Hollywood Records releases the When We Rise digital soundtrack available now. The album features cover songs culled from the eight-hour miniseries event, including “I’d Love to Change the World” performed by Hollywood Records artist Jordan Fisher (“Hamilton,” “Grease Live”). The song opens the February 27th two-hour premiere directed by Gus Van Sant. Additional tracks are “California” performed by Fancy (“Goodbye”), who has toured with Meghan Trainor and Ariana Grande; “Tie Your Mother Down” performed by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile and “Wonderwall” by Hollywood Records artist Zella Day.
“When We Rise” was written and created by Academy Award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. This mini-series event chronicles the real-life personal and political struggles, set-backs and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBTQ people who helped pioneer the Equality Movement. The eight-hour mini-series airs from 9:00pm -11:00 pm on Monday, February 27, Wednesday, March 1, Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3.
On the music’s integral role in the mini-series, Dustin Lance Black said, “Music has a unique, magical ability to transport us through time and space… the ability to remind us how we once felt and help us feel again. WHEN WE RISE asks viewers to travel through four and half decades in only eight hours using their hearts as guides. Music made it possible for us to move that fast and still feel as deeply as these stories demand. So how did we choose which songs? I asked myself: ‘What songs from the past will instantly transport us in time and help our audience land in the heart of the story?'”
On selecting artists to record the cover songs, Black added, “From the beginning, we knew we would need to utilize period music, but WHEN WE RISE has never been about nostalgia, it was designed as a flame — a torch to be passed from one generation to the next. Honoring that idea, we chose songs from 1971 to today and sought out a diverse group of the most talented, inspired artists of tomorrow to bring their passion to these iconic works in hopes of calling their generation to the struggle for equality, while inspiring an older generation to return to the fight. I believe it is the lessons of the past, used like swords by the youth of tomorrow, that will finally secure equal rights for all in the world — so it was only fitting that these songs of our past be born again in the most ardent voices of tomorrow.”
The When We Rise soundtrack track list follows:
- “I’d Love To Change The World” – Jordan Fisher
- “California” – Fancy
- “Tie Your Mother Down” – Brandi Carlile
- “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” – Justin Sams / Eve Nelson
- “Good Times” feat. Christine Aprile – Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein
- “Thinking of You” – Austin McKenzie
- “Wonderwall” – Zella Day
- “Oh Happy Day” – Ruby Amanfu feat. Prado
- “I’d Love To Change The World” – Shea Diamond
- “When We Rise Suite” – Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon
About “When We Rise”
Starring in the mini-series are Guy Pearce (“Memento,” “L.A. Confidential”) as LGBTQ activist Cleve Jones, Mary-Louise Parker (“Weeds,” “Angels in America”) as women’s rights leader Roma Guy, Rachel Griffiths (“Brothers and Sisters,” “Six Feet Under”) as her wife, social justice activist Diane, Michael K. Williams (“Boardwalk Empire,” “The Wire”) as African-American community organizer Ken Jones and Ivory Aquino as transgender-activist Cecilia Chung.
Cleve Jones, a young Quaker from Arizona, joined the gay liberation movement in 1972, was mentored by pioneer gay-rights leader Harvey Milk, founded the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, and led the National March for Equality in 2009.
Ken Jones, an African-American Vietnam veteran, joined the gay-liberation movement in San Francisco, only to discover and confront racism within the gay men’s community. For years he organized services for homeless youth, worked to diversify the gay movement, and led efforts to confront the devastation of the AIDS epidemic.
From rural Maine, Roma Guy is a lesbian and a long-time social justice leader who co-founded the San Francisco Women’s Building. Then, as a Public Health Commissioner, she worked with others to bring healthcare access to all San Franciscans. She is currently a criminal-justice activist.
Diane, a lesbian mother and grandmother of three, joined the Women’s Movement in the 1970s in San Francisco, co-founded the Women’s Building and has worked as an HIV/AIDS nurse and social justice activist at San Francisco General Hospital for 33 years.
Special guest stars include Henry Czerny, Whoopi Goldberg, Arliss Howard, Sam Jaeger, T.R. Knight, Mary McCormak, Kevin McHale, Rosie O’Donnell, Denis O’Hare, Pauley Perrette, David Hyde Pierce, Richard Schiff, Phylicia Rashad, Rob Reiner and William Sadler.
“When We Rise” is executive produced by the Dustin Lance Black (“Milk,”” Big Love,” “J. Edgar”), Gus Van Sant (“Milk,” “Elephant,” “Good Will Hunting”) Laurence Mark (“Julie & Julia,” “Dreamgirls,” “I, Robot,” “Jerry Maguire”), and Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty,” “Milk,” “Silver Linings Playbook”). Van Sant directs the two-hour premiere of the eight-hour mini-series event. “When We Rise” is produced by ABC Studios.
