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Welcome Back To BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB).
This is going to be another installment in my periodic series 'The Battle For Los Angeles'.
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{All of the still photos of Los Angeles used in this post come from 'Koyaanisqatsi', my favorite movie of all time.}
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As most of you know, I was born and raised in L.A. - 17 blocks from "Dogtown" Beach - and back then in those olden days, it was a terrific place to be. But in 1986, I could see and feel the city changing, and in October of 1992, I got the hell out of Hell.
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Although they are officially a part of the city of Los Angeles, there are certain areas of L.A. that have their own names. Some examples would be Hollywood, Venice, Westwood Village (where I was born and where I went "cruising" on Friday & Saturday nights during my teen years)...
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...Mar Vista, Echo Park, Pacoima, Northridge and Century City. And that brings us to today's contestants...
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I planned on using the Warren Zevon zong 'Desperados Under The Eaves', but couldn't decide who his competitor should be. I toyed with songs like 'L.A. Woman' (The Doors), 'Walking In L.A.' (Missing Persons), 'Hollywood Nights' (Bob Seger), 'Hotel California' (The Eagles), and 'Free Fallin'' (Tom Petty). But I really didn't want to use a song that everyone has heard two million and fourteen times.
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I finally settled on the song 'Century City' by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and it was essentially Nick Lopez's story in the video comment section that sealed the deal:
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Nick Lopez
2 years ago
True Story:
I first heard this song when I was 20 years old. Got the album for my Birthday in July. This song made me drive to Century City (near Santa Monica & Hollywood) and just drive around playing this song over and over really loud. I had a 67 Mustang I had bought from my cousin a year earlier.
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As I’m cruising around, I spotted the Playboy club. So I stopped in and asked how I could become a member. The bunny at the door told me I had to be 21 or older to join. But then she whispered in my ear... “Just buy a copy of the magazine and mail in the card. They don’t bother with checking ID on mailed applications."
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So I went right over to a liquor store, tore out the paper application, sent it in with the fee, and three weeks later I was back at the club (dressed really well) and walked right in with my brand new Playboy Key Card.
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I was then told that I was entitled to either a free copy of the magazine, or a cocktail (a ONE SHOT deal) so I took the drink. I ordered a scotch on the rocks because I knew nothing about drinks and alcohol (and Scotty on ‘Star Trek’ drank only scotch). I thought it was just awful. The next drink I ordered was a Martini (vodka) and that was worse. So I want to thank Tom for introducing me to both Century City and alcohol. You were and still are my hero!
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Century City lyrics excerpt:
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Sometimes I get discouraged
Sometimes I feel so down
Sometimes I get so worried
But I don't know what about
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But it works out in the long run
Always goes away
And I've come now to accept it
As a reoccurring phase
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We're gonna live in Century City
Go ahead and give in, Century City
Like modern men, modern girls
We're gonna live in the modern world
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CENTURY CITY -- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE-F5vuQJjo
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FUN FACT: There really existed a "Hollywood Hawaiian Motel", and when Warren Zevon was still a young, struggling songwriter, he was staying there for awhile but he couldn't pay his bill. So a friend of his drove down the alley behind the motel, and Zevon tossed all his stuff out the back window of his room and sneaked away without paying his motel bill.
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This had always bothered Warren's conscience, so years later, after he had become successful and wealthy, he went back to the Hollywood Hawaiian Motel to pay what he owed them. But by then, all they wanted was an autographed copy of his latest record album. (*That's the way you do it!...*)
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DESPERADOS UNDER THE EAVES -- Warren Zevon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H207KiuYvv0
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Well, my friends, thanks for voting in the comment section for your favorite between these two songs. And please be sure to vote in the BOTB contests presented by the other BOTB Participants (see the sidebar list on the right side of this blog!)
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I will return on July 8th with my own vote and the Results of this Battle Of The Bands contest. I hope all y'all have a very fun but safe 4th of July!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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Mr Stephen...
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well... going into this battle I thought for sure I would be voting for Mr Petty, because on any other given day if given the choice between these two artists, I would choose him.
BUT... I was so disappointed in his song. In large portions it sounded as if he had rocks in his mouth, and being that I was raised with manners (we didn't speak or sing with anything in our mouths) I was forced to give Mr Zevon an honest listen.
He wasn't half bad. Wasn't half good either. BUT at least he didn't sound like he got caught hiding the evidence from a game of marbles.
At any rate, I am forced to choose against Mr Petty on this day, and place a vote squarely and fairly for Mr Zevon.
~Mary
Yeah... I got a battle today as well. It's nuthin to write home about, but it's all about this weather!
MMQE ~
DeleteBack in 1979, the year Tom Petty's song 'Century City' was released, I read an interview article in Rolling Stone magazine featuring Tom talking about this song and the album it was included on, 'Damn The Torpedoes'.
