Decemberweenvent Calendar on homestarrunner.com

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

The Brothers Chaps’ Decemberweenvent Calendar

Going back and forth on whether I wanted to make a thread on this…decided I needed to do something light 'n frivolous to offset all the other stuff I’ve been talking about here lately, so here it is. It’s a snippet of piano music per day from December 1-24, based on the music they’ve made for the site over the years. Covered in depth, of course, by the good folks at HRwiki.org. Each day has a different character or set of characters give a voiceover about the whole event (there are no links to the previous ones, so don’t miss them). Over in Hawaii we’re getting the next one by around 9:00 PM the previous day.

Here’s what we got the first six days:

  1. Everybody, Everybody
  2. Stave It Off
  3. Skills of an Artist
  4. Caleb Rentpayer Love Theme / Caleb Rentpayer Funeral Dirge (side note: the Caleb Rentpayer article on HRWiki about doubled in size the day after this came out)
  5. Now I’ll Do A Dance
  6. CGNU Fight Song (I knew this would make it! :grin:)

I’m expecting at least one Cheat Commandos song, something Cheap As Free related, and a bunch of cameo stuff like Little Brudder and Mr. Poofers. The Teen Girls Squad is already piano (and a too fast paced for beginner-level scales), but maybe we could get the “remix” from episode 4. It’d be great to see a Halloween crossover, but I’m not sure how much minor key stuff TBC are actually interested in having.

I’m to enjoy following this. :slightly_smiling_face: I have the feeling I"m going to be checking up on a lot of old cartoons before this is all over.

2

The HRwiki does have links to the flash files, so you can get the voice overs. I’m glad, as that sort of FOMO stuff would bug me. The Brothers Chaps have never been the type to push marketing stuff.

Granted, you probably need Ruffle installed in your web browser to view those linked Flash files.

3

Does anyone know how to get the downloads to work? I think I used to play them on RealPlayer but that isn’t working now.

Ruffle is a Flash emulator that’s more or less completely supplanted it. I don’t remember when I installed it, but if you were able to use Flash I don’t see any problems. (For while I thought TBC were actually going to learn HTML5, but I guess they can’t really squeeze that kind of big project into their lives right now.)

I’d like to reflect on just how awesome it is that they’re doing this…I’ve seen too many once-great creators lose their drive, or chase some cheap gimmick, or listen to the wrong people, or just get all dark and cynical. To have this ongoing event shows me that even if they can’t devote as much time to this website as they used to, they really love making quality entertainment and never want to lose their connection to one of the best things they ever made. Really gives me hope in this pitiful world. :heart:

So Strong Bad’s not going to say something different every day? Good. There are plenty of characters; no one should expect him take the whole load. :grin:

4

I just confirmed yesterday that updates are 7:00 PM Hawaii time, in case you want to set your watches or whatever.

Some interesting stuff here! I figured the Videlectrix sound wasn’t enough for a whole day, so they added that little bit that played during the StrongBad Zone part of the “video games” e-mail.

And apparently the Cheap As Free jingle is “Smells Like Peanut Action”. :man_shrugging: I thought that it might be too fast-paced for what’s supposed to be a beginner series, but now that it’s made the cut, that opens the door for Teen Girl Squad and overcaffeinated Strong Sad, which is a plus.

As for that “I’m not going to say something different every day.” bit, yeah, that had me wondering for a while too. It was never established that this was exclusively Strong Bad’s calendar and he had to be the one saying something. And we’ve already heard from Strong Sad and Homestar Runner. If TBC couldn’t think of something new, they would’ve just left it silent. One possibility was that they were trolling the fans, particularly at HRwiki, but that doesn’t sound like their style at all. Besides, HRwiki is too cool to troll. If you release the Doug the Dino theme song and it’s Strong Mad repeatedly mashing D sharp and bellowing “DINOSAUR!” twenty times, well, that’s what they’re putting on the page without a speck of emotion or regret. More likely it was a little running gag they felt like throwing in, which fits completely in character with Strong Bad finding a way to screw up everything.

All right, still anticipating Cheat Commandos, Peasant’s Quest, The King of Town DVD, and Stinkoman! Gonna have a good time tonight, gonna have a real good time tonight! :grin:

5

Whoa. It’s certain been an interesting couple of days, hasn’t it? :slightly_smiling_face:

First off, if you missed out on previous intros, fret not, as TBC have now hooked them up to each respective day. I think they realized that the in-song snark needed some context to work (6, 11, and 12 in particular). I actually thought they’d do something like this after the whole calendar was finished, so to get this privilege now is nice of them.

The way the song productions are getting more stuff is kind of a microcosm of how they’ll build a property, starting with something quick and cheap and eventually evolving into an elaborate production. Think Marzipan’s Answering Machine, which began as essentially a junk drawer for unused gags they couldn’t find a use for elsewhere, gradually developing a life of their own, then becoming outright toons, and culminating into that incredible April Fools Day blowout. Likewise, Teen Girl Squad started out as a zero-effort fancomic filled with generic stick figures trying to “look so good”, and got fleshed out to the point where they actually have their own world within a world. Day 13’s offering is at least the third time they’ve been drawn in full color (after issue 10 and Baddest of the Bands).

There’s a reason homestarrunner.com keeps getting better with age, and you get to see it in every day of this calendar. :+1:

(Now that Halloween is on the table, will there be another? I’d love Doomy Tales of the Macabre!)

