2021, AUGUST 1: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, THE LENNON SISTERS VS. ANDY WILLIAMS)

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Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Oscar Vs. Grammy, Angel Vs. Demon, Laurel Vs. Hardy, Beer Vs. Wine, TV Vs. Radio, Pitcher Vs. Batter, Paper Vs. Plastic, Reality Vs. Fantasy, Yeshua Vs. Beelzebub, Conservative Vs. Liberal, You Vs. Me, House Vs. Senate, Offense Vs. Defense, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Spy Vs. Spy, Fischer Vs. Spassky, W.C. Fields Vs. Sobriety, Harold Gimpy, Jr. Vs. Sheldon J. Pismire, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Islam Vs. Everything, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...

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BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB)

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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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My bloggin' buddy-ette, [link> Birgit, recently posted a 'Thursday Movie Pick' blog bit about Summer Breaks. In my comment, I mentioned the movie 'A Summer Place', and *THAT* was the inspiration for today's BOTB contest. So, my thanks to Birgit for being the spark that ignited the kindling that burned into a BOTB conflagration. (Betcha didn't think I knew that word, didja?!)

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August being the last month of Summer, I decided to use in this round of BOTB the Theme From 'A Summer Place' - one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard. Theme From 'A Summer Place' happens to be the theme music from the movie 'A Summer Place', which is merely an odd coincidence. The 1959 movie starred Sandra Dee, Troy Donahue, George Bailey's mother, and other performers whom movie-lovers have seen many times.

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Theme From 'A Summer Place' was a MONSTER hit for Percy Faith & His Orchestra in 1960 (17 weeks in the Top 40, and NINE weeks at #1!!) If you were alive in 1960, you heard Percy's recording at least a million and 14.4 times before Jan. 1, 1961. No way in hell would I have put a cover version up against that!!!

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Because this is literally one of the most moving, gorgeous, and bittersweet melodies ever composed, it's been recorded almost countless times, and therefore it took me quite awhile to decide which artists to use. The Art Of The Match-Up is the art of BOTB; take it lightly and you will find yourself in Shutout-land.

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Although my favorite renditions of this Theme are instrumental recordings (a la the original by Percy Faith), I decided to use vocal versions for this Battle, and to use a female vocal group, The Lennon Sisters, against a solo male singer, Andy Williams:

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Wackypedia sez:

For thirteen years, from 1955 to 1968, [The Lennon Sisters] appeared regularly on The Lawrence Welk Show before having their own television variety show called Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters with Jimmy Durante. After their show was cancelled, they partnered with Andy Williams to create a successful Las Vegas residency, which lasted a decade.

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The Lennon Sisters versus their old Las Vegas entertainment partner Andy Williams -- you see what I'm doing here?

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In my BOTB Results post, I am going to have more to say about The Lennon Sisters - or, more specifically, about Dianne "Dee Dee" Lennon (whom I have met in "real life") - so please return for that on August 8th.

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The Lennon Sisters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjASn7pxsQI

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Andy Williams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SeDGvfR0HU

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After you've voted for your favorite of these two recordings here, please be sure to vote in the BOTB contests at the blogs of the other BOTB participants (see the list of Participants in the sidebar to the right... to the right... over THERE --->)

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Stephen T. McCarthy

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BOTB RESULTS: 2021, JULY 1 (Or, TOM PETTY VS. WARREN ZEVON)

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Hokey-Smoke 'n' Hoo-Wee! I am late, Late, LATE to this "wrap-party". Sorry, but I been busy beginning a business. (Somehow, I'm not sure that STMcC is really the businessman sort.)

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The Battle Of The Bands contest took place [link> HERE. It was another in my 'Battle For Los Angeles' series and it featured Tom Petty's 'Century City' versus Warren Zevon's 'Desperados Under The Eaves'. 

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I had a lotta goofy fun in the comment section, and I thank y'all for stopping by to cast yer two cents into the BOTB kitty. Believe it or not, BOTB wouldn't be much fun if no one bothered to listen and vote. "Sailor Jerry" even showed up at one point, but that old sea dog was too drunk to bote!

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Initially, I was skeptical that I would get much of a turnout for this Battle, but y'all came out in full force and I'm truly grateful for your participation. Thank you: MMQE, CAThy, Honest John, Arlee Boid, Birgit, Julio Seis-Abeja, G-DogG, Sheboyganboy VI, Gem Julie, dIEDRE, Mike, Flyin' Aardvark, Judge Al Bondigas, and Wild Thing. (Wild Thing, I still owe you a comment and a response - both "flying in" tomorrow, because... I can't do that sober.)

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As for my own vote in this Battle - although I'm a real fan of both artists - I had to side with Warren Zevon in this match-up. First of all, 'Desperados Under The Eaves' is my favorite Zevon zong of all time. Both Number Six and Judge Al described it as being hymn-like, and they're right. 

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Also, there are just so many things about that zong that tickle me. The singer is sure that if all of California fell into the sea due to a massive earthquake, his motel would still be standing until he paid his bill. Guffaw-Out-Loud! There have been times in my life when I too have had that same level of... optimism.

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Warren Zevon sings that "all the salty Margaritas in Los Angeles" he's "going to drink 'em up". I happen to know from a biography I read that Zevon was a big fan of the Margaritas at El Coyote Mexican Restaurant in L.A., so that's probably the place he had in mind when writing that line. (And, by coincidence, back in the day, El Coyote was also MY favorite place for Margaritas -- and that was a great many years before I learned that Zevon sang the same praises! In fact, I had moved to Phoenix years before I learned about the Zevon & El Coyote connection.)

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And lastly, the way Zevon sings over and over "Look away, down Gower Avenue" has always intrigued me! First of all, Gower is a street (not an avenue) in what used to be a very scroungy part of Hollywood, where the tourists wouldn't go. I remember it well. It ran adjacent to the western side of Paramount Studios, and just to the north of Paramount was the Hollywood Cemetery where (if memory serves me) Rudolph Valentino and/or Bela Lugosi are buried. I used to hang out in the "Gower Gulch" area sometimes. I understand they've cleaned it up quite a bit since the 1970s, but it used to be a real scummy area full of winos, druggies and people like me.

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The way Zevon sings that lyric, it seems to imply that he believes there is some sort of redemption or salvation down on Gower. And I have ALWAYS WONDERED what he had in mind while singing that line over and over toward the end of the song. (Maybe he was thinking of some prostitute he knew who worked on Gower?! I dunno. But 45 years later, I still find it intriguing!) 

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Tom Petty = 4 votes

Warren Zevon = cranked up to 11... votes

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Once again, I thank you all for your BOTB participation and for the fun exchanges in the comment section. I hope to see all y'all here again for my next Battle scheduled for August 1st.

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

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