That Broke Out Of The Cave" was first introduced to the world during the Jazz Era. Jazz was a popular genre in the United States, and the fact that a song was inspired by a place was not a far-fetched idea.  Today, online casinos in South Africa have rapidly adopted the trend, playing gambling-themed music from the continent and from across the world.

The history of casino music

When people think of casino music, the first one that comes to mind is probably one of the biggest hit songs in casino history, "Ruby's Roar." This song was released in 1992 by KC and the Sunshine Band. Since then, the song has been part of the casino-themed music genre and is considered to be one of the most popular casino songs. 

The release of this song definitely influenced a lot of pop songs in the 90s, as most were derived from this sample. But not all were successful. In fact, the other song that is considered to be the first casino song, "Straight Up," was produced in 1974 and didn't make it big.

Both the songs above show us that casino-themed songs have been around since the late 1800s.

The South African Casino Playlist

1. Jak Malema - "I'll Win Lotto."

Jak Malema is considered as the biggest music star in South Africa. The song "I'll Win Lotto" is a classic in the country. In 2004, he teamed up with InXeba for a music video of the song.

The song was initially released on his first album, King Xhosa, back in 2007.

2. Pata Pata by Zakri

You might know about the debut single from veteran South African jazz artist, Zakri. It was released in 2006, and it did pretty well. However, Pata Pata might not have been the best of his works, but it still makes the top3 of this list.

"Pata pata" means literally "slowly" in Zulu. It was made during the 30s, and the lyrics are about someone who is waiting for his love to come back.

3. Nkya by Tiken Jah Fakoly

Tiken Jah Fakoly, an upcoming beatmaker from KZN, has made a rap and electronic song using casino imagery. He had made a hit with "Suga Suga" and "How Low" in 2017. While they are both not casino-themed songs, the lyrics sound too familiar.

The rapper says he is a party boy who plays at least 20 tables.

4. Wandile Ngcobo – Ray Phiri's "Grazing in the Grass."

This song has a lot of references to gambling and features two very popular South African artists. Ray Phiri is the creator of that iconic Kwaito song "Grazing in the Grass." Wandile Ngcobo sings a gorgeous version of the famous song.

5. Jabba ft. Jessy Jay – Adderley

Listen to Jabba's version of the song "Grazing in the Grass" by Ray Phiri. The song has a lot of references to gambling, with Jabba talking about how "you can't gamble without playing". Jessy Jay was the vocalist for The Slackers, a popular South African band.

6. Cash in or Cash out by Ilizwi Ndlovu

This is a true gaming anthem. It is by the legendary South African singer Ilizwi Ndlovu. He has used this song to promote the Vodacom Durban July since the year 2000.

7. Rock'n'Roll Junkie by Milkshake

The first entry of this list is from 2017. This is a unique song that was released to celebrate the 50 years of the Super City. The lyrics and music are very well suited to the vibe of any casino. 

All of its tracks are produced by DJ Ish. Rock music can be heard primarily in the ending of the song. It is a euphoric and fun song that might be one of the more popular on the list. It is sung by an artist from the band Milkshake.

8. Paul Simon – "You Can Call Me Al"

This song was featured on the 1984 album, "Ready When You Are. It is the 6th track in the 4th section.

During the video shoot, Paul was seen playing the slot machine on top of a hotel. This is the song's music video.

9. Christina Aguilera – "Can't Hold Us Down."

The song was one of the songs from Aguilera's 2001 self-titled album. It was also released in 2010 as a particular edition version.

In the video, the artist and rapper Lil Jon are seen on a yacht.

Conclusion

If you are into gambling or enjoy listening to songs about it, we recommend these South Africa casino-themed songs.

Previous to 1998, gambling lyrics were rarely spoken about openly. It was considered the domain of low-class people.

"When the wine is gone, and the bread is gone/ As every man was his own captain, then that woman is free/ As that man could take out his knife, but/ As that man put a rifle to his chest, then that man dies" — Herbert Aptekman, Proud Mary.

There were even certain people who didn't think gambling was suitable for women. In order to tackle this, legendary rock band the Beatles included a gambling reference in their biggest hit.