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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I had no idea what direction to go in with this BOTB installment, but then it came to me late in the afternoon of May 13th..
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Ma passed on in 2005. May 12th was Mothers' Day, and May 13th was my Ma's Birthday. And like I do on every May 13th, I played some of my Ma's favorite music. And that's when the idea of doing a BOTB tribute to my Ma unfolded in my mind.
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So, I have selected 3 of some of my Dear Ol' Ma's favorite songs and I'm asking you to vote for one of them.
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My Ma was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and one of the nicknames I had given her was "Binky Buckeye, Ohio's Flippin' Squirrel".
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Here's a photo of part of an inscription my Ma wrote in a Holy Bible that she gave me as a gift:
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Sadly, my Ma was ill for many years late in her life, and I can distinctly recall a certain day, long ago, when she was listening to Count Basie's 'April In Paris'. I saw tears come into her eyes. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, "I just now realized that I will never be able to dance to this music again."
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So, first up in this contest is 'April In Paris'. I hope my Ma is dancing in Heaven to this while you're listening to it.
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APRIL IN PARIS - Count Basie (1955)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCmcoZktZG4
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As a young boy, I got a good musical education from the varied musical tastes of both my Pa and Ma. They both liked certain singers, such as Sinatra and Louis Prima, but overall, my Pa leaned more toward Country, while my Ma had more of a liking for music with a pronounced groove, such as Blues, Soul, and R&B.
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I was 7 years old when The Cannonball Adderley Quintet album 'Live At "The Club"' appeared in my parents' LP collection. I didn't need to ask which of my parents bought that one. The 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!' track has my Ma written all over it, and it got played so often that I came to memorize not just every note of the music, but also every word of the spoken introduction.
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MERCY, MERCY, MERCY! - Cannonball Adderley (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQprFhWYr0s
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My Pa passed on in 1996, and a few years later, I bought the album 'The Dirty Boogie' by The Brian Setzer Orchestra. I really loved the sexy playfulness of 'You're The Boss' and I thought my Ma would love it, too, so I played it for her. Eh... She liked it well enough, but it didn't knock her socks off. So then I played her 'Rock This Town' - the Big Band treatment that Setzer had given to his earlier Stray Cats hit. Ma thought it was OK. I played her a couple other songs, neither of which WOW-ed her.
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I was about to pack it in, when I heard Lieutenant Columbo whisper into my mind, "Oh, one other thing...", and so as an after-afterthought (aka post-afterthought), I played 'Since I Don't Have You', Brian Setzer's cover of the old Skyliners hit.
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HOKEY-SMOKE 'n' HOO-WEE! That did IT!
Binky Buckeye, Ohio's Flippin' Squirrel, absolutely FLIPPED!!! She instantly fell in love with that song and the sound of Setzer's voice in it.
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For the next 7 years of her life, she'd sometimes ask me to play it for her, and would ask me all kinds of questions about Brian Setzer: "Where did he come from?" "How old is he?" "Is he a good guitarist?", etc., etc. (I think that poor ol' widow may have developed a slight crush on Setzer in her final years, based solely on that one song.)
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SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU - Brian Setzer (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdNAMyG1Ti4
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Honestly - with God as my witness - I'm really not sure which of these 3 songs my Ma would vote for if she were here and able to cast a vote in this BOTB installment. It's a really close call, and one I wouldn't feel comfortable or confident in trying to make on her behalf. So, y'all can choose the winner by yer votes.
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NEWS FLASH!
Since the unforeseen deaths of The Magic 8-Ball and The Amazing Sixwell in the same bus accident, we have gone out and hired a new psychic. Fortunately, psychics are a dime a dozen, so we got this one for just 83.33/100th of a cent! He goes by the name Sikike Phteven ("that's Steven spelled with a ph"). His diary explains how and when he acquired his supernatural gift:
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Wendsday, March 10, 1970
I have gone sikike.
i had a dream that
my girl friend wasn't
in the cafetiria (it came true)
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Question: Will Cannonball Adderley win this Battle?
