At first, Geysa Blanco thought her son was kidding. 
 
 "He said, ‘Mom, I have news for you,’ " Blanco said, recalling the telephone call from her son a few weeks ago. 
 
 "Between English and Spanish, he told me that they had chosen him to write and read a poem at the presidential inauguration,” she said. 
 
 But Richard Blanco, a child of exiles who was raised in Miami and graduated from Florida International University, was serious. 
 
 The Barack Obama inaugural committee chose the 44-year-old Cuban-American civil engineer and author to recite an original poem at Monday’s inauguration. 
 
 Richard Blanco has also been speechless. “It took me 10 minutes to remember what the word for inauguration is in Spanish," he said in a telephone interview Sunday from Washington, D.C., less than 24 hours before taking center stage. 
 
 Blanco, who now lives in Maine, will become the first Hispanic inaugural poet and the first openly gay one. He is also only the fifth and youngest poet in the exclusive club of poets. 
 
 The first was Robert Frost, who in 1961 wrote a poem for the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. 
 
 Then in 1993, Bill Clinton chose the African-American writer Maya Angelou. Miller Williams was chosen for Clinton’s second inauguration, and Elizabeth Alexander wrote the poem for Obama’s first ceremony. 
 
 In a statement, Obama said Blanco’s work represents "the great strength and diversity of the American people." 
 
 This diversity and strength could be reflected in the story of the poet’s Cuban exile mother. 
 
 "She is a very brave woman and has worked hard all her life for my brother and me," Blanco said. 
 
 During an interview at her Westchester home, Geysa Blanco, 75, said that it still seems surreal that a woman who grew up in a sugar refinery in Cienfuegos will stand in front of the National Capitol, watching her son recite a poem for the nation and the president of the United States. 
 
 “My son said reporters might want to interview me and I said, ‘Me? What for?’ ” Geysa Blanco said. Indeed, local reporters and TV cameras have come knocking and the proud mother has given several interviews. 
 
 Geysa Blanco has also become a celebrity among her neighbors, friends and customers at Regions Bank on Bird Road, where she has worked for more than 30 years. 
 
 The roots of Richard Blanco’s writing began in 1968 when his parents fled the Communist island and went into exile in Spain. At the time, Geysa Blanco, a teacher, was pregnant and she and her late husband Carlos, already had an older son, also named Carlos. 
 
 "We decided to leave Cuba because the government was becoming more and more difficult to live under," she said. "But it was very painful for me because I left my mother and brothers behind and came here virtually alone and with nothing." 
 
 After five months in Spain, where she gave birth to Richard, they emigrated to New York. 
 
 As a boy, she said Richard always had an interest in exploring his Cuban roots. 
 
 "I always had questions about Cuba, about the family we left there," he said. On his website he refers to himself as being “made in Cuba, assembled in Spain, and imported to the U.S.” 
 
 That sense of not belonging and trying to belong seeps through his books of poetry, which often feature his family and their efforts hold on to their traditions. 
 
 When Richard was about 5 and Carlos 11, the family moved to the closest place to Cuba – Miami. His mother went to work in a supermarket and later landed her bank job. 
 
 "We lived three generations in one house, my husband’s parents, my husband and I, and Carlos and Richard," the poet’s mother said. "Sometimes it was hard because grandparents are not accustomed to the modern ways of young people.” 
 
 Today, she laments that those family members are gone. “I wish Richard’s father and grandparents were here to enjoy this day,” she said. 
 
 Richard Blanco did get to visit the homeland his parents yearned for when he was growing up. 
 
 "Everyone thought he wasn’t going to speak Spanish and was going to feel uncomfortable," Geysa Blanco said of her relatives on the island. "But they were surprised because he picked yucca in the fields, jumped in the canals and danced a lot, just like everyone else.” 
 
 That trip as a young man would shape the poet’s future work, his mother said. "I think that’s where he caught the bug to write about his roots," she said. 
 
 A previous version of this article misspelled the name of poet Miller Williams. ||||| Beyonce Didn't Rehearse National Anthem With Marine Band Until Night Before Inauguration 
 
 Beyonce wasn't technically the main attraction at President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony on Monday, but she very nearly stole the show. Taking the stage to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" after Obama's swearing-in and stirring inaugural address, the superstar drew wild applause from the hundreds of thousands of people who had turned out for the big event. Her rendition of the national anthem was impressive, to say the least -- even more so considering she had almost no time to rehearse with the United States Marine Band, which accompanied her performance. 
 
