BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, JULY 1 (Or, PAT BERRINGTON Versus PAT BERRINGTON)

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This month marks the > 12th year anniversary of the Battle Of The Bands blogfest, and this is my 220th BOTB installment. After I post the voting results on July 8th, I will be taking a break from BOTB for awhile, so I can focus on some other things. How long is "awhile"? I don't know; I guess we'll discover that together. However, during my hiatus, I will still be a regular voter at your Battles. 

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I wanted to do something special to commemorate this historic anniversary and decided to present two songs by an ultra-obscure & somewhat mysterious singer-songwriter whom you have never heard of (unless I previously made you aware of her). 

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Her name is Pat Berrington and she recorded only one album which was titled 'Allen Street Rose'. The 10 songs on the 1996 album address mysterious characters who may or may not have lived in Tombstone, Arizona, in the 1880s and regularly performed at the infamous Bird Cage Theatre on Allen Street. (You likely remember the Bird Cage Theatre from the movie 'Tombstone'.)

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The person at Insanely Rare Music wrote this: "Here is a VERY rare country western cd, from Pat Berrington ... The cd tells the story of Rose Callahan and why her spirit returns to Tombstone and The Bird Cage. Almost anyone who has heard her music, HAS TO have this cd. It was sold exclusively at The Bird Cage, and you can no longer find it anywhere."

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Others have said:

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"I love it!!" 

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"...that thing is definitely special. Magical."

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"...she has a much higher voice than I normally like but, oddly, it seems absolutely perfect for these atmospheric, haunted graveyard-like songs. ...there's a very ethereal sound to her songs."

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1992: A cool cowboy dirty dog waiting for easy prey to wander by.

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Because the album's first song, 'At The Old Bird Cage', mentions "whiskey", I originally intended to use this in a Battle Of The Booze installment. However, knowing that this will be my last BOTB post for "awhile", I decided to really put Pat in the spotlight by using the album's first song against the album's last song, 'Lonely, Alone'. The shared themes in these songs are Tombstone ("The Town Too Tough To Die"), The Bird Cage Theatre, and disembodied spirits.  

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The Bird Cage has a reputation for being heavily "haunted" by a number of "ghosts".

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If you're interested in learning how I discovered this album and my personal history with it, and also about a spooky experience that occurred in the Bird Cage Theatre the first time I visited it, click > HERE, where the entire album can also be accessed for your listening pleasure. 

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In the documentary 'No Direction Home', Joan Baez said this regarding Bob Dylan's music:

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"There are some people who'd say...you know, 'Not interested'. But IF you're interested, he goes way, way deep". 

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I suspect the same applies to Pat Berrington's album 'Allen Street Rose'. Some folks would undoubtedly complain that all of the songs have VERY sparse arrangements. It's all acoustic; no drums, no bass. It's primarily just vocals, piano, fiddle, and acoustic guitar. Most of the songs are ballads, with just a couple of mid-tempo songs mixed in. However, it seems that those who do like the album really dig it to a great degree!

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* Special thanks to Bryan "Julio" Pedas for creating these videos from my compact disc!

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Alright, let's get on it. 

Let's get ON this thing! 

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Please vote in the comment section for the song you like best, and then visit the other BOTBers who are BOTBing.

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Note: 'Allen Street Rose' is a concept album and this first song begins with a brief narrative outline of the story which unfolds through the 10 songs. If this is an outrageous "bridge too far" for you, you can skip to the 1:53 mark in the video & begin there. (But I hope you won't.)

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AT THE OLD BIRD CAGE 

by Pat Berrington 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eygvlf202I

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LONELY, ALONE 

by Pat Berrington 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5bBMxyFjfw

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Psst! Remember, click HERE if you want to read some interesting stuffs about my times in Tombstone and to hear the entire Pat Berrington album, including my very favorite song, the title track, 'Allen Street Rose'.

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy 

(...the "dirty dog")

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, JUNE 15 (Or, LOU RAWLS Versus TOM WAITS)

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Nope! No more mint juleps for you! Don't you think you've had enough?! 

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My Ma was not really a drinker. Her idea of great booze was pricey Chambord, which she'd have maybe every 8-10 years. 

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However, I recall that Ma really liked the song 'Scotch And Soda'. She owned a 45 single of it by... Hmmm.... I'm not sure. The Kingston Trio perhaps? But Ma also liked her some Lou Rawls, so I settled upon his version of the song to do Battle against Tom Waits. 

