Dance, Billy, Dance Like The Wind!

 Last night, as I went down the the Internet rabbit hole chasing music that Margaret Thatcher (to put it kindly) "inspired", I eventually rediscovered this amazing scene. While this number doesn't directly reference the Iron Lady, there's no doubt that "Town Called Malice" and Billy Elliot are both products of Thatcherite England. By the way, Billy Elliot had me at being pro-labor and gay-positive--the great 80's music was just icing on the cake. Since I can't embed the video, so go watch the whole thing at YouTube. Or, you can listen to the song here and look at pictures of the "Billy Elliot" a.k.a. Jamie Bell all grown up and looking mighty fine.

PS: If the fact that "Town Called Malice" was released 31 years ago doesn't make you feel really old, how about the news that Billy Elliot is going to be a father? Yikes.

At Least I Know Who Judy Collins Is

Long story short: It came up in Facebook conversation today that a friend didn't know who Judy Collins is. I said:

"A good rule of thumb: Every guest host of The (original) Muppet Show should be at least vaguely familiar to people of our generation. Judy Collins totally hosted and sang 'Send In The Clowns' with a Muppet circus in the background."

  
I had a really strong memory of that number, but it turns out my memory was somewhat wrong. I remembered the circus performers as puppets, and I thought there were more circus acts. In particular, I was sure there was a high-wire performer. It turns out, there are only clowns and they are some of the least puppety Muppets ever. They are really dancers/acrobats/mimes in masks.

I was confusing this number with Melissa Manchester singing "Don't Cry Out Loud" on The Muppet Show which features the same (kind of creepy, to be honest) clowns, but also has the puppet on the tightrope that I distinctly remembered being in the Judy Collins number.

I can't believe my memory is failing me like this. It's a slippery slope from confusing Judy Collins' and Melissa Manchester's Muppet Show appearances to no longer recognizing family members.