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Welcome back, my friends, to the "Battle" that never ends.
We're so glad you could attend. Come inside! Come inside!
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This is 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB') where you listen to different recordings and vote for the one you like best. A new Battle gets posted on the 1st of each month and on the 7th, I place my own vote, tally 'em all up and announce the winner.
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Friend? Foe? Stranger? No matter, ALL are welcome. So pull up a chair, pour yourself 24 oz. of DOG BITE High Gravity Lager (or the poison of your choice) and turn it up to Eleven!
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[NOTE: Links to the first year of 'BOTB' (#1 - #24) can be found at the very bottom of this page.]

Monday, November 24, 2014

LISTEN TO THE LION HIGHER THAN THE WORLD

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FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN,
LEND ME YOUR BEERS... ~

You'll get 'em back - in a different form perhaps, but still yellow.

[Two good songs to play below. Read on...]

Do you sometimes read a book, see a movie, or hear a song and think: That's me! That's how I am!

Yeah, I think that happens to all of us at times; we all identify with certain characters and ideas expressed in book, film and song.

There are stories, movies and songs that are all about me (even if the writer, actor, and singer doesn't know it).

Did you ever see the 1970 Western movie 'MONTE WALSH' starring Lee Marvin? Lee thought he was playing Monte, but he was really playing STMcME.

Did you ever read Betty Smith's 'A Tree Grows In Brooklyn'? There's a lot of me in the little girl Francie Nolan. (Careful! Careful!)

I think I probably find myself in songs more than anywhere else. 

The first music album I ever owned came to me as a birthday gift. Look closely and you'll find the debut LP by The Monkees:

[Stephen on his 8th birthday, with Monkees guitar and ‘The Monkees’ record album in background. Flanked by sister Bonehead and brother Napoleon.]

It was either late 1987 or early '88 when I saw a compact disc for the first time. I was intrigued by the CD but I told Countess Pipps that I would never even begin to think about trading in my old LPs and replacing them with CDs until my all-time favorite album, 'Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart' (1983) by Van Morrison, was available on compact disc. And since there were no hit songs on that LP, I was sure it would never be released on CD.

About 2 hours later Countess Pipps showed up at UCLA with a CD copy of 'Inarticulate Speech...' for me. And - BOOM! - the transition from LPs to CDs was ON!

Van Morrison represented another transition point for me. Blues was the foundation of his earliest music, and later his style became as much Jazz as it was Rock. I'd been exposed to Jazz from my youth (primarily Louis Prima, Cannonball Adderley and Dinah Washington) due to my parents' records. But 1983's 'Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart' and Van's 1985 album 'A Sense Of Wonder' that were responsible for my growing interest in Jazz, which eventually almost completely eclipsed Rock for me.

Van "Into The Mystic" Morrison's music had also fed my spiritual thoughts when I was a young man. And I remember 1981 and '82 so well. Except for when I ventured out for booze, I spent those years in my bedroom with Rickie Lee Jones and Van Morrison (no, it wasn't a ménage à trois like yer thinkin').

When I wasn't sniffing amyl nitrite and listening to 'WE BELONG TOGETHER', I was deep in thought and listening to 'LISTEN TO THE LION' over and over again.

Then came 1983 and the release of 'Inarticulate Speech...' which really carried me away musically and philosophically. At that time, it seemed to speak deeply to me.


My favorite song on my favorite album was 'HIGHER THAN THE WORLD'. What was it about that song? Why did it appeal to me so powerfully? Well, I'll let Robin the Girl Wonder tell you, because she now seems to know me as well as I know myself.

Some months back, Robin put together an extensive, seemingly exhaustive Numerology chart for me, based on my name, and she then proceeded to describe me like she'd been reading my mail all my life! (Regardless of what you may think about it, if Robin ever offers to "Run your Numbers", take her up on the offer, because you just might be as surprised as I was.)

