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twenty five years (demo)


composer
Words and music: Simple Minds


publisher
© 1989 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd


background
The first appearance of Mandela Day in the vault is the recording for BBC Radio One for the forthcoming Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert. Despite suggestsions that the the Radio One mix was different in some way, this version recorded on the 25th May 1988, and sent to Radio One, is the version which ended up on the album. (It includes some brief tuning, a count-in, and a slightly faster fade during which the final two lines are lost, but is otherwise the same).

Master #1 is the album take whilst Master #1 No Fade and Master #1 Instrumental are longer and instrumental versions respectively.

Monitor Mix #1 features the same backing track as Master #1 No Fade but has new vocals which are slightly different from the final album version.

No Fade is the entire unedited final version of the track. From this Master was taken which still longer than the album version, and includes the brief tuning, count-in, and full ending with the band coming to a hesitant end. Master Instrumental is an instrumental version of this song - it has a longer running time as there's thirty seconds of silence at the end. And the Safety versions is simply a copy of the Master


see also:
Mandela Day


lyrics
Master #1
It was twenty five years they take that man away.
Now the freedom moves in closer every day.
Wipe the tears down from your saddened eyes.
They say Mandela's free so step outside.

Oh oh oh oh Mandela day.
Oh oh oh oh Mandela's free.

It was twenty five years ago this very day.
Held behind four walls all through night and day.
Still the children know the story of that man.
And I know what's going on right through your land.

Twenty five years years ago.

Na na na na Mandela day.
Oh oh oh Mandela's free.

If the tears are flowing wipe them from your face.
I can feel his heartbeat moving deep inside.
It was twenty five years they took that man away.
And now the world come down say Nelson Mandela's free.

Oh oh oh oh Mandela's free.

The rising suns sets Mandela on his way.
It's been twenty five years around this very day.
From the one outside to the ones inside we say.
Oh oh oh oh Mandela's free.
Oh oh oh set Mandela free.

Na na na na Mandela day.
Na na na na Mandela's free.

Twenty five years ago.
What's going on?
And we know what's going on.
Cos we know what's going on.



demo discography
Master #1 (5:41)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years Reel Eight
Master #1 No Fade (6:25)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years Reel Eight
Master #1 No Fade Instrumental (6:20)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years Reel Eight
Monitor Mix #1 (6:12)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years Reel Ten
No Fade (6:28)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years CD Tracks
Master (6:32)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years CD Tracks
Master Instrumental (7:19)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years CD Tracks
Safety (6:18)
Produced by: Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn

Street Fighting Years CD Tracks