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Please vote in the comment section for the recording you like best, and then, please, check out the other BOTBers BOTBs and drop your two cents worth at their blogs. The list of participants is over there somewheres ~~>>

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I intend to return here on June 22nd with my own vote and the final tally. Until then, may you bless & be blessed!!

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Scotch and soda

Mud in your eye

Baby, do I feel high

Oh me, oh my, do I feel high

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Dry martini

Jigger of gin

Oh, what a spell you've got me in

Oh my, do I feel high

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SCOTCH AND SODA 

by Lou Rawls 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKCafwSQFMc

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All our scribbled love dreams are lost or thrown away

Here amidst the shuffle of an overflowin' day

Our love needs a transfusion, let's shoot it full of wine

Fishin' for a good time starts with throwin' in your line

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NEW COAT OF PAINT 

by Tom Waits 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plKipTff0lU

 

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~ STMcC 

DogGtor of Alcohology & 

King of Inebriation Nation

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: JUNE 1, 2025 (Or, BARNEY KESSEL Vs. EARL PALMER Vs. CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE)

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A great Jazz guitarist, a great Jazz drummer, and a great Blues harmonica player walk into a bar. 

The bartender asks, "What'll ya have?" 

All three great musicians simultaneously yell, "One mint julep!" 

The bartender says, "Alright, fellas, make yourselves comfortable" and then commences to make three mint juleps. 

"What's the punch line?", asks the confused reader. 

And D-FensDogG responds, "There ain't no punch line, because this Battle Of The Bands contest ain't no joke!"

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Ever been in a bar that looked this old & this cool? Built in 1861, "fellow babies!" I go there regularly to get Dr. Johnny Fever's prescriptions filled. (I gotta goot doctor!)

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Welcome to my third and final installment of the 'One Mint Julep' series. This is going to be a rare 3-Way Battle because... 1) all three versions of the song are excellent, 2) radically different from each other, and 3) felly short-uh.

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I am of the opinion that 'One Mint Julep' likely has more really terrific versions of it recorded than any other oft-covered song. My BOTB series has used  7  renditions (all Jazz, Blues and R&B -- none by "overrated Commie Rockers!", as Les Nessman would call them), and there are still more goot juans out there. The original recording was by The Clovers & released in 1952. Other covers that you may bigly dig are by artists such as...

King Curtis

Count Basie

The Ventures (Rockers: Pish & Pshaw!)

Kenny Burrell

Poncho Sanchez

Freddie Hubbard 

Louis Prima & Keely Smith 

Check 'em out sometime & see what ya think.

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Alright, let's get on it. 

Let's get ON this thing! 

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Barney Kessel Trio 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAL5xD6fGHU

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Earl Palmer   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7TCy-8Ln2M

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Yes, actually, 'One Mint Julep' does have lyrics. And this final entry in my 7-song series is the only one I've utilized which includes someone singin' the woids:

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Charlie Musselwhite 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-YWGEPk5mI

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I intend to return here on June 8th with mine own "bote" and the Final Tally. Until then, "move yer bloomin' arse" over to the other BOTBers' blogs, drop your two cents in their cups & support the cause. (List of BOTBers over there ~~>> somewhere.)

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~ Stephen T. McME

BOTB's BATTLE OF THE BOOZE: 2025, MAY 15 (Or, BUDDY MORROW Versus SAM BUTERA & THE WITNESSES)

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Welcome to Installment #2 of my 'Mint Julep' series.

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Some of you may recall that I told a short story in Part 1 and I said I'd conclude it in Part 2. 

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Granted, I seemed to be making mutually exclusive statements in my comments. 

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In Part 1 > HERE, I told you how one afternoon in early 1992 The Countess & I went into Virginia City's Crystal Bar and we each ordered one of their advertised Mint Julep cocktails. 

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Today, what was once The Crystal Bar is now Virginia City's Visitor's Center. However, inside and out, it still looks very much like the bar did when The Countess & I enjoyed our Mint Juleps there in 1992.

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Photo taken by STMcME, yesterday (May 14, 2025). Keep in mind that if Jimmy Stewart drank at The Crystal Bar, so did his púca pal, > "Harvey".

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I previously wrote that, due to her advanced age and the complexity of the recipe, it took the owner / bartender, Margaret Marks, "forever + a day or two" to make our Mint Juleps and set them in front of us.

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When I saw how much labor was involved for that nice old lady to make our two Mint Juleps, I felt guilty about ordering them. 

