Free Nelson Mandela

Chart positions Explanation of the data

Singles

Nelson Mandela   UK 9 03/17/1984 (10 weeks)

The label of the German original single shows the original song title, Nelson Mandela

The 12-inch single contained an extended version of the song

Nelson Mandela (in the US and Italy and later versions also as: Free Nelson Mandela ) is a song by Jerry Dammers that was recorded by his band The Special AKA . Nelson Mandela was released in 1984 and is a protest song against the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela . The song is a up-tempo - rock song with many influences from the South African music. The recording was produced by Elvis Costello . Nelson Mandela appeared on the album In the Studio . The single reached number 9 on the UK charts and was a number one hit in some countries such as New Zealand , but the song was also very popular in Africa .

history

Dammers told the Radio Times about the making of the song:

“I knew very little about Mandela until I went to an anti-apartheid concert in London in 1983, which gave me the idea for 'Nelson Mandela', I never knew how much impact the song would have; it was a hit around the world, and it got back into South Africa and was played at sporting events and ANC rallies-it became an anthem. ”

“I knew very little about Mandela until I went to an anti- apartheid concert in London in 1983 , which gave me the idea for 'Nelson Mandela'. I had no idea what effect this song would one day have; It became a worldwide hit and it came to South Africa and was played there at sporting events and ANC rallies - it became an anthem . "

- Jerry Dammers : Interview

Lead singer Stan Campbell left the band after the recordings for Nelson Mandela were finished, but was persuaded to still sing on the video for the song and during an appearance on Top of the Pops . The background voices came from Rhoda Dakar and the three singers known as Afrodisiak, Caron Wheeler , Claudia Fontaine and Naomi Thompson.

In 1988, for Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday, a new version of the song was released, now under the title Free Nelson Mandela , with the musicians Elvis Costello, Dave Wakeling , Ranking Roger and Lynval Golding as well as with Ndonda Khuze and Jonas Gwangwa , who were already involved in the original . This was produced by Dammers with Tom Fredrickes.

For Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday in June 2008, the band sang the song in London's Hyde Park with Amy Winehouse as singer. But instead of Free Nelson Mandela , she sang Free Blakey, My Fella (a reference to her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, a drug dealer in prison ).

In 2010, the English newspaper New Statesman named the song as one of the top 20 political songs. The music project 1,000 Days, 1,000 Songs published the title on its website in April 2017 as a protest against the policies of US President Donald Trump .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Charts UK
2. ↑ Overview of the various publications ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; some false pressings give the title as Nelson Mandella , cf. ibid  
3. ↑ On the labels of some pressings of both the 7 "and 12" versions, Rhoda Dakar is named as co-author, cf. Overview of the various publications ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
4. ^ Nelson Mandela Songfacts
5. ^ Fraser McAlpine, Nelson Mandela and the Most Potent Protest Song Ever Recorded on Anglophenia / BBC America
6. ↑ Entry for the album In the Studio at Discogs
7. ↑ Label of the remake ( Memento of the original from December 11, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on 2 Tone Collection  
8. ^ Mark Savage: Amy and Blake: Love and turmoil , British Broadcasting Corporation . July 21, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008. 
9. ↑ Staff Journalist: Heard the one about Gordon Brown telling a joke? Prime Minister sparks laughter with Amy Winehouse story , Daily Mail . October 23, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008. 
10. ↑ Jennifer Thompson: Top 20 Political Songs: Free Nelson Mandela . In: New Statesman . March 25, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
11. ↑ 1,000 Days, 1,000 Songs. Dave Eggers & Jordan Kurland, accessed April 18, 2017 .