Frazz by Jef Mallett for December 31, 2021

Awww… not nice, Caulfield.

Today is my birthday. I say that everyone celebrates my day so much that they have to declare tomorrow a holiday so everyone can recover.

A dirge? How so? That was never the intention. Also, midnight is when many people are wrapping up the festivities and getting ready to go home.

Auld Lang Syne is harder to sing than Oh Holy Night…

You know what I like most about this strip? It’s the complete, utter, and continual lack of judgmentalism.

Whoever and wherever you are, Blue Eyes and I wish you the best in the new year.

Most people know the words to Auld Lang Syne as will as the Orange Goblin knows the words to the National Anthem.

??? It doesn’t sound a thing like a dirge. It isn’t even in a minor key.

I think it’s more interesting that all these people are singing in Scots, and most of them have no idea what it means.

HIPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I kinda like the old song.

Guess there are other songs that the masses can sing off-tune.

Nothing wrong with a reminder in the midst of festivities that life is bittersweet.

I don’t think it’s the song itself but the way a group of people sing it. I always want to pep it up some. It does drag on, I guess folks think they are being solemn.

“you can watch houseplants die in real time” made me laugh.

Much better words to the same tune:

Hark, from the tomb a doleful sound / mine ears attend the cry / ye living men come view the ground / where you must shortly lie…

Ideally, this is sung as cheerfully as possible, to get the most authentic effect.

Expand your horizons by Googling ‘Songs for New Years’ and pick from/listen to some offerings at the top of the page.

My main complaint about ALS (heh, unfortunate acronym) is that it’s the only song I ever hear on the occasion. I’d almost welcome U2’s “New Year’s Day” in its place.

“It’s is a magical word . . . Let’s go exploring.” 31 Dec. 1995 :-(

Houseplants? Count your blessings.

The melody seems to been written for a more spirited singing but drunk people can barely manage the dirge sound

Sad that kids these days can’t see the value in anything old, while not realizing how awful vast amounts of their popular modern culture is.

It’s not a dirge. Dirges are seldom in a major key, for one thing. It’s about remembering the good times you had.