Eddy Grant - Gimme Hope Joanna

This is a popular dance song and a club song but many a times we do not understand what this song is all about anti-apartheid

Although this is not actually a South African song, it's a well-known anti-apartheid reggae song by Eddy Grant from the 1980s, before the end of apartheid, and it was also recorded by the South African Band, Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels.His later single, "Gimme Hope Jo'anna", during the apartheid regime ("Joanna" stands for Johannesburg, South Africa) was a song about apartheid in that country, and was subsequently banned by it. The apartheid army was well-known for "sneaking across the neighbours borders" to fight in other countries. The archbishop is Desmond Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his opposition to apartheid.


Lyrics include:

"Well Joanna she runs a country, she runs in Durban and the Transvaal.
She makes a few of her people happy, she don't care about the rest at all.
She got a system they call apartheid, it keeps a brother in subjection.
But maybe pressure will make Joanna see, how everybody could live as one."



Here is the full lyrics -
Eddy Grant - Gimme Hope Joanna

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]