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This being '79, when Punk Rock was still a big thing, Tom said that he *DID* record 'Century City' with his mouth full of rocks, because he was trying to capture that indecipherable Punk sound of bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash. So, that was a very astute catch on your part.
Tom also said in that interview that he hadn't been raised with good manners, so singing and talking with his mouth full (at the supper table) came pretty naturally to him.
BOTB Bote:
1/2 a bote for Zevon's "not half bad" zong.
~ Stephen
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard either of these songs before today not that I recall anyhow. I read Mary's comment about Petty sounding like he has somethin' in his mouth so since I have trouble understanding what someone says anyhow, I mainly go with the song that makes me move and TOM PETTY put the groove in my move compelling me to give him my vote. I needed this picker upper. I'm really dragging this morning. Have a wonderful Independence Day weekend, my friend!
Live and Let Die BOTB Showdown
CAThy! ~
DeleteI'm pleased to know that I was able to provide you with a picker-upper song that put the move in your groove. Or a groove in your move. (I'm pretty sure that formula works *both* ways.)
I used to drink 3 cups of coffee every morning in order to get myself going. But ever since I discovered Petty's song 'Century City', I've been able to cut my caffeine down to just 2 cups, as long as I play 'Century City' while sipping my morning cuppa joes.
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
I'll go with Tom Petty on this one. It was livelier.
ReplyDeleteJOHN ~
DeleteYes, Tom's song definitely was livelier! I was pretty certain that you would pick up on that. [;^)
~ Stephen
D-FensDogG
Loyal American Underground
So I moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and the following year you left? Well, I know you weren't leaving on my account, but too bad we couldn't have gotten together to commiserate.
ReplyDeleteThe Petty song sounds like something else I've heard and probably something else Petty has done. It's a good tune, but despite a slow start the Zevon song resonated with me more.
Give my vote to Zevon.
BOIDMAN ~
DeleteHmmm.... I had no idea that we were briefly both living in helL. A. at the same time.
I thought you had written somewhere in one of your blog bits that you'd moved to helL. A. in, like, the early 2000s. But obviously I dun did thought WRONG!
Yeah, I wish I had known you during that one year in which we were both occupying the same basic area. I could have whispered in your ear, "You should start packing and preparing to move NOW, like I am doing."
I'm glad you dug the Zevon zong.
This Battle started out as a 2-2 tie, but it seems that Zevon is beginning to open up a fairly commanding lead. Not sure that Tom could catch him now, even if he were driving Nick Lopez's '67 Mustang.
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
Well salutations! I hope life is treating you well. Interesting how your place of life, fun and frolic turned nasty by the 90s and you had to leave the area. Such a sad state when that happens. I don't know either song but i am going with Zevon because it is more melodic. Petty's song got under my skin after a bit.
ReplyDeleteHowdy, BIRGIT! ~
DeleteThanks for checking in with two cents for the BOTB kitty!!
I have been truly blessed, so I gotz no complaintz about life. The Master of Love has got me well covered! And I hope you're doing equally well, my friend.
Yes, yip, yeah, my boyhood paradise and teenage playground went belly up beginning in about 1986. Lots of reasons for that, and too many to list here.
I sometimes watch videos at YouTube about places I used to hang out in L.A. (e.g., Venice Beach, downtown Santa Monica & downtown Los Angeles) and it's absolutely appalling & horrifying now. I'm sure glad I made my 'ESCAPE FROM L.A.' when I did.
And even after leaving helL. A., it still took me 26 years to find where I really wanted to be. But God led me here (to "Willoughberry") two and a half years ago and I finally feel like I am "home, sweet, home". Ahhh....
Petty's song is pretty Punky (which I'm sure is by deliberate, ironic design) so I can see how it might seem a bit unnerving to some ears.
Thanks again for your bote! It is much appreciated.
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
A great battle here, and some great stories. I loved the story about the Century City Playboy club, and I tried not to let that sway my opinion.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, I gotta give it to Zevon. Better lyrics, slightly better music, and I even give the video the edge (it's stunning, and no, I didn't factor that into my bote).
By the way, thinking of your own story... escape from Hell, uh I mean Escape from LA (hold the Kurt Russell), it reminded me of a brand new tune I heard recently that I've been meaning to pass along. I thought you might appreciate it. Don't expect to hear something you'll like in terms of the girly boy band voice and the generic melody, but the message is great, and if you'll notice, that video has millions and millions of views. This kid is reaching people.
Alec Benjamin - Jesus in LA
Jesus ain't dead... He's just not currently residing in L.A.
