My Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2009

I always enjoy reading those best-of-year lists and used to compile my own back in the day, but I have become so removed from secular pop culture that most of the names on those lists are unfamiliar to me. Music still holds my interest and Christian contemporary is my preferred genre.

I have enough favorite songs, sacred and secular, from 2009 to compile a top 10 list. In no particular order, here they are.

Carolina Liar: Show Me What I'm Looking for



Selah: Hosanna



Silversun Pickups: Panic Switch



Plumb: God-Shaped Hole (2010)



Bat for Lashes with Scott Walker: The Big Sleep



Steven Curtis Chapman: Heaven Is the Face



Phoenix: Lisztomania



Lifehouse: Broken



Doves: Kingdom of Rust



Chris Tomlin: I Will Rise

JibJab Retrospective: Never A Year Like '09

The funny folks at JibJab have created an animated video compiling the most memorable public moments of 2009. Did they miss anybody?

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Pastor Chuck Smith Suffers "Mild Stroke"

Pastor Chuck Smith, founder and pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, reportedly suffered "a very mild stroke" yesterday morning. According to the Orange County Register, spokeswoman Laura Jackson said, "He's recovering well. The doctors want him to have a chance to rest. That's all the family wants to say right now." Smith is 82 years old.

I first attended CCCM during the Jesus People movement of the 1970s, which Pastor Chuck is widely credited with fostering, and returned to the church in 2008. During the intervening 35 years, Calvary Chapel grew into an international fellowship of more than 1,000 evangelical churches, Bible colleges, and radio stations.

Smith is a beloved, iconic, enormously influential figure whose ministry continues to focus on expository preaching of the Scripture as it did when he established Calvary Chapel in 1965. On Sunday evenings, he still teaches a study of the Bible verse by verse and in October 2009 started Genesis anew after completing Revelation for the umpteenth time, in addition to leading weekly Sunday morning worship services. He has tirelessly inspired and supported generations of ministers, including Greg Laurie, Raul Ries, Mike Macintosh, Pancho Juarez and Skip Heitzig, among countless others. But there is only one Pastor Chuck.

Here is Pastor Chuck Smith delivering a recent sermon on the topic "Are You Ready to Meet God?"

John Pinette: I Say Nay Nay

When I desperately needed to laugh this fall, blogger, patriot and Tea Partier extraordinaire Colonal Manly Rash introduced me to the comic stylings of John Pinette. Pinette is that rare comedian - hysterically funny without being mean, physically graceful while simultaneously chubby and cherubic, and thoroughly entertaining without relying on profanity.

John Pinette is headlining the Irvine Improv on New Year's Eve and a few dates afterward. I will be otherwise occupied with lots of delicious food and loved ones, but I'm sure it will be a hoot. Here is the best of Pinette in six parts. Don't hurt yourself!

He Has Come and He Will Come Again

Thank you, dearest Lord, for your precious Son, our Savior, and for the gift of this and every day to celebrate His birth. Let us praise Him with our voices, our hearts and our lives!

Mercy Me has become one of my favorite bands from any genre. Enjoy in good company and great health!

Muppets Christmas 2009: Ring Them Bells

After their viral Bohemian Rhapsody video, the Muppets are back to help us ring our Christmas bells.



Here is a more traditional version of Carol of the Bells synchronized to Christmas house lights.



And here is the Ray Conniff Singers version from my childhood performed with the original ostinato, a four-note repetition alternating between the bells and "ring ring ring ring" lyrics throughout the song.

Breath of Heaven: ASL Interpretation for the Deaf

Among all of Amy Grant's Christian recordings, my favorite is the exquisite Chris Eaton composition Breath of Heaven, which has been covered although never surpassed by dozens of other vocalists, in my opinion. The song is written from the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

According to Scripture, Mary was a girl used by God who trusted His plan and remained obedient to Him throughout her life. She was neither a deity nor an object of worship, but she provides an example of faithful submission that we can emulate regardless of the nature of His calling to us. The same can be said of her husband, Joseph, who doesn't inspire the same historic fascination or creative intensity as Mary. As far as I can discern, the primary difference that distinguishes Mary from Joseph and explains the disparity in the attention each receives is the mystery of immaculate conception and the virgin birth.

The video below features one American Sign Language interpretation of Eaton's lyrics. My brother Richard is deaf since birth and enjoys "singing" with his hands in church. God is merciful.

