44!

I'll always mark today by the feelings of joy and pride, intertwined and delivered in waves from inside myself by some seldom-seen nugget of wholesomeness, and from outside, by a country and its people, who decided, collectively and with enormous commitment and struggle, that the inauguration of a president should be an occasion celebrated by all, not just the robber barons.

I gladly call Barack Obama my president, a simple declaration, but one that feels monumental.

I have little else to say today, other than how tremendous it feels to have this concrete now, to finally have a new president, not a president-elect. And George W. Bush and all his cronies can now fade, silently, into their place in history as the dark stain upon this country that they are.

The responsible and honorable are now in charge, and for that, America is better.

I put together a mix right after the election, and I'm bringing it back for everybody to celebrate the inauguration. Here's the description:

So here are some tunes that are vaguely political, some explicit in their celebration of America, and others that sort of capture the feel of what was at stake this year.

Some are joyous, others are defiant. There's struggle and hope, and some sarcasm and humor, and anger and pride, all tied together in a bunch. The songs of protest are a reminder of what fights have come and gone on this road. The happy songs are a reminder of what's always been at the core of America. The soul and the blues and the folk tunes are the history of this country, a history that wasn't always fit for the newspapers. These are all songs of engagement - and they're all damn good, so give the mix a spin.

DOWNLOAD:
Victory 2008 mix

Arlo Guthrie & Bruce Springsteen & Taj Mahal & Emmylou Harris & Bono & Little Richard & John Mellencamp - This Land Is Your Land

And also three takes on a gorgeous song:
Ray Charles - America The Beautiful
Keb Mo - America The Beautiful
Willie Nelson - America The Beautiful