Sikike Phteven sez: Is beer one of the major food groups? Did STMcC's Mother love baseball? Do rabbits love 'Bolero'? You bet your sweet bippy that Cannonball'll win!
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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...
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE. (Returning to BOTB today!)
@ '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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Brian Setzer gets my vote but I'm more of a guitar guy.
ReplyDeleteOK, thanks for your vote, "Guitar Guy Mike"!
Delete~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Hey STM I agree Brian Setzer gets my vote. I really enjoyed reading this article. Happy birthday to your mother in heaven and may God bless her
DeleteThanks, BIG AL! ~
DeleteAs a rocker through-and-through, I couldn't see you voting any other way, Brother!
I have no doubt about where my Ma went when she passed on from here. And it keeps me sane knowing that in 10 years from now (at the most), I'll be seeing her again. ...She still owes me my 25-cents "Allowance" from the first week in April of 1970.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteYour ma's bday is the day before DD#2. My baby girl turned 29 yesterday. I'm sure your ma is dancing beautifully in heaven movin' like she's never moved before to the angelic host and all the mewsic talent that's crossed to the other side.
It's hard to say which song selection dear ole Ma would go with especially since her heart might pull heavily toward 'April in Paris' as her first choice and while I loved the story you shared that chocked me up this morning, I think I'd have to cast my vote for Brian Seltzer because his vocals always puts a spell on me. :) Beautiful, beautiful way to remember your ma on her bday and Mother's Day!
Wednesday mashup - WW + BoTB round 9 'The Signs' Showdown
CATHY! It's that you?! ;-D
DeleteThanks, my friend! I really enjoyed your comment. Truth be told, I almost got a little choked up, too, when I wrote that bit about my Ma and 'April In Paris'. But then I saw an image of John Wayne in my mind, and I decided to clean my Smith & Wesson rather than cry. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, don'tcha know?
If God stood before me and said that I *HAD* to guess which of these songs my Ma would vote for -- after a lot of hemming & hawing and shifting from one foot to another, and wiping perspiration from my brow -- I think I would haltingly whisper, "April... In... mercy, mercy, mercy me... since I don't have her... Paris".
>>... "his vocals always puts a spell on me."
Yeah, got it. That's what happened to Binky Buckeye, Ohio's Flippin' Squirrel, too. Especially with that particular song. It was that yearning in his voice that I think she found... well... not sexy, but... yeah... OK... sexy. (Damn it! I can't believe I let that cat outta the brown paper wrapping! HA!)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Stephen,
DeleteYour colorfully comments/responses always make me smile. I bet you made you Ma smile a lot, too. :D
Thanks, CATHY! I just make it up as I go along. Ha!
Delete~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
I hate to disagree with Sikike Phteven, (cute kid! ☺) but my choice here is Brian Setzer. This was a lovely tribute to your Ma, Stephen. Nice looking family!
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteI thank you, and so does my "nice looking family". We wuz dumb as a collection of Pet Rocks, but we sho' nuff looked "nice".
>>... Sikike Phteven, (cute kid!)
Believe it or not, he's not a kid. That photo was taken last year on his 59th birthday. Sikike Phteven suffers from 'Benjamin Button disease'. He's actually growing younger with every passing year. Ten years from now, he'll be prognosticating in diapers. Unless, of course, he gets hit by a bus between now and then. (We can always hope.)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Nice remembrance of your mother--and father. My parents had a big influence on my interest in music since they enjoyed music so much and had a wide range of musical interests.
ReplyDeleteI am very familiar with the first two recordings and familiar with the last song though not by Setzer. I was never a fan of Setzer though I can appreciate the quality of his music.
The Basie arrangement and performance is stellar. I remember this often being played in our house when I was growing up.
I discovered the Adderly tune when I was in high school because it was often played on the Knoxville top forty station along with the version by the Buckinghams. This song and the recording are more my era I would say so that's where my preference lies.
A vote for Cannonball Adderly and "Mercy x 3"
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Thanks, LEE.
