(Ain't that) good news...

Anyone who begins their victory speech by referencing Sam Cooke and Martin Luther King is alright by me. "It's been a long time coming," said Obama quietly, "but today," he continued lifting his voice, "change has come to America." Perfect.

Sam Cooke recorded A change is gonna come in January 1964 (allegedly inspired by Dylan's Blowin' in the wind). The previous month he recorded two songs which express what many people - in America and all over the world - will be feeling today: his versions of the gospel standard Good news and the classic anthem Let the good times roll. We all know that it's a lot easier to offer the rhetoric of change than it is to actually deliver change - but, for now, let's just enjoy the feel-good factor of today's historic moment for Obama and for America. Sam Cooke always closed his shows with everyone singing along to his Having a party, one of the best songs ever for bringing people together in one big happy party atmosphere. So, let's make that the theme for today - the hard work of achieving change can begin tomorrow.

Oh yes, the reference to Martin Luther King? Well, in the summer of 1964, Sam Cooke donated the use of his composition and recording of A change gonna come to an album released to raise funds for the work of Martin Luther King. That's great - but linking Obama with King also gives me a slight shiver. Let's hope (let's have the audacity to hope) that Obama's election is - as he said in his Chicago speech last night - a sign that all the peoples of America can learn to live together in one united states. Respect for diversity, and a sense of togetherness and unity - that's a goal for all of us, not just people living in America.

Anyway. The weeks from now until his inauguration will be filled with speculation about what the Obama Presidency will mean for America and the world. And if you want to know

What will it be like, the Obama Presidency?

Read all shades of opinion - in your local lib-ra-ree...

So now I'm going to stop playing Sam Cooke (Sam Cooke, portrait of a legend, 1951-1964, released by ABKCO Records in 2003 - credit to Peter Guralnick's sleeve notes for much of the factual stuff in this blog posting) and get ready to fly to Belfast for a couple of meetings. Belfast. A good place to celebrate historic political change and the audacity to hope that real change is gonna come...