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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.]

Saturday, January 7, 2017

BOTB RESULTS (1/1/2017) AND A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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STMcC’s Vote On '2017, January 1st: Battle Of The Bands' (Or, 'Carole King Versus Nils Lofgren') And The Final Tally: 
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Hmmm... Low voter turnout this time. Therefore, I want to thank all of you (who took the time to listen and vote) twice each. Or as we used to say in the "League Of Soul Crusaders" years, "Twice each, individually, in the mornin'!" (And damned if I can remember how that started and what it actually meant.)

Anyway, I like the song 'GOIN' BACK' and I enjoy BOTH of the recordings I used in this Battle. I agree with everything that everyone said about them. That is to say, I can understand all the reasons for preferring Carole's original over Nils' cover, and the reasons for preferring Nils' cover over Carole's original.

For sure, Carole has that bittersweet reminiscing tone which matches the sentiment of the lyrics, and I really dig the guitar and harmonica touches. Nils approaches the song in a more determined, uptempo, rollicking piano way. His arrangement seems more focused on the lines "Catch me if you can. I'm goin' back."

The bottom line for me is that I side -- ever so slightly -- with Nils. Some voters said this installment of 'Battle Of The Bands' was a toughie for them, and it was for me as well. And to be honest, I can't be sure that the "Familiarity Factor" didn't play a small part in my vote: For a long time, I've been a fan of that 1975 Nils Lofgren solo album, even to the point that I may have subconsciously borrowed that album's cover concept when I arranged for a good friend to photograph me in New York in 1983:
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NILS  LOFGREN  AND  GRAND  MARNIER
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STEPHEN  T.  McCARTHY  AND  JACK  DANIELS

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When Carole King jumped out to a 7-3 vote lead, it looked like The New & Improved MAGIC 8-BALL had predicted this Battle's outcome correctly. But Nils absolutely dominated the voting after that and we wound up with this result:

Carole King = 8
Nils Lofgren = 10
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A close Battle (as it should have been), and again I thank you voters "Twice each, individually, in the mornin'!" I hope to see you again for my January 15th BOTB installment.

VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

I'd like you all to be aware that I have just started a new blog and I invite you to visit it, 'Follow' it, comment on it. (Just don't pee on it, please. It's not a fire hydrant and you're not a dog.)

This blog is where I will be reviewing all sorts of things -- everything from "Avocados" to "Zevon, Warren". You likely don't know this, but in 2008 I was very nearly a Top 1000 reviewer at Amazon.com (like #1120 or so).

And I don't mean to boast, but very truthfully, on many occasions Amazon.com readers left me comments saying that my review (whichever one they happened to have read) was the best they'd ever seen at that website. More than a few readers left comments saying that they just happened to come across one of my reviews and found it so entertaining and informative that they wound up spending 2 to 4 hours reading ALL of my reviews, even for products they had zero intention of buying!

Again, I tell you this not to boast but to hopefully interest you in checking out my new blog. All 199 of my old Amazon.com reviews were recently deleted from their site at the prompting of a political adversary. So, I will be re-posting them on my new blog, and once I've got them all publicly available again, I will begin occasionally writing brand new reviews for my blog.

If this "advertisement" has piqued your curiosity, then I hope to find you at (Link:) STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS... Just think of the fun comment section discussions you and I can have. (But remember, no peeing on anything, OK? :o)
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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27 comments:

  1. Somehow I knew that Nils would come out ahead. Makes me real glad I gave him my vote of confidence.

    Now about those reviews.... I visited your blog page, and for the life of me can't figure out how to subscribe to your blog. Add a subscribe button in the sidebar or something, you know, to make it easier on us who are living life in a fog.

    ~Mary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MARY ~
      Help me out with this if you can...

      Blogger seems to have done away with the "Follow" option. You know, where when you sign up to Follow it shows your avatar in a collection in the sidebar.

