Yes, it's time once again for...
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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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Whenever I hear the song 'GREAT BALLS OF FIRE', it always makes me think of 4th Of July fireworks. (In truth, that's not true. But I thought it would make for a good opening line.)
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Of course, anyone with a lick of sense knows that on the 4th Of July we celebrate the day that George Washington cut down a Dogwood tree and then lied about it to his mother.
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Watch the short video below and see what these dopey Californians think the 4th Of July is all about:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Be9f7Ovgg
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Anyone want to guess how each of those interviewees voted in the last Presidential Election? (Assuming they all voted.) And, by the way, who is YOUR favorite Founding Father? Mine is the Anti-Federalist George Mason -- the man most responsible for our Bill Of Rights. (You know what THAT is, right?)
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CARET - noun
1. a mark (^) made in written or printed matter to show the place where something is to be inserted.
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Do you know how many carets there are in The Declaration Of Independence? I'll bet Bugs Bunny knows!
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OK, enough of this. On to the show!...
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I recently read the exhaustive 'Eternal Troubadour: The Improbable Life Of Tiny Tim'. Definitely the funniest biography I've ever encountered. And a photograph in the book led me to the conclusion that, totally unbeknownst to me, I have been in possession of Tiny Tim's autograph for close to a decade! It also inspired me to invite Tiny back to BOTB.
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I already had a song picked out, but who should I pit against Tiny Tim? THAT was the question!
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And then my friend Mary at Jingle Jangle Jungle posted a blog bit about
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In her post, Mary quoted from critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic who wrote: "When Brooks' new persona and his album were revealed to the public, they were unforgiving - they didn't think he was playing a role, they simply thought he'd lost his mind." That's when a light bulb above my head lit up and I thought: Eureka! I have found it!
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So, in this All-American July 4th installment of BOTB I present to you Tiny Tim versus Garth Brooks (or, Weirdo versus Weirdo).
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And regardless of who wins this Battle, if you will return here on July 7th for my BOTB Results post, I will share with you one of the funny Tiny Tim stories I learned of from the book 'Eternal Troubadour: The Improbable Life Of Tiny Tim'.
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| The League Of Soul Crusaders wish you a Happy 4th Of July! |
First, here's Tiny from his second album (with his parents pictured on the LP's cover)...
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Great Balls Of Fire -- Tiny Tim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
And now, Chris Gaines in his role as Garth Brooks...
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Great Balls Of Fire -- Garth Brooks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The Battle Within The Battle
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VERSUS
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Question: "Will Tiny Tim Lose To Garth Brooks?"
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The Magic 8-Ball (5-1) sez: "Most Likely"
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The Amazing Sixwell (4-2) sez: "Very Doubtful"
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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.
.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
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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.
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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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The Mark Dice video is sadly funny. It's one of those things that makes me laugh because the people are so stupid, but it also irritates me and somewhat angers me that grown Americans can be so stupid.
ReplyDeleteI've never cared much for that song "Great Balls of Fire"--I would never sit around listening to it because I wanted to. Both arrangements are pretty similar (but I guess all arrangements of a song like this would be similar) so I could go either way as far as the performance value. However, contextually I'll go with Tiny Tim on this Battle. I do like Garth's music and have several of his albums including the infamous Chris Gaines album which I do like a lot, but I also like Tiny's diversity of performance styles. I vote for Tiny.
Lee
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteYeah, that Mark Dice video... I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Really!
Personally, I would FULLY support a civics test that would determine whether or not an American citizen is allowed to vote in our elections of all kinds.
This would be a totally non-partisan test of basic but essential questions regarding our Constitutional Republic. (Notice I did NOT ignorantly call it a "Democracy".) For instance, I firmly believe that anyone who can't say in a simple sentence what the Bill Of Rights is has no business being able to affect political life for other Americans. And other than the last two persons Mark Dice interviewed there, it's clear that not one of those interviewees has even a glimmer of an idea what the Bill Of Rights is.
