You wanna hear something bizarre? Check out James Taylor singing the Sam Cooke classic, available as a download from his website. (Don't listen to it if you don't know the original - go find a recording of that first.) Somehow, JT can take a song about black oppression and civil rights and "whiten it up" in his trademark style and next thing you know, he gets to sing it on the West Wing.

I like the song. It's a great karaoke tune - especially the original - but I wouldn't want to sing it out of respect for the lyrical content. Just like I wouldn't want to cover NWA, as much fun as that would be. It doesn't feel right.

"A Change is Gonna Come"
written by Sam Cooke

I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like the river, I've been running ever since
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there beyond the sky

It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me, "Don't hang around"

It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say, "Brother, help me please"
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will