Cover art for Biko (Live) [Athens 1987] by Peter Gabriel

Biko (Live) [Athens 1987]

Nov. 19871 viewer

Biko (Live) [Athens 1987] Lyrics

[Intro]
"This song was written for a brave man. A man who wasn't afraid to speak up for the rights of his people, whatever the cost to himself. For a man who was arrested, tortured, and killed in a jail in South Africa. For Stephen Biko. [?] Stephen Biko."

[Interlude]

[Verse 1]
September '77
Port Elizabeth weather fine
It was business as usual
In police room 619

[Chorus]
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla moja, yihla moja
The man is dead
The man is dead

[Interlude]

[Verse 2]
When I try and sleep at night
I can only dream in red
The outside world is black and white
With only one colour dead
[Chorus]
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla moja, yihla moja
The man is dead
The man is dead

[Interlude]

[Verse 3]
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

[Chorus]
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla moja, yihla moja
The man is dead
The man is dead

[Post-Chorus]
And the eyes of the world are watching now
Watching now, watching now
[Interlude]

[Outro]
Hey! Hey! Ho! Everyone!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
For all those still in jail in Africa! Hey! Hey! Ho!
For all those still being torture! Hey! Hey! Ho!
For prisoners of conscience! Hey! Hey! Ho!
For Stephen Biko! Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
What happens now is up to you
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!
Hey! Hey! Ho!

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

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Credits
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Additional Mixing
Additional Mixing Assistant
Recorded At
Lycabettus Amphitheatre, Athens, Attica, Greece
Release Date
November 1987
Biko (Live) [Athens 1987] Is A Live Version Of
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