On February 26, 2016, Miss Andi of the blog [link:] 'MUSIC & WORDS' presented me with the 'Music & Words Award'. (Incidentally, she also said that I gave [link:] the best acceptance speech in the award's history.) Thank you, Andi!
Here are the rules:
Once accepted, the award process has five steps:
- Link back to the person who nominated you
- Answer the questions with words AND music
- Pass the award on to 5 bloggers who inspire you with their posts about music
- Tag your post with #MWA, for Music&Words Award so that we can all find you down the line
- Quote these 5 steps and the award icon in your post. You can display the icon on your sidebar as well.
Q&A
Q1: What does music mean to you?
First, I wanted to be a famous baseball player. Then I wanted to be an actor. Then I wanted to be a professional writer. Then I wanted to drink my weight in beer each and every day. (I only sorta-kinda achieved two of those goals.)
Finally, when I decided that what I really wanted to do the MOST was become a great musician... it was too late. I missed the boat and missed my calling, but next lifetime for sure! While I'm wating for that next lifetime, I greatly enjoy listening to the music of others.
Music is my favorite of all the art forms. Part of the reason for that is because music is unquestionably the most Spiritual of all art forms, and I'm a Spiritual kinda guy.
Q2: What is your first music-related memory?
The answer to that question can be found HERE.
Q3: What was the first album you’ve purchased yourself?
I had owned 3 music albums before I ever actually purchased one myself. The first one I ever got was the debut LP by The Monkees. It was a gift for my 8th birthday, and I loved it.
But the first time I ever spent my own money on music albums, I purchased three at the same time (circa 1975) at a Tower Records store in Westwood Village (Los Angeles). Those three were these three:
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| 'THE BEATLES 1962 - 1966' |
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| 'BEST OF THE BEACH BOYS' |
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| 'CHICAGO IX: GREATEST HITS' |
Those were all on LP ("Licorice Pizza"). Today, I have none of those specific releases on compact disc, but I do have CDs by those same bands. Here's the list of what I have today:
The Beatles: "White Album"
The Beach Boys: 'Pet Sounds' -- 'Endless Summer' -- 'Sunflower' -- 'Surf's Up' -- 'Greatest Hits, Vol. 2' -- 'Greatest Hits, Vol. 3: 1970-1986' -- 'That's Why God Made The Radio'
Chicago: 'The Very Best Of Chicago: Only The Beginning'
100 points for anyone who can accurately guess which of those 3 groups I like the best.
Q4: What was the latest music you purchased? (No online streaming or free downloads, I’m talking about cash here!)
Well, technically speaking, the last music I purchased (compact discs) were gifts for friends of mine. But I believe I can safely assume this question is seeking to discover what was the last music I purchased for myself.
This was a tougher question than it might seem. You see, my music collection is in the neighborhood of 250 CDs. Everything I really, really want, I already have, so I don't buy much music for myself anymore.
But I took the Q seriously enough to start plowing through my collection and racking my brain for the most likely suspects. After a couple false stops, I actually came up with the definitive answer:
The album 'BEAUTIFUL LOSER' by Bob Seger. For me, this is the only Seger album I simply must own. Before moving to Reno last March, I was able to listen to the copy I'd given to my Brother for Christmas one year. But when I left him in Phoenix, I also left 'Beautiful Loser'. I acquired my own copy within a couple months of arriving in Reno.
The title track, [link:] 'Beautiful Loser' always reminds me of my best friend Kelly "Andy" Anderson who killed himself in 1986. The song [link:] 'Jody Girl' always makes me think of my Ma who passed away in 2005. And the song [link:] 'Momma' reminds me of the troubled relationship my Ma and Brother had when he was much younger. Any one of those songs can bring tears to my eyes if they catch me at the right moment. It's a "Must-Have" album for this sentimental fool.
I wrote a full-length review of the album HERE which some people seem to have enjoyed reading.
Q5: Which song did you listen to last? (No cheating, come out with the dirty pleasures!)
The last song I listened to prior to receiving this award from Miss Andi was 'My Baby Left Me But I'm Cryin' 'Cause I Sliced An Onion' by Yoey O'Dogherty And His Corn Liquor Boys.
Naw. I'm just kidding. I haven't played any Yoey O'Dogherty music in almost a month. In truth, the last song I'd played was [link:] 'Never My Love' by The 5th Dimension. (I adore 'em!)
NOMINATIONS:
Here are the bloggers I'm bestowing this award upon. (Y'all can thank me by sending beer... or money. "How about tens and twenties"?)
My 'BOTB' partner-in-crime, FAE of the blog Far Away Series
DIXIE POLKA of the blog DC Relief
GIRL WONDER of the blog Your Daily Dose
DOC CHERDO of the blog Cherdo On The Flipside
And because I really should include someone who is NOT in the motorcycle gang Hell's Lady Friends...
JEFFY of the blog J. A. Scott
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| EUGENE MARTONE VS. JACK BUTLER |
It’s time once again for ‘Battle Of The Bands’ (‘BOTB’).
Alright, let’s get on it...
Today's Battle song is one I really love titled 'POINCIANA'.
Wackypedia sez: "Poinciana" is a song ... written in 1936. The tune is based on a Cuban folk tune "La canción del árbol" ("The song of the tree"). The poinciana tree itself, delonix regia, is a tree introduced to Cuba from Madagascar. Glenn Miller performed it in the late 1930s with his civilian band and then again in 1943 using lush strings with his Army Air Force Band. Benny Carter and Bing Crosby both issued versions in 1944.
It was widely popularized in the 1952 film 'Dreamboat' and subsequently became a Standard covered by [many] artists ... featured again in the 1995 film 'The Bridges Of Madison County'. In 1978 disco duo Paradise Express recorded a version which made the top 20 on the disco charts.
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| 'POINCIANA' TREE. PHOTO: WACKYPEDIA |
For this BOTB installment, I'm using my all-time ever favorite band, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, against my all-time ever favorite guitarist, Danny Gatton. If you don't think this is going to be hard on me, casting a vote for only one of them, then you're sadly mistaken.
First, the Glenn Miller Orchestra with that classic, lush, dreamy and ultra-romantic signature sound that it had. Miller got that signature sound by using a clarinet (initially, the phenomenal player Irving Fazola) in tandem with four saxophones, often doubling an octave above the lead.
