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Kitchen Table Kibitzing 7/15/2025: Good Advice [1]
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Date: 2025-07-15
Édouard Vuillard: Garden at Vaucresson (1920)
Good evening, Kibitzers!
Well, my friends, Monday night I received an inquiry about the success of my expedition to Connecticut for the purpose of retiring, and I am happy to say that that operation definitely achieved its aim.
As I write, it’s not 100% put to bed yet, because I decided Sunday night, once I arrived in Stamford and found my hotel to be nice, that there was no pressing need for me to get on the road at 3 pm Monday, as had been my plan. So I have stayed the extra night, had a delightful cheeseburger and overpriced glass of wine, and am now typing this in my hotel room, planning to leave in the morning.
Tuesday is my official last day of work. I am nominally taking it as a vacation day, so of course, to provide an absolutely characteristic ending, my co-workers clamored for me to attend the weekly departmental meeting in the morning anyway. I told them that I would attend by phone, from the car, if they wanted to call my phone and patch me in. I am sure they will. *Tuesday pm: Also entirely characteristically, the meeting got rescheduled to tomorrow, and they will probably not have the nerve to call me.
I got a pizza party, an enormous cake (which was really pretty and lacked only chocolate), a gift certificate, some nice cards and well-wishes, and a number of hugs (that’s why I got my Covid shot!) And now, I have nowhere to be five mornings a week, unless I want to. My current plan is to keep the absurdly early breakfasts with my nephew on Thursdays — the point of those was never to not be late for work, but rather, to get there when the diner opens so we get a good table.
So anyway! I was listening to Hey Jude the other day, which I’m sure you know Paul McCartney wrote for little Julian Lennon, about getting along with his new stepmother; it makes a ton of sense in that context. I thought it was pretty good advice, and I started thinking about other songs offering good advice.
Hey Jude: The Beatles (Promotional video, Twickenham Film Studio, 1968, initially broadcast in the UK on the David Frost show) Video includes some initial joking around with Frost. This is on the Beatles YouTube channel, so there is a fuller account on the video’s page. [8:09]
And any time you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For, well, you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
You Can't Hurry Love: The Supremes (The Ed Sullivan Show, 1966) [3:00]
You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
You gotta trust, give it time
No matter how long it takes
Don't Worry, Be Happy: Bobby McFerrin (official music video, 1988) I will note two things: the video features Robin Williams and Bill Irwin; and the song is entirely a cappella — all the “instrumental” accompaniment is made by McFerrin’s voice. Song-title link is to Wikipedia. [3:51]
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy
Don't Eat the Yellow Snow: Frank Zappa (Capitol Theatre, Passaic NJ, 1978) This is on Music Vault’s Zappa channel, so again there is considerable information on the video’s page. [16:35]
Watch out where the huskies go,
And don't you eat that yellow snow
Don't Stop: Fleetwood Mac (Betzenberg Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany, June 1980) [4:11]
Don't stop thinking about tomorrow
Don't stop, it'll soon be here
It'll be better than before
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone
Beware of Darkness: Ann Wilson (George Fest George Harrison tribute concert, Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, September 2014) [3:47]
Watch out now
Take care, beware of thoughts that linger
Winding up inside your head
The hopelessness around you
In the dead of night
Beware of sadness
Whip It: Devo (Australian TV show Countdown, February 1982) [2:40]
When a problem comes along
You must whip it
Before the cream sits out too long
You must whip it
When something's going wrong
You must whip it
You Can't Always Get What You Want: The Rolling Stones (live in Havana, Cuba, March 2016, from concert film Havana Moon) [9:09]
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
Beautiful: Carole King (live at Montreux, 1973) [2:21]
You've got to get up every morning
With a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel
Man in the Mirror: Michael Jackson (concert footage from the Bad world tour, 1988, in montage from the 1988 anthology music film Moonwalker) [5:44]
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could've been any clearer
If they wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
The Gambler: Kenny Rogers (Hee Haw 10th anniversary show, October 1978) [3:46]
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away, know when to run
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done
Humble and Kind: Tim McGraw (ACM Presents: Our Country, an “at home” TV special made to replace the Covid-cancelled American Country Music awards show, 2020) Country music being as it is, I felt moved to check on McGraw’s politics before I featured him here, but apparently the whole McGraw-Faith Hill axis voted in a way that would have propelled us into a less-stupid timeline had more people done it. [3:52]
Don't take for granted the love this life gives you
When you get where you're going, turn right back around
And help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind
So, do you have any advice songs I should have included? Please add them in the thread!
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