I think this may be a pretty interesting Battle and I honestly think either of the contestants could win it. Thanks for your vote. First one goes to...
TINY.
Stay safe on the road, Brother!
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Stephen darlin'
ReplyDeleteI think the saddest part about the Mark Dice video is that everyone seemed so nonchalant about their ignorance. When someone is seeking to become a citizen of our country, they must pass a test. I think this test should be given to EVERY adult living here. If they were born here and unable to pass the test, they should be sent to a third world country to live.
Interesting battle here. I'm glad that I could help provide some 'inspiration' for it. You know I like that weirdo Tiny Tim, but for the sake of this battle...
I'm going to have to vote for Garth Brooks.
I hope Tiny Tim doesn't kick me out of his fan club for this.
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle - McCartney v McCartney
Thanks for coming by with your bote, MARY, and for ending this shutout. I was starting to get very nervous about that. (Ha! No. I knew that there was no possible way this Battle would end in a shutout.)
DeleteI knew there was a civics test for American citizenship, and I remember back to about 1971 or so when my next door neighbor was studying for it.
I've never seen a copy of one of those tests, but I would like to. I've heard that they're not especially easy and most Americans today would fail it. THAT I can believe!
And, yes, I would support that. If a foreign-born person must pass a test for American citizenship, why shouldn't an American-born person have to pass one in order to retain their citizenship? I'm sick and tired of a bunch of lazy-assed know-nuttins ruining American life for the rest of us who understand what the American principles are, which this country was founded upon.
Unless you were joking, you may be even more hardcore than I am. As I wouldn't ship an American who fails the test to some Third World country (however tempted I might be), but I would sure as hell like to see their right to vote revoked until they were able to re-take and pass the test.
And you're right that most of the interviewees in the video did not even seem particularly embarrassed by their pitiful ignorance. Sh-eee-it! If you don't know why we're celebrating the 4th Of July, and you can't name even one Founding Father (other than Jesse Ventura and John Wilkes Booth), you have NO BIDNIZZ having a voice in the American election process. ...Makes me MAD! (Add it to my already mile-long list o' things what piss me off.)
No worries. Tiny is too dead to kick you out of his fan club. I'm sure he wouldn't even if he weren't. According to his biography, quite a number of celebrities and non-celebrities have said Tiny was the nicest person they ever met. (MUCH nicer than I am, evidently.)
Vote: GARTH
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
I say ship em out! Because without incentive to stay, the ignorance continues. Besides that, do we really want to share the same space as these people? As I get older, I have less patience...
Delete~MMQE
MMQE ~
DeleteCOLOR ME "CONVINCED"!
(Gee, that didn't take very long, did it?)
And I hear ya. In fact, just a few days back, I wrote the following to a friend in an Email (and I quote)...
"I don't have the patience with people that I used to have. I'm getting pretty curmudgeonly in my old age."
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Mary has ME convinced also. MORONS. There is no way that that Founding Fathers would have condoned allowing these people voting. They were far less "democratic," which is a good thing. One of their greatest fears was of "the tyranny of democracy," and we are certainly suffering from that now! A bunch of ignorant nincompoops have learned that they can whine, and vote... and can vote for wine. Hell, there are millions of people not even qualified vote who are voting illegally. And those people use their vote to enrich themselves at the expense of others. They use those votes to foster the (un)principles of bringing MORE knotheads to the polls. Eventually the movement will backfire, when there is nobody left to loot and no one left to do any work. Ha ha. Joke's on them.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1QRftUiOXQ
As for the BOTB, Garth's version is a bit too slow for me, and Tiny does a good job of it. As an informed member of the electorate, I vote for Tiny! And those that don't should be disenfranchised!
SIXGUN McITCHYFINGER ~
Delete>>... Eventually the movement will backfire, when there is nobody left to loot
Indeed. Paraphrasing Margaret Thatcher: "The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."
Thanks for the Fibber McGee & Molly URL. I'm unable to play that here at work but will check 'er out on my next day off, which is the 4th Of July -- the date we celebrate the killing of Jesse Ventura by John Wilkes Booth.