'POINCIANA' - Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSrwskJn2C8
And now Danny Gatton (September 4, 1945 – October 4, 1994).
Steve Vai said: "When someone uses the phrase 'the best guitar player in the world', I usually go into an exhaustive discourse on how music is art and you can't judge art and there are many different ways that people play the guitar and it's impossible to be considered the best because then you would have to master all styles and that it's all right to have favorites, etc., etc., etc., blah-blah-blah. But I feel okay in saying that Danny Gatton comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived."
I concur 100% with Steve Vai on all of that.
Remember, PLEASE, that this is all about the music, NOT the visuals. Close your eyes if you need to. But if you're sure you can watch Gatton play his guitar without letting that influence your music-only-vote, then watch this live performance, and gaze upon his fingers as they slip like sticks of melting butter flowing over the frets. He chews gum while he's playing and makes it look ridiculously effortless. Simply unreal.
.
'POINCIANA' - Danny Gatton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPxhuSQ3ggY
So, what's it gonna be? The classic, lush, romantic signature sound of Glenn Miller, or the impossible dexterity of Danny Gatton's buttery fingers?
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
Voice Your Vote @ ‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ 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.
@ 'DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'JANIE JUNEBUG, RIGHTING & EDITING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'J.A. SCOTT' by clicking HERE.
@ 'NOVELBREWS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'QUIET LAUGHTER' by clicking HERE.
@ 'REINVINTAGED' by clicking HERE.
@ 'HOLLI'S HOOTS & HOLLERS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'EVIL POP TART' by clicking HERE.
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.
~ Stephen T. McCarthy
FUN FACT: In this blog bit I quoted STEVE VAI stating that Danny Gatton was, in his opinion, quite possibly the greatest guitarist who ever lived.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that STEVE VAI is a part of every 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' installment you post?
How so? In the highly enjoyable movie 'CROSSROADS', STEVE VAI played the part of JACK BUTLER, Satan's personal guitar player. And that is JACK BUTLER'S (Steve Vai's) right hand resting on his red guitar in the 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' logo. That logo image is a single frame from the movie 'CROSSROADS',which you really should see if you never have. A very fun music movie!
Yep! The red STEVE VAI / JACK BUTLER guitar has been a part of 'BOTB' installments from the very beginning.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
That Steve Vai wasn't bad, but I tell you, he's no Karate Kid.
DeleteHA!
DeleteWell, all that martial arts training is overrated anyway. I know places in the darkest shadows of L.A. where only an "axe" will do. They laugh at guns, but no one wants to get "cut". Especially when the devil is the boss of you.
~ D-FensDogG
I didn't realize that was Steve Vai in your BOTB logo, nor am I familiar with "Crossroads", but I'll definitely check it out.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for talented guitarists, so my vote goes to Danny Gatton.
DEBBIE ~
DeleteI'm very pleased you're feeling better and able to join BOTB again!
Thanks for the vote.
And the movie is Blues-based: a search for the legendary "lost song" of Robert Johnson. Very imaginative, fun movie that I probably watch once every 12 to 18 months. You'll dig it, I'm sure.
~ D-FensDogG
Yeah, this is a tough one. Glenn Miller's orchestra gives the song almost the vibe of a classical music/Big Band Era mash-up, sounding a bit like a traditional rendering of some classic by Ravel and almost sounding like Ray Coniff at certain points. This is a hard version to dismiss--well actually I can't dismiss it, but I guess I'm not gonna vote for it in this battle.
ReplyDeleteGatton had a lot of neat stuff going on in his version. He's got some cool Les Paul vibes going on in his playing at times and there's just a lot of variety to this arrangement with the percussion and everything else.
Put me down for Danny Gatton.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteYes, I've also noted some elements of Classical music in the Miller arrangement and pre-Conniff Singers singing. It's a love!
And Les Paul was definitely one of the biggest influences on Gatton's playing. Les Paul and Chet Atkins. In the end, he surpassed 'em both but they were like guitar gods to him when he was first developing his playing.
~ D-FensDogG
Thanks for the nomination. I won't let you down, and do a related post some time this week.
ReplyDeleteAs for your song choice, ironically this is the second battle I've listened to utilizing this song. However, I tend to think this is more by design than by irony. This sort of thing has been done before. ;)
As for the two selections, I have to vote for Glenn Miller. I've been a sucker for his big band sound for as long as I can remember. Please give him my vote.
JEFFY ~
DeleteActually, FAE just blatantly stole my song idea. I had mentioned which song I planned to use and to my amazement I found it on HER blog too!
It was just dumb luck that we somehow managed to avoid using any of the same artists.
[;o)
I'll be watching for your Music & Words Award questionnaire answers.
~ D-FensDogG
I finally finished my M&W post. Just in case you were looking for it. ;)
DeleteI love Glenn Miller and his gorgeous 'sound', but in his version of this song, those vocals start, and it pulls me right out of the music.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Danny Gatton does a wonderful job here3 his version is not my favorite but in THIS BATTLE give him my vote.
Thanks for the nomination and confidence in my musical prowess, but I really try to avoid motorcycle gangs, harems another things of that sort. As far as 'partners in crime', I'm all in.
FAE ~
DeleteSTOP! THIEF!
Brazenly stealing my BOTB song ideas. Why, you otter be 'shamed o' yase'f!
Remember: If you fall off your bike, it's important to get right back on again before the real fear sets in. You ride a Harley, or does the Harley...?
~ D-FensDogG
Nope, never dated a guy named Harley!
DeleteThis was another very unique battle. Who on earth pits Danny Gatton vs. Glenn Miller??? Only you could come up with this one.
ReplyDeleteMiller's full and lush sound is very appealing. At one point - for some unknown and probably subconscious reason - I thought a portion of it reminded me of the theme from Star Wars. I know I've voted for Miller before in your battles.
Danny Gatton's flying fingers effortlessly play whatever his intuition tells him at a given moment. Was there anyone that exhibited more virtuosity than that guy? I have also voted for HIM before in your battles.
But, for this BOTB, I am thinking outside the box. Since you and I must disagree on our votes to avoid the world coming to a fiery end, I'm going to vote the vote you presaged in your last BOTB: I vote for Arlee Bird.
SBB-6 ~
DeleteNo, no, you get yer arse back here and cast a legitimate vote or... "YOU'RE FIRED... YUUUGELY FIRED!"
