Wake Up Everybody (song)

"Wake Up Everybody"
Single by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
from the album Wake Up Everybody
A-side "Wake Up Everybody (Part 1)"
B-side "Wake Up Everybody (Part 2)"
Released November 1975
Format 7" single
Recorded 1975
Genre
Length 3:39 (single version)
7:30 (full-length version)
Label Philadelphia International
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes singles chronology
"Hope That We Can Be Together Soon"
(1975)		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(1975)		 "Tell the World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby"
(1976)

"Hope That We Can Be Together Soon"
(1975)		 "Wake Up Everybody (Part 1)"
(1975)		 "Tell the World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby"
(1976)

"Wake Up Everybody" is an R&B song written by John Whitehead, Gene McFadden and Victor Carstarphen.

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes version

Originally recorded by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, with Teddy Pendergrass singing lead vocals, the song had a somewhat unconventional structure, starting subdued and building slowly to a climax.[1] The title track from their 1975 album, the song spent two weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1976. It also enjoyed success on the pop charts, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[2] number 34 Easy Listening, and number 23 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] They performed the song on Soul Train on November 22, 1975.[4]

Sonia version

"Wake Up Everybody"
Single by Sonia
from the album Love Train - The Philly Album
B-side "Show You the Way to Go"
"Nowhere Left to Hide"
Released December 16, 1995
Format
Genre
Length 3:38
Label BMG
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Steve Levine
Sonia singles chronology
"Hopelessly Devoted to You"
(1994)		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(1995)		 "Fool for Love"
(2009)

"Hopelessly Devoted to You"
(1994)		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(1995)		 "Fool for Love"
(2009)

"Wake Up Everybody" was covered in 1995 by British singer Sonia. It was produced by Steve Levine for fourth studio album Love Train - The Philly Album (1998). The song was released as the album's first and final single. This single has two B-sides - "Show You the Way to Go" and "Nowhere Left to Hide". The first B-side appears on Sonia's fourth studio album. This was Sonia's last single until "Fool for Love" in 2009.

Track listings

CD and cassette
  1. "Wake Up Everybody" - 3:38
  2. "Show You the Way to Go" - 3:53
  3. "Nowhere Left to Hide" - 3:29

2004 version

"Wake Up Everybody"
Song by various artists
from the album Wake Up Everybody
Released 2004
Genre
Length 5:30
Label Bungalo Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Babyface
  • Russell Simmons

In 2004, a cover version was released to coincide with the 2004 presidential election. It features a collection of music stars who urge young people to go out and vote. The song was produced by Babyface, and features various prominent R&B singers and rappers. It was an airplay-only single. It reached number 19 on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[5]

Artists

Other versions

"Wake Up Everybody"
Single by John Legend and The Roots featuring Common and Melanie Fiona
from the album Wake Up!
Released

29 April 2010

6 August 2010
Genre
Length 4:26
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) The Roots
John Legend singles chronology
"No Other Love"
(2009)		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(2010)		 "Heartbreaker"
(2010)

"No Other Love"
(2009)		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(2010)		 "Heartbreaker"
(2010)
The Roots singles chronology
"The Fire"
(2010) The Fire2010		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(2010) Wake Up Everybody2010		 "Hard Times"
(2010) Hard Times2010
Melanie Fiona singles chronology
"Ay Yo"
(2010) Ay Yo2010		 "Wake Up Everybody"
(2010) Wake Up Everybody2010		 "Priceless"
(2010) Priceless2010
  • The song was covered by American singer and actor Nick Scotti. Released as the first single from his self-titled 1993 album, Scotti's version of the song reached #9 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in May of that year.[6]
  • In 2010, the song was covered by John Legend and The Roots. Also featuring Common, and Melanie Fiona, it was the first single taken from their politically themed album 'Wake Up!'[7]
  • In 2014, the Wu-Tang Clan released a song "A Better Tomorrow" that samples "Wake Up Everybody".[8]
  • A version of the song appears during the opening credits of the 1999 film Life.

References

  1. ↑ "Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 393.
  3. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  4. ↑ The Best of Soul Train Live (booklet). Time Life. 2011.
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003, (Record Research Inc.), page 229.
  7. ↑ "John Legend: Back to my roots". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  8. ↑ "Wu-Tang Clan's 'A Better Tomorrow (2014)' sample of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes's 'Wake Up Everybody'". WhoSampled.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
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