Released 1987 Genre Protest song Composer(s) Hugh Masekela | Recorded 1986 Length 04:43 | |
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Writer(s) Hugh Masekela, Michael Timothy | ||
"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. 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. It was included in the 2001 collection The Best of Hugh Masakela, released by Columbia records.
Contents
Writing
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." Sam Raditlhalo writes that the reception of Mandela's letter, and the writing of Bring Him Back Home, marked Masekela's evolution into an anti-apartheid activist.
Lyrics
The lyrics of the song visualize Nelson Mandela "walking freely down the streets of South Africa," thus articulating a demand for his release from prison. The lyrics also mention Mandela "walking hand in hand with Winnie Mandela," then his wife. Mandela was in fact released in 1990 and went on a post-freedom tour of North America with Winnie. In Boston, he danced as this song was played after his speech.
Music
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".
Reception and censorship
The song was banned in South Africa by the government upon its release. Nonetheless, it became a part of the number of musical voices protesting the apartheid regime, and became an important song for the anti-apartheid movement in the late 1980s. It was declared to be "clean" by the South African government following Mandela's release from prison in 1990.