Hmmm... I'm not getting 'Star Wars' in the Glenn Miller recording, but I have felt (as Lee observed) that it contains some Classical elements. And with the vocal chorus portion, I too can kind of catch some Ray Conniff Singers sound (before there was a Ray Conniff Singers, I believe).
Your remarks about Gatton are spot-on. And, yes, you HAVE voted for him in the past. This is the third time I've used him in BOTB ('Canadian Sunset' and 'Harlem Nocturne') and you voted for him the two previous times.
The Glenn Miller Orchestra, however, you're a shade mistaken about: I once used the new 2.0 version of the G.M. Orchestra (assembled long after Glenn had died) against Leroy Anderson on 'Sleigh Ride'. And you voted for the winner: Leroy.
This is the first time I've used the "REAL" Glenn Miller Orchestra in BOTB.
Now you get back here and cast a "REAL" vote or, so help me, my next BOTB is going to be a 3-way: Johnny Mathis versus Karen Carpenter versus Willie Nelson!
B C-ing U (soon!)
~ D-FensDogG
OK. Twice in a row now you've gone back to actually CHECK how I voted 2-plus years ago in a BOTB. I'm gonna cease referring to any past votes even when you use the same people again that you used before. I THOUGHT I voted Glenn Miller before, but maybe it was on someone else's battle? Maybe I just really wanted to vote Miller and just could not quite do it. I don't now. But I like him, almost as much as, well... some other old bands.
DeleteYou know, the continued exposure I've had to Mathis, Carpenter, and Nelson have me almost liking those guys. That could be quite a contest! Maybe you can find a number that they AND Miller AND Gatton all covered. Now THAT could be a contest! A five-way to rival Mousiemarc's neighbors!
If I can't vote for Lee, then I vote Clapton or SRV!
OK, that works. Good enough for me.
DeleteIn this, my 63rd BOTB installment, I've got your vote recorded for...
..."GARY MOORE".
If that don't work for you... we'll always have Glenn Miller... or Danny Gatton.
[And, yes, you know how I am. No one pays more attention to the details than I do. I WILL go back and confirm statements as facts. NOT because I'm out to prove people wrong but just because... I'm totally anal with a bad case of O-CD. ...I've got it bad, and that ain't good! I've got it SO bad that I even put the hyphen between the O and the C!]
You may be thinking of a time when you voted for Glenn Miller against Chicago in FAE's 47th BOTB shutout. You weren't alone, Brother.
OK, Gatton has the lead, Miller is closing the gap, and... Gary Moore (not a participant) has one vote, thanks to SEXGUN.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen, Congrats on the nomination for Music & Words. I enjoyed reading through your Q&A ~ entertaining for sure, but I didn't expect it to be anything less than that, though. :D I love the big band sound, but today my mood is moved with the uptempo and rock/jazz (yeah, it reminds me a little of both at times) vibes of Gatton. So give my vote to Danny Gatton.
ReplyDeleteCATHY ~
DeleteThanks! Glad you enjoyed the answers in my blog bit.
Yes, Gatton's sound on this even seems to me at times to dip into an Hawaiian kind of thang.
~ D-FensDogG
My vote is for Danny Gatton. Love that guitar. He is quite talented for sure.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Words & Music award!
Michele at Angels Bark
Thanks, MICHELE!
DeleteLooks like Danny's gonna be tough to beat in this Battle. I was expecting a closer contest, but then it IS BOTB, which has a way of overturning expectations.
~ D-FensDogG
I think I'm going to be the odd ball here and vote for Glenn Miller.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the award!
Thanks, MARY. And CONGRATULATIONS on the Award to you, too! :o)
DeleteAlso, thanks for the Glenn Miller vote. That was only the second one he'd received up to this point... and to my great surprise.
~ D-FensDogG
I read your acceptance speech - what a ham! Congratulations Mac!
ReplyDeleteI accept, and thank you for nominating me for this award. It's the first award this particular blog, ( of mine) has ever won. I'll try to be as entertaining as you have been (you believed that, right?!)
Funny, I didn't think you'd be a Chicago, or Fifth Dimension fan... wonders never cease, (smile).
Being a big fan of 'The Association', I loved the song, 'Never My Love'... the FD's version is great. Thanks for sharing that.
Your battle is tough for me... At first I didn't think I knew the song. Anything Glenn Miller is a treat... I'm a huge fan (you know that). I don't like the voices on the Glenn Miller version, but hearing them, I realized I DID know this song after all.
Danny Gatton definitely does a number on this song. It's upbeat and, yes, he makes it look easy. Being an AIR guitar player, myself, I speak (thus-ly) from experience. Ha!
Okay- third time listening - I'm making a choice based on a flimsy fluke. Omit the voices and I'd vote for Glenn. Not possible, so give my vote to Danny. (now where is my guitar?)
dc/dp
DIXIE PIGTAIL POLKA ~
DeleteYeah, ham and cheese with a side of potato salad - that's me!
I have faith in your ability to concoct some creative answers to the Award's questionnaire.
Actually, guessing me to be a fan of Chicago and The 5th Dimension should be pretty easy: You know I dig Jazz, and Chicago is probably the Jazziest of all Rock groups. And as a major fan of vocal harmonizing (think: Beach Boys), The 5th Dimension should be easy to un'erstan' and predict, too.
Gatton's great, but I play my Air Guitar every bit as well as he played his real guitar. And I'll bet you do, too.
~ D-FensDogG
I think you know where my vote will be...Glenn Miller! Hands down! (and I know faraway Eyes loves Glenn, too, so I'm surprised to see her vote for that other dude.) I mean, were they even playing the same song?? Yuk, yuk.
ReplyDeleteBECKY-O! ~
DeleteWhat a treat to find you here, voting on my BOTB. You've been AWOL so many times that I sent a team of search dogs out looking for you, but... they never came back. Musta got lost.
Thanks for the Glenn Miller vote. He's in big trouble here and needed it desperately.
~ Stephen
The Glenn Miller orchestration is great. It's the vocal arrangement that is very dated, and is seriously hurting Glenn Millers cause. Music of any era becomes timeless or dated by its use of melody and harmonization. For example, all those 80's metal bands suffer greatly because they used cliche idioms of the day (plus most lacked talent).
DeleteGlenn Miller is top notch, but in this instance his use of harmony seriously dates the music thereby hurting his cause.