6

Just something that came to mind as #21 (Stinkoman Level 1) hits. I haven’t played piano in a very long time, so I’m not really in any position to judge sheet music, other than “I’m sure glad I don’t have to do this utterly joyless soul-draining crap at gunpoint for hours every goddam week anymore.” (I mean, geez, if you’re going to force a kid to do something, make it something PRACTICAL!! Force me to learn to cook dinner! Force me to clean toilets! Force me to use a rowing machine! Force me to keep my bedroom tidy and well-organized! Force me to deal with people I’m not used to dealing with! Not some goddam useless vanity project you went super-diehard on because some gravelbrain mumbled something about “talent”! :rage:) Is this really “Beginner” level? I’ve often listened to my mother, who’s never been anything but a beginner, and I guarantee you that she’d struggle horribly with Santam’n is a Blademan, Teen Girl Squad, or Cheat Commandos Theme Song, and Stinkoman Level 1 would be an absolute non-starter.

I have to say, I’m really impressed just how wide a net TBC have cast here. I don’t even remember anything about a knife-wielding Santa figure, and, well, looks like something else to look up! :slightly_smiling_face:

With only three days left, is Lil Brudder going to get some recognition? Or maybe the Thnikkaman? There’s gotta be something involving Marzipan’s Answering Machine, right? Place ya bets! (Yeah, that’s another one. :wink:)

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All right! Hope it brought a little joy into everyone’s lives! Or at least humor! That’s worth something! :slightly_smiling_face:

(Was kinda hoping for something involving overcaffienated Strong Sad, but I guess that one was a bit too unseasonal.)

8

It’s not too bad if you play it slower. It is still all in one hand. Probably the biggest issue would be the rhythms, but hearing it first can help with that.

Sorry I wasn’t around much to comment. Too much stuff going on this Christmas. I’m just now getting back to viewing these.

9

That’s perfectly all right. :slightly_smiling_face: The beauty of Homestar Runner is that it’s effectively timeless. The Brothers Chaps haven’t had the time for regular updates since 2009…there have been exactly 9 Strong Bad emails since #200 (9/23/08), just to put it in perspective…and we’re still seeing new fan Halloween costumes. That shows you the kind of staying power this world has.

Anyway, I wasn’t sure I’d do this, but what the heck, I am feeling pretty good right now, so here’s where all the songs came from (since HRwiki didn’t specify):

1: Everybody, Everybody - This was what originally played when you clicked “watch intro” on the old Flash title page. It replaced the old key of A “bells” intro sometime in 2001.
2: Stave it Off - SBEmail #110 for kids, 8/9/04.
3: Skills of an Artist - SBEmail #58 dragon, 1/13/03. Later used for Strong Bad’s live-action drawing show, named (of course) Skills of an Artist.
4: Caleb Rentpayer Love Theme/Caleb Rentpayer Funeral Dirge - Caleb Rentpayer was a soap opera that a few characters watched, one of those background details that popped in a random toon every so often. Other than one brief shot with Homestar Runner, nothing on this show was ever actually seen.
5: Now I’ll Do A Dance - The music bit that plays during the “1936” Homestar Runner’s dance. Originated in the first old timey toon, Parsnips-A-Plenty, 10/21/02.
6: CGNU Fight Song - From SBEmail #73 mascot, 5/19/03.
7: Videlectrix Chime/StrongBad Zone - The chime was first heard in the first Videlectrix game, Trogdor, 3/17/03. The StrongBad Zone theme was heard in SBEmail #94 video games, 1/12/04, but doesn’t exist in the actual game.
8: Smells Like Peanut Action - Associated with various Cheap As Free products; first heard in SBEmail #42 action figure, 9/16/02.
9: Meet Marshie - From the short of the same name, 8/26/02.
10: No Probalo - From the short Senor Mortgage, 6/29/04.
11: 3 Times Halloween Funjob - From the 2003 Halloween toon of the same name, 10/29/03.
12: Cheat Commandos Theme Song - From the short Cheat Commandos, 5/10/04.
13: Teen Girl Squad/4 Gregs - The former from SBEmail #53 comic, 12/2/02, the latter from the short of the same name, 2/16/09.
14: Strong Bad is a Bad Guy - From the Mario Paint short of the same name, 10/17/05.
15: Strong Badia National Anthem - From SBEmail #32 flag day, 6/17/02.
16: Homestar Runner Presents: Presents - From the 2004 Decemberween toon of the same name, 12/20/04.
17: The Cheat Is Not Dead - From SBEmail #68 caper, 3/31/03.
18: Because, It’s Midnite - Brief snippet in SBEmail #61 monster truck, 2/3/03; full song on the Strong Bad Sings And Other Type Hits CD released 11/17/03.
19: Peasant’s Quest Theme - Game released on 8/2/04.
20: Santam’n is a Blademan - From the puppet toon Dangeresque Puppet Squad: The Hot Jones Hijack, 12/23/17.
21: Stinkoman Level 1 - From the game Stinkoman 20X6, 3/21/05.
22: Dethemberween Thnikkaman - From the 2007 Decemberween toon Happy Dethemberween, 12/17/07.
23: Trogdor - Also from SBEmail #58.
24: Todaybor Day is Labor Day/Anew App - The first is a revised version of the song from the puppet toon Labor Dabor, 9/6/04. The latter is original.

And there you have it! Looking back on all this, it strikes me how impressive TBC’s body of musical work is. I know it’s not the main selling point of the website, but a proper score really does make the toon come alive. Heck, if I was still playing piano, I’d definitely give some of these a try! :grin: