U2 has been trying to throw its arms around the world ever since the band blew up into unprecedented rock superstars. The group has especially focused its efforts on the plight of developing African nations, from debt relief to AIDS to pervasive famine.
"You can throw pennies at the problem, but at a certain point I felt God wasn’t looking for alms," Bono told Paste in an article for our "Can Rock Save the World?" issue. "He was looking for action. You can’t fix every problem, but the ones you can fix, you have to.”
That sense of obligation has led the band to plenty of charitable efforts in the past. But now some of Africa's most accomplished musicians are paying a token of gratitude to U2 for its years of service.
On April 1, Shout! Factory releases In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2. The compilation features 12 artists - each representing a different region of Africa - covering U2 standards. Participating artists include Vieux Farka Touré, Tony Allen and Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. A portion of the proceeds from the CD benefit The Global Fund, an organization that works in 136 countries across the world to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Shawn Amos and Paul Heck produced the compilation.
"Paul and I wanted to develop an easy entry point for the growing global community where they could get more involved and learn something deeper about Africa," Amos said via a press release. "It's really a focus on the key successes of several regions, and the African artists who originate from these areas. It's our goal for the public to learn more about all the good that's happening in Africa."
The complete tracklist:
1. Angelique Kidjo - "Mysterious Ways"
2. Vieux Farka Touré - "Bullet The Blue Sky"
3. Ba Cissoko - "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
4. Vusi Mahlasela - "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"
5. Tony Allen - "Where The Streets Have No Name"
6. Cheikh Lô - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
7. Keziah Jones - "One"
8. Les Nubians - "With Or Without You"
9. Soweto Gospel Choir - "Pride (In The Name Of Love)"
10. Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - "Seconds"
11. African Underground All-Stars Featuring Chosan, Optimus & Iyoka - "Desire"
12. Waldemar Bastos - "Love Is Blindness"
Related links:
U2.com
Paste: U2 releases a "Wave of Sorrow" on Facebook
YouTube: Bono talks Africa, AIDS
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