He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band genesis. His 1986 album, so, is his bestselling release and is certified triple platinum in the. The defence that biko provided for arrested saso activists was used as the basis for the 1978 book the testimony of steve biko, edited by millard arnold. Donald woods, bikos close friend and a leading white south african newspaper editor, exposed the murder helping to ignite the black revolution. Nov 02, 2016 peter gabriel 10 of the best on youtube 2. Steve biko books list of books by author steve biko. Its also an excellent example of how seamlessly he uses elements of music from other cultures, especially percussion, a. Peter gabriel biko lyrics meaning lyric interpretations. Biko is a protest song by british rock musician peter gabriel. By all accounts he was very smart, charismatic, had a great sense of humour, and could have had a key role in the shaping of a new south africa.
It is about steve biko, a noted black south african antiapartheid activist. Includes a live version of biko recorded in cleveland july 27, 1987. Biko is an antiapartheid protest song by english rock musician peter gabriel. Subjected to 22 hours of interrogation, torture and beating by south african police on september 6, 1977, steve biko died six days later. Biko had been arrested by the south african police in late august 1977. Biko is a biography about black consciousness movement leader and antiapartheid activist steve biko. See all books authored by steve biko, including i write what i like.
Burn you up, burn you down, blood of eden radio edit, and downside up live. You can blow out a candle but you cant blow out a fire once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher oh biko, biko, because biko yihla moja, yihla mojathe man is dead. Bantu stephen biko was a young south african leader who died in 1977 as a result of injuries received during interrogations by the south african security police. Mar 09, 2016 stephen bantu biko was an antiapartheid activist in south africa in the 1960s and 1970s. Jul 26, 2012 gabriel was thinking of writing a song about steve biko, the antiapartheid activist who died in police custody in 1977, when he came across a dutch radio station playing african music. Stephen bantu biko 18 december 1946 12 september 1977 was an antiapartheid activist in south africa in the 1960s and 1970s.
Peter gabriels 1980 song biko, richard attenboroughs. The police arrested him at a roadblock, took him to a cell and five of them beat him for 22 hours until he was unconscious. It was written by the liberal white south african journalist donald woods, a personal friend of biko. Biko peter gariel a song about the police murder of. Biko, released in 1980 on his third solo album, is the rare political song that isnt selfserving, condescending or pedantic biko plainly lays out the tragic story of murdered south african activist steve biko and serves as an introduction to gabriel the activist. A student leader, he later founded the black consciousness movement which would empower and mobilize much of the urban black population. Synopsis this portrait of south african black leader steve biko includes the testimony of peter jones, who was arrested with biko, and the story of the authors escape from south africa after leading the public outcry over bikos death. Donalds book biko had formed part of the inspiration for the song as well as the basis for the film cry freedom. Stephen biko and the torture aesthetic escholarship. Interestingly, peter gabriel downplayed the significance and importance of this song. His childhood experiences and character, lead him to become a powerful leader. Browse the worlds largest ebookstore and start reading today on the web, tablet, phone, or ereader.
Stephen biko was a black activist in south africa during the apartheid years. September 77 port elizabeth weather fine it was business as usual in police room 619 oh biko, biko, because biko oh biko, biko, because biko yihla moja, yihla moja the man is dead the man is dead. Bantu stephen biko was an antiapartheid activist who was a founding. Peter gabriel said in the under african skies documentary. The song is bookended with recordings of songs sung at bikos funeral. Gabriel wrote the song after hearing of biko s death on the news.
In september 1977 leading south african antiapartheid activist stephen biko was. When i try to sleep at night i can only dream in red the outside world is black and white with only one colour dead oh biko, biko. Stephen biko poems, quotations and biography on stephen biko poet page. The legendary true story of steve biko and the friendship that defied apartheid. Gabriel did his research, reading three biographies as well as a book of bikos own writings. Donald woods was forced into exile for attempting to expose the truth. Stephen biko is known internationally as the founder of the south african students organization saso, and a leading force in the south africa black consciousness movement. After leaving genesis in 1975, gabriel launched a successful solo career with solsbury hill as his first single. Steve biko south african political leader britannica.
Influenced by gabriel s growing interest in african musical styles, the song carried a sparse twotone beat played on brazilian drum and vocal percussion, in addition to a. Biko by peter gabriel with lyrics all rights to artists, publishers, etc. See more ideas about steve biko, african and apartheid. It seems the single was released on friday 15 august as per the new singles no 837. When the south african black consciousness leader steve biko died in police custody in september 1977, journalist donald woods was at the forefront of the campaign to get the truth revealed about his death.
On 25 november 1987 peter was a guest on the bbc tv programme wogan alongside donald woods and his wife wendy. Gabriel took note of the killing and began studying biko, reading three biographies about him. The statue of biko erected in east london in 1997 was made possible by donations from actors denzel washington and kevin kline, musician peter gabriel and business magnate richard branson, who. This book covers the basic philosophy of black consciousness, bantustans, african culture, the institutional church and western involvement in apartheid. His death from injuries suffered while in police custody made him an international martyr for south african black nationalism. In the studio version of biko by peter gabriel, what are. The song had an enormous impact on the movement, introducing the issue of apartheid to people all over the world and inspiring other prominent artists to. Peter brian gabriel born february 1950 is an english singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and activist. Biko plainly lays out the tragic story of murdered south african activist steve biko and serves as an introduction to gabriel the activist. Peter gabriel on 30 years of womad and mixing music with. Stephen bikos death in south africa in 1977 under the apartheid regime has become an iconic. Steve biko inspired a generation of black south africans to claim their true identity and refuse to be a part of their own oppression. Through his example, he demonstrated fearlessness and selfesteem, and he led a black student movement countrywide that challenged and thwarted the culture of fear perpetuated by the apartheid regime. For further information, i would suggest the book biko by donald woods on penguin.
