Watch The New Animated Video For 'Respect Yourself' From The Staple Singers

Craft Recordings has released a new lyric video for The Staple Singers’ 1971 anthem “Respect Yourself”. The visualizer pairs archival photos from the Civil Rights Movement with contemporary images from the Black Lives Matter protests. According to Craft, this is "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” originally appeared on the Staple Singers’ 1972 album Be Altitude: Respect Yourself 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. 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. Helmed by 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 soulful vocals. The new lyric video comes ahead of a 7-CD box set celebrating the Staple Singers and their output at Stax Records. Spanning 1968–1974, Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection is available November 13th and includes “I’ll Take You There,” “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me),” “Long Walk to D.C.,” and “Respect Yourself” as well as many other songs. The collection was also released earlier this year on vinyl and digital formats. 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 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.

Watch The New Animated Video For 'Respect Yourself' From The Staple Singers

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