The Eric Metaxas Show - Uncle Mugsy and Melanie Penn (Encore)

Episode Date: December 24, 2020

Eric delivers a special reading of his "Mugsy" Christmas story, then celebrates the uplifting holiday music of singer/songwriter Melanie Penn. (Encore Presentation)

You know, comparing Eric Matakis to any other radio show host is a lot like comparing apples and, oh, I don't know. Oranges, perhaps? Yes, that's it. Precisely, oranges. Ripe, luscious, supple oranges dripping with sticky sweet juice. Another day or two, and they'll be rotten and inedible. But today, oh, they're glorious and inviting. Just like Eric.

And now, Orange's glad he's here. Hey, folks. Today is Wednesday, the 23rd of Donuts. December, but we've turned the corner. The days are getting longer. Oh, I love it. I love it. I love the sun. The sun. Albin, Christmas is coming up here, and I thought to myself, we've got to do a couple things. First of all, we got to announce that our sponsor who's glowering behind me, Mike Lindell, okay, anything you buy at my pillow.com or my store.com helps our sponsor, Mike Lindell, and helps the show if you use the code Eric. So we want to remind you to do that. And I want to remind you that the Uncle Mugsy books that are available at my store.com are priced so low. I'm saying

this as a warning. We're going to increase the price. So if you ever wanted these great books, I promise you, here's what's going to happen. I'm just going to tell you. If you ever get them, you're going to go, oh, I didn't realize they're so beautiful. They're huge. Buy them while they're still this price because you're going to be very sorry. In the next segment, I'm going to do a dramatic reading of Uncle Mugsy and the Terrible Twins of Christmas, written by Eric Mataxis and Tim Raglan, illustrated by Tim Raglan. It's kind of like Fraser meets the little rascals.

I'm not kidding. It's very innocent and fun, but it's also witty. It has a kind of a British flair, even though it's a, American. The illustrations are go-go-go-gag-ga insanely beautiful. So in the next segment, I'm going to do a dramatic reading of that. So if you have the book, you may want to read it along with the kids as or may want to turn the pages with the kids as I do my dramatic reading. So that's coming up. Next. And then we've been doing Christmas song parodies. John Zmirak wrote, Biden, did you know, which is still available. It's still out there.

there, but they keep taking it down. There's a Chinese version that's up. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. It's a Chinese version, and we'll keep putting it up so you can see it. But the Chinese version, it only has Chinese subtitle, so you can enjoy the English as well. But I think that's the only one that's still up. But then I wrote a song to go along with God resty, Mary Gentleman, and Chris Himes brilliantly put together again another video. So we have God resty, we have Just rest ye in the basement friend, which is the Bidens know how to run campaigns by staying in the basement. Chris, you did that. It was amazing.

Congratulations. I'm the singer. I was just thinking if we, you know, the radio show doesn't work out for us, we can start a satirical song parody karaoke company. We're going to get so rich doing that. Why are we even doing this now? Okay. So then, but Albin really started this whole thing off because Albin wrote. an anti-fa-la-la-la-la-la-la song. Now, Albin,

the world has been clamoring for this, and yet we haven't given them anymore. Can you share with our audience your Christmas parody? I can. In fact, I have a new second verse to the anti-fa-la-law song, the Antifa Christmas Carol, right? So if you don't mind, I'd like to sing the first verse and then go right into the second verse. You know what, I do mind, but I insist you do it anyway, go ahead. Okay, just because you mind. Here we go. Here we go. Anna one and a two. Burn the halls with Molotov cocktails. Antifa la la la la la la. See the blazing shops before us. Antifa la la la la la la la la la. Dawn we now are our masks and baseball bats. Antifa la la la while we steal your hard-earned treasure.

Antifa la la la la la la la la Troll and cancel conservative websites Fantifa la la la la la la la la la defund the police and disarmed gun owners Antifa la la la la la la la follow me to the mostly peaceful protest Antifa Antifa la la la

before I return to my mommy's basement Fantefa la la la la la la La. La. You know what? I, you go to the head of the class, my friend. Chris, you're out. James, engineer, you're out.

Albin, you go to the head of the class. That is unbelievable. It's a heartwarming tale of Marxist violence. What more could we ask for it this Yuletide season? I'm so grateful to you for your sixth sense of humor. God bless you. When I see red, I think Marxist. Enough fun.

