2014 was a milestone year here at JibJab Bros. Studios. Not only did JibJab itself turn fifteen, but we got to produce our tenth annual Year In Review. To commemorate the occasion, we wanted this year’s music track to have a grand, epic sound. Scott experimented with lyrics for various classical pieces, and the Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony soon emerged as the clear favorite. Here’s the early verse that sealed the deal.

Leno passed the torch to Fallon.

Tracy Morgan had a crash.

Mike Sam kissed his boyfriend

And Solange was kicking Jay­Z’s ass!

That last line had to go, of course, when Kim Kardashian decided to break the Internet with her bottom­-baring magazine cover. Two ass jokes in one song would be a bit much, even for us. And America’s celebs were giving us too many to choose from. Between Kim Kardashian, Nikki Minaj’s “Anaconda” and J­Lo’s “Booty,” butts were huge in 2014! We faced a more serious challenge in the sheer quantity of bad news this year. The Islamic State, the uproar over the Ferguson and Staten Island decisions, and a deluge of sexual assault allegations combined to make the year 2014 feel even more grim than most. We couldn’t make fun of those events, but an honest look back at the year had to include them. Lucky for us, our politicians and celebrities never stopped feeding us raw material for Year In Review gags. We’re confident that they never will.

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