Wake Up! album mixes Pope Francis speeches with spiced-up hymns
POPE FRANCIS is releasing an album of speeches set against a background of music ranging from rock to Gregorian chants.
European music label Believe Digital said last Friday that the album Pope Francis: Wake Up! combines extracts of 11 of Pope Francis’ public speeches in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and English, and Christian hymns reworked by contemporary musicians.
The album, which the record label said has been approved by the Vatican, will be released worldwide on Nov. 27. The title track, “Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward,” was previewed on Rolling Stone magazine’s Web site last Friday during the pontiff’s first visit to the United States.
The speeches on the album address issues including peace, work, dignity and people in need, the producers said in a statement. They include the Pope’s June 2014 invocation for peace together with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas during a visit to the Vatican.
Producers said part of the proceeds from the album’s sale will be donated to a support fund for refugees. They gave no details of organizations or percentages.
Pope Francis visited the United States last week. — Reuters
