Nieve Ella, Jamie T, Rachel Chinouriri and Remi Wolf cover Dork's new issue - order now!•
Tate McRae has announced new single ‘Housewife’•
Slayyyter has announced companion album ‘Wor$t Man in America’ for December•
Welly are going to headline a very special Dork’s Night Out at The 100 Club
•
Down With Boring returns tonight with The North, plus bags of new music•
Keo have announced their 2027 UK, European and North American headline tour•
Primavera Sound Barcelona has announced its 2027 anniversary line-up•
Madra Salach have released new single ‘Ribbon Factory’•
Bleech 9:3 have dropped new track 'Tourniquet' and announced their biggest headline tour yet•
Mollie Elizabeth has announced her new EP ‘People Pleaser’ and shared ‘Kiss The Ring’•
Baby Dave and The Works have kicked off a new collaboration with ‘Wings’•
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE and more are set to perform at the 2026 Mercury Prize ceremony•
Fontaines D.C. have released ‘Tongue’ and its New York-shot video•
LCD Soundsystem have announced 12 New York residency shows, including their 100th•
Saint Clair have shared new single ‘Dreams’ ahead of sold-out autumn headline tour•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Nieve Ella, Jamie T, Rachel Chinouriri and Remi Wolf cover Dork's new issue - order now!•
Tate McRae has announced new single ‘Housewife’•
Slayyyter has announced companion album ‘Wor$t Man in America’ for December•
Welly are going to headline a very special Dork’s Night Out at The 100 Club•
Down With Boring returns tonight with The North, plus bags of new music•
Keo have announced their 2027 UK, European and North American headline tour•
Primavera Sound Barcelona has announced its 2027 anniversary line-up•
Madra Salach have released new single ‘Ribbon Factory’•
Bleech 9:3 have dropped new track 'Tourniquet' and announced their biggest headline tour yet•
Mollie Elizabeth has announced her new EP ‘People Pleaser’ and shared ‘Kiss The Ring’•
Baby Dave and The Works have kicked off a new collaboration with ‘Wings’•
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE and more are set to perform at the 2026 Mercury Prize ceremony•
Fontaines D.C. have released ‘Tongue’ and its New York-shot video•
LCD Soundsystem have announced 12 New York residency shows, including their 100th•
Saint Clair have shared new single ‘Dreams’ ahead of sold-out autumn headline tour•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Dork
News
Features
Reviews
Magazine
  • Dork
  • Popzines
Shop
Listings
Directory
Festivals
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
The 19755SOSAlessi RoseArctic MonkeysArlo ParksBastillebeabadoobeeBillie EilishBleachersblink-182BlossomsBlur
Bring Me The HorizonCarly Rae JepsenCavetownChappell RoanCharli xcxCHVRCHESCMATConan GrayDeclan McKennaDjoFall Out BoyFoals
Fontaines D.C.Ghostgirl in redGlass AnimalsGorillazGracie AbramsHAIMHarry StylesHolly HumberstoneInhalerJames MarriottThe Japanese House
The Last Dinner PartyLewis CapaldiLinkin ParkLouis TomlinsonMaggie RogersMaisie PetersMUNAMy Chemical RomanceNiall HoranOasis Live '27Olivia DeanOlivia Rodrigo
Pale WavesParamorePhoebe BridgersPinkPantheressRemi WolfReneé RappSabrina CarpenterSam FenderShameSlipknotTate McRaeTaylor Swift
Twenty One PilotsWallowsWet LegWolf AliceYard ActYUNGBLUDZara Larsson
etc.
Film & TV
Gaming
Literature
Culture
Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Mixtape
Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS
After Gates-FESTIVAL SESSIONS
Music Video Directory
Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST
Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED
Dork Live
Oasis Live ’27Tickets. Dates. What’s the story?Explore the tour
Dork Radio
Live
Live 24/7
Dork Radio
  1. Tracks
  2. Simple Minds
  3. Street Fighting Years
  4. Biko

TRACK

Simple Minds

Biko

Release date: 8th May 1989

From Street Fighting Years
Spotify

About This Track

"Biko" is a track by Simple Minds, from the album Street Fighting Years, released 8th May 1989. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

Simple Minds

Simple Minds

Lyrics

Biko

September '77

Port Elizabeth weather fine

It was business as usual

In police room 619

Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko

Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko

Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja

The man is dead, the man is dead

When I try to sleep at night

I can only dream in red

The outside world is black and white

With only one colour dead

Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko

Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko

Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja

The man is dead, the man is dead

You can blow out a candle

But you can never blow out a fire

Once the flames begin to catch

The wind will blow it higher

Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko

Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko

Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja

The man is dead, the man is dead

And the eyes of the world are watching you now

They're watching you now, watching you now

Watching you now, watching you now

They're watching you now

You gotta waken up, you gotta face up

I think you gotta open up

The eyes of the world are watching you now

You gotta waken up, you gotta face up

You know you can never turn away

Never turn away

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Street Fighting Years

1989
Listen
Album
Street Fighting Years
Street Fighting Years
Simple Minds
Release year
1989
Watch the music video

Simple Minds — Biko

Simple Minds — Biko
7:35

 

