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My eternal gratitude to everyone who came by to read my Battle Of The Bands Tribute to Barbara (a.k.a. FarAwayEyes, FAE, Nitro Wilbury Babskiddo) and submitted a vote in the contest which took place > HERE. And a very special Thanks & shout-out to my friend > 'Wild Thing' Donna for writing & posting her own BOTB Tribute to FAE.
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My contest was a rare 3-Way between 'Far Away Eyes' (The Rolling Stones) versus 'Summertime' (Janis Joplin) versus 'Wildflowers' (Tom Petty).
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I predicted the outcome of this BOTB installment precisely! I must be sikike! Despite the title of the Rolling Stones' song 'Far Away Eyes', which Barbara had borrowed for her online pseudonym, Tom Petty's 'WILDFLOWERS' was the perfect musical epitaph for FarAwayEyes (Barbara). Without a doubt, I knew in advance that The Stones' 'Far Away Eyes' was the biggest underdog in this Battle and that it might not get a single vote (and, no, it didn't), but I still felt that it needed to be in this BOTB contest.
I was 422.83% sure that Mr. Petty would run away with the victory here. I have no doubt that Barbara herself would have voted for Tom and is looking down at these Results, very pleased with them!
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FINAL TALLY:
The Rolling Stones = 0 votes
Janis Joplin = 4 votes
Tom Petty = 9 votes
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I gave Janis Joplin my own vote. Honestly, I was never a real Joplin fan. As mentioned, I went to see Big Brother & The Holding Company perform on August 3rd primarily because I was thinking about how I'd once told FAE that she had "Janis Joplin Hair". I was thinking that the only J.J. songs I liked were 'Piece Of My Heart' & 'Me And Bobby McGee'.
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But when the band launched into 'Summertime', I had one of those "Uhp! I'm an idiot!" moments. I had forgotten all about that song & the history I have with it. (It's a Senior Citizen thang.)
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First of all, the passion in Joplin's singing!...
"Honey, n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nothing's going to harm you now!"
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While hearing the following lyrics sung on Aug. 3rd, I *knew* this song was intended to be in my BOTB Tribute to FAE:
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One of these mornings
You're gonna rise, rise up singing
You're gonna spread your wings
Child, take to the sky
Lord, the sky
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I also remembered how this song is connected to another dear departed friend of mine. I've mentioned my acting buddy Marty, who was killed by a car thief in 1989. In 1981, when the movie 'American Pop' was released, Marty and I went to see it together. We both loved it. I later bought the soundtrack LP (which turned me onto Dave Brubeck's 'Take Five', which turned me into a Jazz fan).
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Marty identified with the character Tony in 'American Pop', and one year for his birthday, I created an oil painting for him, 4' to 4'5" tall of this image:
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It came from the following scene in 'American Pop':
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So, today, I have that song and that imagery associated in my mind with two good friends who have gone on to Heaven before me.
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I'm pleased that Tom Petty's 'Wildflowers' won this Battle, but I'm equally pleased that I was inspired by The Spirit to use Joplin's 'Summertime' in this BOTB Tribute.
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I'm pleased that Tom Petty's 'Wildflowers' won this Battle, but I'm equally pleased that I was inspired by The Spirit to use Joplin's 'Summertime' in this BOTB Tribute.
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I intend to eventually write a full-length Tribute to Barbara and post it on my 'Stuffs' blog (and I'll post a link to it on this site). Before that happens, however, I'll need to look through a lot of old Emails. (Is 963 a lot?) Prior to that, I'm planning to return here with a new BOTB's Battle Of The Booze installment on September 1st. I hope you all will return here, too. Until then...
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Bless & Be Blessed!!
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(a.k.a. Stephen T. McCarthy)
I agree that the outcome was as it should have been except that I think the Stones should have gotten at least one vote for their effort and song title. Great Battle! I think FAE would have been pleased.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteIt wasn't a close Battle, but I feel in my heart that it was a good Battle. And, it was exactly what I had expected, therefore there's no disappointment on my part.
~ D-FensDogG
I agree with Lee: too bad the Stones didn't get at least one vote. But of course I was not willing to BE that vote! Frankly, I was surprised that your vote was for Janis. I thought that you and I (and FAE) were "Petty People" (I am a petty person in a different way!) But NOOOOOO... you voted against him!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your tribute to Far Away Eyes eventually. Don't feel any pressure about living up to any praise from me! It will be marvelous, whatever it is, and in whatever time frame. Even if not many of us get to read it, SHE will appreciate the brotherly love you express!
Six
SIR SIX ~
DeleteTom Petty seems like he was one of the few truly good guys in Rock music, and I like (if not love) the majority of his songs.
I bought his debut album even *before* 'Breakdown' had become a Top 40 hit. Oddly, some of his most popular songs never really appealed to me much (e.g., 'Free Fallin'', 'The Waiting', 'Learning To Fly', etc.) But 'Runnin' Down A Dream' is unquestionably one of the all-time great "Pedal To The Metal" songs.
To one degree or another, I like all 3 of the songs I used in this Battle, and I think 'Wildflowers' was the perfect song for a FAE Tribute. However, to me, 'Wildflowers' is a bit too... uhm... "fluffy"(?) I like it mostly because FAE loved it.
~ D-FensDogG
I was surprised you voted for Janis too, until I read the rest of your post. Very touching about your friend Marty, as well as FAE. Since Tom Petty was her favourite, the result is as it should be!
ReplyDeleteThanks, DEBBIE The Doglady! ~
DeleteOne should never feel too certain that they "know" me, because even I occasionally surprise myself. GOL!
Yeah, I don't care for most of Joplin's recordings, but 'Summertime' I *do* like, for multiple reasons. And of the three songs in this Battle, I definitely prefer it. (Believe it or not, if this contest had been just 'Far Away Eyes' versus 'Wildflowers', The Rolling Stones probably would have gotten a vote - mine.)
~ Stephen
Excellent battle, Stephen T.! As send-offs go, this was stellar. Thanks for allowing me, and anyone else who didn't know before now, to share in this tribute to remarkable beginnings ;-)
ReplyDeletedIEDRE ~
DeleteHey, thanks! I appreciate your participation. The Battle went as I had hoped it would. Even though I myself did not vote for it, I'm glad that 'Wildflowers' won in convincing fashion. I know that's as Nitro would have wanted it.
When I finally get a "proper" memorial written and posted, it will include a few more songs that I associate in my mind with the original "BOTBer".
See ya on September 1st?
~ D-FensDogG
Hi, Stephen!
DeleteIndeed, I am back. And if that wasn't Covid that knocked me for a loop I don't want to know what it was (yikes).
I've got a BOTB in mind for Sept. 1st that I've been planning on a for awhile. I'll have to do it on the road as summer winds entice a summer trek ;-)
See ya there!
Glad to hear you're feeling better, dIEDRE!
DeleteI've found that the trick is in NOT believing in covid. If you don't believe in it, it cannot believe in you, either. (Also, I don't even give it enough respect to capitalize it.)
Looking forward to your next Battle. 'Summer winds'... hmmm.... I can't help wondering if that could be a *hint*. I s'pose I'll find out soon enough.
~ D-FensDogG