I never got into Astrology or Numerology, but my Ma was taught Numerology by my paternal Grandma, and Ma worked out my name numerically before giving it to me back in '59. I told Robin at the start that according to my Ma, my name had been carefully, numerically designed, unfortunately I didn't know any more about it than that. Turned out, Robin didn't need any info from me, because in crunching my numbers she discovered EXACTLY what my Ma had done, which still sounds like 'mumbojumbo voodoo-yakking' to me but Robin sounded pretty excited about it!

Below, I will include quotes from Robin in Red, and quotes in Blue from my old Edgar Cayce Past Life Report (Cayce readings from the 1920s-'40s correlated with Vedic Astrology, aka "mumbojumbo voodoo-yak") and we'll see how much Robin and Edgar agree about me.  

[FYI, I thought all the positive stuffs Robin said about me was right on target, but the negative stuffs missed the mark. So, Numerology is not a perfect science, or a perfect voodoo-yak...

...Butt seriously, folks, if not for the discouraging reality of my life, all this praise 'n' potential could inflate my ego. So, I thank God for my many failures and my deep depression, and I thank Antonio Salieri for absolving me of my mediocrity.]

ROBIN: You want with all your heart to see happiness and harmony and to help the world attain it. Very compassionate. Empathy is so strong that you make convincing actors. A mere thought can produce a tear. The 9 influence is romantic. 

You give a great deal of yourself in acts of kindness. You are sensitive to others' heartaches and do all you can to alleviate sorrow. You have consideration for all life; you are kind to animals and feel their plight. 

You tend to just radiate kindness and that is why people will tell you their crazy stories and want your opinion. 

CAYCE: Let your prayer be something like, "Lord, I am grateful for the ability to respond to others with genuine, loving concern. You have given me the willingness to lend a sympathetic ear, and the moving stories I hear prompt me to help people in need. Also, Lord, I am grateful for a good memory, and for the skill to communicate my thoughts and feelings effectively. With these gifts, may I spread Your message of love to those who yearn for hope and understanding."

ROBIN: With this strong presence of 6, be careful of over-indulgence in food or drink (I would add drugs if I thought it could be an issue). 

DOH! The "drink" is bad enough! Ha!

CAYCE: You have considerable creative ability, especially to write - or even act in - a good dramatic mystery or a suspenseful screenplay. You have a marked capacity to describe characters and situations in an unusual way. DO write.

Do write? As in Dudley?


Robin: The 9 in your original name is the PERFECT complement to the 6s. It adds charisma and compassion and is what probably made you think that acting was the gig for you, not to mention those double 3s. It wasn't the perfect career for you because your Life Path is a 4, but that didn't mean you weren't good at it! Hint: The 4 is the honest number and a career like acting would eventually be too much of a challenge because of the dishonesty or falsehood in it. Plus, 4 is the security number and there is no security for a struggling actor.

Cayce: In addition, you have special capacities to teach others through your abilities as a writer. For instance, you have marked abilities involving attention to detail, literature, educational factors and especially historical subjects. You could therefore write a good historical novel or help produce a documentary / docudrama which would be a source of inspiration to many.


R: You can identify with all types of people and understand them. This is what makes 9s outstanding actors. Your tendency to daydream makes you the most sensitive of artists. You are a perfectionist and will demand the best from yourself. ...

High ideals and you inspire others. Hate to see suffering and will help alleviate it if you can. You will teach, act, heal, advise, and create beautiful things in order to raise the consciousness of the world.

C: Long ago, one of your likely past lives was in an ideal nature setting, where you were known for your courage and for your ability to heal.

R: Some of you have the gift to heal.

C: You have considerable power to heal others through the strong action of your touch and counsel.

R: You are inclined to dream vivid, detailed dreams and have a remarkable imagination.

C: In other words, you can be of unique service as the practical spiritual pioneer who dreams. ... From your karmic past this brings you spirituality and philosophical depth with the ability to rely on and apply your dreams and meditation guidance in practical ways.

