We The People Are The People

There's so much more to say and to know about the Constitution. What it says, what it means, and how it came to be are so important to our American story. Sometimes when our freedoms lead to unpleasantness, it's even more important that we stop to remember that we have those freedoms in the first place. And we should not take them for granted because there is no guarantee that they will always be with us. But for now, today, they are.

This finale to the revue aims to celebrate what we share as Americans, that we love our country. And to remind us that, despite our differences, "No matter what, I know you love it, too." Many of the lyrics are somewhat similarly profound and worthy of noting if you have the opportunity and inclination. There are some things that could possibly use further explanation, like what is a republic? What does "E pluribus unum" mean? Where did the saying, "of the people, by the people, for the people" come from? These and others are more cross curricular moments to consider.

The song itself is a high energy, uplifting patriotic piece. It has a world beat/Latin groove under a full orchestra and layered military snare drums. It moves along at a clip (quarter note = 192 bpm), so singers will need to stay on their toes.

At the beginning, bar 5, we have indicated an optional soloist. At bar 9, more optional soloists join in, then more at bar 13, and even more in bar 16. By 21, everyone is singing, just in time for the dynamic and the mood to shift from exuberance to reverence. This is also one of those moments when the poetry of the lyrics should feel inspiring. Optional part 2 joins in here as well creating a quasi-hymnlike atmosphere. It crescendos into bar 29, also for the power of the words, continuing to build toward the chorus. In bar 32, the Latin phrase, "E pluribus unum" is optional in case it's too challenging for all part 2 singers. But you could select just a few strong vocalists to do this brief moment if that works for you.

At 37, the chorus is all joy all the time. It's worth pointing out that the lyrics say "We the people are America" (not American), as in, we are the country itself. Make sure singers observe the accents and the use of glottals (glots) where indicated. Listen to our singers on the recording for reference. When the song goes back to the D.S., everyone is singing this time and so it continues as before until it jumps to the coda. At this point, part 1 sustains the A over several bars while part 2 answers with accented syncopation: Of the people! By the people! For the people! As you would expect, it lifts and builds to a huge ending, high trumpets soaring with the familiar "America, The Beautiful" opening motif. All performers shout, "We the people!" at the end. The only thing missing is fireworks.

On our web site, you will find a couple of helpful recordings. One is the isolated rehearsal track for part 2. The other is a full performance in unison – no solos – in case that is better for your situation.