Vote: TINY
Tiny thanks you from the grave.
You know the saying that someone "died onstage", right? Well, did you know that Tiny Tim predicted he would die onstage while singing 'Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips', and that's what really happened? (Well, technically, he didn't die on the stage. But he suffered a heart attack onstage while singing his one hit song, and minutes after being removed from the stage, he died.)
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Those people thought it was funny they didn't know anything? Pretty sad. Hell, I'm not even American and I can answer those those questions. Anyway, I hope you have a fabulous 4th of July celebration, Stephen. Neither one of these covers thrilled me, but I preferred Garth's voice over Tim's.
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteI greatly appreciate you stopping by with a vote. And kudos for knowing more about the founding of America than most Millennial Americans know!
It really IS embarrassing and frustrating to those of us who actually give a damn about history and the welfare of our country to be surrounded by unashamed Know-Nuttins. (They'll die partying and think it's funny.)
Thanks again for the visit, Debbie! Your devotion to BOTB is duly noted.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteVote: GARTH
~ D-FensDogG
And Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI thought I been had voted. I'm not saying it was your people but I thought this would have ended differently but my vote goes for Tiny Tim. He had more life in it. Thanks for the reminder about the parade (alas as that was truly the beginning of the end). Can't believe it were nearly 35 years ago.
Nonetheless, should you be near a parade on Wednesday, and there is an opening, no matter how small,why yes, yes indeed you should enter it! Good memories of the epic lives we once lived.
JW,
Pooh
...AND, POOH, THAT'S NOT ALL!...
DeleteWords of wisdom to live by, my buddy! "Why let life's parade pass you by when... you can join it?!"
I have a 33-year-old cassette tape I've been listening to for the last few months. It's titled 'ME, LYNTH AND THE BEACH REPORT' and it's a bunch of songs and DJ yakking I recorded from KHJ, KMET, K-EARTH 101, etc. All from September of 1985. There are references to the weather conditions at Santa Monica Beach, an ad for a special Fernando Valenzuela career retrospective, upcoming Springsteen concerts at the "Can't See Him @ The Coliseum", and so on.
It's like taking a trip in a Time Travel Machine. I totally dig it!
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteVote: TINY
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
I remember that tape, good memories of the endless summers and hangovers we shared. It's hot! Shall we cool off with a session of the 99cent club?
DeleteJW, Happy Fourth and tanks for the card!
The Mark Dice video is cringe-worthy, but not surprising.
ReplyDeleteNot a Tiny Tim fan (probably one of my least attractive qualities, right?). On the other hand, I love me some Garth. Did I tell you I went to his Wild Horses concert way way way back when?
Vote Garth. Or Chris. Whatevs.
Howdy, GIRL WONDER! ~
DeleteThank you very much for coming by. But... "NOT a Tiny Tim fan"?! Just for that, you must name TWO Founding Fathers -- and Jesse Ventura and John Wilkes Booth don't count!
I did not even know there WAS a Wild Horses concert. Although I have drunk my share of [Link> WILD HORSES.
Yip! No surprise here. I figured that if you stopped by, you'd be rustlin' up a bote for Garth... or Chris... whoever the dude is.
I genuinely thank you for your...
GARTH: Vote.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Tiny Tim gets my vote!
ReplyDeleteMIKE "I Don't Explain" SPAIN ~
DeleteTiny Tim extends his thanks and a bouquet of tulips to ya!
Vote: TINY
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
The Garth Brooks song is much better than I thought it would be. First listen - he's doing an affectation with the southern accent. Second listen - can't hear the accent he's keeping it as real as he knows to do. That being said, Tiny Tim is more into what the song is and ought be - regardless of genre just more "rock n roll" in spirit. Garth Brooks is also "rock and roll" in spirit... to the extent them southerners did and influenced rock is quite extensive. That being said, I think Tiny Tim is channeling more of what the song was/is meant for.
ReplyDeleteTiny Tim with the alley oop from Jerry Lee Lewis or whomever Tiny Tim and the roots.. slam dunk!
July 4 is party time with rock and roll - that raucous American invention. That being said, John Locke and Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid aka The British Bulldogs - influenced the Declaration of Independence for you crass Yanks. On July 3, I shall be celebrating Dependence Day with Tanqueray, fish and chips, and boiled cabbage on a table with a table cloth in dandy white clothes in the middle of redwood forest. It's called loyalis-loyalty to the roots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENHVQ2gslp8
ReplyDeleteGEE, McDOGG, you leave me no choice but to reply...
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't be critical of Garth Gaines (aka Chris Brooks). For if you are, then aren't you blaming the whole Southern system? And if the whole Southern system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our American institutions in general? I put it to you, Dogg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can say whatever you want about Garth Gaines, but I for one am not going to stand here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America! ...This means WAR! -- What is it good for? Abbalouly nuttin'! Huh! Say it AGAIN! ...WAR!
>>... On July 3, I shall be celebrating Dependence Day with Tanqueray, fish and chips, and boiled cabbage
Dependence Day... Traditionally, isn't that the day someone cashes their first ever Welfare check?
Tanqueray is a terrific choice! You can wear it with anything and it never makes you look fat!
Having said that, on July 4th, I am going to consume a large amount of Marijuana, listen to Cheech y Chong singing Tom Petty's 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' until the Cowsills come home. And that's going to be a long time, because they are currently on tour in Hereford, England, and are not due home in Newport, Rhode Island, until the Twelfth of Never!
But having said that, I thank you for your...
TINY vote.
A.T.F. -- Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms.
Who's bringing the chips?
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Its a shame that the average American does not know the history behind our National Holidays. I'm thinking most Naturalized Citizens know more than any 8th grade graduate! Shame on them; but seriously, shame on our educational system. I wonder if any of those "kids" know that Christmas used to be a religious holiday that did not come with a credit card bill?
ReplyDeleteAs for the battle; Dude, nobody can beat Jerry Lee at this song. NOBODY (in my not so humble opinion).
I thought you were nuts pitting Tiny Tim against Garth. Cuz, ya know: GARTH!! Don't care what he wants to call himself these days - and yes, I think he is just a tad on the lunatic side. Overwhelming fame can do that to you (not that I'll ever have first hand experience, lol).
So I actually had to listen to both versions three times. I'm predisposed against Tiny, and for Garth. Surprisingly, I liked Tiny the first time through. And loved Garth. So I listened to Tim again and decided both have vibrant, fun renditions of the song. Not Jerry Lee quality, but very good.
Eventually I decided I liked the piano playing better in Garth's performance so I was about to vote for Garth based on the piano player; then wondered again if I'm just not biased in favor of Garth.
So, my final vote goes to Tiny Time because I do like his rendition. Strange to hear him sing so well I like it. Wow.
WILD THING ~
DeleteHey, muchos gracias! I'm happy you came by to spill the beans and toss your two cents into the wishing well. And I enjoyed reading your comment. You built up the suspense and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see which way you'd lean at the end.
Be sure to return for my Results post on July 7th, because in a few ways, your comment oddly "mirrors" my own thoughts on this Battle.
>>... I thought you were nuts pitting Tiny Tim against Garth. Cuz, ya know: GARTH!!
Ha!-Ha! Believe me, I understand. On paper, Tiny versus Garth seems ludicrous. Or like David versus Goliath. But the funny thing is that over the 5 years BOTB has been in existence, I have really learned a thing or two. Surprisingly, I really do know what I'm doing when it comes to BOTB. (Now watch my next Battle be a shutout because I opened my mouth and boasted a bit.)
Regardless of who won it, I knew this Battle was going to be a pretty tight race.
I like using Tiny in BOTB because I enjoy waking people up to how talented the guy actually was. I think he could have done just about anything with his voice, including opening a beer bottle and a bag of peanuts.