      The only thing I can find now under "Gadgets" is "Google+ Follow". But I hate Google+ and will never use it. But... is that maybe the same thing as the old "Follow" option gadget?

      All I know is, I do NOT want to add that gadget and then find that it has transformed my account into Google+

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'Loyal American Underground'

      Delete
    2. Yo DogG ~
      Under "Gadgets" choose "Follow by Email"

      ~Mar

      Delete
    3. Yo, McMARY ~
      I seen'd that option but... if I add that, does it reveal my own personal Email to everyone who signs up to Follow By Email?

      I mean, when the notification arrives in their Email inbox, will it say anywhere in it that it came via JackassStephen@yahoo.com?

      ...Oops. I think I've said too much.

      ~ JackassDogG

      Delete
    4. Yo, D'Plorable....

      Your email is secret and held sacred, as it should be. Not to be seen by prying eyes. It drives everything through the old feedburner. address shows as noreply+feedproxy@google.com

      ~Mar

      Delete
    5. NAUGHTY J. McMARY ~
      Ahh, that is good news!! Because, you know, I has enemies.

      Thank you for the valuable info. I shall add the gadget post-haste. (Whatever post-haste means. It sounds kinda intellectual so I thought I'd toss it in there. I can fool some of the people some of the time...)

      As I just told FAE about 30 minutes ago... ever since I quit drinking 6 years ago, I've-- er... I mean, 6 DAYS ago. (It just feels like years.) ...I've started becoming domesticated -- buying dish towels and floor rugs -- and I'm hanging out at Goodwill (3 times in the last 2 days!)

      I leave it up to you to decide... shall I go back to drinking or just let Goodwill and the Housewares Department steal my soul?

      ~ D-FensDogG
      Check out my new blog @
      (Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

      Delete
    6. well, Hells Bells! If'n you didn't live so far apart, I'd have you come stake your claim on my belongings, as most of them are going to end up at Goodwill in the next week or so. I think I heard someone say that Salvation Army will come get stuffs, too. I'm thinking the secret to this moving is to just close my eyes and throw it all out ~ 'cept for a few essentials like underwear and coloring books. And, of course, this trusty computer!

      You quit drinking and started nesting. ARE YOU PREGNANT?

      Personally, I love reviewing housewares stuff. I racked up my Amazon score pretty good, too. Now, I mostly review books, but that's because I need to hold off on accumulating more stuffs until after this move is done and over with.

      Glad I could help ya out on the Google stuff.

      ~Mary

      Delete
    7. Yeah, coloring books! Gotta keep those. But underwear? UNDERwear is OVERrated!

      Pregnant? Seriously, I've been craving tomatoes and potatoes... but I think it's just a toe fetish.

      Seriously, I thank you for your help. I've now added that gadget to ALL of my blogs... and await my enemies.

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
  2. Yay for Nils. I try not to take it too personally, but I DO love it when I'm on the winning side!

    New blog? Been there and done that. Need to get back and read all the reviews posted so far, but as if the other day, I thank you for turning me onto Wes Montgomery.

    Twice in the morning, eh? I like the sound of that. Ha, ha, ha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FAE ~
      Hmmm... is that YOUR dirty mind I'm hearing or my own.

      Yep, you voted Nils and you big winnah! Winnah, winnah, steak 'n' lobstah dinnah!

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
  3. Oh I forgot, would follow the new blog, if I could find the follow thingy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FAE ~
      Help me out with this if you can...

      Blogger seems to have done away with the "Follow" option. You know, where when you sign up to Follow it shows your avatar in a collection in the sidebar.

      The only thing I can find now under "Gadgets" is "Google+ Follow". But I hate Google+ and will never use it. But... is that maybe the same thing as the old "Follow" option gadget?

