STMcC’s Vote On '2017, July 15th: Battle Of The Bands' (Or, 'Nat King Cole Versus Spanky & Our Gang') And The Final Tally:
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"HOLY LOW-VOTER TURNOUT, BATMAN!", this was Blowout City. If you want to revisit the Battleground, you'll find it HERE. Although the word "Battle" is a bit of an exaggeration. Minor Skirmish or Bitch-Slap would better describe it.
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Yeah, sure, I expected NAT KING COLE to win because, well, Nat King Cole. His name is legendary. Yup, I knew that Spanky & Our Gang (S&OG) were the underdogs in this contest, and yet I expected this to be much, much closer than it was. I figured that the majority of voters might never have heard of S&OG before, and that even most of those who knew of the group would never have heard their recording of 'STARDUST'.
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I expected Spanky's version of the song to turn a lot of heads and wow a lot of newbies. It didn't happen.
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As for my vote: Regardless of the fact that Nat King Cole was my Pa's favorite singer and he has used Nat's music numerous times to contact me from "the other side" of Earthly life, I am not a King Cole fan. Sure, he's a great crooner, but "crooning" is not my kind of music. (The only "crooners" I really dig are Johnny Mathis and Bobby Darin.)
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I think the S&OG version of 'STARDUST' is my #1 choice. The only one that comes close is Willie Nelson's rendition. To begin with, I love choral groups, and S&OG were one of my very favorites, alongside The Beach Boys and The 5th Dimension.
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Secondly, the vocal arrangement of 'STARDUST' by S&OG blows me away! It was so creative, so complex, and so unique that no matter how many times I hear it, it never fails to fascinate me.
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The bottom line, however, is that only Arlee Bird and John Holton heard this Battle the same way I did:
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Nat King Cole = 11 Votes
Spanky & Our Gang = 3 Votes
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A sad blowout for me, but the MAGIC 8-BALL seems to be getting its mojo back. (Must be those fresh electrolytes I spilled on it last week. ...Oh, wait. That was Bacardi 151.)
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My sincere thanks to all of you who participated. I'll be back for another BOTB installment on August 15th, and hopefully it will be more competitive than this one was.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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How unusual for you to have a blowout, Stephen! I sympathize with the low voter turnout. July and August are always slow in the Blogosphere. I went with the majority, but then, I like most crooners.☺ Better luck next time! Thanks to you, my battle was pretty good, even with the skimpy participation.
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteI'm genuinely pleased that my suggestion got you off that Blowout streak you were on. It was like hitting "Reset", huh? [;^)}
Yes, it is pretty rare for me to have a blowout. But not uncommon for me to be victim of its opposite: The Tie.
The first Tie is kind of neat. But after a BOTBer has had one or two of them, that Thrill Is Gone. I've had about 14 of them and honestly, at this point, I prefer a Blowout.
Every Tie leaves me thinking: Why did I even bother? There was no point to this Battle.
There's an exception though! I still think it's kind of cool when you end up with a Tie while using the same artist against him/herself, like you had this time. And like I had when I used Jim Croce's "Bad Leroy Brown" versus Jim Croce's "Big Jim Walker".
It can be fun using the same artist in opposition to himself, to see if he can best himself. And sometimes he can't. That's pretty entertaining to me.
~ D-FensDogG
(link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
I like the artist against him or herself idea. ☺ I`m going to look for a few more like that. I`m not complaining about the tie, although, I wish my choice had actually won. Somebody came in too late and said they would have voted my way. Sigh...
DeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteYeah, those "Joe Vs. Joe" or "Jane Vs. Jane" contests are fun and interesting. In fact, the very first Battle Of The Bands contest I ever put together was precisely that: Bebel Gilberto Vs. Bebel Gilberto. And it wasn't even two different songs! It was the same song (even the exact same vocal track!) but with two different bands having been dubbed in behind the vocals. I thought that was a cool and unique way to debut BOTB on my blog back then.
These types of Battles are really not that hard to find, because many artists have recorded the same song multiple times, years apart.
Of course, the trick is in finding two recordings that seem equally good. I have a "Joe Vs. Joe" Battle in mind right now (it's been on my list for a couple years) but I'm a bit hesitant to use it because one of the recordings was a huge hit, and I'm afraid that is going to sway too many voters to vote for it without giving the "remake" fair and unbiased consideration.
For years I've also had a "Jane Vs. Jane" Battle in mind -- her studio recording versus a live recording. In most cases, I think a studio version would win, but in this instance I fear the live recording (with the live on-stage visuals) will have too big an advantage.
To me, "Jane's" concert performance of the song is so fabulous that I consider it one of the best "live" recordings ever. But some time ago I shared it with Michele and asked her which she'd vote for if it were a BOTB installment and she said the studio version. That gave me a little hope that maybe someday this Battle will actually see the light of day. I'm dying to introduce people to the live performance but still hesitant.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
I have to give Spanky and Ou Gang credit for taking on the formidable Nat King Cole!
ReplyDeleteEPT ~
DeleteWell, to be honest, Spanky & Our Gang didn't want to do it. They were all cowering in a corner and pooping in their pants when I suddenly shoved them out there into the spotlight.
Hindsight being 20/20, and taking the results into consideration, I guess they were right to be a-skeered.
~ D-FensDogG
(link:] Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
This was pretty much the outcome I expected--familiarity breeds votes. I'd listened to that Our Gang album so many times that their version had burrowed into my mind to the point that it was as familiar or maybe more so than Nat's. Both excellent renditions though.
ReplyDeleteI like ties and close contests as it indicates that I picked two competitors with parity. That's not always the case though as your outcome in this Battle shows.
Good Battle.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Thanks, LEE.
