At the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute in London 's Hyde Park in June 2008 , the song was performed as the show 's finale , with Amy Winehouse on lead vocals . However , careful listening to the soundtrack revealed that , instead of " Free Nelson Mandela " , she at times sang " Free Blakey , My Fella " ( a reference to her husband , Blake Fielder-Civil , a former drug dealer imprisoned for assault ) . The song was featured on Peter Kay 's spoof television programme '' Britain 's Got the Pop Factor '' . In March 2010 , the '' New Statesman '' listed it as one of the " Top 20 Political Songs " . Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band opened with the song in January 2014 , at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town , South Africa , in the band 's first ever concert in South Africa , which took place just six weeks after Mandela 's death . Springsteen later dedicated " We Are Alive " to Mandela
Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute
Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute
Free Nelson Mandela