Epic track! Jerry Dammers is a genius. This is without doubt the best song any political organization has ever used.

The record was brilliant because of a combination of the lyrics, music, production etc but on this version, thanks to the singers, the words really demonstrate their power

This should be shown in schools as part of history lessons , brilliant is an understatment !

Jerry damners is a total legend, hero x

Many songs hit us hard but therr are few that embed deep in the body and remain,this is one of them. Legendary lyrics written for a legendary man. The specials take a bow.

Thank u jerry damners for opening a lot of peoples eyes, I was 12 n u made me see the truth x

RIP Garry, miss you. First peron you met in L3 when arriving at Warwick Uni as a young lad and we became great mates. Chris B.

Stan Campbell, WHAT A VoICe!!!!!!!! He seems even strange here early on.....but what a voice!!!!

Thanx so much for posting this and although the ex-wife was from Coventry I always loved the band. The Specials, Fun Boy Three, Specials AKA.. Nelson Mandela is a great man and it will be a sadder world when we has departed. Thankfully I was in so. California in the 80s and so I heard this song so often in KROQ-FM, Pasadena. It has a terrific melody and beat and message as many of the punk, new wave, post wave, new romantic songs did. You cant beat the politics on the dance floor.

I'll never bash The Specials as they are today cos I absolutely love them! Still, I wish Jerry had joined them. As far as I'm concerned, they're all brilliant in both camps. Jerry's songwriting is outta this world and Free Nelson Mandela is just one of the many examples. Stan Campbell...well,what a voice! And (I'm really late here), thx so much for posting this, I had never seen it before!

that is jerry dammers. genius. the song of the 20th century. X

This is one of the best things Jerry Dammers and Co ever did. The whole Specials story built up to this point in 1984. Great to see this footage - with Rhoda Dakar, Egidio Newton, Dick Cuthell, and Gary McManus - bass (he has now died I beleive - R.I.P.) And now Jerry Dammers with his Spatial AKA Orchestra (with Rico on trombone), are picking up where this era left off. You can hear the natural thread within the sounds that links it all right up.

Love this version - if only for the fact it lasts longer

Excellent performance and yes I’ve always liked this one dating back to the pop singles UK chart 1984. Yeh those were the days.

powerful singing! thank you, all. Nelson Mandela is courageous.

So powerful song ✊🏾💝💝🦋

A friend played me this song just after Mandelas death and I literally CANNOT get enough of it! Possible future ringtone!

Stan looked like he'd been plucked from another planet - there was something sort of other-worldly about him. For sure that voice didn't come from this planet!!

I'm gonna try and get my son's marching band director to have them do this song next year.

he came in a time when his country was under the oppression of european rule and needed him. He lead it to a new and improved future. His methods may be criticized at times but the truth is he brought peace and that outcome can't be denied. There are far too many others who are Actually terrorists and are spreading destruction to hate on Mandela after all the good he did for the people of South Africa. Also Great Song.

R.I.P. Mr. Mandela.

One of the best fucking songs ever!!

Don't be so bitter. Even without Jerry they still do it. I saw them on their 1st tour and when they reformed. I also saw Jerry's Arkestra a couple of years back and they were brilliant. Heal Nelson Mandela!!

this verision is 1000 times better than the album version!!!!!!! if Special AKA had of came out with a live album they would be worldwide immortal right now... Did anybody actually see them perform this song with Stan Campbell????

I remember hanging out with Stan Campbell on occasions back in the day in Coventry. What fun times were back then

this song and so many others are an example of the love for Mandela that the world felt, no matter the medium of expression.

complete fucking genius.

just heard president Zuma announce departure of nelson Mandella. Very moving. a terrible loss.

fabulous voice stan campbell

RIP Nelson

A good man.

Thanks for the upload of this footage, it's very much appreciated! :-) Does anyone by the way know how Stan Campbell is doing these days (I think he's been living in Birmingham since a couple of years)?

Fly high Madiba

Skill! #FREEDOM

This the 20th Century Amazing Grace.

I've heard the phrase 'British teeth' before, but dear god man!

Me hubiera encantado que esta melodía la hubiera cantado Terry Hall!!! Claro sin quitarle méritos a Stan Campbell.

Miss you Madiba

RIP

I LOVE MUCH MUCH JEANNE MARIE ET FRANCOIS HOLLANDE

Where did it all go wrong for Stan?

Wow!

Every single penny made by this song was donated to the ANC.. (and if you believe that, you'll believe anything..).

They did!

Didn’t know Falco played drums.

The lead singer looks like the actor, Leon.

"Where`s my Free Nelson Mandela?"

Finally free. RIP.

Nice.

strong song but its all about Stan Campbell

RIP Mandela

Where's his teef?

freeeeeeeeeeeeeee

@SQReader77 I was thinking the same about the teeth.

teeth weren't so important in those days.

epic tache!

freéeeeeeeeeeeeee trahilala

Freeeeeeee.....John Shipleeeeeeeee.........where was heeeeee????

R..I .P Winnie Mandela xoxo

R.I.P Stan campbell

Calotholisism 777 dont you realise the crusades were done with hundreds of years ago, we live in in a munticulturist society what planet do u live on!

You dont know aloty about history FACTS. Why dont you go home and study before you do comments?

Speaking of ruling minorities...

RIP