What are you doing New Year's Eve?

It is the end of 2013, and if you are like me looking forward to the end of it, let's say in unison "Bring on 2014!"  It has been quite a year, really.

Now, I don't want to dwell on the past year, which for me personally has not been a good year.  But I will say I am looking forward to some better luck in 2014, as are a lot of people, I suspect.  I saw a Facebook posting from a former colleague of mine in the radio business, lamenting the number of people who are complaining about such a lousy year; she would rather people look more optimistically towards the New Year rather than dwell on the past.

I tend to agree with that assessment.  We can all do with a little more looking forward and a little less looking back, so from this humble scribe, we say "Here's to a better 2014!"

So, what are you planning to do this evening anyway?  Time was, everyone seemed to go out on New Year's Eve and celebrate, but that seems almost out of fashion these days, doesn't it?  I mean, the last thing I would want to do tonight, for example, is bundle up and freeze in the New Year with Demi Lovato and friends down in Niagara Falls.  I know lots will, and more power to them.  But I have never gotten into that big celebration event thing on this night, partly because for about 20 years or so, I worked New Year's Eve until well past midnight, so I almost don't know how to go out and celebrate on this night.

I recall one year about 15 years ago I spent New Year's Eve at a National Ballet of Canada Gala in Toronto and yes, it was fun.  But as Peggy Lee once sang in that classic hit from 1969, afterwards I thought to myself, "Is That All There Is?"

So, I suspect I am not the only one planning a quiet night in tonight, especially with a cold wind howling outside as I write this.  There is something to be said for curling up on the couch in your PJs with someone near and dear to you, and simply ignoring the world.  Heck, I often go to bed by 11 as I do most nights anyway, figuring, quite correctly I feel, 2014 will still be here when I wake up in the morning.

As I was thinking about this night earlier today, I started to think of the utter lack of music written specifically for this evening.  Oh, there has been music written for this night to be sure, but compared to a week ago, not that much really.

I have three New Year's Eve-specific songs in my personal collection I usually pull out this evening if nothing special is planned, and you'll laugh when you hear the archaic pieces I am referring to.  First up, a classic song recorded by several singers over the years, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?".  The version I have is by Johnny Mathis of all people and is a romantic ditty about a guy hoping to get the girl on this so-called night of nights.

Second up is a Nat King Cole song from an old Capitol album titled "The Great Songs!" from the early 60s, featuring the orchestra and chorus arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins.  It is only one song on the album that has to do with this night, and it is a Jenkins original, in fact, titled "Happy New Year".  It is about the saddest song for this night you can imagine, about a guy who doesn't even have a girl he wishes to get on this night.  The Great Songs, eh?  Maybe not this one.

Finally, Abba recorded a song called "Happy New Year" on the album "Super Trooper" years ago, and yes, I have a soft spot for this recording to this day.  Maybe it is the two females in Abba looking so good on the album jacket, but hey, a guy can dream, can't he?

See what I mean?  Not much has been written over the years for this night, and yet music is always a part of the celebrations.  Oh sure, if you go really old school you listen to Guy Lombardo's Auld Lang Syne (come to think of it, I do have a recording of that somewhere) but that might be going too far back.

So maybe a movie instead to flesh out the evening.  It had better be good, though, as I don't plan to stay up late...

Happy New Year, and here's to a great 2014!

December 31st, 2013.