WASHINGTON – Putting a current spin on a 1960s hit, anti-Bush musicians Mary J. Blige (search), Missy Elliott and Eve are remaking "Wake Up Everybody" (search) to mobilize new voters.
In 1976, Democrats blasted the song by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes (search) to court black voters to back Jimmy Carter's first White House bid. Today, the artists are recording the remake, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds announced Tuesday. An album will be available next month.
Sales of the album, which also includes songs by Yoko Ono, Marvin Gaye and Linda Rondstadt, will benefit America Coming Together, a voter mobilization group opposed to President Bush.
"This song is the spirit of the country and all these artists have the will to change it," Edmonds said in a release.
The song encourages people to take action, saying, "The world has changed so very much from what it used to be. There's so much hatred, war and poverty."
Other names on the album include hip hop guru Russell Simmons, who is running his own Hip-Hop Summit Action Network this election year and Wyclef Jean (search).
In 2000, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes performed at the Republican National Convention.
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