��
~J S-A
JULIO (Down By Ye Olde Trainyard) ~
DeleteSorry 'bout the slight delay in response but... "meat happens".
Er... no, wait! That's from another conversation that somehow got stuck in the tape loop o' me loopy mind.
Thanks for the two and a half cents in this latest 'Battle For HelL. A.'
Interesting song by Alec Benjamin -- thanks for passing that along. I can actually imagine myself using that very song in some future installment of 'BFLA'.
What I found extremely ironic about the song, from a strictly personal view is this:
Not sure if you remember this story or not, but quite a few years ago, in the copy that I sent you of my personal account of how I came to Jesus (or more precisely, how Jesus came to me), I explained that for years prior to Escaping from helL. A. in October of '92, I had gone around saying over and over that "God is dead in L.A.".
Then I escaped to Prescott, Airheadzona. But 1.5 years later, I was inexplicably compelled (like a strong "compelsion") to return to L.A. and I had NO IDEA WHY I was being pushed back to that place I'd sworn that I'd never return to. I was completely befuddled by my own actions.
BUT(!)... exactly one month after I returned to L.A., I had a Spiritual experience while alone one day in the apartment where I was living, and *THAT* was when I encountered Jesus, who baptized me with The Holy Spirit and I became a (Maverick) Christian on that very afternoon (April 6, 1994).
I came to realize that God had deliberately sent me back to helL. A. -- where I had always boldly told people that He was dead -- in order to make me eat my ign'ant words.
So, here is this song by Alec Benjamin saying that one won't find Jesus in L.A. Guffaw-Out-Loud! Unbeknownst to Alec, he may be setting himself up for a big dish of crow, with an order of crow on the side, and a large Tervis Tumbler of liquid crow to wash it all down with.
Great comment, McBrother. Thanks!
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
Yo S Man,
ReplyDeleteGood to see you back. Somewhere in the interim was the 2020 election. I got a good-natured chuckle on election night when Trump on the mic claimed to win states that hadn't been called yet. I'd miss Trump, except he never goes away.
Glad to hear you got out of LA 12 years after the Tate LaBianca killings -- did you not get the memo that the area was going to h-e-double-hockey-sticks. I lived in Arcadia (home of the race track and the-then state-of-the-art mall) and Monrovia (home of the high school where Leslie Van Houton aka the pretty one won homecoming queen, seriously). We had mentioned before how sicko Scorsese and Tarantino are. I did, though, check out a few scenes/youtube videos of Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.. and find the ending - while grotesque - cathartic.
I had two Petty albums. Hard Promises - and the one with "You Got Lucky" song -- not knowing the title shows you the lack of impact the album had. Didn't need to get his Torpedoes album because the songs were on the radio so much. His Century City is the most bar band I've ever heard him.. indistinguishable bar band at that. So much so I feel like throwing beer bottles at the stage yelling "Bring on Thorogood -- stop pushing, man, chill out!! Wooo!"
I vote for the Zevon song. Chill vibe. So chill I've played it 4 times so far and don't really listen so much as roll with the vibe if that makes sense. Hey man, no sense makes sense, as a gypsy would say.
Cheers, like two British guys in all whites sitting at a table in the jungle clicking glasses and musing on which imperial big war was written up in Biden's binder to start soon enough. Oh boy.
G Dogg
G-DOGG ~
DeleteWhat a wonderful and joyful pleasure to find you back 'n' barkin' in ye olde comment section!
The Return Of G-DogG...
Because you can't keep a good dogG down!
>>... I'd miss Trump, except he never goes away.
GOL!
It's like that old Country song by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks.
>>... Glad to hear you got out of LA 12 years after the Tate LaBianca killings -- did you not get the memo that the area was going to h-e-double-hockey-sticks.
I DID get that memo. But I'd been drinkin' at the time, and the only thing I read back then were labels on liquor bottles. You know? Like labels on liquor bottles?
>>... I lived in Arcadia (home of the race track and the-then state-of-the-art mall) and Monrovia (home of the high school where Leslie Van Houton aka the pretty one won homecoming queen, seriously). We had mentioned before how sicko Scorsese and Tarantino are. I did, though, check out a few scenes/youtube videos of Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.. and find the ending - while grotesque - cathartic.
I may have to gotta check that out myself, then.
I used to live at Santa Anita Race Track. Under a bale of hay in stall #13. Until finally a bunch of "fidgets" beat me up and kicked me out. (They called themselves jockeys, but I called 'em fidgets.)
>>... I had two Petty albums. Hard Promises - and the one with "You Got Lucky" song -- not knowing the title shows you the lack of impact the album had.
To this day, 'HARD PROMISES' is easily my all-time favorite Tom Petty album. If yer only gonna own one, THAT is the one to own, in my never mistaken opinion.
>>... His Century City is the most bar band I've ever heard him.
I agree. It's actually pretty Punk sounding. Which I am pretty sure he did by design. Because he's really saying, "Ph*q Century City!", and I think he's trying to reduce it to rubble by the high-octane, A-bomb sound of his equally rebelling band. (In short, I think Petty's saying he wants to live in Century City in the same way that Randy Newman was saying he loved L.A.)
What do you throw against polished chrome and shining glass edifices of a slick, modern skyline?
Why, distorted guitars and drums that are too loud and too fast, naturally!
>>... Hey man, no sense makes sense
Makes sense to me!
That may be the most sensible thing I've heard this week (although the week is young yet, and I *am* planning to make a trip to Reno in about 30 minutes or so).
G Dogg in the HO-OOO-USE (and I *don't* mean "doghouse"!)
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
I really liked this battle. I love both these artists and wish they were still making music. That story about the Playboy Club and drinking was great, and it made me miss the days when the world was not so… “messed” up. Women were women and men were MEN. And some women were a bit on the cheesy side, but that was OK.
ReplyDeleteBoth songs are good, but Zevon’s “Desperados Under the Eaves” is truly great. It has almost a hymn-like quality about it. I love the string quartet counterpoint intro, and the lyrics are - as always - excellent. When I THINK of L.A. I often immediately think of Tom Petty because his always struck me as the MOST L.A. of L.A. music. But maybe I should reconsider. Zevon’s is right up there. Probably if he hadn’t thrown us all off with all that howling about in London and hiding in Honduras, it would be clearer!
I must vote for Warren on this one. “ahhh-OOOOO.”
Sixgun McItchyfinger
SIX (you are NOT a number; you are a FREE MAN!!)
DeleteI sincerely apologize for the late response. But I has some good excuses:
1) I was hungover for a few days. (Well, lack o' sleep makes one feel that way.)
2) Today, Nappy and I spent almost all day in Reno. I know you ain't buyin' that so I'll tell you zactly what we did (according to my receipts) :
A) WinCo Foods purchase in Reno - 13:06:41 :
Vitamins B & C
Minerals Magnesium & Zinc
B) WinCo Foods purchase in Reno - 13:13:33 (thankfully I *DON'T* believe in Numerology!) :
Sailor Jerry rum
C) Recycled Records in Reno - 14:51 :
'Chicago 9' CD (aka "Greatest Hits) -- Remastered.
D) When we got back to Willoughberry, we stopped at Smith's (aka Kroger) at 15:42, where my Brother bought some bottled Distilled H2O (*drink distilled ONLY, fer yer health's sake!*) & I bought some Big K Cola to mix with my Sailor Jerry rum (who once kicked Nappy's ass - hard 2 believe but true!).
Is that sufficient-'nough excuse for you to 'splain my tardiness, or must I add that...
3) G-DogG ate my original comment reply?
>>... I really liked this battle. I love both these artists and wish they were still making music. That story about the Playboy Club and drinking was great, and it made me miss the days when the world was not so… “messed” up. Women were women and men were MEN. And some women were a bit on the cheesy side, but that was OK.
I *KNOW* that you are a happily married man (aka: it's too late for me to save yer ass), but when you get a chance, be sure to watch the Clint EASTwood WESTern movie 'Two Mules For Sister Sara'.
The next time some woman asks me, "How come you never succumbed to my feminine wiles?", I'm gonna answer: "Two Mules For Sister Sara".
If she can't figure out the meaning of that answer... GOOD FOR HER!!
>>... "Both songs are good"
WHAT?! What the helL. A. did you just say??!!
BOTH songs were "good"?!
Alright, who are you really, and what have you done with Mr. Great Musical Divide?!
End Of The World Apocalypse beginning in...
3... 2... 1...
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
ADDENDUM:
DeleteMR. McITCHYFINGER ~
It dun did occur to me last night, after the fact, that I had neglected to address something you'd said that I'd-a wanted to briefly speak on...
You wrote:
>>... "When I THINK of L.A. I often immediately think of Tom Petty because his always struck me as the MOST L.A. of L.A. music. But maybe I should reconsider. Zevon’s is right up there."
I found those remarks very interesting and they prompted me to think upon that matter myself. And reflecting upon it briefly, I would say that, for me (just off the top of my noggin), the songwriters who seemed to hit upon that quality of L.A.-ness most frequently and/or most acutely were:
TOM WAITS
THE BEACH BOYS
WARREN ZEVON
THE DOORS
TOM PETTY
DAVID & DAVID
And to include a female, I'd like to mention RICKIE LEE JONES.
I'm not entirely sure how I would rank those songwriters in order, but I'm fairly certain that I'd have to leave Tom Waits at the top. In fact, those first three artists probably belong in the Top 3, and then I'd have to do some thinking in order to properly (according to my opinion) arrange the remainder on that list.
