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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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That was quite an outcome! The way I like 'em. I agree that both versions were excellent. but I thought that Ella's version had that special something. However in any other match-up with Karen, The Little Drummer Girl would have gotten my vote. I might have given her a sandwich as well.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteYeah, this turned out to be a really goot Battle! (The *ONLY* way it could have been better is if Karen won, and it was *MY* vote what gave her the victory.)
>>... I thought that Ella's version had that special something.
Is that anything like "secret special sauce"? I made the mistake of asking what was in the secret special sauce once. I won't be making *THAT* mistake again! (I also won't be eating there again, either.)
>>... I might have given her a sandwich as well.
Uhm... I guess I won't say what I was about to say. It being Christmastime an' all, and me having a pure, undefiled mind an' all. ;-)
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
I just happened to stop by, Stephen T, and seeing the name of Karen Carpenter, made me smile and sad at the same time. I think she had one of the most beautiful singing voices of all time. I love to sing along with her whenever I hear her...usually while flying down the highway going to or coming home from my part-time job. I especially love her songs on their Christmas album.
ReplyDeleteHiYa, BECKY-O! ~
DeleteLong time, no yak. How ya been, my friend?
Karen Carpenter is my favorite singer ever. There was a quality in her voice that just awakens the "goldenshadow" in me.
It would be impossible for me to name a single favorite song by The Carpenters, but a few that come immediately to mind are...
'We've Only Just Begun'
'Superstar'
'Rainy Days & Mondays'
'Goodbye To Love'
'Yesterday Once More'
...and one I got from Arlee Bird -- 'This Masquerade'. Lee used it in a BOTB some time ago. I'd never heard The Carpenters' version of that song before and it completely knocked me out. Even I couldn't believe how great Karen sang that - PERFECT! - and I went right out and bought the compact disc which included their rendition of 'This Masquerade'.
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
A fitting result, I'd say, as both women had beautiful voices. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Stephen! 🎄
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE D'DOGLADY ~
DeleteThanks for checking up on the outcome! Yes, this was a Battle that really pleased me. Although I knew from the get-go that I was voting for Karen, I kinda thought Ella might run away with this contest. However, it seems most of the Karen voters waited until late to check in, giving her quite a massive comeback, which fell just one bote short of a tie.
I hope your Holiday is wonderful -- filled with love, peace, and good wine! [;^)}
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy STUFFS'
Your insight into the songs/artists inspired me to listen to them again to see your point of view. I knew that "whatever wants and gets" phrase from somewhere: Ella's "Whatever Lola Wants" song.
ReplyDeleteWishing you the best Christmas from Lola Heatherton (surely a name mix of Lola Falana and Joey Heatherton). And I'll be a uncle's monkey if she isn't better than Phylis Rivers or Joan Diller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCDW-HA2Vtc
Cheers to ya S- Man.
G DOGG in the how-www-se!
DeleteGoing way back as far as my BigBitch.com reviews, I've always dropped tons and tons of references and obscure winks & nods to different people, places, & things. I know you definitely caught some of them in the BigBitch years, but the vast majority of my winks & nods went unmentioned (and likely unnoticed). However, it kept the writing interesting for me.
As I recall, some of the obscure references I used most frequently hearkened back to old Cheech y Chong skits, old Bill Cosby skits, and Dragnet's Christmas program 'The Big Little Jesus'. And just too many more to recall.
Mang, I LOVED me SCTV! It was everything that SNL always aspired to be (i.e., "genuinely funny"). And there wasn't nuttin' better'n Count Floyd. "Vedy skeddy, huh kids?!"
Thanks for visiting my BOTB Results post, Brother DogG!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy STUFFS'
Hey Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI'm late checking back with you on your BOTB results. Whew, what a tight showdown! Both artists are fabulous, so I understand why the numbers were so close. I believe I ended up going with Ella in this round. Her voice was so beautiful!
HiYa, CAThy!
DeleteYes, this was one heckuva good Battle. So, over the course of my last two BOTB installments, the vote differential between winners and losers (counting BOTH Battles) is exactly... one.
Looks like I've rediscovered the BOTB formula... yet again. ;^)
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
Hey Stephen T. Did you get my email I sent last week? I'm going to post comments on my blog teal soon and reply to them. Let me know ok?
ReplyDeleteHowdy, BECKY-O!
DeleteI just returned last night from what was supposed to be a "vacation" but which turned into something more resembling "a grueling trip".
But, yes, I did receive your Email. Thanks!
~ D-FensDogG
LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!
I'm so sorry about your grueling trip! You can tell me more in an email if you want to. I'm going back over to my blog now to reply to your commentssssssss1
DeleteMerry Christmas Bro-Man. The song link is a punky classic you may have heard. If so, again, it doesn't get more Irish than this.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv0hlbWpa1w
Cheers,
G Dogg (I forgot you gave me the honor of capital G) G DogG
Brother McG-DogG ~
DeleteI hope yer havin' a wonderful Christmas (including plenty of Merry on the rocks!)
Right from the start of the intro of that song, my mind went IMMEDIATELY to "Tom Waits".
And then my second thought was, naturally, THIS one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxVo5mjK4eg
Somehow, nuttin' sez Christmas quite like rum & egg nog in the drunk tank, or a Christmas card from a Minneapolis hooker in an Ensenada jail!
May you not even see a cop today, let alone have to answer one's questions!
Thanks for the Christmas wish and the traditional song dun right! Stay well but not-too-sober, and I hope to see ya here again on New Year's Day. We're gonna have Margarita's here on January 1st, so you don't wanna miss *that*, McBro!
Love (John Wayne! John Wayne!),
~ STMc*burp*C
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation