2017, OCT. 15: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, TAJ MAHAL VS. VAN MORRISON)

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'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB')
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Yes, it's time once again for 'Battle Of The Bands' ('BOTB').
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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EUGENE  MARTONE  VS.  JACK  BUTLER

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Yes, yes, yes! I know perfectly well that this BOTB blog bit is going to be a really bad blowout. And I'm alright with that, because it's what I expect. I only hope this doesn't actually become my first ever BOTB shutout -- which, I fear, is a possibility.
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GOODNIKS  VS.  NO-GOODNIKS

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In Arlee Bird's September 15th BOTB installment, he used the classic Blues song 'GOOD MORNING, LITTLE SCHOOL GIRL', pitting Johnny Winter against Taj Mahal, with the latter winning 12-8.

The song was written by the legendary Sonny Boy Williamson, but the first rendition I ever heard was by the equally legendary Muddy H2Os. I love Muddy so much that I even named my best friend (a stuffed dog) after him!

In the introduction to his Battle, Lee wrote the following:

This song is among the earliest that I placed on my BOTB someday queue.

And I replied:

Same here, LEE. This was probably one of the first 12 songs I listed when I started writing down potential BOTB material. The only problem was that I couldn't find what I felt was the right match-up.

One version that I was determined to use is so good I felt it would clobber every other recording I could find -- including Muddy Waters' version!

So, in almost 3 years of BOTB, I still haven't used this song. But perhaps I'll put my choice against whoever wins this Battle of yours and have them fight for the title. That way if it's a shutout, all of the blame won't fully rest on me. Ha!

When the Countess and I started going together, she was a UCLA student and I was a UCLA employee. I got in the habit of saying to her, "Good Morning, Little School Girl", the first thing after she'd wake up. 

The first time I went to the L.A. Blues Festival, next to the Watts Towers, TAJ MAHAL was the headlining act. And he gets my vote here.
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"GOOD  MORNING,  LITTLE  SCHOOL  GIRL"

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Lee responded:

STMcC, I'd have figured somebody would have used this song by now. ... There are so many excellent -- and interesting -- versions that coming up with matches shouldn't be too much of a problem. Hope you'll do the rematch as I'd like to see which version would have been your choice.

And so, here it comes... Lee's winner, Taj Mahal, versus the cover that I think would clobber every other recording of this song in a BOTB match-up. We'll see whether or not I may be right.

Question: Am I right?
The Magic 8-Ball sez:  "Most Likely"
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GODZILLA  VS.  KING  KONG

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Taj Mahal -- Good Morning, Little School Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129-wRooR8o

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RIDDLER  VS  BATMAN

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Van Morrison -- Good Morning, Little School Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xndDvXANtFg

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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. 

After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to vice your voice ...vote your vice ...voice your vote.)

Voice Your Vote...

@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'RIGHTING & EDITING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'YOUR DAILY DOSE' by clicking HERE.

As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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BOTB RESULTS - 2017, SEPT. 15: HOWLIN' WOLF VS. LUCKY PETERSON

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Once again, my Battle Of The Bands installment had a lower voter turnout than it used to have. A couple of my regular DogG and DogGettes did not show up. But beyond that, it just seems the BOTB flame is flickerin'. Oh, well. What can ya do? (Me? I'll just pour some Cruzan Black Strap Rum and make it all better. RRRrrrrr! )

I very sincerely thank each and every one of you who took time out from your life to listen, think, and vote here. You are appreciated.

This was actually a really good Battle (click HERE to see it) and just what I was hoping for. Both versions of WHO'S BEEN TALKIN' were really excellent in my opinion, and several voters expressed the same opinion. And that's why I was surprised when Lucky Peterson came roaring out of the chute and so quickly established a lead over the legendary Howlin' Wolf. It looked like a blowout in the making.

With 6 votes in, Lucky had 5 of 'em! But he was tangling with a howlin' Wolf who came back ferociously. After those first 6 votes came in, Lucky got only 1 more for the duration of the Battle. Even though I too love Lucky's recording, my vote also went to the great, gritty Howlin' Wolf. The outcome looked like this:

Howlin' Wolf = 9 votes

Lucky Peterson = 6 votes

Close Battle, as I thought it should be and fully expected it would be.