If you want to find timeless melodies look at Mozart. Heck, even U2 stole one of his melodies. When I was taking music theory my instructor played a Mozart piece with a gorgeous melody. I knew I had heard a bastardized version of it before. A week later U2's song One came on the radio, and there was Mozart 's melody. However, it wasn't performed nearly as well.
Another example of a beautiful melody with is Dexter Gordon 's melodies he uses on his album Go. Yes arrangements help a lot, but without an original motif that delivers it's all for not. For example, the rock band Rush come up with some really interesting rock arrangements, but on a lot of their songs your left going "it's missing something." That something is the melody.
In this case the song relies heavily on arrangement. I like the melody, but it's not a melody that can help the listener overcome dated harmonies. Glenn Miller did a nice job, but Gatton delivered an arrangement that I feel is more is less dated and more likely to remain that way. Had Glenn Miller left out those vocal harmonies we might be having a different conversation.
Nice try, BR'ER, but STMcC ain't buying it at all.
DeleteAll great music is "timeless". And Glenn Miller is timeless.
100 years from now, who will still be remembered? Glenn Miller or Danny Gatton?
The question answers itself, since even today, in 2016, very few people have even heard of Danny Gatton, but almost everyone has heard of Glenn Miller.
This Defense Attorney rests his case.
~ D-FENSdoggAttorney
Well,
DeleteNot this piece. Glenn Miller himself will be known for timeless music, but this piece is not timeless. Unfortunately, it is very dated. Popular music has had a difficult time being timeless historically. However, centuries ago most of what we consider popular music today would be guys playing at the local pub. There was no recording, and since a majority of them were not professionally trained they left no paper trail (no sheet music). Few exceptions exist where songs are written by some guy named traditional. However, Beethoven is believed to have used a few themes (motifs, melodies if you will) from the street musicians of his day, and some of them are the ones you hear played on classical radio. Prior to the 1930's and 40's there has never been a time where we could capture so much music from those who didn't invest in formal training.
When you come to think of the fact that Miles Davis developed fusion after he heard Jimi Hendrix this makes sense. Miles Davis is pretty much known as the Mozart of Jazz, and had this happened two centuries prior in say 1766 everyone would be talking about how Miles Davis developed fusion with no outside influences. Today, Jimi Hendrix can be heard in recorded form, and others have transcribed his music for him (he couldn't read music).
Does this mean Gatton will be remembered a 100 years from now? No. Does it mean Glenn Miller will be? No. Unfortunately, when you study music history the greats of their time (were talking about a hundred years within the time frame of their death) are not always the ones that are historically remembered. There are examples of both painters and composers/arrangers who are now considered the composer of their time who were not well esteemed when they were alive. This is not always the case. However, we are still too close to their time to know, and historically speaking their significance will be judged well after were all dead and gone. Where I would agree that all great music is timeless. However, what constitutes great music changes over time. In this aspect two years of music history at the college level did leave me with that one impression. I don't remember much else from those classes, but I remember that .
Take Care,
Marc
Part 1 Of 2:
DeleteBR'ER MARC ~
Good conversation, friend. I appreciate the time and thought you've put into this dialogue.
And in some ways we agree, and others not so much. I didn't really 'splain my position last night, but since you've returned with such a thorough reply, I'll spend a bit more time on a response my damn-self. Please bear with me...
I've not taken college classes on music, but I love it so much that I've read a great deal about it - many different genres of it, too.
For sure, many more musical artists will be remembered 100 years from now than have been remembered over the previous 100 years, due to the ability to record and retain music in so many formats.
Who will and who will not be the most remembered 100 years from now is open to debate, for sure. And no one could definitively prove their assertion at this point in 2016.
But "history" can give us some clues. For example, Glenn Miller disappeared in 1944, but today most of his recordings still exist and can be purchased.
Danny Gatton, I love and DO BELIEVE he is the greatest guitar player in recorded music history up to this point, and assuredly deserves to be remembered well 100 years from now. However, he did NOT have a defining sound, and even when he was blowing away audiences with his astounding technique and musical sense (across many genres) he was not well known and hugely popular. He should have been, but wasn't. And today, a large amount of his recorded music is "out-of-print".
There is no question in my mind that Glenn Miller (who still sells) will be well-remembered long after Gatton - who died as recently as 1994 - is largely forgotten (which, sadly, he already is). Half of the voters on this blog bit probably never even heard of him until this BOTB.
Two other thoughts I want to briefly comment on...
You wrote: >>... "Not this piece. Glenn Miller himself will be known for timeless music, but this piece is not timeless. Unfortunately, it is very dated."
I disagree with that on two counts: 1: This particular recording is not any more "dated" than most of his other music. (In fact, if you want to hear Miller music that seems more "dated", check out the album 'Best Of Big Bands: EVOLUTION OF A BAND' - which I love, by the way.)
Continued Below...
Part 2 Of 2:
DeleteThe vast majority of Miller's music included vocals. (I like most of the vocals well enough, but always prefer the instrumentals.) And all of the vocals were arranged in a way similar to what you find in 'POINCIANA'. There are no really significant vocal differences between this recording and many "classic", "timeless" Miller tunes like 'Chattanooga Choo-Choo', 'Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree', 'Moonlight Cocktail', 'Serenade In Blue', 'Jukebox Saturday Night', 'Pennsylvania 6-5000', and so many more.
So, if 'POINCIANA' is dated in a "non-timeless" negative way, then so are most of Miller's recordings, because 'POINCIANA' has that typical sound that made his perhaps the most popular Big Band ever. If anything, this recording has a shade more "Classical music" touch to it than others. Although that too he sometimes incorporated such as in 'Serenade In Blue' and 'Moonlight Sonata'.
2: I have always objected to the word "dated" when describing any kind of music. "Dated", when it is used, always implies something NEGATIVE. Hardly anyone ever calls a song or piece of music "dated" and then goes on to speak glowingly of it.
But the problem is that ALL MUSIC is "dated". However, that only makes it BAD if the person in question does not care for the music from that particular age.
All Classical music is "dated". So is Country Blues, and old school Country-Western, and Big Band. All the "psychedelic" Rock from the late '60s sounds "dated". All that slick, "commercial" stadium Rock and Pop from the 1980s sounds "dated". But does that make it bad or mean it's not "timeless"?