You may remember, in your deeper meditations and dreams, experiences from long ago...

R: There will be many trying times, tests to go through, ordeals, and trials. Life isn't always easy for you, for you are born to be of service to others.

C: You are likely to have an extraordinary life full of extremes and unexpected changes. ...  

'HIGHER THAN THE WORLD' - VAN MORRISON



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

Your Mercury is conjoined with Uranus.

Leave my uranus out of this!

Your previous Mercurian lifetime prepared you well for the exercise of authority, yet inclines you to be somewhat dictatorial at times in how you communicate with others. ...A tendency occasionally to be rather hardheaded and to want to have your own way.

The 1 shows your innate strength and independent character. You have your own unique ambitions and find great pleasure in doing things your own way.

Know your Ideal... (for we are ever meeting ourselves: what goes out comes back). The main purpose for our manifesting in the earth is for the glorification of God and not just for free thinking and individualism.

You cannot do anything halfway. Once you decide to perform, you are the best you can be.

An extremist at times, you are exceptional, eccentric, peculiar to others and last but definitely not least, a classic Atlantean and Aquarian Age individualist. ... (Like most Atlanteans, you are either very good or at times simply awful.)

What a buncha bunk, balderdash, bovine excrement! None of y'all think I ever display eccentric or peculiar traits and ideas, do ya?


You need and want music in your life. You do need to study philosophy to balance out your aggressive nature. ... 

While you are quiet in your manner, you are easily aroused to passion and anger.

The passion part, yes; slow to anger but when I blow, look out!

You are not a born follower and won't accept organized beliefs without proof. But with study, you will reason it all out and come to your own favorable conclusions.

A strong feeling for behind-the-scenes intrigues as well as a powerful sense of individualism. 

44/8 This is the Master Number of the "Master Therapist" or "Great Achiever." The energy put forth by 44s is incredible! They have strong desires and are willing to work hard to achieve them. They will mentally set goals and not stop until they are achieved.

You have gone forward in your soul development this lifetime by the sheer force of your will. ... You are able to force yourself to do things which are unpleasant. At the same time you are able to avoid purely self-satisfying experiences, especially those pertaining to carnal, sexual desires.

Yeah, that's true. ...Damn-it!

Very dynamic personality. They are fast thinkers and are usually loaded with ideas.

[Despite] the magnetism of your personality, an inclination outwardly to be cold and reserved rather than intensely emotional, yet having a great deal of emotion inwardly.

If they feel controlled, they will leave. They love to celebrate life. Found any place people congregate for fun. Love people and are fascinated by their comings and goings. Always digs for truth and is not satisfied until they get it. They love a good story. They can be very giving. In fact, 5s love to give you the perfect gift. They must be careful not to give so much that it makes it impossible for someone to reciprocate.

Intellectual, versatile, energetic, progressive...

Progressive, but most of all psychic.

Good conversationalist. You are a people person. Love change and new opportunities.  

WRONG! Hate change!

Negative 5s are restless, discontented, moody, impulsive, impatient, outspoken, bad-tempered, rude, profane, gambling excites them to the point that they take crazy chances, debauchery, perversion, drug use, alcoholic. 

9.33 out of 14 ain't bad!

In past lives you probably were devoted to the cause of freedom, whether an American pioneer or leader in women's rights like the American suffragettes in the Nineteenth Century, or involved in such religious freedom movements as the early Christian Church's struggles in Rome...

You may also have been among many who reincarnated in the American South just before the Civil War.

[Interestingly, I have intuitively suspected that I may have been a Black man during the Civil War, and after gaining my freedom - possibly via the Underground Railroad - I moved to Virgina City, Nevada.] 


Seekers of freedom and knowledge and very curious. You want to know what makes things tick. You will investigate anything.

Your mind is practical, worldly, self-confident and independent, with a marked tendency to categorize and analyze.

Frankly, I would have put "analyze" BEFORE "categorize", but that's just me.