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Now, to quote the late Paul Harvey, "Here's the rest of the story".....
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After taking maybe two or three sips from my drink, a group of about five tourists entered the bar. One of them asked me what I was drinking, and when I told him, the group then proceeded to order five Mint Juleps from Mrs. Marks. Now I felt like a real heel! (I also feared that the nice lady might pull out a pistol from behind the bar and shoot me! I whispered to the Countess, "We should drink up and get outta here".) 

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Margaret Marks passed away in 1998, and for all I know, she may have still been working on those five Mint Juleps at the time that The Lord's angel of Eternal Rest came for her.

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Now you understand why I said the second half of this story was brief but goes on for a lo-ooo-ng time!

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Alright, let's get on it.

Let's get ON this thing!

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Please vote in the comment section for the recording you like best, and then please do the same in the comment sections of the other BOTBers. The Good Lord willing, I'll return here on May 22nd with my own vote & the Final Tally.

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ONE MINT JULEP 

by Buddy Morrow & His Orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puO6TJiHmZ4

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This next band was the long-time backing group for Louis Prima & his part-Cherokee wife, Keely Smith. One of the many great memories in my life is being with my Pa and getting to see Keely Smith with Sam Butera & The Witnesses live on stage at The Sands casino in Las Vegas. Not that I'm trying to influence your vote, MORF. (FYI, the Keely Smith song ‘I Wish You Love’ is J-1 on the jukebox in Heaven. You'll discover that I'm right... when you get There.)

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ONE MINT JULEP 

by Sam Butera & The Witnesses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZhiaEc4XnU

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~ Stephen (T. McCarthy)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, MAY 1st (Or, RAY CHARLES Versus XAVIER CUGAT, Part 1 Of 2)

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The Kentucky Derby, the world's most famous horse race, occurs at Churchill Downs each year on the first Saturday in May.

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Kentucky is also world renowned for its bourbon whiskey; and because a Mint Julep contains bourbon, it is the official cocktail of The Kentucky Derby. It's been stated that over 120,000 Mint Juleps are served at Churchill Downs during The Derby weekend, and this cocktail tradition goes back to 1875.

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Although I have never witnessed a Kentucky Derby race in person, I have been to Churchill Downs & had a Mint Julep there.

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Because The Derby is taking place in a couple of days, this edition of Battle Of The Bands' Battle Of The Booze features two renditions of the song 'One Mint Julep'. I  have a somewhat humorous story to tell related to the Mint Julep cocktail. I'm going to tell half of the story below, and the second half in my May 15th BOTB contest (which will feature different recordings of 'One Mint Julep'). 

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If you don't wish to read the first half of my story below, because yer time is VERY limited my writing & stories suck, you can click HERE and skip directly to the songs. (Make no mistake, I know who you scoundrels are! 😄)

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First, a blind squirrel's lucky nutshell history of Virginia City, Nevada's 'Crystal Bar': The structure was built in 1867 and became a bar in 1871. Partially destroyed in the massive 1875 fire, the back portion of the structure was rebuilt soon after. The May 27th, 1946 edition of Life magazine featured 5 of the most famous bars in the U.S. & The Crystal Bar (> Here) was the first one mentioned. Life said this: "Important drinkers put their signatures on the bar register, which contains names like Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas A. Edison and John Mackay, who dug a fortune out of Virginia City mines."

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The 1984 book 'Hilver Sillside' 'Silver Hillside' (remember that name; you'll need it later!) says: "One saloon on C Street has been around longer than people can remember. The Crystal Bar has been owned continuously by the Marks family since 1901."  

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In early 1992 (91 years after the Marks family obtained ownership of The Crystal Bar), The Countess & I were on vacation in Virginia City, Nevada. While we were standing at the intersection of > B and Taylor Streets (or, "Bee Taylor", for you > TAGS fans), I suddenly felt compelled to hike to the Virginia City "V" on the side of Mt. Davidson:

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The Virginia City "V" viewed from the Virginia City cemetery.

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The "V", up close & personal.

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The "V"iew of Virginia City & Six Mile Canyon from the "V" on Mount Davidson.

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After I descended, I was thirsty & ready for a drink, so The Countess & I walked into 'The Crystal Bar'. There were only two persons in the bar: Margaret Marks, the owner of the bar & the widow of Bill Marks; and another elderly lady who was Margaret's friend. Both of them were very nice ladies! 

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The Crystal Bar, circa 1946?

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Top: Margaret & Bill Marks in 1984. Below: Bill Marks (far right) in The Crystal Bar, circa 1946. Photos from the excellent book 'Silver Hillside' by Barbara Richnak.

