First and foremost, as always, I sincerely thank you -- each and every one of youse who took the time to visit and drop "two bits" into my September 1st BATTLE OF THE BANDS slot machine here.
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| Martin & Lewis in 'Hollywood Or Bust' |
We were playing with a Lady Luck (or, "Blow On The Dice") theme featuring 'Luck Be A Lady' by Frank Sinatra and 'Lady Luck' by Kenny Loggins. The conversation in the comment section was fun -- kind of like how Las Vegas used to be. The only thing missing was three olives surrounded by a Martini.
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My
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FINAL TALLY
Frank Sinatra = 7 votes
Kenny Loggins = 5 votes
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In my opinion, Kenny Loggins' 1977 debut solo album 'Celebrate Me Home' was the best music he ever recorded! I did like a little of what he recorded with Jim Messina. Kenny's massive hit, 'Footloose', got played regularly in Los Angeles clubs in 1984 & '85. I always liked 'Footloose', primarily because it was the *only* song that I thought I could actually dance to fairly well. (When 'Footloose' played, I'd ask a gal to dance and I'd get on down with muh bad self!)
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Sure, the title track, 'Celebrate Me Home', eventually became a Holiday staple. But otherwise, the album was completely ignored despite containing what I feel was Kenny's most impressive and expressive singing ever. It also included musical contributions by some exceptional players such as Bob James, Richard Tee, Lee Ritenour, Tommy Tedesco, Eric Gale, Robben Ford, Dean Parks, and Steve Gadd (one of my favorite drummers ever).
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Hiram Bullock's playing at the end of [link> 'Lady Luck' has always been on my short list of very favorite electric guitar solos! That guitar is so amped up that you can hear the crackling of electricity just before Hiram hits the first searing note of his searing solo! "Cranked up to twelve, Baby! TWELVE!!" (Play it LOUD or... eat your prunes, brush your teeth and go to bed!)
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I consider this album to be one of the all-time most underrated by anyone! Kenny's singing -- his control and range (sweet & guttural) -- *still* knocks me out, and 'Celebrate Me Home' remains one of my most frequently played compact discs. If I were going to recommend just *one* song from the recording to highlight the greatness of it -- Kenny's vocals & the terrific musicianship -- I think I would point people to 'Daddy's Back'.
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'Daddy's Back' by Kenny Loggins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLVdA6l3S38
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Well, thanks again all y'all for giving me another successful BOTB installment. Daddy'll be back on October 1st for another round o' fun. Until then, may you all have The Best Of Luck and continue to...
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Well, thanks again all y'all for giving me another successful BOTB installment. Daddy'll be back on October 1st for another round o' fun. Until then, may you all have The Best Of Luck and continue to...
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...Bless And Be Blessed!!
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~ Stephen
(D-FensDogG & The Joker Of Clubs)
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~ Stephen
(D-FensDogG & The Joker Of Clubs)
That was a good outcome--well balanced unlike my own, but I'm happy with the way my results turned out.
ReplyDeleteThree olives in a martini? That's the way I make mine. I've been drinking martinis of late. Got a long way to go because I got a really big bottle of gin recently and I can't drink that stuff very fast. Finally getting rid of all the olives I got at Costco a while back.
Lee
>>... Finally getting rid of all the olives I got at Costco a while back.
DeleteHa!-Ha! That sounds like something *I* would say, Lee. Gotta drink Martinis so these olives don't go to waste!
I've always been a three-olive Martini guy. That way you satisfy the USDA's daily recommendation for fruit.
Somehow I can't think Vegas and Deano without thinking Martini. They belong together like Moe, Larry & Curly... or Manny, Moe & Jack... or Batman, Robin & Catwoman.
~ Stephen
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation
There was some serious guitar talent on the Kenny Loggins album.
ReplyDeleteAbbalouly! Easily on my list of 'Top 5 Favorite Debut Albums' (even though Kenny had made LPs before).
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Wow, this was closer than I would have predicted. A terrific stroll down memory (considering that's about all the good that's left) lane, too.
ReplyDelete"Celebrate Me Home" will always remind me of my first Christmas away from Arizona. I stared at five feet of snow and swore I'd never take another saguaro for granted ;-)
Fantabulous comment, dIEDRE!
Delete(As a 20-year veteran of Phoenix, I can attest that there's something to say for cacti!)
>>... "stroll down memory (considering that's about all the good that's left) lane"
HA! I know zactly what you mean! I just got done watching 27 videos (i.e., 4 hours) on a ScrewYouTube playlist I created titled 'GOLDENSHADOWLAND'. Essentially, it's all about "The Good Ol' Days".
I really *LOVE* the song 'Celebrate Me Home', and I did from the first time I heard it in 1977, after buying Kenny's just-released solo album. But, oddly, I never really thought of the song as a tribute to "spending time with the folks during the Holidays" until it started getting massive FM radio play years later during November and December. (That song would have been a smash hit with veterans during WWII.)
I appreciate the fact that you helped keep Kenny in the race during this BOTB contest.
~ D-FensDogG
You tie your thoughts together well in your BotB summaries. And you never fail to have a strong opinion about the music. "Daddy's Back" is a great example of what you like and what is good about him. And I am glad I mentioned that guitar solo in my comment, since you hit on it too. It's a goodie, even though the song as a whole doesn't move me much.
ReplyDeleteI cannot help but think that your comment "I did like a little of what he recorded with Jim Messina" was aimed at me. As I hinted in the battle and as you know, I loved Loggins and Messina and like it better than Loggins' solo career. I do really like Loggins on his own, but the combination with Messina had less of a pop feel. They combined elements of rock, jazz, and country that really gets me. "On Stage" by L&M is perhaps my favorite live album.
