Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Pro-Life Vs. Pro-Choice, 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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| Eugene Martone versus Jack Butler |
Those of you who were here for [link> my last Battle learned who "Eugene Martone" and "Jack Butler" are. You also learned where the official 'Dueling Guitars' BOTB logo came from.
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With this Battle, I'm gonna show you another lesson:
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For a very long time, I have been kicking off my BOTB installments with these sentences: Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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| Goodniks versus No-Goodniks |
Until now, I've never revealed the fact that those two sentences were inspired by two different Blues songs by two of the true masters of Blues: Howlin' Wolf & Lightnin' Hopkins.
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I'm about to feature those two Blues songs against each other, and your job - should you decide to accept it - is to vote for either "Alright, let's get on it" ('Red Rooster' by Howlin' Wolf) or "Let's get ON this thing!" ('Big Car Blues' by Lightnin' Hopkins).
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| Godzilla versus King Kong |
Howlin' Wolf agreed to record a Blues album with a bunch of White, British Rock musicians. Perhaps you've heard of Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts? The album - released in 1970 - was titled 'The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions'. Although he was 6'3" and weighed close to 300 pounds, Wolf wasn't well at the time and would die about 6 years later.
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I once wrote a review for this album and stated that it was very effective in scaring Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses off your front porch. If you'd like to read that old review, click HERE.
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When the musicians went to record a version of Wolf's classic 'Red Rooster', the White British boys really wanted Wolf to not only sing it but also play acoustic guitar on it. So, Eric Clapton feigned an inability to play the song unless he could watch Wolf playing guitar on it and follow along. HILARIOUS!!
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After a little yakking, Wolf gives Clapton some instructions on how to play the song, and then the massive Wolf (in that huge Alpha-Male voice) says, "Alright, let's get on it."
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Here ya go - listen to the spoken instructions from Wolf to Clapton, and then the command, "Alright, let's get on it", and then just sit back and enjoy a classic Blues song:
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RED ROOSTER - London HOWLIN' WOLF Sessions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFMDmSglfc0
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| Riddler versus Batman |
Lightnin' Hopkins - another legendary Blues artist and one of my very favorites - was recorded live doing a Lightnin' original called 'Big Car Blues'. The song is funny and tells a story about how the singer's wild girlfriend tries to push him to drive his new Cadillac beyond his comfort level. At one point she demands that he "Step ON this thing!", meaning the accelerator.
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Well, for my BOTB blog bits, I turned "Step ON this thing!" into "Let's get ON this thing!"
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So, here ya go. Get into Lightnin's Cadillac, fasten yer seat belt, and... Step ON this thing! (aka "Turn it up to eleven!")
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BIG CAR BLUES - Lightnin' Hopkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBQHSwV9ByA
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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
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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.
@ '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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Wow, what a great Battle as I didn't know about these artists.My votes goes to Lightnin' Hopkins as I love this kind of blues as he sound sso soulful!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I just changed sites and went to a self-hosting blog. Check it out here: https://ailovemusic.net/
Thanks, AMY. I'm glad you enjoyed the new-to-you artist selection.
DeleteAnd I went and updated all the links to your website.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
I think I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of the blues--not in this raw form. If I'm in the right mood then I'm more receptive, but usually it's not something I care to listen to. However I can appreciate the musicianship and creative musical thinking that goes into the raw blues. I can easily see why it's a form that has been the foundation of so much modern music.
ReplyDeleteOf these two I'm going with "Big Car Blues" with my vote although I did enjoy that tinkling piano playing in "Little Red Rooster".
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteWhen Rock turned into that synthesizer stuff in the '80s, I turned to the Blues, which led me to Jazz. And here I stayed.
Thanks for the vote!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Thanks for the backstory. Always interesting to know the history. ☺ I'm more of a Blues Rock fan (fanatic, actually), but the original blues is the bedrock for all of that, so, it's cool. "Big Car Blues" is my preference.
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteI appreciate that you visit and vote even when you're not running a Battle of your own. Thanks for your loyalty to BOTB!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
It's my pleasure, Stephen! I love these battles and make the rounds, regardless. ☺ Since I'm usually blogging about something else around the 1st of the month, it also triggers some return visits. Win-win!
DeleteWin-Win!! It's good when everyone wins. (Now if only we could get casinos to accept this concept.;-)
Delete~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
I have something coming up you might enjoy (May 6) and I referenced you in the post. Click HERE
DeleteHave a good week!