Wolf's version of the song was a re-recording that came from an album titled 'The London Sessions', which featured a number of famous British Rock 'N' Rollers such as Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. If you're interested in reading my full (and kinda funny) review of that album, click here: 

LISTEN, BABY, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LOVED BY A MAN THEY CALL THE WOLF?

I thank you all again for your votes and invite you to return here on October 15th when I will present another BOTB installment featuring thrills, chills, and spills. Uh... well, featuring music, if nuttin' else. But of course there's always a chance I'll spill my Rum and "drop my wallet".

If this low vote count continues, I may have to start incorporating some pornographic photos into my BOTB installments. Nuttin' too dirty, ya un'erstan'? Just tastefully sexy with lots of class. You know, like photos of convertible Cadillacs with their tops down. Who doesn't get turned on by a topless Caddy?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-NAHH1yAfY


~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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2017, SEPT. 15: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, HOWLIN' WOLF VERSUS LUCKY PETERSON)

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Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Oscar Vs. Grammy, Angel Vs. Demon, Laurel Vs. Hardy, Beer Vs. Wine, TV Vs. Radio, Pitcher Vs. Batter, Paper Vs. Plastic, Reality Vs. Fantasy, Yeshua Vs. Beelzebub, Conservative Vs. Liberal, You Vs. Me, House Vs. Senate, Offense Vs. Defense, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Spy Vs. Spy, Fischer Vs. Spassky, W.C. Fields Vs. Sobriety, Harold Gimpy, Jr. Vs. Sheldon J. Pismire, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Islam Vs. Everything, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...
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'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB')
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Yes, it's time once again for 'Battle Of The Bands' ('BOTB').
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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Today's song is WHO'S BEEN TALKIN'? which was written and first recorded in 1957 by Chester Burnett. You know who that was, right? Huh? You DON'T? Well, Hokey-Smoke! Lemme edgeuhkate you.
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Wackypedia sez: Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 – January 10, 1976), known as Howlin' Wolf, was a Chicago blues singer, guitarist, and harmonica player, originally from Mississippi. With a booming voice and looming physical presence, he is one of the best-known Chicago blues artists.
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Suffice to say that if there were a Mount Rushmore national monument to Blues musicians, Howlin' Wolf's image would be one of the four carved into it. Nuff sed.
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* Remember, unless you're asked to do otherwise, you're meant to evaluate the songs musically ONLY -- not taking into account the video images or stage performances. And, no, I'm NOT asking you to do otherwise. These are both pretty cool videos, so please close your eyes if you think they might influence your vote.
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WHO'S BEEN TALKIN'? -- Howlin' Wolf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDBP1GNDriI

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Our next competitor is not as famous, although in my opinion he ought to be a household name. Lucky Peterson recorded his first album when he was five (5!) years old! I didn't discover him until 1989, when I bought his fourth album 'Lucky Strikes', which he released when he was an old man of twenty-five. 
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Y'all know that I firmly believe in [link:] reincarnation, right? I used to ask people to 'splain to me how this kid could have come right out of the womb with so much musical talent if his soul hadn't occupied a previous body in which it studied music. Lucky's 5th album in 1990 was called 'Triple Play' because aside from the lead vocals, he was also playing all the lead guitar and keyboards.
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Alright, let's listen to Lucky's soulful rendition of Howlin' Wolf's classic...
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WHO'S BEEN TALKIN'? -- Lucky Peterson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXq__HZAcSE

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Question: Will Lucky Peterson beat Howlin' Wolf?
MAGIC 8-BALL sez:   They will Tie.
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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. 

After voting here, I suggest -- actually I insist -- you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. 

Voice Your Vote...

@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'RIGHTING & EDITING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'YOUR DAILY DOSE' by clicking HERE.

As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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BOTB RESULTS: 2017, AUG. 15 (Or, JIMMY DORSEY VERSUS HERB ALPERT)

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Well, well, well. Another BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB) installment in the books, and another embarrassing black eye for the MAGIC 8-BALL's reputation.
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The Battle (using that word loosely) took place (link:] HERE, and that makes two consecutive BOTB blowouts for me. WTH? I think I've lost my BOTB touch. (I must be low on the electrolytes I crave.) I'm in the doghouse with myself!

