Christmas Song of the Day#2! And….Dance By The Light Of The Moon!

Happy December 2nd, everybody!  For day two of the month of indie/off the beaten path Christmas tuneage, I give you a favorite find of mine from last year, one that I knew would make it on to my ’09 mix as soon as I heard it.  Here is “George Bailey” by Carolyn Sills, a singer-songwriter/bass player currently based out of Santa Cruz, CA, formerly of Brooklyn.

I love this song!  I love the great crackly old school animation, the Wall of Sound qualities, the old-timey animation.  And the subject matter…It’s A Wonderful Life!  Best Christmas movie ever, obvs.  I just can’t get into your Christmas Vacations and your Christmas Storys.  Sorry.   I also like the more modern remake of It’s A Wonderful Life, The Family Man, for although it has Nicholas Cage, it also has Tea Leoni.  Me likey!

She plays a "non profit lawyer." Homina! Homina!

In how many different times and places has It’s a Wonderful Life been parodied, copied and otherwise discussed?  Answer: Lots.   My fellow thirtysomethings (and those older types) will remember a time in our childhoods when It’s A Wonderful Life was on every day of the month of December, often multiple times.  Kids now are all swooping their overly blow dried faux-shaggy hair out of their bloodshot over tweeted eyes and are all like,” iz a wunerful wht?”  Hey, that lolcat-esque speak reminds me that I must insert my obligatory lolcat image.  Got one!

Yeah, I did it. Had to. Happy cat as George Bailey!

I won a family trivia contest at the ripe old age of 22 because of my incessant childhood watching of It’s Wonderful Life.  Represent!  And thanks mom and pops, teevee addicts!  You also might find me doing the Charleston around the homestead this time of the year (True story!), in homage to George and Mary doing so at the high school dance, when the floor opens up and everyone falls into the pool.  You know, the Charleston:

Watch out, George and Mary! The pool is about to open!

The Charleston was also made famous on a season three Mad Men episode, by Pete and Trudy Campbell.

Remember some of the Wonderful Life parodies from over the years?  My favorite was this one from Saturday Night Live in 1986, the lost ending of the film.  We have Dana Carvey as George Bailey and Jon Lovitz as Mr. Potter.   The residents of Bedford Falls proceed to kick a handicapped old man’s ass!  Don’t worry!  It was the evil Mr. Potter!  I was 12 watching this, howling in knowing laughter.

Speaking of SNL, I LOVED Dana Carvey growing up.  And yes!  This gives me a chance to show one of my favorite clips of his of all time.  Get to 1:30 for the sweet spot.  Phil Hartman’s (RIP, Awesome Phil…) thoughtful, listening face will never stop cracking me up.  My lady…she went downtown.  She bought some broccoli.  She brought it home.  She’s choppin’ broccoli.

Genius.

If you need a refresher in the plot of It’s A Wonderful Life, or for shame!, you haven’t seen it, here are all the plot points of this 2 hour and 9 minute film in 30 seconds, as done by bunnies.

Our song of the day “George Bailey”  really has all the major events of the story of It’s A Wonderful Life covered.  George Bailey saving his kid brother Harry, George Bailey saving the drunken Mr. Gower, George lassoing the moon, the loose banister, and Violet–Mary’s semi rival) with her eye on George!

Oh, Violet. You saucy minx.

This song and video makes me happy. You can download this song on iTunes, Carolyn Sills’ website, Amazon or wherever you like to get your musics.  Enjoy it and your Thursday, everybody!