Story Behind The Song

I believe history will show the victory speech by Barack Obama will be regarded as a great motivational and inspiring speech. I was there and was greatly moved. I wanted to attempt to put it to music with a jazzy reggae feel. And I wanted to be the speaker so as to separate the original speech by Obama from my own version.

Song Description

On Nov. 4th 2008 in Chicago, in front of millions of people Barack Obama accepted the Presidential nomination with a strong realistic and motivational speech. This is a shortened version of the speech presented by and with music composed by Paul Grant (follower of Basho)

Lyrics

If there is anyone out there who still doubts
that America is a place where all things are possible;
who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time;
who still questions the power of our democracy,
tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines


that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen;

by people who waited

four hours, many for the very first time in their lives,

because they believed that this time must be different;

that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled


-- Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

we grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep;

from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers;
from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.
we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep.

-- we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts.
we must all join in the work of remaking this nation
the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism;
of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world

-- our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared,

And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright --tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America -- that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.


America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time -- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids;

to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace;

to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth -- that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank God , Yes we can.