Jason Castro Sings Feliz Navidad

In anticipation of the March 31, 2010 release of his debut album on Atlantic Records, Jason Castro continues his tour of small venues throughout the U.S. Recently he added some seasonal favorites to his repertoire, including Feliz Navidad, originally made popular by José Feliciano.



Jason is of Colombian heritage and his father René was a singer before him. Jason's performance style and public persona are defined by a soft, natural sweetness that seems especially heartfelt and authentic when he sings in Spanish, the native language of his parents. During his season of American Idol, Jason performed an underrated bilingual version of Sting's Fragile. I really enjoy the organic way he integrates his family's culture and faith into the music and hope he continues.

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time

While I am out simply having a wonderful Christmas time, enjoy these versions of the song that celebrates, well, simply having a wonderful Christmas time.

Paul and Linda McCartney



Jars of Clay

Birthday Etiquette, Divorce Style

How does an abandoned wife properly commemorate a very special celebration of an estranged husband who wanted her dead by his next birthday? Well, this wife has a warped sense of humor that refuses to die, coupled with an incorrigible jukebox in her head stocked with an endless supply of music for every idle thought and occasion.

Several weeks ago, I performed a grand sweep of my documents, emails and calendars to purge them of all reminders of my STBX (soon to be ex-husband). One deleted reminder was of his upcoming birthday. Guess which song began to play in a continuous loop on my inner jukebox?

Was it the Beatles' Happy Birthday?



We may be going to a party party and I hope we have a good time - at different addresses forever more, of course.

How about a new wave Happy Birthday by Altered Images?



This song elicits memories of early KROQ radio when they overplayed this frivolous little record quite simply because new wave was still in its toddler years and there weren't a lot of better options. It's far happier and poppier than my jukebox selection, though.

Happy Birthday by Concrete Blonde?



You'll never catch Johnette Napolitano jumping out of a birthday cake. This isn't the right song, but we're getting warmer.

Happy Birthday Guadalupe by the Killers deserves at least an honorable mention.



The Killers' birthday offering is also a Christmas song, at least marginally, and it honors the Mexican culture from which my Guanajuato born STBX likes to distance himself. But, no, this ain't it, either.

I'll spare you the birthday tributes by the Chipmunks, Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe to reveal the one song out of dozens available that my inner jukebox, quite independent of my personal preference to take the high road here, decided was the perfect selection to cue up for this occasion. Mr. Jukebox is clearly more vindictive than I, but I'm up for any excuse to promote Morrissey's lyrical excesses and Johnny Marr's sublime guitar work.

For the record, so to speak, I am not wishing anyone named Luis or Rosas an Unhappy Birthday - and it's not today, anyway. Every day since he left has been a happy unbirthday for me and my family, so I am in a forgiving, charitable mood. Unlike my STBX, I don't wish my spouse dead or ill. I actually wish him to be regenerated and reconciled with God.

Any resemblance between the lyrics and my personal circumstances is just a lucky guess by Mr. Jukebox. My conscience is perfectly clear and I can enjoy the Smiths' snarky humor without guilt. Join me, won't you?

Ben Folds: Singer, Songwriter, TV Judge?

First, a shout out to Nick, my fellow Ben Folds fan. Ben's been classing up NBC this week. Have you seen him?

The best reason to watch the newest talent show The Sing Off is the multi-talented Mr. Folds, my all-time favorite piano rocker and now my favorite TV panelist. His judging flows as whimsically from his distinct musical perspective as does his catalog of personal, ironic and sometimes twisted songs. He instantly elevates a program that would otherwise be just another forgettable singing competition.

You can catch up with missed episodes at Hulu and enjoy his music videos on YouTube.

Here is a sampling of the many moods of Ben Folds, which are often sweetened with a bowl of sugar spiked with salt.

Vengeful: One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces.



Self-effacing: Army.



Bitter and bilingual: Song for the Dumped.



Mockingly envious: Battle of Who Could Care Less.



Mocking his southern heritage: Your Redneck Past.



Wistful and wishful: Where's Summer B?



A romantic cynic: Fair.



A poetic romantic: The Luckiest.

O Come, Emmanuel

I first saw Amy Grant on MTV in her 1985 Find a Way video. She radiated a wholesome, winsome innocence that was as rare as it was appealing. Her coltish dance moves only added to her authenticity. By the making of this video, Grant had already recorded seven albums and formed a successful songwriting collaboration with Michael W. Smith, whose heavily synthesized keyboards - typical of 1980s pop music - dominated their hit singles.



