“SUN CITY”, the anti-apartheid song released in the US last week, is unlikely to be heard on any local radio stations. This is in spite of the appearance of two South African bands alongside the more than 40 British and American pop stars who play on the record.
One station, Bophuthatswana-based 702, has already blacklisted the song and will not play it, even if, as expected, it hits the top of the charts in both London and New York. The reason: Sun International owns 20 percent of 702 and programme manager Gary Edwards feels it would be a “slap in the face” to the station’s shareholders to play “Sun City” at all.
“We are, after all, a business,” he said, “and we are run by business.” Among the other shareholders is the Bophuthatswana government which holds 20 percent of 702. Edwards’ stance appears to be in stark contradiction to the station’s oft-repeated claim to be independent of outside influences.
The only other independent, Transkei-owned Capital 604, refused to play “Free Nelson Mandela” on its British chart show last year even though the song was in the UK Top Ten at the time, and not yet officially banned, Of “Sun City” a station spokesman said, “We will play the song if it is extremely wonderful and not too offensive”.
Radio 5 programme manager Malcolm Russell said “Sun City” was extremely unlikely” to be heard on state-controlled station. “Sun City” was penned by Little Steven van Zandt, who has twice visited South Africa, and features Bruce Springsteen on lead vocals, backed by such luminaries as Pat Benetar, Hall-and Oates, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Linton Kwesi Johnson and way down in the credits South African bands Via Afrika and the Malopoets, both now based in the US.
“Sun City” does not have sophisticated lyrics, but its funky beat is irresistible and the hook, “I ain’t gonna play Sun City”, simply refuses to leave the back of your head once it lodges there, a credit to the production by master dance producer, Arthur Baker. Even if you won’t be able to hear it on the radio, “Sun City” will be released locally in the first fortnight of November. Record company EMI says it will be promoted as vigorously as any other record, and on its musical merits only. Asked to comment on the record, Sun City spokesman Hazel Feldman said, “The whole hullabaloo is extremely unfortunate since no apartheid exists at Sun City. Sun City is a hotel, not a symbol of apartheid.”–Nigel Wrench