"Gimme Hope Joanna" : An Anti-Apartheid Anthem

"Gimme Hope Joanna" needs no introduction with its constant emergence in clubs, movies and the like. What Mich didn't know was the political implication embedded within this infectious refrain and henceforth, as a sign of respect, will avoid dancing to its beats in clubs.

Facts ::

• A song originally by Eddy Grant, it is a well-known anti-apartheid reggae anthem from the 1980s that was forged against the apartheid South African government.
• The term 'apartheid' is the legislation of racial segregation enforced by the National Party South African government between 1948 and 1994. It advocates White supremacy and elitism against the Black, Coloured and Asian.
• Grant wrote this in honour of the South African leader, Nelson Mandela. Mandela fought against apartheid and was a political prisoner for over 20 years before the ill-fated policy was abolished. After he was released, Mandela became president of South Africa.
• ‘Joanna’ symbolizes the city of Johannesburg and the South African Apartheid Government. Soweto is a black township near Johannesburg. The apartheid army was well-known for “sneaking across the neighbours' borders” to fight in other countries.
• "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. Cape Town is revered as the epicentre of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa.
• “She’s got supporters in high places / Who turn their heads to the city sun” underlines the initial unwillingness of the international community to take action against the South African government for advocating and legislating the Apartheid policy.
• “She even knows how to swing opinion / In every magazine and the journals” highlights media propaganda which contributed to the success of the Apartheid system.
• This song was banned by the South African government when it was released.

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 a subjection
But maybe pressure can make Jo'anna see
How everybody could a live as one

[chorus:]
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
Hope, Jo'anna
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
'Fore the morning come
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
Hope, Jo'anna
Hope before the morning come

I hear she make all the golden money
To buy new weapons, any shape of guns
While every mother in black Soweto fears
The killing of another son
Sneakin' across all the neighbours' borders
Now and again having little fun
She doesn't care if the fun and games she play
Is dang'rous to ev'ryone

[chorus]

She's got supporters in high up places
Who turn their heads to the city sun
Jo'anna give them the fancy money
Oh to tempt anyone who'd come
She even knows how to swing opinion
In every magazine and the journals
For every bad move that this Jo'anna makes
They got a good explanation

[chorus]

Even the preacher who works for Jesus
The Archbishop who's a peaceful man
Together say that the freedom fighters
Will overcome the very strong
I wanna know if you're blind Jo'anna
If you wanna hear the sound of drums
Can't you see that the tide is turning
Oh don't make me wait till the morning come

[chorus]

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