2023, you better deliver the goods
Okay, so you’re probably thinking you’re all done with your Joey to the world for the season, amirite? Not so fast… Here’s an added Joey for the world.
And I meant to include seasonal greetings to my atheist and agnostic friends too.
You can also have a Nutcracker. Or should I just let sleeping dogs lie?
(A sleeping elephant family, photographed by drone.)
Jewish families have already had their traditional New Year’s Chinese food.
I’ll admit, after the shocks and terrors and stupidity and crimes of the past few years, another new year offers what? Promises of better or the threat of more?
Welcome to 2023...
If they’re not down already, you’ll likely be taking down holiday decorations this weekend. But before you stifle the holiday music, I have a proposition for you.
I’m not really suggesting we make Mary. I could go to hell for that.
But for the past two months, while collecting awful memes, I was collecting and sorting music (and other) videos too. I ditched old Christmas playlists and put extra effort to find newer selections for this season. So gone is Mariah singing O Holy Night. Gone is the Love, Actually version of All I Want For Christmas.
I still included a handful of old standards like the Judy Garland/Mel Torme duet and how could I bypass Robert Earl Keene’s Merry Christmas From the Family after such a dysfunctional 2022?
I also included several that aren’t even Christmas songs, just because.
Swan Lake? Nope, that got replaced by Dying Swan and Swine Lake.
If you can stream YouTube to your TV or check them out on a regular computer monitor, that’s recommended. Many of them are better heard and seen.
If not today, there’s a weekend ahead to check them out if you’re up for it. I worked hard, trying to get them and these holiday newsletters completed by Christmas Day, but real life responsibilities intruded. On Christmas Eve, I remembered the words of the prophet:
So I made the final preparations for Christmas just in the Nick of time:
So you have your choice of two playlists.
You might prefer the more humorous one if you’re living the thug life.
It begins with Betty Bowers and ends with the best version of Mr Grinch that I’ve ever heard. About an hour and 48 minutes long for all 30 songs.
The unintentionally funny Patti Labelle video, the boys Gospel Quartet, followed by Dying Swan & Funny Girls, plus the Grinch song are especially recommended.
If you prefer a more traditional playlist, in multiple genres (classical orchestras, operatic, choirs, gospel, rock, a capella), you’ll find some real stunners in this one. I tried to arrange them so they get better and better as they go.
There’s 39 of them, nearly 2 and a half hours long.
If you click on the first in each playlist, they should cycle through. This begins with the reflections of the brilliant comedic musician Tim Minchin, who’s kinda like an Australian version of Tom Lehrer, but with added feelings. The playlist ends with Peter, Paul & Mary. (Sometimes I find YouTube will continue past a playlist, so I always mention the defined end song).
I’ll mention the kindergarden KODA song as KODA = Kids Of Deaf Adults, and the sobering Norwegian postal service one but I’m certain you’ll also find some others that’ll blow you away. (OMG, the Aled Jones one with 12 yr old Malakai !)
And if you had a crappy 2022, I’m sorry and hope you keep healing.
Before 2022, this was Lviv, Ukraine. Their year sucked too.
“Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
(Robert F. Kennedy)
So I wish all the peace and love and joy and beauty to each of you in 2023.
As I never want to end a year on a bad note with anyone, everyone tell me you’re sorry and we’ll be good.