Enough fun, enough fun, all right? Let me just say that, gosh, we've got so much to be thankful for, even in the midst the madness of this year. I think I mentioned earlier in the week that we put up some videos. Socrates in the city, I put up, I did two interviews five years ago, one with Colin Nicol who wrote The Great Christ Comet, spectacular book where he says that the star of Bethlehem was really a comet. It seems to be definitive.

When you read the book or when you listen to my interview with him at Sokhti's and City.com, which we are posting on our YouTube channel, the Eric Mattaxas show, you're going to see that he probably got it, number one. Number two, we're posting an interview with Michael Ward, dear friend who wrote one of the greatest books, and it is probably the greatest literary discovery of the 20th century. Think what I just said, how big that would be if it's true, and I think it's true. It's called Planet Narnia is the title of the book.

There's a shorter version called The Narnia Code. And there's a BBC documentary called The Narnia Code made by my very good friend, Norman Stone, the director. It's amazing because it gets us to think about the conjunction of planets and what C.S. Lewis thought. I won't go into it. But visit our website, sorry, our YouTube channel for the Erkmataxis show. and I think we will have those posts. They should be posted right now. We've got all kinds of other stuff.

My goodness. Christmas is just about upon us. And you know what? I want to say again, until the end of the year, we're asking you to donate to CSI. Now, we've talked about this many times. There are people being enslaved in, I can't believe this. In our time, while we are living. in a free country that has its challenges, but is nonetheless still free. We're dealing with

things around this world that are, they're just hard to fathom. If you go to our radio website, metaxis talk.com, we'd love to encourage you to free a slave. There's no hyperbole. There's no metaphor. This is real. MetaxistalkisTalk.com, if there's anyone for whom you wish to get a present, you can't think what to get them. What greater thing conceivable than to tell them that in your name for Christmas gifts, I have freed a slave because of CSI, Christian Solidarity International. You go to our website once again. It's metaxis talk.com.

You will see the banner. You can do that. I still can't get over it. And I say, again, if there's anybody out there who can give a huge amount like 10,000, thousand dollars tax deductible to free 40 human beings from slavery through c s i it would be my privilege to join you for dinner to spend the evening with you um albin um do you can you say the phone number for those people who'd prefer to make a phone call to c s i please call today it's 888 253 3522 888 253 3522 3 522 3 522 i want to reiterate

that all these places where you can get books, I have to say this because there's so many different places, if you want signed books by me, you go to the Socrates and the city website. If you prefer to get my Donald the Caveman books signed, you go to shopmetaxis.com, hats, Mugs, and I'm going to say it again, this is the time the prices are nuts. We'll be right back with a dramatic reading of Uncle Mugsy and the terrible twins of Christmas. Hang a shining star upon the highest bar. A merry little Christmas night.

Just hear those stables shingling, wing tingling to. Come on, it's lovely weather forest. They ride together with you. Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling you. Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you. Let's go. Let's look at the show. Are you ready?

Are you ready? Uncle Mugsy and the terrible twins of Christmas. I've talked about it and talked about it. Now you're going to hear it. I think I did read Yankee Doodle Mugsy around. July 4th, but this is the one that started at all. This is the Scrooge character. This is the guy, the Bachelor Bulldog Plutocrat, W.C. Fields, grumpy character who has the little kids come into his life and turn him upside down.

It's written in verse, so you've got to listen carefully. If you've got the book, you've got to turn the pages. Save this. So you can, you know, play it at another time when you have kids around with the book. I'm so excited. Mugsy and the Terrible Twins of Christmas. Eric Metaxus and Tim Raglan. Mugsy was a happy bachelor, never married in his life, always did just what he wanted,

had no children, had no wife, and neither did he have to work, nor had he very many cares. I catered to his every need, that's me, you see, upon the stairs. And now I'll ask you to relax, as this are happy story weaves. If you're in need of anything, please call for me. My name is Peas. Oh, wifeless, childless Uncle Mugsy, singleness and freedom yours. Children never mar your quiet.

No wife is wakened by your snores. And you never have to go outdoors. Oh, how you love your life, dear Mugsy. How you've clung to bachelorhood. Ever doing as you wanted, never doing as you should. and wouldn't change it if you could. And how he loves to dress his best for a romantic tete-a-tete with the woman whom I call Miss Dogmont and whom he knows as Marguerette.

But lo, the day before Christmas Eve, a missive came by courier. It spoke of children soon arriving. His sister's twins won him, one her. From out his lips there crept a girl. Gadzooks, said he, a further shock, their train is due at one o'clock, which left no time to finish breakfast or to inquire about his stocks, and as he dressed himself that day, it left no time to match his socks. And there they waited, he and she, identically uninvited. Their Merry Christmas, Uncle dear, went entirely unrequited. Hear this, he said, my dad. tiny guests. There'll be no celebration. Christmas is just another day for my rest and relaxation.

