Barack Obama Latest Hits

Posted on by Iansã

With a little help from AllAfrica.com, we present Coco Tea with Barak Obahama, followed by the Mighty Sparrow with Barack the Magnificent.

But I am just waiting to see and hear the Kenyan King of Ohangla Tony Nyadundo whose new album Obama is apparently very popular, and is said to be circulating in the United States. Other Kenyan musicians who have written and performed Obama songs include Benta Nyakoyugi, Lady Maureen, Princess Jully and Ouma Basement.

I hasten to reiterate, of course, that Obama is a corporate candidate and was not my first choice among the Democratic nominees. But I think HRC is at least as patriarchal as he is, and I think he can help address (not leapfrog over) the question of race, which is important. The kind of person I’d really like to have as President cannot win and I vote for the candidates I think will do at least some good or be some kind of improvement.

Sometimes I vote for candidates in an attempt to help them be heard. I would not diminish this action by calling it a “protest vote” or a “throwaway vote” … or a “vote for the Republicans.” That allegation by the Democrats is bullying speech if I have ever heard any. Who do they think I am – their slave? Why do they think that by sneering at me or threatening me they will cause me to find them more attractive?

Axé.

10 thoughts on “Barack Obama Latest Hits”

  1. But I think HRC is at least as patriarchal as he is, and I think he can help address (not leapfrog over) the question of race, which is important. The kind of person I’d really like to have as President cannot win and I vote for the candidates I think will do at least some good or be some kind of improvement.

    Couldn’t agree more…

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  2. Thanks for these. One thing I appreciate about these subaltern Englishes is that they are not afraid to actually use their vocabulary: “he’s a man of resplendent vision,” for example. Can you imagine hearing that in an official campaign advertisement?

    Obama may be a corporate candidate, but his supporters may in fact be better than he is. (As opposed to many of HRC’s supporters, like Geraldine Ferraro, who appear to be worse than she is.)

    This the mainstream parties have in common: they think that the best way to motivate us is by fear.

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  3. The Democratic Party has done a terrible job grooming African American, Latino/a, and women candidates (of all ethnic backgrounds), and yet, African Americans, Latinoas, and women remain among the party’s most loyal voters and supporters. Whatever happens with the Democratic nominee, I hope the party understands that their lack of outreach to these constituencies is not solved and it’s not over. Democrats must demand that their party do better in bringing to us a slate of politicians that represent all of us, not just an extremely narrow slice of the electorate.

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  4. Couldn’t agree more with all comments. On subaltern English (I always have to comment on language) – I have been to Trinidad where I remarked on the vocabulary thing: people using all the words in the dictionary. My interlocutor said in mock severity. “Yes. We actually speak English, whereas your country does not.” 😉

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  5. I don’t know enough about how to define “native” knowledge of a language–but my own experience in speaking a language in which I am fluent but which is not my native tongue often has native speakers shaking their heads at me and saying, “how do you know that word?” Something about certain kinds of language acquisition affecting vocab. Although actually Trinidadians are native speakers of English, aren’t they? What about Kenyans? Ach, I know so little.

    I doubt the Democratic Party will learn anything from this election, however, given how badly its main representatives have behaved during it. Sorry to be so pessimistic.

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  6. Well, I started voting in the late 70’s – yes I am that ancient – and I’ve always said this to Democrats and they have not understood it yet. Shirley Chisholm did well (I was too young to vote for her), and Jesse Jackson did well, but the Democrats kept feeling they needed to move to the right. People like me who vote Democratic are really voting against the Republicans. I think it’s really time for a new, leftier party … it’s fun to support Barack and all, but really I don’t agree with his politics any more than I do HRC’s, I just think he’s less creepy than the Clintons. I often vote for third parties, thinking of it as an emergency measure, but at this rate I may make it policy and change my registration. I know people will say that in doing so I just make my vote irrelevant, but it seems that among the Democrats, it already is.

    Languages, yes. They don’t take into consideration that one is educated and that therefore, one will have a better vocabulary than a less educated person at the same stage in acquisition of the second languages.

    Trinidadians and Kenyans, native speakers of English, yes. But Trinidadians, especially in formal situations, use every word in the dictionary. I’m not sure why but it is charming. Argentines do that in Spanish and once again, I don’t know why they do and others don’t.

    Back to those Trinis. They speak in this pidgin accent I do not understand and I don’t know what the vocabulary and syntax are there. I did realize at one point that what sounded to me like “Guimira” was “Give me that.” Then they can speak in regular English, still with a Trini accent, and then they can also speak in this much fancier register, using all words in the dictionary. This at least was what I observed. Wanted to move there. Want to.

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  7. I totally agree with your perception of both of the Democratic candidates. And arrive at the same conclusions for the same reasons. And I wish somebody would try to bully me about it! I’m in NO mood to be cowed, given the state of things in this country…

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