"Mandela Day" is a song by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. It was included on the Ballad of the Streets EP which reached No.1 on the British charts in February 1989 and features on their eighth studio album Street Fighting Years (1989). The single highlights the songs "Mandela Day", "Belfast Child", originally its A-side on the full-length version, and "Biko".
"Mandela Day" was written for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute (also known as Mandela Day),Mandela Day – AllMusic a concert held at Wembley Stadium, London, on 11 June 1988, as an expression of solidarity with the then-imprisoned Nelson Mandela, and was played live on that day (alongside "Sun City" with Little Steven and "Biko" with Peter Gabriel).
The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan.
Track listings
7" vinyl UK, Germany: Virgin / SMX 3 France: Virgin / 90496
12" vinyl UK: Virgin / SMXT 3 UK: Virgin / SMX BS (limited edition box set, including 4 black-and-white photographs from the music video) France: Virgin / 80432 Germany: Virgin / 611 998 Yugoslavia: Jugoton /MXSVIRG 18016
CD UK: Virgin / SMXCD3 (3") UK: Virgin / SMXCDT3 (5")
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1989) PeakpositionItaly Airplay (Music & Media) 12
References
See also Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute (also known Mandela Day)