Biko

More from Simple Minds

Albums & EPs

Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time
2025
Live In The City Of Angels
2019
Big Music (Johnson Somerset Remixes EP)
2016
Big Music Tour 2015 (Simple Minds Live)
2016

Explore

More tracks by Simple Minds

  1. Bass Line
  2. For One Night Only
  3. Walk Between Worlds (live in the City of Angels)
  4. Act of Love
  5. Alive And Kicking (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  6. Belfast Child (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  7. Book Of Brilliant Things (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  8. Direction of the Heart (Taormina 2022)
  9. Dirty Old TownLive In The City Of Angels
    4:52
  10. DolphinsLive In The City Of Angels
    6:30

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Simple Minds

Tears for Fears

Tears for Fears

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Ultravox

Ultravox

Howard Jones

Howard Jones

ABC

ABC

INXS

INXS

Dork
Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

October 2026

Latest issue variants

View archive
Dork, October 2026 (Cara Delevingne cover)

Cara Delevingne

Dork, October 2026 (Keo cover)

Keo

Dork, October 2026 (Lizzy McAlpine cover)

Lizzy McAlpine

Dork, October 2026 (Tove Lo cover)

Tove Lo

Advertise
|
Support|
About Dork|
Editorial standards & corrections|
Privacy Policy|
Genres|
Years|
Sitemap|
RSS|
Cookie settings
© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Powered by PlaywireAdvertise on this site.
-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS
Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Playlist Covers
Playlist Directory
Recommender
More on Simple Minds
—
Belfast Child
  • —Let It All Come Down
  • —Take A Step Back
  • —Soul Crying Out
  • —Street Fighting Years
  • —Mandela Day
  • —When Spirits Rise
  • —Wall of Love
  • —Biko
    • Big Music Tour 2015
    Big Music Tour 2015
    2015
    Celebrate (Live At The SSE Hydro Glasgow)
    2014
    Love Song (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Sons And Fascination (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) [Live in the City of Diamonds]
  • Sweat In Bullet (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Glittering Prize (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • See The Lights (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Book Of Brilliant Things (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Sanctify Yourself (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Promised You A Miracle (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Alive And Kicking (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • This Fear Of Gods (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Once Upon a Time (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Waterfront (Live in the City of Diamonds)
  • Don’t You (Forget About Me) [Live in the City of Diamonds]
  • Your Name in Lights (Pyramid Music mix)
  • Your Name In Lights (Instrumental)
  • Your Name in Lights
  • Get It On
  • New Gold Dream (81- 82- 83- 84) [Live From Paisley Abbey]
  • Promised You a Miracle (live From Paisley Abbey)
  • Someone Somewhere in Summertime (live From Paisley Abbey)
  • Solstice Kiss
  • Traffic
  • The Walls Came Down
  • Natural
  • Human Traffic
  • Planet Zero
  • Wondertimes
  • Who Killed Truth?
  • First You Jump
  • Vision Thing
  • Act of Love
  • Direction of the Heart (Taormina 2022)
  • Simple Minds at Live Aid (live at John F. Kennedy Stadium, 13th July 1985)
  • Bass Line
  • For One Night Only
  • Walk Between Worlds (live in the City of Angels)
  • Hunter And The HuntedLive In The City Of Angels
    5:37
  • Dirty Old TownLive In The City Of Angels
    4:52
  • Theme For Great CitiesLive In The City Of Angels
    5:05
  • Walk Between WorldsLive In The City Of Angels
    5:50
  • Someone Somewhere In SummertimeLive In The City Of Angels
    5:31
  • DolphinsLive In The City Of Angels
    6:30

    • View all tracks by Simple Minds →

    Credits

    Production & Engineering

    Writer
    Peter Gabriel
    READ MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDSREAD MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDSREAD MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDSREAD MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDS
    READ MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDSREAD MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDSREAD MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDSREAD MORE ABOUT SIMPLE MINDS
    How Saturday Night Live’s season-opening musical guests have changed across the decades
    Features

    How Saturday Night Live’s season-opening musical guests have changed across the decades

    From hitmaking singer-songwriters and rock stars to rap trailblazers and KATSEYE, SNL’s opening musical slot has reflected changing ideas of pop prominence.

    8 Oct 2026 • 9:40 am
    Simple Minds and Gary Numan have announced Australian arena dates for 2027
    News

    Simple Minds and Gary Numan have announced Australian arena dates for 2027

    Simple Minds will bring their V Tour 2027 to Australia in February, with Gary Numan joining five arena shows.

    24 Sept 2026 • 9:16 am