But then their ancient traveling bag, held by a single piece of tape, unleashed a sudden flood of marbles from which no Noah could escape. And down we went, both he and I, tearing our respective pants. as did the town council and the mayor and the ambassador of France. He came to learn that the terrible price of the marble spill had been expressed to the last penny in three lawsuits and won doctor's bill. Thus, peaves, he said, does fate repay us? My singular order is become twinned chaos. Always knowing just what to do.

He took the children to the zoo. And there, from his great wealth of learning, he brought out bits of animal lore, excluding neither fish nor fowl nor the luncheon habits of the three tusked boar. But while he told them of the tiger's stripes, the children unnoticed went chasing about, spreading good tidings of Christmas cheer by letting the animals out. The dinner that night began quite well. How Mugsy loved my roasted duck, as did Miss Dogmont and little Emily, and her brother, whose name was Habercuk.

But the harmony was not to last. It was Mugsy himself who was to blame, for it was he that night who said it. My goodness, Habercuk, what a funny name. And when the children were sent to bed, Mugsy could at last relax, with the lovely Miss Dogmont at his side and a warming fire at the moment. their backs. Margaret, my dear, he started to say, I treasure these moments with you. Then a bump and a crash

from the West Wing was heard, and he knew that their romance was through. And so to the library quickly they ran, and oh, what a scene that they found, the Julius Caesar was wearing a hat, and the Hermes was knocked to the ground, and the children were perched

on a mountain of books atop Mugsy's favorite old chair, And he saw they were using his cherrywood pipes to blow bubbles of soap through the air. They were holding an album filled with photographs from his youth. Mugsy cringed, for he knew what was coming. Your name is Ambrose, they shouted, forsooth. Be gone, you twin rap, scallions go, cried Mugsy. Now you seal your doom.

You'll stay put tomorrow. Christmas be hanged. Both locked up all day in your room. The children departed, Miss Dogmont now spoke. Don't you know that tonight's Christmas Eve? You're a selfish old cur with a heart made of stone. And she sniffed twice and then took her leave. Wifeless, childless, uncle Mugsy.

Singleness and freedom yours. No children there to mar your quiet. No wife to waken with your snores. Oh, how you've loved your life, dear Mugsy, how you've clung to bachelorhood, ever doing as you've wanted, never doing as you should. Would you change it if you could? And as he sat there, still and quiet, his blank gaze drifted to a page of pictures from his childhood, of moments from a golden age.

And there, under a Christmas tree, he saw a very happy child, which made two tears form in his eyes. But through the tears, old Mugsy smiled. And the twins awoke that Christmas morn, a silent coldness filled their room. Their Christmas hopes had all been dashed, their dreams of joy replaced by gloom.

But hark, from downstairs came the sound of a laugh that boomed, so the rafters shook. And helpless to contain themselves, the children went to have a look. And so to the top of the stairs they ran, and oh, what a scene that they found! Miss Dogmont and Mugsy were both wearing hats, and presents were piled all around. The town council had formed a Christmas quintet, and the mayor was singing a song. Here we come a caroling among the leaves so green. And whenever they came to the chorus, the ambassador of France sang along.

Love and joy, come to you, and to you glad Christmas too. Come down, dear children, Mugsy cried. Come down, my honored guests. It's Christmas Day, so join us in our gaiety and jests. We do accept, they now replied, your gracious invitation. But what's to become, oh, uncle dear, of your rest and relaxation? Hear this well, he said, my guests. There'll be no relaxation.

Christmas is not just any day. It's a day for celebration. And oh, what a grand celebration it was. The happiest day of his life. For Miss Dogmont that day would become an aunt just after she became Mugsy's wife. And so are happy stories told. We now shall take our leaves. If you're in need of anything.

Remember me. My name is Peaves. Folks, it's the Eric Mataxis show. I get played the role of Eric Mataxis, but I have these guests. For example, today I have a musical guest. Her name, her stage name, it's obviously not a real name, is Melanie Penn. Melanie, welcome to the program. Hello, Eric. It's such a fake name. What's your real name? Oh, well, my real name is Margaret Peninsky. It's just really long and hard to explain, so I shortened it to Melanie Penn. I hear you.