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Anyway... I sincerely do thank each and every one of you for coming by my blog doghouse to listen and cast a vote. You are all appreciated by me!

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This Battle, however, didn't end quit as badly as it began. I think the first five votes all went for HERB ALPERT & THE TIJUANA BRASS version of the song 'TANGERINE' -- causing me to begin fretting about a shutout. But then Sixgun McItchyfinger showed up to cast a vote for the Jimmy Dorsey team and that got the 8-ball rolling a little bit. Nevertheless, it was one-sided from the get-go and remained that way for the duration.

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Like the majority, my vote also went South Of The Border. For me, 'TANGERINE' is really all about that gorgeously lilting, haunting melody.

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The sad and final tally looked like this:

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Jimmy Dorsey (w/ Bob & Helen) = 6 votes

Herb Alpert & The TJ Brass = 11 votes.

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Yep. Herb's votes went "up to eleven".

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I hope to see you all here again on September 15th when I will have a real nail-biting Battle. Isn't that right, Magic 8-Ball? ...Oh, why do I even bother to ask YOU ?

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

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2017, AUGUST 15: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, JIMMY DORSEY VERSUS HERB ALPERT)

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Yes, it's the 15th of the month and that means that it's time once again for 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB').

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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...

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I associate the color orange with August because the eighth month is "the dog days of Summer" when it's hot... and the heat has gotten really old! It's like the Sun has gone from "happy yellow" to "just-leave-me-the-hell-alone orange". Also, those of us who were born in August are Leos, and lions are orange -- I ain't lyin' (sorry):

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And tangerines are not oranges but they're orange. And this brings us to my August BOTB song.

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I've always loved the melody of 'TANGERINE' and have been wanting to BOTB the song for quite awhile. Once, a couple years ago, I checked YouTube for recordings of it but didn't find any match-up that really appealed to me. But on August 1st I took a second look and then found what I felt were a good pair of Tangerines. Mmmm.... a pair of tangerines. You know wot I mean? Or do you want a picture?

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Wackypedia sez:

"Tangerine" ... was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was published in 1941 and soon became a Jazz standard.

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It was introduced to a broad audience in the 1942 movie, 'The Fleet's In', produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Schertzinger just before his death, and starring Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Eddie Bracken, singer Cass Daley, and Betty Hutton in her feature film debut.

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The song portrays a fictitious South American woman with universally recognized allure: "When she dances by / señoritas stare / And caballeros sigh." 

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As one of Mercer's biographers explained the initial popularity: "Latin America, the one part of the world not engulfed in World War II, became a favorite topic for songs and films for Americans who wanted momentarily to forget about the conflagration."

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The most popular recorded version of the song was made by the performers who introduced it in the film: the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra with vocalists Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly. ... The record first reached the Billboard charts on April 10, 1942, and lasted 15 weeks on the chart, including six weeks at #1.

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The tune was featured as background music in the films Double Indemnity (1944) and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984).

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In 1976, All In the Family gave a nod to the song in the episode "Archie's Operation", when Archie Bunker burst into it repeatedly to interrupt son-in-law Mike's efforts to help pay for Archie's surgery.

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Alright, our first competitor is the original #1 Big Band hit. Have a listen:

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Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra 
with Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCD_yR03qxY

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Contestant #2 is Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. Their version appeared on the popular 1965 collection 'Whipped Cream & Other Delights', which any "confident heterosexual" male can tell you sported one of the greatest album covers of all time!

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"Confident Heterosexual" Old West Gunfight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZeS1b4QSVk

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OK, and now for your consideration...

[COOL FUN FACT: Notice the sign at the very end of the Herb Alpert video paying tribute to Tommy Dorsey's original 'Tangerine' hit!]

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Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82zmuzDM7d4

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Question: Will Jimmy Dorsey And Friends Win This Battle?

MAGIC 8-BALL sez:   "Yes definitely"

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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. 

After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to vice your voice ...vote your vice ...voice your vote.)

Voice Your Vote...

@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.

