A Change Is Gonna Come

• Artist: Leela James
• Rating:
• Release Date: June 21, 2005
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

"Music," the first song and lead single from Leela James' first album, bemoans the death of music. She reminisces about Aretha, Gladys, Tina, and Chaka, and asks, "Can we just put the thongs away?" Her argument is flawed and tired. All four inspirations released new material during the early 2000s, and James is the latest in an extended line of artists, stretching from American Idol to any anonymous keyboard lounge on the East Coast, claiming to rescue real music. James should turn off BET and go to a record store: issue solved. The remainder of A Change Is Gonna Come -- named after the Sam Cooke song, covered here -- isn't nearly as nauseating, thankfully enough, even if it retains a nostalgic tint. James has the stature of a woman who should possess a squeaky voice, but she sings with demonstrative grit. More importantly, she doesn't see her inspirations merely as artists to mimic; she sees how they learned from the past and applied it to the present. The past is built upon (if only a little), rather than simply revisited. Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, Chucky Thompson, and James Poyser are in on the action, giving James the kind of apt support she could've only imagined prior to recording the album. There's plenty of thematic range, whether there are blue lights in the basement, tears on the pillow, sweat on the dancefloor, or sun showers on the porch. Hopefully listeners won't hear all those names during "Music" and get the idea to listen to Lady Soul or Ask Rufus instead. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Intro		Leela James	(1:25)
Music (Lyrics)	Leela James	Leela James	(4:03)
Good Time	Puff Johnson, Gordon Williams, Kenton Nix, Leela James	Leela James	(4:16)
Ghetto (Lyrics)	Wyclef Jean, Jerry Duplessis, Leela James	Leela James	(3:50)
Soul Food (Lyrics)	Raphael Saadiq, Leela James	Leela James	(:57)
Rain (Lyrics)	Raphael Saadiq, Leela James	Leela James	(3:18)
When You Love Somebody (Lyrics)	Puff Johnson, Gordon Williams, Leela James	Leela James	(4:08)
Mistreating Me	Ahmad A. Lewis, Aaron Harris, Leela James	Leela James	(1:40)
Don't Speak	Eric Stefani, Gwen Stefani	Leela James	(4:30)
My Joy (Lyrics)	James Poyser, Vikter Duplaix, Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, Leela James	Leela James	(5:13)
It's Alright (Lyrics)	Renee Neufville, Gordon Williams, Kanye West, Leela James	Leela James	(4:46)
Didn't I	Kanye West, Leela James	Leela James	(:52)
Prayer (Lyrics)	Puff Johnson, Chucky Thompson, Leela James	Leela James	(4:57)
A Change Is Gonna Come	Sam Cooke	Leela James	(4:03)
Long Time Coming (Lyrics)	Gordon Williams, Leela James	Leela James	(3:17)
[Untitled Hidden Track]		Leela James	(3:57)
[Untitled Hidden Track]		Leela James	(2:05)
[Untitled Hidden Track]		Leela James	(3:36)
[Untitled Hidden Track]		Leela James	(4:01)

Credits

Bobby Ross Avila (Producer), Leela James (Executive Producer), Wyclef Jean (Vocal Producer), Jane Morledge (Design), Wyclef Jean (Audio Production), Chucky Thompson (Producer), Wyclef Jean (Producer), Alfredo Perrotti (Assistant Engineer), Leela James (Audio Production), Bobby Ross Avila (Arranger), Jamie Siegel (Engineer), Leela James (Arranger), Leela James (Vocal Producer), Malcolm Beckford (Photography), Leela James (Vocals), Aaron Harris (Producer), Ian Cross (Engineer), Chucky Thompson (Audio Production), Jane Morledge (Art Direction), Lysa Cooper (Stylist), James Poyser (Audio Production), Walt Bass (Engineer), Jerry Duplessis (Producer), Jay Manuel (Make-Up), James Poyser (Producer), Jerry Duplessis (Audio Production), Iz (Producer), Comissioner Gordon (Engineer), Jerry Duplessis (Vocal Producer), Comissioner Gordon (Executive Producer), Kanye West (Producer), Raphael Saadiq (Audio Production), John Peretti (Assistant Engineer), Comissioner Gordon (Producer), Puff Johnson (Arranger), Kanye West (Audio Production), Ray Wilson (Assistant Engineer), Anthony Mills (Arranger), Vikter Duplaix (Producer), Comissioner Gordon (Vocal Producer), Brian Dozoretz (Engineer), Raphael Saadiq (Vocal Producer), Avila Brothers (Audio Production), Mtume (Audio Production), Naim Ali (A&R), Leela James (Producer), Damu Mtume (A&R), Renee Neufville (Arranger), Raphael Saadiq (Producer), James Mtume (Vocal Producer), Comissioner Gordon (Mixing)