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I noticed a sign advertising their "Mint Julep" cocktails, so The Countess & I each ordered one.

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Margaret's late husband, Bill, behind the Crystal Bar's... bar.

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If you're going to make a Mint Julep correctly, it takes a little time, like > THIS. It's not simple, like pouring 3 ounces of Wild Turkey 101 in a glass & adding some 7-Up; or pouring some lowlife pirate rum in a mug & accidentally spilling some cola into it while you're rushing to the restroom due to flood-like  gastrointestinal issues. No... making a real Mint Julep cocktail is almost like an art form.

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While Margaret Marks set about to make our Mint Juleps -- which took forever + a day or two, due to her advanced age and the complexity of the recipe -- Margaret's friend began telling us how wonderful the book 'Silver Hillside' was. Published in 1984 & written by another friend of hers named Barbara Richnak, 'Silver Hillside' chronicled "The Life And Times Of Virginia City".

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At one point, the tipsy elderly lady referred to the book as "Hilver Sillside". Right then, she stopped herself, and said, "Well, I've got to be going". She called out a goodbye to Margaret and carefully stepped out of the bar. I had to give her a lot of credit for knowing when she'd had enough to drink.

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And then -- finally -- our Mint Juleps were set down on the bar in front of us. 

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Barring the start of World War III, the second half of this story will appear in my May 15th Battle Of The Bands' Battle Of The Booze installment.

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Scroll down or click HERE for the 1st Mint Julep Battle.

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~ D-FensDogG

BOTB: MAY 1, 2025 (Or, RAY CHARLES Versus XAVIER CUGAT - Part 2 Of 2)

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(Continued from Part One > HERE.)

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Alright, let's get on it. 

Let's get ON this thing! 

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We have Ray Charles on the Hammond B-3 organ & backed by some members of the Count Basie orchestra, going up against Xavier Cugat's orchestra, which brings an aural flavor of Cha-Cha Twist to its Mint Julep. 

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Please vote for the Mint Julep you enjoyed most (good freakin' luck!), and then visit all of the other BOTBers and drop your two cents in their Battles.  

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One Mint Julep (1961) 

by Ray Charles  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFL0x2ur71E

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"Quit crying and get me some bourbon." ~ appropriately from the Film Noir classic 'The Asphalt Jungle' (It's a Kentucky bourbon & Thoroughbred horse racing thing; you wouldn't understand!)

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One Mint Julep (1963) 

by Xavier Cugat 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzUw_ZXPpX8

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I intend to return here on May 8th with my own vote (if I can figure it out by then!! 😱) and to announce the winner. 

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~ Stephen T. McME 

(because someone's gotta do it)

DogGtor of Alcohology & 

King of Inebriation Nation

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, APRIL 15 (Or, VAN MORRISON Versus TODD SNIDER - Part 1 Of 2)

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NOTE: This Part 1 explains in copious detail why the two songs in this BOTB's Battle Of The Booze installment remind me of specific times in my life. The songs are pretty Bluesy, but other than that, they are vastly different -- as were these two times in my life.

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If you're not interested in learning the backstory & want to cut straight to the songs in Part 2, click HERE.

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'The Back Room' by Van Morrison

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For 7 years I worked in the movie / TV industry in Hollywood. But, by the end of 1983, I had healed from the Acting bug that had bitten me. For the last 2+ months of '83, when I wasn't working on a studio set, I was feverishly spending every spare minute trying to finish writing my book manuscript, 'The League Of Soul Crusaders', in time to present it as a Christmas gift to my friends. (Thanks to "Fast Fingers" Ma, I made the Xmas Eve deadline.) My friends thought I had been snubbing them those 2 months... until the evening of December 24th, when they found those 197 single-spaced typewritten pages in their hands!

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At the start of 1984, I quit performing in Hollywood and decided to make my living doing something more sensible; namely, betting on the horses at Hollywood Park. 😲

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My career as an Equine Gambler was short-lived, and on March 12, 1984, I began working as a commercial sign artist, designing things like these:

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However, those 2+ months at the beginning of 1984 were a special time for me. I got a chance to really relax & decompress. I'd place my bets at Hollywood Park very early in the mornings, & then General  Poohregard (one of the 6 "League" members) and I would hang out together. We were the founding and sole members of the 99-Cent Club. (At Azteca, margaritas were only 99-cents until Noon.) 

