CRAFT RECORDINGS RELEASES TIMELY LYRIC VIDEO FOR “RESPECT YOURSELF”—

THE EMPOWERING 1971 ANTHEM FROM CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND SOUL ICONS THE STAPLE SINGERS

The animated video comes ahead of the 7-CD box set

Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection, available November 13

 

Los Angeles, CA—Craft Recordings is pleased to release a new lyric video for the Staple Singers’ soulful 1971 anthem “Respect Yourself.” The captivating visualizer pairs archival photos from the Civil Rights Movement with contemporary images from the Black Lives Matter protests—because now as then, this song’s message of self-respect, tolerance and empowerment provides a compass for navigating times of political tumult and upheaval.

“Respect Yourself,” which originally appeared on the Staple Singers’ 1972 album Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, resonated with listeners and became the group’s biggest hit to date—landing at No. 2 on the Billboard Soul chart and No. 12 on the Hot 100. The eerily prophetic tune—which even included the lyric “Keep talkin’ bout the president, won’t stop air pollution/Put your hand on your mouth when you cough, that’ll help the solution”—was a perfect fit for the Staple Singers, who were formidable voices in the Civil Rights Movement and often incorporated politically charged messages of racial equality into their songs. Featuring members of the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Memphis Horns, the song was penned by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice, and produced by Stax Records executive Al Bell.

The new lyric video comes ahead of a comprehensive 7-CD box set celebrating the Staple Singers and their legendary output at Stax Records. Spanning 1968–1974, Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection is available November 13 and includes many of the Staples’ most iconic recordings, including “I’ll Take You There,” “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me),” “Long Walk to D.C.,” and, of course, “Respect Yourself.” The collection was also released earlier this year on vinyl and digital formats, both available now.

Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection takes listeners back to 1968, when the Staple Singers went into the studio to record their first album for Stax, Soul Folk in Action, working with producer Steve Cropper and songwriter Homer Banks. The sessions were set against a backdrop of social and political turmoil, which climaxed with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis. The Staple Singers were known for writing politically charged “message songs,” and the year’s events certainly inspired many of the tracks on this album, including “Long Walk to D.C.” and “The Ghetto.” In their liner notes, Levon Williams and Dr. Langston Wilkins write that both of these songs “Truly tapped into the experiences and emotions of Black America at the close of the ’60s. The former is a tribute to the 1963 March on Washington told from the perspective of a poor yet hopeful African American person willing to use their last dimes to make it to the rally … Conversely, the somber and haunting ‘The Ghetto’ takes listeners deep into the isolation and despair of inner-city life.”

Featuring newly remastered audio, Come Go With Me features all six of The Staple Singers’ albums for Stax, plus a seventh disc of rarities, non-album singles and live recordings from the legendary 1972 Wattstax music festival. The box set also includes a booklet with archival photos and liner notes from American music specialist and curator Levon Williams (formerly of the Stax Museum and the National Museum of African American Music) and folklorist, ethnomusicologist and writer Dr. Langston Wilkins.

The set has received strong praise from such outlets as Uncut, Mojo and Paste—the latter of which writes, “this marvelous run of records sound brand new … with the earthy tang of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and the Bar-Kays horn section ripping out of the speakers with hip-shaking fervor … This is a milestone of American musical history, treated with the appropriate levels of respect and reverence.” All six of the Staple Singers’ albums with Stax were also recently made available in hi-res 24-bit/192 kHz and 24-bit/96 kHz digital formats for the first time.

GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement winners and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, the Staple Singers stand tall as one of the most important gospel and soul acts in history. Helmed by patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples, the Chicago group began performing in the late ’40s as a family gospel outfit, featuring Cleotha, Pervis (later replaced by sister Yvonne) and Mavis—who, at just seven years old, became the breakout star with her deep, soulful vocals.

By the ’60s, the Staple Singers were a sought-after act in the folk and counterculture scenes, and significant voices in the Civil Rights Movement. But when they signed to Stax in 1968, they became mainstream stars—thanks in part to a fruitful creative partnership with executive Al Bell. At Stax, they scored their first of many hit singles, released multiple bestselling albums and offered a memorable performance at the 1972 Wattstax Festival.

While Stax closed its doors in 1975, the Staple Singers continued to tour and record well until the ’80s, and Mavis Staples continued to have success as a solo artist. Since 2004, Staples has released nearly 10 studio and live albums, including You Are Not Alone (2010), Livin’ on a High Note (2016) and We Get By (2019). Embraced by a new generation of fans, the Kennedy Center Honoree has collaborated with the likes of Jeff Tweedy, Arcade Fire, Hozier and the Gorillaz; graced the stages of Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and Outside Lands; and was the subject of a documentary (2016’s Mavis!).

 

Click here to view video

Click here to pre-order the 7-CD set Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection

Special exclusive bundles, including a Stax t-shirt, available via the Stax Store