BOTB RESULTS: 2018, DEC. 15 (Or, TINY TIM VERSUS STEVIE NICKS)

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STMcC’s Vote On '2018, December 15th: Battle Of The Bands' (BOTB) - Or, Tiny Tim Versus Stevie Nicks - And The Final Tally:
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Sometimes the Battle works. But sometimes the Battle goes...
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And this particular Battle of mine went...
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Song: 'Silent Night'
Competitors: Christian versus Witch
Which wins?
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Er... I meant: WITCH WINS!
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Yeah, yeah, I know. Stevie Nicks said that at one time she thought she was a witch but now claims she's not a witch and never was one. (And our dear Uncle says we walked on the Moon and that Middle Easterners with box-cutters brought down the Twin Towers.) Whatever...
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My point is that...
Hmmm.....
Doggone it, I don't know what my point was.
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I knew going in this wouldn't be one of my most popular BOTB installments. (Right.) And I did think Tiny Tim (the Christian) would beat Stevie Nicks (the witch) by a few votes. (Wrong.) "Missed it by that much."
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There's more I could say but... it's Christmastime and I'm trying to stay on Santa's "Good Boys" list for a few more days... if I can hold out that long.
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I voted for Tiny Tim, as y'all knew I would, but it wasn't enough.
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Tiny Tim = 6 votes
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Stevie Nicks = 9 votes
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Normally, I truly don't care who wins or loses my Battles, but I really didn't like seeing Tiny lose to... her.
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In The Battle Within The Battle, The Magic 8-Ball predicted the outcome correctly, while The Amazing Sixwell did not. That means both of our psychics (witches & warlocks?) are again tied, with 12 hits & 6 misses apiece. It looks like neither of them wants to take anything resembling a commanding lead. Two too-nice folks saying, "After you..." and "No, no. After YOU. I insist". A+ for 'Plays Well With Others'; C- for 'Killer Instinct'.
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It was a disappointing Battle in multiple ways. Oh, well. Like Ed Wood said: "My next one will be better". And, by the way, my next one will be here next year. (January 1, 2019, to be more precise.)
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Meanwhile, let's not forget "The Reason For The Season".
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The Family Nativity Set (since 1958).

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I wish each of you a Merry Jesus Christmas 

and a Hangoverless New Year's Day. 

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TTFN
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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2018, DEC. 15: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, TINY TIM VERSUS STEVIE NICKS)

Santa Claus Vs. The Grinch, Jack Skellington Vs. Sandy Claws, Rudolph Vs. Frosty, Brandy & Egg Nog Vs. Hot Buttered Rum, Scrooge Vs. The Ghost Of Christmas Future, Nappy Vs. Poppy The Puppy, Johnny Mathis Vs. Sheboyganboy Six, Fruitcakes Vs. Bad Reputation, ACLU Vs. Christmas, Jesus Vs. Satan, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...
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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. Let's get ON this thing!...
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STMcC, BONEHEAD, SANTA CLAUS, & NAPPY

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It's become tradition for me in December BOTBs to use a secular Christmas song on the 1st and a sacred song on the 15th. I used 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' last time (for the first time in BOTB history). So, now it's time for a sacred song.
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"A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!"
~ Tiny Tim 
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Back in July, on this blog, when Tiny Tim beat the superstar Garth Brooks in a BOTB installment (and without any help from me), I warned y'all that Tiny would probably be back here again for Christmas, because... what is Christmas without "Tiny Tim"?
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I gave y'all advance warning, so don't be a...
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Besides, it could be worse. At one point, I was seriously thinking about making this Battle Tiny Tim versus Justin Bieber. 
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The song is 'SILENT NIGHT' - quite possibly the most popular of all Christmas songs. 
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Now, make no mistake about it: Tiny Tim was a sincere Christian. Tiny never hesitated in giving Jesus credit for his improbable success.
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Hersh watched on, incredulously, as Tiny continued to sabotage his career ... this time with a heated on-air argument with Howard Stern. ... Tiny flew into a rage when Stern took Jesus's name in vain. Stern's insincere apology and attempts to blame co-host Robin Quivers for the slip-up only agitated Tiny further. 
"The name of Jesus Christ is being used in vain on this show", he railed, "and the FCC allows it!" ...
After this, Tiny refused all further interview requests from The Howard Stern Show, effectively killing his one significant tie to mainstream audiences.
~ 'Eternal Troubadour: The Improbable Life Of Tiny Tim'
by Justin Martell
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His recording of 'Silent Night' is absolutely "classic Tiny Tim". The passionate (and accurate) rant mid-song comes directly from his heart, but since this IS Tiny, quite naturally, it also includes some unintended humor.
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SILENT NIGHT - TINY TIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPprRVvl2vQ

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"PEZ are hard to load."

