'Shake' was released posthumously in January 1965, three months after Sam Cooke's death. The album compiles recordings from his final sessions, including the hit single 'Shake'.
The song 'Shake' reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Cooke's biggest posthumous hits. The album also includes 'A Change Is Gonna Come', which had already appeared on his previous album.
Producers Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore completed the album after Cooke's death, using unreleased studio takes. The cover shows Cooke in action, reflecting the energy of his live performance.