Obama Man Goes Viral (Part II)

Today, someone left a comment on my blog that said…

…that was terrific, where did you get the idea? I mean did you just wake up one morning and started humming the lyrics….c’mon every great idea has an inspiration. Tell us what triggered it.

Karl Williams

I thought, this might be a great opportunity to talk about where the inspiration for Obama Man came from.

I think it was a Thursday night in April  of 2009.  The night before I was about to appear on the Bob and Tom Radio Show.  I usually stay up the whole night obsessing over what material I’m going to do on the show.  I’m like a kid cramming for a test the next day.

I had just finished working with comedian Glen Jensen at Crackers Comedy Club and we were discussing Obama.  We work together quite a bit and we’re always trying out new material on each other.  He said to me, “Obama’s like Sammy Davis Jr.  He can do anything!”  When he said that, it felt like the a lightning rod of inspiration shot through my body.

Glen and I are huge fans of the old school entertainers like Sammy, Dean, Jerry and Frank.  but we always considered Sammy the best.  He could sing, dance, act, do impressions, play the trumpet and drums!

I said, “Hey, that’s a song!”  and started singing…

Who can fix your mortgage, General Motors too,

A bail out check for me and a bail out check for you. Obama Man.

By the time we were back to the hotel, I had the first verse written.  I dashed upstairs and started writing and Glen tried to find a karaoke version of Candy man.  We bounced ideas back and forth over the phone and had the whole thing written in less than an hour.

I burned the karaoke version to a blank CD and went out to my car at 4:00 in the morning and started practicing the song.  I didn’t want to disturb any of the guest at the hotel by singing in my room so I thought the car was the most private place to practice.  I’m belting the song out like I’m in the shower with a Mr. Microphone and this guy walking his dog gives me a WTF look.  Certainly not my most embarrassing moment but still memorable.

And that’s how the Obama Man song was born.  Thanks Karl!