Walking with the San

* Soundtrack
* Album

## Single by Charlie Simpson and San Bushmen

"**Walking with the San**" is a song by Charlie Simpson, released as the third track from his third studio album, *Little Hands* (2016). The song was made with the San Bush People earlier in 2015, as part of W's show, *Singing in the Rainforest*.

## Background

Simpson travelled to southwest Africa for the reality series, *Singing in the Rainforest*, doing a collaboration with the Khoisan tribe of Namibia. He described his experience, stating, "My music was unlike anything they'd heard before, and they'd never seen an electric guitar or piano before. They played music for me. It was rhythmical and I played for them. I started playing a song in return called "Emily" off my last solo record, it's quite slow, like a ballad. Some of the men in the tribe started crying. It was just the most touching experience and I was blown away by it."

The song was included in a soundtrack album, which included songs by artists Happy Mondays and Scouting for Girls, all proceeds given to aid the tribes they've visited.

## Critical reception

Sarfraz Manzoor of *The Telegraph* has praised, "It was potent and deeply emotional: an experiment that could have been tasteless was, thanks to the open-hearted and generous spirits of the San and the empathetic warmth of Charlie Simpson, a joyous triumph and a glorious reminder of what binds us all together as humans—whatever our tribe".

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1]

Open up your eyes, there is nowhere left for us to hide

Get the feeling that we've lost these ends of time

And there in no disguises

Walking with the San, we are nothing but strangers to this land

Yet we keep it in our hearts until we can

Live this way again

[Pre-Chorus]

Can we just follow the sun?

Take it back to where this all began

'Cause we're out here on our own

It's the only road we've ever known

Give it

[Chorus]

Just give it

Just give it back

Give it

Just give it back to us

[Verse 2]

Take it as it comes

As it passes from a Mother to a Son

I just hope we're not the only ones

To leave this all behind

[Pre-Chorus]

Can we just follow the sun?

Take it back to where this all began

'Cause we're out here on our own

It's the only road we've ever known

Give it

[Chorus]

Just give it

Just give it back

Give it

Just give it back to us

[Pre-Chorus]

Can we just follow the sun?

Take it back to where this all began

'Cause we're out here on our own

It's the only road we've ever known

Give it

[Chorus]

Just give it

Just give it back

Give it

Just give it back to us

Give it back to us

## References

1. ↑ "Charlie Simpson & San Bushmen: Walking With The San | Singing In The Rainforest | W". *YouTube*. 22 September 2015.
2. ↑ "Walking With the San (From "Singing in the Rainforest") - Single". *Apple Music*. 28 September 2015.
3. ↑ "Charlie Simpson writes song with Namibia's oldest tribe, the San people". 28 September 2015.
4. ↑ "Singing In The Rainforest's Charlie Simpson 'My electric guitar bemused the tribe!'". *YouTube*. 25 September 2015.
5. ↑ Manzoor, Sarfraz (8 September 2015). "Taking Western music to the tribe of the oldest people on earth". *Telegraph*.