Classical music has been with us a long time and many people still love it more than any other kind of music. So, I guess it's "dated" but endures because it's also "timeless". Same with Big Band music and all the rest.
I can listen to the band Journey and say it sounds "dated", which it surely does, as it sounds so much like other music recorded during the 1980s. It's slick and formulaic - predictable - and I don't like it.
So, Journey sounds as "dated" (in its era) as Glenn Miller does in his. But I don't dislike Journey BECAUSE it sounds "dated". I dislike Journey for the same reason I dislike so many other Rock bands and Pop artists from the 1980s: REO-JOURNEY-STYX-WAGON... Those bands and so much of the Pop from that decade sounds trite and boring to me.
But is it simultaneously "timeless"? Maybe. I don't know. Time alone will tell. My hunch is that Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman will outlast REO-Journey-Styx-Wagon, but we shall see. Either way, they're all "dated", being products of their time, but "dated" should NOT be used as a negative term, in my opinion, because all music, whether a person likes it or not, whether it is "timeless" or not, is still "dated".
I hope that makes my position more clear. I didn't mean to brush off your earlier comment in a flippant manner, Brother.
~ D-FensDogG
Brother,
DeleteYes your response does clarify your position. However, when I say dated I am traditionally speaking to the arrangement. A fantastic melody can carry a tune beyond its time, but without that melody (and I'm not particular to this one) we are left with the arrangement to carry the tune. In that respect the cliche's of the time can and often do overwhelm the listening experience.
Secondly, you are correct in your assessment of dated material. All music is dated, and I was not intending that as much of a negative as it came across. My ear is very sensitive to the arrangement, and as such I do tend to come down harder on pieces of music that I don't feel are strong melodically (many would disagree with me on this particular piece, but my ear is not particularly fond of this melody which is why I am judging it based on arrangement). One could also say I am not the ideal individual to evaluate vocal music. My ear is much more critical of Mozart's Opera's than his symphonic music.
That said, a good melody is a good melody. Miles Davis was largely criticized for making Jazz arrangements of popular songs from the 1980's. He did Time After Time by Cindy Lauper, and he did a Michael Jackson song. I read an interview with him where he talks about melody. It is the one thing that overcome even the worst of arrangements. A great melody can make a horrible arrangement sound decent. However, in my opinion (an important distinction than claiming this as a fact) a great arrangement can not overcome a poorly written song. As much as I love the rock band Rush (and I do) I believe their music will be long forgotten for that very reason.
I am a self professed melody snob (though I believe history backs me up a little here). Melody is why U2 stole Mozart's piece and made it into a number one hit called, "One." Melody is the one saving grace some of those Journey songs have (I agree with you on their use of the traditional 80's formula ad nauseum).
When it comes to Glenn Miller I am no expert. I own Glenn Miller Sound, a 2 CD compilation that I enjoy listening to on occasion. Where I do believe instrumental music ages better there are still plenty of examples of vocal music that (in my opinion, an important distinction) has aged well. For example,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq-3B6xfNpY
sounds dated to its time. However, to me at least, the melody and arrangement are fantatic. Dated to its time? Of course it is. However, my ear doesn't want to turn away because it captivates me and draws me in. A less talented individual just sounds like a guy writing in that era,or what most people call dated. What they are trying to say is, "You wrote a period appropriate piece that is not interesting enough to listen to outside of that time period." The piece of music has to be exceptional for it to be timeless. To me, (just one mans opinion) the vocal arrangement Miller uses is not interesting. I do like his instrumental music (my preferance with Jazz as well). So, were left with the world of one mans opinion. That said, can we agree that Ode to Joy is still to this day a great tune..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBlQZyTF_LY&ebc=ANyPxKoa3Lc6VPWERydodZmGC1vPzVFe1hpmhRArNl9aVurpZ7XcjscQwgZ8hBEcDLHJLMqUbwgPGbg8GuXyuYeHykxtub_yDg
Marc
PART 1 OF...?
DeleteBR'ER ~
I'm writing this at 4:48 AM with my first cup of coffee, before I have to get dressed and leave for work (in about 10 min). I will return and finish my thoughts on this later, as soon as I have the time to relax and think further about it. So, standby for Part 2...
This conversation has turned very interesting to me. So, I thank you too for returning and clarifying your position as well.
It seems we don't much disagree after all, and I LOVE conversations like this about music, where the participants can really dig in and get down to the details. (I know Sheboyganboy Six does too. He should be joining us any minute now. Ha!)
Yes, yes, melody is the thing. It's also the single most mysterious thing about music. In fact, I have often thought that the ability of melody to attract or repulse is one of the most mysterious things in the entire universe (that I'm aware of). It's right up there with the cell's ability to immediately begin repairing itself after injury!
One of the first things I ever learned from Sheboyganboy Six was the existence of a fascinating short story by Arthur C. Clarke titled 'THE ULTIMATE MELODY':
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ultimate_Melody
I gotta go back and read that again. I'm sure you would find it highly interesting too, as it addresses the very thing we're discussing.
There's also humor in music, such as this: Without doubt, SBB-6, and Arlee Bird, too, love music as much as I do, and SBB-6 enjoys discussing it. But for whatever reason, the three of us can't agree on it. Our BOTB VOTES are in disagreement about 98% of the time.
It truly does astound me that two guys who love music as much as Six and Lee do have such shitty taste in it! (Ha!-Ha! And they would no doubt say the same thing about me.)
Don't reply yet, as this is
To Be Continued...
~ D-FensDogG
I would never say that you have "shitty taste" in music. And I wouldn't say that about my own taste in music. I'd be more apt to say that I have a broader range of appreciation for many kinds of music than many people.
DeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Stephen,
DeleteYou sated in your last paragraph that the three of you can't agree. That really sums it up. That's why historically speaking none of us can say with authority what will be considered timeless music from this era (we're all too close to it).
Music and the melody have influenced many. I read (too long ago to remember where) how that those entrenched in the occult in the 1940's and 50's saw the music as the vehicle to brainwash the youth of the United States. In truth, it could be argued that music is far better at being used as an instrument of social engineering than even TV. Though they both do a pretty good job at destroying humanity when used by the wicked.
On the other hand music can be successfully used to lead people to God, in inject a sense of morality to a people who really need it. In that respect, if the musicians intent is to bring joy to those of his or her time, then who cares if the music is timeless.
