President Barack Hussein Obama
Color Esperanza (the color of hope) by Diego Torres
Sé que hay en tus ojos con solo mirar
que estas cansado de andar y de andar
y caminar girando siempre en un lugar
(I can see in your eyes that you are tired of wandering, going in circles
Sé que las ventanas se pueden abrir
cambiar el aire depende de ti
te ayudará vale la pena una vez más
(I know that the windows open, change depends on you, it will help and it's worth it one more time
Saber que se puede querer que se pueda
quitarse los miedos sacarlos afuera
pintarse la cara color esperanza
tentar al futuro con el corazón
(Know that you can do it if you want, leave your fears and send them out, color your face with hope, touch the future with your heart
Es mejor perderse que nunca embarcar
mejor tentarse a dejar de intentar
aunque ya ves que no es tan fácil empezar
(It's better to lose than never leave, better to try that not, but it's not easy to begin
Sé que lo imposible se puede lograr
que la tristeza algún día se irá
y así será la vida cambia y cambiará
(I know that the impossible is possible, sorrow will fade, and life changes and will change
Sentirás que el alma vuela
por cantar una vez más
Vale más poder brillar
Que solo buscar ver el sol
Excuse my clumsy translation. I'd rather translate all of Don Quijote than a few verses of a song. I discovered this rather saccharin Latin pop song on the same day that Obama was sworn in as president of the United States of America. Excuse me just this one day of optimism, I think we all deserve it after eight years of fear mongering, war, and economic collapse that defined the previous administration (I no longer even have to say his name!). Watching as the former president finally boarded the Marine helicopter I kept thinking of that line from The Lives of Others, “I can't believe my country was lead by men like you.” I wish I could take some solace for these past eight years in knowing that the previous occupants left office in disgrace. I can only have hope for better things to come.
The good news is that liberals will only have ourselves to blame for the country's ills—at least after we've cleaned up the mess left us by the last bunch. This song seems inspired by Obama or the opposite. I think it is curious that I first heard it only hours after he took office.
The inauguration was televised here in Valencia on three local channels as well as CNN, with coverage in Spanish and Valenciano. Just by chance, the church bells at San Valero next door to my house starting pealing wildly right when the helicopter took off taking you-know-who away from the presidency for the last time. That was pretty cool.
Enjoy the video.