 PHOTOS: Presidential Inauguration 2013: All the stars and celebrations 
 
 Planning for the musical portion of the ceremony begins several weeks in advance, but as band director Colonel Michael J. Colburn revealed to Buzzfeed, it can be difficult to block out time with the celebrities. Especially when they're as in-demand as Beyonce is. 
 
 "As soon as we get information from the Presidential Inaugural Committee [about] who the guest artists are going to be, we make contact with them, find out how we can prepare arrangements that will really kind of flatter their voices -- of course in the right key," Colburn told Buzzfeed on Jan. 21. "We had Kelly [Clarkson] in over the weekend to rehearse and record. Beyonce, she's getting ready for the Super Bowl, so we didn't have a chance to do anything with her until last night." 
 
 PHOTOS: Beyonce's best hairstyles ever 
 
 (The "Crazy in Love" singer is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, where she'll be joined by her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.) 
 
 "it's a very, very tight window of opportunity," Colburn said. He added, though, that what little time the band had with her went "very well." 
 
 PHOTOS: Beyonce's sexy style 
 
 Indeed, despite some apparent audio problems -- the Grammy-winning singer ripped out her earpiece halfway through the song -- Beyonce's performance was a highlight of the inauguration ceremony. Another highlight? Her stunning style. The star looked gorgeous in an Emilio Pucci black velvet and chiffon cutout gown, a black Dior coat, and 80-carat emerald earrings by Lorraine Schwartz. 
 
 Tell Us: What did you think of Beyonce's rendition of the national anthem? ||||| A military band conductor rehearses the Stars and Stripes on the eve of ceremonies marking the second inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2013. 
 
 President Barack Obama will hold his public inauguration ceremony on Monday at the U.S. Capitol, followed by a parade to the White House. 
 
 Here is a guide to the main inauguration events. All times are Eastern Time. 
 
 9.a.m. 
 
 Former presidents, House of Representatives members, senators, governors and Cabinet designees begin to arrive at the U.S. Capitol for the public, ceremonial inauguration of President Obama and Vice President Biden. 
 
 9:30 a.m. 
 
 Fifth-grade chorus from Public School 22 in Staten Island, New York performs 
 
 10 a.m. 
 
 U.S. Marine Band performs 
 
 11:14 a.m. 
 
 First lady Michelle Obama takes her seat 
 
 11:18 a.m. 
 
 Vice President Joe Biden takes his seat 
 
 11:20 a.m. 
 
 President Barack Obama takes his seat 
 
 11:35 a.m. 
 
 Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil-rights leader Medgar Evers, gives the invocation 
 
 11:38 a.m. 
 
 The Brooklyn (New York) Tabernacle Choir sings "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" 
 
 11:46 a.m. 
 
 Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor administers the vice presidential oath of office to Vice President Biden 
 
 11:50 a.m. 
 
 Singer James Taylor performs "America the Beautiful" 
 
 11:55 a.m. 
 
 U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts administers the presidential oath of office to President Obama 
 
 11:56 a.m. 
 
 Trumpets perform "Ruffles and Flourishes" and the U.S. Marine Band performs "Hail to the Chief," followed by a 21-gun salute 
 
 12 p.m. 
 
 Obama delivers the inaugural address 
 
 12:21 p.m. 
 
 Singer Kelly Clarkson performs "America (My Country 'Tis of Thee)" 
 
 12:26 p.m. 
 
 Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco reads a poem 
 
 12:30 p.m. 
 
 Benediction is delivered by the Rev. Luis Leon 
 
 12:34 p.m. 
 
 Singer Beyonce sings the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" 
 
 12:39 p.m. 
 
 President Obama signs official documents. The Obamas then attend the inauguration luncheon at the Capitol with the Bidens 
 
 2:32 p.m. 
 
 Review of the troops 
 
 2:36 p.m. 
 
 The Obamas and Bidens begin the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House 
 
 6 p.m. 
 
 Commander-in-chief's inaugural ball at the Washington Convention Center with military personnel and their spouses. The Obamas and Bidens are scheduled to attend. 
 
 6:30 p.m. 
 
 Official Inaugural Ball, at the Washington Convention Center. The Obamas and Bidens are scheduled to attend. 
 
 TUESDAY, JANUARY 22 
 
 10:30 
 
 National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral attended by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden 
 
 (Reporting by Alistair Bell; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) ||||| Despite the protestations of some media figures, a rapper performed in front of schoolchildren Wednesday evening at the White House. Somehow, the Earth kept turning. 
 
