The Flatland Chronicles

The Animaniacs Perform "The HMS Yakko"

The Animaniacs perform some of Gilbert & Sullivan's Greatest Hits; a new generation learns an updated version of "I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General" (which Aaron Sorkin subsequenty attempted with considerably less success)...I am as certain as I can be after a gap of many years that the wee, belligerent pirate is directly based on one of the illustration's to one of Gilbert's poems.  "Though I be a pirate swine, still I have to draw the line/And I will not push you overboard!"  Can I hear you say, "Arrr!!"?

"Oh Lady" (Why You Need to Buy The Animaniacs Boxed Set Even Though You're a Grown-Up)

CROSS-POSTED TO JUST EAT THE DAMN PEACH.  I have said before how I love The Animaniacs (here and here, in fact).   Spielberg, is of course, a genius.  And speaking of geniuses, here is one of my all-time favorite clips, from the episode called "The Genius."  This is one of at least two episodes in which Spielberg goes after Jerry Lewis.  Here's Jerry Lewis ("The Genius") trying to teach the Warner kids how to do comedy.  But the Warner kids already know comedy.

Here's a little summary of the show that explains its appeal to adults:

"Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam: Another One of Those Songs

I love Pearl Jam.  But it is a weird love that involves a complete inability to listen to most of their music without weeping, so I don't listen to them unless I'm prepared and fortified or else am free to cry.  I love Pearl Jam.  But it is a weird love that involves a complete inability to listen to most of their music without weeping, so I don't listen to them unless I'm prepared and fortified or else am free to cry.  And if you knew me, this would surprise you.  I'm not the sentimental type except secretly, in the same way as everyone else who takes a detached, ironic view of life. 

It's partly because Eddie Vedder has that sort of voice and the songs are those sorts of songs.  The lyrics to the songs Eddie Vedder writes are deep or at least give that impression (like poetry by Dylan Thomas, say). There's also that aspect of Vedder's singing that involves sometimes seriously mangling the lyrics, no doubt intentionally---which would matter more if I understood the lyrics.  There again, maybe I don't want to understand them.  Their meaning for me is---and remains---private.

Sometimes It's Better Not to See the Video

This is, like, my favorite song in life about lost love.   It cuts deep.

But the video (which I didn't see till long after the song had worked its way permanently into my DNA) is about a sad little origami cow.  It's such a sad little cow.  And I always am nearly in tears when I watch it (though for completely different reasons) right up to the moment when it starts singing along with the words.  I present to you  "Pink Bullets" by The Shins!

Pop Culture Revelations: "Son of a Gun"

Ever since I heard this song---after many, many years---on "British Spongebob" (right; just see the post...), I can't get it out of my head.  You know how some songs evoke all sorts of ideas and images that you can't explain and that seem to belong to someone else (or some other lifetime)?  This is one of those for me.  And it isn't the words, but the tune.

I wish I could snag whatever image tries to drift up to the surface when I hear it, but so far, no luck.  Pop culture revelations indeed....

Blogcombing: Homage to "Altjiranga Mitjina---The Timeless Dimension of Dreams"

I love this site, so naturally I blog-rolled it.  Also naturally, I spelled it wrong....which kind of defeats the purpose.  I don't know why I have this blind spot about the name (which I love the look of, I just don't know how to pronounce it. 

The writing is superb----and it's my favorite site anywhere for music and videos.   I encountered it when we were doing a "Thursday 13" at Buck Naked Politics  (it's about time for a new one of those) and we exchanged links at that time. 

It's like....I don't know what it's like, exactly.  Invaluable miscellany?  Nuggets of incalculable value panned from the pop culture?   It's my go-to place for new experiences.   I am grappling to explain, so you'll have to look yourself.  I have found so much excellent music there since I first saw this list and fell in love with Maggie Brown's "40 dollars and Lily Holbrook's "Mama, I'm Coming Home." 

 

There's Something I Want for Christmas After All

I honestly didn't want a thing other than my father-in-law's complete recovery.  But then I watched this on YouTube: Pinky & the Brain meet the Feebles ("All You Need is Lunch").  In which:  Yoyo NoNo sings her happy song, her sad song, and her love song.  John falls in love.  The Feebles break up.  John and YoYo perform:  "All We Are Singing is Take Off Your Pants."

I NEED the complete boxed set of Pinky & the Brain. And so do you.

Random Link O' the Day: British Spongebob (A Parody!)

CROSS-POSTED (ANGLO-SAXON ATTITUDES).  The British parody of "Spongebob" adds a whole new dimension to the cartoon.  Far from challenging this as "fair use"Viacom really need to get JokeComics4001 on board.  This Stephen is kind of a genius.  Here's my favorite one:  "Sailor Mouth", complete with British swear words.  (Not for faint-hearted Americans)

• "Sailor Mouth" Part 1
• "Sailor Mouth" Part 2

• "Jelly Fish" Part 1
• "Jelly Fish" Part 2

There are lots of others.  These are my favorites.

My only quibble is with the voice of "Squidward."  I think Stephen made a mistake making him American.  He's got that British thing of pronouncing "th" alternately as "v" or "f"  which is kind of a dead giveaway.  Besides, they lost that languid, Squidward-might-be-gay ennunciation that so exercises "Focus on the Family" and similar groups.  I was also a little sad that he got rid of the real Mr Crab's fake west-country accent (the American idea of one).   Still:  A genius genius.

And only 17, judging by this.  Blimey!

 

The Animaniacs: No L, No Well, No Whale, Oh Well!

My favorite animated characters EVER (courtesy of  Steven Spielberg) sing one for the holidays:.

Random Link O' the Day: Chipmunk Nation (Alvin & the Chipmunks, 21st Century Style: It's On It's On It's On)

These guys were my favorite singers way back in the early Sixties.  Remember their cover of "A Bicycle Built for Two"?  Or this really annoying Christmas song?:

Yo! Here they are, straight from Chipmunk Nation, singing: "I got my drink and my 2 Step."  Is it wrong that I love this?  Dave must not know about this in his nursing home or wherever he is....

But wait!  There's more: