Tuesday, March 8, 2022

BOTB RESULTS: 2022, MARCH 1 (Or, DICK VAN DYKE & JULIE ANDREWS VS. LOUIS "SATCHMO" ARMSTRONG)

 

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My last Battle Of The Bands installment took place [link> HERE. It pitted Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews against Louis Armstrong over bragging rights of the song 'Chim Chim Cher-ee'.

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Although it certainly wasn't one my most popular BOTB match-ups, I thought it was an interesting contest which elicited some fairly strong opinions (always a goot thang, in my view).

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Aside from the fact that I love the song 'Chim Chim Cher-ee' from the Disney movie 'Mary Poppins', which I also love, this Battle was meant as a test of the two most universally held unwritten Rules amongst longtime BOTBers. To repeat, those "Rules" (or better yet, "time-tested guidelines") are:

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1) Do NOT use a famous rendition of a song against a relatively unknown cover version of it.

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2) Do NOT use one of the legendary crooners against a lesser-known singer. By "legendary crooners", I'm referring to singers such as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, and Bing Crosby. 

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My question was: What if I break BOTH of those Rules simultaneously, and used the most famous rendition of the song against a cover version by one of the "legendary crooners"? Would the two broken rules cancel each other out and leave us with a level playing field?

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Well, I got the answer, and it was "NO!" Rule #1 carries more weight than Rule #2, and inconceivably, that left Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong getting beaten in this match-up!! A lot of BOTB voters (or, BOTB "boters") weren't real crazy about Dick Van Dyke's performance, but he and Andrews still cleaned up. Below are some selected comments from my beloved boters:

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[Armstrong's recording] "...started turning into the "In-a-gadda-da-vida" of Disney interpretations."

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"Dick Van Dyke's Cockney accent is ... generally regarded as the worst in the history of film. ... I wanted to go with Louis, but his seemed weak."

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"...the original just sounds too much like what it is supposed to sound like at this point."

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"I like Satch so much, but this isn't a good song for him. ... It's not a good song for Van Dyke either. He can't sing for beans..."

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"Penis Van Lesbian...er, Dick Van Dyke can't do the cockney accent very well..."

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"...nostalgia wins out and I'm voting for the original movie version."

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So, there ya go! Van Dyke kinda-sorta sucks, but the original version is still preferable to the "legendary crooner's" cover. Interesting, interesting!!

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I most sincerely thank each and every one of you who took the time to visit here, to listen, and to submit a vote & opinion. I'm grateful, mighty grateful!!

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My own feeling about this match-up was quite different from most of the other folks. I actually love BOTH versions of the song and could have happily boted for either one. But since I have to choose between them, I go with Satchmo. I remember hearing his version for the first time, decades ago, and being immediately blown away by it! IMO, he transformed a cool, happy tune into a downright tour de force! 

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One reason I think this song suits Armstrong so well is that he is the singer who popularized the technique known as "scatting", or "scat singing". In Jazz vocals, scatting is vocal improvisation with wordless sounds or nonsense syllables synchronized with the beat or rhythm. It was Satch who made "scatting" a famous thing in music. Other very famous scat singers are Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme. 

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I can honestly say that I don't much care for scatting... UNLESS it's Louis doing it. Somehow, it just seems to be a perfect fit for his too-big-to-be-contained personality. Aside from that, even the title of the song - "Chim Chim Cher-ee" - sounds like an example of scatting. How ideal for Satchmo, the king of scat singing!

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Satch's personality just explodes into this song, and I literally can't think of an example of a singer having more fun performing a tune. I find the bigger-than-life joy that Satchmo exudes in launching himself into this song to be utterly contagious. In his comment, G DogG wrote, "I vote for Armstrong as his voice instantly put a smile on my face". ZACTLY! DITTO!

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I'm actually kind of shocked that most of the voters weren't wild about Armstrong's cover; I feared he was going to clobber Van Dyke & Andrews so thoroughly that I was concerned about a possible shutout. BOTB: the mystery continues.

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FINAL TALLY:

Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews = 7 votes

Louis Armstrong = 5 votes

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As much as I love the original recording, this Battle becomes "no contest" for me at about the 3:08 point when Satchmo is having so much fun with the song that we are treated to that wonderful laugh of his:

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Chim Chim Cher-ee -- Louis Armstrong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22TnKgjEL_U

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Anyway, thanks again to all y'all for participating in this, and I hope to see y'all back here again for my April 1st Battle. I've got all my match-ups already worked out from here through September, and I feel good about all of them. We've got some unique fun stuffs coming in the months ahead.

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

6 comments:

  1. I'm all about breaking the rules. I've even been doing my blogging while not wearing a mask. Okay, the mask crap has supposedly been dropped, but I'm still seeing lots of folks wearing masks here. Bunch of idiots!

    Armstrong is a tough one to go up against, but the soundtrack version IS the real version even if it is Dick with a Cockney accent. It's his schtick of over-the-top corniness and I've got no problem with that.

    And in this match I actually picked the one that turned out to be the favorite. How unusual for me. Your ratio in the final tally was pretty close--closer than what I ended up with. Not bad for you, but so so for me. And so it goes.

    I'm planning a midmonth Battle for my Challenge April month. But that's what I do. I'll hack out the Battle so I can focus more on hacking out A to Z posts.

    If I could get paid for all my blogging efforts I'd go buy a gallon of gas.

    Later.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BOIDMAN ~

      >>... If I could get paid for all my blogging efforts I'd go buy a gallon of gas.

      Ha!-Ha!
      Ain't we got fun?!
      And it's about to get a whole lot mo' funner! We ain't seen nuttin' yet!!

      >>... I've even been doing my blogging while not wearing a mask.

      WHOA! Even *I* won't go THAT far! Whaddaya tryin' to do, kill granny or sumpin'?!

      This Battle of mine seemed so lopsided that when I wrote up my BOTB Results post, I mentioned a couple times how Satchmo got his butt kicked. Then when the writing was done, I went back to count up the votes and was SHOCKED to see that Satchmo only lost by 2 botes!!

      Well, he got the final three (counting mine) and staged a good comeback, leaving me with a pert-dern good Battle after all.

      As mentioned, I've got all my Battles lined up through Sept. 1st. And I suspect that might be my last one because... anti-Christ.

      We'll see. But we sure are living in "interesting times".

      ~ D-FensDogG
      LEARN THE HOLY BIBLE IN 15 MINUTES!

      Delete
  2. Like doctors and nurses who wear masks in order to not spread disease when they operate or even see people in regular times, this idiot still wears a mask😁🤪😷. Once covid is part of history, if there is a cold going around, I will wear a mask because it does help in prevention. Not totally but it helps and I can get quite sick, look at me start this thang. Ok, ok....so I’m glad Penis and Julie won even though I love Louis. I just didn’t feel this song fit his style. Now, I will sing...you will use your mask then...to put into your ears to try and drown me out:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am neither a Right-winger or a Left-winger; neither a Republican or a Democrat; not a Conservative nor a Communist; not a Trump nor a Biden supporter. I describe myself strictly as a Constitutionalist of the Anti-Federalist variety. Which means I am pro-freedom and anti-tyranny. And in my support of liberty, I believe everyone should be free to do whatever they determine to be best for their health.

      If someone wants to face diaper-up every time they leave their house, and wants to get double vaxxed and boostered 666 times a year, I have no problem with that. (I'm also a fan of the Darwin Awards.) But likewise, I insist on being free to do whatever I determine to be best for me. And in my case, that means being diaper-free and un-vaxxed. It's when those who think 180-degrees differently from me believe they have a right to dictate what is done with my own God-given body that... there will be blood.

      Excellent, highly recommended documentary:

      [Link> TERRAIN (part 1): Stork Flu

      [Link> TERRAIN (part 2): Passing the Torch

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
  3. Stephen,

    I'm surprised Louis did as well as he did. I'm not at all shocked to learn Dick & Julie won. Thanks for reporting the outcome. You asked about an April 1st BOTB. I have one lined up but I may push it off until May with the A to Z Challenge starting on the 1st but we'll see. I may change my mind which I'm doing a lot lately. Have a good day, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CAThy ~

      Thanks for stopping by to check on my BOTB Results.

      Even though I feel Satchmo *owns* this song, neither am I completely surprised that Team Dick & Julie won, because Rule #1 is a real thing.

      Here's hoping you change your mind. But if'n ya don't, I'll be there with my two cents whenever your next BOTB installment appears.

      Bless And Be Blessed!!

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete

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