Brand New Day

I don't want to step on the toes of MightyToyCannon with this, but my iPod was on shuffle for a time tonight as I watched election coverage with the volume down to assuage my sanity. Before things were quite certain in the polls, a song came on that took me back to my early involvement in the arts. It was a song from "The Wiz," which was the first show I ever worked on in high school -- the very show, such as it is, that introduced me to the world of live theatre. Whether you like "The Wiz" or not, it was the show that brought me into the fold of arts and culture. When I heard this song earlier tonight, I couldn't help but get my hopes up, and now that we have a winner in Barack Obama, it seems eminently appropriate... the lyrics, the spirit of change and hope, all of it. And by some kind of kismet, I am unable to find any original Broadway version of the show on YouTube, so I give you a 2006 high school version, which seems even more appropriate in light of my own history (I only wish I knew which high school, so I could give them credit). The qualilty is a bit low, so the lyrics appear below the video.

Enjoy:



A BRAND NEW DAY
Lyrics and music by Luther Vandross

Everybody look around
'Cause there's a reason to rejoice you see
Everybody come out
And let's commence to singing joyfully
Everybody look up
And feel the hope that we've been waiting for

Everybody's glad
Because our silent fear and dread is gone
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad
Because the sun is shining just for us
Everybody wake up
Into the morning into happiness

Hello world
It's like a different way of living now
And thank you world
We always knew that we'd be free somehow
In harmony
And show the world that we've got liberty

It's such a change
For us to live so independently
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad
Because the sun is shining just for us
Everybody wake up
Into the morning into happiness
Hello world
It's like a different way of living now
And thank you world
We always knew that we'd be free somehow
In harmony
And show the world that we've got liberty

It's such a change
For us to live so independently
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?