"Nelson Mandela" (known in some versions as "Free Nelson Mandela") is a song written by Jerry Dammers and performed by his Coventry-based band The Special A.K.A. - with lead vocal by Stan Campbell - released on the single Nelson Mandela / Break Down The Door in 1984 as a protest against the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. Unlike most protest songs, the track is upbeat and celebratory, drawing on musical influences from South Africa. The song reached No.9 in the UK charts and was immensely popular in Africa.
Read more about Free Nelson Mandela: History, Chart Positions
Famous quotes containing the words nelson mandela, free, nelson and/or mandela:
“Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts.”
—Nelson Mandela (b. 1918)
“And anyone is free to condemn me to death
If he leaves it to nature to carry out the sentence.
I shall will to the common stock of air my breath
And pay a death tax of fairly polite repentance.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“From now on, if I ever get to burn another newspaper, I’ll remember what a few cents can buy.”
—Alvah Bessie, Ranald MacDougall, and Lester Cole. Raoul Walsh. Captain Nelson (Errol Flynn)
“Together, hand in hand, with that stick of matches, with our necklace, we shall liberate this country.”
—Winnie Mandela (b. 1934)