The Specials Announce New Album 'Protest Songs - 1924-2012'

It's out on September 24th...

*The Specials* will release new album 'Protest Songs - 1924-2012' on September 24th.

The legendary group returned in 2019 with their fantastic 'Encore' full length, a critically acclaimed album that was followed by a huge UK tour.

Heading back to the studio, The Specials have decided to dip into the world of protest songs for a generation-spanning project.

'Protest Songs - 1924-2012' features 12 different cover versions, reinterpreting material from The Staple Singers, Bob Marley, Leonard Cohen, Frank Zappa, and more.

A disparate crop, it comes together as a witness to the enduring power of protest. Bass player Horace Panter comments:

“People have been using music as a vehicle for protest since time immemorial. Injustice is timeless.”

Out on September 24th, the project is teased by a version of 'Freedom Highway', a song penned by the Staple Singers in the aftermath of the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965.

Tune in now.

Tracklisting:
1. ‘Freedom Highway’ (The Staple Singers)
2. ‘Everybody Knows’ (Leonard Cohen)
3. ‘I Don’t Mind Failing In This World’ (Malvina Reynolds)
4. ‘Black, Brown And White’ (Big Bill Broonzy)
5. ‘Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around’ (traditional)
6. ‘Fuck All The Perfect People’ (Chip Taylor & The New Ukrainians)
7. ‘My Next Door Neighbour’
8. ‘Trouble Every Day’ (Frank Zappa & Mothers of Invention)
9. ‘Listening Wind’ (Talking Heads)
10. ‘Soldiers Who Want To Be Heroes’ (Rod McKuen)
11. ‘I Live In A City’ (Malvina Reynolds)
12. ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ (Bob Marley)

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