Donald woods, biko s close friend and a leading white south. Nov 05, 2017 biko peter gariel a song about the police murder of stephen biko in south africa. September 77 port elizabeth weather fine it was business as usual in police room 619 oh biko, b. The inquest showed that hed died of brain injuries received while in custody and that hed been kept naked. See more ideas about steve biko, african history and african american history. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. At seven and onehalf minutes, it was the albums longest song. On september 12, 1977, stephen biko, one of south africas most.
Jun 10, 2019 the hit song biko, by peter gabriel, honored steve biko s legacy in 1980. Donald woods, biko s close friend and a leading white south african newspaper editor, exposed the murder helping to ignite the black revolution. The hit song biko, by peter gabriel, honored steve bikos legacy in 1980. Biko, apartheid and raising consciousness peace is our.
His writings, his life work, and his tragic death were all historically crucial to the momentum and success of the south african antiapartheid movement. Steve biko was a key youth leader and, had he lived, would have emerged as a world figure. The song was included on gabriel s third album, peter gabriel 1980. Stephen biko remains a model and hero in the struggle for autonomy and selfdetermination for people around the world. After leaving genesis in 1975, he launched a successful solo career with solsbury hill as his first single. He was only 31, but his vision and charisma captured in this collection of his work had already transformed the agenda of south african politics. Biko by peter gabriel is not simply a political rally song with an ability to facilitate. He fought against the separation between black and whites, called apartheid the afrikaans term for separateness. It was the inspiration for the 1987 film cry freedom. Although press adverts announced it for release on 4 august unusually a monday release for charisma, whereas most of their singles came out on fridays charisma issued a press release advising stockists and media of the revised date due them having problems meeting the preorders.
Biko was included on gabriel s third solo album peter gabriel iii 1980 a. Oh biko, biko, because biko oh biko, biko, because biko yihla moja, yihla mojathe man is dead. And the eyes of the world are watching now watching now. This portrait of south african black leader steve biko includes the testimony of peter jones, who was arrested with biko, and the story of the authors escape from south africa after leading the public outcry over biko s death. Selected writings, and steve biko black consciousness in south africa, and more on. Studios, peters third selftitled album was produced by steve lillywhite. Nov 17, 2015 biko by peter gabriel with lyrics all rights to artists, publishers, etc. Steve biko 194678 is regarded as the father of the black consciousness movement in south africa and a key figure in bringing about the end of apartheid. This song is about the south african antiapartheid veteran steve biko, who in 1977 was killed by police officers while in custody for related political reasons. Biography of stephen bantu steve biko, antiapartheid. Mar 24, 2020 steve biko, in full bantu stephen biko, born december 18, 1946, king williams town, south africadied september 12, 1977, pretoria, founder of the black consciousness movement in south africa. Delicate sound of thunder expanded new edition duration.
Its also an excellent example of how seamlessly he uses elements of music. The song is a musical eulogy, inspired by the death of the black south african antiapartheid activist steve biko in police custody on 12 september 1977. At first, the police claimed that biko had died as the result of a hunger strike. The track was later included on his 1990 compilation shaking the tree. Biko, released in 1980 on his third solo album, is the rare political song that isnt selfserving, condescending or pedantic. See more ideas about steve biko, african history and black history. The political effectiveness of biko by peter gabriel researchgate. The statue of biko erected in east london in 1997 was made possible by donations from actors denzel washington and kevin kline, musician peter. Gabriel was thinking of writing a song about steve biko, the antiapartheid activist who died in police custody in 1977, when he came across a dutch radio station playing african music. On 12th september 1977, steve biko was murdered in his prison cell.
The legendary antiapartheid activist and leader of the black consciousness movement died in detention at just 30 years old in 1977, 40 years ago this september. A twodisc set spanning peter gabriels solo career, hit collects a treasure trove of material, from early singles such as solsbury hill through international hits biko, sledgehammer, big time, and more, to his recent film soundtrack work. Read all poems of stephen biko and infos about stephen biko. There is a lot to recommend about peter gabriel two aka scratch which came out in 1978. Posted on november 5, 2017 by opher stephen biko was a black activist in south africa during the apartheid years. English singer peter gabriel released biko in 1980 to commemorate steve biko, a south african antiapartheid activist who was tortured and killed in 1977.
Steve biko, in full bantu stephen biko, born december 18, 1946, king williams town, south africadied september 12, 1977, pretoria, founder of the black consciousness movement in south africa. Steven biko sat naked in a prison cell and waited for nineteen days. Donald woods was forced into exile for attempting to expose the truth surrounding bikos death. Stephen bantu biko was an antiapartheid activist in south africa in the 1960s and 1970s. Biko was a more overt political song than the work of graceland, but graceland introduced millions of people around the world to what was wonderful about south african music.
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