I enjoyed reading where you got these sayings from and I enjoy the blues. I vote for Red Rooster because I just found it gritty and love the instruments in it. Big car Blues is good and I can see myself sitting in a bar listening to him but I prefer Red Rooster. What a shame he passed away too soon.
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
DeleteYeah, I wanted to do something a wee bit different this time, and this is what I dreamed up.
As always, I thank you for your BOTB participation!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
This one's tough: I like both of them about the same. Lightnin' Hopkins plays some great blues and isn't restricted to a strict meter, but he's a little hard for me to understand. We've been over the fact that I don't care for "The London Sessions" LP's for either Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf, but in this case, the guys who come through are not the rock stars but the two stalwarts of the West Side, Hubert Sumlin and Lafayette Leake (guitar and piano). So, I'm going to go with "Little Red Rooster," knowing that by the time the battle's over I'll wish I'd gone with Lightnin'.
ReplyDeleteJOHN ~
DeleteI can only scratch my head when you say you don't care for Wolf's 'London Sessions' album, but I fully concur that this one's tough. I don't even like the idea that I'll be forced to vote against one of these two songs. Oh, well. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do (as John Wayne never quite said).
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Howdy Stephen T!
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm sure I'd have been awed by someone who sounds like he'd look like Bigfoot, Lightnin' gets my vote for all-around sound and authenticity. Besides, he reminds me of someone I occasionally work with. I don't know why I just told you that...ha!
Howdy, dIEDRE, my friend!
DeleteI thank you for bringing two cents for the kitty. Kitty says, "Meow, meow."
Ha!-Ha! You work with Lightnin' Hopkins? Or someone Lightnin'-like? I think I used to work with Lightnin's papa at UCLA.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Woo hoo! These is some good ones. Fine wine rather than lumpy grits or even Tang (not that I know what fine wine tastes like.) They aren't spunkless, neither.
ReplyDeleteObviously I think they are both great, and I actually BOUGHT the Howlin' Wolf London sessions on your recommendation a couple of years ago. Great stuffs!
I couldn't pick out some of the words of Lightnin' - though I pulled up a print out of the lyrics and it cleared things up. It seems like these old bluesmen stick sexual references into almost every song, and - though I may be a naive nincompoop (MAY be?) - I think this song has them too.
Although I really like Big Car Blues I'm going with Howlin' for the vote.
Ahh, glad you dug this one, SHEBOYGANBOY.
DeleteAs for fine wine, look no further than "Thunderbird". That's the word! ('Mad Dog 20/20' is also primo stuffs. Ask anyone on Skid Row!)
I'm pleased to hear that my recommendation was followed (Alright! You got on it!) and received a Thumb's Up grade. I'm sure you've not been bothered by Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses since the purchase, amiright?
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
And Stephen,
ReplyDeleteGood battles is you, NOT to be confoooosed with Toys R Us. Both great songs, hard choices and a Cadillac reference to boot! My vote goes with Howlin' Wolf for being a bit more epic. Those British rockers must have been in awe of the real deal Blues Man. I remember listening to the Blues with you my friend and recall both artists well. Even though on most days it was rarely "Alright this mornin" cept maybe on a Christmas mornin.
JW,
Pooh
...AND, POOH, THAT'S NOT ALL!...
DeleteI don't wanna grow up! I'm a Toys-R-Me kid!
Man, you are right! "Epic" is the word for Wolf. With a voice like that, he could have sung 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' and it still would have been epic.
The Blues was a good way of balancing out all that Bruce Springsteen stuffs we were listening to in those Alcoholic Haze Daze of the early '80s.
Christmas Mornings ain't quite the same when every morning is Christmas. When EVERY day is special, no day is special.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I don't have a battle showdown going this time. I appreciate you stopping by to check though. I'm playing catch up this moring. DH's dental surgery went well. He even managed to go to work this morning. Poor darlin', he's such a Trooper! Anywho, I'm giving my vote to Howlin' Wolf!
Hey, CATHY ~
DeleteI thank you for stopping by with a vote, even though you aren't "playing" in this round.
I'm very pleased to hear that DH's surgery went well and that he bounced back immediately! That's the way - uh-huh, uh-huh! - you do it - uh-huh, uh-huh!
