Gimme Hope Jo’anna (1988)

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Gimme Hope Jo'anna is an anti-apartheid song written and originally released by Eddy Grant in 1988, during the apartheid era in South Africa. The song was banned by the South African government when it was released, but was widely played in South Africa nonetheless. It reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Grant's first UK top 10 hit for five years.[1]

Key Lyrics

Well Jo'anna she runs a country

She runs in Durban and the Transvaal

She makes a few of her people happy oh

She don't care about the rest at all

She's got a system they call apartheid

It keeps a brother in subjection

But maybe pressure will make Jo'anna see

How everybody could live as one

Interpretation

"Jo'anna" is a reference to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa. "The Archbishop who's a peaceful man" is a reference to Desmond Tutu, the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town who received the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against apartheid.[2]

Reception

References

  1. Andrew Perry. "How Eddy Grant gave hope to South Africa". 27 June 2008. The Telegraph. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  2. Gimme Hope Jo’anna. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 2, 2021.