The Return of WAKE UP by Orleans
John Hall and Orleans are re-releasing an obscure album track, “Wake Up,” as a lyric video.
Co-written with Johanna Hall, “Wake Up” first appeared on the 1974 album, ORLEANS II. It features the original quartet: John on guitar, Larry Hoppen playing guitar and organ, Lance Hoppen on bass, and Wells Kelly on drums.
“Wake Up” is a call for action on environmental problems affecting our air, water and food, and every living thing including plants and animals. Although written in ’74, it is painfully relevant today.
“Plastic is filling up our oceans, rivers and lakes,” John says; “Extremes are getting more extreme be they floods, droughts, cyclones or wildfires.”
In addition to “Still The One” and “Dance With Me,” John and Johanna co-wrote “Half Moon” for Janis Joplin and “Miss Grace” for the Tymes. He is perhaps best known as the founder of the band Orleans, co-writing their biggest hits, Steve Wariner’s #1 country hit “You Can Dream of Me,” and also “Power,” which became the theme of the NO NUKES concerts in 1979. John Hall has long been a political and environmental activist, serving 10 years in elected office culminating with two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He returned to music in 2012 with Orleans, and this year performed with them across the country. He’s also continuing in his activism, and encouraging people to get involved with government and social causes.
WAKE UP
As recorded by Orleans
Wake up, people, wake up!
See what you’re doing to the land
Wake up, people, wake up!
You’re tying God’s providing hand
You know a day’s gonna come
When
and there’s one concrete slab from coast to coast
A day’s gonna come when you see what you’re doing to the land
Wake up, people, wake up!
Stop dumping plastic into the sea
Wake up, people, wake up!
Can’t you let the fishies be
You know a day’s gonna come when you need a drink
and you just get oil from your kitchen sink
A day’s gonna come when you see what you’re doing to the sea
Wake up, people, wake up!
Look what you’re doing to the sky
Wake up, people, wake up!
It makes you have to cough and cry
You know a day’s gonna come when the sun won’t shine
and you won’t see the scum for the grease and slime
A day’s gonna come when you see what you’re doing to
Birds in flight and seasons giving signs that life is growing there
Sky and sea and snow and lightning’s weight upon the summer air
Birds in flight and seasons giving signs that life is growing there
Wake up, people, wake up!
Written by John and Johanna Hall
Administered by Sony Music