      All I know is, I do NOT want to add that gadget and then find that it has transformed my account into Google+

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'Loyal American Underground'

      Delete
    2. I dunno. I also hate Google+. About that email thing. I don't think it shows that it came from your email, but rather from your blog, kinda like when you click to follow up on blog comments, BUT I'm not for sure on that.

      Delete
  4. Both versions were good ones, but I still like the sadder sound of King especially when you add the harmonies of the Byrds.

    Good outcome though. Better than how my Battle will probably turn out.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LEE ~
      Thanks for stopping by.

      It's always a little surprising when the original artist loses on their own song. Especially when they've done it so right, as Carole did here. Heck, it even caught the Magic 8-Ball by surprise!

      But Nils did do a unique and memorable cover, primarily because of that smashing piano work.

      It was a real close one, which I love.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      Check out my new blog @
      (Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

      Delete
  5. I thought FOR SURE that Carole King would win this one by a mile! Just goes to show, anything can happen with BOTB. ☺ Not surprised about the low turnout. Lots of hangovers on Jan. 1. Is that why you quit drinking? LOL Thanks for the heads up about your new blog, Stephen. It sounds interesting and I will definitely check it out. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, DEBBIE!
      I think there will always be a mysterious aspect to BOTB, and that helps to keep it interesting. There are very few sure-things.

      Ha! I quit drinking to the point of hangovers long, long ago. And I drink almost exclusively beer (with the exceedingly rare exception of a Mojito or Margarita) but I find that even just a little beer adversely affects my sleep.

      Also, this year I am determined to get my Spiritual life back to the point it once was (which was pretty sharp and pointy).

      So, although I'm not REALLY totally on the wagon, I intend to restrict my beer consumption only to those times when my favorite brew pub has their mozzarella cheese sticks, which are the best in the world, but which they only have maybe once or twice a month.

      Heck, my favorite brew pub even makes their very own root beer, and I may try that sometime. Although mozzarella cheese sticks and root beer doesn't exactly sound like a taste-combo to die for, does it? Ha!

      ~ D-FensDogG
      Check out my new blog @
      (Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

      Delete
  6. Wow, I'm really surprised that Carole King lost this one. Hmm. Interesting!
    Your new blog sounds cool and I will definitely be scoping it out! How on earth did all your reviews get removed from Amazon??

    Low voter turnout is right! I hope the New Year kicks in and more people start participating in the battles...

    Good battle Stephen. I'm still shocked that Carole lost!

    Michele at Angels Bark

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, MICHELE.

      BOTB is nothing if not puzzling. So often I have scratched my head, wondering how so many people heard two songs so differently from how I did.

      Oh well. If we could easily predict the outcomes then BOTB wouldn't be any fun and we'd all get bored and quit.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      Check out my new blog @
      (Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

      Delete
  7. Nils against Carole King, I have to visit that battle. Good luck on your new blog.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Stephen, Sorry I missed your latest BOTB, as I'm a big Carole King fan. I can't believe she lost. I'm very excited about your new blog and look forward to seeing it soon!

    Julie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. GEM JULIE, Carole could have used your help. But she lost by two, so don't feel bad. Your non-vote did not cost her a victory, nor even a tie.

      No problems. I'm just pleased you make it to BOTB as often as you do. You've been a loyal supporter of this blogfest.

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
  9. Hey! where's my vote? Did it not go through, it referenced your always cooler than any other room in the house. My vote was for Nils.

    JW,
    Pooh

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whatchoo yakkin' 'bout, POOHREGARD?

      You be lookin' fer yer vote on the Battle's "RESULTS" post?

      Here's a crazy idea but... why don'tcha scroll down one mo' blog bit and check out the actual BATTLE. Thinkin' maybe you won't find yer vote THERE?!

      (Boy, you really fell into it THIS time, didn'tcha? Ha!)

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
    2. Poohs will be Poohs.

      Delete
    3. If you weren't a Pooh
      I wouldn't love you like I do.

      JOHN WAYNE! JOHN WAYNE!

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete

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