"Yup. Tyin' muh shoes is a great way to start the day!"
~ Goofy
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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 . . .
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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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We're doing something a bit different this time and it includes some very interesting coincidental connections. Just follow the bouncing ball and try to keep up!
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To begin with, what we have are two former child actors Battling it out over the song .Lonesome Town.. The song was made famous by another former kid actor / singer, Ricky Nelson, of the old TV show 'The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet'. Nelson's version is considered to be the "classic" and it was one of his biggest hits, climbing to #7 on the Billboard music chart in 1958.
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You with me so far? Buncha kid actors and the song 'Lonesome Town'.
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Today's first competitor is [link> Johnny Crawford. He was a kid actor who appeared in a godzillion TV shows including 'Mister Ed', 'Hawaii Five-O', 'The Frank Sinatra Show', and 'The Donna Reed Show'. But most famously he was known as Mark McCain, the son of Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) in the classic TV Western 'The Rifleman' (1958-1963).
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Video clip of Johnny Crawford in 'The Rifleman':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMbhH5DjAPA
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OK, here's Johnny Crawford (aka Mark McCain) singin' the song:
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LONESOME TOWN -- Johnny Crawford (1963)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okgYyNed96E
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And now for our next competitor: [link> Aileen Quinn was a child actress best known for playing Little Orphan Annie in 1982's movie musical 'Annie'.
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Video clip of Aileen Quinn in 'Annie':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrr3EmaF3gA
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Years after Aileen Quinn had starred in 'Annie', she became a lead singer fronting a band called The Leapin' Lizards, comprised of Larry Rosen (guitar), Terry Rangno (bass and background vocals), and Tom Murray (drums). In 2011, they recorded their own version of 'Lonesome Town' (sans drums).
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Interestingly, [link> Terry Rangno, the bassist who also provided the male vocal harmonies, had also been a child actor. Among many other productions, he had appeared in the TV shows 'Lassie' and 'Maverick', and played the late boxer Rocky Graziano as an 8-year-old boy in the movie 'Somebody Up There Likes Me' (1956). {How you like-um that, Judge Al?}
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Rangno had danced on The Elizabeth Montgomery Variety Show in 1961 and appeared in four episodes of 'The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet' in 1956 and '57. Let us not forget that 'The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet' also starred Ricky Nelson, who made the song 'Lonesome Town' famous in 1958. Dang! But ain't it a small and strange world?!
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We've all heard of the trivia contest [link> 'Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon'. Well, Terry Rangno has been involved in so many entertainment projects, from movies and television to music, that guitarist Larry Rosen has suggested there should also be a 'Six Degrees Of Terry Rangno' trivia game.
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RANDOM FUN FACT: The Bacon number of an actor is the number of degrees of separation he or she has from Kevin Bacon ... The higher the Bacon number, the greater the separation from Kevin Bacon that the actor is. ... Kevin Bacon himself has a Bacon number of 0. Those actors who have worked directly with Kevin Bacon have a Bacon number of 1.
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According to [link> The Oracle Of Bacon, your BOTB host (me) has a "Bacon number" of 2. Not bad for a nobody in Hollywood, eh? (I'm not sure what my "Rangno number" would be.)
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OK, here's Aileen Quinn (aka Little Orphan Annie) singin' the song:
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LONESOME TOWN -- Aileen Quinn & Leapin' Lizards (2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Z40spM1LU
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The Battle Within The Battle
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VERSUS
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Question: "Will Aileen Quinn lose to Johnny Crawford?"
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The Magic 8-Ball (6-3) sez: "As I See It Yes"
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The Amazing Sixwell (6-3) sez: "Most Likely"
.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
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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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Stephen,
ReplyDeleteCool battle! Gee, I had no blue that little feller from Gunsmoke did any singing. Johnny is a year younger than my mother. :) He reminds me a bit Ricky Nelson. I've thought on occasion what became of the little girl who played 'Annie". I thought the film was just sweet as Georgia peaches. I think we own the soundtrack, too. Aileen's adult vocals are nice. I definitely want to pursue more of her mewsic to see what I think. As good as she did I felt "Lonesome Town" better suited for male vocals and with Johnny's Nelson-like sound, I have to give my vote to Johnny Crawford. :)
Thanks for sharing such a fun battle in this round. You really come up with some good ones. :) Whenever you get a second, please stop by to vote in my latest BoTB!
~Cathy
Thanks, CATHY! I'm pleased as spiked punch that you liked The Battle.
Delete>>... "sweet as Georgia peaches"
Ha! I like that expression, although I never actually saw the movie myself. In fact, I'm not sure if I've ever seen an entire episode of 'The Rifleman', either. (Probably did when I was a kid, but that was kind of a long time ago, unfortunately.)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Hollywood is a convoluted sometimes incestuous mess. It's fun to trace these relationships back into time.
ReplyDeleteI never watched The Rifleman when it was first on television, but I've caught up in recent years watching reruns on METV. It was a good show. A lot of shows were pretty good back then.
As far as the covers of "Lonesome Town" I will say that Aileen's version is very pleasant to listen to, but Crawford's version just seems more authentic to me. I can't recall ever hearing this song before, but it's a nice fifties ballad. Crawford's version captures that feel better for me.
I vote for Johnny Crawford.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE, knowing what I do now (which I didn't then), I'm honestly glad that the career in Hollywood that I'd envisioned never really panned out. That is a sicko place full of creepos.
DeleteOf course, that's not to say EVERYONE in Hollweird is a weirdo, but... 99% is a pretty significant number.
One TV show I never got into because I was too young at the time and it all went over my little boy brain, was 'GREEN ACRES'. But some years ago, one of those retro channels was doing a 'GREEN ACRES' weekend marathon and my Brother and I caught two or three episodes. We were both surprised to find how funny it was -- we were both literally LOLing -- and realized how all that funny dialogue just sounded like "Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak" to us when we were kids.
Someday I'd like to really dig into 'GREEN ACRES' to see if I missed a genuine classic show. Because that's the impression Nappy and I both came away with that weekend years ago.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Loving the nostalgia here, Stephen! "The Rifleman" was one of my favourite shows as a kid. Thanks for the memories. ☺ Johnny Crawford really sounded smooth on this recording. Aileen Quinn has a good voice as well, but I found her rendition a litte bland. Johnny gets my vote today. If your Bacon connection score is 2, does that mean you worked with Kevin indirectly?
ReplyDeleteGlad you dug this BOTB installment, DEBBIE!
DeleteAnd I understand how you feel about the nostalgia. As I just said to Lee earlier this morning on a different blog bit:
For most of this year I have been experiencing a pretty intense sense of nostalgia for my "Good Ol' Days". First and foremost, my early childhood in Orange County, California. But also my high school years and early adulthood years when I was footloose and fancy-free, partying with my friends, like, 1981-'85. L.A. was still pretty awesome back then. ... I think back on those years and my memory seems almost like it's enveloped in some serene, golden glow. I would love to find a real "Waybac Machine" and return to that time.
>>... If your Bacon connection score is 2, does that mean you worked with Kevin indirectly?
Ha!-Ha! No, actually it means that I've had exactly 2 BLT sandwiches in my lifetime. [;oD
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Hey there Stephen!
ReplyDeleteThat was a fun read. It's always interesting learning all the little tidbits of trivia.
I have no idea what my Bacon number would be, but I'm guessing it's smaller than 10. One day I'll sit down and figure it out.
Is it weird that when I heard Johhny Crawford sing his tune, that I thought to myself "What a cute little girl" He must have recorded this at a very young age.
It was pleasant to hear Little Orphan Annie all grown up as well.
But after careful consideration, I am going to cast my vote for that sweet little girl, er, uh... I mean... that sweet little voice of Johnny Crawford.
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
I thank you, MMQE.
DeleteYou inspired me to "do the math" on Johnny Crawford's age. This is always a precarious situation. "Doing the math" has always been my weakest link, and if it involves anything more complex than turning it "up to eleven", chances are I'll get it wrong.
But assuming the dates I found are correct, it seems Crawford was 16 or 17 when he recorded 'Lonesome Town'.
I get what you're saying, though, because the first time I heard his rendition, when he began singing, I too thought he sounded like a girl. But then the more I listened, my mind adjusted to it and I thought: OK, it's a male -- but a very sensitive male. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) ;o)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
So Kevin Bacon worked with one of the actors from MASH, right? I have to look that up and see who that might be...I shall guess Alan Alda but will see. As for the battle, both are good and I knew Mark did some singing in his day. I have to give it to the gal this time even though I think of this song more for a man..weird I know but she has more experience in life at this time than Johnny did and it reflects in the way she sings it. My vote is to her.
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
DeleteAh-ha! Thanks to you ("The Shutout Killer"), Aileen is finally on the scoreboard.
Regarding my Bacon number, you have the right idea but the wrong performer. I'll give you a good clue and then let you take it from there: The movie in question is 'SHE'S HAVING A BABY' (1988).
Thanks for stopping by and putting a tourniquet on the bleeding.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
OMG! It is Kellye Nakahara! I always wanted her to have more of a presence on MASH
DeleteHa! BINGO, Birgit! I had every confidence that you'd get it.
DeleteKellye was very nice. (She really dug the poetry I wrote.)
On the M*A*S*H set, as a general rule of thumb, when off camera, the guys and gals kind of gathered in their own gender groups (there were still only two genders at that time in the U.S.A.;o), as we had separate wardrobe rooms, etc.
But there was a lot of camaraderie on the set, especially during long scenes filmed in the Mess Tent. I met several people on that show whom I still think of pretty regularly and wonder what became of them.
There was one guy named Frank Pettinger -- like me, he did a lot of background work but also had lines from time to time -- and he was one of the most memorable guys I've met in my 59 years. He was that strong, quiet type with a build most men would kill for, and oozed as much masculinity as I've ever seen.
I got to know lots of cool people on that show, and a couple of really oddballs, too. Ha!
Job well done, Birgit! I knew you'd track down my connection to Mr. Bacon.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Hey there Stephen,
ReplyDeleteThis was a very cool battle. I totally wasn't expecting anything like it! Very unique. And it was fun trying to follow the "and then this child actor" line.
I used to watch the Rifleman a lot back in the day. That and Gunsmoke and Bonanza. My Dad was a big Western fan and he always watched Westerns and these TV shows were very appealing to him. I loved them too. (Haus was always my favorite). I always liked the opening sequence of The Rifleman. That was some good wholesome television back then. I'm corrupted now though....
Hey, I have to admit, I never really could get a grasp on the whole Six Degrees of Separation stuff. I don't know if I just can't grasp the concept or that I'm just that bad at math...and math probably has nothing to do with it...I think when some folks are doing the Six Degrees explanations, they go too fast and I can't keep up so I just end up lost. So I'm not even gonna try. But I would love to share a bacon cheeseburger with Kevin Bacon at some point in my life, what's left of it...
As for your battle, I like Aileen Quinn's version much better than Johnny Crawford's. At what age did he record the song out of curiosity? He sounded very young.
Oh yeah, and I loved the Rifleman clip. It cracked me up. how many sandwiches do you think that poor kid had to go through before the scene was a wrap? I was watching it, going "take a damn bite already!" haha
And then that ripping into the sandwich after his dad gave him some lovin' words; I can just hear the director in the background, "Now rip into the sandwich Johnny! Tear off a big hunk with those teeth and shake yer head while you're doin it..." ;) ay-yi-yi
Fun battle. I enjoyed it. Now I'm gonna saddle up and saunter on back to the shower and then hit the sack... This gal here is Tired with a capital T...
PS: a request: whenever you get that "wayback machine", save me a seat on it. I wanna go with...
Michele at Angels Bark
Howdy, MICHELE! Hopefully you're snug as a bug in a rug right now and fast asleep.
DeleteFunny thing about Westerns -- it's my #1 favorite movie genre, but I've never really been wild about any TV Westerns, except for the great but short-lived and mostly forgotten 'ALIAS SMITH & JONES'. (But I'd take The Duke over any movie star living today!)
I understand the "Six Degrees From" bit, I get "Up to eleven", and I understand that "80-Proof means 40% alcohol", but that's where my math skills end. I've always been better with words than numbers.
I'm glad you enjoyed the Battle and also glad to see Aileen score another vote. I was starting to worry a little bit there. And I think Johnny was 17 when he recorded his version. He sounds a whole lot younger, though.
The thing about "The Sandwich Scene" that I made it a point to check out was whether or not the bread looked rough and chunky, since factory sliced bread would have been an anachronism in that scene. (They went for the 1800s realism: rough and chunky bread. Good for them!)
If I ever find that Waybac Machine, I will surely save a seat for ya. (Unfortunately, I think it's safe to say that "The best is in our past".)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
oh the best is most definitely in our past (says the girl who is right now microwaving the heating pad for my back)...
DeleteHey, that's a cool "Didja know" about your bread research fact-check! I never even gave that a thought...Going back to look at the clip again....Well, whaddya know! How interesting. Yeah, that looked like some pretty decent homemade bread there. Pass the rough and chunky.
And now with that knowledge (and a nice hot clay heating pad) I can go back to bed and get some decent sleep... :)
>>... says the girl who is right now microwaving the heating pad for my back
DeleteJust got up, turned on the coffee-maker, then turned on the computer. While I was leaning over my desk chair, waiting for the computer to run through it's start-up procedures, I thought to myself: Woo! The arthritis is my back isn't good this morning. Will need to hit the meds for this today.
Then your comment above was the first thing I read on the computer.
Yep... "The best is in our past, and the pain is in our backs".
Well, I had a really good run, though. And I'm sure you did, too.
I'll see ya in the next life! (I've decided to be born wealthy next time. But I'm keeping the beach life, like I had this time. How 'bout you?)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Ah dude, I been thinking about that a lot lately. In my next life, I'm coming back thin, wealthy and pain-free! but I still wanna be as cute as I am now though. :) I don't wanna be ugly. Either that or I want to come back as a dog...So long as I can find a human companion like me! :)
DeleteI wanna come back as a handsome beach umbrella.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
lol. a handsome beach umbrella with oogling eyes right? ;)
DeleteHA!-HA!-HA! You've got me figured out really good, MICHELE. I didn't even have to spell that out for ya! HA! I'm STILL literally chuckling out loud because you nailed that so well!
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
My vote is for the girl. I like the song with a female verse better. Show wise Rifleman over Annie.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MIKE! Gee, I didn't even think to ask people to also vote for one show over the other ('The Rifleman Vs. Annie'), but that would have added another interesting little wrinkle to the Battle.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
This is a most unusual BOTB, very creative on your part. I guess you really had your thinking cap on for this one. Growing up I liked most Westerns, the Rifleman included, but it was not my favorite. As far at the TV ‘oater’s’ go Roy and Gene were probably my favorites, with Cisco and Panco coming in a close second, but, as usual, I digress.
ReplyDeleteAs far as BOTB goes, like I said earlier this was a pleasantly creative surprise, that is until...I listened to your selections. Johnny sounds like a twelve year old, and a twelve year old singing about ‘lonely town’, seriously! And, Aileen sounds like...well to be honest she sounds like ‘little orphan Annie’ or any other seven year old with that sweet soprano. After listening, I had to immediately run to YouTube and pull up the Ricky Nelson version for a listen to clean out my ears. Now there’s a version I could vote for. Ricky had some quality to his voice that sounded sincere and vulnerable, kind made you want to take him home and give him a great big hug (And, I bet he would have liked it, unlike some people I know).
Anyway, you got my $.02 worth and now I’m declining to vote, because I truly didn’t like either version and I’m quite frankly tired of voting for the lesser of two weevils in just about everything it’s possible to cast a vote for.
I appreciate you taking the time to visit and listen to the songs.
DeleteAnd I feel honored to be the starting point of your new personal policy of no longer voting for the lesser of two evils.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
I vote for......ME
ReplyDeleteand if you want some fun, listen to Lonesome Town by The Cramps....your ears will never be the same.
Thanks, LELLY!
DeleteI will give it a listen. But not until this Waylon Jennings album is finished playing. Never let it be said that STMcC turned off Waylon to listen to The Cramps!
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Well as it happens, Waylon is in the CD player in my truck as we speak. Refresh my memory, did I see Waylon and Jessi Colter with you in Vegas or was I sitting with some other cowboy?
DeleteLELLY, I believe you were with keeping company with some other cowboy... unless I'd had so many Mojitos I've forgotten that I saw Waylon & Jessi (aka "Leather & Lace") in Vegas. (Which is not as far-fetched as some might think.)
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
In grade school I would sometimes "miss the bus" and The Rifleman was one of the shows to watch "just chillin and livin' off the fat of the land" (Of Mice And Men but you knew that)… until I had to get a job. Lennie killed a mouse? Baretta stuck a guy's head in the toilet! And made him sing like a canary with a grab of the lapels, shove him against the wall and "Where'd you get the stuff!" Baretta didn't need no sidekick or a Huggy Bear to give him the skinny. I'd stay up late to atch Baretta then miss the bus the bext morning if I felt like it - like a cop on the edge! I don't play by no rules.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Crawford - I got discombobulated, thought the story took a right turn - surprise - and thought some female pop stars in the 60's were named "Johnny." He sounds like, in the parlance of the day, a dame, a broad, a skirt.
I like how you did magic and put BOTB on the Annie/Aileen Quinn (is that an Irish name or what). She doesn't sound like an orphan... upon first listen. Sounded like leafy suburbs livin.. off the fat of the land. However, upon second listen, there's quite a bit of subtlety and a haunting quality - good stuff. Heavy yet optimistic.
A big vote for Aileen Quinn and cheering for her.
Right on, McBRUHTHUH DOGG! Baretta didn't need no Huggy Bear! And that's the name of DAT tune! If you did the crime (like "missing the bus"), Baretta was gonna make sure you did the time!
DeleteSomewhere at home I have a photo of Baretta's residence (the King Edward Hotel in downtown L.A.) and I'll see if I can dig it up this weekend. Pretty scuzzy area, where I used to like to hang out and drink all day. (Those were my peeps before "peeps" was a thing.)
Ha!-Ha! Johnny "The Skirt" Crawford -- sounds like that could have come out of an Ed Wood movie -- 'Glen Or Glenda, The Twilight Years'.
You wuz like "a cop on the edge! You don't play by no rules", because this time... it's PERSONAL!
That's it, G Dogg -- I'm taking you off the case! You can't keep taking the law into your own hands, like some kind of Tony Baretta vigilante!
Alright, my friend, I've got you recorded as an enthusiastic vote for Maureen O'Har-- uh... I mean, Aileen Quinn.
Tony "No Guitar Solos" Clifton HAS SPOKEN! ;O)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
McBro, you've always been the older generation's favorite. It's interesting what you say because I always pictured Baretta/Blake in a residence like Rocky. As bad as you think LA is, it's better than Philly... and Detroit.. and NYC and D.C and Newark. If one is destitute, LA is like Bel Air compared to the rest of he country. I didn't remember Baretta's first name is Tony - I never knew it in the first place. His name is Baretta.
Delete"You need a mandated vacation!" says Chief STMcC.
"I'm this close!," says Baretta. "And he killed a hooker I knew."
… "The mayor's on my ass on this case. And you're the only cop crazy enough to solve it. You've got 24 hours!
Part 1 Of 2:
DeleteBRUHTHUH McDOGG ~
A delay in response because I needed to find a slice o' time to upload my King Edward Hotel photo to Imgur.
>>... you've always been the older generation's favorite.
Well, they're no favorite of mine. With their walkers and little yapping lapdogs, always gettin' up at 5:00 AM like they have something important to accomplish this day. Some people just don't know when it's time to go to Heaven... or take that Cosmic Elevator down to the Basement.
(OK, I'm kinda-sorta mostly kidding... but... those damned yappin' lapdogs!! I would NEVER own a dog that would get its ass kicked by a cat. Spiders & Chihuahuas are the strongest argument against the existence of God.)
So, here's an old (circa 1983) photo of [Link> Baretta's home: The King Edward Hotel in downtown L.A.
>>... LA is ... better than Philly... and Detroit.. and NYC and D.C and Newark. If one is destitute, LA is like Bel Air compared to the rest of the country.
I have been to every city you mentioned with the exception of Detroit. And Detroit has been on my Bucket List vacation destination for awhile now.
But the worst slums I ever saw were in Chicago.
I agree that if one is going to be homeless, living on the streets, L.A. is "the pLAce" because of the weather. But that's the only real reason. I have been in places in L.A. where even in the daylight I was super-alert, with the eyes in back of my head wide open.
Funny story: One day (again, circa 1983 or '84 or so) I was just taking in the scenery with my buddy Cranium on the Eastern outskirts of downtown L.A. Like the cusp of downtown and East L.A. We were walking past some dive bar and decided to go in for a beer.
Continued below...
Part 2 Of 2:
DeleteWe open the door. The place is really dark with lots of loud noise -- pool balls cracking, people yelling and laughing. The very moment Cranium and I stepped inside, the place IMMEDIATELY went deathly quiet. It was SUDDENLY like being in a cemetery at midnight where you could hear a pin drop. Every single set of eyes was on us. The billiard game had come to a dead stop.
Cranium and I -- clean cut with shortish hair, walk up to the bar (with every eye in the place following us) and we order beers. Bartender brings the beers sets them down and then says, "Who are you guys looking for?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you're cops, right? Who you looking for? Maybe I can help you."
"No. We're not cops. And we were just looking for a couple beers."
"Right. Seriously, who you lookin' for?"
Phuq, man! The bartender could NOT be convinced for the duration of our time in drinking those beers.
Gradually, the other patrons went back to what they were doing... talking (in much quieter tones). The pool game resumed, but at a much slower and quieter pace. And we remained the subject of EVERYONE'S gaze until we finished the beers and walked out.
It was EXACTLY like some real-life movie or TV scene where two White cops (Starsky & Hutch?) walk into an underground criminal hang-out and the suspicion level of the patrons instantly gets cranked "up to eleven".
I can tell you this much, had it been nighttime, we would NOT have even been in that area or I probably wouldn't be here today to type this comment.
Yeah, Bro, there are places in L.A. where even angels fear to tread. I was young and stupid then and felt invincible in my black leather jacket. But today, even with the protection of God I now enjoy, I still would NOT attempt some of the stuffs I used to do in my youth.
Now... my story about a night in a Mexican jail is one for another time. (I had my guardian angel working overtime for THAT misadventure!) Uhp! I was an idiot! But stories? I has 'em!
~ Stephen "Tony" Baretta
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
McOlder(not old)Brzo who knowzos things. Sam Kinson said of old people, "If it hurts when pee, get in the box." I totally agree on chihuahuas (they don't deserve a large C) and any small dogs with almost no hair and the temperament and herky-jerky spazzy moves of a rodent. Literally they're rodents. Calling a group rodents isn't asking for genocide or rounding them up - it's just saying their not really dog. Yorkies aren't bad because they have long hair and hunt down rodents. I can excuse their pointy ears - never been a big fan of pointy ears.
DeleteIrish setters, black labs.. golden retrievers (who have, frankly become a bit hoity toity in their upper middle class enclaves and pictures with politicians' families) are cool. Dalmatians, like I said when I retire I'll get at least two or three dogs, and Dalmatians are so cool looking I may have to roll the dice with one or two. And no tryouts: I'm not going to test which dogs can catch a frisbee for the most yards. I'll take 'em. Then they may be getting/eating their food in frisbees.. not conditioning in the B.F. Skinner way but simply to get them in good condition.
You and Cranium is an awesome story, epic, gutsy. (I would have just got a 12 pack from 7-11). When the bartender asked if you were cops, you guys could have said, "Do you know where T-Bone is."
Bartender: I don't know who T-Bone is.
McCarthy hands the bartender a 1 dollar bill, "Maybe this will refresh your memory."
The only place I've been in MeHEekO (that's what the natives - unPC - locals call it) they don't really call it that -was Nuevo Laredo. As soon as I crossed the border from Texas I could just feel the poverty and see it.
You'll have to couch the MeHEekO story in balmy tones - because it seems just flat out scary.
BRUHTHUH McDOGG ~
Delete>>... I would have just got a 12 pack from 7-11
Ha! Well, in that neighborhood we were in, your only choices at the 7-11 would have been Thunderbird, Mad Dog 20/20, or Olde English 800 "buzz bombs".
GOL! (I literally Guffawed-Out-Loud!) Your bar scenario is hilarious! However, my gut feeling tells me that in real life, it would have gone more like this:
McCarthy: "Do you know where T-Bone is?"
Bartender: "Which T-Bone you talkin' 'bout, White Boy? T-Bone Brown, T-Bone Jones, T-Bone Jackson, T-Bone Mufasa, or Muhammad 'T-Bone' Allahu Akbar?"
~ Stephen
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Ahh, the joint wadn't so bad. Ya keep yer nose clean and mind yer bidness and yer out soon enough.
DeleteBYOB!
Delete(Bring Your Own Bed)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Right, right. And your own roach killer.
DeleteAhaha, Mc Brzoo in the hizee (that means house), If a 7-11 doesn't have Mickey's Malt Liquor, that's 100% proof it's a bad neighborhood.
DeleteHa! Totally agree. Mickey's was always my go-to malt liquor in the pre-Craft Beer era.
DeleteAnd being a purist, I wanted my Mickey's with the "big mouth" opening and beer barrel shape. Somehow it just never quite tasted the same in a "buzz bomb" size with the standard sized screw cap top.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
And Stephen,
ReplyDeleteYou know if I hadn't a read the post I would have thought Johnny Crawford was Joan Crawford, always wondered about that boy, NOT that there's anything wrong with that! Aileen's was good too and I knew she was a girl. With all due respect to Lelly, I'm gonna side with Joanny just felt a bit more nostalgic to me and evoked an overall black & white feeling. And, the rifleman wasn't too shabby of a show to boot. Well,, that's all I got.
JW,
Pooooooooooooh
...AND, POOH, THAT'S NOT ALL!...
DeleteJOANNY CRAWFORD appreciates your support! (But I hear Lelly's gunnin' for ya. Head down, low profile, stay off the radar for awhile. If you need a place to hide out underground, I recommend The Silver Dollar Saloon in Virginia City. Ain't no one or nothin' ever gonna find you there... except Harry Hangover.)
>>... Joanny just felt a bit more nostalgic to me
If it's nostalgia you're after, be watching your InBox. I'm gonna be E'ing you a link to both sides of 'Me, Lynth And The Beach Report'. (I strongly recommend you put some sunblock on the tops of your feet before you hit the "Play" button! ;o)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
As I stumble into the midst of this voting battle, I'm surprised to see that the vote count is TIED (at least from what's posted as I look now.)
ReplyDeleteThat is really puzzling. Johnny Crawford's version is good, quite traditional and authentic, while Quinn's vocals are too "straight" and are plagued by that awful slow vibrato that I complain about constantly. Now, if it were JUST Lelly - why, I'd vote for it in a minute! But with her involved, I just gots to vote for Johnny baby.
The Rifleman was one of my favorite TV westerns. I also like Have Gun Will Travel, and Maverick. To a lesser extent I liked those everyone names, like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, et al. I just plain like westerns... my fav genre. But like you, MOVIE westerns are way better than TV ones.
McITCHYFINGER ~
Delete>>... As I stumble into the midst of this voting battle...
You been hittin' the sauce again? I thought I cautioned you against that.
Got-um a good Battle goin' on here!
No one who likes Westerns can be all bad! I've only seen a few episodes of 'HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL', but based on what I saw, I would rate it as one of the better TV Westerns. It seemed to have a deeper psychological angle to it than most. Of course, 'ALIAS SMITH & JONES' is my favorite, as you know. I don't recall seeing any 'MAVERICK' episodes, but I'm certain I'd like it because... James Garner. The guy was a lib, but he sure had charisma and charm in spades.
Thanks for your $0.02, Travelin' Man!
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Your Starsky and Hutch bar story reminds me of the time I walked into a barbershop and all the conversation stopped. I had two choices. Either keep walking in and take a seat, or do an about face and high-tail it out of there. Turns out the barber had never cut a white guys hair before. First time for everything, I guess. Anyway, long story short, I spent the whole morning watching StarSearch with my new blackish friends (I don't think there were any "African-Americans" back then). And just when I thought my life couldn't get any better, HuggyBear walks in. All in all, a pretty good day.
ReplyDeleteI got Andrea McArdle and Aileen Quinn mixed up. The fact that I know the names of two Annie stars does concern me somewhat. Either way, my vote goes to Aileen McArdle...or Andrea Quinn.
Siggy Warbucks Two
Well, as I live and breathe (or am I dead and dreaming?), it's SigToo! You finally got rescued from Gilligan's Island, eh? (Didn't I warn you about taking three-hour tours?)
DeleteThe search party we sent out never came back either! Some of us speculated you had all been lost in The Devil's Triangle. So then I sent out a Saint Bernard with a barrel of rum fastened around his neck. The dog DID come back, but he was drunk as a skunk and couldn't tell us nuttin'!
>>... I don't think there were any "African-Americans" back then
Yeah, that was also a time when there were only two genders and only sailors had tattoos.
You still using that [Link> "Activator" on your hair, Siggy? ;oD
>>... The fact that I know the names of two Annie stars does concern me somewhat.
"My son, do 100 push-ups, box 12 rounds, drink 6 shots of straight whiskey, watch 3 John Wayne movies, and you will be forgiven."
~ Father Mulcahy
Terrific (and surprising) to find you here again, Sig.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
>>...The search party we sent out never came back either!
DeleteFed them to the cannibals on the other side of the island. Didn't really want to share Ginger and Maryann. I'm the only guy left here!
>>...My son, do 100 push-ups, box 12 rounds, drink 6 shots of straight whiskey, watch 3 John Wayne movies, and you will be forgiven."
~ Father Mulcahy
Ha-ha! Jocularity, jocularity!
>>... Didn't really want to share Ginger and Maryann. I'm the only guy left here!
DeleteSigster, there is no [Link> "CONFIDENT MALE HETEROSEXUAL" on Earth who would fault you for that!
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
I'm a big fan of "The Rifleman," especially the relationship between Lucas and Mark McCain. I think that was the first show that depicted a widower raising a child by himself, and Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford were perfect together.
ReplyDeletePutting all that aside, Johnny Crawford's version of the song was just better. Like Arlee says, it's more genuine and sounds better with him singing it. Aileen Quinn has a very pretty voice, but the song doesn't sound right coming from her.
Johnny Crawford wins for me!
JOHN, I guess I really ought to watch an episode of 'The Rifleman', now that I have used it to sell a BOTB installment.
DeleteThanks for coming by with your input. It's greatly appreciated!
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
I was going to try to guess your connection to Kevin Bacon, but I see Birgit beat me. I would have been wrong, anyhow. There's a first time for everything, right?
ReplyDeleteI actually liked Johnny's youthful, uh I mean "sensitive male" voice. I thought it suited the song well, and gave it some charm. Nowadays that same kind of voice would be crooning some kind of stomach churning boy-band song-of-the-month with 20 cheesy variations of the world 'gurrrrrl', so it's cool to hear it doing something more... useful, I guess?
Aileen's version was good, but give my bote to Johnny. Maybe he can cash in these botes, sell that skirt to a secondhand store, and trade up for a proper pair of testicles. He's earned 'em.
>>... I would have been wrong, anyhow. There's a first time for everything, right?
DeleteWho you kidding? I know perfectly well that you were wrong once before. It was in August of 1983, if I'm not mistaken. (Although I could be wrong about that. I too was wrong once... in June of 1983... in Ensenada, Mexico. I was looking for Carmelita, but I found a different kind of trouble instead.)
Johnny "The Skirt" Crawford appreciates your support. Lousy Ronda Rousey is taking him shopping later today for his first set of testicles. They're going to Ye Olde Steroid Shoppe -- the same place where she got hers.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Hey now, you might mock the fine Ms. Rousey, but one thing you can't dispute is her talent as a fighter. Did you know that just last night she won her first fight in exactly 3 years, AND she got a championship belt for doing it?
DeleteIt was a storybook finish. You could not have written it any better. Literally, in that it was completely scripted, but a win is still a win, I say!
>>... You could not have written it any better. Literally, in that it was completely scripted
DeleteWell... it's still REAL TO ME, damn-it!!
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Al Bondigas here. Well, this was a pretty good battle. I didn't think I was going to really care for either version, but, surprisingly I liked them both. Now Johnny Crawford's voice was indeed a little effeminate but still enjoyable. Aileen Quinn sounded a little effeminate too, but, I guess that's OK, all things considered. I had a hard time makin muh rulin' here, but, after deliberatin' for a good thirty seconds just sos I didn't feel rushed, I finally ruled fer Johnny Crawford. That's it, that's muh rulin'!! BTW, I used to watch 'The Rifleman' a lot. It was a good show and had a lot of moral truths to them. Mark McCain was the wild west's Opie Taylor and Lucas McCain was Andy Taylor. Lot of similarities there, a widowed man raising his son with good values. No aunt Bee or Barney Fife, but you can't have everything.
ReplyDelete>>... Aileen Quinn sounded a little effeminate too, but, I guess that's OK, all things considered.
DeleteShe ain't never gonna make it in MMA with a voice like THAT, is she?
>>... Mark McCain was the wild west's Opie Taylor and Lucas McCain was Andy Taylor. Lot of similarities there, a widowed man raising his son with good values. No aunt Bee or Barney Fife, but you can't have everything.
Well, as long as they occasionally traveled into North Fork, New Mexico Territory, to get their hair cut by barber Boyd Lawson (Floyd's great-grandfather), then count me in.
BTW, we need to check out 'Green Acres' one of these times to see if that was really as funny as it seemed to us once upon a time ago when we caught part of that TV Land marathon. I still remember how the patriotic music would swell up from nowhere every time Eddie Albert would start to launch into one of his All-American soap box speeches. Funny stuffs, muh Bruhthuh! That really might have been a true TV classic that we wuz just too young to appreciate at the time.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
Last minute entry!!! I have to say, I didn't get the 'girly' sound for Johnny. He just sounded like a young man to me. I was pleasantly surprised by his rendition. I quite liked it. To be honest, I had no idea he was a recording artist at any point in his career. I should have known though, seems like they tried to get most actors/actresses in the 50's and 60's to make a record or two. I mean, even Captain Kirk and Spock took a turn on the turntable!! Anyway, back to the battle. I thought both renditions were very good, but I am going with Johnny for the win. Aileen sounded good...very good...too good. Something about her phrasing was too perfect sounding to me. Too much polish made it lose some of the emotion the song is supposed to put forth. I thought Lelly was spot on though!! Good battle!!
ReplyDeleteCALAMITY KAT ~
DeleteSo happy to find you here! Thanks for stopping by with your $0.02 for the kitty.
>>... I mean, even Captain Kirk and Spock took a turn on the turntable!!
Ha!-Ha! 'Kirky In The Sky With Diamonds' -- one of the great moments in recorded music history. (Don't tell me you don't dig it, Mrs. Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. BTW, does your brother still make the noises for the talkies?)
I'm pleased as spiked punch that you enjoyed the Battle. It turned out to be a godzillion times better'n I thought it would be.
Don't be a stranger! Feel free to drop in and influence the final outcome any ol' time!
~ Stephen
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
POSTSCRIPT: Remember, as Humphrey Bogart said in 'Casablanca': "We'll always have... the top step in the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. ... Play it, Sam. Play 'Swisskapolka'."
Plerase llet me know if you're looking forr a article author for yopur weblog.
ReplyDeleteYouu have some really great posts and I believe I would
be a gokd asset. If you ever want to take some of
the lload off, I'd absolutely love to write some
material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine.
Please blast me an email if interested.
Thank you!
DEAR WHITE SUPREMACIST NAZI RUSSIAN HACKER (WORKING FOR TRUMP TO UNDERMINE TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY) ~
DeleteТвоя мать была хомяком, а твой отец пах как старшие ягоды.Tvoya mat' byla khomyakom, a tvoy otets pakh kak starshiye yagody.
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
I am so honored that the Great Ms. Kat has surfaced to take part in this round. Long time no see
ReplyDeleteLelly
LELLY, I think she was enticed to check it out when she heard that Goofy was one of the guest celebrities in this round.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
ATTENTION PEOPLES!
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested in seeing the final vote tally for this 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' installment and my closing thoughts on it, you can put the following URL into your browser:
http://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2018/08/botb-results-2018-aug-15-or-mark-mccain.html
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'