Gimme hope Jo'Anna

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 makes all the golden money
To buy new weapons, any shape of guns
While every mother in a 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:

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

She 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:

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

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:

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

"Gimme Hope Jo'anna"
Single by Eddy Grant
from the album Barefoot Soldier
B-side "Say Hello to Fidel"
Released 1988 (1988)
Format 7", 12"
Recorded Blue Wave Studios, Saint Philip, Barbados
Genre Reggae
Length 3:47
Label Parlophone, EMI
Writer(s) Eddy Grant
Producer Eddy Grant
Eddy Grant singles chronology
"Boys in the Street"
(1984) "Gimme Hope Jo'anna"
(1988) "Harmless Piece of Fun"
(1988)

"Gimme Hope Jo'anna" is a song originally by Eddy Grant, a well-known anti-apartheid reggae anthem from the 1980s, during apartheid in South Africa. The song was banned by the South African government when it was released. It reached #7 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming his first Top 10 hit for more than five years.
Lyrics

"Jo'anna" in the lyrics represents not only the city of Johannesburg, but also the South African Apartheid Government. Soweto is a black township near Johannesburg. 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.

"She's got supporters in high up places, Who turn their heads to the city sun" represents the unwillingness of the international community, at first, to take action against the South African government for using the Apartheid system. It is also a reference to Sun City, the South African luxury resort. "She even knows how to swing opinion, In every magazine and the journals" represents the propaganda which the media contributed which attributed to the success of the Apartheid system.

Eddy Grant performed a version of this song at the closing ceremony of the Indian Premier League T-20 cricket tournament on 25 May 2009. The song included a short reprise with the lyrics "...Jo'anna still runs this country" and the rest of the reprise in present tense.
[edit] Cover versions

A cover was recorded by the South African Band, Dr. Victor and the Rasta Rebels. Turkish group Dolapdere Big Gang included a cover of the song for their 2007 album Just Feel.

While not a cover, this song was modified for a Yop commercial.
[edit] Track listings

7" single

1. "Gimme Hope Jo'Anna" — 3:47
2. "Say Hello to Fidel" — 4:41

12" maxi

1. "Gimme Hope Jo'Anna"
2. "Say Hello to Fidel"
3. "Living on the Frontline" (live version)

[edit] Certifications
Country↓ Certification↓ Date↓ Sales certified↓ Physical sales↓
France[1] Silver 1988 200,000 243,000[2]
[edit] Charts
Chart (1988)↓ Peak
position↓
Austrian Singles Chart[3] 2
Dutch Top 40[4] 1
French SNEP Singles Chart[3] 8
German Singles Chart[3] 4
Swedish Singles Chart[3] 8
Swiss Singles Chart[3] 2
UK Singles Chart[5] 7

Eddy Grant (born Edmond Montague Grant, 5 March 1948) is a Plaisance, Guyana born musician.

When he was still a young boy, his parents emigrated to London, UK, where he settled. He lived in Kentish Town and went to school at the Acland Burghley Secondary Modern at Tufnell Park. He had his first Number One hit in 1968, when he was the lead guitarist and main songwriter of the multiracial group The Equals, with his self-penned song "Baby Come Back". The tune also later topped the UK Singles Chart again when covered by Pato Banton. Notably, he openly used his songwriting for political purposes, especially against the then-current apartheid regime of South Africa. The Clash recorded a version of "Police On My Back" for their Sandinista! set.

Eddy Grant (* 5. März 1948 in Plaisance, Guyana), eigentlich Edmond Montague Grant, ist ein Popmusiker, Sänger, Komponist und Gitarrist. Bekannt wurde er mit der Band The Equals, vor allem durch deren Superhit Baby Come Back von 1968.

Grants Familie zog 1960 von Guayana nach London. Er wurde Mitbegründer der Equals, die zwischen 1967 und 1971 etliche Hits hatten. Im Alter von 23 Jahren erlitt Grant einen Herzinfarkt, der ihn zum Kürzertreten zwang. Er verlegte sich aufs Produzieren und gründete sein eigenes Studio Coach House sowie sein eigenes Plattenlabel Ice Records.

1979 landet Grant mit Living On The Frontline selbst einen Hit, dem weitere folgten, etwa I Don't Wanna Dance. Er baute in Barbados das Studio Blue Wave auf, um wieder bei seiner Familie zu leben, die bereits in die Karibik gezogen war. Auf Barbados produzierte Grant u. a. Mick Jagger, Sting und Elvis Costello.

Grant engagierte sich auch politisch. Sein Hit Gimme Hope Jo'anna (1988) forderte etwa das Ende der Apartheid in Südafrika – der Name ‚Jo'anna‘ im Songtitel bezieht sich nicht auf eine Frau, sondern auf die südafrikanische Metropole Johannesburg.