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Welcome back, my friends, to the "Battle" that never ends.
We're so glad you could attend. Come inside! Come inside!
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This is 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB') where you listen to different recordings and vote for the one you like best. A new Battle gets posted on the 1st of each month and on the 7th, I place my own vote, tally 'em all up and announce the winner.
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Friend? Foe? Stranger? No matter, ALL are welcome. So pull up a chair, pour yourself 24 oz. of DOG BITE High Gravity Lager (or the poison of your choice) and turn it up to Eleven!
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[NOTE: Links to the first year of 'BOTB' (#1 - #24) can be found at the very bottom of this page.]

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

TRIPPIN' WITH TINY TIM

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Did you know that Tiny Tim could sing high notes that only dogs could hear?

That's true. There's an Institute in Chicago that conducted this research and proved it be factual.

Personally, I prefer (many of) the notes Tiny Tim sang that I can hear. I mean, who cares about dogs anyway? Everyone knows that dogs and giraffes are selfish. The dogs hogging all the notes that others can't hear, and giraffes always looking out for Number One. Boy, giraffes are selfish!


In my last BOTB comment section I mentioned that I'm a genuine Tiny Tim fan. What an original character! I don't like all the stuffs he sang but once, years ago, I got out a calculator and calculated that I liked 57% of Tiny's recordings. Since then I've found plenty more I like, so maybe I'm up to about 66.6% now.

Below are two Tiny songs that appeared on his debut album. I really dig 'em and I know you're going to dig 'em, too.

In this first one, Nico of Lou Reed and 'The Velvet Underground' played the voice of Tuesday Weld. Listen and enjoy:

'THEN I'D BE SATISFIED WITH LIFE' - TINY TIM



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AHHyaGgQz0

Now here's a great anti-war song written by Irving Berlin which Tiny Tim made his own:

'STAY DOWN HERE WHERE YOU BELONG' - TINY TIM



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txpwTG7KP3k

You're not going to tell me you disliked those two songs, are you? If so, I'm going to hit you with a shovel.

Ukulelely Yours,

~ Stephen T. McCarthy

Thursday, January 15, 2015

'BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2015, JAN. 15' (Or, 'THE LED ZEPPELIN LOUNGE VS. THE PINK FLOYD LOUNGE')

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Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Oscar Vs. Grammy, Angel Vs. Demon, Laurel Vs. Hardy, Beer Vs. Wine, TV Vs. Radio, Pitcher Vs. Batter, Paper Vs. Plastic, Reality Vs. Fantasy, Yeshua Vs. Beelzebub, Conservative Vs. Liberal, You Vs. Me, House Vs. Senate, Offense Vs. Defense, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Spy Vs. Spy, Fischer Vs. Spassky, W.C. Fields Vs. Sobriety, Harold Gimpy, Jr. Vs. Sheldon J. Pismire, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Islam Vs. Everything, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...
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THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS! (‘BOTB’)
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Shoop-Shooby –
Shooby-duh-Dooby-Doop-Dooby-Dooby-Doo-Wah –
Buh-Doo-Wah!
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Yes, it’s time once again for ‘Battle Of The Bands’ (‘BOTB’)
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Alright, let’s get on it...
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EUGENE  MARTONE  VS.  JACK  BUTLER
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Please bear with me as I present one more "TWISTED BOTB". For a lot of you, this may be your least favorite Battle Of The Bands that I've ever presented. Me, I think it's kind of funny and definitely different. But after this "TWISTED BOTB", I will be resuming "normal" BOTB installments again beginning on February 1st.

What I'm doing today is presenting you with two very famous "Classic Rock" songs, both done in that slick "Lounge Act" style. You get to choose which one you like best (or which one you hate less). You can use any criteria for judging them that you please. Is one musically superior to the other? Do you prefer one vocalist to the other? Does one amuse you more than the other? Judge them on whatever you like, just vote for one over the other and tell us why you did.

So slip on your smoking jacket, light your pipe, and settle in and enjoy the music or relish the torture.

TINY TIM did cover a few other "Classic Rock" songs. In fact, I put his version of 'PEOPLE ARE STRANGE' up against Jim Morrison and The Doors in BOTB #17. Pretty gutsy, eh? The Doors won 6 to 3 but they couldn't toss a shutout at Tiny.

However, 'STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN' is the only Classic Rock cover I'm aware of in which Tiny Tim arranged it in a "Lounge" style. In this recording, Tiny is musically backed by Grammy Award-winning Brave Combo. Here's what Wackypedia says about them:

Brave Combo is a polka/rock/worldbeat band based in Denton, Texas. Founded in 1979 by guitarist/keyboardist/accordionist Carl Finch, they have been a prominent fixture in the Texas music scene for more than thirty-five years.Their music, both originals and covers, incorporates a number of dance styles, mostly polka, but also some Latin American and Caribbean styles like norteño, salsa, rumba, cha-cha-cha, choro, samba, two-step, cumbia, charanga, merengue, ska, etc.

As part of their perceived artistic mission to expand the musical tastes of their listeners, they have often played and recorded covers of well-known songs in a style radically different from the original versions. Examples include polka versions of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and The Doors' "People are Strange", The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" as a cha-cha, and "Sixteen Tons" as a cumbia. While their records may have a sense of humor, they are played straight and not usually considered joke or novelty records.

Alright, take it away, Tiny Tim and Brave Combo. (Try to overlook the brief audio dropout early on and the unrelated music at the end.)

'STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN' - TINY TIM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzrQrlm4M20
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GODZILLA  VS.  KING  KONG
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Now there is a performer who routinely takes Classic Rock songs and reinvents them a la "Lounge". Here's Wackypedia:

Mark Jonathan Davis (born November 27, 1965), better known by his stage name Richard Cheese, is an American musician and comedian. He was born in New York. He fronts Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine, a Los Angeles based cover band and comedy act, performing popular songs in a lounge/swing style reminiscent of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett.

Here's Richard Cheese And Lounge Against The Machine performing Pink Floyd's 'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL' from the album 'The Sunny Side Of The Moon: The Best Of Richard Cheese':

'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL' - RICHARD CHEESE



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zX2wqsrF3A

OK, which one did you like better or hate the least?
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RIDDLER  VS.  BATMAN
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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome EVERYONE to vote for their favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. 
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After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to vice your voice ...vote your vice ...voice your vote.)
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Voice Your Vote @ ‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘DISCCONNECTED’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'BOOK LOVER' by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THIS BELLE ROCKS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ALEX CAVANAUGH' (when BOTB falls on a Mon., Wed., or Fri.) by clicking HERE.
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As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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Thursday, January 1, 2015

'BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2015, JAN. 1' (Or, 'THE WHO VS. TODD SNIDER')

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Hey, before I do anything else I want to wish you a...

"HAPPY MARGARITA DAY"

MARGARITA  DAY: “A tradition since 1986, except for 1994.”

[Margaritas: Where Sobriety Goes To Die!]
 
To steal a line from ol’ Ernie ‘Mr. Cub’ Banks:
"It's a beautiful day for a margarita... Let's drink two!"

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“IT’S MARGARITA DAY”, sung to the tune of “It’s Howdy Doody Time.” The lyrics are not too terribly complicated so you should be able to learn them quickly.

It’s Margarita Day!
It’s Margarita Day!
Hoo-ray! - Hoo-ray! - Hoo-ray!
For Margarita Day.

It’s Margarita Day!
It’s Margarita Day!
Hoo-ray! - Hoo-ray! - Hoo-ray!
For Margarita Day.
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[El Coyote Restaurant in Los Angeles: #1 Margarita, oh yeah.]

OK, and now let's get down to business:
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Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Oscar Vs. Grammy, Angel Vs. Demon, Laurel Vs. Hardy, Beer Vs. Wine, TV Vs. Radio, Pitcher Vs. Batter, Paper Vs. Plastic, Reality Vs. Fantasy, Yeshua Vs. Beelzebub, Conservative Vs. Liberal, You Vs. Me, House Vs. Senate, Offense Vs. Defense, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Spy Vs. Spy, Fischer Vs. Spassky, W.C. Fields Vs. Sobriety, Harold Gimpy, Jr. Vs. Sheldon J. Pismire, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Islam Vs. Everything, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...
.
THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS! (‘BOTB’)
.
.
Shoop-Shooby –
Shooby-duh-Dooby-Doop-Dooby-Dooby-Doo-Wah –
Buh-Doo-Wah!
.
Yes, it’s time once again for ‘Battle Of The Bands’ (‘BOTB’)
.
Alright, let’s get on it...
.
EUGENE  MARTONE  VS.  JACK  BUTLER
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This being a new year, I'm a-gonna do something completely different. Yes, I mean that literally. Well, sort of. Maybe about half literally. I guess I mean it ltrly.

This is a slightly twisted BOTB. Think of it as a lime wedge in a Margarita. I am also planning another slightly twisted BOTB installment for January 15th. But beginning in February I'll be going back to presenting my "Battles" the way they're meant to be - you know, two different versions of the same song for you to select from.

However, today I am putting the legendary proto-Punk youth anthem 'MY GENERATION' by The Who up against a much lesser known, updated and lyrically different version of the idea.

There's probably no one who hasn't heard the famous Who song with its deliberately stuttered vocals and the often quoted line "I hope I die before I get old". Nevertheless, listen to it again. And please remember that although both of these videos below are rather fun to watch, this is really all about the music:

'MY GENERATION' - THE WHO



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN5zw04WxCc
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GODZILLA  VS.  KING  KONG
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Some years ago, my friend DiscConnected turned me on to Todd Snider and after one listen to his debut album, 'Songs For The Daily Planet', I went right out and bought myself a copy of it. Snider's clever wordplay immediately elevated him, in my opinion, to the highest echelon of lyricists, occupied by only two other songwriters: Bob Dylan and (early) Tom Waits.

Snider can write both humorous and moving songs. 'My Generation (Part 2)', the first song on Snider's first album, is funny, although he has also written one of my all-time favorite Gospel songs, 'Somebody's Coming'. And his song 'Long Year' probably sums up my 2014 better'n any other song I could think of.

Give a listen and then decide whose Generation song you like best, The Who's or Todd Snider's:

'MY GENERATION (PART 2)' - TODD SNIDER



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0LS-RAsuaE
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RIDDLER  VS.  BATMAN
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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome EVERYONE to vote for their favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other.


After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to vice your voice ...vote your vice ...voice your vote.)
.
Voice Your Vote @ ‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘DISCCONNECTED’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'BOOK LOVER' by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS' by clicking HERE
@ 'THIS BELLE ROCKS by clicking HERE.
@ 'ALEX CAVANAUGH' (when BOTB falls on a Mon., Wed., or Fri.) by clicking HERE.
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As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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YE OLDE COMMENT POLICY: All comments, pro and con, are welcome. However, ad hominem attacks and disrespectful epithets will not be tolerated (read: "posted"). After all, this isn’t Amazon.com, so I don’t have to put up with that kind of bovine excrement.