Songfacts®:

• "Cry For Freedom" is a show of support for those fighting apartheid in South Africa, particularly Nelson Mandela, who was still in prison. Apartheid was a policy of segregation that marginalized Blacks in the country. The issue gained traction in America in 1985 when Steven Van Zandt formed a one-off collective called Artists United Against Apartheid and released a song called "Sun City." In 1987, the movie Cry Freedom gave it a lot more attention. The title of this song is based on that movie.
• White Lion lead singer Mike Tramp is from Denmark, which he credits for an awareness past his borders. "The little country of Denmark has always been very aware of the situations in the world and what went on," he told Songfacts in 2023. "I've lived in the US for 42 years, and it has always been the greatest love and the greatest time in my life, but I do notice that most Americans are sort of OK with what happens in their local state and don't really bother with what goes on outside that. And here again I pick up on the apartheid situation in South Africa."
• The song was released as the third single from White Lion's Big Game album, following "Little Fighter" and their cover of "Radar Love." The album was a disappointment and none of the singles made much impact. Mike Tramp and his songwriting partner in the group, guitarist Vito Bratta, had just two weeks to write it because their label kept them on the road promoting their previous album, Pride. Looking back on that time, Tramp recalls the label (Atlantic) telling them Big Game was great when they knew it wouldn't hold up - they had shifted priorities.
  
  White Lion lasted just one more album in this configuration. Tramp used the name on some subsequent projects but never reunited with Bratta.
• Mike Tramp released a new version of "Cry For Freedom" on his 2023 solo album Songs Of White Lion.
  
  "This is one of the songs on the new album that I really brought home, because that is so completely unfinished on that album [Big Game]," he told Songfacts. "I always loved the song, I always thought the song was great, we just never nailed it the proper way."