will.i.am Brings Scarlett Johansson, Common, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar To Rock "Yes We Can" For Barack
If you're still wondering -- after endorsements from Jeff Tweedy and Conor Oberst and Win Butler and Craig Wedren & Stella's cast and the rest of the cool kids (literally) -- who the hip pick is in this election, let this roll call of random famous faces be what finally provides you an answer. will.i.am organized the recording in two days, taking Barack's New Hampshire concession speech and setting it to music, bringing together everyone from John Legend to Ashley Banks to Dr. Addison Montgomery to Michael from LOST (making good on a promise: he'll be there for you). Also there's a little cameo from a blast from the alternative rock past (hint: he alone tempts you).
Fun to think of how it all came together: will.i.am probably called Common, who in turn called John Legend, who in turn called Tatiyana Ali, who in turn called Ed Kowalcyk from Live, and so on, obvs. will.i.am blogs about the process for HuffPo:
And i found myself torn...So. Guess we know who he's voting for. If you're too stoned to be inspired by all that, Phil Lesh says that's no excuse: Deadheads for Obama are fired up and ready to go! Oh you Deadheads and your pot smoking euphemisms.
because this time it's not that simple...
our choices aren't as clear as the last elections ...
last time it was so obvious...
Bush and war
vs
no Bush and no war......
And then came New Hampshire...
And i was captivated...
Inspired...
I reflected on my life...
and the blessings I have...
and the people who fought for me to have these rights and blessings...and I'm not talking about a "black thing"
I'm talking about a "human thing" me as a "person"
an American...That speech made me think of Martin Luther King...
Kennedy...
and Lincoln...
and all the others that have fought for what we have today......
and then there was New Hampshire
it was that speech...
like many great speeches...
that one moved me...
because words and ideas are powerful...It made me think...
and realize that today we have "very few" leaders...
maybe none......
1 week later after the speech settled in me...
I began making this song...
I came up with the idea to turn his speech into a song...
because that speech affected and touched my inner core like nothing in a very long time...it spoke to me...
because words and ideas are powerful...
I just wanted to add a melody to those words...
I wanted the inspiration that was bubbling inside me to take over...so i let it..
I wasn't afraid to stand for something...
to stand for "change"...
I wasn't afraid of "fear"...
it was pure inspiration...so I called my friends...
and they called their friends...
in a matter of 2 days...
We made the song and video......
no one on this planet is truly experienced to handle the obstacles we face today...
Terror, fear, lies, agendas, politics, money, all the above...
It's all scary...Martin Luther King didn't have experience to lead...
Kennedy didn't have experience to lead...
Susan B. Anthony...
Nelson Mandela...
Rosa Parks...
Gandhi...
Anne Frank...
and everyone else who has had a hand in molding the freedoms we have and take for granted today...no one truly has experience to deal with the world today...
they just need "desire, strength, courage ability, and passion" to change...
and to stand for something even when people say it's not possible......
I'm not trying to convince people to see things how i do...
I produced this song to share my new found inspiration and how I've been moved...
I hope this song will make you feel...
love...
and think...
and be inspired just like the speech inspired me...that's all...
Posted at 10:22 AM in Video
Tags: Barack Obama | Common | John Legend | Kareem Abdul-Jabaar | Live | Scarlett Johansson | will.i.am
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Recipe for Inspiration
1. Assemble an all star cast of mediocre Hollywood "talent"
2. Produce a generic mopey acoustic tune
3. Record a melodramatic black and white video showing Hollywood "talent" reciting speech
4. Post on you tube and inspire millions
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1. Formulate a cynical comment that you know some readers will like.
2. Post that comment.
3. Check back for all the approval the comment gets.
4. Feel good for doing nothing productive.
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^hahaha
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^HAHAHAHA AND ONE BITCH AND ONE
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Wow! what a witty crowd
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Did you know Bob Dylan's Jessie directed this video? That's an interesting tidbit of info., AM-I-RITE Gum?
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barack & greg ftw
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*Bob Dylan's son Jessie directed this video.
Jessie also directed "American Wedding" and "Kicking and Screaming." Huh?
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Yes, but did you know that Scarlett Johanssen is pretty? Interesting bit of trivia, non?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e0EQlQXoEo
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This is shamelesssss advertising. I never trust a celebrity endorsement.
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1.Formulate a cynical comment about another cynical comment, knowing some will thus agree
2.Post The Comment
3.Check back to wait for rebuttal or approval of one's comment
4.Feel good for doing something over nothing productive 5
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^
yawn, not as original as Greg's
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Greg is a l33t h4x0r, Jessica Simpson is a n00b who got pwned.
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This is kinda like Baz Luhrmann.
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yeah cuz vote for change really proved that celebrity involvement really works....william can't quit till he ruins a good thing by adding a gentrified beat and making it into a commodity.
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No, THIS is kinda like Baz Luhrman. And so is THIS! Ha! How you like me now?
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