Worth Revisiting

When I first discovered this (because of someone I was subscribed to on YouTube, whose account is now suspended) I--and rightly so--thought it was the greatest thing I ever saw. And thus I e-mailed everyone I knew with the link. That does seem antiquated, doesn't it? About a year later I found it again (the original version has disappeared) and posted it on Facebook. I don't know how much time has passed since then, but I don't care. This video is my favorite thing ever to make its way to the internet. And something that is particularly pointed in light of Ms. Bea Arthur's passing (which I have not addressed here simply because I do not have the words to do so. But she will be loved and missed for the rest of my natural life.).

A guided tour through what I love about it is posted below the video, but I suggest you watch it once, just for you.

Now watch it again, paying attention to the follwing:
1) Nell Carter's nostril flair and should move on the word "spirit" (19sec)
2) The way Nell Carter says the word "family" (throughout)
3) Nell's phrasing on "tree" @ 30sec
4) Charlotte Rae's cookie tray; her gusto on the "free" (59sec)
5) Bea from 1min9sec - 1min 38sec (with Nell joining, briefly, at 1min27sec)
6) Nell/Marla conversation @ 1min38sec ("Not only do I love your show, chile, I LOVE your singin'" "Get outta here.")
7) Marla's harmony w/young Carlton (aka Alfonso Ribeiro) @ 2min
8) Alfonso's "Don't you know that this dreaaam" @ 2min6sec
9) Soleil Moon Frye's mugging juxtaposed to Nell's solid vocals (begins at 2min17sec)
10) Nell's fierce vocal descant beginning at 2min30sec, particularly the "weeee belieeeeve @ 2min40sec)
11) the fact that Bea and Marla are holding empty aluminum platters for the last 40 seconds of the song...just becuase