DeleteI remember when my parents thought my music was loud and terrible. I thought they were crazy. ...And then I grew up and something weird happened to my ears.
I believe it was when I realized that Glenn Miller's 'Moonlight Serenade' was my favorite recording of all time that I also came to realize that my parents were quite a bit more musically advanced than I was when I was a teenager. They tried to get me to listen to Glenn Miller, and I said, "Where's the electric guitar? For crying-out-loud, WHERE'S the ELECTRIC GUITAR?!"
Fun Fact: I heard 'Moonlight Serenade' piped into the men's room in a now defunct Reno casino called 'The Sundowner'. I was on vacation with my Pa and my Brother. I walked out of the restroom humming it and thinking it was probably the best piece of music in the world. I hummed it to my Pa and asked him what it was. He said, "I think you're trying to hum 'Moonlight Serenade' by Glenn Miller."
Parents: Won
STMcC: Crow
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Hey there Phteven!
ReplyDeleteI totally get this battle. My mom passed 3 years ago in April, and my dad's birthday is May 10. Many times Mother's Day and dad'd birthday coincided. He would have been 92 this year, but he's been gone for 9 years.
All three songs are great choices. We enjoyed this type of music growing up as well, but it was Since I Don't Have You that sticks in my memory the most. Based on that alone, I think I'm going to vote for Brian Setzer. Yes, definitely voting for Setzer.
Hope all is well with you in your world.
Yak later
~Mary
Howdy, MARY B ~
DeletePlease don't address me as "Phteven". I'm Stephen, not Phteven. However, this Sikike Phteven character -- whom I only met just last week -- has authorized me to speak on this blog in his behalf. So, if you ever have a question for him, address it to me, and I'll reach out to him for an answer. (Of course, the fact that he's sikike means that he'll probably already know the question you've asked BEFORE I'm able to get in contact with him... and his groovy, hippie "threads".)
I'm as pleased as spiked punch that you dug this Battle. Now, as Keith Partridge said, don't forget to...
"Turn on, tune in, drop out."
If you have any trouble doing that, just stare at Sikike Phteven's "threads" for 30 minutes and then repeat the phrase "Psychedelic Psychic, Psychedelic Psychic, Psychedelic Psychic" while staring into a mirror with the lights out until Bloody Mary appears and gives you the ultimate Mojito recipe. (And don't forget to share it with yer bloggin' buddies!)
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Dearest ( You know your real name ),
DeletePlease accept my sincerest of apologies for the misuse of your fake name, and for the misuse of your fictitious friend's names. It shall happen again... this week.
~ (You know my real name)
Apology accepted.
DeleteI knew you were going to apologize before you did. Sikike Phteven told me so.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
McStrongBrutherMan,
ReplyDeleteCool story about your mom and also your dad. Looks like they died when you were relatively young... hence your awesome self reliance.. or your self reliance was inherent, born with it or you learned it growing up. Growing up with teachers. Perhaps they taught with the Socratic method: Here's the records, figure it out.
I'm glad Mr Setzer expanded his oeuvre. In the 80's, amidst synthesizers, The Stray Cats dropped their 50's cassette tape on it all - refreshing. We used to joke that one could interchange the verses and/or chorus between Sexy And Seventeen* and Rock This Town and it would still be the same song. Still, a kick-a cassette.
Cannonball Adderley got me movin', physically to say the least - and gets my veto-proof vote.
****
* Granted, the majority of Stray Cats cassettes were sold to high school kids (including me)… thus, the 50's rock lyricism went unnoticed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9awpv5BnSc
*****
Cheers and best wishes,
GEE McDOGG ~
DeleteWhat memories! My Sister used to have all Chucky Lee Byrd's songs. She'd blast them on that little portable record player of hers. I was forever telling her to turn it down because I couldn't hear The Partridge Family on the living room TV.
Thanks for the primo compliment. I'm not exactly sure how I acquired my awesome self-reliance. I'll ask around and see if anyone here knows.
