To thine own self be true

The great ironic comedian reads Dickens on CD (NPR).

(top: 14 nicely arranged tunes played by The Nancy Walker Sextet and the Dwyer Quintet; Reflections Music; bottom: the equally satisfying Beegie Adair album with 12 snappy tunes, Green Hill)

(top: 14 songs, a somewhat minimalist approach to the melodies, but successful approach by Brubeck, Telarc; bottom: boldly arranged band approach to 15 songs by Edmonton’ own jazz great Tommy Banks–Royalty)

*I should also mention Vince Guaraldi’s classic A Charlie Brown Christmas album which works for kids and romantic adults alike; get the 12 evocative songs plus 4 bonus tracks version on Fantasy.

If you can’t make it to Stonehenge Thursday, toss a Yule log on the fire to ensure new year’s light.

“The point in life is to know what’s enough–why envy those otherworld immortals? With the happiness held in one inch-square heart you can fill the whole space between heaven and earth.”

Riveting with many surprises, twists, and turns.

Alec Guinness in one of his best-ever performances as George Smiley, ‘retired’ British spy. A wonderful cast including Joss Acklund, Michael Aldridge, Ian Bannen (exceptional), Hywet Bennett, Bernard Hepton (ditto), Michael Jayston (ditto), Ian Richardson (ditto).

Outstanding script adaptation by Arthur Hopcraft, original novel by John Le Carre (featured in an insightful tell-all bonus interview), and smoothly and pacedly directed by John Irvin (1979, Acorn).

I haven’t seen Smiley’s People, but am told it’s even better with a number of these actors returning in their roles. Two thumbs way up for this classic British drama. Nothing on the tube today matches this masterpiece for this genre for acting, writing, look, suspense, or direction. A tremendous pleasure for British viewing connoisseurs.

–from “Mary Had a Baby”, a traditional Saint Helena carol adapted nicely by Bruce Cockburn on his interesting Christmas CD

The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. A nice complete version with Sleeping Beauty highlights available on Philips 2 CDs. Enjoy joy to satisfy the heart and soul of any Inner Child.

to brighten and express Christmas.

I remember buying this LP for myself in a doldrums period then and hunkering down to listen to great songs like “Changes”. And then Karen phoned me out of the blue, inviting me over to visit. It was the turning point in our relationship after not hearing from her for a month or so.

I always associate Phil Ochs’ “Changes” with her, that magic moment just before Christmas when we started up. (Later in January, we would go see Ian and Sylvia at University of MB.)

The lyrics of Ochs’ profound, spell-binding tune:

Sit by my side, come as close as the air,
Share in a mem’ry of grey,
And wander in my words,
And dream about the pictures that I play of changes.

Green leaves of summer turn red in the fall,
To brown and to yellow they fade;
And then they have to die, trapped within the
Circle time parade of changes.

Scenes of my young years were warm in my mind,
Visions of shadows that shine;
Till one day I returned and they were the
Victims of the vines of changes.

The world’s spinning madly, it drifts in the dark
Swings through a hollow of haze;
A race around the stars, a journey through the
Universe ablaze with changes.

Moments of magic will glow in the night.
All fears of the forest are gone;
But when the morning breaks, they’re swept away by
Golden drops of dawn of changes.

Passions will part to a strange melody
As fires will sometimes burn cold;
Like petals in the wind, we’re puppets to the
Silver strings of souls of changes.

Your tears will be trembling, now we’re somewhere else
One last cup of wine we will pour;
And I’ll kiss you one more time and leave you on the
Rolling river shores of changes.

Dylan Thomas’s “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, experienced on Christmas eve or Christmas Day. Dylan Thomas Reading was the first album Thomas recorded for the two women who founded Caedmon Records; this was the label’s first release in 1952. The special blue booklet of woodcut illustrations by Ellen Raskin (New Directions) was long a Christmas staple, too. Later came the excellent 1988 movie adaptation (Hen’s Tooth/Alliance) of the story. All are highly recommended reading, listening, and viewing.