The Glory Yet to Come

I didn't watch the Oscars last night but Twitter kept me up to date as we moved through the evening. Patricia Arquette deserved the Best Supporting Actress award and apparently her speech about equality for women was excellent. Her film, Boyhood, was robbed of the Best Picture  prize even though Birdman was an interesting movie. The consensus is that Doogie Howser should stick to hosting the Tonys.

Just about everyone agreed that the highlight of the night was the performance of the Best Song, Glory, and the moving acceptance speech by rapper Common and lyricist John Legend. The song was written for the movie Selma, which is about the Civil Rights marches in that city in the 1960's. It has lots of religious imagery, speaking specifically of Jesus and alluding to his crucifixion in Jerusalem and the crowd gathered near the place of execution.

The title, Glory, is a promise of a better day and again alludes to a hymn, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, or the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The song has taken on an even more powerful meaning in light of increased racial turmoil in the United States during the past few months. But it really speaks to all forms of inequality and the hope that one day it will come to an end.

Did you hear Glory sung at the Oscars? What about the speeches? I'll find them on the internet I'm sure.


Selma's now for every man, woman and child
Even Jesus got his crown in front of a crowd
They marched with the torch, we gon' run with it now
Never look back, we done gone hundreds of miles
From dark roads he rose, to become a hero
Facin' the league of justice, his power was the people
Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
Now we right the wrongs in history
No one can win the war individually
It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people's energy
Welcome to the story we call victory
Comin' of the Lord, my eyes have seen the glory

One day, when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh, one day, when the war is one