Some may think covers need to be familiar enough to remind listeners of the original, but more often than not, a more radical interpretation is what elevates a good cover as something beyond a pale imitation. The album's problem isn't in the selection so much as the execution. Smooth sampled it in "Straighten It Out." Other songs wink at younger, hip-hop-era listeners, such as the cover of Ernie Hines' vigorous "Our Generation," a relatively obscure 1972 track given new life 20 years later when Pete Rock and C.L.
On paper, their 11-song playlist looks strategically smart some tracks seem aimed at older audiences, such as the cover of "Compared to What," originally penned by the undersung Eugene McDaniels and given stunning vocal life by Roberta Flack on her 1969 debut First Take. To Legend and The Roots' credit, Wake Up! isn't some kind of Big Chill rehash of obvious Motown hits. Yet, considering the powerful inspirations and admirable ambitions, how is it that so much of Wake Up! feels soporific?Ĭover albums are a tricky beast, especially in an era when some seem like they're cashing in on creatively inert "great songbook" projects. Little Ghetto Boy (Prelude) feat Malik Yusefġ1.Wake Up! is a collaborative album paved with good intentions, with John Legend and The Roots covering socially conscious soul tunes of the '60s and '70s. Our Generation (The Hope of the World) feat. Like many of the songs featured here, this one could have been written today, but the poignancy of Withers’ heart-wrenching lyric, handled so beautifully here by Legend, is unforgettable and bridges the ages.”ģ. The song tells the story of a young soldier who just had his right arm blown off, dictating a letter to his mother, hoping she might secure a deferment for his younger brother. The stand out for me is the extended take on Bill Withers’ “I Can’t Write Left Handed,” written and recorded before the end of the Vietnam War. I’ve been very lucky to host both John Legendand The Roots in live performance and interviews at KCRW, and I’ve been anxious to hear this upcoming project ever since I first heard about it. “Shine”, the lone original on the album, was written for the upcoming Davis Guggenheim film Waiting for Superman. The collection, set for release on Columbia Records on September 21, reworks classic songs from Marvin Gaye, Les McCann, Donny Hathaway and more, that address education, health care, and even environmental issues. Wake Up! is a new collaboration between John Legend and The Roots that seeks to revitalize some of these songs. One of the big differences between then and now, though, is that back then issues of the day were often reflected in the songs of the day. The exhilaration of the political climate in 2008 seemed to echo sentiments we all associate with the 60s and 70s, when social change was making gains daily. I made phone calls, I got involved, and I actually made notes about key dates regarding the campaigns in my calendar.
For me personally, it marked the first time I contributed to a political campaign. There was a sense, more than anytime I can recall during my lifetime, that every individual mattered, that each of us actually had the power to bring about change in the world. “Think back to the weeks and months leading up to the most recent presidential election. KCRW DJ Chris Douridasis a longtime fan of both bands.
The band recently played a show together at the Troubadour that was – by all accounts- off the charts. You can hear the new album from John Legend & The Roots streaming in its entirety on as part of our Album Preview series.