I dug that first Stray Cats album. Yip! I bought 'er. But I don't think I ever got a second one, because that was right at the time that I was transitioning away from the Rock / Pop scene. I headed into the Blues, which took me into Jazz, which brought me full circle back to The Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Funny how life works.
Muchos gracias for yer vote, McFriend. Stay cool, and don't forget to keep that ducktail slicked back with plenty of greasy kid's stuff.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Well, McBrotherMan,
DeleteNo ducktail yet sometimes muttonchop sideburns. In that tug of war in the late 50's which would play out a few years later, I was born 70% Pat Boone and 30% Elvis.
You be self reliant and the most independent thinker I've seen. And I read John Locke in the original English!
The oldest born sibling is always the most responsible/third parent if you will. Ya grows up fast and ya grows up fast and ya grows up fast.
McBRUHTHUH DOGG ~
DeleteHa!-Ha! 70% Pat Boone; 30% Elvis. Too bad you didn't have those numbers reversed. But, hey, at least your math skills are good. I'd have probably wound up with some kind of 115% ratio.
>>... And I read John Locke in the original English!
:-D I gots phunny phriends!
Yeah, it's true, being the eldest, I had to sometimes take those other punks by the hand and lead the way. Thankfully, I found Mickey's Big Mouth at a very early age, so I was up to the task.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Hi Stephen,
ReplyDelete(okay, you'll have to fill me in on the news I've obviously missed during my absence: what on earth happened to the magic 8-ball? I know bus accident but there has to be more to the story, no?)
I really enjoyed you sharing your Ma with us. It's wonderful to hear how you two so bonded over good music and what beautiful memories of her that music brings to you. For those of us who realize the power of music, it's never really a surprise the power that it holds for us, is it?
I really lked all three songs, all for different reasons. I "felt" your Ma's spirit in Count Bassie's "April in Paris". I could totally 'see' that interaction you shared in my mind. And I teared up for sure. It made that song all the more sweet.
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" was way cool. I LOVED the spoken intro. Those are some words to hold on to for sure! I loved hearing the live audience and I got a kick out of hearing some woman shout from the within the room "Mercy!". That made me giggle.
In the end though, I kinda had the same reaction to Brian Setzer that your Ma did and I liked his sexy style. The music, his vocals, the song's attitude, they all work together just right for me. And Brian gets my vote on this one.
I believe you shared something from this album in a previous battle, is that correct? I remember that distinctly deco-y album cover. And I think I commented on it back then too. Love that art! It was a fabulous era for art back then...
In closing, your post was a wonderful tribute to your Ma. I liked seeing the family photos too. You're the elder boy, yes? In the bow-tie? I'm guessing (and hoping I'm right...).
Looking forward to catching up on these last few months...
Michele at Angels Bark
Howdy, MICHELE!
DeleteNice to see a comment from you on my BOTB installment again! And with a nice new avatar, too. It looks great!
Thanks for the kind words. I'm truly pleased you enjoyed the tribute. With only a couple days before showtime, I really didn't know where I was going to go with my next Battle, but I think it turned out surprisingly well.
And yes, I'm the oldest of the siblings, so that is indeed me in the little bow-tie. What I find amusing about that photo is the way my legs / feet are positioned. That just looks completely unnatural to me. When I was a little kid, I had a Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist dummy, and his legs / feet would often get twisted about just like mine in that photo. So, when I see that picture, it makes me laugh, because I look like a little dummy.
Now, to answer your question about the demise of the Magic 8-Ball... Unfortunately, I found it necessary to make the following announcement on my March 21st BOTB Results post:
It is my sad duty, my heartbreaking responsibility, my crappy job, to make y'all aware of the following:
On occasional weekends, just to earn a little extra pocket money, The Magic 8-Ball would work as an ordinary 8-Ball at New York pool halls. On March 16th, at 6:66 PM, The Magic 8-Ball was working at Carlo & Rossi's Billiard Parlor on 5th Avenue. Bruno Bancini and Rocco Martini were engaged in a friendly game of pool ("friendly" = less than $500. wagered), when Rocco attempted a complicated 3-cushion bank shot meant to deposit the The Magic 8-Ball in a corner pocket. Rocco struck the cue ball too hard, which struck The Magic 8-Ball too hard and knocked it off the table, propelling it through the open door of Carlo & Rossi's Billiard Parlor.
