'Celebration' and 'There's Hope' on Obama's setlist
By Dave Beard, Boston.com
NASHUA, N.H. -- Before Barack Obama's rally at Nashua North High School, hundreds of people crammed into its gymnasium stayed upbeat by listening to the O'Jays, to Earth, Wind & Fire, to Michael McDonald and the Doobie Brothers.
That's Kenny Thompson's job. On this day, the Obama advance man has a 19-song warmup set on his Mac Book. "Mostly, they're songs I like,'' said Thompson, 27, a onetime middle-school saxophonist whose tastes owe a debt to his dad, a lover of 60s and 70s soul. "I've got hundreds of songs.''
At the rally when Obama was more than a half-hour late, Thompson, an Austin, Texas, native, had the responsibility to keep the crowd happy and anticipating. To help do that, he mixed in oldies with some newer choices by Natasha Bedingfield and India.aire, keeping the message close to Obama's themes of hope and possibility.
Here are the songs on the Obama playlist on Saturday:
1. Marvin Gaye, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough''
2. John Parr, "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)''
3. Tina Turner, "The Best''
4. The Doobie Brothers, "Takin' It To The Streets''
5. Earth, Wind & Fire, "Shining Star''
6. O'Jays, "Give The People What They Want''
7. Sam and Dave, "Hold On I'm Coming''
8. Kool & the Gang, "Celebration''
9. Natasha Bedingfield, "Unwritten''
10. The Isley Brothers, "Shout''
11. The Temptations, "Get Ready''
12. India.aire, "There's Hope''
13. McFadden and Whitehead, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now''
14. Staples Singers, "I'll Take You There''
15. Orleans, "Still The One''
16. Sly and the Family Stone, "Everyday People''
17. The Doobie Bros., "Long Train Running''
18. Stevie Wonder, "Sir Duke''
19. John Fogarty, "Centerfield''
Also noted: Obama took the stage to U2's "City of Blinding Lights,'' and he departed to Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered.''
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Obama better wake up and add some "white people" music to his mix.
(Rock n' roll, lite pop, etc. ) Otherwise he risks alienating white voters at his events who will be subliminally made to think they are at an inner city high school pep rally.
He should add some Led Zeppelin. Take the stage to "Dazed an Confused." That will legitimate him.
obama is a man that my kids and their friends look up at and say to themselves anything is really possible. my son 18 is so excited to vote. i am a white mother and i am excited. change is coming to this country and the people who don't like change should just use to it. what we have been dealing with from the old guard is tired. the older people always say the young people aren't interested but now that they are the older crowd can't handle it.
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Typical hard hitting Globe piece on Obama. What's next, an expose on Obama's favorite color? Same free pass they gave Patrick. Way to go Globe staffers!!!!! Glad to see you're still "impartial". Simply an inhouse publication of the loony left.
Of course, down South here in the Carolinas, groups such as the Temptations and the Doobie Brothers each enjoy broad appeal across ethnic and social lines. Indeed an entire generation of young Carolinians, whether white or black, consider such all-black R&B groups such as the Temps and the Four Tops as having set standard for great pop and "beach" music across the board.
Maybe the Globe can tell us what music is being featured by some of the other campaigns as well. Johnny Edwards, for example, got a musical boost from Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne out in Iowa, even though he's hoping he won't have to be "running on empty" coming out of New Hampshire.
And give Mike Huckabee credit--he probably could play bass on just about any of the popular songs of the past several decades. Wonder if he and saxophonist Bill Clinton will jam on a couple of tunes before the campaign is over...
I am offended by the first comment. Music knows no color and his set list is music that I enjoy listening to. In any case, I don't vote a person to a political post by his or her music taste. I elect him or her by his words, deeds and beliefs.
Frankly, that setlist is as MOR as it comes, no Springsteen, the poppiest Sly you can find ... , "Centerfield" instead of "Fortunate Son" from Fogarty ... Orleans? Why, because John Hall is a Congressman now?
Only thing missing is the Eagles, oh, and maybe music from the "Big Chill"
Frankly, that setlist is as MOR as it comes, no Springsteen, the poppiest Sly you can find ... , "Centerfield" instead of "Fortunate Son" from Fogarty ... Orleans? Why, because John Hall is a Congressman now?
Only thing missing is the Eagles, oh, and maybe music from the "Big Chill"
I am a supporter of Barack Obama's approach to politics, so i eagerly look forward to voting for him.
Okay,
this is a campaign for the highest and most important office in our country.
why don't you address the issue that HRC is LYING about his abortion record instead of treating him like he's auditioning for American Idol!
Let's talk about his plan for tax cuts for the middle class, his health care plan, affordable college tuition, and the long overdue fact that if he is elected we will have someone representing us who will make us proud to be an American.
I am a supporter of Barack Obama's approach to politics, so i eagerly look forward to voting for him.
Okay,
this is a campaign for the highest and most important office in our country.
why don't you address the issue that HRC is LYING about his abortion record instead of treating him like he's auditioning for American Idol!
Let's talk about his plan for tax cuts for the middle class, his health care plan, affordable college tuition, and the long overdue fact that if he is elected we will have someone representing us who will make us proud to be an American.
I am a supporter of Barack Obama's approach to politics, so i eagerly look forward to voting for him.
Okay,
this is a campaign for the highest and most important office in our country.
why don't you address the issue that HRC is LYING about his abortion record instead of treating him like he's auditioning for American Idol!
Let's talk about his plan for tax cuts for the middle class, his health care plan, affordable college tuition, and the long overdue fact that if he is elected we will have someone representing us who will make us proud to be an American.
I have been to three Obama rallies and the first song played at each of those events was "Only in America" by Brooks and Dunn and its not listed on this list. John Mayer's Waiting for the World to Change was also played at each event.
This guy Kenny sounds like a tool. Who listens to John Fogarty anyway?