Emmanuel from 1986 is one of my favorite Christian contemporary and Christmas songs. The lyrics consist of a simple, repetitive praise to Jesus.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
Wonderful, Counselor!
Lord of life, Lord of all;
He's the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One!
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.

This Christmas by Elliott Yamin

In the history of the American Idol franchise, there has never been a more memorable character or more soulful singer than Elliott Yamin. Elliott was the poor, down-on-his-luck kid turned overnight star based strictly on pure, raw talent. In a contest dominated by veteran performers grasping for one last shot at the brass ring, Elliott came the closest to fulfilling AI's purported search for undiscovered talent.

Just seeing Elliott makes my heart melt. Hearing him jam on a Donny Hathaway classic like A Song for You or This Christmas lifts my spirits and restores my hope.

If you missed season 5 the first time or just miss Elliott like I do, you can relive the magic on American Idol Rewind.

The Friendship Waltz Inspired by Brian Wilson

I don't blog; therefore, I have a social life.

Well, I haven't blogged for a week - and what a busy week it's been. I have been blessed by wonderful friendships, some of them enduring since childhood, some forged by our young children and aging fitfully like our now adult children, some with Christian brothers and sisters sent by God to hold me up during my marital trauma. One advantage of separation from Mr. Jealous Controller is that I can renew my friendships without fear and feel free to socialize again on work nights - even three work nights in a row. Gasp!

More than six weeks ago, I made a Declaration of Independance - and now I am waltzing with angels again, Brian Wilson style.

Here's to my faithful friends, whom I love, and Brian Wilson, who wrote so many cherished songs that formed the soundtrack of my life, including the following - although he doesn't appear in the video recorded during his infamous reclusive years.

T Party Express: Time Is Running Out

My T Party Express has finally arrived at its destination. My STBX (soon to be ex-husband) is out of the house forever and I sure don't want to run away from home any more.

I have more cool videos to post than I have grievances, so this format minus the gimmicky title will continue until I tire of it. Time is running out for the T Party Express and my STBX. I have a fun bus to catch.


Muse - Time Is Running Out

Fallin Angel | MySpace Video

Previous stops:

Drive That Fast by Kitchens of Distinction (1991).

Vapour Trail by Ride (1990).

We Gotta Get You a Woman by Todd Rundgren (1970).

I Saw the Light by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Hello It's Me by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Cold Morning Light by Todd Rundgren (1972).

It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Can We Still Be Friends? by Todd Rundgren (1978).

Time Heals (1981).

Weather with You by Crowded House (1991).

No Blue Skies by Lloyd Cole (1990).

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (1989).

Blue Skies by Eva Cassidy (1996).

What a Wonderful World by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua (2008).

Pick Yourself Up by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1936).

Special by Garbage (1998).

The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (1985).

Empty Me by Chris Sligh (2008).

So Long Self by Mercy Me (2006).

Here's Where the Story Ends by the Sundays (1990).

Broken by Lighthouse (2009).

God Shaped Hole by Plumb (1999).

The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King (1970).

Love and Regret by Deacon Blue (1989).

Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue (1989).

My Book by the Beautiful South (1990).

A Little Time by the Beautiful South (1990).

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars (2005).

This Woman's Work by Kate Bush (1989).

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (1980).

Reptile by the Church (1988).

Accidents Will Happen by Elvis Costello (1979).

Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (1987).

Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (1984).

Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (1973).

Last Time Forever by Squeeze (1985).

Conjure Me by the Afghan Whigs (1992).

Debonair by the Afghan Whigs (1993).

Hallelujah by Jason Castro (2009).

Total Recall by the Sound (1985).

Fly by Jars of Clay (2002).

Train in Vain by the Clash (1980).

It's My Life by Talk Talk (1984).

T Party Express: Kitchens of Distinction

The T Party Express has a question for you. Do you remember where you were the first time you heard the band Kitchens of Distinction?

Maybe right here, right now, this is your introduction to the alternative trio from South London that recorded four albums from 1986 to 1996. If it is, then I have done my job.

Perhaps you have heard of Patrick Fitzgerald? No, not that Patrick Fitzgerald, but the bassist and lead singer of KOD. His voice sounds familiar, especially if you listen to modern rock radio. There is an uncanny aural resemblance to Paul Banks, the lead singer for Interpol.