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After the 99-Cent Club would adjourn for the day, Pooh and I would go to his place, "The House At Pooh Corner", & drink beer (Mickey's Malt Liquor, I'm looking at you!) while listening to music together. That was where Pooh turned me onto Tom Waits via his 'Small Change' album. The other LP I remember us most often playing was 'Trouble In Paradise' by Randy Newman (the song > 'I'm Different', with Linda Ronstadt providing backing vocals, really tickled me!). 

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This was probably the most carefree time of my "adult" life. It was almost as if Pooh and I were playing Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, even to the point that we once borrowed a raft on the Venice canals and toured the place from the waterways. We'd pause underneath the bridges and 'tip the bottle' in the shade.

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L.A.'s Venice Canals, circa 1984.

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Huck & Tom (or... me & Pooh?)

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At that time, General Poohregard worked at his Dad's liquor store in Venice. He said that he worked there for "the binge benefits". It wasn't uncommon for Pooh (& sometimes his friends with him) to down a brew or two in the store's back room. Like this:

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Pooh (looking a bit like Randy Newman) in "The Back Room".

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A song that always transports me back to those times is 'The Back Room' by Van Morrison. Pooh & I could really relate to the lazy, carefree, conversational stream-of-consciousness mood of that song. We recognized that it seemed to paint a perfect picture of the kind of lifestyle we were floating in and on during those first months of 1984.

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By the way, General Poohregard just released his first book of photographs titled 'Sacred Places And Sacred Faces' which you can preview and order > HERE. I can't help finding it humorous & astounding that Pooh has become a truly talented professional photographer. After all, when he and I used to party together, Pooh never saw anything in focus! In fact, I think he once tripped over someone's camera tripod and fell into a pond. (Or... maybe that was me. After awhile, it all seemed to blur together.)

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'Betty Was Black 

(And Willie Was White)' 

by Todd Snider

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One day I was sitting in > The Townhouse at Venice Beach, which was one helckuva dive at the time. Taking a sip from my cocktail, I noticed my reflection in a mirror behind the bar; and I mentally said to myself, "What if there was a guy who was so self-loathing that he would move to a different bar stool in order to avoid seeing himself in the mirror?"

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I started asking myself more questions, such as, "What might happen to him when he leaves the bar on a rainy night and starts walking home?" One question led to another, and another, and before long, a story was developing in my mind. I was a professionally trained actor, but I didn't know the Ins & Outs, the Dos & Don'ts of screenplay construction. So I took a couple of professional classes & read a ton - 2,000 pounds! - of books about screenwriting. 

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In 1991 I wrote my first & only screenplay for a movie I would call Billy 'N' Billie. It turned out to be an interracial romance between a socially awkward White guy (Billy Withers) & a sassy Black woman (Kimberly Clayton) who idolized Billie Holiday and sang Blues songs on the Venice Beach Boardwalk for tips. The imaginary musical soundtrack can be found > HERE. 

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Larger view HERE.

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Larger view HERE.

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I started shopping the screenplay around, which was a lot of work back in those pre-personal computer years. Was it any good at all? Well, this may be a clue: Tony Bill (producer of 'The Sting'; director of 'My Bodyguard') contacted me and set up a meeting with him at his Venice office. Unfortunately, however, I went into that meeting with the 100% WRONG approach / attitude, and that was that. 

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In 2000, Todd Snider released his album 'Happy To Be Here' which included the song 'Betty Was Black (And Willie Was White)' which reminded me of my 'Billy 'N' Billie' story. In the song, Betty & Willie fall in love while drinking Tanqueray gin. But in my story, Billy is a drinker of Beefeater gin, because he's subconsciously attempting to beef-up his anemic sense of manhood. 

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Continued Below (Or, Continued > HERE)

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, APRIL 15 (Or, VAN MORRISON Versus TODD SNIDER - Part 2 Of 2)

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{Psst! If you missed the "dogs" in Part 1 > HERE (yes, there were two dogs this time!), they were located in the 'Billy 'N' Billie' screenplay pages I showed you.}

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Alright, let's get on it. 

Let's get ON this thing!

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Please vote in the comment section below for which song you preferred. And then please be kind enough to visit all - I said, "ALL" - of the other BOTBers and also drop your two-cents in their contests. 

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'THE BACK ROOM' 

by Van Morrison 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lVEh8Smo-c

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'BETTY WAS BLACK 

(AND WILLIE WAS WHITE)' 

by Todd Snider 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvjDtei3qlY

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I intend to return here on (or about) April 22nd with my own vote and the Final Tally. 

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Until then, may you... 

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Bless & Be Blessed!! 

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~ Stephen (T. McCarthy)