A fact from Mackay Davashe appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 22 June 2023 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
Did you know... that Mackay Davashe wrote "Lakutshona Ilanga", the English version of which, sung by Miriam Makeba, became the first South African piece to chart on the Billboard Hot 100?
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The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.
... that Mackay Davashe wrote "Lakutshona Ilanga", the English version of which, sung by Miriam Makeba, became the first South African piece to chart on the Billboard Hot 100? Source: Jolaosho 2021, Jaggi 2000, cited in article.
ALT1: ... that Mackay Davashe wrote "Lakutshona Ilanga", the English version of which became the first South African piece to chart on the Billboard Hot 100? Source: Jolaosho 2021, Jaggi 2000, cited in article.
Overall: overall, everything about the article itself is okay. "In the English version..." indicates some close paraphrasing, but there isn't really any other way to reword that sentence, so i'll let that slide. the citations do back up the information in the hook. wrt the hooks, however, I feel as though the current ones are still too convoluted. I'd suggest the alt "... that Mackay Davashe co-wrote the first South African single to chart in the US?" . there is zero need to mention the song's title as we can simply focus on the achievement. and by using the word "co-wrote" , we do away with the "english version" part; he's still credited as a co-writer in the english translation, no? Elias 🌊 💬 "Will you call me?" 📝 "Will you hang me out to dry?"10:42, 16 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I'm okay dumping the title, I'm hesitant about "co-wrote" as I think it's verging on OR; the translator was someone else, and who knows how little or much work Davashe put into it. I also don't want to say "chart in the US", because while that's likely true, it is a guess; there are charts besides the billboard one...ALT2 below is at 138 characters (I believe); what do you think? Vanamonde (Talk)17:53, 16 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
ALT2: ... that the first South African piece to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 was an English translation of a Xhosa song written by Mackay Davashe? Source: Jolaosho 2021, Jaggi 2000, cited in article.
Readers should not be expected to be familiar with the Hot 100. Naming it, like naming the song, adds layers of complexity that dilutes the wow factor of the hook. Simplifying things to "chart in the US" makes sense metonymically. The Hot 100 is the US's standard chart for songs, with no other major competitor around; I really doubt anyone else apart from BB was compiling charts in the 50s, so clarifying that it charted in the Hot 100 as opposed to ... i don't know ... iTunes? ... seems unnecessary. Elias 🌊 💬 "Will you call me?" 📝 "Will you hang me out to dry?"06:57, 21 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I recognize that, but it is what the source says. Is it really a deal-breaker for you? It seems to me the hook is marginally dryer, but not enough to be disqualifying. Vanamonde (Talk)15:20, 21 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
- needs workshopping
overall, everything about the article itself is okay. "In the English version..." indicates some close paraphrasing, but there isn't really any other way to reword that sentence, so i'll let that slide. the citations do back up the information in the hook. wrt the hooks, however, I feel as though the current ones are still too convoluted. I'd suggest the alt "
Elias 🌊 💬 "Will you call me?"