The The Magic 8-Ball flew out onto 5th Avenue just as the Number 86 bus to Newark, New Jersey, driven by "Fats" Brown, was passing Carlo & Rossi's establishment. The bus driver, Mr. Brown, getting just a quick glimpse of the round, black object seemingly thrown from the pool hall, thought it was a bomb that had been tossed by some wiseguy, and he swerved to avoid it.
Unfortunately, the Number 86 bus to Newark, New Jersey, jumped the curb and ended up on the sidewalk. And just as the rear tires of the bus were running over and crushing to death The Magic 8-Ball, the front end of the bus struck and killed a pedestrian who was carrying a grocery bag of bread, peanut butter, watercress and milk. By an amazing coincidence, the pedestrian who was heading home to make a peanut butter and watercress sandwich for lunch was The Amazing Sixwell!
Yes, I'm sorry to have to report that, in the same freak accident, our two favorite psychics, The Magic 8-Ball and The Amazing Sixwell, were hit and killed by the same bus. I guess neither one of them saw that coming.
So, Michele, we've had to get along without an official BOTB psychic until now. It hasn't been easy, but by sticking together through this rough time, we've managed.
Thanks again for checking in with your $00.02 here, Michele. Very glad to have you BOTBing again!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
hahaha. Thank you for filling me in on that very tragic news that I missed! Oh what one misses during a hiatus! I need to get more FOMO, I think...
DeletePS: I just went back and looked at that photo. LOL! I didn't notice that before about your leg/foot but holy-moly, that's some talent there! Even both your arms: looks like your shoulders are forward and both arms are just flopped at your torso. hahaha. Now that you mention it, you do look like a little ventriloquist partner! Thank you for the laugh! I sooooo needed this!
DeleteMICHELE ~
DeleteI had to Google FOMO. I have so little fear of missing out that I didn't even know there was a term for it.
Yeah, you're right - it's my arms, too! It looks like I barely have any shoulders at all, and the arms are just tubular things that have been sewn on and stuffed with shredded clippings. Ha!-Ha!
And today, all these decades later, I'm still just a little dummy. :-D
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
This is a nice tribute to your mom who sounds like she was quite the fun gal despite her medical issues. Are you the oldest in the picture near the bottom? I have to give it to Cannon Ball because, even though it starts off slow it comes in with a bang and I like the whole style with the musical instruments being showcased
ReplyDeleteHiYa, BIRGIT ~
DeleteThanks!! I'm glad you enjoyed the Mom Tribute. I enjoyed putting it together. And, yeah, my Ma was one very unique person. Her personality was multi-faceted and I'll tell ya, she wasn't the person you wanted mad at ya! (Ask my brother Nappy, who spent more than his share of time in the doghouse. It's a wonder Nappy didn't have fleas. Ha!)
I am indeed the senior member of Team Sibling. It was OK back then. Now? Eh... not so much.
Yeah, the Cannonball really knows how to roll along while building toward a big booming finish.
I appreciate your bote, Birgit!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Very cool battle and a great tribute to your Ma. I'd have liked to have known both her and your Pa. And I'd have attributed more value to their musical taste than you did at the time, you little fishface.
ReplyDeleteHaving listened to all of these choices, I want to point out the obvious: they are mighty different pieces, though all good. And I am fascinated reading how much she loved Setzer. My own mother really liked Brian Setzer, too. More than I did.
Sadly, I could not tell you exactly what my mother's favorite musical number might be. I could name some favorites, like Louis Prima's "Next Time," various Peggy Lee or Mel Torme songs, or a couple of art songs sung by the opera singer Thomas L. Thomas.