I remember the first time I heard KOD's 1991 single Drive That Fast. I was in Bogart's, a cool little club in Long Beach, California, that hosted artists on their way up the wobbly ladder of success and on their way down the swift slide to oblivion. Nirvana played there in 1990 just before Smells Like Teen Spirit broke big. I missed that concert, but enjoyed seeing Concrete Blonde, Screaming Trees, Evan Dando, Julianna Hatfield, Poi Dog Pondering, Steve Kilbey and Marty Willson-Piper of the Church, Material Issue and - last but not least - Jellyfish in such an intimate venue.

Bogart's would show music videos in between live sets - the sort of videos that played randomly on MTV's 120 Minutes but never during the channel's prime time rotation. When the first images of Drive That Fast appeared on the monitors, my interest was immediately caught by the chord-driven guitar lines and Fitzgerald's dry, astringent vocals.

During the 1980s, the rock music industry seemed like a factory for mass-produced hair bands with loud amps that wanted to emulate Van Halen - Eddie, that is. Meanwhile, Johnny Marr of the Smiths single-handedly resurrected the Roger McGuinn school of jingly, jangly lead guitar licks. The Smiths' 1987 breakup left a void that clamored to be filled. KOD never became the second coming of the Smiths, but Drive That Fast has been a cherished favorite for 18 years - and counting.

The lyrics advocate free love between consenting adults as long as it's mutually convenient in the "I like you, but hey I don't want to tie you down or make you uncomfortable" way that never seems to produce long-term happiness. Kids, free love ain't free. Somebody always pays.

Drive That Fast by Kitchens of Distinction (1991).



Previous stops:

Vapour Trail by Ride (1990).

We Gotta Get You a Woman by Todd Rundgren (1970).

I Saw the Light by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Hello It's Me by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Cold Morning Light by Todd Rundgren (1972).

It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Can We Still Be Friends? by Todd Rundgren (1978).

Time Heals (1981).

Weather with You by Crowded House (1991).

No Blue Skies by Lloyd Cole (1990).

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (1989).

Blue Skies by Eva Cassidy (1996).

What a Wonderful World by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua (2008).

Pick Yourself Up by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1936).

Special by Garbage (1998).

The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (1985).

Empty Me by Chris Sligh (2008).

So Long Self by Mercy Me (2006).

Here's Where the Story Ends by the Sundays (1990).

Broken by Lighthouse (2009).

God Shaped Hole by Plumb (1999).

The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King (1970).

Love and Regret by Deacon Blue (1989).

Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue (1989).

My Book by the Beautiful South (1990).

A Little Time by the Beautiful South (1990).

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars (2005).

This Woman's Work by Kate Bush (1989).

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (1980).

Reptile by the Church (1988).

Accidents Will Happen by Elvis Costello (1979).

Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (1987).

Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (1984).

Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (1973).

Last Time Forever by Squeeze (1985).

Conjure Me by the Afghan Whigs (1992).

Debonair by the Afghan Whigs (1993).

Hallelujah by Jason Castro (2009).

Total Recall by the Sound (1985).

Fly by Jars of Clay (2002).

Train in Vain by the Clash (1980).

It's My Life by Talk Talk (1984).

T Party Express: Vapour Trail by Ride

Today I woke up in a lovely, smiley, serene mood. It's been less than two weeks since my STBX (soon to be ex-husband) left, taking with him the chaos and emotional violence my family had lived with for four months. When we changed the locks that same day, there was an immediate sense of safety, but peace can be a bit harder to find among the rubble and memories he left behind.

Right now almost anything different than what I associate with him is good and healthy. I have been listening to old mix CDs that hold favorite songs from the time before I knew him - an audio only version of some of the videos I've been posting. I reorganized our bedroom and am now working on other areas of the house. We are broke but far from broken - and fixing to build a stronger life.

One of the songs I am listening to is Vapour Trail by Ride. It's a lush, ethereal, forlorn sort of song, but it doesn't make me sad. I am heartened by the reminder that my STBX is finally gone, leaving only a vapor trail that is already dissolving.


Ride - Vapour Trail

.:Çésar:.™® | MySpace Video

Previous stops:

We Gotta Get You a Woman by Todd Rundgren (1970).

I Saw the Light by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Hello It's Me by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Cold Morning Light by Todd Rundgren (1972).

It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference by Todd Rundgren (1972).