Terrific BOTB comment, McBrother! I thank ya for it!
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
I was never a Tom Waits fan; I had nothing in particular against him, I just didn't know anyone that liked him and rarely heard his music. For lack of my awareness he wouldn’t make it on my LA list. The Doors for sure are an LA foundational band, but I was not much of a Doors fan either so they don't jump to my thought. David & David are excellent but I did not know of them at ALL until you. So I don’t think of LA when I hear them. Zevon we discussed already.
DeleteBut yes, The Beach Boys! They are top of my thinking if I am at any California beach - from Del Mar to the Ventura County line to Santa Cruz and Trestles, All over Manhattan And down Doheny Way (… but not Australia's Narrabeen.) There exists a whole second verse worth of beaches that make me think of the Beach Boys. It is hard to imagine a MORE LA band that the BB, now that you mention it.
I did not know Rickie Lee Jones was from LA. I would have guessed some eastern urban area or another. My choice for a female that makes me think of LA would be Joni Mitchell. Yeah, I know: she’s Canadian. But she hung out in LA with all the CSNY peoples and Jameses Taylorses etc. in the days I started listening to music so she gets my nod. I'll admit it is an emotional rather than an informed choice.
#6 ~
DeleteThat was an A-List & E-Ticket response. And I personally guar-annn-tee you an A-List & E-Ticket reply to your A-L & E-T response.
Barring an unexpected "Heart Attack At Vine", or a visit from my "Late Night Evening Prostitute", I shall endeavor to persevere in composing my reply to you about 12 hours from now during my MIWJ session (Morning Internet With 'Joe').
~ D-FensDogG-dude
Part 1:
DeleteSHEBOYGANBOY SIX ~
>>... "… but not Australia's Narrabeen"
Yeah, I narrabeen there, either.
I find this topic of L.A. lyrics interesting because it's multilayered, when you really consider it. Who is the King of L.A. music? One might ask the question, "Which L.A.?"
There are so many aspects of the city and different kinds of people that the topic is really quite subjective. I'd never really thought this much about it before, until this exchange between us.
Yeah, The Beach Boys -- it's like I mentioned to Nappy last night, "Even when they aren't specifically mentioning a particular area, you already KNOW that they're referring to L.A., because that's where they lived and recorded."
So, songs like 'The Warmth Of The Sun'; 'Fun, Fun, Fun'; 'Surfer Girl'; 'The Girls On The Beach' -- they don't even need to mention the locale, because it goes without saying that, as far as The Beach Boys are concerned, this is all happening in the Los Angeles area. Sure, the listener in Florida can imagine that this fun and these beaches are in Florida, but... everyone automatically knows what The Boys were really implying, even when they didn't come right out and say [Link> Pacific Coast Highway or [Link> Santa Monica Pier.
[BTW, 'The Warmth Of The Sun' is my #1 all-time favorite Beach Boys song.]
But then there is also the opposite end of the L.A. spectrum, and I have had my toes in almost every scene from one end to the other. (Never been homeless, though -- I thank God!)
When yakking about Tom Waits, the FIRST thing I always feel compelled to say is that I am a big fan of the "PRE-'83" Waits, and I've disliked almost everything that came after his movie soundtrack for 'One From The Heart' (1982). Big changes happened while Waits was working on that (fantastic!!) movie soundtrack. Personally, I look at it as if Adam (Tom) fell for Eve's (Kathleen's) ill-gotten fruit and that was his musical downfall.
And I'll also add that I really didn't care for Tom's fake "Satchmo" voice, which he first began laying on thick with his third album 'Nighthawks At The Diner' in 1975. The many Tom Waits songs that I dig, I dig in spite of his voice, not BECAUSE of it. As a wordsmithy kind of person, I have the utmost respect for Tom's writing -- he was an absolutely phenomenal lyricist (the best ever, imo).
(Continued...)
Part 2:
DeleteI was introduced to Waits by my old drinkin' buddy, Pooh. Back about '82 or '83, we used to spend days drinkin' and listening to music in his... I guess you'd call it a "loft". The stuffs we listened to most back then was Springsteen, and Pooh's two albums 'Trouble In Paradise' by Randy Newman, and 'Small Change' by Tom Waits. *THAT* was how I first got into Waits -- Pooh's 'Small Change' LP. I eventually bought all of Tom's PRE-'83 albums.
Waits tended to examine the seedier side of L.A. - hooch mishaps & losers - which I could relate to at that time every bit as much as I could relate to the golden optimism of The Beach Boys and the beach life that they so enthusiastically promoted and which I had grown up living in my teen and pre-teen years.