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Next we have Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac fame. At YouTube, the comment sections of her videos for 'Silent Night' are filled with countless folks saying that her recording of the song is their all-time favorite. {"This is the best version of this song ever. It will give you chillbumps & make you misty eyed." / "I actually cried over silent night... wow... the chills are unreal... that's how it should be sung... I bet the angels surrounded her and applauded."}
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But you will also find there a (much, much smaller) number of detractors. And those folks who dislike it dislike it pretty intensely. They detest her {"nasal"} singing, the arrangement, and Robbie Nevil's {"trying-too-hard"} backing vocals.
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Those who dig Stevie's version totally love it; many of them saying it's the ultimate rendition of the song.
Those who don't dig Stevie's version really can't stand it at all.
There is very little middle ground; it seems to be one extreme or the other.
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This got me thinking: Gee, I wonder what the BOTB voters would think of it? AND... since I do need to find a competitor to put up against Tiny Tim... why not Stevie Nicks?
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SILENT NIGHT - STEVIE NICKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFxxQnhT5XQ


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The Battle Within The Battle

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VERSUS

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Question: "Will Tiny Tim Lose To Stevie Nicks?"

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The Magic 8-Ball (11-6) sez:  "Yes, Definitely"

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The Amazing Sixwell (12-5) sez:  "Don't Count On It"

You put up some VERY puzzling battles. ... Once again you put up a very popular, multiple hit artist against the Buster Douglas of the vocal world - a guy who only reached the top once with a lucky punch... and he was on his tiptoes just to do that.
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HOWSOMEVER - Sixwell thinks that it will be a back and forth voting affair with the underdog Tiny Tim getting a Christmas victory. Perhaps not the second hit that so many have wished for all these years, but a victory against a much stronger opponent. 
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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your 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...
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ 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
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'AI LOVE MUSIC' 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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2018, DEC. 1: BOTB RESULTS (Or, DEAN MARTIN VS. THE TEMPTATIONS)

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STMcC’s Vote On '2018, December 1st: Battle Of The Bands' (BOTB) - Or, Dean Martin Versus The Temptations - And The Final Tally:
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It wasn't much of a "Battle", but it took place HERE. I expected a one-sided affair, but I didn't anticipate quite the blowout that it turned out to be. The song was 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' (surprisingly, this was the first time it was ever used in BOTB) and the competitors were Dean Martin and The Temptations.
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I sincerely thank all of you who took time during this extra busy part of the year to stop by, listen, and vote! 
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Although it does happen, it's pretty rare. Me using a recording in BOTB that I personally do not like, I mean. The one I dislike is the one that won.
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Dean Martin = 12 votes
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The Temptations = 3 votes
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For me, Dean Martini just plays it too cutesy. Is Deano really such a good friend of Rudolph's that he can get away with calling him "Rudy"?
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However, the first time I heard The Temptations' version, I didn't like that one, either. Years ago I purchased a CD which included Christmas songs by both The Supremes and The Temptations. I'd bought it specifically for The Supremes' version of 'My Favorite Things', as I dearly love that song and their rendition is my favorite.
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The album also contains 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' by The Temptations. And the first time I heard it, I thought: WTH?!?! I didn't hate it, but I sure didn't like it, either. The second time I heard it, I said, "I don't know about THAT!" (Spoken the way Martin Crane always said it.) By the third time I'd heard it, I was rather digging the way The Temptations kept shouting, "Hey, Rudolph!" And before long, I was enjoying the arrangement of the entire song.
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'Rudolph' is hardly one of my very favorite Christmas songs, but The Temps' (yes, I'm a good enough friend of theirs to call them "The Temps") is probably now my favorite version of the song. They really put the FUN in 'Rudolph' for me. But, mine is obviously a minority view. That's OK; no problem. I'm used to holding minority viewpoints.
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I believe it was in late October that I got the idea to use 'Rudolph' in this BOTB installment. One day I decided to hike up to the white "V" on the side of Mount Davidson in Virginia City, Nevada:
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And when I started out on the hike, 3 dogs that live in the neighborhood were very excited to accompany me. They waited for me on the road ahead:
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However, "Rudy" was the only dog of the 3 who stuck with me all the way up to the "V" and back down again:
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And that gave me the idea to use 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' in my first of December's two BOTB contests.
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In The Battle Within The Battle, both The Magic 8-Ball (11-6) and The Amazing Sixwell (12-5) correctly predicted Dean Martin's victory.
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I hope to see you all here again on December 15th, when I will be featuring a highly unusual version of a famous sacred Christmas standard.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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2018, DEC. 1: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, DEAN MARTIN VS. THE TEMPTATIONS)

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Christmas Vs. Easter, 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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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. Let's get ON this thing!...
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NOTICE: I wish to announce BOTB's newest member AISASAMI. (The proper way to pronounce that is: Ihasn'tgotaclue.) Her blog is 'AI LOVE MUSIC'. Please be sure to visit her, extend a warm welcome to her, and vote on her debut Battle.
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The second thing you need to know is... I ain't here. I'm still on a trip out of state and won't be back here until tomorrow, December 2nd. But feel free to leave your votes now and I'll publish them ASAP.
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The third thing you need to know is... I was astounded! Mary Burris of the blog 'Jingle Jangle Jungle' is Battle Of The Bands' official historian. And when I decided to use the Christmas song 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer', I wanted to make sure I didn't re-use any versions that had previously been featured in a BOTB contest. So, I checked Mary's thorough records of past Battles and found to my amazement that, even after 5+ years of BOTB, NO ONE has ever used this song before! 'Run, Rudolph, Run' has been used once, but 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer'? Nope, never!
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So, the real 'Rudolph' is about to lose his BOTB virginity right here. I'm giving you two different versions of a jazzed-up, funked-up 'Rudolph'. First is Dean Martin doing his Bing Crosby impersonation, followed by The Temptations giving the song the "Motown" treatment. See which Rudolph you like better.
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RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER - DEAN MARTIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPCvyJod0WM


