Released October 1986 Recorded 1985 | Format 7" single, 12" single | |
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Length 6:32 (album version)6:07 (12" single edit) | ||
"Don't Give Up" is a song written by English rock musician Peter Gabriel and recorded as a duet with Kate Bush for Gabriel's 1986 album So. The single version was released as the second single from the album in the UK in 1986 and fifth in the United States in 1987. It spent eleven weeks in the UK Top 75 chart in 1986, peaking at number nine.
Contents
- Track listing
- Alicia Keys and Bono version
- Mire Brennan and Michael McDonald version
- Peter Gabriel and Paula Cole version
- Peter Gabriel and Ane Brun version
- Shannon Noll and Natalie Bassingthwaighte version
- Willie Nelson Sinad OConnor version
- Other artists who have covered this song
- Usage in film and television
- References
The song was inspired by the Depression-era photographs of Dorothea Lange, showing poverty-stricken Americans in dust bowl conditions. Gabriel saw Lange's images in a 1973 book titled In This Proud Land. He felt that a song based on this was wholly appropriate to difficult economic conditions in England under Margaret Thatcher. He composed lyrics within a situation about a man whose unemployment causes stress in his domestic relationship. The verses, sung by Gabriel, describe the man's feelings of isolation and despair; the choruses, sung by Bush, offer words of hope and encouragement.
Gabriel originally wrote the song from a reference point of American roots music and he approached country singer Dolly Parton to sing it with him. However, Parton turned it down, so his friend Kate Bush took her place.
Two videos were created for the song. The first, by Godley & Creme, consisted of a single take of the singers, as they sing, in an embrace, while the sun behind them enters total eclipse and re-emerges; the second, by Jim Blashfield, featured Gabriel and Bush's faces superimposed over film of a town and its people in disrepair.
Track listing
All songs written by Peter Gabriel.
Alicia Keys and Bono version
"Don't Give Up" was recorded by American recording artist Alicia Keys and Irish musician Bono. Retitled "Don't Give Up (Africa)", the song was produced by Keys and Steve Lillywhite. On 6 December 2005 the song was released as a single exclusively on iTunes and a ringtone version was released by Cingular Wireless. The proceeds of the release went to the charity Keep a Child Alive, for which Keys is a spokesperson.
Keys commented that "I love this song. And I love Bono. I really respect what he has done for Africa and how he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half as much in my life". Keys and Bono performed the song live at Keys' charity event the Black Ball, which raises money for the organization Keep A Child Alive. The pair performed the song also on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2006.
Máire Brennan and Michael McDonald version
Máire Brennan included a version of this song as a bonus track on her 1999 album Whisper to the Wild Water. In this version Michael McDonald tells Máire not to give up.
Peter Gabriel and Paula Cole version
The song was included in Peter Gabriel's Secret World Live tour featuring singer Paula Cole. The DVD release of a performance in Italy in 1993 (released in 1994) included the duet.
Peter Gabriel and Ane Brun version
An all-orchestral recording featuring Ane Brun was released on Gabriel's New Blood album on 11 October 2011.
Shannon Noll and Natalie Bassingthwaighte version
A cover version was recorded by Australian artist Shannon Noll and former Rogue Traders frontwoman Natalie Bassingthwaighte. It was produced by Michael "fingaz" Mugisha who also produced hits for Jessica Mauboy, Big Brovaz and recorded for the compilation Home: Songs of Hope & Journey. It was released as a charity single for the depression organisation beyondblue. It was the most added song to Australian radio in its first week. It made its debut at number seven on the Australian Singles Chart, and, in its second week, climbed to number two with a Platinum certification. The song was also performed live on the fifth season of Dancing With The Stars. The music video features Noll and Bassingthwaighte in the studio recording the single.
Willie Nelson & Sinéad O'Connor version
The song was included on Willie Nelson's Across the Borderline album, produced by Don Was, Paul Simon, and Roy Halee. Kate Bush's parts are sung by Sinéad O'Connor.
It was reported that funds raised by sales of the single were in excess of $300,000.
- "Don't Give Up"
- "Don't Give Up" (Instrumental)