Free Nelson Mandela
"Nelson Mandela" (known in some versions as "Free Nelson Mandela") is a song written by British musician Jerry Dammers, and performed by the band the Special A.K.A. with a lead vocal by Stan Campbell. It was first released on the single "Nelson Mandela"/"Break Down the Door" in 1984.
| "Nelson Mandela" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by the Special A.K.A. | ||||
| from the album In the Studio | ||||
| B-side | "Break Down the Door!" | |||
| Released | 8 March 1984 | |||
| Genre | Ska | |||
| Length | 4:12 | |||
| Label | 2 Tone CHS TT26 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jerry Dammers | |||
| Producer(s) | Elvis Costello | |||
| The Special A.K.A. singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
It was a protest against the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela by the apartheid South African government, and is considered a notable anti-apartheid song.
The backing vocals were performed by Molly and Polly Jackson, two girls the band's drummer John Bradbury had "met in a bar in Camden", while the chorus was performed by session singers including Claudia Fontaine and Caron Wheeler, who later went on to appear with Soul II Soul.
Unlike most protest songs, the track is upbeat and celebratory, drawing on musical influences from South Africa. The song peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart and was immensely popular in Africa. In December 2013, following the news of Nelson Mandela's death, the single re-entered at number 96 on the UK Singles Chart.