![]() ![]() ‘Wake Up,’ Rage Against the Machine (1992) ![]() One year after the song was released, Arizona voters decided to reinstate the holiday. ![]() Still, there’s no denying that this track is classic P.E., with Chuck D using pure fury to propel himself to great heights. Some will also remember the striking, yet controversial music video, which some activists - reportedly including MLK’s widow, Coretta Scott King - condemned for its violent imagery showing Black paramilitary members assassinating Arizona politicians in a variety of ways. holiday in this cutting track from the 1991 Public Enemy album “Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black.” The mighty Chuck D is at top of his game as he condemns the state of Arizona for revoking its Martin Luther King Jr. ‘By the Time I Get to Arizona,’ Public Enemy (1991) “Oh, let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King,” James Taylor sings at both the start and finish of “Shed a Little Light.” “And recognize that there are ties between us, all men and women living on the Earth - ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood.” James Taylor carries MLK’s message of hope and harmony so well on this softly reassuring number, which was one of the standout tracks off his platinum-selling 13th studio album, “New Moon Shine.” ‘Shed a Little Light,’ James Taylor (1991) Still, the benefit single - which raised funds for the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta - only managed to reach as high as No. The groovy sing-along brought together some of the brightest stars in R&B, pop and hip-hop, including Whitney Houston, Run-D.M.C., Teena Marie, New Edition, James “J.T.” Taylor (of Kool and the Gang fame), Menudo (with Ricky Martin), the Fat Boys, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Whodini and Kurtis Blow. “Pride” has been one of U2’s top anthems ever since it was released as the lead single to 1984’s landmark “The Unforgettable Fire.” That album - U2’s fourth overall - also closed with another memorable King tribute, “MLK.”Īll-star benefit singles were big in the mid-’80s, highlighted by the blockbuster success of two songs aiding famine relief efforts in Africa - “We are the World” and “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” One of the best of bunch - although not widely remembered - was “King Holiday,” released in January 1986 to honor the first observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. It’s a mesmerizing song, even if U2 did famously commit an historical error in the lyric “Early morning, April four, a shot rings out in the Memphis sky.” (The shooting actually occurred after 6 p.m., something that Bono acknowledges in concert by changing the lyric to “Early Evening, April 4.”) It did much better in other countries, including the U.K. The song was released as the fourth single from 1980’s “Hotter than July” album, but failed to make much of a dent on the U.S. And this single, “Happy Birthday,” was arguably his greatest contribution to the cause, as it prompted millions of voices to join together in harmony. Stevie Wonder was a major part of the campaign to get King Jr.’s birthday recognized as a national holiday. The song clocks on it at just under six minutes on the record, but there is also a much longer “unedited” version of “Why?” on YouTube. That first performance of “Why? (The King of Love Is Dead)” - along with seven other numbers from that night - can be found on Simone’s stellar “‘Nuff Said!” album from 1968. The singer’s voice is full of emotion, conveying both great sorrow and respect, as she sings the lines that had been quickly written by bass player Gene Taylor in a burst of inspiration. Simone debuted this moving track during a concert at the Westbury Music Fair in New York on April 7, 1968, just three days after King was shot and killed. ‘Why? (The King of Love Is Dead)’ Nina Simone, 1968 4 Bay Area celebrations for Martin Luther King, Jr. ![]()
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