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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On the Positive side: Yip! I'm doing a second BOTB installment this month, only because I'm such a fan of Christmas and Christmas music!
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On the Negative side: BOTB is increasingly feeling less and less like the community it was years ago. (See? I pulled that linguistic trick again, by using "increasingly" to describe something that is becoming "less". Phunny, huh?)
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Anyway... the idea behind a blogfest is that people join a collective project which has a beginning and an ending - you know, like a beginning and ending? As opposed to a haphazard collection of stray cats and dogs running willy-nilly around an unfenced property that experiences neither day nor night.
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The original idea for BOTB was that each Battle would be initiated and concluded in a single week, with the voting window open for 6 days, and the voting results announced on the 7th day of rest. It looked like this:
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1st of the month - a new Battle begins.
7th of the month - the Battle Results are announced.
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15th of the month - a new Battle begins.
21st of the month - the Battle Results are announced.
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See how that works? That little bit of structure gave BOTB a sense of cohesion and made it feel like a fun family game or community project. But today - with Results getting posted any old time - or not even getting posted at all, until the next Battle begins - BOTB seems like it's not really a blogfest at all, but just random individuals doing whatever whenever.
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Now, of course, I understand that occasionally real life happens, and we can't always keep strictly to a predetermined schedule. Even I myself have been a day or two late announcing BOTB Results, but that has only happened a few times in over 6 years! And I'd like to see BOTB regain some of its earlier structure, which made it seem more like an "event" than just a handful of music-lovers milling around.
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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I rarely do the more time-consuming 3-Way Battles, but I'm presenting a 3-Way this time because I think I've got a goot juan that features 3 strikingly different renditions of the song 'The Little Drummer Boy'. Here's the first one for your consideration:
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THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY - BURL IVES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJMqcynrZRo
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In 1968, Rankin & Bass created the stop-motion animated Christmas television special 'The Little Drummer Boy', based on the popular song. I'm sure you've all seen it.
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Featured in the TV special was a rendition of the song by The Vienna Boys Choir, and that is our second competitor in this contest:
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THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY - THE VIENNA BOYS CHOIR
(Note: The song doesn't begin until 14 seconds into the video.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJHmvrkOSqU
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And our final competitor is a famous Rock star with some notable 'night moves'...
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THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY - BOB SEGER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxW-4YaRZnI
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Carnac The Magnificent (3-2): The jolly fat man.
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Question: Who will prevail, Burl, Boys, or Bob?
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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.
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Voice Your Vote...
@ TOSSING IT OUT by clicking HERE
@ MIKE'S RAMBLINGS 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
@ CURIOUS AS A CATHY by clicking HERE
@ AI LOVE MUSIC by clicking HERE
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I will return to this 'BOTB' blog bit on December 21st to post my own vote and announce the winner.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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I know all 3 and have all 3 version s to listen to but gosh, close tie between BuRl and the Choir but I will go with the Vienna Boys Choir who just sings this so angelically
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
DeleteThank you for checking in again and getting us started in this Battle.
First vote goes to the angelic boys in Vienna.
~ Stephen
D-FensDogG of the
Loyal American Underground
This has long been among my favorite Christmas songs. I'm more familiar with the approach taken by the Vienna Boys Choir and it's classic. I was favorably taken by Bob Seger's version--didn't quite expect that from him.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge Burl Ives fan though I don't dislike his music either. In the case of this Battle, my vote is going to Burl Ives. His version seemed to have a greater depth and feeling to it.
Merry Christmas to all and I'll try to keep on the traditional BOTB schedule except when my infernal internet goes kaput. I think I've become too dependent on the internet, but there is some arguably good reasons for that.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteI'm glad you liked the song and the renditions I chose for this Battle.
Upon first glance, Burl Ives doesn't seem like the kind of performer I would particularly care for, but over the years, I became aware of just how talented he was. The guy was actually a good actor (he was in one of my very favorite movies, 'East Of Eden', and was also fun to watch in the series 'Alias Smith & Jones'). And he definitely had a way of putting across a song that made it seem very personal.
And somehow, it just wouldn't be a holly jolly Christmas without Sam, the talking snowman.
;^)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Hey StMac!
ReplyDeleteAll three are great choices. I think it might be tough to find a clear winner here. I like them all, but was pleasantly surprised by Bob Seger so I am going to give my vote to him.