See ya again soon, my friend!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Aha, Sir McCarthy,
ReplyDeleteHowlin' Wolf is teaching kindergarten "1, 2, 3, 4, A, B, C, D" bordering on like a liberal teacher who makes everyone sit in a circle and share their feelings.
Mr. Hopkins all the way for the vote. With the lecture, you either get it or you don't he ain't got no time for groupthink. I could picture myself in the club listening to Hopkins all day kick it solo/complete with an e-cigarette and bacardi and pepsi zero - all heads in the club turn. Okay, straight up whiskey and a cigar. Hopkins is truly awesome. In the not so distant future, I shall be blind, 95, on a rocking chair on the front porch tellin' ' bout Hopkins.
BRUHTHUH G DOGG ~
Delete>>... a liberal teacher who makes everyone sit in a circle and share their feelings.
Ha!-Ha! Man, I'm so glad to have gone to school when I did. If I were enrolled now, I'd be getting expelled time and time again because of my big, unfiltered mouth.
>>... Okay, straight up whiskey and a cigar.
I still remember some liner notes on an old, old Lightnin' Hopkins LP I owned back in the era of Licorice Pizza. It said that in his later years, living in Houston, someone wanted to tape him playing guitar and singing songs. Lightnin' agreed to it, but ONLY if the guy would go immediately and buy him a bottle of gin.
Once he had the gin - which he was drinking straight out of the bottle - Lightnin' kept his part of the bargain and gave and impromptu concert right there on a Houston sidewalk. Man, talk about a guy who was living in and for the moment!!
I suspect that today, Lightnin' is still playing and singing in that Great Gin Mill in the Sky.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
1971. It was a magical. The London session record and Long John Baldry both came out around the same time. Both featured a cavalcade of British musicians. Wyman Watts Woods Winwood Elton John played on The Long John Baldry record. These two records + Johnny Winter sent me going backwards to dig deeper into the Blues. So I'm going with Wolf for the nostalgia vote , but there is no voting in this one as both artists were treasures of American Blues. Let's get on it, tally the votes
ReplyDeleteLELLY ~
DeleteThanks for chiming in! I knew this Battle would be in your wheelhouse.
I hate to admit it but... in 1971, I was still watching 'The Partridge Family'. Although my Ma owned a B.B. King album, which I heard frequently, I didn't really do that "go backwards to dig deeper" bit until the early 1980s.
I was, naturally, all into the Classic Rock music of the day in the mid to late-'70s. (Of course, it wasn't "Classic" yet because it was still contemporary.) And I might never have discovered the Blues (and Jazz) if Rock / Pop music hadn't started to become so synthetic and synthesizer heavy in the early to mid-1980s. I was so turned off by most of the music being made then (think: Flock of Faggots and SissyBoy George, et al.) that it kind of drove me into the past, where I found R.J., Muddy, Wolf, Lightnin', Broonzy, House and all the others. And that's when I started doing things like attending the Blues festivals in Watts, etc.
Thanks again fer yer two cents, my friend!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Well, well, well... Look what the cat drug in!
ReplyDeleteYup, it's me. Finally making my presence known. This past month has surely been a wild ride for me - but more on that in my A2Z Reflections post (which hopefully will be written before it's to go live on Monday!) I haven't even taken the the time to look at the comments and votes on my own battle yet. Crossing my fingers I'll be able to get to them this evening.
This here is a mighty fine battle that you have going on. I listened to both of 'em twice, and I wanted to be sure to tell you that this here Latter Day Saint is not skeered of either of these two! In fact, I'd probably be knocking on your door twice as fast if I heard these noises coming from your not so humble abode.
As for this battle, I do believe that I will be casting my vote for Mr Howling Wolf.
Catch up with ya later!
~Mary
Thanks, MMQE. I'm pleased you dig the Battle. I'd actually had this one on my list to do for quite awhile.
DeleteMy "not so humble abode"? Oh, it's humble, alright. I mean, a mobile home can't but help being humble.
However, I couldn't agree with you more that these are the "latter days". Can I get an Amen?!
I have a Yelp account that I rarely post to, and on the profile page is a prompt that says "My Last Meal On Earth". The yelper is supposed to finish the statement by writing something like "will be filet mignon and lobster". But I wrote: "will likely be in 2029."
But we've got plenty of BOTB installments to put together before that time comes.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
This was actually a really tough call for me, and I echo John's sentiments a lot. It's why it took me so long to bote. I was hoping The Magic 8-Ball, or the Amazing Sixwell, or even *Physic Phteven could help me out, but no, I've got no help on this one.