Like most people, I too always thought that One-Hit Wonder, Tiny, was just a joke. I assumed that 'Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips' was all there was to him. And until the day I die, I'll never forget the first time I listened to his debut album -- totally prepared to hate it -- and was stunned and nearly floored by how much I was digging most of the songs on it. To this day, I would still rate that as one of the Top Ten best debut albums I've heard.
Truthfully, Tiny's one hit, 'Tip-Toe...', probably did him a great disservice, because it conditioned us all to think that he was just a "falsetto fruit". But his natural voice was closer to a baritone, and he was (literally) crazy about women.
Thanks again for taking time to visit, Donna. It's greatly appreciated!
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteIt's such a shame to see videos like that you shared where Americans do not know what the 4th of July represents. It makes me want to cry to see just how stupid people are. I've forgotten a lot about the details especially many of the names of those who signed the D.O.I. but by golly I think I can rattle off a few names. Anywho, I'm going to share that video on Facebook. Hopefully, it'll make its way around to all my friends who'll feel moved to share it with theirs. This is just more evidence of our school system dumbing down kids which is purposely done so future generations don't have a past to look back on. It's like removing the holocaust from history books. Over time people won't even remember Hitler & the Nazis murdered millions of people, mostly Jews. It's a sad, sad world that we live in!
But that's enough ranting, let's move on to more fun things like this interesting battle of yours. What an unlikely pair to put on center stage to go head-to-head in BoTB? Neither cover wowed me, both equally disturbing sounding. I reckon, my brain doesn't handle weird too well. Could this mean, I'm more normal than I thought? *think, think* I went in with the preset of who I thought I'd give my vote to, only to find that I was wrong. I expected Tiny Tim's crazy vocals which I do not care for too much but Garth Brooks I was not and did not like. It just didn't sound natural to Brooks. I kinda like Brooks alter ego persona Chris Gaines but be it Brooks/Gaines singing style I didn't like. My vote goes to and I really can't believe I'm about to say this...Tiny Time!
Another vote goes to...
DeleteTINY.
A godzillion thanks for taking the time to visit and participate, CATHY. (By the way, for anyone in the dark about it... a "godzillion" is a number that's the size of Godzilla. It's NOT taking The Lord's name in vain, as one person once mistakenly thought.)
Cathy, you are 100% correct in stating that the dumbing down of our school children has been PURPOSELY perpetrated. It's not that our schools and teachers suck by happenstance. The idea is to erase national identities and blur concepts of sovereign nations in order to facilitate the eventual creation of a single global government loosely founded on Marxist principles. This goal is satanic, it is code named "New World Order", and as your own Bible clearly states, the goal WILL be achieved, but it won't last long before Christ returns to destroy it. (See Daniel in the Old Testament and Revelation in the New Testament).
I'm sorry that you found both versions of the song "disturbing". I guess I could see how some might think Tiny's cover is a bit on the disturbing side, but Garth sounds very straightforward to me.
But, again, my gratitude to you for stopping by and supporting us bi-monthly BOTBers. This Battle started out very slow but it's beginning to pick up some momentum.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Re: your comment to Girl Wonder above, I can tell you with 100% certainty that I've drunk more Wild Horses than I have listened to Garth Brooks songs.
ReplyDeleteThat probably tells you everything you need to know, but I'll still say it - Tiny Tim, despite being the weirdest of the two, sounds the least weird in his version. It's got a great upbeat rock sound, and he's got that soulful tone in his voice that's very fitting for the song. Garth Brooks' version, which is a little less upbeat and more honky tonk, just sounds wrong to me. And from 1:43 to 1:47, it sounds like he's having an aneurysm.
Or maybe it's just Chris trying to come out, as if to say, "Hey, I thought *I* was the rocker, dummy."
Either way, give my vote to Tiny Tim. I'd write it out for you, but my handwriting is probably about as bad as his.
JULIO SEIS-ABEJA ~
DeleteMuchos gracias for el bote-o. I would buy you a seis-pack of Wild Horses if'n you wuz here.