 The Grammy-winning hip-hop stalwart Common was one of several artists who celebrated poetry and the spoken word before an audience of dozens of high-schoolers, President Obama and the first lady. 
 
 “I woke up with the sunshine, a sunshine I had never seen,” Common rapped gently over a twinkling piano accompaniment. “There was light at the end of it, reminding me to forever dream. I was dreaming I walked into the White House with love on my sleeve and love for each and every one of you, reminding you to believe.” 
 
 The whole event — part of Michelle Obama’s White House Music Series — was a PG-rated PSA for poetry and arts education, but the media conjured a controversy before it even happened. 
 
 This week, Common was deemed a “vile,” “cop killer rapper” in headlines on Fox Nation, a Web site run by Fox News. Criticism sprang from other conservative fountainheads, including former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (who tweeted her disapproval), the Daily Caller (which excerpted lyrics through which Common bemoaned police conduct and President George W. Bush’s initiation of the war in Iraq) and Fox News anchor Sean Hannity (who Tuesday devoted 10 minutes of his show to what the network branded “The Invitation”). 
 
 Audience members applaud as President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive to host a celebration of American poetry and prose at the White House, (Carolyn Kaster/AP) 
 
 The noise of outside outrage didn’t penetrate the relaxed, melodic atmosphere of the East Room, where Common was just another member of a varied cast of poets: singer-songwriters Aimee Mann and Jill Scott; former U.S. poets laureate Rita Dove and Billy Collins; avant-garde poets Alison Knowles and Kenneth Goldsmith; and comedian-banjoist Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. The music series has previously hosted acts from the genres of country music, classical music, Latin music and Motown. 
 
 With a stage washed in teal lighting and cabaret-style seating adorned with candles, the East Room looked more like a Rat Pack-era nightclub than the reception area of a head of state. 
 
 Mann strummed her signature tune “Save Me”: “You look like a perfect fit. For a girl in need of a tourniquet.” 
 
 Scott, through spoken word, implored students to put pen to paper: “Ah children, please write. Paste your thoughts on our thoughts for a while.” 
 
 Collins recited an ode to forgetfulness: “It is as if one by one the memories you used to harbor decide to retire to the southern hemisphere of the brain to a little fishing village where there are no phones.” 
 
 Common, sitting on a stool and wearing a light-gray suit, mourned — in quiet rhythmic verse — young people who suffer and die in a society hobbled by poverty and retribution. 
 
 “Destiny’s children — survivors, soldiers — in front of buildings their eyes look older,” he rapped. “It’s hard to see blessings in a violent culture.” 
 
 Before the event, debate simmered over Common’s lyrics. 
 
 “I’m talking about judgment, and who you bring into [the White House] as the president and first lady, and the image you send out to children,” argued radio host David Webb on Hannity’s TV show. 
 
 “And the image Common is sending out to children is there’s an arc of adulthood,” countered Bucknell University professor James Peterson. “He has matured and developed his lyrics. . . . Look at his social outreach.” 
 
 Hannity, wrapping up the segment, said: “This is not a guy we want our kids to listen to.” 
 
 Critics were swift to pinpoint lyrics that support such controversial figures as Assata Shakur, a Black Liberation Army leader who was convicted in 1977 of killing a New Jersey state trooper. On the other side, Common’s defenders asserted that such songs are civic-minded protests of corrupt law enforcement and unjust legal proceedings. 
 
 The media tug of war ensued despite Common’s reputation as a morally engaged lyricist who condemns violence and has written children’s books and started a foundation to promote leadership among urban youths. 
 
 But the punditry’s snit raises the question: Is an invitation to the White House an endorsement of an artist’s entire oeuvre, of a person’s whole being? 
 
 Addressing Common’s invitation, White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a media briefing earlier in the day: The president has spoken out “against those kinds of lyrics and he opposes them, but he does not think that is the sum total of this particular artist’s work. . . . 
 
 “It’s ironic to pick out those particular lyrics about this particular artist when in fact he’s known as a socially conscious hip-hop artist and rapper and has done a lot of good things. You can oppose some of what he’s done and appreciate some of the other things.” 
 
