BATTLE OF THE BANDS: MARGARITA DAY, 2022 (Or, THE CHAMPS VS. JIMMY BUFFETT)

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HAPPY MARGARITA DAY!

"A Tradition Since 1986... Except For 1994."

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MY FRIENDS, MY FRIENDS ~

It was on January 1, 1986, that my Pa started the tradition of having a Margarita (or two... or more) on every New Year's Day, which came to be called "Margarita Day". Somehow we both inexplicably forgot to have a Maggie on January 1, 1994, and that's how the humorous slogan came to be. Sadly, on April 10, 1996, my Pa passed on, but I have kept our tradition alive every year since then.

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My non-drinking friends (yes, I have a few) may need to be informed that the principal liquor in a Margarita is tequila (also known as "cactus poison"). If you didn't know that, this Battle Of The Bands installment wouldn't make much sense.

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So, please...

1) listen to these two songs, 

2) vote for your favorite one in the comment section, 

3) visit & vote on the BOTB installments posted at the other participants' blogs, and then 

4) go out and have a Margarita (or two... or more) to celebrate the start of the New Year!!

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TEQUILA - The Champs   (#1 in 1958)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_JFLb1IItM

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MARGARITAVILLE - Jimmy Buffett   (#8 in 1977)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CICf8xoLyG8

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Have You A Happy New Year, Y'All!

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

DogGtor of Alcohology & 

King of Inebriation Nation

BOTB RESULTS: DEC. 1, 2021 (Or, ELLA FITZGERALD VS. KAREN CARPENTER)

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The song was 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR'S EVE?' and our contestants were Ella Fitzgerald and Karen Carpenter. The Battle took place [link> HERE.

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It was a good turnout and some fun conversation was had. I sincerely thank each one of you who took the time to visit, listen, and bote.

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It was a very traditional Christmas discussion that took place in the comment section. We covered Taylor Gomez and Selena Swift; Earl Campbell and Larry Csonka; Lampwick, Mr. Magoo and Emily Ratajkowski; inflatable dolls, sex robots and hallucinogenic drugs. You know, just the typical stuffs you find being discussed during a Christmas holiday 'Battle Of The Bands' blog bit.

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I was expecting a likely blowout in Ella's favor, but it didn't play out that way at all. Here's the final tally:

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Ella Fitzgerald = 8 votes

Karen Carpenter = 7 votes

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(Near the end, I was actually starting to get nervous, thinking maybe I'd wind up with a second BOTB tie in a row.)

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I honestly feel that BOTH renditions of the song were excellent. Of course Ella has a marvelous voice and I loved the Big Band arrangement behind her. But my ol' friend G DogG zeroed in on something that I agreed with. In part, he said, "I think Ella does the phrasing like a Sinatra would, meaning ... a bit too ... practiced ... focused more on technique." 

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Yeah, Queen Ella performs the song like the royal ruler she is. There is no hitch in her confidence. Ella gets what Ella wants. But with that natural, God-given quality of "loneliness" in Karen Carpenter's voice, the vulnerability that the song's lyrics are conveying comes through. According to the lyrics, the singer of the song is a little apprehensive, facing the possibility of rejection. You can definitely hear that in Karen's version of the song, because of that unique voice she had. Ella - as great as she was - just glides forward without the slightest bit of hesitation; rejection is an impossibility in Ella's world.

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So, really, Karen makes the song sound very personal; Ella makes it sound like a lovely performance. And THAT is why Karen got my vote in this Battle.

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I hope all y'all will have a Merry Christmas and/or a Happy Holiday, and I hope all y'all will return here again for my January 1st, 2022 Battle on New Year's Day.

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My friends, this is Stephen T. McCarthy saying, "Until next time, this is Stephen T. McCarthy saying, 'Bless And Be Blessed'."

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

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