Grant Park Soundtrack

It was subtle, but through the broadcast of the excitement in Grant Park on Tuesday night, three more than perfect songs were played. Only in America by Brooks and Dunn came blasting out shortly after 10pm CST when it was official that Obama had secured the Presidency with 0% precincts reporting from CA, OR, and WA. The lyrics are awesome:

"...One kid dreams of fame and fortune
One kid helps pay the rent
One could end up going to prison
One just might be president
Only in America - Dreaming in red, white and blue
Only in America - Where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance - Everybody gets to dance - Only in America..."

Then immediately after Obama addressed the nation and the new first family walked the runway and did their faux waves and "hey there, you" pointing in the crowd a song that has been one of my favorites since Annie introduced me to it came on. The Rising by Bruce Springsteen was so fitting, perfectly orchestrated to build the excitement as the music builds and the Boss belts out the "Na na na nas..."

But then, in what I would assume not too many other people caught (or maybe just thinking that makes me feel special) the music switched over to instrumental. I could hear the strains of the gorgeous symphony orchestra provide an audible backdrop to one of the most historic scenes in American history (regardless of how you voted) As the concerto continued to build, the song became familiar to me and I realized that just like Obama's entire campaign, everything had been planned down to the very last nuance. The lyric-less song that was blast across the sea of excitement in Chicago was the theme song from The Patriot. Genius.