Everyone has songs that remind them of specific months and times ("Long December"), of the end of the year (Rent's "Happy New Year"), of particular seasons ("Boys of Summer"). Along with "Turning of the Year" from Toys, the song that constantly comes up in my mind at New Year's is so old I can only remember three verses and the chorus. Two of the verses that are most applicable in my adult life are below.

We're none of us as young as we used to be - thank God! -
and we've been known, each in our own way, to be jerks.
Another year's gone by, and being sound of limb and mind
it's kinda nice to drop on by and shoot the works...

... I know that I'm not perfect, but I know I'm doing fine
as long as I can count on friends to care for me.
And if you know me at all, you know whenever you may need me
if you call, that's where I'll do my best to be.

[chorus]
You know, I used to run to hear the ringing of your voice,
but now it's fun just to be knockin' at your door.
And we none of us are saints it seems, but seeing there's no choice,
I think I love you as a sinner even more.


... If anyone has better Internet-foo than me and is bored, I'd love to have a link to these lyrics. They are pulled from my childhood memory. I listened endlessly to the cassette-tape sold to me at the Kentucky Mine Museum amphitheater by a small-venue folk duo that probably ended their run in the 1980's. If I recall correctly, the title of the tape was "Home of the Brave" and included such song titles as "Pull 'Em Through" and "No Ancient Egyptians Around."