Sunday, January 18, 2009

Some are grumblin' and some are wondrin'

[Updated 1/20/09: Sorry folks, the video clip was taken down by YouTube, for reasons of unself-aware corporate irony, as explained here.]

I have several friends who are present for the inaugural events this week. (Probably, next week when everyone gets home and updates their Facebook walls, I'll find out I had even more friends there.) Tonight, while chatting with long-time p3 correspondent Doctor TV, I said that I didn't really mind watching it on TV from here--it's cold in DC, there are 4 million extra people in town, "oh look--I think that tiny speck at the other end of the Mall might be Obama," etc.

I'm prepared to take that back now, at least partly. I’m happy to pick and choose from the rest on C-SPAN and YouTube, but I would have dearly, dearly loved to be there on the Mall for this:



The best part, of course, is that Pete included the rarely-heard "naughty" verses:

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tresspassin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

Looking at that big ol' grin on Seeger's face, I'd say he had a pretty good time too. Good for him.

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