In my opinion, Tom Waits would have made the 'L.A. Songwriters Hall Of Fame' (if there were such a thing) even if he had never recorded a single song other than his live [Link> 'Emotional Weather Report'. Genius!! That's genius on display right there!
Lemme give ya one more from the same album, 'Nighthawks At The Diner' :
[Link> 'On A Foggy Night' (With Intro & Lyrics)
Warren Zevon covered some of the same L.A. territory in his songs, with an added dose of cynicism and sarcasm.
And then David & David...
I would describe their meat & potatoes as "Broken Dreams in La-La Land", which I could also very much relate to. I don't listen to their one and only album 'Boomtown' very often anymore. Mostly because I now live in Willoughberry (thank you, Father!) and am very happy here. So the heartache from the broken dreams doesn't really enter into my consciousness much anymore. In '86, I could listen to the 'Boomtown' album all day, every day! But now I have to really be in the mood for it because... I'm just too satisfied and grateful ("mighty grateful") to be where I am and knowing what I do, to revel in the memory of past failures and disappointments.
Nowadays, I have to kind of force myself into a mood to listen to David & David every once in awhile. And I do so only because I still think their music was terrific and they were, in my opinion, easily the most underrated music group of the 1980s. It's almost a crime that they never became a household name. But... that's "Broken Dreams in La-La Land" for ya!
This doesn't have anything specifically to do with L.A., but oddly enough (talk about an "odd couple"), at one time Rickie Lee Jones was Tom Waits' girlfriend! Also odd is that, of all the songs ever written about cars (and Tom Waits who also often mentioned cars in his songs), in my opinion it was a female - Rickie Lee Jones - who wrote the greatest song ever using automobile references as metaphors. Have you heard this one?...
[Link> 'Last Chance Texaco' (w/ lyrics)
According to some article I read long ago, before Rickie Lee Jones had released her first album, Joni Mitchell heard her sing 'Last Chance Texaco' live on a stage and immediately wanted to record the song for herself. But shortly afterwards, Rickie's debut album was recorded and included this song.
Lemme close for now by leaving you with just a very short article about Rickie Lee Jones.
[Link> Rickie Lee Jones
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
Hi Stephen! I'm sorry I missed last month's Battle, but I'm so glad you're back in the game! I love how you charmed your way into The Playboy Club. I can just picture you at 20, fitting right in with your pipe, ascot and smoking jacket! I was really moved by Warren Zevon's song, so he gets my vote. Hope you have a fabulous 4th and month-long birthday celebration!
ReplyDeleteJulie
GEM JULIE ~
DeleteIt's a joy to see you here! Thanks so much for taking the time to come by with two cents for kitty!
No need to ever apologize for missing a Battle! Life happens, and BOTB is pretty low on that list of 'Absolutely Essential Must-Do Projects'. (Helck, sometimes I've even missed my own Battles! Like 8 months worth of them recently. :-)
I'm just pleased as spiked punch to find you here whenever you can be.
Ha!-Ha!
I do have to mention, however, that if you think I was secretly adopting the pseudonym "Nick Lopez" in order to tell my story of how I got into The Playboy Club while underage... uhm... no. You miscalculated this time. Truth be told, I have *NEVER* been in a Playboy Club. Although I have been in some clubs (the first one being 'The Cougars' when I was about 7 years old - and no girls were allowed in 'The Cougars' because... cooties!)
And a "pipe, ascot, and smoking jacket"?
Guffaw-Out-Loud! I think you're confusing me with that other STMcC - you know, the one who is allowed in the presence of civilized, classy citizens? Me, I'm more apt to be found wearing a black leather jacket in a Mexican jail than wearing an ascot and smoking jacket in a Playboy Club.
Plus (to plagiarize someone else's line), I wouldn't belong to any club that would accept ME as a member!
I'm glad you dug the Zevon zong! It's always been a huge favorite of mine.
~ D-FensDogG
'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'
Howdy, Stephen T
ReplyDeleteGiven that I do like most Zevon songs and that these lyrics seem as suspicious of the sun as I am, here in the soggiest woods I've seen in quite awhile, you'd think he'd have my vote. But, no. Century City was just what I needed to get off the porch and dance in the rain. Tom Petty rocked it for my vote. Thanks Stephen!
Howdy, Howdy, dIEDRE!
Delete>>... "Century City was just what I needed to get off the porch and dance in the rain."
How cool is that?!
Do you also enjoy 'Singin' In The Rain'?
;^)
I'm happy that Tom and I could help your mood. And I'm happy that you could add a little support for Tom, as the boy is in need of every BOTB bote he can scrounge up at this point, just to try making the blowout less blowout-y. (You'd probably never guess it, but I just now made up the word 'blowout-y'. Feel free to borrow it any time you'd like, but please be sure to publicly give me credit as its inventor!)
