Song Tribute to President Obama - Africano Americano 2008/2016

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Dear Mr. President,

in 2010, just as you reached your one-year-in-office mark, a package was sent on its way to you with a present which, unfortunately, never reached you.

It was a song. It was meant as an homage, and it still is. But, 7 years later, it also takes on new meaning. It’s as if you were opening a time capsule.

In the 1990s, my father introduced me to an amazing song (written by Sello "Chicco" Twala) which he brought back home to Germany from a visit to South Africa.

In 2008, when you ran for President, my father thought the song, entitled “Africano Americano”, had found its true calling, and he inspired me to write new lyrics. I was so moved on election night that I cried along with millions of people around the world. I remembered the front page of the French newspaper Le Monde in the aftermath of 9/11: "Today, we are all Americans". On November 4th 2008, there it was again, that sense of being united – only this time, not in grief and pain, but in joy and hope. On that day, I celebrated as one of you, feeling like we were all Americans again. It was a great moment! That’s how the lyrics for this song came about.

Rarely do things turn out the way we imagine or want them to. Often we allow ourselves to get carried away with our expectations. But it’s always good to have a dream …

In an attempt to recreate that powerful positive feeling of hope and solidarity shared by so many on a historic Chicago night, 8 years ago, I’m putting this song out now – trusting that the message will reach its destination this time. I hope you’ll enjoy what you hear!

Sincerely yours,
Pascale