I hear you. No, actually, because we're friends, I know that your real name actually is Melanie Penn. But it's wonderful to be born with a name that sounds like you should be famous. Oh, cool. And you should be famous not just because like you're pretty and talented, but because you're my friend. And all my friends should be famous. But I'm so excited, Melanie. You, I took my parents, my old, wonderful parents to hear you sing your Christmas album last Christmas.

And it was just one of the sweetest evenings because at the beginning of the evening before you performed, my parents didn't like you. And at the end of the evening, they were open to liking you a little bit. I won them right over. It was that wonderful. I'm smiling so wide because I remember that so well that night with you guys and that you came and saw a show in Connecticut. It was, well, because my parents live in Connecticut and I was born in Connecticut. But seriously, Melanie, that night I'm not making this up.

And you know this because I emailed you about it. What your performance did for me as an artist, speaking as an artist myself, is it made me realize you really are a very, I'm going to try and embarrass you, but you're a tremendously gifted artist. Sometimes we take our friends for granted and we go, yeah, Melanie, she's a singer and she's great. She's my friend. But, I mean, that night I saw that what you had done in writing this Christmas music, it was amazing. So I get to brag on you because it's my show.

But you are in my Christmas special on TBN, which is airing, I think, December 19th, I think. so people get to see you perform in my Christmas special. Some of them already know you from that. But tell us, Melanie, how did you come up with this idea to write this Christmas album? I mean, I just love this so much. Tell us. Well, for those watching, the Christmas album is called Emmanuel, and it's an original singer-songwriter album that tells the Christmas story from the Bible in the first person.

So the first song is written and sung from the first song. the perspective of Isaiah, and then the angel Gabriel sings a song, and the Virgin Mary sings a song, and we basically hear from all of the characters in the Christmas story through to the end. And I can't really say where the idea came from. The songs just kind of dropped in my lap, and I consider the whole Emmanuel album, a gift from the Lord, and one of those, like, miracles that happens as an artist, where you're like, wow, this all kind of came from another place. and I feel that God trusted me with the songs to bring them to life. So that's what I did.

I always like to say that it had to be the Lord because I know you're just not that talented, right? I'm really not. Right. Exactly. No, you are talented. But what I love, seriously, Melanie, I just can't help joking with my friends. But you're, you know, you're not just talented as a performer and a singer, but as a song, writer. And that's what touched me because I am obviously a writer. And what you do in some of these

songs artistically, giving the perspective of different characters from the Christmas story in scripture, you know, it's just, it is a glorious idea. And so now, I guess I should ask you, if people want to get the album, Immanuel, I'm already confused. How do we spell Emmanuel? It's two M's, one L, two L's. Like, where do we get it? With an I, starts with an eye. They can get it. The album's available on my website, Melaniepin.com, and really anywhere someone wants to listen to music.

So Spotify, Apple Music, like any of the online platforms, they can find it there. And I promise you'll love it. Emmanuel. No, I know they'll love it. All they have to do is go there. If they go there, they'll love it.

Because trust me, everybody knows, like, I'm cynical and heart-bitten. I don't like anything. So if I say I like something, trust me, folks. you're talking quality. Melanie, I'm not just saying this because you're my friend. I wouldn't, you know I wouldn't do that. But you and I share a passion to bring excellence to, you know, Christian messages and things, not just to have it say, well, it's Christian, therefore you should listen to it,

but that it's, it reflects the beauty and the goodness and the truth of God. And I think that's why I get so excited about this stuff, because not everything does that. I'm not going to name names, but your stuff does that. And I know you have a vision as an artist that transcends just, you know, I'm trying to have a career or something. You're on a mission. Yes. Yes. It's really important. I mean, sometimes what I love about the Christmas, what I love about the album, Emmanuel, and when I get to tour it every year, like I can't this year, obviously, because of COVID and the quarantine.

But many people will go to a concert, but they won't go to a church service. So if during the Christmas season someone walks into an Emanuel concert, and many people do, they can hear the Christmas story for the first time. So that was kind of built into the vision of writing it. That happened to me last year. I brought a friend who, you know, is not on the same theological page as we are, and he loved it. And that's part of the magic of Christmas is you can bring people and it's Christmas. And then they're like, oh, yeah, Jesus. Yeah.

Didn't think about that. Yeah. Openness, just the Christmas season. I mean, people will talk about Jesus during the Christmas season, and they wouldn't necessarily talk about or think about Jesus any other time during the year. So it really is an opening to communicate with people. Okay. Well, we're done with this segment. Melanie, we love you.

