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Sun City | 
 enlarge | Artists: Little Steven, Bruce Springsteen, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks
Label: Razor & Tie
Category: Music
Buy Used: $68.00
Used (11) from $68.00
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 241125
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 079892200720
EAN: 0079892200720
ASIN: B000002Z7F
Release Date: March 30, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Sun City - Little Steven & the | | • | No More Apartheid - Gabriel, Peter [1] | | • | Revolutionary Situation | | • | Sun City | | • | Let Me See Your I.D. | | • | The Struggle Continues | | • | Silver & Gold | | • | Sun City |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
A DAMN GOOD SONG! November 5, 2005
In 1971 George Harrison got the ball rolling with the Concert for Bangladesh and, over time other artists lent their talent for causes as well. Sun City, a delightfully militant, serious, cutting edge and probably the grittiest, most spirited effort kicked off the summer of 1985.
Although I never liked the song "We Are the World," I fully supported the artists and rationale behind it. I didn't like that one because I felt the melody was maudlin and I didn't like the way it made me feel.
"Sun City" on the other hand is in-your-face politics and a rallying cry and banners being waved. It is a demand for the end of Apartheid in South Africa and a refusal to play venues that support Apartheid beliefs. Apartheid was notorious for the white-minority government, which was established in 1948. A myriad of talented artists including Little Steven, Ruben Blades, Bruce Springstein, Ringo Starr, Pete Townshend and many others poke their finger in the Apartheid eye with this in your face, militant anti-war and pro-humanitarian rights cry. This is a very serious, intense song that will make you want to dance as well! It will certainly arouse your social conscience!
The three versions of this wonderful song all stay true to the core melody. There are variations in the lyrics and one version alternates with verses of "we are the world," which I don't feel is as good as the other versions of this intensely stellar song.
Be sure to check out "No More Apartheid." Peter Gabriel's strong vocals ring out deep and pure and the message could not be made plainer. "Revolutionary Situation," is a musical montage replete with news clips; excerpts from songs and other revolutionary anthems. You can also hear police dogs barking, which brings to mind the Jim Crow southern United States during the Civil Rights era. "I am an Afrikaaner" brings home the message of terrorism and oppression under the Apartheid regime.
"Let Me See Your ID" is an outraged outcry agains the oppressive regime. Miles Davis' impressive trumpet playing underscores just how serious a matter this really is.
"Silver & Gold" is a hard, cutting edge piece about mining in South Africa at the expense of people. Bono lends his voice to this one along with Rolling Stones Keith Richards & Ron Wood. You can hear and feel the anger, so palpable in this song as to gain a better understanding of the issues this is about.
Sun City was more specific and more focused in its effort to call attention to social ills and injustices. Other efforts, such as Live Aid, Band Aid and USA For Africa as well as Farm Aid were much more global. Sun City is the demand for the release of Nelson Mandela and the UN boycott of South Africa.
In 1990, Mandela was finally released from prison and became President of South Africa, the first black person to hold this office. (Kind of reminds you of 1989, when Lech Walesa, a shipyard worker who was jailed in the 1980s for his direct involvement in Solidarity and the push for reforms on the shipyards; in the factories and in government. On June 4, 1989, Lech Walesa proudly voted in a free Polish Election, the first held since the end of WWII and was elected as leader of Poland)!
Music does have power to change the world. Go out there and listen to this one and it will certainly motivate you!
A DAMN GOOD SONG! November 5, 2005
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
In 1971 George Harrison got the ball rolling with the Concert for Bangladesh and, over time other artists lent their talent for causes as well. Sun City, a delightfully militant, serious, cutting edge and probably the grittiest, most spirited effort kicked off the summer of 1985.
Although I never liked the song "We Are the World," I fully supported the artists and rationale behind it. I didn't like that one because I felt the melody was maudlin and I didn't like the way it made me feel.
"Sun City" on the other hand is in-your-face politics and a rallying cry and banners being waved. It is a demand for the end of Apartheid in South Africa and a refusal to play venues that support Apartheid beliefs. Apartheid was notorious for the white-minority government, which was established in 1948. A myriad of talented artists including Little Steven, Ruben Blades, Bruce Springstein, Ringo Starr, Pete Townshend and many others poke their finger in the Apartheid eye with this in your face, militant anti-war and pro-humanitarian rights cry. This is a very serious, intense song that will make you want to dance as well! It will certainly arouse your social conscience!
The three versions of this wonderful song all stay true to the core melody. There are variations in the lyrics and one version alternates with verses of "we are the world," which I don't feel is as good as the other versions of this intensely stellar song.
Be sure to check out "No More Apartheid." Peter Gabriel's strong vocals ring out deep and pure and the message could not be made plainer. "Revolutionary Situation," is a musical montage replete with news clips; excerpts from songs and other revolutionary anthems. You can also hear police dogs barking, which brings to mind the Jim Crow southern United States during the Civil Rights era. "I am an Afrikaaner" brings home the message of terrorism and oppression under the Apartheid regime.
"Let Me See Your ID" is an outraged outcry agains the oppressive regime. Miles Davis' impressive trumpet playing underscores just how serious a matter this really is.
"Silver & Gold" is a hard, cutting edge piece about mining in South Africa at the expense of people. Bono lends his voice to this one along with Rolling Stones Keith Richards & Ron Wood. You can hear and feel the anger, so palpable in this song as to gain a better understanding of the issues this is about.
Sun City was more specific and more focused in its effort to call attention to social ills and injustices. Other efforts, such as Live Aid, Band Aid and USA For Africa as well as Farm Aid were much more global. Sun City is the demand for the release of Nelson Mandela and the UN boycott of South Africa.
In 1990, Mandela was finally released from prison and became President of South Africa, the first black person to hold this office. (Kind of reminds you of 1989, when Lech Walesa, a shipyard worker who was jailed in the 1980s for his direct involvement in Solidarity and the push for reforms on the shipyards; in the factories and in government. On June 4, 1989, Lech Walesa proudly voted in a free Polish Election, the first held since the end of WWII and was elected as leader of Poland)!
Music does have power to change the world. Go out there and listen to this one and it will certainly motivate you!
I AINT GONNA PLAY SUN CITY!!!!! September 20, 2004
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
I LIKE THIS SONG AND THE MUSIC VIDEO IS NICE ALSO. THE VIDEO HAS EDDIE KENDRICKS, DAVID RUFFIN, NONA HENDRIX, AND MANY MORE ARTISTS I LIKE THIS SONG IT IS JUST A JAMMING SONG I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT WHEN I WAS A KID. THIS SONG IS ABOUT ARTISTS AGAINST APARTHEID. I LIKE THIS SONG AND I ENJOY IT.
I AINT GONNA PLAY SUN CITY.
We ain't gonna play Sun City! February 3, 2004
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
The Concert for Bangladesh may have been the start of benefit albums, and for a worthy cause. Sun City though, was the most militant, and demonstrated that rock and roll was about rebellion, not the Twisted Sister "We're Gonna Take It" or the whiny punk rock "I don't wanna..." attitude, but about social protest. The Sun City album took on the humanitarian crimes (read human rights violations, lack of voting rights, "relocation to phony homelands") committed by the white-minority government of South Africa from 1948, when the policy of apartheid (rhymes with both white and hate) was first introduced. Steve Van Zandt, late of the E Street Band and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, produced and organized this indictment of the totalitarian regime. The title refers to a whites-only "Vegas in the desert" entertainment resort symbolizing the privileges of the white minority.There are three versions of the title song, of which the opening track is the original. "Rockers and rappers united and strong" take turns singing the verses a la We Are The World, condemning Reagan's "quiet diplomacy" and phony homelands like Bophuthatswana. Pete Townshend's guitar, Ringo Starr's drums, Clarence Clemons' saxophone, and Miles Davis's trumpet contribute to the backing instrumentation. The droning guitar and Peter Gabriel's wailing vocals form "No More Apartheid." That is followed by "Revolutionary Situation," a collage of music, bits of audio from press statements, and other revolutionary anthems compiled and edited by Keith LeBlanc and the News Dissector. Sounds of barking police dogs, protesters calling for both peace and violence, audio bits from Nelson Mandela, Piet Botha, and Ronald Reagan are put together. The ominous voice of "I am an Afrikaaner" demonstrates the powerful aura of oppression dominating the country. The alternately energetic and laid back "Let Me See Your ID" is a series of righteously enraged raps, with even Peter Wolf and Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett contributing, with some musing, biting ironic commentary by Gil Scott-Heron, such as getting vocabulary from the media, such as Third World or casualties. On the latter, he says "nothing casual about dying, nothing casual about standing for freedom". Miles's magical trumpet-playing can be heard. The instrumental jam "The Struggle Continues" was the first time I heard Miles Davis and this fits squarely in his post-fusion era, with support from drummer Sonny Okosuns, guitarist Stanley Jordan and keyboardist Herbie Hancock, whose instrumental solo bit is a highlight the same as Davis's trumpet was in the beginning moment of the jam. "Silver And Gold" began life here before its inclusion on Rattle And Hum. Bono sings here without U2, aided by Rolling Stones Keith Richards and Ron Wood, about mining the above metals. The U2 frontman's voice becomes a barely contained whisper in parts, intense angst and anger in other places. While benefit group collaborations like Band Aid, Live Aid, and USA For Africa, formed the basis of mass culture, the global village, and cultural crossover in a corporately-sponsored world, Sun City was more serious in its intent, calling for the release of Nelson Mandela and supporting the UN-sponsored cultural boycott of South Africa. Eventually, in 1990, five years after the Sun City album, Mandela was freed and became South Africa's first black African president, and I can't help thinking that Steve Van Zandt and the musicians here had a hand in that.
A milestone August 8, 2000
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
Sun City is a testament to what people can do. Not only is it a GREAT song, it was for a GREAT cause.
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