Eurythmics, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox have had a long association with Nelson Mandela, from their first appearance in 1988 at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday concert, also know as the Free Mandela concert, through to the 46664 concerts in 2002. These experiences and emotions became the catalyst and turning point for Annie Lennox and her charitable and activist work through her Sing Foundation.
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was staged on June 11, 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London and broadcast to 67 countries and an audience of 600 million. In the US, the Fox television network heavily censored the political aspects of the concert. It was regarded by many, including the Anti-Apartheid Movement and the African National Congress, as raising worldwide consciousness of the imprisonment of ANC leader Mandela and others by the South African apartheid government. Eurythmics performed at the event introduced on stage by Richard Gere, only Eurythmics Dire Strait & Whitney Houston played 6 or more tracks and for many they were the hi-light of the show
Eighteen months after the event, with a release now thought to be approaching, Mandela asked for the organisers of the event to create a second concert as an official international reception at which, after 27 years in prison, he would address the world. The second event, Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa, was, like the first, conceived to be shown on television across the world and was broadcast from Wembley Stadium to more than 60 countries on April 16, 1990.
46664 was the prison number of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, Cape Town where he was held in captivity for 18 years. In November 2002 Mr Mandela gave his prison number 46664 to Dave Stewart so that he could use it to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Africa by raising money for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The 46664 campaign was conceived by Dave Stewart and put into place in partnership with the Mandela Foundation and Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen.
The first thing that Dave did was to ask his good friend Joe Strummer, famous as the lead singer of the legendary band The Clash, to write lyrics for a song that included 46664. Sadly this was the last song that Joe was to write. Following his death in December 2002, Dave completed the song with Bono and the two of them recorded it together as the first of a series of co-writes for the campaign. This song, 46664 (Long Walk to Freedom), soon became the anthem of 46664. One year later, Dave Stewart also recorded with Paul McCartney for a one year on EP.
Here’s Annie talking to CBS News recently about the concerts, 46664 and the inspiration that Nelson Mandela has given her.
“When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” – Nelson Mandela