At Last

Currently listening to: Beyonce Knowles – At Last

At last, I have TV Cable at my soap box since yesterday evening. The technicians installed it just before the sun went down. And I had my first experience watching E! channel. And I was like startled.

Beyoncé Knowles sang the song for the first dance of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on the night of his inauguration as President of the United States in Washington DC.

The whole thing was so touching!

Firstly, Beyoncé sang beautiful, soulfully and wonderfully. Secondly, Barack and Michelle seem like such a warm and caring couple. Thirdly, can you even believe that an African American is moving in to the White House?!

How appropriate was that song?

"At Last!" is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives, starring George Montgomery and Ann Rutherford. It was first performed in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, vocal by Ray Eberle & Pat Friday. The song was a major hit for Miller, reaching number fourteen on the Billboard pop charts in 1942, and it soon became a standard. Nat King Cole recorded it in 1957 on his number one album Love Is the Thing. In 1960, it was covered by blues singer Etta James in a performance that improvised on Warren's melody. James was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 for her rendition of the song.

In the decades since its release it has been covered by a number of artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Jason Mraz, Phoebe Snow, Miles Davis, Martina McBride, Céline Dion, Lou Rawls, Eva Cassidy, Christina Aguilera, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, Norah Jones, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Scott, The Manhattan Rhythm Kings,Cyndi Lauper, Aubrey O'Day, Beyonce Knowles, and Nikki Yanofsky. The Etta James version is perhaps the most famous, and is known to be performed at weddings and wedding receptions because of its romantic lyrics and sweeping orchestration. It was used in the trailer for Wall-E movie.

It’s amazing that Bey can say she not only lived to see this moment in history, but also performed for this man. I couldn't believe that very talented singer such as Bey almost wept after the song finished. She couldn't overcome the delightfull moment. Even after, she did wept in interview session with E! Aren't we all feel the same tremendous happiness?

At last my love has come along

my lonely days are over

and life is like a song

Oh yeah, at last

The skies above are blue

My heart was wrapped up in clover

the night I looked at you

I found a dream that I could speak to

A dream that I can call my own

I found a thrill to hold my cheek to

A thrill that I have never known

Oh yeah when you smile, you smile

Oh, and then the spell was cast

And here we are in heaven

For you are mine

At Last