ABBA, "Happy New Year"

Just as Charlie Brown had a unique ability to "turn Christmas into a problem," so are ABBA capable of turning New Year's into remorseful melodrama. In their world, New Year's is a gray-morning'd look back at foolish choices, lost loves, misguided lives - and mispronounced champagne. (Soft ch, Agnetha.) But it's nevertheless a memorable melody; and in "Happy New Year" they ultimately do get up, dust themselves off, pick the confetti off the floor and move on to a new starting over. "May we all have our hopes, our will to try."

(And not to overthink that video, but interesting that Benny doesn't stop fake-playing his piano long enough to toast his bandmates at the end, a scene followed by a shot of three candles instead of the four at the beginning. The walrus was Bjorn?)

I want to thank all of you for reading what I've been thinking in 2008 and wish you peace, health and happiness in '09. (Any requests for music to cover here next year?)