Taking its title from, ‘Wake Up Everybody’ – Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes’ sublime slice of 70s Philly soul (a note-for-note version of which is included here) – Wake Up finds America’s finest nu-soul singer teaming up with funk/soul revivalists par excellence, The Roots, on what is effectively an homage to late 60s and early 70s black music. (The project was apparently inspired by Obama’s election campaign and the re-awakening of black consciousness that followed).
Like Ben Harper and Raphael Saadiq, Legend is a traditionalist and takes his cue from the church rather than the street, though there are enough hip-hop beats and rap interludes to keep everyone happy. Comparisons with the originals are unavoidable and while Legend doesn’t eclipse Harold Melvin’s version of ‘Wake Up Everybody’, he makes more than a fair stab at it, updating the message with a real sense of urgency. Elsewhere, he mines a deep funk vein on Donny Hathaway’s lesser known gem, ‘Little Ghetto Boy’ and gets to grips with Eugene McDaniel’s biting Anti-Vietnam message, ‘Compared To What’.
More obscure selections include ‘Hard Times’ by Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters (protégés of Curtis Mayfield) and ‘Hang On In There’ by Mike James Kirkland, all brought to life by the Roots' uncanny rhythmic instincts. But the highlight here is arguably a poignant version of ‘Wholly Holy’, which originally appeared on Marvin Gaye’s classic What’s Going On. Legend's reading of Nina Simon’s, ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free’ follows a close second.
The album’s only original composition is Legend’s Marvin Gaye-inspired ballad, ‘Shine’, as featured on Waiting For Superman, Davis Guggenheim’s upcoming documentary film on the failure of the American education system, concluding what is an inspired and hugely enjoyable release.
KEY TRACK: ‘WAKE UP EVERYBODY’