Can We Still Be Friends? by Todd Rundgren (1978).

Time Heals (1981).

Weather with You by Crowded House (1991).

No Blue Skies by Lloyd Cole (1990).

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (1989).

Blue Skies by Eva Cassidy (1996).

What a Wonderful World by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua (2008).

Pick Yourself Up by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1936).

Special by Garbage (1998).

The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (1985).

Empty Me by Chris Sligh (2008).

So Long Self by Mercy Me (2006).

Here's Where the Story Ends by the Sundays (1990).

Broken by Lighthouse (2009).

God Shaped Hole by Plumb (1999).

The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King (1970).

Love and Regret by Deacon Blue (1989).

Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue (1989).

My Book by the Beautiful South (1990).

A Little Time by the Beautiful South (1990).

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars (2005).

This Woman's Work by Kate Bush (1989).

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (1980).

Reptile by the Church (1988).

Accidents Will Happen by Elvis Costello (1979).

Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (1987).

Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (1984).

Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (1973).

Last Time Forever by Squeeze (1985).

Conjure Me by the Afghan Whigs (1992).

Debonair by the Afghan Whigs (1993).

Hallelujah by Jason Castro (2009).

Total Recall by the Sound (1985).

Fly by Jars of Clay (2002).

Train in Vain by the Clash (1980).

It's My Life by Talk Talk (1984).

T Party Express: Todd Rundgren Relationship Song Cycle

When I was a teenager, I was blessed with several career options from which to choose and parents who never pushed me in a predetermined direction, including toward matrimony - which was all the more remarkable considering that they were conservative traditionalists in their late 50s. I always enjoyed reading and writing to clarify my thoughts, which developed into a creative writing hobby. I won my share of student author awards, but my first love was music.

After many years of dance and music lessons, I knew for certain that I didn't want to be a public performer. I was fascinated with the behind-the-scenes aspects of studio craft - production, songwriting and arranging. My idols were the exceptional few artists who produced and composed their own work, like Brian Wilson. Lacking confidence in my ability to break into the male-dominated music industry of the 1970s, I chickened out and opted for a safe college major instead. My window of opportunity to follow my dream closed, but music remained the constant companion of my life.

Todd Rundgren was one of the 1970s rock pioneers who most influenced my musical sensibility. A well-rounded prodigy, he produced, composed, arranged and performed his own material and sometimes played all the instruments himself. He embraced technology in the studio and brought it to the stage without sacrificing the emotional intimacy of his often intensely personal lyrics.

A song cycle is a musical sequence unified by a common theme. For example, Brian Wilson's exquisite Pet Sounds is a self-contained song cycle that documents the phases of a relationship from its early promise to disillusionment and heartbreak. Over the course of several albums and decades, Rundgren recorded a series of songs that fit into a similar cycle.

We Gotta Get You a Woman from the album Runt (1970) begins with romantic advice from a worldly wise friend - or so it seems.



In I Saw the Light (1972), two pairs of eyes meet and magic ensues.



Doubt, complacency, fear of being changed by a relationship and a fashion homage to Ziggy Stardust show up in Hello It's Me (1972) to dampen the romance. I blame Liv Tyler's mom, Bebe Buell, for the 1970s gender bender makeup.



In the Cold Morning Light (1972) comes a dawning realization that there will be no happy ending ...



followed by recrimination and regret in It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference (1972).



The 1978 album Hermit of Mink Hollow asks the musical question Can We Still Be Friends? The Magic 8-Ball says, "Outlook not so good."



During the anger or revenge phase of a breakup, a quote attributed to Groucho Marx may temporarily bring some grim satisfaction: "Time wounds all heels." But Time Heals from the 1981 album Healing offers hope to the resilient heart, as well as some nifty early 80s dance moves. Is there anything that Todd Rundgren can't do?

If you were present at the birth of MTV music television, like me you may have a fond remembrance of Todd's video, which played in heavy rotation with the likes of Billy Squier, 38 Special, REO Speedwagon, Rainbow, plus a whole lot of Pat Benatar and Rod Stewart.



The sudden, swift disintegration of my marriage has been more traumatic and disturbing for me than heartbreaking. It makes me almost nostalgic for the poetic angst and uncomplicated pain of lost love. Almost.

Previous stops:

Weather with You by Crowded House (1991).

No Blue Skies by Lloyd Cole (1990).

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (1989).