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RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER - THE TEMPTATIONS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcwaxVfgfG0


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The Battle Within The Battle

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VERSUS

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Question: "Will The Temptations lose to Dean Martin?"

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The Magic 8-Ball (10-6) sez:  "Outlook Good"

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The Amazing Sixwell (11-5) sez:  "It Is Certain"

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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your 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...
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ 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
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'AI LOVE MUSIC' 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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BOTB RESULTS: NOV. 15, 2018 (Or, ELLA FITZGERALD VS. ANN STREET SOUL)

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STMcC’s Vote On '2018, November 15th: Battle Of The Bands' (BOTB) - Or, Ella Fitzgerald Versus Ann Street Soul - And The Final Tally:
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Even though I'm not really here (I'm outta state and on the road again), I thank every single one of you who took the time to visit, listen, and vote! 
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I'm going to have to KISS: Keep It Short'n Simple.
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My most recent Battle took place [link> HERE. The song was the 1960s Bobby Hebb classic 'SUNNY' and our competitors were the legendary Ella Fitzgerald versus a very good group of young musicians going by the name of Ann Street Soul.
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I thought both recordings were terrific and I had a difficult time deciding how to vote. Ann Street Soul had a really good, soulful singer and a band that really found "the pocket" and grooved that bad boy! Ella also had an excellent band behind her, and her vocals were classic "Ella" - showcasing her fantastic range and almost unearthly vocal control. In my opinion, there was nuttin' to dislike about either recording.
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In the final analysis, Ella's truly amazing voice swayed me and convinced me to give her my "bote", but I did have to agonize over this one.
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Ella Fitzgerald = 5 votes
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Ann Street Soul = 12 votes
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In The Battle Within The Battle, The Magic 8-Ball (10-6) whiffed while The Amazing Sixwell (11-5) got the game winning hit to take a one-win lead... again. 
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Well, friends, I confess that when it comes to BOTB, I've been dogging it recently, solely out of necessity. My next Battle on December 1st is scheduled to automatically post, and I will be home the following day (12/2) to begin voting on your own Battles and responding to comments left on mine.
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Until next we yak... Bless And Be Blessed.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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2018, NOV 15: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, ELLA FITZGERALD VS. ANN STREET SOUL)

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Agent 86 of Control Vs. Siegfried of KAOS, Batman Vs. Catwoman, 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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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. Let's get ON this thing!...
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DOH! I'm not sure how well I'll be able to pull this off. On the 18th - just a few days from now - I fly to Phoenix for business and Thanksgiving with Nappy & Bonehead. Then I'll hit the Arizona highways for my first real vacation in 9 years! 
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I'm afraid that until December 2nd, my ability to respond to comments will be greatly diminished, if not entirely negated. Please bear with me and know my lack o' response is not borne from a lack o' love.
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Early on, I got a well-balanced exposure to music from my parents. Although Pa's favorite singers were Nat King Cole and Dinah Washington, what he most often played around the house was silly stuffs like Roger Miller and Louis Prima, and mostly Country music radio stations in his car. (My writing style was largely influenced by Roger Miller, as well as Bob Dylan and Mark Twain.)
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It was my Ma who exposed me to the more "soulful" stuffs, like R&B, B.B. King & Cannonball Adderley. 
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I've decided to use in this Battle a song that my Ma loved. Bobby Hebb wrote 'Sunny' and had a #2 hit with it in 1966. I was playing Cowboys & Indians in our Orange County, California, driveway at the time. 
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Do any of you remember [link> 'Personics' from the late 1980s? It was a machine in record stores that allowed you to create your own custom-made cassette tapes. That tape in the photo above ('An Old Timer's All Timers') is the one that my Ma asked me to have made for her. As you can see, the very first song she requested on it was Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny'.
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Alright, today's first competitor is the legendary Ella Fitzgerald:
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SUNNY - ELLA FITZGERALD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avi86YHKHAQ


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I don't know anything about the group Ann Street Soul. I just found them at YouTube and was pleased to see young guys digging the good ol' stuffs:
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SUNNY - ANN STREET SOUL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_y4X-tz2qY


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The Battle Within The Battle

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VERSUS

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Question: "Will Ann Street Soul lose to Ella Fitzgerald?"

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The Magic 8-Ball (10-5) sez:  "It Is Decidedly So"

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The Amazing Sixwell (10-5) sez:  "My Sources Say No"

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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your 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...
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ 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
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' 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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