Sesame Street - True Blue Miracle

I'd planned to post this song as part of the 2009 Christmas mix (theme: colors) but I haven't gotten around to compiling them yet, so I'll just post this one track while I'm watching Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. That's a 1978 special wherein Big Bird has to find out how Santa gets down chimneys, and Bert and Ernie reenact "The Gift of the Magi."

The first voice you'll hear on this song is Alaina Reed-Amini, who played Olivia until 1988, and who died one week ago. A lot of us grew up with Olivia as one of our TV friends, and it feels a lot like we've been losing more and more of our childhood friends lately. (If you need help mourning, she played a nice part in Sesame Street Episode 1839, which you can watch on YouTube by clicking. But warning -- you'll need a box of tissues -- that's the Mr. Hooper Memorial episode.)

Sesame Street - True Blue Miracle
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Stagger Lee Saturdays - The Grateful Dead 2

Remember last year when I posted the studio take on Stag from the Dead? Well, as I mentioned in that post, the original real-life shooting took place on Christmas Eve, but there are almost no versions of the tale which mention that.

So I can have a Christmasy Stagger Lee post, here's a nice live take from Jerry and the band. (via) This is a little funkier than the studio version, with some twisted, tortured guitarwork. Overall, a nice solid live take on the song, with not as much extended jamming as you might expect.

(I might have one more seasonal Stag up my sleeve for this year, but no promises. Stag will definitely return in January if not before...)

The Grateful Dead - Stagger Lee (live Nashville, December 16, 1978)
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Stagger Lee Saturdays - The Grateful Dead

I'm afraid I'm temporarily discontinuing Stagger Lee Saturdays, in favor of Christmas music. I know this might be unpopular with some of you, but I'll bring Stag back in January, or if anyone out there can suggest more versions which specifically mention the Christmas Eve setting, as this one does.

You'll notice that The Grateful Dead get the year wrong, setting it all the way in 1940 (the date of the real-life murder was 12-24-1895), but it at least mentions "Xmas Eve" so I'm gonna make this our December Stag post. (The Dead also played this live a lot, apparently, but I don't have any of those versions. Suggestions and URL's are most welcome.)

The Grateful Dead - Stagger Lee
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