Blue Skies by Eva Cassidy (1996).

What a Wonderful World by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua (2008).

Pick Yourself Up by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1936).

Special by Garbage (1998).

The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (1985).

Empty Me by Chris Sligh (2008).

So Long Self by Mercy Me (2006).

Here's Where the Story Ends by the Sundays (1990).

Broken by Lighthouse (2009).

God Shaped Hole by Plumb (1999).

The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King (1970).

Love and Regret by Deacon Blue (1989).

Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue (1989).

My Book by the Beautiful South (1990).

A Little Time by the Beautiful South (1990).

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars (2005).

This Woman's Work by Kate Bush (1989).

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (1980).

Reptile by the Church (1988).

Accidents Will Happen by Elvis Costello (1979).

Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (1987).

Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (1984).

Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (1973).

Last Time Forever by Squeeze (1985).

Conjure Me by the Afghan Whigs (1992).

Debonair by the Afghan Whigs (1993).

Hallelujah by Jason Castro (2009).

Total Recall by the Sound (1985).

Fly by Jars of Clay (2002).

Train in Vain by the Clash (1980).

It's My Life by Talk Talk (1984).

I Am So Thankful

All my blessings begin and end with God. Thank you, my Alpha and Omega.



Thank you to all my angels - the family, friends and helpers who have redeemed a difficult year and make my life worth fighting for. I love you.

Thanksgiving Day Menu

This is the Thanksgiving feast I am feeding my family of foodies.

Brunch:

Creme brulee french toast with raspberry maple syrup

Niman Ranch ham steak


Dinner:

Roast turkey (Trader Joe's organic brined turkey)

Homemade cornbread stuffing with chicken apple sausage and fresh sage

Mashed potatoes with turkey gravy

Sweet potato soufflé with hazelnut praline

Green bean casserole with bacon

Fresh cranberry sauce

Peach champagne


Dessert:

Chocolate pecan pie

Pumpkin mousse pie with white chocolate whipped cream

T Party Express: Rockin' the Climategate Scandal

We at the T Party Express - meaning moi - might be preoccupied with prepping for our Turkey Day feast tomorrow. But I'm never to busy to blog a storm as potentially damaging as the Climategate scandal. Hackers broke into confidential emails generated by the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit, an organization that promotes global warming policies based on knowingly faulty data.

The Herald Sun in Australia published excerpts from hacked "emails suggesting conspiracy, collusion in exaggerating warming data, possibly illegal destruction of embarrassing information, organised resistance to disclosure, manipulation of data, private admissions of flaws in their public claims and much more. If it is as it now seems, never again will 'peer review' be used to shout down sceptics."

Weather has been employed by songwriters and other poets as a metaphor for changeable romantic conditions - and their approach is just as subjective, arbitrary and emotional as the aforementioned tactics of the manipulative climate change scientists. At least songwriters are generally less inclined to insist that their opinions are indisputable facts - except for the voluble few who prefer the soapbox to the stage.

I heart Neil Finn like few other modern day musicians. He followed older brother Tim into the charmingly ironic and iconic 1980s band Split Enz and soon eclipsed his sibling. Then Tim joined Neil's nearly incomparable quartet-turned-trio-turned quartet, Crowded House, to collaborate on their superlative third album, Woodface, that spawned the single Weather with You.

Always remember and never forget these lyrics: everywhere you go, you always take the weather with you. It's your choice if you rain on somebody else's corn flakes. This video features the brothers Finn backed by drummer Paul Hester, who supported them in Split Enz and Crowded House. Hester was an incorrigible joker who hid the tears of a clown. He hanged himself in a park near his home in 2005.



Another prodigiously gifted yet insufficiently heralded singer-songwriter is Lloyd Cole. I always thought he resembled a younger Tim Finn, but his moody music was more like a folkier guitar-driven take on Jimmy Webb. The lead guitarist is Robert Quine who earned his legend playing with Richard Hell & the Voidoids and Lou Reed. I still don't understand why No Blue Skies wasn't a monster hit. The label won't let me embed the official video, which you can view here, but below is a live version fairly faithful to the recording.



As a bonus, I'm posting the infamous video of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game, which was a contemporary sound-alike of No Blue Skies. Cole's tune was released the year after Wicked Game but actually charted before David Lynch's film Wild at Heart relaunched Wicked Game as Isaak's breakthrough hit. Both songs soar on atmospheric guitar lines that flirt with flat notes in a surprisingly appealing way.

