Change Is Gonna Come

Sam Cooke- A Change Is Gonna Come

From: Ain't That Good News [RCA Victor, 1964]

Jef Brown- Change Has Got to Come

From: Change Has Got to Come [Community Library, 2006]

Bob Dylan- The Times They Are A-Changin'

From: The Times They Are A-Changin [Columbia, 1964]

Otis Redding- Change Is Gonna Come

From: Otis Blue [Stax, 1965]

I realize that it's been a while since you've heard from me, but I just started a new job in the last two weeks and have been pretty strapped for time. In addition, I start another job this Wednesday, so I will undoubtedly have less time to publish new posts. Please check the archives and let me know when links aren't active, as I will be checking periodically to make sure that things are running smoothly here.

It took two terms of George W. Bush's corrupt politics to get the American people to show up at the polls in unprecedented numbers this year. According to the news, more people voted in this election than any previous election. In a way, I'm not surprised at this fact, because the American people have grown tired of the old ideas and extremist attitudes of the Bush era.

This year I decided that I wanted to experience this election in the presence of a huge crowd, so I went to the Doug Fir Lounge for their election night celebration. After watching the election coverage on a huge projected screen for about thirty minutes, I went upstairs to join my girlfriend and the rest of our group of friends. At this point, Obama was ahead in electoral votes by 72 points, but I didn't feel like we could rest on our laurels. We were counting on California, Oregon and Washington to take us to the promised land, and there could be no celebrating until this was a reality.

We didn't have to wait long as the screen suddenly flashed "CNN Projection- President-Elect Obama" a couple minutes later. The energy of the crowd couldn't be contained as they erupted with applause and exchanged hugs and high-fives with anyone who was in the vicinity. I was surprised and elated all at once, and I couldn't believe what had transpired until McCain delivered his concession speech. Within twenty minutes, Obama was scheduled to appear before a capacity crowd who had assembled to hear him speak at Grant Park in Chicago. While he was speaking, I glanced over at other people in the crowd and recognized their smiling faces as our new president delivered one of the most eloquent speeches that I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. I went home feeling the afterglow of a historic evening, one that marked the beginning of positive change for America and inevitably the rest of the world.

I hope you enjoy the tracks I've picked for today!