I've been watching the progression of Obama's train, heading for Washingtion, on tv this morning. At first, I was OK, but it's getting to me now. You see, I'm old and I remember. It's been such a long wait. Words simply can't express what I'm feeling right now, but I want to share with you the words to the song that's been echoing through my head all morning...
People get ready
There's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage you just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear the diesel comin'
Don't need no ticket you just thank the Lord
People get ready
Train to Jordan
Picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is key
Open the doors and board them
There's hope for all among the love the most
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own soul
Have pity on those whose choices grow thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Kingdom's throne
People get ready
There's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage you just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear the diesel comin'
Don't need no ticket you just thank the Lord
There's a train there's a train there's a train comin' people
There's a train there's a train there's a train comin' people
There's a train there's a train there's a train comin' people
Just get on board
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own soul
Have pity on those whose choices grow thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Kingdom's throne
Curtis Mayfield wrote "People Get Ready" in 1964, inspired by the March on Washington which had happened the year before. If you'd like to listen to Curtis Mayfield's historic song, here's a link to an NPR article about it (scroll down a little and look to the left; there's a list of links to different artists' versions). Here's part of what the NPR article says:
In addition to the march, the song followed several jarring events in American history: the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham -- which killed four little girls -- and the assassination of President Kennedy.
Music critic Stanley Crouch explains Mayfield's response to those events: "...by saying 'There's a train a-coming, get ready' that was like saying, okay, so regardless of what happens, get yourself together for this because you are going to get a chance. Your chance is coming."
"The train that is coming in the song speaks to a chance for redemption -- the long-sought chance to rise above racism, to stand apart from despair and any desire for retaliation -- an end to the cycle of pain," Williams adds.
"People Get Ready" is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and it was named the 24th Best Song of All Time by Rolling Stone. It's a testament to the deep chord that the song touches that it's been recorded by so many artists through the years:
It has been covered by many musicians, including Bob Marley (as "One Love"), Ziggy Marley, Dionne Warwick, The Everly Brothers, Kenny Rankin, Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart (this version reached #45 in the US), Phil Collins, Jimmy Little, Eva Cassidy, Hed PE, John Denver, Steve Perry, U2, Aretha Franklin, The Housemartins, The Walker Brothers,Trin-i-tee 5:7, Margaret Becker, The Chambers Brothers, John Oates, The Meters, Seal, The Doors, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Human Nature, Alicia Keys, Joss Stone and Lyfe Jennings, Maceo Parker, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Taylor Hicks, Kevin Max, Terry Callier, Ed Motta, Oficina G3, and Dan McLean Jr. Christian band NewSong have also done their own version of the song, with slightly modified lyrics. John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change" is set to the same chord progression and instrumental rhythm.
Bob Dylan has recorded three different known versions of the song in three different decades. Dylan recorded the song with The Band in 1967 during the famed Basement Tapes Sessions. This version has never been officially released, but is widely available on the various bootlegs of The Basement Tapes. He recorded a second version in 1978, which was released in the same year on a four song promotional record for his film Renaldo and Clara. That version was one of the 42 rarities on the iTunes anthology of Dylan's output. Dylan recorded a third version in 1988 for the film Flashback.
I've struggled to find words to describe how I feel about Obama's upcoming inaguration. Those lyrics, that song, and the emotions they engender, do it far better than I could ever express in words myself. Perhaps, when you listen to the song, you'll feel the same...