I'm sure many of you have listened to the song, "Gimme Hope Jo'anna".
Way back in 1988, this song reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart. I vividly remember this song being played at family functions and random get-togethers as a dance number (it continues to be played till date).
Strangely though, I only discovered the powerful message in the song's lyrics much later, when internet usage became mainstream. Eddy Grant wrote the song as a protest anthem against the apartheid system in South Africa (the name Jo'anna being used as reference to Johannesburg). While the song remained banned in South Africa during the colonial era prior to 1994, it garnered much-deserved airplay and popularity across the globe.
Way back in 1988, this song reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart. I vividly remember this song being played at family functions and random get-togethers as a dance number (it continues to be played till date).
Strangely though, I only discovered the powerful message in the song's lyrics much later, when internet usage became mainstream. Eddy Grant wrote the song as a protest anthem against the apartheid system in South Africa (the name Jo'anna being used as reference to Johannesburg). While the song remained banned in South Africa during the colonial era prior to 1994, it garnered much-deserved airplay and popularity across the globe.
As we inch towards 2026, the song continues to be a crowd favourite. And yet, the powerful message the song intended to convey remains lost on listeners to date.
Sometimes, we fail to connect with the theme and context of beautiful messages.
Also, sometimes, when it comes to landing a message strongly, setting the right context and also having the right audience makes a difference.
What do you think?
Meanwhile, here are the lyrics to the song:-
Gimme hope, Jo'anna
I hear she make all the golden money
Even the preacher who works for JesusP.S.: Jo'anna in this song is a stand-in for the city of Johannesburg, symbolising the seat of power of the apartheid regime in South Africa. And the word 'morning' in the song is a metaphor for a simmering social movement or revolution to overthrow the oppressive regime.
Meanwhile, here are the lyrics to the song:-
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
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 neighbors' borders
Now and again having little fun
She doesn't care if the fun and games she play
Is dangerous to everyone
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
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 want to know if you're blind Jo'anna
If you want to hear the sound of drums
Can't you see that the tide is turning
Oh don't make me wait till the morning come
I knew the song, but never really gave much thought to the lyrics. But those were the days of subversive protest songs- I am thinking of "I just called to say I love you", which was a lovely love song till you realised it was dedicated to Mandela
ReplyDeleteI am familiar with the song, but I was unaware of its message or lyrics. I'm quite fond of "Games People Play" by Inner Circle, which also has meaningful lyrics.
ReplyDelete