Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) (1987)
Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela), also known as Bring Him Back Home, is an anthemic anti-apartheid protest song written by South African musician Hugh Masekela. It was released as the first track of his 1987 album Tomorrow. It was recorded in 1986 when Masekela was in exile from the apartheid regime of South Africa. The melody of the song is buoyant, containing a number of powerful chords and trumpet riffs. The lyrics of the song demand the release of Black South African leader Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned by the white South African government on Robben Island since 1962. The song became enormously popular, and turned into an unofficial anthem of the anti-apartheid movement.[1] It became one of Masekela's most performed live songs. It was later used as a part of the official soundtrack to the documentary film Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony. The song was included in the 1994 live album Hope and in the 2001 collection Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela, released by Columbia Records.[2]
Key Lyrics
Bring Back Nelson Mandela
Bring him Back all to SOWETO
I want to see him walking down the street
In South Africa - tomorrow
Bring Back Nelson Mandela
Bring him Back all to SOWETO
I want to see him walking hand in hand
With Winnie Mandela
Background Story
Black South African leader Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island in 1962. He was a great fan of Hugh Masekela's music, and on Masekela's birthday in 1985, smuggled out a letter to him expressing his good wishes. Masekela was inspired to write "Bring Him Back Home" in response. In interviews, Masekela has expressed admiration for Mandela, saying "Mandela was the symbol. He was the voice of all [the] people."[3]
Music and Lyric
The melody used in the song is upbeat and anthem-like. It employs a series of trumpet riffs by Masekela, supported by grand series of chords. Music review website AllMusic describes the music as "filled with the sense of camaraderie and celebration that are referred to in the lyrics. The vocal choir during the joyous chorus is extremely moving and life affirming".<ref>
Reference
- ↑ http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/12/05/nelson_mandela_songs_free_mandela_tributes_from_the_specials_johnny_clegg.html. David Haglund. 5 December 2013. Slate.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/song/bring-him-back-home-nelson-mandela-mt0010490700. Matthew Greenwald. AllMusic. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2014/06/23/324857991/hugh-masekela-reminisces-on-musical-motivations-mandela. Michel Martin. 23 June 2014. National Public Radio. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
