Obama's Eau... la.. la.. Cumbaya!

When I heard James Taylor singing "You Got a Friend" I could not resist the urge to say, "I told you so!" It's been over five years ago since I laughly said that we'll have a "Kumbaya" moment when Obama is leading Americans in a chorus of "You Got a Friend"--I just didn't know where or when it would take place. 

Factoid: The "Kumbaya" song was originally written in the United States in 1926 as "Come by Heah" as a U.S. Southeastern states negro spiritual song which was later changed in 1946 to "Kum Ba Yah" when the song was translated from Angola, Africa where is was also sung too. The Africanized named song enjoyed new found popularity during the New York American Folk Music Revival of the early to mid-1960's largely due to the liberal activist and singer Joan Baez's 1962 recording of the song. It became associated with the Civil Rights Movement leading up to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Vietnam anti-war rallies where it was sung at major national protest sit-ins and street marches.

"Je Suis" John Kerry laid it on thick in Paris by huggingly embracing French President François Hollande which is not done there that created an uncomfortable moment and then speaking fluent French to the leaders and the common people, bourgeois, after failing to show up with world leaders last week. So then to top everything off, the Ambassador flies in an old hippie, James Taylor, playing his guitar like in a 1960's Peace Rally to appease the French over his solidarity march snub and plays catch up for any missed photo ops of him carrying "Je Suis Charlie"--I am Charlie placard signs to march through Paris in solidarity with France after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. This was Kerry's "make-up call" attempt to patch up relations? 

So Obama, What do you do when when you're down and out and in trouble? ..."You call a friend"...just the old James Taylor Get Out of Trouble card. But alas, it all goes sadly wrong--with audio equipment problems and a pretty lackluster job of strumming and humming with a weak falsetto voice squeak. At the end of this embarrassingly brief "staged musical sit-in", Kerry and Taylor quietly trotted off stage to a soft polite clap with all the audience wondering what in the Hell did they just see? Was that their strongest ally's best foreign policy move as just singing its way by a murderous Islamist attack like whistling past the graveyard at midnight too? Sad. The "Hommage de John Kerry a Paris" musical concert event was held January 16, 2015 at the Hotel de Ville Paris.

Time: 03:25

If you want to sing along, please follow the lyrics below and sing it loud while taking a shower, a real cold, cold shower....

"You've Got A Friend" - James Taylor's #1 1971 Hit (Lyrics) 

And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loud, yeah
Soon I'll be knocking upon your door

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yes I will
To see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh yeah, but don't you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yes I will.

You've got a friend
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again (oh baby don't you know)
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
Lord, I'll be there yes I will.
You've got a friend

Oh, you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
You've got a friend.