 Or, as the president put it during his opening remarks: “A great poem is one that resonates with us, that challenges us, and that teaches us something about ourselves and the world that we live in.” ||||| President-elect Donald Trump attends a concert on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial on the eve of his inauguration. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) 
 
 Did you miss Trump’s inaugural concert? Titled “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” at the Lincoln Memorial, it was a combination of weird, patriotic and weirdly patriotic. Here’s everything you need to know: 
 
 [Despite criticism, country singers will be performing all over Trump’s inauguration weekend] 
 
 Jon Voight’s speech 
 
 Although Trump’s inaugural speech Friday will supposedly be all about unity, that was not exactly the theme of Jon Voight’s remarks. 
 
 “We have all been witness to a very grueling year and a half for the president-elect. We have been witness to a barrage of propaganda that left us all breathless with anticipation, not knowing if God could reverse all the negative lies against Mr. Trump whose only desire was to make America great again,” Voight said. “He certainly didn’t need this job. And, yes, yes, God answered all our prayers. Because here it is, we will be part of history, all of us.” 
 
 Voight continued: “And President Lincoln, who sits here with us, I’m sure, is smiling knowing America will be saved by an honest and good man who will work for all the people no matter their creed or color,” he said. “So, my friends, let us rejoice in knowing that from this time on, we will see a renewed America.” 
 
 
 
 Actor Jon Voight speaks during the pre-inaugural “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration.” (David J. Phillip/AP) 
 
 DJ Ravidrums 
 
 The Florida drummer, who has performed with Mariah Carey and Paula Abdul, received plenty of backlash for appearing at the inauguration, but he shook it off: “As a first generation Indian American, I view my participation in the inauguration as a unique opportunity to bring visibility to others like me,” he wrote on Facebook. 
 
 Ravidrums got the concert off to a pretty strange start, as it’s unclear whether anyone was expecting a frenetic drum performance. The weirdness was rivaled only by the dancers in glowing costumes. 
 
 Make America Wonder WTF Is Happening Again pic.twitter.com/vbwgpPp7N6 — Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) January 19, 2017 
 
 Sam Moore 
 
 The soul singer belted out the classic “America the Beautiful,” as one of the more traditional parts of the concert. 
 
 
 
 Singer Sam Moore performs. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) 
 
 The Frontmen of Country 
 
 Trump, seated next to wife Melania and daughter Ivanka, nodded and slightly swayed along to the music provided by this trio, made up of singers from various country bands: Tim Rushlow of Little Texas, Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, and Richie McDonald of Lonestar. They performed a medley of their greatest hits, including “The Bluest Eyes in Texas” and “Why Does It Have to Be” from Restless Heart. Rushlow sang Little Texas’s “Amy’s Back in Austin” and “God Blessed Texas,” while McDonald crooned “Walking in Memphis” and “I’m Already There.” 
 
 “It’s an honor for us to be here representing music from Nashville, Tennessee, all the great bands out of Nashville over the last 30 years,” Stewart said. 
 
 
 
 Lee Greenwood and the Frontmen of Country. (Mike Segar/Reuters) 
 
 Lee Greenwood 
 
 Greenwood, who wrote “God Bless the USA,” strolled out and performed the rest of his signature patriotic tune. Of all the songs, Trump was the biggest fan of this one — he stood up about halfway through (and appeared to urge his family to do the same), singing along to a few words during the chorus. Afterward, Trump brought in Greenwood for a handshake and briefly chatted with the rest of the Frontmen of Country, while the crowd chanted “USA! USA!” 
 
 3 Doors Down 
 
 The pop-rock band most famous in the early 2000s kicked things off with “Broken,” a song with lyrics that could relate to the Trump voters who feel “forgotten”: “This is the call to the broken, stand up and take back your world today.” Then the group ticked off its biggest hits (“When I’m Gone,” “Kryptonite,” “Here Without You”) as Trump sat in his chair and swayed a bit but also turned to talk to his family. 
 
 
 
 Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down (Mike Segar/Reuters) 
 
 The Piano Guys 
 
 Never heard of these “four musical dads from Utah”? You’re not alone, although apparently they have one of the most-viewed YouTube channels ever. (This sparked CNN’s Jake Tapper to wonder whether they were the first YouTube sensation to play a presidential inaugural concert. It’s possible.) 
 
 After an instrumental piano performance, one of the Piano Guys spoke: “Okay, America, it’s time to put all our differences aside,” he declared. “It’s time to unite our hearts, our minds and our voices as one. Because when we do, it’s gonna be okay.” This led into a jaunty, upbeat song called, fittingly, “Okay,” that repeated the line “It’s gonna be okay!” over and over. Trump stood up to sway along during this song, too. 
 
 
 
 The Piano Guys perform. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) 
 
 Toby Keith 
 
 The country star closed out the show on a very patriotic note, with military tribute “American Soldier” and “Made in America.” 
 