My own favorite of these three is "April in Paris." I'd decided that before I read your touching comment to It's That Cathy. JW, you big softie. "April" gets my vote, and it is not close for me.
But on the other side of the coin, I am offended that the Magic 8-Ball and The Amazing Sixwell are not cold in their graves and you have already found their replacement? SHEESH! Thish Shite Phteven character apparently couldn't even predict that this was a giant faux pas! I proudly wave my private parts at his aunties, the empty-headed animal-food-trough-wiper!
BRUHTHUH SIXGUN O'McITCHYFINGER ~
Delete>>... you little fishface.
Ha!-Ha! Not only did that literally make me laugh out loud, but I distinctly heard a laugh coming from Heaven, too!
Womens got a thang for that Seltzer boy, it seems. Or at least the sex appeal in his voice, anyway.
Prima's 'Next Time' fell perfectly into my Pa's wheelhouse. He liked novelty songs with wacky humor, just like him.
You surprise me. I kinda had you pegged as a 'Cannonball' vote. But it's BOTB, which stands for Baffling Ornery Terrible Boters.
We paid 83.33/100th of a cent for Sikike Phteven's services, and right now, it looks as if we overpaid. (It's just a BOTB tradition, don'tcha know? I should advertise this blog as featuring "Great Music And Bad Psychics". Ha!-Ha!)
Thanks for yer dos centavos, partner. Now, every artist has gotten on the scoreboard.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Hey-o Steverino,
ReplyDeleteIt is my considered opinion that you haven't lived until you've sat about ten feet from the entire horn section of The Count Basie Orchestra. Mary and I saw him and Sarah Vaughan in concert at the Park West in Chicago on our very first Valentine's Day together. We had seats right up front, and caught the full brunt of all those horns. It was glorious. The band played a couple of songs before The Count and his longtime guitarist, Freddie Greene came out and settled into their positions. The two of them looked at each other, and they both started playing at the same time. I've never seen anything like it. At the end, before Sarah Vaughan came out, they did this one, complete with the "one more time"s.
Cannonball Adderley and Brian Setzer both were fantastic, but I'm going with the Count here.
Yo, JOHN ~
DeleteI had you figgered as a "Cannonball" voter, but in BOTB, one never really knows for certain.
>>... you haven't lived until you've sat about ten feet from the entire horn section of The Count Basie Orchestra.
Man, I use the word "awesome" very sparingly. I also use the word "very" very sparingly. Because I feel both of those words have been stripped of their potency by overuse. (I used to have a drinking buddy who called everything "intense". I'm sorry, but when a six-pack of Budweiser has become "intense", the word "intense" has become meaningless.)
But I will say that I can imagine that sitting right in front of Count Basie's horn section would be "very awesome". Maybe even "awesomely intense... very!"
When it comes to seeing music performed live, I'm not apt to become jealous, as I've seen some great stuffs. But, yeah, right up front for The Count Basie Orchestra? You may color me "jealous".
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
I don't think your Ma and my mom had all that much in common, but one thing they do share is a love of Brian Setzer. My mom has that exact same album, in fact.
ReplyDeleteGood battle! This was a tough one for me, but ultimately, I love Count Basie - that energetic jazzy sound, his passion, and of course, his calling out "Let's try it one more once!" after already declaring "One more time!" That gets me every time.
Give my bote to the Count, please.
"And, uh, I'm terribly sorry sir, but if I can just have one more once..."
- Count Columbo's Orchestra
JULIO SEIS-ABEJA ~
DeleteFunny how Brian Setzer's voice seems to work some kind of magic on womens. If I were wild about his singing, I would probably start to worry that maybe I'm not quite the "Confident Heterosexual" I think myself to be.
Ha! Your Count Columbo Orchestra request is absolutely inspired. There's probably a whole comedy shtick in that idea: How would famous fictional characters do "The Count Basie"? Columbo, Frasier Crane, Barney Fife, Archie Bunker, etc., etc.
