and now for a musical interlude (or two)

As kids the four of us shared, arranged and created a vast and varied musical repertoire. Under the direction of my older sister we'd sing complicated and quixotic acappella arrangements that we picked up from wherever -- pop radio, promotional vinyl, television shows and commercials. One of our best bits was an adaptation of Mahna Mahna, lifted straight from the Muppet Show (my sister was the sweet soprano; I was the scat cat).



Which is why this made me all kinds of happy when my brother passed it along -- it's from a buddy of his who posts as agitpopcom:



Yeah yeah: preaching to the choir. But wouldn't you rather have that tune in your head than that voice?

And while we're having a musical interlude, how 'bout a vote of confidence from Ralph Stanley, an American treasure:



The comments on the YouTube page that hosts the Stanley video pretty much sums up the American divide.