This song was written by Stevie to Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned at the time (for around 30 years!) for his part in fighting against the apartheid system in place in South Africa. Apartheid was the legal racial segregation system in place since 1948. The song depicts what Mandela had missed out on each year, every year while he was in prison. While not in the song, it is worth it to mention that apartheid ended and Mandela was elected the President of South Africa in 1994 in the first democratic election of the country.
This song was written by Stevie to Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned at the time (for around 30 years!) for his part in fighting against the apartheid system in place in South Africa. Apartheid was the legal racial segregation system in place since 1948. The song depicts what Mandela had missed out on each year, every year while he was in prison. While not in the song, it is worth it to mention that apartheid ended and Mandela was elected the President of South Africa in 1994 in the first democratic election of the country.