I've Never Met A Nice South African
Encyclopedia
"I've Never Met a Nice South African" is a satirical
song
originating in a sketch on the British television series Spitting Image
. It was written by John Lloyd
and Peter Brewis
and was sung by Andy Roberts
. In 1986 it was commercially released as the B-side of the chart-topping "The Chicken Song
". When the song was recorded, South Africa
was considered a pariah state
because of the apartheid regime that was in power. Spitting Image' s take was characteristically savage; the song contains lyrics which whites in South Africa
may find offensive.
The song is narrated in the music video
by a seasoned expat traveller who describes his unlikely experiences to a bored bartender (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lord Lucan
). He has met the Loch Ness Monster
, had a close encounter
('of the 22nd kind, That's when an alien spaceship, Disappears up your behind!'), seen unicorn
s in Burma, met a working Yorkshire miner and had sunstroke in the Arctic
, but despite all these exotic experiences, he has never met a nice South African. The lyrics bluntly describe white South Africans in a variety of insulting ways, such as 'arrogant bastards who hate black people', 'ignorant loud-mouths with no sense of humour' and 'talentless murderers who smell like baboon
s'. The chorus is sung by a number of gun-toting white South Africans, out on safari
wearing Springbok
jerseys. As the song progresses, dead animals are piled up on their jeep and the barman becomes ever sleepier before collapsing on the floor.
In the closing verse, the South African chorus names writer and anti-apartheid activist Breyten Breytenbach
, exceptionally, as "quite a nice South African" and say "that's why we put him in prison". At the time Breytenbach had, as the song points out, been living in exile
in Paris
and had been previously imprisoned by the South African regime due to his mixed marriage
.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
originating in a sketch on the British television series Spitting Image
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
. It was written by John Lloyd
John Lloyd (writer)
John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd CBE is a British comedy writer and television producer. He is the great nephew of John Hardress Lloyd.-Early life and career:...
and Peter Brewis
Peter Brewis
Peter Brewis is a composer and instrumentalist who has been active in several spheres of music from ballet and modern dance to music theatre and rock music...
and was sung by Andy Roberts
Andy Roberts (musician)
Andrew "Andy" Roberts is an English musician.He gained a violin scholarship to Felsted School. He then attended Liverpool University. He has played with The Liverpool Scene, Plainsong, The Scaffold, Roy Harper, Chris Spedding, Pink Floyd, Hank Wangford, Kevin Ayers, Vivian Stanshall and Grimms...
. In 1986 it was commercially released as the B-side of the chart-topping "The Chicken Song
The Chicken Song
-12" vinyl:-Chart performance:...
". When the song was recorded, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
was considered a pariah state
Pariah state
A pariah state is one whose conduct is considered to be out of line with international norms of behavior. This term is closely related to the term rogue state.-Definitions:...
because of the apartheid regime that was in power. Spitting Image
Whites in South Africa
White South African is a term which refers to people from South Africa who are of European descent and who don't regard themselves, or are not regarded as being part of another racial group, for example, as Coloured...
may find offensive.
The song is narrated in the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
by a seasoned expat traveller who describes his unlikely experiences to a bored bartender (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lord Lucan
Richard Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan
Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan , popularly known as Lord Lucan, as Lord Bingham before 1964, and sometimes colloquially called "Lucky" Lucan, was a British peer, who disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974, following the murder of Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny, the previous...
). He has met the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
, had a close encounter
Close encounter
In ufology, a close encounter is an event in which a person witnesses an unidentified flying object. This terminology and the system of classification behind it was started by astronomer and UFO researcher J. Allen Hynek, and was first suggested in his 1972 book The UFO Experience: A Scientific...
('of the 22nd kind, That's when an alien spaceship, Disappears up your behind!'), seen unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
s in Burma, met a working Yorkshire miner and had sunstroke in the Arctic
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
, but despite all these exotic experiences, he has never met a nice South African. The lyrics bluntly describe white South Africans in a variety of insulting ways, such as 'arrogant bastards who hate black people', 'ignorant loud-mouths with no sense of humour' and 'talentless murderers who smell like baboon
Baboon
Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...
s'. The chorus is sung by a number of gun-toting white South Africans, out on safari
Safari
A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
wearing Springbok
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
jerseys. As the song progresses, dead animals are piled up on their jeep and the barman becomes ever sleepier before collapsing on the floor.
In the closing verse, the South African chorus names writer and anti-apartheid activist Breyten Breytenbach
Breyten Breytenbach
Breyten Breytenbach is a South African writer and painter with French citizenship.-Biography:Breyten Breytenbach was born in Bonnievale, Western Cape, approximately 180 km from Cape Town and 100 km from the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas...
, exceptionally, as "quite a nice South African" and say "that's why we put him in prison". At the time Breytenbach had, as the song points out, been living in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and had been previously imprisoned by the South African regime due to his mixed marriage
Interracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
.