Loggins was and is a tremendous talent. You'll recall that I suggested you watch his episode on "Live From Daryl's House." Watching how this consummate professional works and how good he is whilst winging it was really fun.
Sixgun McItchyfinger
Sheboyganbrother! ~
DeleteWhat a pleasant surprise to find you here! You comment on BOTB Results posts about as often as I draw four kings in a video poker hand.
I have strong opinions about... everything!
(Except for politics & religion. I leave those subjects to the experts. ;^)
No, the remark about Loggins & Messina was not aimed at you. I was merely trying to illustrate that, speaking strictly for myself, the 'Celebrate' album was the highlight of Kenny's career (a full album that I dearly love), sandwiched between stuffs that I wasn't particularly wild about.
The only two Loggins albums I've ever bought were 'The Best Of Friends' (L&M) and 'Celebrate...'. Of the 10 songs on that 'Best Of' collection, there are only 3 that I really like. The other 7 have always remained immediately forgettable to me. And then the vast majority of the massive hits that Kenny had in the '80s (exceptions: 'This Is It' & 'Footloose') didn't appeal to me at all. To my ears, most of it sounded like Disco-fied Simple-Minded Pop.
The 1977 'Celebrate' album seems like a very different animal from all his other music that I've heard. In fact, other than 'Lady Luck', 'Daddy's Back' and maybe 'I've Got The Melody', it almost sounds like he was singing old Standards that my Ma & Pa would have listened to. The album *does* close with an old Standard ('You Don't Know Me'), and so much of the originals were in a similar vein. I've always felt that Kenny somehow anticipated one year earlier the trend that began in 1978 with Willie Nelson's monster hit of Standards 'Stardust', produced by Booker T. Jones. (I love that album, too! My Pa turned me onto that one.)
I've never heard the 'On Stage' album but I will definitely check it out at YT. And I remember starting to watch that "Live From Daryl's House" episode once. But then something occurred which distracted me and I never remembered to get back to it. But maybe I'll turn that into a TRT (The Retro Theatre) session for the boys and I. I'm still interested in seeing the whole episode. I just checked and it's still available at YT (50 minutes, right?)
Thanks for stopping by, McBrother Sixgun.
(Listen, I've always wondered... do you tie your holster down for quick draws? Or are you so fast that you don't even need to bother with leather tie-downs? ;^)
~ D-FensDogG
The holster is always tied to the leg, low. And the trigger loop is OFF.
DeleteYeah, that "Simple-Minded Pop" that you mentioned is also why I don't like his later stuff as well as the early stuff. I LIKED it (being simple-minded myself,) but...
The L&M work combined all those elements I mentioned before. I have a few Jim Messina solo albums also, and he could be pretty jazzy. He also was country, evidenced by his Poco work. Loggins and Messina combined to make a better whole, IMO. Like McCartney being too silly and Lennon too cynical, together they watered each other down and created fabulous stuffs.
"Angry Eyes," "Golden Ribbons" (harmonies and guitars and horns!) Great stuffs to me. That means you'll undoubtedly hate it!
"On Stage" is great, but long. It is two albums so what is that??? 20 minutes times four?
Six
"Kid" Curry (a.k.a. Thaddeus Jones) ~
Delete>>... Like McCartney being too silly and Lennon too cynical, together they watered each other down and created fabulous stuffs.
Eh.
>>... "Angry Eyes," "Golden Ribbons" (harmonies and guitars and horns!) Great stuffs to me. That means you'll undoubtedly hate it!
Not necessarily. Although 'Angry Eyes' is one of the songs on my 'Best Of L&M' that has never appealed to me. However, maybe I'll like it better live. I'm making 'On Stage' my 'Morning Music With Joe' selection for the next several mornings to see what I think o' it.
Try not to plug anybody this weekend, Kid.
~ D-FensDogG
POSTSCRIPT: Really diggin' 'Holiday Hotel', which is playing as I type these woids.
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your thoughtfulness, prayers, and consoling words with the passing of my daddy. It's been a difficult time. My peace comes from the Lord. I know Daddy is free from earthly suffering and resting in His presence. One day, I will see him again.
I had to go back to see how I voted. I totally forgot that I cast my vote for Frank. I do enjoy Kenny Loggins talent. I'm glad you shared this unknown to me track. Thanks for sharing the close outcome news of your battle. I failed to report the total tally but it was horribly lopsided with the winner taking 98% of the votes. I do have a mid-month battle running. Feel free to take part in it when you get a chance.
My mind is scrambling today. I have tooth pain that came on when we left town for Daddy's funeral and staying with me the entire weekend. I saw the dentist on Monday and then again yesterday. I'm going to need a root canal on one or maybe both of the teeth under my bridge.
The good news is, my son and his wife are at the hospital having a baby. This news will be like the rainbow after a terrible rainstorm. I'm looking forward to meeting my new grandson soon.
It's truly a blessing to know I have a fellow brother in Christ to lift me up in difficult times. Blessings to you, my friend!
CAThy ~
DeleteTerribly sad news immediately followed by wonderfully joyful news. How like Life! We should never let the valleys get us down too badly because that just means we'll be on top of a mountain again soon enough. (Trite but true.)
No worries about BOTB Results. They're just little footnotes in Ye Olde Book Of Life. I will definitely get over to your place to check out you mid-month Battle asap.
And best o' luck with the teethms. Dentists are much better doing root canals now than they used to be. Until then, try putting a little Wild Turkey 101 on those teeth, but be careful not to swallow any of it. That stuff is poison to the liver. (I wouldn't use it at all if it weren't for the fact that my doctor prescribes it for my broken heart.)
~ D-FensDogG