Eddy Grant and Kurt Darren - Gimme Hope Jo'anna

The musical struggle against apartheid came from outside South Africa's borders as well as within. In 1988 Guyanese-born British performer Eddy Grant released Gimme Hope Jo'anna, with its hybrid African-reggae rhythms and sharp anti-apartheid lyrics. It reached the top ten in several European countries, though it was naturally banned from airplay and official release in South Africa. This version is from a live performance at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in Hyde Park, London in 2008, and features Afrikaans pop artist Kurt Darren.

Grant's title refers to the Johannesburg which, though not one of South Africa's capital cities, was by far the largest and wealthiest, due to its gold and diamond-rich location. The implication of this, as well as the song's lyrics, was that apartheid was primarily economic in purpose - and that South Africa's political inequality, militaristic ventures and contrived philosophies and religious views were all predicated on maintaining white wealth and status. Nevertheless Gimme Hope Jo'anna was optimistic rather than bitter, a plea for change rather than a condemnation.

Well Jo'anna she runs the 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 brothers in subjection
But maybe pressure can make Jo'anna see
How everybody could live as one

CHORUS
Gimme hope, Jo'anna. Hope, Jo'anna
Gimme hope, Jo'anna, before the morning come
Gimme hope, Jo'anna. Hope, Jo'anna
Hope before the morning come

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Eddy Grant
• Johannesburg
• South Africa
• apartheid
• Nelson Mandela
• Kurt Darren

[chefidel]

FUCK RACISM & FUCK ZIONISM

[deanlad27]

@mslandie1 fuck this white/black shit its 2010 this song gives me fucking hope as one one race not one colour.

Gimme hope Joanna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[EJulieWilliams]

Thank God Apartheid's gone. Now they need to deal with other problems ... and I hope they get them under control.

[suki2011]

Gimme hope Joanna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[receipt22]

would be even cooler if Kurt Darren sang in Afrikaans!

[jb55101]

i'm from south africa and i'm white but today i live in america if  afrikaans thing the blacks there are rude come to amercia they are way diffrent . and worse

[vertxxgg]

@marimbadearco All i can say bru is Eddie n kurt both are for freedom and let zion peoples free of psicopathic cuban communists- Africa is for afrikan peoples spiritually free and not red stalinist dictators

[marimbadearco]

@vertxxgg

Dear right winger:

guess you forgot how Israeli govt collaborated with S. African secret police and armed forces generally, as did several "freedom lovers" of the right wing persuasion Cubans not on the island.

[vertxxgg]

long live zionism afrikanervolk and cuba free of comunism

[weekeanwai]

Where to get that hat?

[cheyanqui]

Brett Hull sure can carry a tune ;)