Second generation Ska has always been instrumental to me and it was tough as a teen to accept when The English Beat and The Specials disbanded in 1983. But in their rude boy wake, the former band members re-emerged as the Fine Young Cannibals, General Public, Fun Boy Three and The Special AKA, who subsequently released the protest song, "Free Nelson Mandela" in 1984. The song became an anti-apartheid anthem and helped raise awareness concerning the atrocities that were occurring in South Africa to millions of people across the globe (...30 years later, I still won't buy my gasoline from Shell).
(Free) Nelson Mandela (written by Jerry Dammers, formally of The Specials)
Long live the legacy of Nelson Mandela and let us hope that his perseverance and achievements continue to inspire world leaders to stand up for equal rights and justice.
