JANUARY’S HOT TOPICS
Where does inspiration come from? 
If you thought that Sam Smith’s Stay With Me sounded familiar, that it reminded you of Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down, well, you were right! Turns out, the two songs are so much alike that Smith will be paying Petty and co-songwriter Jeff Lynne royalties on the track. Smith’s camp said, “Although the likeness was a complete coincidence, all involved came to an immediate and amicable agreement…” Check out the mashup. Sounds like all the parties did the right thing.
DID SOMEONE SAY INSPIRATION?
Idina Menzel 
performed her hit song from Frozen on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special, but it was very cold and she had difficulty hitting some high notes. Yes, you guessed right, criticism ensued. This is the response she tweeted, using her words from a recent interview:
How do you define success? “There are about 3 million notes in a two-and-a-half-hour musical; being a perfectionist, it took me a long time to realize that if I’m hitting 75 percent of them, I’m succeeding. Performing isn’t only about the acrobatics and the high notes: It’s staying in the moment, connecting with the audience in an authentic way, and making yourself real to them through the music. I am more than the notes I hit, and that’s how I try to approach my life. You can’t get it all right all the time, but you can try your best. If you’ve done that, all that’s left is to accept your shortcomings and have the courage to try to overcome them.”
GODADDY’S AD POO-POOED!
Super Bowl ads are 
famously touted and analyzed, sometimes before the Big Game even airs. So it was when GoDaddy tested the waters online for their spot featuring a Golden Retriever puppy falling out of a truck and finding his way back home. Although trying to lampoon Budweiser’s heartwarming puppy ads, they were immediately criticized. The SPCA of Monterey, CA tweeted “If you can buy a puppy online and have it shipped to you the next day, it’s likely you’re supporting inhumane breeding.” And after tens of thousands of people protested, CEO Blake Irving tweeted, “…What should have been a fun and funny ad clearly missed the mark and we will not air it.” For doing the right thing, score one for GoDaddy.
JONI’S GRAND DESIGN
Yves Saint Laurent is surely smiling. Saint Laurent Paris (as his house is now named) has a new model. Joni Mitchell. Black and white portraits of her playing guitar at her house in Bel Air wearing the brand’s folk tunic, classic fedora, and a leather cape made especially for her. Part of the Saint Laurent Music Project. Say what? Too cool for school you say? Mais, oui! C’est magnifique!
WE CAN HELP
By providing
free veterinary care around the world and helping animals during disasters, World Vets: International Aid for Animals improves the lives of animals. Veterinarians volunteer their expertise in underserved populations of animals, perform surgeries and treat injuries, and offer training and educational opportunities in developing countries.
Soundtrack to this Issue is what else?
Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down
From the album, Full Moon Fever (1989)
C’mon, sing along:
Gonna stand my ground, won’t be turned around
And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down
Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down
Well I know what’s right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around
But I’ll stand my ground and I won’t back down
Who rescued whom?
So grateful for Barkley coming into my life.
Thanks to Westie Rescue of New England.
Buddha, stay. Good dog. z”l
“…live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
(Buddha)
Sources:
Sam Smith/Tom Petty pic: VH1
Sam Smith’s rep quote: Rolling Stone
Idina Menzel pic: Just Jared
Idina Menzel quote: Broadway World
Joni Mitchell pic: Hedi Slimane/Saint Laurent Paris
World Vets pic: Punta Gorda, Belize ©WorldVets
I Won’t Back Down lyrics: Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne ©Gone Gator Music and EMI-April Music, Inc. 1989
Yvette Perry's Blog 