I never was much interested in Astrology, but my sign is Leo the lion. In the very early 1980s, I spent countless hours tapping into my inner Leo while listening to Van Morrison's 'LISTEN TO THE LION' over and over:

 
'LISTEN TO THE LION' - VAN MORRISON



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

The Master Number 77 is known as the number of the Christ-consciousness because Christ as 77 as its full number, and Jesus was the 77th in his line of ancestry. Related words that total 77 as the full number are: Disciple, Power, Glory, Stars, Abundant. True 7s are spiritual. The more spiritual, the more they radiate that "spiritual quality" an "intensification" of inner wisdom.

These experiences in the earth are not so that you can achieve either fame or fortune... but that you can always be a channel through which blessings and help may come to others.

Dognap-it! Why is there ALWAYS a catch?


I am going to take a moment here and insert my thoughts. I think you probably resonate loudly with fast thinker, loaded with ideas, needs freedom to come and go, loves to travel, knowledge is very high on the priority list (acquiring and sharing).

From former lives when you were involved in oral and written communication as a teacher and scribe, you are a very high-minded individual with a strong desire for information and knowledge.

Interesting that on the most important of numbers you have that 77. So, riding shotgun with everything above is the strongest spiritual number in numerology.  Ergo, spirituality and spiritual learning are going to be a HUGE priority for you.

You are inclined to be very spiritually oriented. ... With spiritual direction, if you chose to do so, you would also make an excellent speaker, particularly on spiritual subjects.

Past lives in humanitarian or spiritual service and ministry, religious, royal and priestly affairs are likely, especially lifetimes in Egypt and the Holy Land. 
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[Independent of this Astrological reading, I developed a strong sense that I had been a Jewish scribe during the time of Christ. I believe I fully committed my heart, mind, and life to Christ Yeshua on the very day he rode the donkey into Jerusalem and presented Himself as Israel's Holy King.] 

Your strong interest in the psychic and esoteric is such that you yourself are likely to be clairvoyant. ... These advancements are encouraged provided they are used for giving help, understanding and knowledge to others rather than for self-glorification. If used for the latter, your psychic abilities would become a stumbling block not only to yourself but also to many others who seek your counsel.

There's that catch again!
 


My Spiritual worldview (or "Weltanschauung" for those impressed by ten-dollar words) can be summed up in one 20-syllable sentence:

We Have Fallen Asleep In God's Embrace,
Having A Nightmare That We Are Elsewhere.

I don't believe a person arrives at that conclusion and can find those words for it without a great, great deal of help from the Heavenly Realm.


About 14 years ago, I tossed the majority of my Van Morrison music collection (including 'Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart') into a trash dumpster. But that's a story for another day, or for never, whichever comes first.

Who Is The Lion Higher Than The World?

The Lion Of Judah Is The Lion Higher Than The World. 

~ Stephen T. McCarthy

POSTSCRIPT: Robin, Girl Wonder, again I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for all the work you put into my Numerology chart. I was blown away by it and now you know why. I did not tell you how astoundingly the things you wrote seemed to align with things stated in my old Cayce Past Lives Report, but as I read the Emails you sent, my mind was reeling! At times it was like you had somehow stolen the Cayce Report and were just repeating it to me. Thanks from a still knocked-out STMcMe.

Hokey-Smoke & Hoo-Wee, this was too much for me!
I need a Bourbon & Seven.

YE OLDE COMMENT POLICY: All comments, pro and con, are welcome. However, ad hominem attacks and disrespectful epithets will not be tolerated (read: "posted"). After all, this isn’t Amazon.com, so I don’t have to put up with that kind of bovine excrement.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

'BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2014, NOV. 15' (Or, 'EDDIE HARRIS VS. BRIAN AUGER')

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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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THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS! (‘BOTB’)
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Shoop-Shooby –
Shooby-duh-Dooby-Doop-Dooby-Dooby-Doo-Wah –
Buh-Doo-Wah!
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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...
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EUGENE  MARTONE  VS.  JACK  BUTLER
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My November 1st BOTB installment was one I'd wanted to do since Day One of the BOTB blogfest. I put it off so long ONLY because I was hoping someone would come along at YouTube and create a better video for the Richie Cole instrumental 'IF EVER I WOULD LEAVE YOU'.

