(Thanks Kaellie!)
the victory was ours and you were the first to say it.
never known so many people donate time to a campaign.
and when you were elected there was a global wave of joy.
who knew a world gone mad could still go sane.
and we poured into the streets
and we danced and we cheered
and a neighborhood was a neighborhood
like it hadn't been in years.
all eyes meeting were filled with tears
yes we prayed you were coming and then we saw you were here
you are black you are white you are red you are blue.
you are green you are orange with a purple and yellow hue.
you've risen like a phoenix from each flame that they threw.
you’ve been everything that we've asked of you
oh president Obama it’s an honor just to say it,
i used to hide my passport now i want to display it.
thank you for our democracy through you is resurrected,
thank you for our basic decency in you is reflected
thank you America for being more than i expected
yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can
yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can
president Obama you do not have to be perfect,
i trust that you are a public servant,
steady as Abraham Lincoln ready as Martin Luther King
is the spirit that you bring.
and we vow to uphold you through these tricky times.
keep you safe in our hearts and informed with our minds.
and we will uphold each other we won't divide and attack
cause there's no going back, no there’s no going back yes no going back
yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can
yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can
the victory was ours and you were the first to say it.
Ani DiFranco Lyrics brought to you by danah boyd since 1995