As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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BOTB RESULTS FOR 2017, JULY 15 (Or, NAT KING COLE VS. SPANKY AND OUR GANG)

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STMcC’s Vote On '2017, July 15th: Battle Of The Bands' (Or, 'Nat King Cole Versus Spanky & Our Gang') And The Final Tally:
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"HOLY LOW-VOTER TURNOUT, BATMAN!", this was Blowout City. If you want to revisit the Battleground, you'll find it HERE. Although the word "Battle" is a bit of an exaggeration. Minor Skirmish or Bitch-Slap would better describe it.
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Yeah, sure, I expected NAT KING COLE to win because, well, Nat King Cole. His name is legendary. Yup, I knew that Spanky & Our Gang (S&OG) were the underdogs in this contest, and yet I expected this to be much, much closer than it was. I figured that the majority of voters might never have heard of S&OG before, and that even most of those who knew of the group would never have heard their recording of 'STARDUST'.
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I expected Spanky's version of the song to turn a lot of heads and wow a lot of newbies. It didn't happen.
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As for my vote: Regardless of the fact that Nat King Cole was my Pa's favorite singer and he has used Nat's music numerous times to contact me from "the other side" of Earthly life, I am not a King Cole fan. Sure, he's a great crooner, but "crooning" is not my kind of music. (The only "crooners" I really dig are Johnny Mathis and Bobby Darin.)
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I think the S&OG version of 'STARDUST' is my #1 choice. The only one that comes close is Willie Nelson's rendition. To begin with, I love choral groups, and S&OG were one of my very favorites, alongside The Beach Boys and The 5th Dimension.
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Secondly, the vocal arrangement of 'STARDUST' by S&OG blows me away! It was so creative, so complex, and so unique that no matter how many times I hear it, it never fails to fascinate me.
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The bottom line, however, is that only Arlee Bird and John Holton heard this Battle the same way I did:
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Nat King Cole = 11 Votes
Spanky & Our Gang = 3 Votes
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A sad blowout for me, but the MAGIC 8-BALL seems to be getting its mojo back. (Must be those fresh electrolytes I spilled on it last week. ...Oh, wait. That was Bacardi 151.)
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My sincere thanks to all of you who participated. I'll be back for another BOTB installment on August 15th, and hopefully it will be more competitive than this one was.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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2017, JULY 15: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, NAT KING COLE VS. SPANKY AND OUR GANG)

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Republican Vs. Democrat, Male Vs. Female, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Band Vs. Band...
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'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB')
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Yes, it's time once again for 'Battle Of The Bands' ('BOTB').
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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EUGENE  MARTONE  VS.  JACK  BUTLER

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My Pa's favorite singer was NAT KING COLE. My Pa passed away on April 10, 1996. That was two years and four days after I had an unexpected encounter with Jesus Christ and became a [Maverick] Christian.

Since then, many times, my Pa has used the music of NAT KING COLE to let me know he's still alive and aware of what's going on in my life. But, ironically, the first time he did this, he was "technically" still alive:

Pa had contracted some very rare disorder and was in an Intensive Care Unit in a Phoenix hospital. I was working at a health food store in Phoenix when I got a phone call in which I was told that Pa had slipped into an unconscious state and that I should probably get to the hospital ASAP. I left work immediately and began the drive to the hospital. 

While on my way to the ICU, suddenly the NAT KING COLE recording of 'SMILE' was played on the radio station I was tuned to. (The lyrics to 'Smile' were penned by the silent film star Charlie Chaplin.) I instinctively knew that this song was a personal message to me from my Pa, whom I loved dearly.

My Pa passed over to the other side about two days later, and since then, he has repeatedly used NAT KING COLE songs to let me know that he's still around and that I should... "Smile". (That's a message I can't hear enough!)

Below are just two of the many stories I could tell, that are equally surprising, in which my Pa has contacted me through NAT KING COLE songs. I have edited, paraphrased, and heavily condensed these stories from a Dream / Spiritual Notebook I kept for many years. In other words, these stories are not from memory, but from notes I typed up at the time the events occurred:
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GOODNIKS  VS.  NO-GOODNIKS

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(Monday) Feb. 26, 2001
Dear Ol' Pa got through to me again tonight. For 2 or 3 weeks I've intended to rent the movie 'THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP', to see if I still hate it as much as I did when I saw it in the theatre in 1982. (I did.) 