Today's BOTB blog bit is one I've wanted to put together for just as long as the last one. In this case, I held off because I was afraid that pitting two lengthy instrumental Jazz tracks against each other would scare off a lot of voters for good. I'm aware that a lot of people "believe" they do not like Jazz, and I didn't want voters to think long instrumental Jazz compositions would be a regular feature in my future "Battles". I now feel, however, that the BOTB blogfest is sufficiently established so that even if a majority of voters dislike today's offering it won't keep them from returning again to vote on my next "Battle" come December 1st.

I wrote above that a lot of people "believe" they don't like Jazz, and I think that's because a lot of people have a misconception about what Jazz iz or can be. For that reason, I put together a little lesson in 'JAZZ 101' a few days back. If you missed it and are interested in getting a good idea of just how much musical diversity can be found under the label of "Jazz", you can check it out by clicking HERE.

But for those of you who feel you're ready to tackle a monumental Jazz "Battle" right now... here we go...

EDDIE HARRIS was a well known and very innovative Jazz musician who had his hand in a number of projects. You can read about him HERE, if you'd like. The following excerpts come from that Wackypedia page: 

Eddie Harris was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-known compositions are "Freedom Jazz Dance", recorded and popularized by Miles Davis in 1966, and "Listen Here." 

His first album for Vee Jay, 'Exodus to Jazz', included his own jazz arrangement of Ernest Gold's theme from the movie 'Exodus'. A shortened version of this track, which featured his masterful playing in the upper register of the tenor saxophone, was heavily played on radio and became the first jazz record ever to be certified gold.

He had moved from Chicago to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, and was responsible for much of the music on the hit TV series, 'The Bill Cosby Show'.

In that 'Jazz 101' lesson I mentioned above, I recommended a 2-CD set of 30 Classic Jazz tracks. Track 11 on Disc 1 happens to be Eddie's very catchy 2-minute recording of 'EXODUS'.

But today, we are using the aforementioned 'LISTEN HERE' in a "Battle" against a cover version recorded by one of Eddie's really big fans.

First, the original, released in 1968:

'LISTEN HERE' by Eddie Harris



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GODZILLA  VS.  KING  KONG
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In 1969, BRIAN AUGER, a big fan of Eddie Harris' music recorded a version of 'LISTEN HERE' in a Jazz Fusion form (meaning, Jazz with some Rock elements).

Auger used two bass players and four drummers on the track. His band did one rehearsal of the song up to the ensemble drum fill point. Then Auger cut the rehearsal short and they recorded the track in just one take. Eddie Harris later told Brian Auger personally that he thought Auger's recording was the best cover of 'Listen Here' that he'd ever heard. Here's that one-take recording:

'LISTEN HERE' by Brian Auger & The Trinity



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4rQmY0RWSY
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RIDDLER  VS.  BATMAN
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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome EVERYONE to vote for their favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. (NOTE: Comment Moderation is activated. All submitted comments that do not transgress "Ye Olde Comment Policy" will be posted as soon as possible. Thanks for taking the time to comment.) 
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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 blogsto vice your voice ...vote your vice ...voice your vote.)
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Voice Your Vote @ ‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘DISCCONNECTED’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'BOOK LOVER' by clicking HERE.
@ ‘CREATIVE OUTLET OF STRATPLAYER’ 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.
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As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 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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YE OLDE COMMENT POLICY: All comments, pro and con, are welcome. However, ad hominem attacks and disrespectful epithets will not be tolerated (read: "posted"). After all, this isn’t Amazon.com, so I don’t have to put up with that kind of bovine excrement.