John Legend and The Roots deliver a Wake Up! call to listeners with their soulful collaborative effort. The 11-track album, due September 21, contains covers of songs from the ’60s and ’70s, including Marvin Gaye’s “Wholy Holy,” Donny Hathaway’s “Little Ghetto Boy,” and the Common and Melanie Fiona-assisted first single “Wake Up Everybody.” The inspiring collection also features one original composition called “Shine,” which serves as the theme for the documentary Waiting for Superman.
“These songs sound so relevant now,” stated Legend. “On most of them, you wouldn’t change a lyric. ‘Wake Up Everybody’ has four verses—the first one is a general statement, the second is about education, third is about health care, and the fourth is about making a better environment. No editing needed.”
1. “Compared to What”
2. “Hard Times”
3. “Little Ghetto Boy”
4. “Wake Up Everybody” feat. Common and Melanie Fiona
5. “Our Generation”
6. “Love the Way It Should Be”
7. “Hang On in There”
8. “I Can’t Write Left Handed”
9. “Wholy Holy”
10. “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”
11. “Shine” -RapUp