This video always frustrated me a little. Chris Isaak never wavered from his focus on Helena Christensen, but she was way more into the camera than into him. I know which of the two I would choose. Chris Isaak and I were born the same summer, but he is aging beautifully. Back in the early 1990s, my girlfriends and I concert-stalked him, but darned if he wasn't a repeat no-show. We concluded that Chris Isaak is merely a TV and film character and there is no one cool enough to play him in real life.



I saved the best message for last. Eva Cassidy, another underappreciated singer-songwriter, died of cancer in 1996 at the age of 36. She excelled at every genre she attempted, including the 1926 American classic by Irving Berlin, Blue Skies. I hope you will take the undeniably hopeful lyrics set to a deceptively forlorn melody to heart. I do. If you are so inclined, remember to thank He who created the weather and is the only power who can destroy the planet.

I was blue, just as blue as I could be
Ev'ry day was a cloudy day for me
Then good luck came a-knocking at my door
Skies were gray but they're not gray anymore

Blue skies
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see

Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long

Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days
All of them gone
Nothing but blue skies
From now on

I should care if the wind blows east or west
I should fret if the worst looks like the best
I should mind if they say it can't be true
I should smile, that's exactly what I do

Previous stops:

What a Wonderful World by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua (2008).

Pick Yourself Up by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1936).

Special by Garbage (1998).

The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (1985).

Empty Me by Chris Sligh (2008).

So Long Self by Mercy Me (2006).

Here's Where the Story Ends by the Sundays (1990).

Broken by Lighthouse (2009).

God Shaped Hole by Plumb (1999).

The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King (1970).

Love and Regret by Deacon Blue (1989).

Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue (1989).

My Book by the Beautiful South (1990).

A Little Time by the Beautiful South (1990).

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars (2005).

This Woman's Work by Kate Bush (1989).

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (1980).

Reptile by the Church (1988).

Accidents Will Happen by Elvis Costello (1979).

Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (1987).

Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (1984).

Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (1973).

Last Time Forever by Squeeze (1985).

Conjure Me by the Afghan Whigs (1992).

Debonair by the Afghan Whigs (1993).

Hallelujah by Jason Castro (2009).

Total Recall by the Sound (1985).

Fly by Jars of Clay (2002).

Train in Vain by the Clash (1980).

It's My Life by Talk Talk (1984).

Video Faceoff: Muppet Guitar Hero vs. Hand Farts

The Muppets Studio recently posted a YouTube video featuring their colorful cast of critters performing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. It's their best work in ages (h/t Allahpundit).



Then Hot Air commenter Chickyraptor contended that this is a better version.



I watched one of them repeatedly and found it brilliant every time. Then I struggled to finish the other. However, I've got to hand it to Gerry Phillips, the so-called manualist. He earns bonus points for level of complexity.

Which do you prefer?

T Party Express: What a Wonderful World

On my worst day, God is more gracious to me than I deserve and I have more blessings than time to count them. Today was a good day - my brother Richard's birthday.

As is our family tradition, Richard picked the venue where he, my son Chris and I dined. He chose Old World in Huntington Beach, a German restaurant in a faux village of apartments, shops and other businesses that is best known for its annual Oktoberfest celebrations. Our maternal grandparents were German chefs and we grew up on recipes from their homeland.

Grandma Rosina was the oldest of 11 children from an impoverished Munich family. She boarded a ship for New York in her teens when she was sponsored by a German-American couple to be their cook and governess - and she never returned. She was the toughest person I have ever known, but she spoiled me rotten - buying me a piano and paying for my lessons. As an 8-year-old tomboy, I infinitely preferred the great outdoors. One day I balked at my daily keyboard practice, on top of rigorous dance lessons. With silent haste, Grandma packed a suitcase, called a taxi and made a grand show of moving out until I was compelled to offer an apology and very specific promises.

I never knew our Grandpa William (né Wilhelm) who died 9 months before I was born. Apparently, whatever birth control that worked for nearly 8 years after my brother Bob was born was forgotten in the fullness of grief. Grandpa was a highly successful chef, no doubt with enormous help from his sous chef, Grandma. Together they established a family-run restaurant that catered to the German community in 1920s New York, plus a store and assorted real estate enterprises. For a short time he owned a Gutenberg Bible, which was stolen after he displayed it in the foyer of their large home. He was also a playwright who produced German musicals and an alcoholic whose sense of shame led him to briefly abandon his family after all the businesses failed during the Great Depression. After Hitler rose to power, Grandpa received a letter from the German government asking him to come home and help the cause. My mother and two uncles vetoed the move.

