We had Betty, Frank, Louise, Anne, PJ, Larry, Jack, Bill, Jen, Ken, WendySue, Dawn, Arlene and Sally to play songs with several unrelated themes: Chanukah, the beach, Christmas and the Rolling Stones.

1. Side-By-Side

This was our warm-up. The never-ending discussion about a proper ending continued and remains unresolved.

2. Take It or Leave It, Rolling Stones, 1966 (Dan)

I was the only one who knew this, which I expected, but it was easy enough for everyone to play.

3. Wild Horses, Rolling Stones, 1971 (Dan)

I should have shown everybody how to do this one chord, a [D], played in many lines and comprising just one beat. I think it threw people off. This is one of the staples of rock music, yet no one sang, not even on the easy chorus. I wag my finger in admonishment at all of you, dear comrades. Everyone knows how this song goes.

4. The Snowman Song, Joyce Fleming, 2016 (Arlene)

Arlene found this catchy song by an amateur who puts her songs on YouTube. Though the song was new to everyone, it would have been easy enough to sing and play on our own had Arlene led us. But we tried playing along with the video. In this case it was a mistake. In just a few seconds we were collectively louder than the video and were playing faster or slower than it. It added to the confusion. Each of us made our own private noise unconnected to everyone else.

5. Paint It Black, Rolling Stones, 1966 (Arlene)

I believe this song is about a funeral.

6. As Tears Go By, Marianne Faithfull, 1964 and Rolling Stones, 1966 (Arlene)

Here's a pretty ballad from an often raucous group of lads. Faithfull was Jagger's girlfriend.

7. Ruby Tuesday, Rolling Stones, 1967 (Arlene)

This went very well. Thank you, Arlene, for three excellent Rolling Stones picks. Good suggestions all.

8. Little St. Nick, Beach Boys, 1964 (PJ)

PJ gets extra points for combining two themes: the beach and Christmas.

9. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, 1966 (Arlene)

"I wouldn't touch you with a ….. 39-and-a-half-foot pole!" That's how repellent this creature is. Ooh, he's a mean one.

10. Blue Christmas, Elvis, 1957 (Anne)

My brother Tim declared this to be his favorite song of all time, not just his favorite Elvis song and not just his favorite Christmas song. He likes it better than any song ever stamped on vinyl.

11. Dreidel Song, Grossman and Goldfarb, 1896 (Anne)

I think we've done this one every year.

12. Beach Baby, First Class, 1974 (Anne)

So nostalgic. It hit in my summer between 9th and 10th grade. These guys were Englishmen, longing for the sunny weather of Los Angeles, where girls swear sandals and summer clothes instead of rain jackets and rubber Wellington boots.

13. She's So Cold, Rolling Stones, 1980 (Anne)

When I first started working in Manhattan I was 20 years old and crazy about a secretary named Suzie, but she wouldn't give me the time of day. I sang this to myself thinking of her. (Another great Rolling Stones pick, Anne.)

14. Little Deuce Coupe, Beach Boys, 1963 (WendySue)

This wins the award for the most car parts listed in a song.

15. Kokomo, Beach Boys, 1988 (WendySue)

We did well on the chorus, but not the verses, and we quit half-way through. John Phillips of the Mamas and Papas wrote it.

16. Fun Fun Fun, Beach Boys, 1964 (WendySue)

We couldn't do the falsetto at the end, but the rest went well. The song celebrates the exploits of an untruthful teenage girl. She asks her father for the keys to the Thunderbird, claiming a need to get to the library. Does she go there? She does not. She drives fast and recklessly to the hamburger stand, fussing with the buttons on the radio, playing the music much too loudly and singing along, not paying attention enough to the road, especially after having only recently gotten her license. The Beach Boys were encouraging youthful rebellion.

17. Chanukah O Chanukah (Sally)

Ken said the melody sounded Russian. I thought so, too. It went fine when Sally led us.

18. Christmas Island, Jimmy Buffett, 1996 (Bill)

Here's an example of us doing better by playing along with the video, which is often not the case.

19. Angie, Rolling Stones, 1973 (Ken)

I'm glad we got seven Rolling Stones song in tonight. They have so many good ones. They're probably the second most famous rock act, after the Beatles. Many which I wanted to try were either not hit singles or were too difficult to play, which is a shame. The Stones were not everyone's cup of tea. They were probably not great role models for Britain's youth, but I guess that's not the job of a long-haired rock band. If instead of raunchy, number one hits like Honky Tonk Women and Brown Sugar, they had songs with lyrics about doing your algebra homework, tucking your shirt-tails in and eating your vegetables, would they have sold as many records?

20. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings, Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan, 2004 (Jen)

I like both these songs done in the traditional way, but these guys do a fun version.

Our next session will be on the winter solstice, December 21, and we will be playing the music of the MONKEES (Betty's top-notch suggestion), along with any songs about animals. The Monkees are often dismissed by critics because they were assembled by people wanting to make a TV show about a band. They didn't come together naturally, like most other bands. But we had three of their albums and they had lots of good songs. Among the great songwriters who gave them material were Boyce and Hart, Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Neil Diamond and Harry Nilsson. I hope we get at least a half dozen Monkees songs before we do songs about kangaroos, bears, cats, eagles and ducks.

-- Dan.