STMcC’s Vote On '2020, June 1st: Battle Of The Bands' (BOTB) - Or, Starbuck Versus Vicki Sue Robinson Versus The Tavares Brothers - And The Final Tally:
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First and foremost, my sincere thanks to everyone of you who voted on my Battle [link> HERE.
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When I made the decision to treat Starbuck like a red-headed stepchild by removing their big hit 'Moonlight Feels Right' from this 3-way BOTB competition, I pretty well figured it meant that I was giving the victory to Vicki.
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And that's exactly how it played out:
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Starbuck = 3 votes
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Vicki Sue Robinson = 9 votes
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The Tavares Brothers = 4 votes
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Because I done Starbuck wrong, for fear of facing a BOTB shutout, I feels bad. And to rectify the situation, I'm seriously thinking that on June 1, 2021 (if the Internet and BOTB is still a "thing"), I may give Starbuck a rematch against Vicki and see if she can still wallop Starbuck on an even playing field. (My Magic 8-Ball sez: Outlook not so good.)
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I had a lot of fun in the comment section. (Thanks again all Y'all!) And I got a kick out of it when G Dogg referred to Starbuck's 'Rock 'N' Roll Rocket' as "The Plan 9 From Outer Space of Songs!"
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Ha!-Ha! That still makes me COL! (Chuckle-Out-Loud!)
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And now for the rest of the story...
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As much as I love Vicki Sue Robinson's 'Turn The Beat Around' (and, yes, I really do LOVE it!), my vote went to Starbuck because... there's just so much history there for me.
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I told y'all (here) how I happened to see Starbuck play their final song of the night ('Rock 'N' Roll Rocket') at Disneyland during "Grad Nite '77". The very next day I drove to a record store and bought ALL of Starbuck's LPs. ...(They only had two albums out at that time.) Over the next two or three years, I played those albums to death - damn-near wore the grooves smooth.
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If you listen to [link> ROCK 'N' ROLL ROCKET' / LITTLE BIRD (Reprise) once more, you'll notice that in the segue to 'Little Bird (Reprise)' there's this weird Framptonesque "Talk Box" segment in which Starbuck's singer, Bruce Blackman, asks the question "Is it fun to be serious? Ha!-Ha!-Ha!-Ha!-Ha!"
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Believe it or not, hearing that so many times over the next few years, it actually had a pretty huge impact on me. As some of you even mentioned in the BOTB comment section, my senior portrait showed a very intense and serious 17-year-old. Indeed, that was me.
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But within a few years of that picture having been taken, I had lightened up to a tremendous degree and had actually developed a pretty quick 'n' sharp sense o' humor. And although there are certainly plenty of reasons for the change - or more well-rounded development - I have always given credit first to Bruce Blackman for asking me a godzillion and two times, "Stephen, Is it fun to be serious? Ha!-Ha!-Ha!-Ha!-Ha!"
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Thanks, Bruce! You done helped me come outta my shell quite a bit!!
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Well, that's all for this one. But I hope all Y'all will join me again for my next Battle Of The Bands installment on July 1st.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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I must admit that the Starbuck for me is one of those grow-on-you type songs. It does have a lot of cool stuff that draws ones attention--almost demands it. Fun altered states type music.
ReplyDeleteBut I can see why Vicki Sue won this because her song is one of those songs you can have fun with or keep as background music, depending on the occasion and mood, and it just maintains a groove. Like good driving music or workout (well that one I imagined since I don't "work out").
Any were great tunes though. I think this outcome was pretty good considering it was a 3-way Battle.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteVSR's song was such a big hit in its day, so the familiarity factor combined with that fast-paced, feel-good energy made it definitely the tune to beat in this Battle.
I probably should have gone with my first impulse. That old saying - "Your first impression is usually right" - has a lot of merit, methinks.
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
Aw. Too bad Starbuck didn't win. Maybe next time!
ReplyDeleteKim
KIM ~
DeleteThere's a good chance that someday I'll give Starbuck a rematch against Vicki, and next time on a very even playing field.
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
Yo S-Man,
ReplyDeleteVicki Sue Robinson, with 20/20 hindsight, was a foregone conclusion. Her up against "Moonlight Feels Right" would be a good one. Odds may favor Starbuck as legend has it "Moonlight Feels Right" was produced by THE Bruce "I gotta have more xylophone!" Dickinson.
True story, in grade school I had "Moonlight Feels Right" on a K-Tel album. Also a Farrah Fawcett poster, Frampton Comes Alive, and canvas Converse "sneakers" in east U.S. lingo. Viva la 70's!
Cheers,
Aaron
McG-DOGG ~
Delete>>... "Moonlight Feels Right" was produced by THE Bruce "I gotta have more xylophone!" Dickinson.
Ha!-Ha!
Great reference. Made me laugh! (I got a fever, and the only prescription is more laughter!)
K-Tel, Farrah, Frampton, and Converse... Man, you were a living, breathing, walking 1970s time capsule!
I miss the silly '70s.
That's why, at least once a year, I have to watch THE SPIRIT OF '76 starring David Cassidy!
~ D-FensDogG
'FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS'
Your comment on the history rolled up in certain songs is so true! The older I get, the more that becomes important...even more so than popularity or other factors. In my rearview mirror, so many important events have a self-proclaimed soundtrack.
ReplyDeleteMe likey.
DOC CHERDO ~
DeleteI'm pleased as spiked punch that you likey!
Yes, so true, how some songs are completely intertwined with certain people, events, memories. You can't think of one without thinking of the other.
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI went with the winner in this round. I wasn't sure how it would play out because I generally go one way and everyone else the other. I thought for sure the obvious pick would not be the popular pick. Thanks for sharing the results and I'm sorry for being late to catch up. Have a great week, my friend!
No worries, CATHY!
DeleteYeah, this one went the way I figured -- after I kind of consciously robbed Starbuck of what was almost certainly a victory in their hip pocket.
I probably shouldn't have played this Battle the way I did. Oh well, live and learn, right?
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
Stephen,
DeleteI've found anytime you put more than two bands up then the group you sorta expect to get it doesn't because of the 3rd wheel standing in the way. Like you said, live and learn. :)
CAThy ~
DeleteAfter roughly 7 years of BOTB, what I have learned about it is this:
I DON'T KNOW NUTTIN'.
There was a time - a few years back - where I felt I had really figured out this game. I was having close Battle after close Battle and I really started thinking I was *THE* BOTB Master.
But, ya know, as soon as one gets a bit cocky, life has a way of throwing a monkey wrench into the works (right after it's conked you on the head with it).
No sooner did I think I'd mastered this game when everything went all haywire again and I lost the mojo I thought I'd found.
Nowadays, I know I won't / can't know nuttin', and I'm just content every time I escape another Battle without a dreaded shutout.
But, I also think it's the unpredictability of BOTB that has kept it interesting for me all these years.
God be with ya, my friend!
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'