Music Friday: Only One of the Merrell Twins Got a Ring for Valentine's Day

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. In their 2016 ditty called "It's Valentine's Day," YouTube sensations and identical twins Veronica and Vanessa Merrell poke fun at why their peers might absolutely love or hate the holiday.

For the Merrell Twins, the joy or misery of Valentine's Day comes down to whether or not one has a bae. In this case, Vanessa is getting dressed up to celebrate with a boyfriend she really loves, while Veronica is relegated to throwing on some sweats and watching Netflix alone.

Vanessa's boyfriend gifts her a giant teddy bear, a heart-shaped box of chocolate and diamond jewelry. Veronica comes up empty.

Vanessa sings, "My valentine also gave me a lovely ring."
Veronica replies, "Oh, good for you. I still didn't get anything."

They throw in a comic twist when they sing, "It's Valentine's Day / And I really really love (hate) this day," with Vanessa singing the "love" lyric at the same time Veronica sings "hate."

At the end of the song, the tides turn when Veronica reminds her sister that she's forgotten to buy a Valentine's Day gift for her boyfriend. Now the vengeful Veronica is overjoyed while her sister is stressed out.

In their YouTube description of the video, the sisters call "It's Valentine's Day" a cheesy song, but their followers obviously liked it. The video has been viewed 18.7 million times.

The sisters were just 19 year old when the video premiered on YouTube. Since then, the unlucky-in-love Veronica married fellow YouTuber Aaron Burriss (2021) and sister Vanessa announced her engagement to musician John Vaughn (2022).

Born in Kansas City, MO, the Merrell Twins moved to Los Angeles when they were 16 to pursue acting careers and to work on content for their YouTube channel, which they launched as 13-year-olds in 2009.

Today, the sisters boast 6.17 million YouTube subscribers and 1.4 billion total views. The Merrell Twins enjoyed recurring roles on the popular TV show Jane the Virgin and frequently appear in AwesomenessTV videos.

Please check out the video of the Merrell Twins performing "It's Valentine's Day." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"It's Valentine's Day"
Written by Veronica and Vanessa Merrell. Performed by the Merrell Twins.

It's Valentine's Day
A day to be happy when you have a bae
It's Valentine's Day
A day to remind you that you have no bae

I'll eat a lot of chocolate
I didn't get chocolate
All these roses smell very nice

It's Valentine's Day
And I really really love (hate) this day

I've got a date with someone that I love
I've got some dates you know that kind of nut (I think that's a fruit)

I have a red dress that I'm going to wear tonight
I'm going to wear a T-shirt and sweats tonight, and watch Netflix all by myself

Today's a happy (crappy) day

It's Valentine's Day
A day to be happy when you have a bae

It's Valentine's Day
A day to remind you that you have no bae

Do you want some chocolate?
No it'll give me acne
All these roses smell very nice

It's Valentine's Day
And I really really love (hate) this day

My valentine got me a big giant teddy bear
Well this is my dog and he looks like a teddy bear
(Kinda, not really)

My valentine also gave me a lovely ring
Oh, good for you. I still didn't get anything
I still have nothing

Today's a happy (crappy) day

It's Valentine's Day
A day to be happy when you have a bae

It's Valentine's Day
A day to remind you that you have no bae

I ate all of my chocolate
I bought myself some chocolate
All these roses smell very nice

It's Valentine's Day
And I really really love (hate) this day

Valentine's Day is a dream come true
At least I get to spend this day with you

"Um no I just told you I'm going on a date tonight
Were you not paying attention to this song?"

"I was but okay what are you going to get your Valentine?"

"Uh, oh no"

It's Valentine's Day
Now I have to get something for my bae
I still have money cause I have no bae

Should I buy him chocolate?
He just bought you chocolate
How about a sweater?
You can do so much better
Now I'm starting to stress out

Cause it's Valentine's Day
And I have to get something for my…
I don't have to worry 'bout a… bae

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube / merrelltwins.

Your Valentine's Day Proposal at Cracker Barrel Could Net Good Eats for a Year

We're guessing that a cavalcade of Valentine's Day suitors will soon be popping the question alongside plates of scrumptious meatloaf, roast beef, homestyle chicken or country fried steak. You see, Cracker Barrel is getting into the romance game this Valentine's Day by offering good eats for a year to five lucky couples who get engaged at any one of the chain's 665 locations.

