And the eyes of the world are watching now

Over the course of the years I've lived so far, I haven't been much of a politically minded person. That said, I have been getting into it more and more over the past couple years. I've been trying to keep up with issues and general shit that's going on with the world. Like a lot of people, this Iran election debacle has been holding my interest for the past week or so and everyone is waiting to see the outcome. If you've been following it, you know the details. If you don't know what's going on and are interested, you can start with some info here.

In any case, I found myself this morning wanting to listen to some old Peter Gabriel. I especially love the first few albums. You know the third album, the one with Peter Gabriel's melted face on the cover? Did you know that Kate Bush sings backup on that album? Pretty cool, eh? So yes, I was listening to that when the song Biko came on and it reminded me of what is going on now in Iran. I don't know much about Stephen Biko except that he died many years ago and that he was an anti-apartheid activist. Some of the lyrics in the song, though, apply to the Iranian situation.

Tenuous connection, you might say, but that's what came to my mind when I heard it today. Especially the first few lines of the second verse, and the blow out a candle lines in the third verse. I guess you could say it's all about the spirit of revolution, or rising up and striking back at the oppressors. I dunno, those lines are pretty powerful to me, like a call to arms. Check out the lyrics and listen to the song. Oh, and apparently "Yihla Moja" means "Come Spirit" in Xhosa, which is one of the official languages of South Africa.

September '77
Port Elizabeth weather fine
It was business as usual
In police room 619
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

When I try to sleep at night
I can only dream in red
The outside world is black and white
With only one colour dead
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

And the eyes of the world are
watching now
watching now

Peter Gabriel > Biko