War Child announce the full list of artists and songs that feature on their new album “Heroes”, released on Parlophone on February 16th .
The album concept is that the biggest legends in music history select one of their personal favourite songs from their own songwriting canon, and nominate a music hero from the next generation to create a modern reworking of that classic song. The album is in support of the real heroes – children who live with the brutal affects of war.
The tracklist in full:
1. Beck (Bob Dylan: Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat)
2. Scissor Sisters (Roxy Music: Do The Strand)
3. Lily Allen (The Clash: Straight To Hell)
4. Duffy (Paul McCartney: Live And Let Die)
5. Elbow (U2: Running To Stand Still)
6. TV On The Radio (David Bowie: Heroes)
7. Hot Chip (Joy Division: Transmission)
8. The Kooks (The Kinks: Victoria)
9. Estelle (Stevie Wonder: Superstition)
10. Rufus Wainwright (Brian Wilson: Wonderful/ Song For Children)
11. Peaches (Iggy Pop: Search And Destroy)
12. The Hold Steady (Bruce Springsteen: Atlantic City)
13. The Like (Elvis Costello: You Belong To Me)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (The Ramones: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker)
15. Franz Ferdinand (Blondie: Call Me)
Guy Garvey of Elbow commented: “War Child do exactly what it says on the tin. These kids shouldn't be in such circumstances in the first place, but they are, so thank god someone's doing something about it.”
Sir Paul McCartney said: "I have been supporting War Child since 1995. Their work with children in war zones saves lives and their work with those who take decisions that help them to do something about it saves even more lives. The breadth of talent on this project is amazing; it's great that so many people gave their time, energy and support to this initiative. I urge everyone to support War Child."
EMI has made a substantial upfront payment to War Child, and will release the album on its Parlophone label.
Parlophone are donating all their profits to War Child's work to protect the most marginalised children in war zones, who would otherwise be overlooked: street children, child soldiers and children in prison.
www.warchild.org.uk/heroes
Notes on “Heroes”
· The 15 legends supporting the project have combined global album sales of over 1.4bn
· The new acts chosen to cover the classic tracks include the UK’s biggest selling album artist of 2008, Duffy; the current Mercury prize winners, Elbow; and the act behind the most critically acclaimed album of 2008, TV On The Radio.
· Some legends selected one of their all-time classic standards like Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’, covered by Estelle, and Blondie’s ‘Call Me’, covered by Franz Ferdinand. Some selected favourite tracks that deserve to be rediscovered as with Scissor Sister’s exhilarating version of Roxy Music’s ‘Do The Strand’ (not released as a single in the UK) and Lily Allen’s stunning new take on The Clash’s ‘Straight To Hell’ (originally the b-side of ‘Should I Stay, Or Should I Go’).
· The album was recorded over six months in studios in London, Manchester, Paris, Berlin, New York and Los Angeles. It was mastered at Abbey Road studios in London.
· “Heroes” is War Child’s fifth album, dating back to 1995’s legendary “Help” album. War Child’s albums have won awards at the Brit Awards, as well as from Q and NME.
Notes on War Child
· War Child is an international charity, founded in 1993 and works in the world’s most dangerous war zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. War Child aims to protect children who are hit hardest by war and its consequences.
· 66% of people who die in conflict are children
