But, if I promise you the truth right now, would you believe it?

Listen to "Seasons in the Sun" followed by "Alone Again Naturally" and try not to kill yourself.

SCIENCE!

Never heard of that until you mentioned it. Just listened to it. Jesus Christ, that's about as tortured a metaphor can get. Also, I have the feeling Alan Jackson never used a computer.

"Shannon" is included on the Anchorman soundtrack with Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) crying throughout the whole thing, which is exactly what that song needed.

The difference: If Joel did a concert and didn't do "We Didn't Start the Fire" maybe a couple people would be disappointed, but no one would really care. If Joel did a concert and didn't do "Piano Man," the audience would tear the building down.

There was a bar I used to go to regularly and there was this one guy who played "Don't Take the Girl" on the CD jukebox all the fucking time. I have the lyrics memorized ("Take the very breath you gave me, take the heart from my chest, I'll gladly take her place if you let this be my last request, take me out of this…

They were going to call the album Knee Deep in the Nose Candy, but I guess thought better of it.

…as well as something to drink?

Another Kids in the Hall reference! My lucky day.

He was really behind Shania Twain. Amirite? (Couldn't help myself. I promise, I'll start the therapy next week.)

But seriously, tell me, did you sail across the sun? Because that sounds like it would burn big time. (I'll show myself out, nice place you have.)

I have seen a million faces. And I have rocked them all. Well, maybe 950,000 of them, give or take. It hard for me to tell what a face looks like when it's rocked. It's kind of reddish and scowling I think.

Yes. Rizzuto was excellent. But like a lot of local announcers, as he got older he was still entertaining (and a beloved icon) but he became a caricature of himself, and if you started watching the Yankees around 1978, that's the Rizzuto you remember. Not bad, just different.

Sondheim himself has a sense of humor about that song, it's something he wrote for a specific purpose that just took on a life of its own. I remember a tribute show to him that opened with the Simpsons clip and it brought down the house. Everyone knows the song has become somewhat of a punchline, and that it's OK to…

I'm guessing you've read the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, the doctor who figured out that washing hands stopped the spreading of childbirth infections. His findings were not well received at the time. I'm not going to tell the whole story here, it's long and complicated but it is a stark example at just how hard it is…

Thompson Twins reference! Such is the sense of humor I have. What a strangely wonderful day.

Ha!!

Overall it was good, I agree. Jennings contributions were gut wrenching. And the most astonishing thing of all: The Winter Dance Party Tour continued as scheduled.

I know that's a joke, but since you mentioned it, yes, it was a Monday (September 19, 1881). So in Jim Davis's defense, there is historical precedent.