It's Emmanuel with an I, Melanie Penn. Folks, you got to check it out. You must. Thank you, Mom. Folks, welcome back. I get to talk to Melania. Melanie Penn, the recording artist, the singer-songwriter, Melanie Penn, and you get to listen. And Melanie, welcome back.

Hello, Eric. It's so good to see you. Were you always this talented, or did you just switch your meds at some point? No, I was born this way. I was born this talented. It's a weight to bear, but somehow I do it. It is a weight to bear. And a lot of people hate you because you're talented.

beautiful. They just hate your guts. And it's, it's just something you have to live with. I know. You just have to walk through life with this burden. It's true. I joke around, but as I was saying before, you, um, you really are committed to your art and you are really committed to your faith. And you're one of these rare people who is able to wed them in a way that I think speaks beyond the Christian world. And that's, that's called evangelism. And I'm all for it. So I just want to ask you for our audience. How did you get into this? Where did you grow up and when did you begin to discover that this is what you wanted to do?

That's a good question. The short version is I grew up in Falls Church, Virginia, and I grew up singing, singing in church as a young child. And eventually I grew up and moved to New York. And I did musical theater for a long time. And then I transitioned to writing songs. So I've had kind of a circuitous path in music. But the thing that I've always wanted to do is sing.

And I think singers can sometimes reach into the human heart in a way that other people just can't. Or for whatever reason, someone will listen to the human singing voice when they won't necessarily listen to something else. So I consider a great honor to be able to sing. It is a joy. As you know, in my Christmas special, I also sing. But like, I didn't write the songs or anything. It's kind of goofy with Victoria Jackson and stuff. But you and I have sung together.

Yeah, we've like sung hanging out in your apartment in New York. I don't know if people watching know that like we have jammed before. Oh, totally, man. We've totally liked Dan. We've rocked out. I want to talk to you about 2020, the most loathsome year in memory. This has been weird. You normally are in New York.

Suzanne and I miss our friend, Melanie. because like you're now, like you're in COVID land, where everybody like goes to their, to their homeland for the census or something. And everybody's like where they started or with their parents or something like that. But this has been a truly weird season for all of us. How have you been dealing with this?

Well, for musicians, especially, it's been weird because live music really has been taken out of our culture completely. And, I mean, we know why, I mean, gathering, gathering, all around has been taken out of our culture. But when I look back on the year, it actually really makes me sad because there aren't many things in the culture that like bring everyone together. I mean, think about it. In a normal year, you can go to a concert and be sitting next to someone who is nothing like you, you know, isn't from the same place as you, doesn't look at the world the same way as you, but you can focus on the same thing and love it at the same time.

So I regret that that common thread, those common threads of live music and the arts have been silenced this year. And again, like, we understand why, but I think... I don't. I don't understand why. I think it's a lot of garbage. Excuse me. This is my show. I think a lot of it is just ridiculous and it's a free country.

And if people want to go someplace and catch the flu or not, whatever, like we have to be, you know, in a free country. you allow adults to take responsibility for themselves. So I think it's gotten out of hand, frankly. I mean, I get it. But come on. So you, though, seriously, every Christmas, you do this big tour, and it's amazing. And Suzanne and I go to several performances. And this year, you're not doing that. So you're forced to be on TV now. Yeah, my, yeah, I guess I've had my television debut. I actually, I have one Christmas concert in Houston, Texas. So I like to joke around that it will be my best Christmas show, but also my worst, because it's the only one. And gosh, I just hope by this time next year we're a thriving society again and able to gather and sing together and celebrate together.

So I am really just praying and hoping for that. And you know, Melanie, again, because it's my show, I get to embarrass you and say that you're a woman of profound faith. There are a lot of people that they're, you know, they say, well, I'm a Christian artist, I'm a Christian, but it's, you know, when you really get talking to them, you realize it was kind of like a cultural, like they grew up in the church or something like that. But for you, your faith really is central. And so I guess that's why your songs seem powerful to me, because they're not sort of just about Christmas, but they're coming, you know, from your soul. You write them and they're beautiful. And I, I guess I want to remind people that they can get your album, Emmanuel. It's I-M-M-A. That's right. Emmanuel with an I.

And you can get Emmanuel or any of my albums actually on my website, Melanieepen.com or anywhere that people like to listen to music, like Spotify, Apple Music, all the places. ...pen.com. Melaniepen.com. Melaniepen.com. I'll remember that since you're my friend. I'll remember Melanieepen.