I'll bet your footwriting is better'n Tiny Tim's handwriting. And, by the way, Tiny asked me to pass on the following message to you:
G jobs to Mr. Tiny Tim Townsend the happy rare belt.
Run that through your Little Orphan Annie Decoder ring and tell me what you come up with.
>>... And from 1:43 to 1:47, it sounds like he's having an aneurysm. Or maybe it's just Chris trying to come out
Ha!-Ha! GOL! You may be right about Chris Gaines trying to come out there. Or... worse yet, maybe Garth himself was trying to "come out". But, Fun Fact: I actually LIKE that weird thing he does there with his voice.
Thanks for the bote, Beer Brother!
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteBote: TINY
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
Wow, I was at that Bruce Springsteen concert at the Coliseum. He played for 5 hours
ReplyDeleteI'm going with Tiny Tim. Good enough for Johnny Carson, good enough for me. Besides he really seemed to invoke the spirit of the Killer and hey that yodeling Ain't Easy.
Hey, thanks for the extra effort, LELLY!
Delete(2nd time's a charm!)
Pooh, my Brother, and I, along with the rest of The League Of Soul Crusaders (and some of our fans) rented a motor home and saw Springsteen at the L.A. Sports Arena in August of '81 ("The River" Tour).
If someone had told me then that someday I would despise the guy, I'd have told them they were out of their ever-lovin' mind!
>>... Good enough for Johnny Carson, good enough for me.
Ha! Earlier today, I left a similar comment on a YouTube video. Except I said: "If it was good enough for Archie Bunker, it's good enough for me."
Johnny Carson genuinely liked Tiny Tim and said of him: "He was one of the most ingenuous persons I have ever known."
This Battle started out going back and forth, but now Tiny is just mopping up the joint with Girth Brooks. I certainly did NOT see this coming! (But The Amazing Sixwell did.)
Thanks again for the second effort, Lelly! It's appreciated.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteTINY... does it again.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
The Cowsills, I heard the name before and had to look them up, like, Oh I'll know their big songs. Turns out I never heard any of their songs before. Hecka good stuff. Pretty awesome.
ReplyDeleteYo McBrother,
.... "indictment of our American institutions in general".... I'd know that speech anywhere. Wherever the spirit of America lives, on this, shining city on a hill. Some gave all. As Bill Murray says in Stripes, "We owe it to Uncle Sam to end up face down in the gutter" quoting Declaration signer Jack Daniels.
I may be an Anglophile, but as the clock strikes midnight at July 4, as Thomas Jefferson said, "The torch has been passed to a new generation. And you'll get our guns when you pry them from our cold dead hands. You're gonna need a bigger boat. And that's the way it is. America shall live long and prosper. Tea is for sissies. It is written."
Cheers.
McDOGG ~
DeleteHa! Man, whenever you end with "It is written", that is the final nail in some poor slob's coffin! Way to do it, man!
I had forgotten about Jack Daniels. HE is my favorite Founding Father! ...Well, it's between him and Jose Cuervo. But since Jack was a legal Founding Father, and Jose was an undocumented Founding Father, I guess I'll stick with Jack.
When asked why he fired his musket at the British, George Washington said, "The devil made me do it." (Meanwhile, miles away on the Tonight Show stage, Flip Wilson was saying, "...And maybe we can find a banana for your monkey.")
Happy Fourth O' July to ya, my friend! Drink deep, suck out the marrow of life, drive fast and take chances! Yeah, go ahead and light that firecracker with the too-short fuse! If you don't do it, who will? Take one for the Gipper and win one for the team!
I'll be Bach! (As Beethoven said when the warden handed him his pardon from the president.)
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Al Bondigas here. I hope you don’t disown yer little brother, but I’m rulin fer Garth Brooks. You know I love Tiny, and am one of the original Wish For Tiny Tim members, but I kinda liked the Tinge of Elvis I heard in the Garth Brooks version. Also, the piano playing. Rulin’ fer Garth. That’s it!! That’s my rulin’.
