THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

195-Impressions-People Get Ready.

1965-It has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 1.54. In the words of George Michael,’Because I gotta have faith, faith, faith, I gotta to have faith, faith, faith.’
From a religious point of view the songs lyrics encourage believers to hang on to their faith as a peaceful afterlife is promised, it also promises that those that have done wrong will be punished. The Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. named ‘People Get Ready’ the unofficial anthem of the Civil Rights Movement in America, and often used the song to get people marching, or to calm and comfort them.

The Impressions who were initially called the ‘Roosters’ were formed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, in 1958, they remained active until 2018, with 12 different members coming and going. The original lineup of Sam Gooden, Jerry Butler, Richard Brooks, Arthur Brooks, (1932-2015) Curtis Mayfield, (1942-1999) and Fred Cash were inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ in 1991. The Impressions released 20 studio Albums between 1963-1981, and 78 singles between 1958-1987. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, 17 of their singles reached the top 40 with ‘It’s All Right’ in 1963 charting the highest at Number 4. While in the UK their only charting single was ‘First Impressions,’ which got to Number 16 in 1975.

‘People Get Ready’ which is also the title track of the Impressions fourth studio Album from 1965, was written in 1964 by Curtis Mayfield, (see also best songs 719) and produced by Johnny Pate. ‘People Get Ready’ is a Gospel inspired track, and was written by Mayfield at a time when his writing was displaying a growing sense of social and political awareness, Mayfield has said,’That was taken from my church, or from the upbringing of messages from the church, like there’s no hiding place and get on board, and images of that sort. I must have been in a very deep mood of that type of religious inspiration when I wrote that song.’

In 2000 the British music magazine ‘Mojo’ asked a panel of 20 songwriters including Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, and Hal Blaine’ to choose the greatest songs ever, and People Get Ready’ was in that top 10. The song has been covered many times, most notably by Bob Marley, (see also best songs 618 and 56) who recorded an interpretation as ‘One Love/People Get Ready’ in 1965, and again in 1977 for his Album ‘Exodus.’

‘People get ready, there’s a train a comin,’ you don’t need no baggage, you just get on board. All you need is faith, to hear the diesels hummin,’ don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord.’