Yes We Can

Infobox Single
Name = Yes We Can

---

Artist = Barack Obama and will.i.am featuring Various Artists
Album =
Released = February 2, 2008 (YouTube, Dipdive)
Recorded = Ether and Record Plant, Los Angeles, January 31, 2008
Genre = R&B, Ballad
Format = streaming video
Label =
Length = 4:30
Writer = will.i.am, Barack Obama
Producer = will.i.am
Chronology = will.i.am singles
Last single = "Here I Come" (2008)
This single = "Yes We Can" (2008)
Next single = ""We Are the Ones"">We Are the Ones" (2008)
Misc =

"Yes We Can" is a collage style music video inspired by delivered by Senator Barack Obama following the 2008 New Hampshire primary, derived from similar union catch cries. The song was released on February 2, 2008 by the Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am on Dipdive.com and also on YouTube under the username 'WeCan08' [YouTube (2008). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video] . Retrieved February 3, 2008.] . It was honored with the first-ever Emmy Award for Best New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment [Video Awarded Emmy(R) for New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment. [http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS145884+16-Jun-2008+MW20080616 Emmy for 'Yes We Can' Song] . Retrieved February 3, 2008.] .

Although the lyrics are entirely quotations from Sen. Obama's concession speech in the New Hampshire primary, [ [http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1710721,00.html Inspiration vs. Substance - TIME ] ] the Obama campaign had no involvement in its production. [Huffington Post (2008). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-melber/obamas-starstudded-yout_b_84589.html Obama's Star-Studded YouTube Music Video] . Retrieved February 11, 2008.] The viral music video, shot in a sparse black-and-white, features Barack Obama's image in collage fashion; the performers (celebrities including musicians, singers and actors) echo his words in a hip-hop call-and-response manner as his voice plays in the background. The song was produced by will.i.am; the music video was directed by Jesse Dylan, the son of singer Bob Dylan.ABC News (2008). [http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4231523 New Celeb-Filled Music Video for Obama] . Retrieved February 3, 2008.] The music video (which Joe Klein of "Time" later characterized as "brilliant") [ [http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1710721,00.html Inspiration vs. Substance - TIME ] ] premiered on the national media on ABC News Now's "What's the Buzz" entertainment program on February 1, 2008. On February 2 it was featured on the Obama campaign's community blog, [Obama for America (2008). [http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CGBMy The 'Yes We Can' Song] . Retrieved February 3, 2008.] and later promoted as a viral video by the campaign on its website. [Obama for America (2008). [http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/yeswecanvideo Share this video and invite your friends to join our movement] . Retrieved February 5, 2008.] Obama played the clip prior to a February 12 rally of nearly 20,000 at the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Since the original posting on YouTube, the video has been re-posted a number of times by other users and as of February 23, 2008, the video had been watched a combined total of more than 12 million times among all of the postings. It had also been viewed more than 4 million times on Dipdive, for a combined web total of more than 16 million viewings. By July 22, 2008, the video had been watched over 21 million times on YouTube and other sites.cite news |first=Brian |last=Stelter |authorlink=Brian Stelter |title=Finding Political News Online, the Young Pass It On |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/us/politics/27voters.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1206666163-YpoMNe/u2DIXJ6Q+JgPlLQ |work=The New York Times |date=2008-03-27 |accessdate=2008-03-28 ] The video also won will.i.am a Webby Award for "Artist of the Year". [cite web|last=Greene|first=Brittany|title=Will.i.am Wins a Webby|url=http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2008/05/will_wins_webby/|work=VIBE.com|date=2008-05-06|accessdate=2008-05-06] It was also criticized, however, by conservative commentators for being over-the-top and worshipful. [cite news |first=James |last=Taranto |authorlink=James Taranto |title=Obama, a Love Story |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120240722108951205.html |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=2008-02-07 |accessdate=2008-08-02 ] [cite news |first=Joel |last=Stein |authorlink=Joel Stein |title=He's got Obamaphilia |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-stein8feb08,0,3418234.column |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2008-02-08 |accessdate=2008-08-02 ]

Will.i.am and John Legend performed the song on the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention at INVESCO Field, Denver, Colorado. [cite web |url=http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/william-from-on.html |title=Will.I.Am: From Online Video To Convention Floor |accessdate=2008-08-29 |last=Stirland |first=Sarah Lai |date=2008-08-28 |work= |publisher=Wired.com]

Guest appearances

The following celebrities were featured in the song and music video (time indicates first appearance on the official dipdive.com version): [Dipdive.com (2008). [http://www.dipdive.com/ Credits] . Retrieved February 6, 2008.]

*will.i.am - 0:01
*Scarlett Johansson - 0:05
*Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 0:21
*Common - 0:23
*John Legend - 0:32
*Bryan Greenberg (guitar) - 0:37
*Kate Walsh - 0:44
*Tatyana Ali - 0:44
*Harold Perrineau, Jr. - 0:49
*Aisha Tyler - 1:01
*Samuel Page - 1:03
*Enrique Murciano - 1:07 "Si, podemos" - 1:17
*Maya Rubin - 1:08 "כן אנו יכולים (Qen Annu Yecholim)" (Hebrew)
*Esthero - 1:10
*Eric Balfour - 1:23
*Nicole Scherzinger - 1:30
*Taryn Manning - 1:40
*Amber Valletta - 1:52
*Auden McCaw (in Valetta's arms) - 1:52
*Kelly Hu - 1:52

*Adam Rodríguez - 1:56 "Sí se puede"
*Eric Christian Olsen - 2:02
*Sarah Wright - 2:02
*Shoshannah Stern (American Sign Language) - 2:05
*Ed Kowalczyk (guitar) - 2:19
*Fonzworth Bentley (violin) - 2:38
*Amaury Nolasco - 3:24
*Hill Harper - 3:27
*Nick Cannon - 3:36
*Herbie Hancock (piano) - 3:41
*Johnathon Schaech - 3:45
*Austin Nichols - 3:50
*Tracee Ellis Ross - 4:00
*Fred Goldring (guitar) - 4:03

*Anson Mount
*Alfonso Ribeiro
*Cliff Collins
*Vera Farmiga

Parodies

* It also inspired the spoof songs "john.he.is" and "No You Can't" satirizing the Republican candidate John McCain. [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1581403/20080212/id_0.jhtml Obama Video Spawns McCain Spoofs - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News ] ] .
* Another parody, created by "Attack of the Show!", replaces Obama with the G.I. Joe villain Cobra Commander. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzrd6eVAsjA YouTube - "Yes, We Shall" Music Video - Vote Cobra '08 ] ]
* "Yes I Can", which was created by MADtv, replaces Barack Obama and artists with "Kim Jong-il and Friends". [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=drUJyjEYEVs MADtv - Kim Jong-Il & Friends "Yes I Can" Music Video] ]

"We Are the Ones"

Infobox Single
Name = We Are the Ones

---

Artist = will.i.am featuring Various Artists
Album =
Released = February 29, 2008 (YouTube, Dipdive)
Recorded = 2008
Genre = R&B, Ballad
Format = streaming video
Label =
Length = 3:05
Writer = will.i.am, Barack Obama
Producer = will.i.am
Chronology = will.i.am singles
Last single = "Yes We Can" (2008)
This single = "We Are the Ones" (2008)
Next single = "Heartbreaker"
(2008)
Misc =

On February 29, 2008, will.i.am released another song on DipDive supporting Obama entitled "We Are the Ones". The music video also features celebrities, but is based on their opinions of Obama, with one line spoken by Obama near the end.

Guest appearances

* Zoe Kravitz - 0:09
* Jessica Alba - 0:22, 1:25
* Adrianne Palicki - 0:31
* Andres Levin- 0:32
* Ryan Phillippe - 0:34
* Susanna Hoffs - 0:38
* Jackson Roach - 0:38
* Regina King - 0:39, 0:42
* Kate Del Castillo - 0:45
* Kerry Washington - 0:49
* Will.i.am - 0:49
* Tichina Arnold - 0:50
* Taboo - 0:51
* Macy Gray - 0:56
* Ryan Key of Yellowcard - 0:57
* Malcolm Jamal Warner - 0:59
* Troy Garity - 1:03 (holding picture of Barack Obama)
* Freddy Rodriguez - 1:05
* John Leguizamo - 1:09, 1:10, 1:53
* Nate Parker - 1:10
* Jesse Plemons - 1:11, 1:13
* Macy Gray - 1:13
* Troy Garity- 1:16, 1:19
* Kerry Washington - 1:30
* Cheryl James - 1:33
* Tyrese Gibson - 1:50
* Eric Mabius - 2:00
* George Lopez - 2:04
* Luis Guzmán - 2:08
* Ryan Key - 2:26, 2:29, 2:32
* Regina King - 2:33
* Anna David - 2:40
* Noah Segan - 2:42
* Omar Benson Miller - 2:43
* Benjamin McKenzie

pinoff

A video game for the Nintendo DS based on this song was released in September 2008 by Multiple:Option. [http://multiple-option.blogspot.com/2008/09/obama-says-yes-we-can.html] It is a Daigasso! Band Brothers type game where players press buttons in time with the music.

ee also

*Sí se puede ("Yes, It can be done")
*Si Se Puede Cambiar, Obama music video from Andres Useche
*PODEMOS ("We Can")
*Hillary 4 U And Me, opponent Hillary Clinton music video released at about the same time

References

External links

* [http://www.dipdive.com/ Dipdive.com]
* [http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF009D532800170098CF1D/ Yes We Can on Think MTV]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ9AkOj90cA Yes We Can by The J's Band]