To a degree the "timeless music" fashioned by this world only loves the musician/composer when their dead. Instead of judging the music on its own merit, it becomes a form of death worship. Even some of the historical texts tend to spend too much time on the idiosyncrasies of a particular composer. Just because the individual is talented in one area does not mean we should revere their life choices.
I'm getting a little off topic. I guess what I'm saying is that if a composer brings enjoyment to you they are timeless to you. However, that does not mean they will be viewed that way historically (though they might). Given what is seen today as historically significant classical music one could consider it honor to be seen as "dated."
----- LEE -----
Delete>>... I would never say that you have "shitty taste" in music. And I wouldn't say that about my own taste in music
Oh. ...OK.
But, well, I'm still saying it though.
[:o)}
~ D-FensDogG
Gatton.
ReplyDeleteOh and the beach boys have to be your favorite of the three.
ReplyDeleteBR'ER MARC ~
DeleteYou and Becky-O! - two votes in a row? What is this, "Long-Lost-Pals-Return Week"?
Thanks for the vote, BR'ER!
Yep, Beach Boys it is. What tipped you off? The 7 to 1 ratio? Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen,
DeleteI have read your blogs back when you were on amazon (am a commie bitch .com). We have discussed how pet sounds influenced Sgt. Peppers. Though we have never had the pleasure of shaking hands I have read your blogs and reviews since 2007. It all started because you left a clever comment on an Ann Culter review. Once I started reading your product reviews I was hooked. Now we occasionally talk on the phone. Heck, I've even tried to agree to vacation in your neck of the woods. See, I consider you a good friend as well as a brother in Christ. So I'm finding it unacceptable that I've never met you face to face. So shaking your hand (even if it happens to be the thumbless one) is on my list of stuffs to get done. Been talking to ya since 2007. Time flies.
BR'ER MARC ~
DeleteI just now discovered this comment. I'm gonna go back to "Comment Moderation". That way NO comment can get posted without my notice.
Yes, we've "virtually" known each other for quite a number of years now. But I never did know (or could remember) how we first met.
It was because of a comment I left on an Ann Coulter review? Man, I'd love to revisit that! Can you remember where it was? Provide a URL? I'm not sure that I ever DID know how we first met.
Ann Coulter, eh? Yep, I've heard of her. She's a Trump fan, I understand. The more the Establishment attempts to smear him, the more I start thinking about registering to vote so I can "Go Trump" in the General Election.
The guy's an asshole, but he might be EXACTLY the sort of asshole this country needs right now.
Anyway, BR'ER... please direct me to the place where our friendship began, if you can.
~ D-FensDogG
That would take me awhile, and they erased your comments. I just thought your comment to another reviewer was clever, and so I jumped over to your page (it wasn't one of my reviews). The rest is history.
DeleteHa!-Ha! That's right! I'd forgotten that BigBitch.com erased every single comment I ever left on every single review EVERYWHERE.
DeleteIt's not there now, even if you could locate the spot.
Awww, it comes with being "politically incorrect", I suppose.
Very glad we met though! We'll always have Ann Coulter. Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
Gatton was a one of a kind talent, he gets my vote
ReplyDeleteHe was indeed that, MIKE.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
I love the sound of the Big Band era so my vote goes to The Glen Miller Band. It swept me away whereas Gatton showed brilliance but it didn't make me dream..if that makes sense. I shall say your fav of the 3 is the Beach Boys. My earliest recollection is the Elizabethan Serenade which I still love. The first album I bought? I can't recall but I bought all the ABBA albums and most of ELO which I still have. The last CD I bought...hmmmmm....Andre Rieu at the movies. (or something like that).
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
DeleteYour comment makes absolute sense to me. There is indeed a "dreamy" quality to that Bygone-Time sound of Glenn Miller, that Gatton's recording does not possess, despite its off-the-charts virtuosity.
Funny, of the countless albums I've owned in my lifetime, I've never had one by either Abba or ELO. I do like some ELO songs though. Abba - eh - not so much.
~ D-FensDogG
I love both of these, Miller's for the full band and vocalists, Gatton's for that guitar sound. In the end, I'll go with Danny Gatton. He makes it look so damn easy.....
ReplyDeleteJOHN ~
DeleteYes, we're on the same page here, in that I also LOVE both of these recordings. I'm really dreading having to vote for/against one of them.
I don't think it's nice what I've done here. BOTB shouldn't be agonizing... to me, anyway. Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the McCarthy Academy: On behalf of FAE, Dixie, Robin and moi, I'd like to thank STMcC for bestowing upon moi this wonderful honor. Hey, you! In back! Sit down, I'm not done yet! I'm humbled by this accolade and I will do my best to be at least 50% worthy of the award, 38% of the time, as long as it is Eastern Standard Time, of course. O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave, amen and amen."I will do my honoree duties later this week. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAh, this battle is a dirty trick - I love 'em both! And you mentioned the 5th Dimension, which might cause me to go into a whole Marilyn McCoo "Wedding Day Blues" performance and commentary on their version of "Aquarius." See? Brevity abandoned. No good can come of this.
In spite of it all, I am forcing myself to go with Gatton (forgive me, GM).
[P.S. Your ole' buddy, Gonzo, is hurling. Lovely. Wednesday night and the rainbow yawn is HERE, brother.]
>>... "Ladies and Gentlemen of the McCarthy Academy:
DeleteYou left out ..."For Advanced Constitutional Studies".
>>... Hey, you! In back! Sit down, I'm not done yet!
That guy "in the vest, is it?" Tell him he "heard it here first on 'Roller Derby'."
[Hopefully you've brushed up on yer Cheech Y Chong!]
>> "...at least 50% worthy of the award, 38% of the time, as long as it is Eastern Standard Time, of course."
We were hoping for 50% worthy, at least 40.5% of the time. But we'll take what we can get... here in Pacific Time.
>>... "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave, amen and amen."
Surely, Shirley, you mean "aww-men" and "ahh-women".
Do you know the inside scoop story on how The 5th Dimension became acquainted with the song 'AQUARIUS' and came to record that hit? Quite interesting. Has to do with a lost article and a NYC cab ride.
>>... [P.S. Your ole' buddy, Gonzo, is hurling. Lovely. Wednesday night and the rainbow yawn is HERE, brother.]