Is anybody sillier than I am in BOTB comment sections? (God knows... I hope not!!)
Thanks for your much needed input, my friend!
~ Stephen
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation
I like both artists on this one. However, I liked Warren's song better
ReplyDeleteMIKE ~
DeleteYou made the right choice then, because I have it from fairly reliable sources that Warren's song actually likes YOU better'n Tom's song does.
Don't feel too bad about that, though. Because Tom's song is pretty anti-social generally, and it really doesn't like many people to begin with. It's always yelling at the neighborhood kids to keep off its lawn! It's just an old & cranky song.
~ D-FensDogG
'FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS'
Hey Pal:
ReplyDeleteNo offense to Warren but I have to go with
Tom every time. I will write soon.
Your Pal. . . The Aard :)
~FLYING AARDVARK~
DeleteI thank you, my flyin' pal, for stopping by with two cents for the kitty (aka "a BOTB bote for Tom"). The favorite has been gettin' clobbered by the underdog, so I appreciate you helping to make the score at least look a tad more respectable.
Yak Soon,
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. Good to see you're back in the saddle with the BOTB thang. Well, you know where I stand with my rulin' because you're right next to me right now, and I done did told you. But for all your BOTB friends, the judge be rulin' fer Warren Zevon and his melancholy hymn "Desperados Under The Eaves". It brings my back to a better time where I was still melancholy, but at least young. I've been on Gower Street a few times when I worked at Paramount studios. See, see? Now you got me all sad 'n shit!! Anyway, rulin fer Warren Zevon. That's it, that's muh rulin'!!
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL ~
DeleteNo surprise yer rulin' was to me.
(Goot grammar counts!)
Knowing how you dig Warren,
and how "Eh" you be
'bout Tom Petty
this vote coming
I could see.
EXTRA POINTS you get for calling it "Gower Street" rather than making the same mistake that Warren did. (If he hadn't drank all the salty Margaritas in Los Angeles, Zevon might have gotten the "street" name correct in his zong.)
~ Brother D-FensDogG
Hey Stranger than me! I thought you gave up these posts about a year ago? Shows how long I've been away I guess. I only popped in th rescue my blog from the spam comments; imagine the havoac an abandoned blog endures. Uck.
ReplyDeleteGlad you did not go with anything well used for this battle. I needed some fresh music to test out the sound system on this new tablet.
Dude, how could you think these two songs were competition for each other just because they are about the same city?? Tom Petty, loud and awesome as always; Zevon light and twangy. Sheesh Saint Mac, without me here to take you to task you've gone straigt to - well LA hell!. Or you've been under that Ridge way too long and the Donner Party is claiming another lost soul, lol.
I'd have to vote for dear old Tom, love the singer, group, and banging guitars. But maybe my mood is just a little off tonight. I sort of love the "complaint" mode of Zevon. And of course, all us NorCal residents are waiting for SoCal to drop off into the ocean. Long as it includes Frisco. Or only Frisco. Don't know where the city imported those lunatics from - must have escaped from Pink Floyd's paper on the grass - but they can return them COD.
My son is working with me this week, and we had to work in the Bay area (Oakland Port). So he's looking at instagram posts from the area, and one is about this woman who was attacked and knifed in the belly while walking down the street. Guess it wasn't too serious - but when she asked the freak (perp) why he ripped her shirt off and slashed her he said: "Cuz I'm a violent person, so that's just what I do. Just accept it."
He decided not to get out of the car after that. I wish I did not have to either.
Anyway, back to topic . . . my vote is to Zevon. I like his attitude, lol.
WILD THING ~
Delete>>... Hey Stranger than me!
Oh, muh gosh! That's the most clever, outrageous and insulting thing ANYONE has *EVER* said to me!!
OK... that was some super-clever, wonderful-wordsmithin' there!
Didja steal that line from me from an old blog bit o' mine, circa 2009?
(You KNEW my memory ain't what it used to be, and you KNEW you could get away with stealing my own line because... because... hmmm.... uhm... who the HELL R U?!?)
Your comment...
uhm...
If I hadn't given up on "Eve" many long years ago...
I guess, what ah'm sayin' is:
A-Plus & E-Ticket!!
And I deliberately began playing 'STARDUST' by our boy Willie while replyin' to your comment. (Definitely my favorite Willie album.)
>>... I thought you gave up these posts about a year ago? Shows how long I've been away I guess.
No, it shows how long your memory has been... has been... uhm... SHOT!
>>... Dude, how could you think these two songs were competition for each other just because they are about the same city??
"UHP!... I'M AN IDIOT"?
>>... Or you've been under that Ridge way too long and the Donner Party is claiming another lost soul
You know me...