From February 10-16, couples who post their Cracker Barrel proposal video to Instagram and include a caption on why they decided to propose at the iconic homestyle restaurant will be entered for a chance to win.

We can't wait to check out the romantic posts at #ISaidYesAtCrackerBarrel. The captions are bound to include sentimental references to first dates, shared desserts and milestone celebrations.

What's more, if couples are already engaged or not ready to pop the question, the chain is still offering a Valentine bonus. From February 10-14, couples ordering two entrees from a select Valentine's Day menu will receive one free dessert to share. Couples can pick the Biscuit Beignets or Double-Fudge Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake.

"Cracker Barrel isn't just a restaurant, it's a place where care is the main ingredient," said Cracker Barrel Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Tate. "This Valentine's Day, we want to extend our main ingredient even more by inviting guests to show the person they care about most how truly special they are."

The five grand prizes of the "I Said 'Yes' at Cracker Barrel Valentine's Day Contest" have a value of $2,000 each. That will allow the winning couples to run up a $38 tab for two, once a week for 52 weeks. The prizes will be distributed as Cracker Barrel gift cards.

To enter, contestants 18 years of age or older must upload an original in-feed, publicly viewable video to Instagram between February 10-16, depicting the marriage proposal at a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. They must also do the following:

• Include a description in the post of why the submitter chose to propose at Cracker Barrel
• Include the hashtags #ISaidYesAtCrackerBarrel and #Contest
• Tag Cracker Barrel’s official Instagram account handle @crackerbarrel

According to the official rules, Cracker Barrel judges will be evaluating each qualified video post on three criteria: the connection with the sponsor’s brand, the quality of the entry, and the story included with the post. Winners will be notified by February 28.

Cracker Barrel has come a long way since its first store opened in Lebanon, TN, in September of 1969. Since then, the single store has grown into a chain of 665 stores in every US state except for Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Wyoming and Vermont. Annual revenues top $3 billion. Florida leads all other states with 60 locations, followed by Texas (55), Tennessee (51) and Georgia (48).

Credits: Images courtesy of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

Songstress Rita Ora Reveals Unique Emerald Engagement Ring to Jimmy Fallon

British songstress Rita Ora had secretly tied the knot with Academy Award-winning director Taika Waititi last summer, but saved the big reveal of her emerald engagement ring for her appearance on Wednesday night's edition of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Ora said, “I haven’t actually shown anyone my ring," but then explained that the reason she was about to unveil the jewelry on The Tonight Show was because she "loves" Fallon and feels he's a big part of her and her fiancé's relationship because they watch him every night.

After extending her hand to give Fallon a quick peek at the sizable emerald set in a pavé diamond halo, she turned her hand vertically and aimed her ring straight at the camera so the viewers at home could get closeup look at the sparkler. The “I Will Never Let You Down” singer, 32, paired her new engagement ring with a delicate pavé diamond wedding band.

“Ooh-la-la,” Fallon said. “That’s gorgeous!"

"He did good," she responded.

When asked to share the story behind how Waititi, 47, selected the ring, Ora sheepishly admitted that she controlled the lion's share of the decision.

"Well, I may have, you know, guided him," she confessed. "When you know what you want, and I felt like I really knew I wanted to be with this person, I just wanted it to feel really right, and so I may have taken him to the shop and I may have pointed out exactly what ring I wanted!"

Two UK-based jewelers interviewed by Page Six Style put the ring's value at somewhere between $400,000 to $500,000 and estimated the weight of the emerald to be in the range of 8 to 10 carats.

Among the A-listers who received emerald engagement rings are Zoe Saldana, Megan Fox, Halle Berry, Victoria Beckham and Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Ora, who is currently a judge on the British version of The Masked Singer, told Fallon that her latest single, “You Only Love Me,” was the result of a surge of creative energy sparked by her new relationship.

"My life has changed so drastically," she said. "Making a decision to spend the rest of your life with someone is a big decision. It got me writing again and I just really got inspired by love."

Please check out the video of Fallon's interview with Ora. The engagement ring conversation starts at :20 and continues through 1:21.

Credits: Screen captures via Youtube / The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.