Shaking the Tree (song)

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"Shakin' the Tree"
Single by Youssou N'Dour & Peter Gabriel
from the album The Lion
B-side"Old Tucson"
Released22 May 1989
Length5:38
Youssou N'Dour singles chronology
"Shango Affair"
(1988) 		"Shakin' the Tree"
(1989) 		"7 Seconds"
(1994)
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"Biko"
(1987) 		"Shakin' the Tree"
(1989) 		"Solsbury Hill / Shaking the Tree"
(1990)

"Shakin' the Tree" is a 1989 song by Youssou N'Dour and Peter Gabriel from the Youssou N'Dour album The Lion.[1] Released as a single, it reached number 61 on the UK official singles chart on 3 June 1989.[2]

The following year, Gabriel released a new version on his greatest hits album

Shaking the Tree, altering the title slightly and recording a new vocal take.[3] This version was released as a double A-side single with "Solsbury Hill", which reached number 57 on the UK official singles chart on 29 December 1990.[4]

Composition and versions

The song follows a verse-chorus structure and its lyrics relate to the desire for female liberation in Senagal. Some of the vocals were sung in N'Dour's native Wolof language.[5] To promote the song, an accompanying music video was filmed in Africa.[6]

During the 1993–1994 Secret World Tour, an eight-foot tree designed by Gabriel and Robert Lepage emerged from the middle of a circular stage.[6][7] A live recording from this tour was included on Gabriel's Secret World Live album in 1994.[3]

David Bottrill was commissioned to remix the song as a b-side for Gabriel's 1993 "Kiss that Frog" single.[3] Versions with additional vocals by Shaggy appeared on the soundtracks to Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) and The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002).[8][9] The Bottril and Jungle 2 Jungle remixes were included on Gabriel's 2019 Flotsam and Jetsam compilation album.[3]

Legacy

Ghanaian writer Meri Nana-Ama Danquah highlighted the song in her book, Shaking the Tree, saying that she drew "a lot of inspiration from the lyrics, which encourage women to challenge the status quo, to be the architects of our future."[10]

Track listing

7-inch single (1989)
  1. Youssou N'Dour & Peter Gabriel: "Shakin' the Tree" – 5:38
  2. Youssou N'Dour: "Old Tucson" – 4:20
CD/12-inch single (1989)
  1. Youssou N'Dour & Peter Gabriel: "Shakin' the Tree" – 7:13
  2. Youssou N'Dour: "Old Tucson" – 4:20
  3. Youssou N'Dour: "Sweeping the Leaves" – 4:53

Personnel

  • Youssou N’Dour
    – lead and backing vocals
  • Peter Gabriel – lead and backing vocals, Yamaha CP80, Prophet D50
  • George Acogny – CMI percussion sequencing, guitars, backing vocals
  • Guy Barker – trumpet
  • John Barclay – trumpet
  • Pete Beachill – trumpet
  • Roger Bolton – drum programming
  • Simon Clark – organ, piano, keyboard bass
  • Habib Faye – guitar, bass
  • Manu Katché – drums
  • David Rhodes – electric and acoustic guitars
  • Phil Todd – saxophones[11]

References

  1. ^ "The Lion". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  2. ^ "SHAKIN' THE TREE". Official Charts. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1-78952-138-2
    .
  4. ^ "SOLSBURY HILL/SHAKING THE TREE". Official Charts. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  5. ISBN 9781351554299
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 9781442252004
    .
  7. ^ McKeough, Kevin (15 July 1993). "Peter Gabriel's Performance Art Rock". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Jungle 2 Jungle Soundtrack". moviemusic.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. ^ Ball, Ryan (21 October 2002). "Wild Thornberrys To Swing Into Record Stores". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  10. ISBN 9780393325805
    .
  11. Virgin Records Ltd.
    (ed.), The Lion (CD-Booklet)
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