ReplyDelete"YOU'RE OUTTA HERE!!"
DeleteHow's it feel to get "The Wally"?
Nah, it'z all good. I always want 100% honest votes and opinions.
And, heck, you ARE the person who started the "Make A Wish For Tiny Tim" Foundation. So your feelings for Tiny (JOHN WAYNE! JOHN WAYNE!) are not in question.
I can hear Tiny weeping from the grave. But he was a (weird) Christian, so I'm sure that once his shock wears off, he'll forgive ya.
(Seriously... Kudos for keeping your vote straight up and completely honest.)
Vote: GARTH
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
POSTSCRIPT:
Delete[Link> MAKIN' IT OFFICIAL: "YOH!!"
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
Hahaha. Wally was the man!!! Wally don’t play!!!
DeleteAs Tiny Tim said: [Link> "What memories! What memories! What memories!"
Delete~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
Wow, that video of all the people who knew absolutely nothing about our history is sad. Good Lord, did those people have frickin' lobotomies or what? It's disgraceful and just goes to show how self-absorbed our society is these days. As for the guy who was on the ball and knew the answers, I'll take one of him please...
ReplyDeleteNow for your battle: finally, a Tiny Tim battle! I was pleasantly surprised to hear his version didn't sound like what I was expecting to hear in a Tiny Tim version.
That being said, I like Garth's version better (Chris Gaines identity or not). And that piano! I love me some rockin' piano! Man, that sounded so good... I listened to it a few times just to get more of them smackin' ivories! so good...
In the photo of the Soul Crusaders, is that you in the middle of the back seat row?
Hope you had a happy 4th. Did you do anything fun? See fireworks? I did and was thrilled because I hadn't seen fireworks in years! I've never been able to leave all the dogs because so many of them freak out. This year my subdivision for the first time ever hired a professional team to put on a fireworks display for residents and the location happened to be the big empty tract of land next to the park right across the street from my house! Although the booms were outrageously loud and most of the dogs were not happy about it, I was able to stand out on my front porch and watch the entire show going off over the top of the house of my neighbor across the street. I had the best seat in the neighborhood! I loved it! And the dogs were overall pretty cool about it. I had after all handed out Benedryl cocktails (2-3 Benedryl tabs wrapped in cream cheese balls) for each of them. I had all the cheese balls on a plate and walked through the living room, handing them out. It made me kinda of giggle: I felt like I was at an 80s party carrying a tray of drugs and passing them out. But it worked well, everybody was pretty darn chill during the booms and only a few were pacing and panting. Best 4th of July in a long time! It also brought back memories of childhood, when me and my gang of cousins along with my Mom and my aunts would walk to the end of my Aunt Carol's Pennsylvania property and sit on the big hill, all excited, and watch the fireworks.
Anyway, hope you had fun, whatever you did. Everybody needs a good dose of fireworks now and then, the real kind, not the drama kind...
Stop by my place if you get a chance: my 4M post was supposed to be patriotic songs but I felt like I just did a bunch of those (although it was a year ago) so I continued with my Color Songs Series. Only one last color to go after this one...
Have a good rest of the week Stephen.
Michele at Angels Bark
TAKE TWO:
DeleteHowdy, MICHELE! I sincerely thank you for stopping by with your $0.02 even though you don't currently have a Battle running. (I feel we BOTBers ought to participate in each other's Battles, even if we personally are taking a "Battle Break". I always have done that, too.)
Sadly, there are actually LOTS of videos out there just like this one. I've seen one where full-grown adult after full-grown adult couldn't even name the capitol of the country!! Is it any wonder the USA has become what it has?
I think the person you're referring to in the League Of Soul Crusaders photo is actually my brother, Nappy (also known here as Al Bondigas). He's got his old, light blue Bruce Springsteen T-shirt on.
I'm the guy at the very far left -- white T-shirt, sunglasses on, right hand waving.
