Album: Sun City (1985)

Charted: 21 38

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• Aaah, Sun City, na na na na na, Sun City
  Na na na na na, a way to South Africa
  
  We're rockers and rappers united and strong
  We're here to talk about South Africa
  We don't like what's going on (tell it)
  It's time for some justice, it's time for the truth (speak it)
  We've realized there's only one thing we can do
  
  We got to say I, I, I
  Ain't gonna play Sun City
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  Everybody say I, I, I
  Ain't gonna play Sun City
  I, I, I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  Relocation to phony homelands
  Separation of families I can't understand
  
  Twenty-three million can't vote 'cause they're black
  We're stabbing our brothers
  And sisters in the back
  
  I wanna say I, I, I
  Ain't gonna play Sun City
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  
  Our government tells us
  We're doing all we can
  Constructive engagement is
  Ronald Reagan's plan
  Meanwhile people are dying
  And giving up hope
  Well, this quiet diplomacy
  Ain't nothing but a joke
  
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  
  It's time to accept our responsibility
  Freedom is a privilege nobody rides for free
  Look around the world, baby
  It cannot be denied somebody tell me why
  We're always on the wrong side
  I, I, I ain't gonna play sun city
  I, I, I ain't gonna play sun city
  
  Na na na na na, sun city na na na na na
  A way to South Africa
  
  Bophuthatswana is far away
  But we know it's in South Africa
  No matter what they say you can't buy me
  I don't care what you pay
  Don't ask me Sun City
  Because I ain't gonna play
  
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  Lemme hear you say I, I, I, I, I, I
  Ain't gonna play Sun City
  I don't wanna play Sun City
  
  Relocation to phony homelands
  Separation of families I can't understand
  
  Twenty-three million can't vote 'cause they're black
  We're stabbing our brothers
  And sisters in the back
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City
  I, I, I ain't gonna play Sun City Writer/s: Steven Van Zandt
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

• Trevo from PretoriaVery well intended song but virtue signaling at its finest as all of the artists featured in this video and song still permitted their songs to be sold in South Africa.
• James from South AfricaVan Zandt didn't know "the truth".
  For these rich, pampered people, speaking about South Africa and Apartheid was a trend, something for them to posture about from Beverly Hills, and not have to actually get involved, or actually know what they were actually singing about
  I wonder how many of the performers on "Sun City" could have found Sun City on a map, or South Africa for that matter.
  And none of them ever spoke out against racism or injustice in other areas of the world, including their own country.
• Gavin Londt from South AfricaAll those that contributed to this project should come back here to see how things are now. White farmers are being murdered daily. Land invasions are taking place daily. Murder and crime occurring daily. And in the meantime they are ignoring the s--t going down in their own back yards. Rich happy people that in fact don't give a s--t except for lining their own pockets. Hypocrites the lot.
• Bobl from Sun CitrusYawn. So Sun City is obviously a white-free paradise. How many of these above mentioned esteemed freedom fighters venture to Sun City to give free concerts free the nobles? Cmon, you keep moaning and wailing about how money can't buy you love, that love is all you need. How come you don't give a $%$#5 about the situation in the free and east paradise you so modestly created?
• Ken from Philadelphia, PaVery powerful song. Who says music can't change the world?!
  
  Before you jump down my throat, yes, I realize (and I think Little Steven would agree) that many, many, many people helped end aparthied in South Africa, and most of them gave a LOT more than a few minutes of their time to record a song... in fact, thousands if not millions gave their lives. Even so, this song had a huge impact. Prior to this song, most people were vaguely aware of what was happening in South Africa, but very few really did or said anything about it. In fact, Sun City, in and of itself, was a fairly minor thing. It was just a white resort that would overpay famous entertainment acts to come and play for rich white South Africans so they could kid themselves that their system and their government was just fine. Well, thanks to Steven Van Zandt and this song, that ended. Oh Sun City continued to exist as did South African apartheid, but never again could rich entertainers go and play Sun City for obscene payoffs and play dumb about where the money came from. In one more small way, the rest of the world, told South Africa that they did not approve and this must end. Soon, thanks in no small part to this song, the pressure began to grow. Many universities (often after student protests) and other organizations forbid their pension plans from investing in companies who did work in or for South Africa. As a result, many large multinational companies pulled out of South Africa and the nation rapidly found itself more and more isolated. By 1994, less than 10 years after this song was released, a truly democratic government was elected.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Jenny from Lima, Peruwell i just wanna say that the apartheid in S.A still ! I WAS IN SUN CITY PRISON AND IN THERE LIFE IS HARD FOR WHITE PEOPLE..
• Theo from Johannesburg, South Africaactually, apartheid in SA ended in '94 when the first democratic government was established. ironically, Sun City is now slang for Johannesburg Central Prison!
• Don from Newmarket, CanadaA brilliant, powerful call to arms. Little Steven rallied some of the greatest voices in popular music to help him deliver this stinging broadside.

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