Delete"Familiarity breeds votes" -- that's a great line!! Wish I'd thought of it (rather than having to steal it now :^)
Ties definitely indicate a nice job of selecting equally yoked quality, but they definitely get real old real quickly. At this point, I honestly prefer to have a declared winner, even if it means a blowout. (Although Bad Leroy Brown and Big Jim Walker ending their fight in a draw was the perfect outcome!)
See ya on the 15th, my man!
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
"HOLY LOW-VOTER TURNOUT, BATMAN!": your first line cracked me up! hahaha. Sorry you had a blowout but like you said, it doesn't happen to you often. A blowout every now and then keeps one humble. What a crock that is, huh? Lol.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think you did a good thing dumping the 151 rum on the 8-ball. Nothing like a little high-proof alcohol to jump start something when it's stuck in a rut. Hey, is it true that they don't make 151 rum here (US) anymore? If that's true, where are you getting yours?? Do you have a tunnel underneath your house? Are you running 151? Hmmm?? :)
Read your comment to Debbie: I think you definitely should do your "Jane" battle (live vs studio). No use sitting around wondering how it would turn out: just put it out there and let's see! :)
Question: do you like Gordon Lightfoot? I'm doing an Artist Spotlight on him this monday for the Monday's Music Moves Me blog hop. Just curious. I want to do a spotlight on Dan Fogelberg too. I've been in a folksy frame of mind lately...
You doing anything fun for your Sunday tomorrow? Have a good one, whatever you do. talk soon,
Michele at Angels Bark
HiYa, MICHELE ~
DeleteTomorrow? Hmmm.... Yeah, dusting, vacuuming, balancing my checkbook. Sure, I got lotsa fun planned.
In a way, the BOTB blowouts really DO put things in perspective (aka "bring a cocky BOTBer back down to Earth"). Because, seriously, there have been times when I've had such long runs of very close Battles (and ties) that I started thinking I'd completely mastered BOTB. But no sooner did I think that when I'd have a blowout, which reminded me that: Ain't no one knows doo-doo when it comes to BOTB!
As soon as one starts thinking they've got the perfect BOTB formula (like Bob Welch started thinking he had for creating Top 40 hits after his 'FRENCH KISS' album made him a household name), BOTB has a way of reminding the person that there is (and always will be) a mystery about BOTB that no mere mortal can fully understand. Ha!
My "Jane Vs. Jane" Battle -- do you remember what that is? You remember the artist and song I asked you to secretly vote on? Studio versus Live version?
I have never cared for Dan Fogelberg but, yes, I definitely like Gordon Lightfoot! I own 'GORD'S GOLD' on compact disc, and I will certainly check out your blog bit on him this Monday.
I dig a good number of Gord's songs, but my #1 favorite is 'BEAUTIFUL'. It always reminds me of my Ma. In fact, I once played it for her shortly before she passed away, telling her that it made me think of her. When it ended, I asked her if she liked it. Her voice cracked when she said, "Yes", and then some tears fell.
I was going to link you to an old blog bit of mine which included a photo of my Ma in her youth, looking cool and perched on the hood of an old 1940s automobile, but my computer has been acting like a total asshole all day, so unfortunately I'm unable to do that.
Under my bed is a fully loaded Smith & Wesson, and one of those bullets is marked, "Computer, someday".
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Dude, you're a Smith & Wesson owner too? I have the .357 S&W Model 66 K frame.
Deletehttp://www.range365.com/handgun-review-smith-wesson-model-66-combat-magnum-revolver
It's a great gun. Love to go to the range and blow off my first few loads with .357 jacketed hollow points, just for the kick and the BOOM! It was funny, one day I was at the range in my little cubicle, sent my target out then fired that first round. Ka-BOOOM! And I heard some guy down the way say, "Damn, what's she got?!" Lol.
I haven't been to the range in a long time. Need to get back there. Maybe while my brother's in town, we'll take an afternoon out there. Wish you were here! :)
Hey, I really do want to see that photo of your Mom. I love those old pics where the woman is leaning on (on ON) one of those fabulous classic cars from the 40s or 50s. They don't make 'em like that anymore... I miss my '71 Monte Carlo... Waah...
Anyway, my Mom arrives TOMORROW!!! Picking her up, along with my brother and SIL at 11:30 in the morning. Can't wait! Keep in touch...
MICHELE ~
DeleteIt sounds like you have what you need for the new Civil War (coming soon to a street near you... and me). Better get to the range. You don't want to be rusty when it really counts.
Gotta love Texans. Armed & dangerous.
Turns out that photograph of my Ma sitting on the Classic Car wasn't even in the 6-part blog bit where I'd been looking for it. But I finally did manage to find it here:
(link:] ‘THE SOUNDTRACK TO MY LIFE’ (Or, ‘0 TO 51 IN 15.5 SONGS’)
~ D-FensDogG
(link:] Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Sweetie, I was locked and loaded as a New Yorker. I came to Texas ready to play... :)
DeleteLove the pics of your mom and dad. Your mom was very pretty and your dad was definitely handsome. I briefly read through your Soundtrack of your Life post because I'm about to take 10 dogs out and then hit the shower and hit the bed. I'm EXHAUSTED!!!! Loved the pics -- especially the one with you and your Monkees guitar with the album in the background! Liked the one with you on the cassette cover your friend made for you. ;)
Thanks for sending! Talk soon. I really gotta get some sleep... ZZZZZzzzzzzz
MICHELE ~
DeleteI got my pretty face from my Ma and my sense of humor from my Pa.
The brain damage I got from Jim, Jack, and Jose.
~ D-FensDogG
(link:] Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Mine was a blowout too, but your next one will probably be closer.
ReplyDeleteHowdy, MIKE.
DeleteI haven't yet decided which direction I'll go in with my next Battle, but I do know that I don't want two blowouts in a row!
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'