"Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela)", also known as "Bring Him Back Home", is an anthemic anti-apartheid protest song written by South African musician

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

. It was released as the first track of his 1987 album '' Tomorrow''. It was recorded in 1986 when Masekela was in exile from the apartheid regime of South Africa. The melody of the song is buoyant, containing a number of powerful chords and

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

riffs. The lyrics of the song demand the release of Black South African leader Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned by the White South African government on

Robben Island Robben Island ( af, Robbeneiland) is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (''robben''), hence the Dutch/Afrik ...

since 1962. The song became enormously popular, and turned into an unofficial anthem of the

anti-apartheid movement The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), was a British organisation that was at the centre of the international movement opposing the South African apartheid system and supporting South Africa's non-White population who were persecuted by the policie ...

. It became one of Masekela's most performed live songs. It was later used as a part of the official soundtrack to the documentary film '' Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony''. The song was included in the 1994 live album '' Hope'' and in the 2001 collection '' Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela'', released by Columbia Records.

Writing

Black South African leader Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on

in 1962. He was a great fan of Hugh Masekela's music, and on Masekela's birthday in 1985, smuggled out a letter to him expressing his good wishes. Masekela was inspired to write "Bring Him Back Home" in response. In interviews, Masekela has expressed admiration for Mandela, saying "Mandela was the symbol. He was the voice of all hepeople." Sam Raditlhalo writes that the reception of Mandela's letter, and the writing of Bring Him Back Home, marked Masekela's evolution into an anti-apartheid activist.

Lyrics

The lyrics of the song visualize Nelson Mandela "walking freely down the streets of South Africa," thus articulating a demand for his release from prison. The lyrics also mention Mandela "walking hand in hand with

Winnie Mandela Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She se ...

," then his wife. Mandela was in fact released in 1990 and went on a post-freedom tour of North America with Winnie. In

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, he danced as this song was played after his speech.

Music

The melody used in the song is upbeat and anthem-like. It employs a series of

riffs by Masekela, supported by grand series of chords. Music review website

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

describes the music as "filled with the sense of camaraderie and celebration that are referred to in the lyrics. The vocal choir during the joyous chorus is extremely moving and life affirming".

Reception and censorship

The song was banned in South Africa by the government upon its release. Nonetheless, it became a part of the number of musical voices protesting the apartheid regime, and became an important song for the anti-apartheid movement in the late 1980s. It was declared to be "clean" by the South African government following Mandela's release from prison in 1990. It became one of Masekela's most popular pieces, and one of his most performed live songs. AllMusic described it as a "truly classic modern day folk song". It was later used as a part of the official soundtrack to the documentary film '' Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony''. The song was included in the 1994 live album '' Hope'' and in the 2001 collection '' Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela'', released by Columbia records. It was also covered by several other artists, and included on other collections of Masekela's music.

References

{{authority control Civil disobedience Activism by type Hugh Masekela songs 1987 songs Songs about Nelson Mandela Anti-apartheid songs