 “On behalf of my family, my band and all my fans, I want to salute the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard,” Keith said during his set. “Thanks to Barack Obama for your service. And thanks for the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump. I salute you.” 
 
 As he launched into “Beer For My Horses” (recorded as a duet with Willie Nelson), Keith foisted a red cup into the sky, and tweaked the lyrics from “we’ll all meet back at the local saloon” to “we’ll all get smashed at the inaugural celebration” — an interesting song choice, given that Trump does not drink alcohol. 
 
 Keith finished out the set with his best-known song, the post-9/11 anthem “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” which he dedicated to his father. The song includes the famous line, “We’ll put a boot in your ass, it’s the American way,” and Keith sang it with gusto. 
 
 
 
 Toby Keith during “Beer for My Horses.”(AP Photo/David J. Phillip) 
 
 Trump’s remarks 
 
 At the end of the nearly two-hour concert, Trump spoke to the crowd: “I’d like to congratulate our incredible entertainers tonight. Toby and Lee Greenwood and all of the great talent. It was really very special,” he said, also thanking the military band. 
 
 “This started out tonight being a small little concert, and then we had the idea maybe we’ll do it in front of the Lincoln Memorial. I don’t know if it’s ever been done before, but if it has, very seldom,” Trump said. (As many on Twitter pointed out, President Obama hosted an inaugural concert there in 2009.) “And the people came by the thousands and thousands and here we are tonight.” 
 
 Trump added that he was looking forward to Friday’s official ceremony: “We’re going to unify our country. And our phrase — you all know it, half of you are wearing the hat — ‘Make America Great Again.’ But we’re going to make America great for all our people, everybody.” 
 
 Read more: 
 
 A fierce will to win pushed Trump to the top 
 
 Trump begins inaugural festivities as he prepares for presidency 
 
 Trump is right. He didn’t create the country’s divisions. But will he heal them? ||||| British singer says she would appear at the ceremony if she could perform anti-lynching anthem popularized by Billie Holiday 
 
 Singer Rebecca Ferguson has said she would accept an invitation to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration on 20 January on one condition: she be allowed to sing Strange Fruit. 
 
 
 
 First recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939 and covered by Nina Simone in 1965, Strange Fruit is one of the nation’s most famous songs about racism. The lyrics by Abel Meeropol graphically describe the lynchings of African-Americans: 
 
 Southern trees bear strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees 
 
 Ferguson – a British singer who became well-known after appearing on 2010’s X Factor in the UK, memorably performing Sam Cooke’s civil rights anthem A Change is Gonna Come – called Strange Fruit “a song that speaks to all the disregarded and down trodden black people in the United States” in a Twitter statement introduced with the words “inauguration ceremony” explaining that she would appear at Trump’s inauguration only if she could sing that song: 
 
 I’ve been asked and this is my answer. If you allow me to sing Strange Fruit, a song that has huge historical importance, a song that was blacklisted in the United States for being too controversial. A song that speaks to all the disregarded and downtrodden black people in the United States. A song that is a reminder of how love is the only thing that will conquer all the hatred in this world, then I will graciously accept your invitation and see you in Washington. Best Rebecca X 
 
 Trump has been struggling to get A-listers to appear at his inauguration. Elton John, Gene Simmons and Garth Brooks have all turned down invites, with many major artists aligning themselves with the Hillary Clinton campaign or not wishing to be associated with a Trump presidency. 
 
 
 
 The president-elect did not respond to a question from the Guardian about whether Ferguson would be performing Strange Fruit at the inauguration. 
 
 Below are 10 other songs that Trump might want to consider for his inauguration ceremony. 
 
 1. Immigrants (We get the Job Done) by K’naan, Snow Tha Product, Riz MC and Residente 
 
 This tune from The Hamilton Mixtape (a reworking of songs from the Lin-Manuel Miranda Broadway musical about founding father Alexander Hamilton) will be recognizable to incoming vice-president Mike Pence, who famously went to see the musical just a few days after the election. The “immigrants: we get the job done” line usually gets the biggest cheer of the night in the live show, but this version also includes the following intro from a news broadcast: 
 
 You know, and it gets into this whole issue of border security, you know, who’s gonna say that the borders are secure? We’ve got the House and the Senate debating this issue, and it’s ... it’s really astonishing that in a country founded by immigrants, “immigrant” has somehow become a bad word. So the debate rages on and we continue ... 
 
