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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.]

Saturday, October 8, 2022

BOTB RESULTS: OCT. 1, 2022 (Or, THE 'FIGHT SONG' FIGHT)

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First & foremost, I want to announce that our friend dIEDRE has (timidly) entered the 'Battle Of The Bands' Family. So please be sure to visit her, welcome her, and add her blog to your links of BOTB Participants. dIEDRE's BOTBing can be found at [link> StreamPebbles.

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My most recent Battle took place HERE, and it was a 'Fight Song' theme which included 'Fight Song' (Rachel Platten), 'Behind Blue Eyes' (The Who), and 'Long Promised Road' (The Beach Boys). It turned out to be a very close fight -- no knockdowns, no knockouts.

I really appreciate all y'all who took time to vote. And I double appreciate everyone who submitted a personal fight song of their own. Here are the Fight Songs songs which got mentioned in the comment section: 'I Won't Back Down', 'Fight The Good Fight', 'The Real Me', 'Eye Of The Tiger', 'We Are The Champions', 'Straight Shootin' Woman', and 'Face The Blood'.

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The idea of a 'Fight Song' is entirely subjective; whatever works for a person is what works. Period. The songs don't even necessarily need to mention any sort of conflict. Sometimes it's just a powerful feeling induced by a beat, a rhythm, or the sound of certain instruments. I remember a day in the late 1970s when just prior to a high school wrestling match I happened to hear the following song played on the radio and it really revved me up for that battle:

'Black Betty' -- Ram Jam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_2D8Eo15wE

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'Black Betty' doesn't have a thing to do with fighting, wrestling, or conflict of any kind, but it has a certain aggressive sound & rhythm that did the trick for me that day.

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Here's another song that really gets me ready to step into the ring when I hear it, even though I'm not Jewish and the song is specifically about God fighting the Battles for Israel:

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'No Weapon Formed Against You Shall Prosper' -- Joel Chernoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNZMLyje3PM

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If you were a llama opposing the authorities attempting to imprison you, I suppose even 'Yakety Sax' could be your 'Fight Song':

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Llama Chase set to Yakety Sax

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8mUMSi5M8g&t=13s

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With my BOTB bote for 'Long Promised Road', the Results look like this:

FINAL TALLY

Rachel Platten = 2 votes

The Who = 5 votes

The Beach Boys = 6 votes

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I'm pretty shocked that The Who did not win this, but I'm pleased I was able to introduce some folks to a song they weren't familiar with and who were pleasantly surprised by it. For me, personally, since 1997, The Beach Boys' 'LONG PROMISED ROAD' has not only been a Fight Song, but actually my ULTIMATE FIGHT SONG!

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In '97, I purchased a Beach Boys CD which contained a number of complex songs that were new-to-me.

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I was working on a writing project at the time, so for a few days I played this CD on 'Repeat', as just background music to write to, until unusual songs like ''Til I Die', 'Surf's Up', 'The Trader', and 'California Saga' seeped into my mind. Another one which I gradually began to consciously understand was 'Long Promised Road'. After awhile, I found myself getting fired up by that "Get Outta My Way!" chorus.

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The lyrics seemed a bit abstract until I started to reflect on the last lines which, initially, seemed oddly out of place. It was like the finale of the recording was turning into a Love song. "I'd love to see you... I'd love to see you". Suddenly it clicked! "YOU" was GOD, and the whole song was about a person fighting his way back to his Creator! It's not just a physical fight song, it's a Spiritual fight song! 

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But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah.  Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me.  Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down.

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That's the singer (Carl Wilson) removing every thing in "this world" that is impeding his path to The Lord. ("Enter by the narrow gate... Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.") The Battle is in recognizing one's pure Spiritual identity and in overcoming the obstructions & illusions of "this world" that attempt to block the road to one's understanding, self-awareness & Divine Destination.

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'Long Promised Road' is a fight song and a road song about a person's journey from "this world" to the Perfect Realm of Light & Love that's been promised:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. ... For all that is in the world... is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away... but he who does the will of God abides forever. Now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

I'm not going to belabor the point and beat a dead horse by interpreting every verse in the song, but here's one that is very obvious, once a listener understands the true theme of this 'Fight Song':

The title is 'Long Promised Road'. What is that Long Promised Road? It's a Spiritual journey: forty years in the wilderness concluding at The Promised Land.