I usually try to keep to a schedule when posting battles and results, but as the one keeping track of results - it is a bit frustrating when they aren't posted on time - so thank you for saying something. I see that my own schedule for results posts are off by one day, so I will be making a new years resolution to rectify that for future battles.
Merry Christmas! I know things seem a bit tough for you at the moment, but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. As my sister in law would say 'I've got an 'in' with the Big Guy in charge, so we've got you covered'.
My Ave Maria battle is up now. I went the route of male vs female - but I hope you aren't offended that I didn't use your suggested female.
Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
MMQE ~
DeleteAfter just 3 votes submitted, each of the three performers already had a vote! Yeah, definitely a sign that this Battle will be a competitive one (aka "a goot juan").
I didn't think about how difficult the randomness of people posting BOTB Results was on you. But now that you mention it, I can definitely see how frustrating that must be. It forces you to keep checking back on bloggers to see if they've gotten around to tallying the votes and declaring a winner.
I thank you for the prayers! After a terrific start, it turned into a rough year, and I'm glad to see it about to move into my rear-view mirror.
I start a brand new job on January 2nd, and I think (and hope) that this will be a move in the right direction. And speaking of "the Big Guy in charge", one night at about 4 P.M., I said a prayer to Him, asking Him to get me out of this job "as soon as possible". The very next morning, at about 9 A.M., I discovered a message left on my phone from someone offering me the job as her assistant manager. Talk about quick prayer results! It blew my mind!!
No worries about not using my "suggested female". In fact, I may use her next year against whoever happens to win your current Battle. We'll find out who is the king or queen of 'Ave Maria'.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
What? No Davie Bowie/Bing Crosby? No Pentatonix? Not even Joan Jett (ha ha)???
ReplyDeleteThese are three good versions, and it was interesting to hear such different styles. The Boys version - which I liked better before lining it up here - seems too slow in comparison.
I'd never heard the Seger version and ALMOST voted for it. Like it a lot.
But I am going with familiarity: I have and listen to the Ives version every Christmas. Vote Ives.
Ha!-Ha!
DeleteActually, I rather like Pentatonix (even though the name sounds like a camera). But definitely no David Bowie & Bing Crosby (that's a combination that could have only been dreamed up in hell). And I only use Joan Jett when I want to see a girl (?) get beaten up.
McITCHYFINGER, you and Lee both voted for Burl. Can you imagine what might happen if I do so, also? Dare I tempt 'Armageddon' like that?
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
December 15, 2019 at 1:23 PM
ReplyDeleteMike Spain sed:
Burl gets my vote
Thanks, Mike "Short 'N' Sweet" Spain.
Delete;^)
~ Stephen
D-FensDogG of the
Loyal American Underground
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteWhile the original structure of BoTB has fallen to the wayside by many of us, including me, I think it's still loads of fun and the bloggers who make this community what is is the very reason I continue to do it. Please don't lose heart, my friend. Our friendships is the cement that keeps this thing alive!
Now for your Christmas battle song. I love all three versions but The Vienna Boys Choir is the best with their more traditional angelic vocals. Fabulous battle, my friend. I hope you have a blessed and joyful Christmas! xx
CATHY ~
DeleteI'm pleased as spiked punch that you enjoyed this Battle (I'm diggin' it, too). And again I thank you for the Christmas and Sympathy cards. You're a nice friend with a good heart!!
~ Stephen
D-FensDogG of the
Loyal American Underground
I was out having coffee yesterday, and just as I was about to vote in your battle, Mary (who does all the driving since my stroke) decided she wanted to go home. So I don't think I replied to this.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, as much as I like Burl (which is a lot), you still can't beat the Vienna Boys Choir on songs like this, and Seger didn't come close to either one. The Vienna Boys Choir gets the vote here.
JOHN ~
DeleteSpeaking of coffee, I need another cup. Hold on...
OK, I'm caffeined-up.
