I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: HANSON FOR THE HOLIDAYS-Tiny Desk Concert #686 (December 18, 2017).

The Hanson Tiny Desk Concert back in October ended with them saying “See you for Christmas everybody.”  And, lo, here they are.

But it turns out that Christmas was in October this year.

During the break, the NPR crew set up the Tiny Desk to look like Christmas.  Two of the three (why not all three?) brothers even wear Christmas sweaters.

They play three Christmas songs.  Two originals and one “traditional” medley.

The two originals are rocking, very piano heavy (the pianist does a LOT of sliding down the keyboard as they rock n toll out).

“Finally, It’s Christmas” is fun and bouncy song that I imagine we’ll hear a lot next year.

“To New Year’s Night” is a very conventional rock n roll song about a North Pole Party.  The guitarist with his gruffer voice (and no sweater) sings this song about needing a toddy for hid body (since I think of Hasnon as being 8-12 years old (although they obviously aren’t), it’s weird to hear them singing about drinking.  It’s a pretty standard rocker, they even quote “da do ron ron.”  After rocking out, they comment “Can anyone saw ‘sweat”ers.”  Since it is obviously not Christmastime.

It has been 20 years since their first Christmas record.  So they decided it was time to do a new one.  While they are talking Bob starts blowing snow all over them.  This leads to them singing “Joy to the Mountain” an a capella mash up of “Joy to the World” and “Go Tell It On the Mountain.”  They sin the melody in a non traditional way.  Their harmonies are really good even if I don’t care for their delivery.

2017 has been a pretty strange (mostly bad) year.  I never would have guessed I’d be watching two Tiny Desk Concerts with Hanson (and more or less enjoying both of them).

[READ: December 25, 2017] “A Chaparral Christmas Gift”

Once again, I have ordered The Short Story Advent Calendar.  This year, there are brief interviews with each author posted on the date of their story.

Hello. Welcome. It’s finally here: Short Story Advent Calendar time.

If you’re reading along at home, now’s the time to start cracking those seals, one by one, and discover some truly brilliant writing inside. Then check back here each morning for an exclusive interview with the author of that day’s story.

(Want to join in? It’s not too late. Order your copy here.)

This year I’m pairing each story with a holiday disc from our personal collection.

Like last year’s calendar, there was an extra story for Christmas Day.  This one is by O. Henry (who you’d think would have been done with Christmas stories after Gift of the Magi, but whatever).  I understand he liked to write Christmas stories about unlikely characters.

Rosita McMullen was a beautiful woman and she had two suitors.  Madison Lane and Johnny McRoy (who would later be known as the Frio Kid).

Madison won her hand and they were married on Christmas Day.  This turned McRoy dangerous (guess it’s good she didn’t choose him after all).  McRoy came to the celebration guns blazing (gun control would have been useful even back then).  One bullet grazed Madison and if not for a quick thinking party goer (who threw a plate), the other would have hit Rosita.

This sentence is pretty strange:

It was considered an improper act to shoot the bride and groom at a wedding.

As McRoy fled, he shouted, “I’ll shoot better next time, and there’ll be a next time.”

 

That night McRoy became the Frio Kid.  He became a ruthless killer.  He was without mercy except for at Christmastide

 

Frio Kid had an accomplice, a co-murderer, Mexican Frank.  One night he told Frank (despite being so obsessed with it at the time)

[I] have forgot all about a Christmas present I got to give. I’m going to ride over to-morrow night and shoot Madison Lane in his own house. He got my girl – Rosita would have had me if he hadn’t cut into the game. I wonder why I happened to overlook it up to now?

That does seem unlikely, I have to admit, Frio.

Frank tells him he’s an idiot.  Frio can;t let it go and says he’s going to go kill Mad Lane.

 

Madison Lane is prepared for the Frio Kid and has his posse be on the lookout for him.  Rosita is terrified he will come back but as she says, “I think there is a spot of good somewhere in everybody. He was not always bad – that I know.”

The story converges at the party, of course.  The dramatic twist isn’t as good as the Magi.  In fact, this whole story feels a little lazy.  But that’s okay.  It’s Christmas.