Thanks for tossing two cents into the BOTB kitty. Kitty says, "Meow! Meow!" (I think that means you tossed 'em too hard and hit her in the head.)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Al Bondigas here. Man, these first two really bring me back. Didn't one of us break the Cannonball Adderly album playing baseball darts in the basement? I know we broke a few albums, I sort of recall that one catching a fastball. Anyway, great choices here. I listened twice because I wanted to make an honest rulin' here. I think because of the mood I was in, I was kind of swayed slightly by the Count Basie song. I love Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!, and still play that jazz CD you gave me, but my mood just happened to be perfect for April in Paris. That's it!! Thats my rulin'!! By the way, who's that adorable kid in the checkered sport coat squinting because of the sun in his eyes?
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL BONDIGAS ~
DeleteSurprisingly, I'm pretty sure that the Cannonball Adderley album survived Dart Board Baseball.
Of course, 'Poppy The Puppy' was the most famous Dart Board Baseball death. But there were certainly others. I don't think Cannonball was one o' them.
As a judge yourself, you know that we kids could never have been found guilty of those murders. What adult hangs racks of LPs right next to a dart board and thinks there won't be multiple casualties?
"We, the jury, find you kids... INNOCENT!!... of premeditated murder."
>>... By the way, who's that adorable kid in the checkered sport coat squinting because of the sun in his eyes?
Oh, you mean the same one who's crying his Sun-assaulted eyes out because he didn't get that pony he'd asked Santa Claus to bring him?
;-D
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
And Stephen,
ReplyDeleteTough choice here my friend. First let me start off tellin' ya how much I respect your Ma. She was a remarkable woman puttin up with the likes of you and Al. But most of all she really hit a soft spot when she told me how proud she was of me turning my life around and that she kept the newspaper from my first Marathon in 1989. Not to mention the sage advice she gave to bring an extra set of keys on the Show No Emotion in a Big Way Tour. Enough said about that. Now back to our regular scheduled program... I like all three songs and was very impressed a few years back seeing Brian Setzer and his Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl. April in Paris is a wonderful tune as well. But my vote goes for Mercy, Mercy, Mercy what with the overcoming of adversity and all. Also, it must have taken a lot of Mercy for your Ma to endure our shenanigans.
JW to you and your Ma!
Pooh
Wow! What a classy, touching comment!
DeleteOK, who are you really, and what have you done with my friend Pooh?!
>>... The Show No Emotion in a Big Way Tour
HA! The names we came up with were as good as the trips themselves.
'The Blistering Bicker Brothers Reunion Tour'
'The B.F.D. Tour' (Big F###ing Deal)
Those were the days, my friend,
We thought they'd never end,
And a Christmas Morning would never come again.
I just looked at some snapshots from the 'Show No Emotion...' Tour and almost felt sick to my stomach. Thankfully, I will *NEVER* feel that hungover ever again.
Man, the Brian Setzer Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl - I would have dug that.
I appreciate yer bote, Pooh. And Sikike Phteven doubly appreciates it, because he ain't been looking too sikike in this Battle.
My friend, may you never be locked out of your car in a rainstorm at the Devil's Tower campground.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Howdy, Stephen T!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tribute! Shot myself in the foot; missing this one. As it happened, I was caught up in a couple of my own.
See, I was born on Mother's day. Every so often my birthday falls on Mother's day (though not this year), which (thankfully) allows just one day for festivities ;-)
Your Mom would have dearly loved this post in her honor! I'd be willing to bet she would have voted for Brian Setzer - as would I, had I not missed the wagon train.
All three choices conveyed a harmony of time and place, a perfect accompaniment to your family photos - well done, my friend!
dIEDRE ~
DeleteThank you very much! And no worries, my friend. You had plenty going on in your own realm.
A Belated Happy 29th Birthday Wish 4 U!
You don't look a day over 21. In fact, come to think of it, I'll need to see your I.D. before I can serve you this glass of wine.
Thanks for stopping by with such a nice comment.
~ 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:
http://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2019/05/botb-results-2019-may-15-or-basie.html
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'