| "Shakin' the Tree" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Youssou N'Dour featuring Peter Gabriel | ||||
| from the album The Lion | ||||
| Language | English, Wolof | |||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Mbalax, art rock, world music | |||
| Length | 5:42 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Youssou N'Dour, Peter Gabriel | |||
| Producer(s) | David Sancious, George Acogny, Peter Gabriel | |||
| Youssou N'Dour singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Shakin' the Tree" is a song written and recorded by Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour and English musician Peter Gabriel, originally released as the lead single from N'Dour's 1989 studio album The Lion. It was later re-recorded and released as the sole single from Gabriel's 1990 compilation album Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats under the title "Shaking the Tree".
The song was first released as a single in 1989, achieving its most successful chart position in the United States at No. 9 on the Modern Rock Tracks Chart and also charting in the United Kingdom and Italy. Despite not charting again in the US, "Shaking the Tree" experienced further success upon its 1990 re-release as the B-side to "Solsbury Hill", reaching higher respective positions in the UK and Italy whilst also appearing on the charts of Australia, France, and the Netherlands.
"Shakin' the Tree" is one of N'Dour's most notable hits internationally, and has become a staple of Gabriel's live shows.[1] A live version of the song appears on Gabriel's 1994 album Secret World Live, whilst two remixed versions appear on his later compilation album Flotsam and Jetsam (2019).
A remix of "Shaking the Tree", subtitled the "Jungle Version", was featured on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Jungle 2 Jungle. In 2002, another remix featured in the animated film The Wild Thornberrys Movie.
Lyrics
edit"Shakin' the Tree" is a protest song that lyrically refers to feminism. It is written in both English and the Senegalese language of Wolof, with the latter sung by N'Dour; the recurring line "Souma yergon, sou nou yergon" translates from Wolof as "If we had known, if only we had known".
1990 version
edit| "Shaking the Tree" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Peter Gabriel | ||||
| from the album Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats | ||||
| Language | English, Wolof | |||
| A-side | "Solsbury Hill" | |||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Studio | Real World Studios (Box, Wiltshire, England) | |||
| Genre | Mbalax, art rock, world music | |||
| Length | 6:24 | |||
| Label | Geffen/Virgin | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Youssou N'Dour, Peter Gabriel | |||
| Producer(s) | Bob Ezrin, Steve Lillywhite, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois | |||
| Peter Gabriel singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1990, the song was re-recorded under the slightly modified title "Shaking the Tree" at Gabriel's Real World Studios with additional vocals and an extended length. This version was released as the sixth track on the album Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats, which the song lent its title to.
Track listing
edit- "Solsbury Hill" – 4:22
- "Shaking the Tree" – 6:24
Music video
editA music video directed by Isaac Julien was produced by Warner Music Group in 1990 to coincide with the release of the Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats album.
The video features N'Dour and Gabriel arriving on a beach in canoes and performing with African women in traditional dress. Later in the video a group of female runners in white tracksuits are led by a woman carrying a torch – reminiscent of Olympians – and N'Dour and Gabriel sing in the dark of night carrying torches of their own. A recurring image throughout the video is a large, bare tree in the centre of a barren savanna, surrounded only by a rocking chair, pots, and streamers of green, yellow and red (the colours of the flag of N'Dour's native Senegal).
Personnel
edit- Youssou N'Dour – vocals
- Peter Gabriel – vocals
- Habib Faye – bass guitar
- David Rhodes – acoustic and electric guitar
- Simon Clark – organ, piano, keyboard bass, and synthesizer
- George Acogny – Fairlight CMI percussion
- Roger Bolton – Fairlight CMI percussion and sequencing
- Manu Katché – drums
- Phil Todd – saxophone
- Guy Barker, John Barclay, Pete Beachill – trumpets
Charts
edit1989 version
edit| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 61 |
| US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart | 9 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 55 |
1990 version
edit| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 57 |
| Australia (ARIA) | 121 |
| France | 89 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 14 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Charts) | 26 |
References
edit- ^ "Youssou N'Dour". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
External links
edit- Music video on YouTube – Uploaded by Peter Gabriel on April 27, 2014