ANY "party" will do!
>>... I'd have to vote for dear old Tom, love the singer, group, and banging guitars. But maybe my mood is just a little off tonight.
I un'erstan' completely! SAILOR JERRY will do that to ya!
(I just got done watching the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis movie 'Sailor Beware' while drinking 'Sailor Jerry Rum', and I'm pretty sure my life will NEVER be the same... thank God!!!)
>>... all us NorCal residents are waiting for SoCal to drop off into the ocean. Long as it includes Frisco.
'FRISCO?
Is 'Frisco still there?
Shucks! We Angelenos forgot that 'Frisco even existed after Sandy Koufax found his "groove".
>>... My son is working with me this week, and we had to work in the Bay area (Oakland Port).
FUN FACT: The old joke is...
Question: Where does a "real man" eat in San Francisco?
Answer: He doesn't. He eats in Oakland.
Oddly enough, circa 1989, I made a road trip up to the B(g)ay Area and stopped in at a bar in Oakland for a drink. This "guy" came on to me so strongly that the bartender slapped his hand and said, "Sto-ooo-p ii-iii-t!".
I haven't been to the B(g)ay Area since then!
Those womens - whether in 'Frisco or Oakland - SCARE me!!!
I saw your unexpected blog bit (post) a night or two ago, and I was compelled to post a comment immediately, but... that "still small voice" in my mind said: "Wait until Sailor Jerry isn't speaking FOR you! And wait until you can restrain yourself from using the words "lib-turd" and "commuhnist moth'r-phuq'rs".
So... I'm still restraining myself and being patient.
But I-- this "COVID-666 SUPER-SPREADER" -- is about to break loose soon and will...
...post a... "super-civilized" comment on your blog bit tomorrow.
I'll be nice, and won't offend anyone; not even those... "fellows" & "phaqfellows" from the B(g)ay Area.
You seem to have some confused... uhm... "foqz" at yer blog. I hope that very soon they will find out which of the 666 gend'rs God assigned them to.
(As they say in the old movies...
"Well... I've said TOO much.")
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
Ah Dude! In case you haven't noticed by my abandoned "writers" blog - I haven't had an original thought in at least two years. And as far as my memory goes, well the phrase "I remember when" pretty much applies to remembering where I parked my car at WalMart. Lol; those "womens" are likely not Women, and maybe there are still real men - ish- in Oakland. They get off the boats at Port and look for diplomatic immunity trouble at the frequently closed restaurants and bars. Sailor Jerry would hide quicker than Jack Sparrow in the B(g)ay Area now. They are still wearing masks and only homeless and criminals walk the streets (of Bakersfield). Oops, wrong genre :)
ReplyDeleteYou won't be the Saint I remember if you are polite at my blogspot. Seriously, don't threaten me with PC behavior. Sailor Jerry - with or without strawberries and whip cream - always welcome. He would be enamored by my Modesto gal, Barefoot Moscoto.
Apropos to our conversation:
Carry on my wayward son!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ZJui3aPoQ
WILD THING ~
DeleteWot? Me, wayward?!
Perish the thought! Why, I've never been wayward. Well... except for that one time when... yeah... and then there was that one night where... yeah... but that was an accident! It coulda happened to anyone.
...And then of course there was that night in Ensenada, Mexico when...
OK, I'll carry on.
>>... "I remember when" pretty much applies to remembering where I parked my car at WalMart.
GOL!
Wait. Seriously? You have a car?
They took mine in Ensenada and I've been saving up to replace it ever since. Do they still make Ford Pintos?
>>... Sailor Jerry would hide quicker than Jack Sparrow in the B(g)ay Area now. They are still wearing masks and only homeless and criminals walk the streets
Ha! And I hear you gotta watch out that you don't step in the people poop when walking down to the liquor store.
>>... You won't be the Saint I remember if you are polite at my blogspot. Seriously, don't threaten me with PC behavior.
I shall endeavor to persevere in being the same outrageous un-PC punkass I always was. (Had babits are hard to break, and if there's one in every crowd, why shouldn't it be me?!)
>>... my Modesto gal, Barefoot Moscoto.
Oh, Modesto! Modesto!
Nothing says "fine wine" to me like "Modesto".
The other night, I actually had a Mickey's malt liquor, just to make sure I don't ever forget "where I came from". I call it, "Not root beer, but ROOTS BEER!"
But now that you've brought Modesto into the ballpark, I think tonight I just may have to seek out some vintage Thunderbird. Or maybe even some Night Train. (True Fact: I was always more of a Night Train guy than a Thunderbird man. I liked the pretty red color!)
~ D-FensDogG
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/2021/07/botb-results-2021-july-1-or-tom-petty.html
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'