While meditating Saturday or yesterday, I suddenly heard an Inner Voice say very clearly, "I will see you Monday". I didn't know what to make of this. WHO will see me Monday? 

For the first half of the day, I intently watched and analyzed EVERYTHING I saw and heard, expecting to have some sort of Divine experience. But as the day went on and nothing unusual happened, I kind of forgot about the message.

Tonight [*Monday*], I finally got around to watching 'THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP', and at one point in the movie, suddenly [*through a car radio, if I recall correctly*] the NAT KING COLE version of 'There Will Never Be Another You' was played. ... A day or two earlier, Pa -- from the "other side" -- knew that I would be watching that movie on Monday and that the soundtrack contained a Nat King Cole song, and so, in a sense, he and I would be meeting -- we would "see" each other.

... I wish he had simply told me to save the time and money and skip watching 'THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP'. [*Yes, I'm ALWAYS snarkastic -- even in my own personal notebooks!*]

Feb. 17, 1997
I had not attended the Tuesday night 'A Search For God' group meeting for 3 or 4 weeks. Despite lack of sleep and a grueling 13-hour work day, I decided to force myself to go.

On my way there, I inexplicably decided to change my car radio station from KAHM to KOY. I'd been listening to KAHM for at least 3 uninterrupted months when I was incomprehensibly compelled to change it.

At the meeting, during the closing group meditation, I finally -- after much struggling -- slipped into the meditative state. And I saw myself standing in place with a stream of very sparkling, powdery substance shooting up around me and over me in erratic, circular motions, and then falling back down, softly, all around and over me.

I thought to myself: What is this?
And then my mind, independent of my own thinking, answered: "STARDUST". I had no idea what that meant.

The group meditation came to a close and we all said our goodbyes and left. 

As I went to start my truck, I suddenly had the idea that I was about to "see" my Pa. I put it out of my mind quickly because it seemed so ridiculous. How was I going to see my departed Pa? Was he going to appear in the truck's windshield or something like that? 

I started the truck (which my Pa owned until he passed away) and I drove several blocks when SUDDENLY the melody of the song, which had been playing at the moment I started the truck's engine, registered in my mind. 

The song was 'STARDUST'. (Songwriter Hoagy Carmichael's most famous song.)

The singer was NAT KING COLE.

Why had I decided to force myself to go to the 'A Search For God' group meeting, despite being exhausted and having missed the previous 3 or 4 meetings?

While driving to the meeting, why did I suddenly feel compelled to change the radio station I'd been listening to for months on end?

Why did I find myself mentally enveloped in "stardust" during the group meditation?

Why was I inexplicably overwhelmed with the feeling that I was about to "see" my Pa?

And why was KOY playing the Nat King Cole song 'STARDUST' at the moment I started up my Pa's old truck? 

Coincidences? Yeah, sure. Right. OKfine. Whatever ya say.

And that brings us to today's BOTB contest. Please evaluate the following recordings as individuals. Don't let the preceding stories color the way you vote. This Battle has NUTTIN' to do with my Pa, my Spiritual life, or your beliefs. It has NUTTIN' to do with the images in the videos. It is about NUTTIN' more than this: Which recording of this song do you, yourself, personally, as an independently thinking, intellectually honest person, like better? Because it makes no difference to me where your vote lands. I just want it to be honest! You know? Like, as in, "HONEST"?

Question: "Will Nat King Cole win this Battle?"
MAGIC 8-BALL sez:  "As I see it, yes"
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GODZILLA  VS.  KING  KONG

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STARDUST by Nat King Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzRWwQK5OQ0

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RIDDLER  VS.  BATMAN

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STARDUST by Spanky And Our Gang

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Oops! Sorry. Wrong "Spanky And Our Gang".
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I actually meant the great but mostly forgotten vocal group who scored the Top 20 hit 'Like To Get To Know You' in 1968, and who were better'n The Mamas & The Papas:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyWYeCJQB6E

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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. 

After voting here, check out the other ongoing Battles and vice your voice... vote your vice... voice your vote...

@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.

As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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