Wake Up Everybody

I went through my 20’s in the 70’s.  We caught the tail end of the Vietnam War, the very very last of the hippies and all of the disco songs.  It was a glorious decade to be young and stupid.

One song stands out in my mind today from that decade.  It was sang by Teddy Pendergrass and Harold and the Blue Notes.  I’ve been known to sing this song very loudly (and some say badly) over the last 4 decades.  I don’t care.  This song represents who we should be.  Lyrics follow.

Wake up everybody no more sleepin in bed
No more backward thinkin time for thinkin ahead
The world has changed so very much
From what it used to be so
there is so much hatred war an’ poverty
Wake up all the teachers time to teach a new way
Maybe then they’ll listen to whatcha have to say
Cause they’re the ones who’s coming up and the world is in their hands
when you teach the children teach em the very best you can.

The world won’t get no better if we just let it be
The world won’t get no better we gotta change it yeah, just you and me.

Wake up all the doctors make the ol’ people well
They’re the ones who suffer an’ who catch all the hell
But they don’t have so very long before the Judgement Day
So won’tcha make them happy before they pass away.
Wake up all the builders time to build a new land
I know we can do it if we all lend a hand
The only thing we have to do is put it in our mind
Surely things will work out they do it every time.

The world won’t get no better if we just let it be
The world won’t get no better we gotta change it yeah, just you and me.

Lead Song on Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes Album from 1975 — Lead sang by Teddy Pendergrass who died Wednesday.  May he rest in peace – thanks Teddy for the music.

Listen to the song

Just you and me — wake up everybody.