Poor guy got ahold of some bad, old Disney animation that didn't agree with him? Yeah, I've upchucked a jumbled Disney movie a few times myself. ..."Ooh! Look at all the pretty colors!"
~ D-FensDogG
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteOf course, in the morning, it all looks like "OL' YELLER".
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteYou certainly know how to pick 'em. Both suprisingly good and very impressive. The Glen Miller version was catchy but my vote goes to Mr. Gatton. Loved the guitar work and the sax. Heck, they even threw in a drum solo. What ever happened to drum solos anyway anyhow? BTW I been had seen Brian Wilson walking around a park in Holmby Hills a few years back when I was running in the area. The Beach Boys music always reminds me of summer and generally makes me feel good. Well there you have it, I been had voted with out you needin to remind my forgetful ass.
JW,
General Poooh re Gard
GENERAL NON B. FORGETFUL ~
ReplyDeleteYes, I was VERY impressed that you gotcherazz over here without any prompting from me.
You're starting to dig BOTB, eh? (Either that or you're just doing a damned good job of humoring ol' Mr. Intense. Either way, it'zzz-all-good.)
>>... What ever happened to drum solos anyway anyhow?
Anyway--anyhow--what for?--I'dno.
Then again, I don't know what ever happened to all my hair, either. Maybe my hair and the drum solos are partying together somewhere.
Cool that you saw the greatest Pop music mastermind of our generation! I read a couple books about Brian and The Beach Boys and they said he used to take a lot of walks, and did a lot of jogging, when he was trying to run away (and walk away) from his drug problems.
Apparently, according to one of the books, he used to walk around that grassy field at UCLA by old K-4 a lot. You know, where we used to have our department softball games.
Thanks for the bote, Pooh.
~ D-FensDogG
...AND POOH, THAT'S NOT ALL....
DeleteThis exchange just reminded me of that funny story about the "NON-MONEY-HAVIN' M-----F----R!" Where was that? I seem to recall that you said it was Venice Beach. Dat right?
~ D-FensDogG
Need a little more background....not ringing a bell.
DeleteWHA--?!
DeleteYou serious?
~ D-FensDogG
I been had remembered, I think....Santa Monica Pier and a I don't know no Iris cigarette explosion?
DeleteNo, no. You don't remember NUTTIN'!
DeleteYou musta been drunk at the time.
~ D-FensDogG
Drunk and possibly on shrooms to boot.
DeleteLicorice Pizza... that's the first I've heard that. I like that. BTW...
ReplyDeleteQ4: What was the latest music you purchased? (No online streaming or free downloads, I’m talking about cash here!)
No downloads? Paid with cash? What is this, 1995? (If I had to answer that question, it would technically be never, and I'm not kidding)
So in the end, I'm going to have to go with Glenn Miller. I have always and will always love that big band sound. And I know a lot of people here aren't a big fan of the vocals, and trust me, they aren't mindblowing by any stretch of the imagination, but I think they capture that era perfectly. Dated, sure, but imagine Justin Timberlake singing over that. HA!
My cohort, meanwhile, leans toward Gatton. I can't fault him for that. It's a damn good song, and this made for a damn good battle.
~6B
6-B ~
DeleteThere actually used to be a record store chain called Licorice Pizza. Not sure if it was nationwide or just a Southern California thang.
>>... If I had to answer that question, it would technically be never, and I'm not kidding
OK, then when was the last time you paid cash for Clearasil? Ha!
Glad you liked the Battle. As you know, I'm agonizing over my vote on this one.
And, for the record, I too like the vocals in the Glenn Miller recording. Nuttin' wrong with 'em at all, in my op.
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. I'm with the beer dude on the vocals, as I enjoyed them also. I believe I'm starting to get the Big Band thing. Does that mean I'm old now? The Pooh made a good point about the dearth of drum solos these days. It's true you don't hear them very often anymore. Did I just say the Pooh made a good point? I'm starting to believe the dude is sober. I kind of wanted to vote for Glenn Miller, but I have to give the nod slightly to Gatton. We may have finally found the man who put the ram in the rama-lama-ding dong!! Vote for Gatton. That's it!! That's my rulin'.
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL (Can I Call You "Nappy"?) ~
Delete>>... I believe I'm starting to get the Big Band thing. Does that mean I'm old now?
Uh... yeah. It means you're old "NOW". You weren't old ten years ago, but... you're old "NOW".
Actually, I'm surprised you didn't get the Big Band thing a long time ago (when you weren't quite so "OLD"), because Big Band is mostly just Jazz with HOOKS.
Pooh may be sober but he's still a Pooh. Granted, he's a high-ranking Pooh, but a Pooh nonetheless.
Man, your BOTB botes really surprise me sometimes. I'd have bet the Utah farm (and all 12 of my wives) that you were going to vote for Glenn Miller.
Can't believe in nuttin' and no one no mo'.
~ D-FensDogG
I almost went with Glenn Miller, but I think it was the drumming and the general arrangement that swayed me just a tad. What am I talking about? I don't knows nuttin about music. Right? Right,right.
ReplyDeleteWell, you know what you like, and that's "knowing" enough.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Well, I've listened to both of these twice. I was hoping to gain some clarity. I thought pre-listening that Glenn Miller had this in the bag, given my proclivity of voting against a screaming guitar. However, Danny Gatton didn't play screaming guitar in this song. Instead, it was lovely.
ReplyDeleteSo, here I am feeling torn when I wanted to feel absolutely certain about my vote.
I'm going to go vote on other battles since I'm very behind and come back here later. Maybe tomorrow. I need to let this settle.
I'm back. I left so kerfluffled that I didn't even thank you for thinking of me with the award. Thank you! I have a couple of "extras" that I want to do soon: "this" and the song title thing that Lee posted on Wrote by Rote.
ReplyDeleteI remain in the proverbial pickle with this contest. I really like the big band sound that Glenn Miller ALWAYS manages so flawlessly. But, I really like Danny Gatton, too. How does he make the guitar do that????
Well, the voting will close and I will have logged in *Nothing* if I don't knuckle down and make a decision.
Here comes the coin toss.
Gatton won and he's chosen to RECEIVE. Give Mr. Nimble Fingers my vote.
Ha! GIRL WONDER, I never thought I'd see you using NFL terminology!
DeleteThanks! Got yer vote down for Nimble Fingers. He's truly amazing and has clearly run away from Miller in this Battle.
