That's my favorite version of Christmas Carol as well. The invented bits for the housekeeper are terrific, and the scene at Fred's is, as you said, the best kind of heartbreaking.

I'm glad you brought that up! From memory: "He saw two bike lights up the road / He thought he'd try his luck / He tried to cut between them / He never knew it was a truck // I ran out on the highway / To look there for my guy / Between the diesel headlights / Something looked like pizza pie…"

Is that Burroughs? I had a best friend (passed) who used to quote that line all the time, and knew Burroughs' work well, and ascribed it to an early Zap Comix, maybe Warthog. Not trying to one-up or anything, but would really like clarification to better remember my dear friend.

Jerry Lee and Lou Reed. For starters. Oh, and No.

Agreed. And I am the world's biggest Lou Reed fan. I want Yes in; I want King Crimson in. Contrary to what this writer believes, I want J. Geils in. I was there. They kept the flame alive.

"That is because, I reckon, if you're only playing to an audience of one, you're critic-proof."
Perfect. I wish I'd composed that thought!

Thank you for that! The Samuel Barber music made me cry with laughter.

Yeah, the past for me too. Gleick wants to go see how humanity has turned into a hive mind, and he sees the internet/smart phones as a prelude. Yikes!

Great suggestions from writers and commenters. Here's a few I haven't seen mentioned, from the thousands I could remember:
Andalucia by John Cale from Paris 1919
Afraid by Nico from Desertshore
You Don't Pull No Punches (But You Don't Push the River) by Van Morrison from Veedon Fleece
Finale by Ennio Morricone from Once…

It's there. And it's spectacular.

Todd, "Harold's store" was completely an Army surplus store, and one of the coolest shopping destinations for young Eino.  Plenty of camping supplies, crazy weapons my mom wouldn't let me get, freeze-dried foods, and those great fatigue jackets like the one Lindsay wears.  I wish it was still there.