STMcC’s Vote On '2020, July 1st: Battle Of The Bands' (BOTB) - Or, The 5th Dimension Versus Oliver - And The Final Tally:
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The Battle took place [link> HERE.
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First and foremost, as always, I want to thank you, You, and YOU (yes, every single one of you) who took the time to listen to my BOTB songs and then took enough interest to also write a comment and post a vote (aka "bote"). Without you, You, and YOU, BOTB would not exist at all! So... thanks, all y'all!
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Secondly, I apologize for being late with this BOTB Results post. This should have posted yesterday, but I've been real busy (and not in a good way).
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Mang, this was a really great (i.e., "doggone close") Battle! The lead actually changed hands during the voting, and the outcome was decided by a single "bote". (My very, Very, VERY favorite kind of BOTB installment!)
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BOTH of these songs are very special in my (now packed) memory. I dig both songs (even though I detest the stoopid Hippie era and the nonsense that these songs symbolize). In 1970 or '71, I was part of an elementary school's choir (or was it junior high school?), and we actually sang 'Aquarius' in a public performance. To this day, I LOVE 'The 5th Dimension' - they are still one of the most frequently played artists on my CD player!
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Musically backing The 5th Dimension on 'Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In' was the legendary L.A. studio musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew". And on bass, was Wrecking Crew member Joe Osborn, who was actually best known for having impeccable timing and keeping everything tight, without getting real fancy. [Link> CLASSIC TRACKS: Fifth Dimension 'Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In'.
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But, for whatever reason, on 'Let The Sunshine In', Osborn switched to "BEAST MODE" and just cranked that stuffs "Up To Eleven!!" I've played "Air Guitar" countless times in my life, but I can honestly say that the ONLY time I have ever played "Air Bass" is while listening to Joe Osborn playing bass like he was Larry Csonka running through everything in front of him!
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Meet The ORIGINAL "BEAST MODE"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvRQ0QKUMk
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Mang, if you can't feel Joe's bass thumping your soul like an 8.88 earthquake in 'Let The Sunshine In', you better check yourself into the nearest Soul Hospital in a Saint Hurry!
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But... having sincerely said all that, my own vote still goes to OLIVER's song 'GOOD MORNING, STARSHINE'. There is no song that, for me, personally, more epitomizes the late 1960s; and few songs make my soul feel more serene, more happy, more carefree. As I responded to my Brother's bote in the comment section:
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"There's just this kind of joyful innocent feeling that washes over me when I hear Oliver's 'Good Morning, Starshine'. It ain't got nuttin' to do with drugs, anti-Vietnam War protests, or The Sexual Revolution. It's a feeling that rises above all that stuffs, and it's a feeling that's intensely personal."
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I truly, sincerely, genuinely feel bad for anyone who can listen to Oliver's 'Good Morning, Starshine' and NOT feel what it makes me feel!! (If words could put that feeling in your heart & soul, I would surely write them here: ________ .)
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Anyone who might be mildly interested in how I acquired Oliver's song 'Good Morning, Starshine' on compact disc can click [link> SET THE "WAYBAC MACHINE" TO SEPTEMBER, 1969.
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| Muddy 'n' Me trippin' out on the Chocolate "Waybac Machine" in Reno, 2018. |
I actually had to count and re-count, and re-re-count the votes in this Battle to be sure I had the winner correctly recorded. THAT is how close this contest was. The lead changed hands two or three times as the votes came in.
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In the final analysis, I voted for Oliver, but Billboard's Top 40 records chart proved to be still correct in 2020, as The 5th Dimension beat Oliver by a single vote:
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The 5th Dimension ('Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In') = 9 votes
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Oliver ('Good Morning, Starshine') = 8 votes
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I thank & love you all (NOT in a dippy, drippy, hippie [commie] way!), and I hope to see all y'all here again on AUGUST 1st for my next 'Battle Of The Bands' contest.
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~ Stephen T. McHippienot
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You weren't all that late with your results. Nice outcome.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the uplifting happy nature of the Oliver song. I would always enjoy hearing it when they played it on the radio. But still I am more stirred when I hear the Aquarius medley. Great arrangement and performance!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
That was a great battle. I liked both and felt to vote for Oliver because I didn't think he'd get that many votes. Guess I needn't have worried.
ReplyDeleteBrudder o'mine, this was a good battle with some evenly yoked tunes that brought back nuttin' but good memories.
ReplyDeleteYou've got me thinking about The Fifth Dimension now...I might have to pop out a battle based on one of their hits...I love "Wedding Bell Blues."
Yours truly was late on results, too. The heat outside got to me and turned on the lazybones. I didn't fight it. :-/
P.S. I want to see Little Stephen singing in choir. Where were the videographers when cute stuff was happening?
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteWOW, Oliver barely got squeezed out! Oliver was my pick. Tight battle!! Thanks for sharing the outcome, my friend!