The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #93653   Message #2464454
Posted By: Azizi
13-Oct-08 - 11:44 AM
Thread Name: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
For the folkloric record, here are links to a political song/chant that I've just come across:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcRkBXM8yk&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/13/94720/657/443/629090
Added: October 10, 2008

Barack Obama supporters at a Sarah Palin fundraiser {Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania}


Here are the words that I transcribed from the video Mama Mama...Obama video

{The video starts with the male soloist saying "Hold your head up head". However, the soloist doesn't complete that verse but appears to start the song again. The song uses a call & response pattern, with the group repeating word for word what the soloist says}.

Mama Mama....Obama

{A soloist sings the first line}
Mama Mama can't you see. {group repeats="gr"}
What Obama done for me. {"gr"}
Mama Mama can't you see. {"gr"}
What Barack has done for me. {"gr"}

Standin tall and lookin good {"gr"}
He* oughta be in Hollywood {"gr"}
Standin tall and looking good {"gr"}
He* oughta be in Hollywood {gr"}

Chorus:
Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh {"gr"}
Oh Oh-Oh-Oh-o-Oh {"gr"}

Ain't no sense in lookin down. {"gr"}
Barack Obama's comin to town. {"gr"}
Ain't no sense in lookin down. {"gr"}
Barack Obama's comin to town. {"gr"}

-snip-

*Some of the group sung "we".

Note: The video shows that some of the protestors who were singing held SEIU union signs. Also, fwiw, the majority of the protestors appeared to be White women and White men.

**

"Mama Mama Can't You See" is a call & response song that is based on the African American spiritual "Honey In The Rock". This song has also been used as a military cadence {jodie} and as a children's handclap rhyme.