Songs for Martin Luther King Jr.
Today, of course, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. In fact, today marks the 25th anniversary of its first celebration as a federal holiday. While there have been some, there haven’t been a lot of songs commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. or Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I don’t think it’s any stretch to call U2’s “Pride (In The Name of Love),” which is featured above, the most recognizable. Other songs include “By the Time I Get to Arizona” by Public Enemy, which addressed the State of Arizona’s reluctance to establish the holiday in the late 1980s, and Common teaming up with Will.i.am sampling King’s “I Have a Dream” speech for a song of the same name. Billboard has made a list of songs that honor King, that includes the tunes by U2, Public Enemy, and Common featuring Will.i.am along with seven others. I also know that Richard Marx’s song “One Man” from his Permanent Vacation album remembers King. Can you think of other tunes about Martin Luther King Jr.?
Sam Cooke’s soulful single “A Change is Gonna Come” is another great song. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQU4torUz-Q