BIKO was released on the 23rd August 1980 in the UK, we therefore assume the release date was the same for this french 12inch single.
Side A
Biko
Side B
Shosholoza / Jetzt Kommt die flut
Released on Charisma Records – France (6000 564)
Produced by David Lord and Peter Gabriel
Notes:
“Biko” is a protest song by British rock musician Peter Gabriel. The song was included on Gabriel’s third album, Peter Gabriel (1980). It is about Steve Biko, a noted black South African anti-apartheid activist.
Biko had been arrested by the South African police in late August 1977. After being held in custody for several days, he was interrogated in room 619 of the Walmer Street prison in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.
Following the interrogation, during which he sustained serious head injuries, Biko was transferred to a prison in Pretoria, where he died shortly afterwards, on 12 September 1977.
Further Notes:
Shosholoza is a Ndebele folk song that originated in Zimbabwe but was popularized in South Africa. The song is a traditional South African Folk song that was sung by Ndebele all-male migrant workers that were working in the South African mines in a call and response style.
The song is so popular in South African culture that it is often referred to as South Africa’s second national anthem.
The song was usually sung to express the hardship of working in the mines. It expresses heartache over the hard work performed in the mines. The word Shosholoza or “chocholoza!” means go forward or make way for the next man, in Ndebele. It is used as a term of encouragement and hope for the workers as a sign of solidarity.
The sound “sho sho” uses onomatopoeia and reminiscent of the sound made by the steam train (stimela).[10] Stimela is the Zulu word for steam train.”Kulezo ntaba!” means (At those far away mountains), “Stimela Siphume eZimbabwe” (the train come from Zimbabwe), “Wen´ uya baleka” (Because you’re running away/hurrying). In contemporary times, its meaning is to show support for any struggle.
Jetzt Kommt die flut, Is the German sung version of the song “Here Comes The Flood” from the first solo album.
