Carole King’s rendition of Chicken Soup with Rice is a favorite. Slipping is not a favorite.
As we begin a new decade with new joys and challenges, I find that this little ditty by the Australian artist/cartoonist Michael Leunig speaks to me. In fact, it inspired me to put together a “2020” playlist!
We give thanks for singers.
All types of singers.
Popular, concert singers and
tuneless singers in the bath.
Whistlers, hummers and those
who sing while they work.
Singers of lullabies; singers of nonsense
and small scraps of melody.
Singers on branches and rooftops.
Morning yodellers and evening warblers.
Singers in seedy nightclubs, singers in the street;
Singers in cathedrals, school halls, grandstands,
back yards, paddocks, bedrooms, corridors,
stairwells and places of echo and resonance.
We give praise to all those who give some small voice
To the everyday joy of the soul.
Amen
Andy and I agreed that we’d each make a playlist of 20 songs that we’d enjoy while cooking – or cleaning up after cooking….songs that have something about food in the title or lyrics. Get it? 20 and 20 for 2020!
You would think this would be a non-confrontational task! 🙂 I started my playlist with my ode to Andy: Sweet Home Cookin’ Man (listen and watch it here). I thought “Lord how my baby cooks” was tender and loving, but Andy took exception to the “ain’t got personality” and “ain’t got such good looks” lines.
Well he ain’t got personality
He ain’t got such good looks
When I come home hungry
Lord how my baby cooks
He’s a chef of fine distinction
Always cooks and it’s just right
Whether I come home in the morning baby
Or somewhere late in the night.
That was nothing compared to when I read over Andy’s blog and his playlist and noticed one of his top choices: My Wife Can’t Cook from Bill Wyman of Rolling Stones fame (listen and watch it here).
If it wasn’t for the beans that come out the can
A lot of the peas or the beets, the rice and the Spam
The milk and bread at the grocery store
I tell you, I couldn’t eat no more
‘Cause let me tell you, my wife, she can’t cook
If I thought she could read, I would buy her a book
But she knows how to do with the fuss and bother
She don’t even know how to boil hot water
But in the healing spirit of the New Year, we moved on 🙂 Isn’t that what a relationship is all about?
My 20 songs for the 2020 playlist are below. You can listen to bits of each song right here – or go to Spotify to get the whole thing. Dance around to it while you’re makin’ that Crawfish Etouffee, sippin’ on a Sazerac, and dreamin’ of going to Mardi Gras!
And just to make a point, I would like to remind you of some undeniably great recipes that I’ve fixed for Andy – with canned beans!
*Not Your Mother’s Chili
*MountainWestBob’s Easy Crockpot Chili
*North African Crockpot Lamb Stew
*Quick White Bean Soup
*One Dish Pasta and Beans
I’m very selective about the brand of beans I buy!
In fact, we celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends, serving them this d-lish Black Bean Chili (which also happens to be vegetarian). After everyone left, Andy turned up the speakers, clicked on his Jazz for Kitchen Cleanup playlist and welcomed in the New Year. See today’s Andy’s Corner.
Big Little Meals 