 2. Take the Power Back by Rage Against the Machine 
 
 It’s a post-fact world, but this song from Rage Against the Machine’s eponymous 1992 debut album is a good reminder of the importance of personal political activism, with lyrics that seem like they could have been written today: 
 
 So-called facts are fraud They want us to allege and pledge and bow down to their god Lost the culture, the culture lost Spun our minds and through time, ignorance has taken over 
 
 3. Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen 
 
 Comedian Kate McKinnon’s performance as Hillary Clinton singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah directly after the election and Cohen’s death provided one of the election’s most powerful TV moments. 
 
 4. Ronnie, Talk to Russia by Prince 
 
 This song – originally recorded by Prince as a plea to Ronald Reagan to reach peace with Russia and avoid nuclear war, with the lyrics “Ronnie, talk to Russia before its too late/Before they blow up the world” – might remind congressional Republicans of a time before a GOP president to be invited the country to hack his opponent’s emails and poured scorn on intelligence assessments about Russian hacking of a US election. 
 
 5. Respect by Aretha Franklin 
 
 In the 19 October debate against Clinton, during which Trump’s Democratic opponent outlined his treatment of women and he called her a “nasty woman”, Trump declared that “nobody has more respect for women than I do”. Aretha Franklin singing her most famous hit might highlight that message, although the soul legend may well be reluctant to take part, having performed My Country Tis of Thee at Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2008. 
 
 6. Fight the Power by Public Enemy 
 
 Public Enemy’s 1989 hit may prove a reminder to Trump of the importance of the first amendment, despite his vows to “open up” the libel laws to make it easier to sue the press, his blocking of reporters from his events, labelling them as liars on Twitter and encouragement of rally crowds to boo them: 
 
 Our freedom of speech is freedom or death/We’ve got to fight the powers that be 
 
 7. Born this Way by Lady Gaga 
 
 
 
 Pence, who many expect to see doing much of the day-to-day running of the Trump White House, has long been criticized for his attitudes towards LGBT communities and his tacit backing of so-called conversion therapy. Gaga’s Born This Way is a bit of a contrast to that approach: 
 
 Don’t be a drag, just be a queen Whether you’re broke or evergreen You’re black, white, beige, chola descent You’re Lebanese, you’re Orient Whether life’s disabilities Left you outcast, bullied, or teased Rejoice and love yourself today ‘Cause baby you were born this way 
 
 8. Trump is on your Side by Moby and the Homeland Choir 
 
 This bitterly sarcastic song by Moby suggests that Trump’s claims to care about American jobs and workers may not be totally sincere: “You’re all alone and you’re filled with fear / The billionaire says what you need to hear.” 
 
 9. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor 
 
 “Do you think I’d crumble / Did you think I’d lay down and die? / Oh no, not I / I will survive,” declares Gaynor in this 1978 classic, which became a gay pride anthem. 
 
 10. Changes by Tupac Shakur 
 
 
 
 In this song first recorded in 1992 four years before his death, Tupac Shakur raps about being poor, black and battling racism, drugs, police brutality and the prison system, and declares that America is not ready for an African American president. Trump, who pushed himself as a ‘law-and-order’ candidate, could do worse than to give it a listen.
– Roughly 600,000 people came out to watch President Obama's inauguration this year, which is a far cry from the 1.8 million who came out for his first one, but might nonetheless set a record for a second term inauguration. A look at what all those people saw: A whole lot of celebrities, including Katy Perry, John Mayer, Nick Cannon, Eva Longoria, Cyndi Lauper. James Taylor sang "America the Beautiful," Kelly Clarkson sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (the New York Post catches Bill Clinton photobombing her), and Beyoncé sang the national anthem—at one point, reportedly plagued by audio problems, Gawker notes that she ripped her earpiece out on the way to an impeccable performance. A poem by Cuban immigrant Richard Blanco, who is at once the first Hispanic, the first openly gay, and the youngest poet to ever give an inaugural poem, according to the Miami Herald. You can read the poem here. Sasha Obama yawning, a moment that has, sadly for her, already become a gif, Gawker reports. The Westboro Baptist Church making an obligatory protest appearance, and sporting more protest signs (featuring hip slogans such as " GOD H8S FAGS") than people (eight), according to Daily Intel. Antonin Scalia wearing what Claire McCaskill calls a "really weird hat." Various observers on Twitter opined that it made him look like "a renaissance era painter" or a "mad medieval monk." Maybe he was just jealous of all the attention Aretha got last time out?