I'm glad you enjoyed your 4th of July so much, and your story about drugging the dogs made me laugh! I get that, though. We always had dogs while we were growing up, and I remember how freaked out they'd get at the sound of fireworks.
In fact, my favorite dog of all time, George (aka "Yoey"), we found roaming loose in the neighborhood on a July 5th. Not sure of the year but earlier than 1969. Maybe '66 or '67. We figured that he had freaked out over fireworks the night before and jumped his fence. No one ever came and claimed him, so we got to keep him. Smartest dog I've ever known, and even HE hated fireworks! But thereafter, we always celebrated his "birthday" on the 4th of July.
I think you've seen this before, but if not...
[Link> GEORGE (aka YOEY)
I read 'The Declaration Of Independence' again yesterday (the 12th time in the last 17 years), and did see some fireworks last night, getting a pretty interesting photo that holds some meaning for me.
My two favorite 4ths were 1976 and 1983. That photo above, of my buddies and me, is from 7/4/'83.
I'll definitely swing by and check our your 4M post.
Keep them dogs happy. Benedryl cocktails & Menudo should do the trick! :^)
~ Stephen
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Hi Stephen! What a great new photo! I also like your rugged twin Black Cole Kid. Funny and sad about the responses for Independence Day. Tiny Tim gets my vote just on his enthusiasm alone. He definitely did not tiptoe through this song.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a great 4th of July! It's always fun coming here.
Julie
GEM JULIE ~
DeleteWhy, thank you very kindly! (Pro Tip: It's the Mojitos that keep me looking young...er than my 59 years.)
>>... I also like your rugged twin Black Cole Kid.
Thanks! I hadn't thought about this before but I guess Black Cole Kid is my version of Chris Gaines. Or maybe it's the other way around: Black Cole Kid plays the Garth Brooks part against my natural Chris Gaines persona. (OK, I better stop before I get confused and start calling myself Black T. McCarthy Kid.)
Ha! I loved your remark about Tiny not tip-toeing through 'Great Balls Of Fire'. You are so right. It's more like he drove a tractor through the song.
I always appreciate your visits, Julie, and I sincerely hope you had a nice 4th, too!
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents 'Battle Of The Bands'
I’m late to the party, but then you’re not surprised, are you? I really did have a struggle on this one. I must admit, while not a major TT fan, he sure does give it his all on ‘GBOF’ and yet there is one of his trademark moves that just irritates the pants off of me. It’s that little warble thing he does with his voice. It makes me crazy (and we all know that’s a short trip for me on my best day). So, I gotta give it to Garth. I also, DO like the pianee in Garth’s version. While not a major Garth (the man who ruined country music) fan, He beats TT out on this one by a warble.
ReplyDeleteFAE ~
DeleteThe hour may have gone "up to eleven", but 11th hour or not, you still made it in time to have your voice heard-- er... "read".
Thanks for coming by with your two cents, even if you are tossing them into the camp of "the man who ruined Country music".
Vote: GARTH (by a warble).
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents 'Battle Of The Bands'
Finally making my rounds thru the various battles. This has been a weird week. I feel like it's had two Saturdays or two Sundays or something...
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm just prejudiced, but I think Garth Brooks is a pop singer trying to go country. His version of the song is a little slow for my tastes, and he sounds as though he's channeling his inner Tiny Tim. I'd rather have the original. Give my vote to Mr. Tim.
Howdy, JOHN. I appreciate you coming by with a vote to contribute!
DeleteYeah, it HAS felt like a weird week to me, also. Right now, I'm at work, and I don't usually work on Saturdays. And, of course, I was off from work on Wednesday (the 4th), which is highly unusual. I mistakenly put my trash out for collection a day too early because the Holiday schedule had me mixed up. (It had nuttin' to do with my age, I assure you. ;o)
I would have guessed that you'd be going with Garth over Tiny in this Battle. Just another one in which I'd have guessed WRONG!
Thanks again for taking time to stop by, listen, and vote.
Will you yourself be BOTBing with us again soon?
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'