The Song by Song Capsule

Lift Every Voice
Written by the great poet. Lyricist, and government official James Weldon Johnson and his brother John Rosamond Johnson. This hymn was written in the early 1900 and is often referred to as the "Black National Anthem." Currently, there is no version of this very important song being published by any major record label. The popular versions by Kim Westin in the 60's and Melba Moore in the late 80's have been discontinued.

The song more than any other in the African American Repertoire captures the peculiar institution of slavery, institutional racism, colonialism, Jim Crow America, hope, resilience, triumph over insurmountable obstacles, and the Africans steadfast belief in GOD.

Watson and Malek's arrangement is a uptempo version of this all time classic. Watson inspired by the release of Nelson Mandela from prison introduced this arrangement to millions of spectators in Boston during Mandela's tour through the United States in 1990. The arrangement was a joint effort by musicians, Billy Kilson, Vince Evans, and Miklos Malek. This arrangement will become one ofthe new standards played by Radio Stations around the world.

Reparations
Written by Lawrence Watson and Miklos Malek the song tells the grizzly story of the 240 years of legal slavery and the unrelenting four hundred year holocaust African people continue to survive as we demand payment due of more than $1.4 trillion dollars (and that does not include the added trillions lost to African Americans after Emancipation). This contemporary arrangements is a mid tempo funky arrangement in the style of the national musical ensemble "Sounds of Blackness." The song is timely as many African Americans file class action suits against corporations and governmental agencies who have financially benefited from slavery and the economic and political disenfranchisement of African Americans.

The Tree
Written by Watson and Malek, this song may prove to be the Black National Anthem for the culmination of this millennium, The Tree. Inspired by Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree, the song honors "those living men and women who benefited from the Civil Rights Legislation of the 1970s and exemplify the best in all of us," says Watson. He believes this work is his strongest musical statement so far.
This majestic Gospel ballad According to Watson, "Tells the story of the tenacity and focus many leaders of Civil and Human Rights have maintained in spite of their detractors...the song honors the many men and women still alive who have not compromised or sold their souls to the highest bidder!!

Ordering Information
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