My kids don’t know who Nelson Mandela is.
One of them jokingly asked if he made colouring books – but I
quickly explained that no, his name is not Nelson MANDALA. I’m equal parts
horrified by said child’s ignorance and impressed at the level of punmanship displayed.
I discovered this void in their knowledge pit (oooohhhh,
that’s a weird metaphor. Let’s go with it!) while I was cranking up the car
stereo on the way to school this morning. Simple Minds’ “Mandela Day” had popped up and I decided that more volume was
needed. Kids complained. So, being the excellent parent that I am, I told them,
“But it’s about Nelson Mandela!” Kids
complained more, including that they didn’t know who that was or why it might
be important. I think the actual words were, “So what?”
I’m GenX. Whaddya mean, “So what?” about Nelson Mandela?
As excited as today’s teens are about climate change…. remember
when we were gonna change the world by wiping out Apartheid? In 1985, I
probably couldn’t have found Sun City on a map without a 5-minute head start
but I was adamant that I fundamentally could NOT in good conscience attend a
concert there.
Today’s blog is not going to be a big history lesson and I’m
not into a bunch of political wrangling. This particular entry isn’t even all
that well put together (mostly because I don’t feel well today, so we’re all at
the mercy of my brain fog and a lot of Ibuprofen.)
I just thought I’d put together a little musical play list
of relevant pieces (relevant to me, anyway. You decide for yourself.) that
define or help give context to what little I knew as a white-bread Canadian
about Apartheid in the 1980s. Listen, process, and have your own conversations
about that time in our world history.
Not that Wikipedia is the best source of anything, but it’s
free and easy to access. Good place to get started: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
I’m not going to pretend to be an expert in any field,
period. Related to this particular subject, I am quite certain that better
minds than mine have already had their say. I’d like to recommend this piece By
Michela E. Vershbow published online in Inquiries
Journal: “The Sounds of Resistance:
The Role of Music in South Africa's Anti-Apartheid Movement”. http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/265/the-sounds-of-resistance-the-role-of-music-in-south-africas-anti-apartheid-movement
Kim’s Short, Anti-Apartheid Play List:
Hooray for YouTube, which is going to be our major media source today. Sorry for whatever advertisements you get stuck with (mine this afternoon were all about organic apricots) but they gotta pay the bills somehow.
Mandela Day, Simple Minds
Yes, I’m putting this one on the list twice. Watch ‘em both: they’re quite different, separated by 20 years and a sea-change in South African politics.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-vZgxJIpuc
Simple Minds at the 1998, 70th Birthday concert at Wembley Stadium. Mandela was still in prison at this time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox0_mtvYMIc
Simple Minds, featuring the Sowetto Gospel Choir, recorded live at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute held in Hyde Park, London. Nelson Mandela was in attendance!
Sun City, Artists Against Apartheid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X36NC-mIbq0It’s not every day that you see Bonnie Raitt, Hall & Oates, and Run DMC in the same video. Check out how young Bono looks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz2hzhUXLTA
Sun City, live at Wembley in 1990. It gives you an idea of just how strongly this song caught on, plus you get to see Peter Gabriel with a champion mullet.
Not a song, but some context for this musical project, and Sun City itself: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_City_(song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_City_(South_Africa)
Asimbonanga, Johnny Clegg (With Nelson Mandela)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGS7SpI7obYlive, 1999
One (hu)Man, One Vote, Johnny Clegg & Savuka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeR_DgPJRrIrecorded live in Paris (I think? I’m not certain on the venue nor date.)
Gimme Hope Jo'Anna, Eddy Grant
https://youtu.be/qFcmNu4KdGI“Jo’Anna” is a personification of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and the country's economic heart.
Bring Back Nelson Mandela, Hugh Masekela
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opUEIVlG1BQ&list=PLzlacxg0nSoLw8Xcqm3VnwMhhuM_zowzHImagine Savuka with a jazz brass section, and you’ve got Hugh Masekela. My new favourite thing!!!
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| Steven Biko, 1946-1977. |
Biko, Peter Gabriel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewK_Pdj0GCQLive from Wembley Stadium, 1988. Simple Minds with Peter Gabriel and Youssou N’Dour
Probably because this all started today when I was listening
to vintage Simple Minds bits, I’m
tempted to put together another blog along these lines but focusing on The
Troubles in Ireland. Let’s see… we’ll have “Belfast Child”, and of course U2’s “Sunday
Bloody Sunday”… any thoughts, readers?
~ 30 ~
