Through the course of his presidential Campaign, Barack Obama has often used the expressions "This is the moment" or "This is our moment."

His November 4, 2008 victory speech was no exception. In Grant Park, Chicago his last paragraphs read:

"This is our chance to answer that call.

This is our moment. This is our time....

to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can."

Every time I hear Barack say "This is the moment", I have several reactions:

• I get emotional, including hopeful and proud
• I get a chill up and down my spine (quite literally)
• I think of one of my all-time favorite songs, written for and performed at the 1994 World Games: Moody Blues' This Is The Moment

For your listening and reading pleasure:
Moody Blues, This Is The Moment, 1994 (0.56 MB).

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Note: that music file is intentionally low-quality for 2 reasons

1. to keep the file's size small for faster loading
2. to encourage you to purchase the song, rather than to download it as a freebie; please do not pirate music
   

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This is the moment, this is the day
This is the moment, when I know
I am on my way.
Every endeavor, I have made ever
Is coming into play, is here and now today.

This is the moment, this the time
When the momentum, and the moment
Are in rhyme.
Give me this moment, my precious chance
I'll gather up my best, and make some sense at last.

This is the moment, when all I've done
All of the dreaming, scheming and screaming
Become one.
This is the day, just see it shine
When all that I have lived for becomes mine.

This is the moment, this is the hour
When I can open up, tomorrow
Like a flower.
And put my hand to everything I plan
To fulfill my grand desire, see all my stars align.

This is the moment, my final test
Destiny beckoned, I never reckoned
Second best.
I won't look back, I must not fall
This is the moment, the sweetest moment
Of them all.

This is the moment, so double the odds
This day or never, I'll sit forever
With the gods.
When I look back I will recall
Moment for moment, this was the moment
The greatest moment of them all.

Labels: moody blues, obama, this is the moment