Melanie Penn.com. Melanie, you've done a lot of albums and a lot of music. If people want to see your music videos, or are they like on YouTube and stuff, where are you? Yeah. You put my name in the search bar on YouTube, and there's lots of goodies there. So while people are at home in quarantine,

check me out on YouTube, find the song, sing along. You've made some really fun music videos. Oh, I have, you know that I have like a fantasy on my bucket list. I want to sing like a duet with you at the Riemann. Oh, we got to do it. Surely we can make that happen. No, no, no, we're going to make this happen. I want to sing.

I already told you this. A lot of times you look like Lynn Anderson, especially when you put your hair a certain way. And I thought she sang a duet with Johnny Cash, which now I'm forgetting the title of it, but it is so great. And I thought, oh, my gosh, we're going to sing that at the Rhyman. That's my bucket list.

You're seeking it into being. I can go to glory right after that. Like, I don't even have to go into the wings. I'm just going to be translated right into glory. No, but really, it's just, it is fun to sing, and it's fun to sing with somebody who is, you know, you're living it. This is your life.

You're writing songs. You're putting out albums. And what's the name in the album that you did besides this Christmas one, the most recent album? Yeah, I released an album. in September, and it's called More Alive, Volume 1. It's 10 songs that were

really, they came out of 2020, they came out of the quarantine. Listen, we have to go to a break. We're going to be right back with Melanie Penn. Don't go away. Melanie, your website is Melanieepen.com, and it's not com like C-A-L-M, right?

It's like C-O-M. It is C-O-M. People need to write that down. Melanie pen dot C-O-M. Now, Melanie, the Christmas album is called Emmanuel with an eye. But the other album that you released, you released, you released, I believe the word is released, in September. Now, what kind of an idea is that to release an album, like in the middle of COVID, like, you know, death quarantine? What's the story with that?

It felt a little risky for sure, but I went ahead and released Moralive, Volume 1 in September, primarily because the songs were written in the quarantine, and I recorded them with my producer, Ben Shive, during the quarantine. We were able to socially distance, make a great album. And I thought, I want to get these songs out to people while we're still going through, like, all the trauma and trial of this year and the COVID era. It's really songs written for people for this time. I think they'll live on beyond.

But wait, more alive volume one? What's that all about? Is this like Kill Bill? What do you mean, volume one? Well, I mean, there's a volume two. There's going to be a volume two. Multi-volume. But why did you, why did you know that in advance?

Like, it's just funny to me. What, like, what's the concept that you knew this is like officially volume one? I mean, it just felt right in the way that artists, you know, you have this. too. Like things just feel right. But the fact is by the time, by the time this collection of songs was done, I had already started another batch of songs that really felt birthed out of this time. So I was like, you know what? I'm going to release Moral Live Volume 1 in September and more alive volume 2 is coming to everybody in 2021. I'm sorry, what? Just kidding. I heard you. You're in my Christmas special on TBN, which I think

is airing December 19th. They told me that they would air it before that but they lied to me. They broke my heart. But my faith is still strong.

It's so fun. It's so fun. But it is so much fun. But the fact that we got you to sing two songs, two songs, it is, I feel like it gave legitimacy

to our kooky Christmas special. You gave really you gave legitimacy to me by inviting me to be on it it was no you gave legitimacy no you no you no you um but really it's kind of no the christmas special is so nuts because some of it is just like wacko humor uh like with me singing on the top of a double decker bus true lip thinking to my own version of elton john's step into christmas on a double decker bus like did i make that up no it really happened and uh so there's of wacky stuff. And then we get serious and we have real professional musicians. Is that the word

musicians? And you're one of them. And so it's great. What are the two songs that you do? I forgot. Yeah, I did. All Things Are Possible. It's a song that I wrote speaking from the perspective of the Angel Gabriel when the Angel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary, all things are possible with God. So I sing that song. And then I think the first Noel, a rendition of the first Noel. Right, that's right. But all things are possible. I don't remember, I just remember how good. It goes, all things are possible.

Yeah, nothing's impossible. Yeah. Yeah. We need that song this year. Gosh, we need that song this year. I like the way you say, possible. Possible. It's my favorite part of the song.

Melanie, you're fun. I'm glad you're our friend. I'm glad this album, Emmanuel, is out, and everybody can get it everywhere. Wherever fine tobacconists sell their tobacco products and on Spotify and everywhere, and mostly at Melanie Penn.com. Melanie, God bless you. Merry Christmas. God bless you, too.

So good to see you.