The World Turned Upside Down

Here is a video of Vladimir Putin decrying the lack of morals in Russia.
It seems tailor-made for the USA.

I was going to use the 18th century British song, "World Turned Upside Down" in juxtaposition with "Yankee Doodle Dandy" to a) show how the world is not what it used to be and b) just how clever a chap I am but c) that's not true for either scenario.

Yes it's true that I never would have thought that I would favor Pravda over most American media outlets and that I would be applauding a speech made by a Russian Prime Minister who used to be the head of the KGB. Is that upside down enough?

Our Revolutionary War song Yankee Doodle Dandy was not based on the Brits World Turned Upside Down; the tune for YDD was allegedly derived from a British nursery rhyme. But the nursery rhyme (Lucy Locket), like "London Bridge is Falling Down," may be based upon far darker doings than macaroni, perhaps involving illicit sex among the British royalty  - so all is not lost.

The WTUD was actually composed during the reign of the Puritans in the mid 17th century. They had control of the Parliament and passed legislation banning certain traditional Christmas celebrations. These are the lyrics which were written in opposition to the Puritan laws:

Listen to me and you shall hear, news hath not been this thousand year:

Since Herod, Caesar, and many more, you never heard the like before.

Holy-dayes are despis'd, new fashions are devis'd.

Old Christmas is kicked out of Town

Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.

The wise men did rejoyce to see our Savior Christs Nativity:

The Angels did good tidings bring, the Sheepheards did rejoyce and sing.

Let all honest men, take example by them.

Why should we from good Laws be bound?

Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.

Command is given, we must obey, and quite forget old Christmas day:

Kill a thousand men, or a Town regain, we will give thanks and praise amain.

The wine pot shall clinke, we will feast and drinke.

And then strange motions will abound.

Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.

I'll bet you still tried to sing those lyrics to YDD, dinja?

Anyway, the Brits actually celebrated Christmas for twelve days at this time and the Puritans, being the strait-laced lot that they were, thought that things had gotten out of hand and outlawed certain practices. They finally eased up in 1660 after Cromwell died (1658) and after the riots.

Don't mess with Christmas.

In any event, now that I've thrown this entire thread down a rabbit hole, let me be the first to wish you all a very Merry and Traditional Christmas.