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Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Compilation album by
Various artists
ReleasedJune 12, 2007
Genre
LabelWarner Bros./Amnesty International/Art for Amnesty
ProducerJeff Ayeroff, Larry Cox & Bill Shipsey (Executive Producers)
Helen Garrett, Vanessa Moss, Robin Raj, Karen Schneider & Julie Yannatta (Co-Executive Producers)
Individual Song Production Credits Listed Below
Singles from Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
  1. "#9 Dream"
    Released: March 13, 2007
  2. "Whatever Gets You thru the Night"
    Released: April 17, 2007
  3. "Working Class Hero"
    Released: May 1, 2007
  4. "Instant Karma!"
    Released: June 30, 2007[1]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB[3]
IGN6.2/10[4]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)(choice cut)[5]
Pioneer Press[6]
PopMatters[7]
Rolling Stone[8]

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur is a compilation album of various artists covering songs of John Lennon to benefit Amnesty International's campaign to alleviate the crisis in Darfur. The album and campaign is part of Amnesty International's global "Make Some Noise" project.

Release

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Lennon's songs and music publishing royalties were donated to Amnesty International by Yoko Ono. Amnesty International used the songs to start the "Make Some Noise" project, which later led to the subsidiary campaign "Instant Karma". Eventually, enough momentum was achieved through the project to amount to an album.

Ono said: "It's wonderful that, through this campaign, music that is so familiar to many people of my era will now be embraced by a whole new generation. John's music set out to inspire change, and in standing up for human rights, and selling more records, we really can make the world a better place."[9]

Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, added: "We know music's power to unite and inspire people. With hundreds of thousands dead, millions driven from their burned out villages and rape being used as a tactic in the Darfur conflict, the world needs a mass mobilization demanding action and justice. The 'Instant Karma' campaign combines John Lennon's passionate desire for us to imagine a more peaceful world with Amnesty International's expertise in achieving justice. 'Instant Karma' allows ordinary people to lend their hand in saving lives – a notion we think would make John proud."[9]

"John Lennon was not just a famous Beatle, he was the social conscience of his generation," says Jeff Ayeroff, one of the album's executive producers. "By reinterpreting his music and reintroducing it to a new generation, we shine a light on the darkness that is Darfur. Yoko Ono's gift of John's music to Amnesty International, whose work points out the pain and injustice in the world, is a true beacon of light. Give peace a chance is all we are saying."[9]

Proceeds from CD and digital sales will support Amnesty International and its campaign to focus attention and mobilize activism around the urgent catastrophe in Darfur, and other human rights crises.[9] It was released in the US on June 12 and the UK on June 25, 2007.

The digital version of the album made it to number 1 on iTunes in Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Denmark and Luxembourg. The physical album made it to number 1 in Ireland and Mexico. As of July 13, 2007, it had certified Gold Status in Italy and Ireland. As of July 11, 2007, the album had sold 107,689 copies in the US.

Track listings

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US release

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There were two CD versions released in the United States. The primary version was a two-disc set containing 23 tracks. The second version was a two-disc set sold only at Borders retail outlets that was identical to the primary version save that disc 2 contained an additional two bonus tracks.

There was an iTunes-only expanded digital release in the United States that added 11 further tracks to the 23 tracks on the primary CD release – making for a 34-track digital set.

Disc one

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# Title Performer(s) Producer(s) Time
1 "Instant Karma!" U2 Larry Mullen Jr. and Tal Herzberg 3:14
2 "#9 Dream" R.E.M. David Barbe & R.E.M. 4:38
3 "Mother" Christina Aguilera (featuring Bigelf) Linda Perry 4:48
4 "Give Peace a Chance" Aerosmith featuring Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Marti Frederiksen 4:35
5 "Cold Turkey" Lenny Kravitz Lenny Kravitz 4:43
6 "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" Los Lonely Boys Los Lonely Boys 3:35
7 "I'm Losing You" Corinne Bailey Rae Steve Chrisanthou 4:01
8 "Gimme Some Truth" Jakob Dylan featuring Dhani Harrison Tony Berg 3:53
9 "Oh, My Love" Jackson Browne Jackson Browne 2:39
10 "Imagine" Avril Lavigne Butch Walker 3:12
11 "Nobody Told Me" Big & Rich Adam Shoenfeld 3:30
12 "Jealous Guy" Youssou N'Dour Prince N'Dour 3:59

Disc two

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# Title Performer(s) Producer(s) Time
1 "Working Class Hero" Green Day Green Day 4:25
2 "Power to the People" Black Eyed Peas Will.I.Am 3:35
3 "Imagine" Jack Johnson Jack Johnson & Robert Carranza 3:40
4 "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" Ben Harper Ben Harper 3:48
5 "Isolation" Snow Patrol Garrett "Jacknife" Lee 2:36
6 "Watching the Wheels" Matisyahu & Dub Trio David Kahne 3:19
7 "Grow Old with Me" The Postal Service Jimmy Tamborello & Benjamin Gibbard 2:30
8 "Gimme Some Truth" Jaguares Saúl Hernández, Alfonso André & Adrian Belew 3:08
9 "(Just Like) Starting Over" The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips 3:36
10 "God" Jack's Mannequin featuring Mick Fleetwood Jim Wirt, Andrew McMahon & Robert "Raw" Anderson 4:20
11 "Real Love" Regina Spektor Regina Spektor & Joe Mendelson 3:57
Borders exclusive bonus tracks
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(Only available on the special edition of the album courtesy of Borders on Disc Two)

# Title Performer(s) Time
12 "Imagine" Willie Nelson 3:33
13 "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" Angelique Kidjo 3:04
iTunes bonus tracks
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(Only available for download on the expanded iTunes edition of the album)

# Title Performer(s) Time
1 "Instant Karma!" Duran Duran 3:56
2 "Jealous Guy" Deftones 4:07
3 "Mind Games" Gavin Rossdale 4:13
4 "Oh My Love" Yellowcard 3:20
5 "Crippled Inside" Widespread Panic 4:06
6 "Borrowed Time" O.A.R. 5:55
7 "Woman" Ben Jelen 3:41
8 "Imagine" Me'Shell NdegéOcello 3:16
9 "Well Well Well" Rocky Dawuni 5:00
10 "Mother" Emmanuel Jal 6:03
11 "I Don't Wanna Face It" The Fab Faux 2:49

All songs written by Lennon except "Imagine", "Oh, My Love" and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" written by Lennon–Ono

International release (outside the United States)

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The CD version released outside the United States was a two-disc set containing 28 tracks.

Disc one

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# Title Performer(s) Producer(s) Time
1 "Instant Karma!" U2 Tal Herzberg; additional production by Larry Mullen Jr. & The Edge 3:14
2 "#9 Dream" R.E.M. David Barbe & R.E.M. 4:38
3 "Mother" Christina Aguilera (featuring Bigelf) Linda Perry 4:48
4 "Give Peace a Chance" Aerosmith featuring Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Marti Frederiksen 4:35
5 "Cold Turkey" Lenny Kravitz Lenny Kravitz 4:43
6 "Love" The Cure The Cure 3:16
7 "I'm Losing You" Corinne Bailey Rae Steve Chrisanthou 4:01
8 "Gimme Some Truth" Jakob Dylan featuring Dhani Harrison Tony Berg 3:53
9 "Oh, My Love" Jackson Browne Jackson Browne 2:39
10 "One Day At A Time" The Raveonettes Richard Gottehrer 3:22
11 "Imagine" Avril Lavigne Butch Walker 3:12
12 "Nobody Told Me" Big & Rich Adam Shoenfeld 3:30
13 "Mind Games" Eskimo Joe Matt Lovell, Eskimo Joe 4:04
14 "Jealous Guy" Youssou N'Dour Prince N'Dour 3:59

Disc two

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# Title Performer(s) Producer(s) Time
1 "Working Class Hero" Green Day Green Day 4:24
2 "Power to the People" Black Eyed Peas Will.I.Am 3:35
3 "Imagine" Jack Johnson Jack Johnson & Robert Carranza 3:40
4 "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" Ben Harper Ben Harper 3:48
5 "Isolation" Snow Patrol Garrett "Jacknife" Lee 2:36
6 "Watching the Wheels" Matisyahu David Kahne 3:19
7 "Grow Old With Me" The Postal Service Jimmy Tamborello & Benjamin Gibbard 2:30
8 "Gimme Some Truth" Jaguares Saúl Hernández, Alfonso André & Adrian Belew 3:08
9 "(Just Like) Starting Over" The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips 3:36
10 "God" Jack's Mannequin featuring Mick Fleetwood Jim Wirt, Andrew McMahon & Robert "Raw" Anderson 4:20
11 "Instant Karma!" Duran Duran Duran Duran and Paul Logus 3:55
12 "#9 Dream" a-ha a-ha 4:06
13 "Instant Karma!" Tokio Hotel Dave Roth, Peter Hoffman, Pat Benzer & David Jost 3:09
14 "Real Love" Regina Spektor Regina Spektor & Joe Mendelson 3:57

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur (The Complete Recordings)

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On October 8, 2007, iTunes released a collection of 61 recordings, including 23 previously unreleased tracks contributed to the project.

Notwithstanding the title The Complete Recordings there were some other tracks prepared for the project that were not included on this digital release. (See below).

This is the listing of the 61 tracks that comprise the iTunes digital release The Complete Recordings:

  1. Nobody Told Me – Abdel Wright
  2. Give Peace a Chance – Aerosmith featuring Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
  3. Imagine – Afroreggae
  4. No. 9 Dream – a-ha
  5. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – Angelique Kidlo with Naima
  6. Love – Audrey de Montigny
  7. Imagine – Avril Lavigne
  8. Oh Yoko – Barenaked Ladies
  9. Beautiful Boy – Ben Harper
  10. Woman – Ben Jelen
  11. Nobody Told Me – Big & Rich
  12. Power to the People – Black Eyed Peas
  13. Mother – Christina Aguilera featuring Bigelf
  14. I'm Losing You – Corinne Bailey Rae
  15. Watching the Wheels – David Usher
  16. Jealous Guy – Deftones
  17. Power to the People – Dj Emjay & The Atari Babies
  18. Hold On – DobaCaracol
  19. Instant Karma – Duran Duran
  20. Oh My Love – Elvira Nikolaisen
  21. Mother – Emmanuel Jal
  22. Mind Games – Eskimo Joe
  23. I Don't Want to Face It – The Fab Faux
  24. Look At Me – Finger Eleven
  25. (Just Like) Starting Over – The Flaming Lips
  26. Beautiful Boy – Freshly Ground
  27. Mind Games – Gavin Rossdale
  28. Working Class Hero – Green Day
  29. Imagine – Jack Johnson
  30. God – Jack's Mannequin featuring Mick Fleetwood
  31. Oh, My Love – Jackson Browne
  32. Gimme Some Truth – Jaguares
  33. Gimme Some Truth (Spanish) – Jaguares
  34. Gimme Some Truth – Jakob Dylan featuring Dhani Harrison
  35. Imagine – James Stewart
  36. Bless You – Leeroy
  37. Cold Turkey – Lenny Kravitz
  38. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night (Peu Importe Si tu Passe la Nuit) – Les Trois Accords
  39. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night – Los Lonely Boys
  40. I'm Losing You – Madrugada
  41. Watching the Wheels – Matisyahu
  42. Imagine – Me'Shell Ndegeocello
  43. Borrowed Time – O.A.R.
  44. Woman – Paddy Casey
  45. Grow Old With Me – The Postal Service
  46. Real Love – Regina Spektor
  47. No.9 Dream – R.E.M.
  48. Well Well Well – Rocky Dawuni
  49. Isolation – Snow Patrol
  50. Love – The Cure
  51. One Day at a Time – The Raveonettes
  52. Instant Karma – The Waking Eyes
  53. Working Class Hero – Tina Dickow
  54. Instant Karma – Tokio Hotel
  55. John Sinclair – Trevor Menear
  56. Instant Karma – U2
  57. Give Peace a Chance – The Voices of Asia
  58. Crippled Inside – Widespread Panic
  59. Imagine – Willie Nelson
  60. Oh, My Love – Yellowcard
  61. Jealous Guy – Youssou N'Dour

