the Monkees: Ríu, Chíu

So what if they’re a little drunk? The a cappella harmonies are beautiful, and it’s great fun watching Davy and Peter try not to crack up. Bonus: at the end they introduce the whole crew. Looks like it was a fun place to work, even with the ridiculous outfits.

English Translation:

River, roaring river, guard our homes in safety,
God has kept the black wolf from our lamb, our lady.
God has kept the black wolf from our lamb, our lady.

Raging mad to bite her, there the wolf did steal,
But our God almighty defended her with zeal.
Pure he wished to keep her so she could never sin,
That first sin of man never touched the virgin sainted.

River, roaring river…

He who’s now begotten is our mighty monarch,
Christ, our holy father, in human flesh embodied.
He has brought atonement by being born so humble,
Though he is immortal, as mortal was created.

River, roaring river…

A Christmas Carol, by Tom Lehrer

UPDATE: Fixed. Click and play.

Stole this from the Padgett blog, because after wasting a good $6 trying to get the “Upload to Odeo” and “Podcast” thingies working on this goddam rented public computer, I finally figured I’d just go ahead and steal it from someone who’d already ripped it.

Have I mentioned that I’m somewhat peeved at Messieurs Gates and Jobs? Somewhat.

I assume anyone reading this is familiar with Tom Lehrer, but that’s mostly because I assume everyone worth knowing is familiar with Tom Lehrer, being as he’s arguably the greatest musical satirist ever. If, for some reason, you’re not, I would highly recommend you drop everything and pick up a copy of the multi-disc retrospective Rhino put out a few years back. Of course, now that you’ve got that album, you’ve got this song as well (two versions of it!), but I suppose that’s all right.

Lehrer, FYI, is the man who says he got out of political satire because it became redundant when they gave the Nobel Peace Prize to Henry Kissinger.

[ odeo=http://odeo.com/channel/207473/view ]

fuckit, click here for the mp3.

happy Christmuhkwanzamadan

Another in our ongoing series of multiculti seasonal anthems. And with all the struggles I’m having trying to do a simple podcast, take what you can get; I nearly posted Kiki and Herb’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” instead, just because it fits my mood somewhat better at the moment.

But then, Kiki and Herb are the universal language, are they not? (PS if you see Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, tell them to duck if they’re coming through Vancouver. I could strangle those two bytches with my bare hands at this point)

Merry Christmas. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

the Grinch drinking game

grinchy, yoThis we can blame on my family. The specific twig of the family tree which branched out into inventing the Grinch drinking game is, alas, lost to history, but we are all proud of him, from the tall to the small.

The procedure is simple. You lay out a tray of shot glasses filled with shots. You take one every time they say “Hoo”.

They say it eighteen times in the theme song, which they sing three times throughout the show.

No-0ne can ever remember who won.

A Very Shebeeny Christmas

The Father Christmas letters 

For all those writers, publishers, editors, bloggers, and journalists out there. Forget the office party and come drink with The Shebeen Club tomorrow night at the Irish Heather!

We’ll be upstairs in the Reading Room this time, at the Irish Heather in Gastown, 217 Carrall Street in Gastown, from 7-9pm. No cover, order off the menu and enjoy the best damn gastropub in the West!

 

Twas the day before Tuesday, when all through downtown
The email went out inviting Shebeeners down
To the Heather on Tuesday the 19th: tomoz!
For a drink and a nosh and tales of Santa Claus.

 

We’ll have a fun evening, no lectures to hear,
From seven ’til nine, just a-drinking our beer!
With Lorraine with Grinch earrings and a Santa hat,
You can come as you are, or all dressed up in spats.

 

And down in the kitchen arises a bashing
The chef is meat grilling and potato mashing.
Order straight off the menu and pay what you nosh
Tear into the butter, and the whiskies quite posh.

 

“Now Writers! Now Students!
Now, Publishers many!
Come, Poets! Come, Bloggers!
Come, Booksellers, merry!
To the Reading Room of the Heather
At the top of the stairs!
Now party on! Party on!
Don’t put on airs!

 

We’ll read Chrismas stories, and tell our tall tales
So drop in for a bevvy; I’ll tell about the old jail.
The Heather was lockup in decades gone by
So come down, serve your time drinking Guinness and rye.