If it's any consolation to you, it's just as tough on me trying to decide how to vote in this contest. Just too damned hard!
I'm currently working on my own Song Titles blog bit and hope to have it published here on Monday or Tuesday.
~ D-FensDogG
I hope you enjoyed the football innuendo. Likely you'll never see it again. :)
Delete"I'LL TAKE IT!"
Delete~ D-FensDogG
Stephen, Congratulations on the Words and Music Award, and to all the wonderful bloggers you've shared it with! "Buttery Fingers" Gatton gets my vote. His version is more of a toe tapper.
ReplyDeleteJulie
GEM JULIE ~
DeleteThanks, m'dear, for checking in with your vote. I kind of thought maybe you were going to go Glenn Miller on this one. But then again, my predictions about this particular Battle were entirely wrong, so why should this guess have been any different?
[:o)
~ D-FensDogG
Oooh, tough battle indeed! (And neither of these artists are favorites of mine, so I can only imagine how you'll feel!)
ReplyDeleteI truly liked both arrangements, and each brought something very different to the table. But Gatton's guitar literally reinvents the song, so my vote goes to him.
I'm thinking I want to plant a Poinciana tree in my front yard. I've never heard of them and I have the blackest thumb there is, but you can bet I'm going to research it anyway!
Congrats on your MWA!
Kim (ReInVintaged)
For a "tough Battle" this sure was a massive blowout.
DeleteI don't know that I've ever seen a real live Poinciana tree, but that photograph sure makes it look incredibly beautiful.
~ D-FensDogG
'2016, March 1st: Battle Of The Bands' (Or, 'Glenn Miller Orchestra Vs. Danny Gatton') And The Final Tally:
ReplyDeleteAs you're all aware, FAE of 'Far Away Series' and I used the same song in this round of BOTB. From the start I predicted that Ahmad Jamal would beat Keith Jarrett in a "major blowout" in FAE's Battle. I got that prediction right on the button!
Unfortunately, I also predicted that my Battle was going to be "a photo finish" with the Glenn Miller Orchestra barely edging out Danny Gatton for the win.
ONE statement that was wrong TWICE!
I can't remember the last time I had a 'Battle Of The Bands' blowout that was THIS bad! And on top of that, I didn't even guess the winner correctly. Sheesh!
Well, here's something that I REALLY DO LIKE ABOUT BOTB: Just when I think I've really got it all figured out, when I come to believe that I have completely mastered the art of BOTB, something happens that sends me back to the drawing board. Anyone who has participated in BOTB for any length of time knows that it's often filled with great surprises. You might predict it right sometimes, but there are also occasions when you'll be just as wrong as you possibly can be.
Maybe the next time I get to thinking I'm "Mr. BOTB" (FAE's nickname for me), I'll remember this shocking (to me) blowout and keep it in mind that BOTB is the boss of me - not the other way around.
As always, my thanks to each person who took the time to listen and vote. Your ongoing support of BOTB is always very much appreciated, and I hope to see you here again for my March 15th Battle. (I'm not even going to attempt a guess at the outcome of this next one. Give it a rest, STMcC! Give it a rest!)
Glenn Miller Orchestra = 5 votes
Danny Gatton = 16 votes
And courtesy of Sheboyganboy Six:
Charlie Horse = 1 vote
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
Wow! I am surprised Glenn Miller lost. But maybe you have to be of a certain age to fully appreciate the GMO.
ReplyDeleteGreat battle, look for my music award post Friday. :)
JEFFY ~
DeleteYeah, maybe so. I don't know, but that would be sad if true.
I could even "see" Gatton winning this, but NOT by such a massive margin. That kind of blows what's left of my mind.
~ D-FensDogG
I'm frequently surprised by outcomes. Maybe in this battle it was the more contemporary sound that won more over to Gatton? Another time of day or another mood and I could have gone with the Glenn Miller version.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
LEE ~
DeleteI have a suspicion that perhaps it wasn't so much a "more contemporary sound" by Gatton that influenced it so heavily. I'm wondering if maybe it was the opportunity to WATCH him playing 'Poinciana'.
For sure, the guy was an astonishing guitarist. And being able to watch those nimble fingers fly and create all those different tones may have too heavily weighted this Battle in his favor.
If I could have found that recording (or even the actual studio recording, which I have on CD) where it was just a stationary image on the video, I would have opted for that one.
Unfortunately, the ONLY available YouTube upload of Gatton playing 'Poinciana' was THAT live footage. I used it anyway since the Glenn Miller recording was live too.
Now maybe if there'd been live footage of Miller's band playing the tune also, that might have balanced things out a bit more.
I may have to rethink putting live footage of a truly masterful musician up against a static video in future BOTB contests.
~ D-FensDogG
I don't think it would have changed anything.
DeleteOh, I KNOW it would have changed it somewhat. ...That's the voice of over two and a half years and 63 'Battle Of The Bands' contests talking.
DeleteHowever, I doubt it would have changed the overall outcome, and it might not have even prevented a blowout. All I feel certain of is that it would have given Miller "some" more votes. But perhaps only a few.
I agree that Gatton was going to win this one regardless. The vote total discrepancy was just too overwhelming to alter that.
~ D-FensDogG
Brother,
DeleteGatton is more current (most people voting here can remember the 80's, or at least say they were drunk through the 80's). With Glenn Miller that music is not yet considered a classic (has to be at least 100 years old), but is outside most of your voters life span (my guess). Humans have a tricky habit of gravitating toward that which is most familiar and accessible. Glenn Miller is top notch. This result doesn't change that.
Whatever you say.
Delete~ D-FensDogG
I knew Gatton had it - sorry you didn't know. It was the voices on the GM song. Sorry. At lest you've tught me well (smile), mostly ~
ReplyDeleteDP ~
DeleteWell, I figured out this was a lost cause for Glenn and his boys when the vote was, like, 5 to 1 against him.
Oh, well. It's BOTB, where almost nuttin' is a "sure thing". Just gotta think 'em out, put 'em up against each other and let the chips fall where they may.
I can't be too displeased though, considering that most of my Battles are pretty dern competitive and 8 of them have ended in ties.
It's funny though that every time I start thinking I'll never have a blowout again... I IMMEDIATELY have one! Ha! This has happened like 3 or 4 times. Never fails.
~ D-FensDogG