Unreleased recordings

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The Instant Karma project and the Make Some Noise initiative that preceded it stimulated a desire by many artists to contribute recordings. In addition to the 61 tracks released through the various CD and digital configurations of Instant Karma there were 8 tracks created for the project that did not get included in any format. One track was released subsequently by Amnesty as a separate high-profile project. (Detailed below). These are the 7 tracks created for the Instant Karma project that have not to date been released by Amnesty:

  1. "Mind Games" – MIA.
  2. "Give Peace a Chance" – Puppetmastaz featuring Angie Reed
  3. "Imagine" – Josh Groban
  4. "Jealous Guy" – K-OS
  5. "Working Class Hero" – Racoon
  6. "Instant Karma!" – The Sheer
  7. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" – Maroon 5

Ozzy Osbourne tribute to Lennon

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In 2007, Ozzy Osbourne recorded a version of "How?" specially for the Instant Karma produced by Mark Hudson. For reasons never publicly disclosed the recording was not incorporated in any of the released versions of the album.

In 2010, Osbourne was working on an unrelated TV project with longtime Amnesty producer Martin Lewis, who three decades earlier had instigated Amnesty's outreach to rock musicians by recruiting and producing Pete Townshend, Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Bob Geldof and others for Amnesty.[10]

Lewis encouraged Osbourne to re-purpose his unused Lennon recording for a new project saluting Lennon. Osbourne agreed to donate his track for a special iTunes charity single benefiting Amnesty to be released in October 2010 in conjunction with multiple celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Lennon's birth including an all-star concert for Amnesty in New York City.[11][12][13]

Osbourne then made a special music video shot in Manhattan paying his very personal tribute to Lennon, produced by Lewis and directed by filmmaker Ernie Fritz.[14]

The charity release was blessed by Yoko Ono who stated "John's spirit and influence is stronger than ever. John shared a common purpose with Amnesty International - shining a light on wrongs and campaigning to protect people's rights. We all shine on!"[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Billboard Music Charts – Latest Music News – Music Videos". Billboard. 31 December 2008. Archived from the original on 31 December 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur – Various Artists – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  3. ^ Willman, Chris (8 June 2007). "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  4. ^ Grischow, Chad (27 June 2007). "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur Review". IGN. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (1 July 2008). "Lil Wayne Kills, the Kills "Boom" and Al Green "Lays It Down"". Consumer Guide. MSN Music. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  6. ^ O'Hare, Kevin (11 June 2007). "Instand Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, Various Artists". Pioneer Press. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  7. ^ Schwartz, Greg M. (2 July 2007). "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  8. ^ Fricke, David (2011-08-30). "Rolling Stone review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
  9. ^ a b c d "Artists Unite in Donating Tracks to 'Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur', to Be Released by Warner Bros. Records June 12" (Press release). 2007-04-30. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-13 – via Market Wire.
  10. ^ "'¡Released!' producer Martin Lewis picks his top 20". USA Today. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Musicians and Friends Come Together on John Lennon's Birthday". Gibson. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  12. ^ Gundersen, Edna (8 September 2010). "John Lennon's 70th birthday: A global party". USA Today. Retrieved 17 February 2019 – via PressReader.
  13. ^ "Happy Birthday John: New York City". Thequarrymen.info. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne sings John Lennon's 'How?'". Amnesty International USA. 5 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 17 February 2019 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "Amnesty International and Ozzy Osbourne Salute 70th Anniversary of John Lennon's Birth With Exclusive Digital Release on the iTunes Store" (Press release). 5 October 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2019 – via News Powered by Cision.
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