A Change is Gonna Come

It is 6:46 pm Eastern Standard Time, and the results should start rolling in soon. My stomach is fluttery. I'm unbelievably nervous about this election, though everything I'm seeing is treating an Obama victory as a foregone conclusion. I can't let myself believe it, and I'm simply in awe of what might happen tonight. Below is a video of Sam Cooke performing "A Change is Gonna Come". The story goes that Cooke wrote it in reply to Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind" in 1964 because he was so amazed that a white man could write such a powerful song about race relations.

I can't believe this hasn't registered with me before now that this has been such a staple in the Obama appearances, but it is perfect. Of course soul greats Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding recorded their versions of this song, and it has been a touchstone for the civil rights movement. But it has also been an iconic song for all Americans--and others--seeking true freedom: some of my favorites on my iPod have also recorded their own takes on this song, including Billy Bragg, Cold War Kids, and Arcade Fire, a Montreal band that is so fervent in their support of Obama that they recorded their own version. I'm going to be blogging this election night live, so feel free to keep checking in if you're so inclined. Meantime, here's Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come".