ReplyDeleteMy gut reaction says to go with Howlin Wolf, but that's just what I'm feeling right now. Ask me tomorrow, it could be Lightnin Hopkins. But I'm boting today, not tomorrow, so this is what you get.
*I hadn't forgotten your request from last time, and I chuckled to myself thinking how often I've seen psychic brutally misspelled as physic, as in physics, and also the infamous misspelling when a guy at a restaurant was asked his name, and he said "Stephen with a PH", and this was how they wrote it out for him...
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/uploads/2014/01/xty1s-phteven-funny.jpg
So, it only seemed fitting that you're Psychic Stephen with a PH... aka Physic Phteven.
UH BEER PHOR THE PHOWER ~
DeleteHa!-Ha! As the phaying goes: If it's worth waiting phor, then it... was... worth... waiting phor.
"PHYSIC PHTEVEN" (which is way better'n "The Unkanny Kyhp") is my new cykick BOTB nickname. (And if everyone says it "psux", then I shall blame you.) This much I know: I will kyk the shyt out of those physic sharlyton phuqs who pryseeded me! Wyn I git dun predictyn BOTB outcums, the Magyc 8-Ball and The Amazyn' Suxwell won't even be remembyrd in the blogusfyre!
Thanx fer the nyw sudonim!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Al Bondigas here. Rulin' fer Big Car Blues. Listened twice and decided that one was the least boring. That's it, that's muh rulin'.
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL ~
DeleteIt's NOW 9:36, and do you know where your unconsumed beers are?!?!
Well, I knew without a doubt that you'd rule fer Lightnin', but... I didn't know you'd find it so boring.
As the old adage goes:
If you come across a boring song during the day, then it was just a boring song.
But if you come across nuttin' but boring songs during the day, then... yes, YOU are the boring song.
Yeah, I admit, I did a bit of improvising there but gin&tonic and rum&coke make improvising ez.
Hey, man!!... Jesus turned way too much un-distilled water into 908 bottles of the best wine ever produced! So... don't be thinkin' you can judge me, Punk! ;-D
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Stephen, it's your rash covered, meme slingin' sistah in the Big Guy...and I'm here to say, "Two thumbs up for the blues!"
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice change o' pace...I like it when my battling buddies mix it up a bit.
I have a strong preference for the ladies who sing the blues (lady sings the blues...now, why does that sound familiar?). Particularly, the torchy sounding gals.
Of today's contenders, I gotta go with Howlin' Wolf! How can I not?
Great battle, bruh.
>>... Stephen, it's your rash covered, meme slingin' sistah in the Big Guy...
DeleteAhh! My sistah in Arthur Carlson - The Big Guy. "I'd re-cog-O-nize ya anywhere"!! (As T-i-Double-grrr -R" would say.)
>>... "Of today's contenders, I gotta go with Howlin' Wolf! How can I not?"
Hmmm.... The *ONLY* way I can think of is if you voted for Lightnin' Hopkins. But I have a sadly limited imagination, so there might well be many more ways what I ain't dun thot of.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
POSTSCRIPT:
{The following question was borrowed from the movie 'ARTHUR' (1981)...}
Hi Stephen, It took me a while to get into Howlin’ Wolf, but Lightnin’ Hopkins took off like ..Lightnin’. So Lightnin’ Hopkins gets my vote. It’s interesting how you picked up go-to phrases from both songs.
ReplyDeleteJulie
GEM JULIE ~
DeleteThanks for stopping by with two cents for the BOTB kitty, my friend! It may be the eleventh and a half hour, but yer vote counts every bit as much as the first one does!
Have you a terrific week, m'dear!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Aww thanks! I am completely agree with you, I am an amazing fan of your site,
ReplyDeletegenuine guard post Keep making such stunning post,
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BEP ~
DeleteI sincerely appreciate that you are an amazing fan of my site. Thank you! I shall endeavor to persevere in producing the most high-quality posts I am capable of.
>>... Are you troubled with cockroaches, mosquitoes, ants, insects, lizards?
No. Actually, I have no problem with any of those pests. My life, however, has been disturbed by zombies, vampires, and all 666 genders of Millennials. Got anything that will rid us of those?
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
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:
https://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2019/05/botb-results-may-1-2019-or-howlin-wolf.html
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'