Change Is Gonna Come

I had a chance to watch a portion of Obama's "We Are One" inaugural concert that was on HBO this past Sunday. What I saw was a pretty wonderful event that rotated back-and-forth between speeches (Denzel, Jamie Fox, Tom Hank, ect) honoring our nation's past president's and leaders with some pretty uplifting musical performances kicking off with Springsteen's "The Rising" complete with what looked like was a thousand person choir to back the boss up. It was awesome. Other musical guests included Mary J, Garth Brooks, Herbie Hancock, ect. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the whole concert, but the most compelling part of what I caught was a duet between the 'lady of soul"Bettye LaVette and New Jersey's Soul of da shore Bon Jovi.

The duet, which can be seen below, did a great rendition of the Sam Cooke's 1964 classic "A Change Is Gonna Come". A song that I feel like has skipped our generation, not only as beautiful and moving civil rights song, but even as a classic piece of American music. It was written by Cooke just before his death as a sort of response to Dylan's "Blowin In the Wind". Cooke was apparently so taken back that that a white person could have an understanding of racism in America, that he saw this as a hope for the civil rights movement which compelled him to pen the lyrics. Of course the meaning is not things are where we want to be, but eventually change is inevitable. A better and more equal union is inevitable. And it's that feeling of hope, for a better future, that keeps us going - innit?

It seems this song has made a comeback with the Obama campaign, as our president even borrowed from Mr Cooke's lyrics during his now-famous election night speech when he thanked his supporters stating, ""It's been a long time coming, but tonight, change has come to America." Yes kids, this is the song. Your soundtrack for today.

While being covered many times by many over the years, I'm including my favorite rendition, a nine and a half minute psychedelic soul journey by Baby Huey. I can honestly say after discovering this version of this song this past spring that it is easily in my top five recordings of all-time. Every time I play this track around a group of people, I always have at least one person coming up to me in awe asking what the fuck that was I was just playing. It really grabs you. And of course out the Sam Cooke original.

Change has come, or at least begun.
Congratulations, President Obama.
Congratulations, America.



Sam Cooke"A Change Is Gonna Come"
Baby Huey"A Change Is Gonna Come"

p.s.

Watching the swearing in at the LCCC student center and it's standing room only.