The Pre-Inaugural Address . . . and Concert.

Obama is speaking at the Lincoln Memorial.  Doesn't he risk taking some of the wind out of the sails of his own inaugural address?  Or is this just a warm-up and does the man have a bottomless well of rhetoric to draw from?

"celebration of American renewal . . ."

"I won't pretend that meeting any of these challenges will be easy."

"If we could just recognize ourselves in one another . . . "

Well, this turns out to be a very short speech, and one more intimate and informal than Tuesday's will be.  He makes an impression that is sober yet warm and approachable, steady and confident as he expresses confidence in America's infinite possibility.  He flashes that smile like a lighthouse in the fog.  He's developing a fine presidential bedside manner.

Jacques is sitting here sneering and making skeptical wiseguy faces.  Public rhetoric is not and never has been his thing.  Plus, he has an unforgiving bullshit detector.  He seems to have been born without the human need for a little soothing bullshit every once in a while.  Over the years (37!!) it must have been him who broke me, with merciless mockery, of my native sentimentality.

Now the Obamas are hugging rock stars and movie stars:  Jon Bon Jovi, Bono, Marisa Tomei, Stevie Wonder.  The concert they gave, titled "We Are One," could not be shown on CNN because its "sister network," HBO, has exclusive rights.  It will be broadcast tonight at 7. 

. . . now.

A very traditional, not a Marvin Gaye performance of the "Star Spangled Banner."  But what's that funny thing the soldier does with the word "brave" at the end?  Kind of a hitch -- could be either a catch of emotion or a whimper of fear, but it's only a microphone echo/delay. 

You'd think Denzel Washington could've shaved for the occasion.  He's wearing one of those Hollywood sandpaper beards that look like the crop of a three-day bender.

Springsteen hits his guitar and my scalp prickles.  "On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here . . . Come on up for the rising."  With a choir.  Rock gospel for our civic religion.

 Famous clips of FDR and JFK, both asking for sacrifice.

Mary J. Blige, bundled up in shades of white, bouncing up and down like she's cold, belts out "Lean on Me" in her long, long snakeskin boots to announce tomorrow's day of service.  The business of America is show business!

Preaching from Jefferson, a Supreme Court Justice (Brandeis?), RFK, on the subject of change, delivered by Jamie Foxx and Steve Carell. 

A remarkably soulful duet between Jon Bon Jovi (?!) and a marvelous older woman named Bettye LaVette, whom I never heard of before -- one of those searing little songbirds whose vibrato shakes her whole body.

Tom Hanks quoting Lincoln over Copland.  "Abe Lincon was a quiet man . . . he was a quiet and a melancholy man."  Intimate close-ups of Lincoln's incredible face before and after he became bearded.  With those hawklike cheekbones he looks part Indian.  Was he??  The words "that government of the people, for the people, and by the people shall not perish from the earth" cover me with goosebumps.

Marisa Tomei quotes Ronald Reagan:  "How can we love our country and not love our countrymen?"

The music starts to get to J.

James Taylor, who looks more and more like the farmer in "American Gothic," sings "Shower the People," which he called an "anthem" on Larry King last night, with John Legend and Jennifer Nettles (a searing soul singer who's perfectly white and blonde).  She gets the first rise out of J:  "Give it to 'em, baby!"  The crowd is swaying back and forth, laughing and smiling and singing along.  "Let it rain . . . love, love, love, sunshine . . ."

Joe Biden gives the shortest speech of his life.

John Mellencamp!  "Ain't that America," with gospel choir backup and photo montage of working Americans.  Starts with a rousing clang of the guitar.  You have to be aware as you listen to all this music how completely intertwined white and black traditions are, like "the red rose and the brier."  If you closed your eyes, and didn't know, you often couldn't guess what color the singer was.  Now the crowd is really rocking out.

Queen Latifah:  "the ongoing journey of America to be America."  When she tells the story of Marian Anderson being denied the right to sing by the D.A.R., and then given it back by Eleanor Roosevelt -- Mr. Tough Guy here tears up!!  And they have film of her singing -- to an apparently segregated crowd!

Josh Groban and Jennifer Headley sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee."  I'm watching Jacques' approbation of this and miss who the next two guys are.  They both look like Indians -- American and the other kind.

Herbie Hancock, Will.I.Am, and Sheryl Crow team up to sing "One Love."  Jacques:  "First class!"  Music hath charms!  Will.I.Am does a great reggae-rap segment while Cheryl prances around accompanying him.  "Let's get together and feel all right!"

Tiger Woods!  The token Cablinasian, spawn of six continents!  He's singing the praises of the military.  "I am the son of a man who dedicated his life to his family, country, and the military, and I'm a better person for it."  Surprised?  "Just as they have stood tall for our country, we must always stand by for [them]."

Renée Fleming and the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club:  "You'll Never Walk Alone," with a photomontage of American soldiers.

Jack Black and . . . who's the girl?  invoking Teddy Roosevelt's conservation legacy.  "Leave it as it is, he said, the ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it."  Wow, Garth Brooks is singing American Pie!!!  BELTING IT OUT.  The chorus backing him is not segregated:  they're wearing red and blue jackets!  Obama's singing along.  Now he sings "Shout."  He's a country singer and he sounds like a blues singer!  He is SMOKIN'!  Big, graying man as light on his feet as a mountain lion.  "Now the last thing we notice/ is the color of skin/ and the first thing we look for/ is the beauty within . . . WE SHALL BE FREE!"

Ashley Judd quotes JFK and Forrest Whitaker quotes William Faulkner on the importance of the arts.  The poet's voice can be "one of the props, the pillars, to help [man] endure and prevail."

Usher and Stevie Wonder!  And Shakira.  Dr. John-lookin' dude on the drums.  "Teachers, keep on teachin,' yeeaahhh . . ."

Samuel Jackson speaks for Rosa Parks.

Bono, "In the Name of Love."  Not Jacques' kind of thing.  "They took your life, they could not take your pride."  And "In the City of Blinding Lights."  "The more you know the less you feel . . . blessings not just for the ones who kneel."  Jacques' all "I'd like to slap him a couple of times."

But not Bono.

And on to Obama's little speech.

Followed by chants of -- I can't tell if it's the crowd going "Obama, Obama" or dissenters shouting "Nobama, Nobama."

God, Pete Seeger!!  How ancient is he??  I didn't realize he was still alive!  "This land was made for you and me."  Echoes of the Depression Left . . . all those young people singing away behind him, unaware of the history.  "Nobody living/ can ever stop me/ as I go walking/ the freedom highway . . ."

And Beyoncé sings the anthem I've been waiting for:  "O beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain . . ."

One thing that may not be much remarked on, but one of the nicest things about this concert, is the effortless mixing of young and old, the grizzled and gimpy cheek to cheek with the smooth and sleek.

Comments

[Outis]

Jacques is sitting here sneering and making skeptical wiseguy faces. Public rhetoric is not and never has been his thing. Plus, he has an unforgiving bullshit detector. He seems to have been born without the human need for a little soothing bullshit every once in a while. Over the years (37!!) it must have been him who broke me, with merciless mockery, of my native sentimentality.

I don't mind sentimentality on the personal level. But I despise it in politics. Other than that slight difference, I couldn't agree with Jacques more.

But what's that funny thing the soldier does with the word "brave" at the end? Kind of a hitch -- could be either a catch of emotion or a whimper of fear. Or an artifact of microphone delay or feedback.

The band paused, and it caught him off guard. I don't think they had rehearsed that enough.

[Callimachus]

Thanks for that; I don't watch TV, but I wondered what it looked like. In your eyes, I saw it and felt it.

Just one question, though:

Marisa Tomei?

Seriously, she must have naked pictures of Rahm Emmanuel in a safe deposit box somewhere.

[Danny]

Only you could liveblog a music concert and make it riveting. Thanks for this, I haven't watched anything related to the Inauguration because I'm desperately trying to make a freelance writing deadline later this week. I know a bunch of people who are there with hope in their eyes, God love them, and I'm thrilled at the change of administration but to be honest, I've always been leery of such mass displays. Even if I agree with the side that's being feted, any group adoration fest always evokes something akin to the Nuremberg Rallies for me. That said, no matter what side you're on, you have to admit that Obama attracts WAY better music than Bush or McCain ever could...

[amba]

Cal! that concept has me doubled up with laughter.

Danny Do you feel that way about stadium rock when it has no political message? This was more like a rock concert. It was all about showcasing what American music says about America -- often decades before politics caught up.

[Danny]

Just one question, though:

Marisa Tomei?

Seriously, she must have naked pictures of Rahm Emmanuel in a safe deposit box somewhere.

Ha! Or the other way around—have you seen Tomei as an aging stripper in "The Wrestler?" Wow. She may get another Oscar nomination this week so I guess they figured she's hot again.

[Danny]

Not as much, Amba, I love music, but I'm scared of any kind of idol worshipping. When I see hordes of people mouthing all the words to my brother-in-law's songs at his concerts and staring at him rapturously, I keep waiting for someone to pull out a gun like at the end of "Nashville." Isn't there a fine line between revering someone to that extent and wanting to kill them? Oy...never mind.

But I'm a sucker for a good show. I sobbed my way through the Neil Young Bridge Concert last fall.

[Callimachus]

Don't get me wrong; I've always thought she was hot, and I love how she's aging. But hasn't she always basically played herself in the movies.

[Danny]

Sorta. Meryl Streep she ain't. But she plays characters like herself REALLY WELL!

[Ron]

Ugh and double ugh! I hate this Hollywoodization; why not just come out and say we want a vapid pretty boy for President? Plus, what the hell is up with all Monumentalist Iconography? Is the ghost of Leni R., haunting things?

Let's elect a guy who would make LBJ look "pretty", without a concert, or pretty vapid words, whom every A-Lister in Hollywood would want nothing to do with.

Less Iconography, more just Shutting Up and Playing Your Guitar, please. If you're great, we'll let you know -- quietly -- after you've actually done something, thanks a bunch.

[michael Reynolds]

It's always Springsteen, the safe rock star. Him and Bono.

Where are Rancid and Hollywood Undead and Against Me and Eminem? Now that would be change I could believe in: a bleeped inaugural concert.

[amba]

Oh, it was all very safe and inspiring and upbeat. But a lot of it was still good music.

[Callimachus]

To be the Token White Rural Guy, does it get any safer than Garth Brooks? Where's Nashville Pussy?

[Rod]

"Plus, he has an unforgiving bullshit detector."

I take it he doesn't suffer politicians of any stripe very well. Bullshit is the true mother's milk of politics.

[amba]

He doesn't pay much attention to politicians -- another way of saying the same thing. :)

[Spud]

I listened to the concert on the radio yesterday while doing the afternoon barn chores. It was good, the country needs a celebration.

[Ruth Anne]

By some fluke, *ssshhhh!* we have HBO, and because of this I was up until 1:30 watching the rebroadcast. I loved that it began with 'Fanfare for the Common Man.' Anyway, I love Jennifer Nettles. This is for Jacques. She's half of the country duo "Sugarland" and here she is singing the anthem of the other woman. And here's their latest, which I find kinda catchy. Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on.

[Ruth Anne]

Bono, the token 4NR, was not so safe when he gave a shout out to Israelis and....after a long pause....Palestinians.

Way to go, Bono.

[amba]

When he wakes up good and proper, I'll hook the speakers to the computer!

[karen]

i knew i'd heard her name before!!! I love Sugarland.