Thanks for the vote, which is keeping this Battle interesting. It's starting to look like this one is between Burl & The Boys, and either one of them could take home the trophy.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Blogging has changed so much, Mr. McCarthy. I miss the days of real blogfests, giveaways, guest posts, and more than 300 pageviews for every one of my posts. Now I get 100-some views, but of course, I'm not able to blog regularly as I once did.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
LOVE JANIE ~
DeleteI know there are folks who disagree with me, but I still stand by my belief that blogging was basically a fad. And like most fads, it won't disappear entirely, but it sure has lost much of the enthusiasm it once enjoyed. I know of some pretty well-known people who have blogs that don't really get any more comments than mine do, and I'm a total nobody. It seems the steam has gone out of it, for the most part, and many bloggers I knew 6 or 7 years ago have completely disappeared from the AlGoreNet.
What? No preference between Burl, Bob, and The Boys?
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Burl. Sorry I didn't vote. I still enjoy blogging and reading blogs, but I agree with you that it was a fad that has run out of steam.
DeleteLOVE JANIE ~
DeleteI thank you for returning with a vote. (Burl thanks you, too!)
Yip! Blogging has mostly ridden into the sunset. (Well, if you squint and look hard into the fading Sun, you can still get a glimpse of blogging's ass disappearing into that descending ball o' light.)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Full disclosure: I love the animated special, but I'm not the biggest fan of this particular song. I'm also not a big fan of children, or choirs, so when you pair them together, you get something I'm especially not fond of. So let me see if I can say this eloquently enough.
ReplyDeleteI bote for big blobular Burl because the boys bother me. Bob brings a bodacious ballad, but Burl's is a beautiful and blessed benchmark of Biblical bliss.
Boy, what a bothersome bote.
~18-B
18-B (or Astounding Alliteration Angel) ~
Delete>>... I'm not the biggest fan of this particular song. I'm also not a big fan of children, or choirs
So, what you're essentially telling us is that you are Ebeneezer Grinch or the Bumble Monster Warlock of Winter?
But then again, W.C. Fields once said: "Anybody who hates children and dogs can’t be all bad." So, there's still hope for you yet.
Big Mac McCreedy thanks you for the BOTB bote.
Love (J.W.! - J.W.!),
Hannibal Heyes & Kid Curry
{*The Alliteration Outlaws*}
And Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a parump-a-pum-pum out of that guy! Very good battle even better than I thought it would be which makes it hard to choose. I liked all three! Its between Bob Seeger and Burl Ives. I was impressed by Bob and remember hearing Burl as I was failing to grow up. So I guess nostalgia will win here because after all didn't Burl narrate Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer? the Christmas Classic tradition right up there behind the Pogues Fairytale of New York?
Sorry how the year is winding down but that brings hope for the coming New Year. Better times to come my friend!
JW, JW, and Merry Christmas!
Pooh
Heddy(That's HEDLEY): "Give the governor parump-a-pum-pum!"
DeleteGovernor: "You watch your a**!"
Al Bondigas here. Youse got a goot Juan here. All three versions are excellent, but you already know how I'm a gonna rule. I always loved that Seeger version with the electric guitar, it added a little something different that you generally don't hear in Christmas music. And how can anybody not enjoy Burl Ives? But those angelic vocals as Cathy Kennedy so aptly put it makes this a slam dunk for me. Rulin' fer the Boys!! That's it, that's muh rulin.
ReplyDeleteYip! The judge predetermined how he was a-gonna rule in this Battle. The lawyers and witness testimony were irrelevant in this case.
DeleteI brought other versions out, and you smugly said, "Overruled".
Yes, sir, I knew before this Battle even got posted that The Vienna Boys Choir was absolutely destined to get at least one vote.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
I'm a blog flake, I know you see my yiddle face when you wrote that -- and that is fine. We are purposefully down to one desktop and the season of the merger, firewalls, etc. I'm babysitting and painting for shows...pulled many different directions. Pull my name off of the list of participants for January, my brudder. I'll be back in a month.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, in response to the musical question at hand, I gotta gotta go with Burl!
Merry Christmas, my friend!
DOC CHERDO ~
DeleteNot just yer yiddle face, but lotsa yiddle faces. This thing has become "a thing". Not the biggest deal in the world, but it'd be nice to regain some structure. Either that, or I'll need to switch from Evan Williams (86 proof) to Wild Turkey (101 proof).
OK, I won't expect any Battle from you until February. But I'm going to leave your links up, because it's just easier than fussing with 'em.
A Merry Christmas to you and yourn!
~ 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/2019/12/botb-results-dec-15th-2019-or-burl-bob.html
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'