At dinner tonight, we were the only party in the restaurant. Our waitress was warmly friendly and talkative. We discussed her German heritage and ours, how Richard became deaf and disabled, our shared appreciation of Ronald Reagan and concern about President Obama, and anything else that caught our interest. She brought Richard a complimentary slice of Black Forest torte with a candle. My son Chris, our lovely waitress and I serenaded Richard as I signed the Happy Birthday song for his benefit. Before we left, there were lots of photos and hugs all around. It was a special experience. Here is a picture of the birthday boy and your humble blogger at dinner. Chris prefers not to have his photo published.



Richard and I have different fathers and his sire was a raging alcoholic. The marriage was doomed after Richard's dad, whose family was comfortably well off, forced our mother to give birth in a charity teaching hospital. The attending doctor, a student really, used forceps to deliver Richard, thus damaging his brain and killing his auditory nerves - rendering him deaf and disabled at birth. Shortly thereafter, Mom hit Richard's father over the head with a frying pan and fled.

Richard came to live with Luis, Chris and me in 2003 after our sister Donna died unexpectedly. Although he is 16 years my elder, we were always very close. From the time he moved in with us, Richard rebelled against Luis's numerous rules. Like Richard, Luis and my son Chris are also children of alcoholics, so we kept almost no drinkable alcohol in the house except for mouthwash and vanilla extract. Richard was also 75 lbs. overweight. We put him on a series of diets that worked at least temporarily and Luis would weigh him randomly and, in retrospect, not very respectfully.

I believe that he had Richard's best interests at heart for the most part, but Luis can be a controlling tyrant who disdains subtlety and tact. There were several confrontations and Richard, who can become frustrated but has mastered his temper considerably, even head-butted Luis once. Richard also used to mime the moves of a prisoner, acting like Luis was handcuffing and even hanging him. Luis, Chris and I would laugh about it, but it always made me uneasy. Richard's objections were not unfounded and I am sorry I gave Luis so much leeway over him, over Chris, and in numerous other ways. Since Luis left, Richard has been visibly relaxed - very relaxed - and much happier. Chris is blossoming, too.

Tonight I let Richard slowly enjoy one glass of dark German beer with his entree after he already had Diet Coke, bread and a salad. I made it clear that this was an exception tied to a rare occasion. I monitor how much money Richard carries and where he goes, so it would be practically impossible for him to go on a bender.

This was our first outing as a new threesome. During his Christian phase, Luis never let us listen to secular music as a family. Although these days I truly prefer Christian Contemporary radio, music in all its ear-tickling glory has been an essential ingredient in my life since before Grandma forced me to play the piano. Chris is a fan of the classic hard rock from my youth, so I tuned into his favorite FM channel. Together we sang along raucously with the Doors, AC/DC and Foreigner. Our only regret was that Richard could not join in, but he never complains about his deafness and certainly doesn't think of himself as handicapped or different.

God gave us a world seeded with small wonders and life affirming joys. Listening to the lovely Katie Melua duet across time with the late, lamented Eva Cassidy, I can almost forget its vast wickedness.



Previous stops:

Pick Yourself Up by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1936).

Special by Garbage (1998).

The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys (1985).

Empty Me by Chris Sligh (2008).

So Long Self by Mercy Me (2006).

Here's Where the Story Ends by the Sundays (1990).

Broken by Lighthouse (2009).

God Shaped Hole by Plumb (1999).

The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King (1970).

Love and Regret by Deacon Blue (1989).

Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue (1989).

My Book by the Beautiful South (1990).

A Little Time by the Beautiful South (1990).

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars (2005).

This Woman's Work by Kate Bush (1989).

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (1980).

Reptile by the Church (1988).

Accidents Will Happen by Elvis Costello (1979).

Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (1987).

Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen (1984).

Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John (1973).

Last Time Forever by Squeeze (1985).

Conjure Me by the Afghan Whigs (1992).

Debonair by the Afghan Whigs (1993).

Hallelujah by Jason Castro (2009).

Total Recall by the Sound (1985).

Fly by Jars of Clay (2002).

Train in Vain by the Clash (1980).

It's My Life by Talk Talk (1984).