"Long Promised Road" (Heaven - The Promised Land - at the end for those who faithfully fight the Good Fight). "Trail starts at dawn" (your birth) "carries on to the season's ending" (your death). "Long promised road flows to the Source" (God, the Creator), "gentle Force" (Almighty Love) "Never ending, never ending" (Eternal Life).

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There's one last thing I want to mention about this song that I find very unique. Perhaps this has been done in other musical arrangements, but if so, I'm not aware of it. The Beach Boys were masters at arranging background vocals with Heavenly harmonizing. Everybody knows this. But they did something in 'Long Promised Road' that took me a long time to notice, and I think it adds some "oomph" to the chorus.

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Ordinarily, background vocalists will sing right along with the lead singer, or just slightly behind the lead vocalist. But in the chorus of 'Long Promised Road', the other Beach Boys, singing background, actually start singing the chorus just half a beat BEFORE lead vocalist Carl Wilson does. Here's the chorus again:

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But I Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah

Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me

Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down

If you listen closely, you'll hear the background vocalists are singing ("Hit"... "Knock"... "Throw"...), like, half a beat  BEFORE lead vocalist Carl Wilson sings those same lines. I've never noticed this sort of thing in any other song, and I feel like it adds an interesting sonic texture and maybe a bit more "oomph" to the chorus. See if you hear that...

'Long Promised Road'

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

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Thanks again for participating in my 'FIGHT SONG' FIGHT. I intend to return with a new Battle on Nov. 1st, so be here or be... in my doghouse.

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

10 comments:

  1. What?? THE WHO DIDN'T WIN??! I am truly shocked, Stephen. ☺ But, I did enjoy the Beach Boys song and I'm generally not a fan of their music. Thanks for the introduction and keep on fightin'!

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    1. HiYa, DEBBIE ~

      Thanks for checking in on the outcome. (If a person can check IN on an OUTcome, can they also check OUT on an INcome? ...Just another deep puzzle for us humans to ponder while sipping our margaritas, daiquiris, and pina coladas.)

      I think there's a good amount of Beach Boys songs from their later period that people might like even if they don't dig their early Sun, Surf & Sand tunes. The Boys' style changed quite a bit as they went along.

      I'll keep on fightin' until the hooch gives out. And then I'm gonna surrender immediately. There'd be no reason to go on. :^D

      ~ D-FensDogG

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  2. Nice outcome! It would have been interesting to see how things would have turned out without Rachel in the mix. I also thought The Who would win this, but either way the ending was good.

    I think your interpretation of "Long Promised Road" makes sense. There have been a number of songs that I think work well as songs to God.

    Arlee
    Here's my Battle Results at Tossing It Out Results

    ReplyDelete
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    1. LEE ~

      I rarely do 3-Way Battles (although I have another one planned for Nov. 1). And even though I suspected she would not fare well in this contest, I wanted to use Rachel Platten in this because it was actually her song that gave birth to this BOTB concept in my noggin.

      Had I not used her 'Fight Song', I suspect the Beach Boys would have won by a larger margin than one. It was John & dIEDRE who voted for Rachel. In his comment, John wrote this: "Behind Blue Eyes" is WAY too depressing, and though I like The Beach Boys' song, I like Rachel better."

      Sounds to me that had Rachel not been an option, John would have sided with The Boys.

      And I'm not sure about dIEDRE, but she seems like such a gentle soul that I have a hunch The Beach Boys would have won out over a song mentioning hate, lies, anger, pain, vengeance, and a clenched fist. But I'm not presuming to speak for dIEDRE.

      As I said, I expected The Who would win. And that's because 'Behind Blue Eyes' is so well known by people from a certain time period, which constitutes the majority of my voters. Oddly, though, what I noticed was that the songs ended in reverse order of their Billboard rankings:

      #1) Long Promised Road (#89 - Billboard)
      #2) Behind Blue Eyes (#34 - Billboard)
      #3) Fight Song (#6 - Billboard)

      That's the thing about BOTB... you can always expect the unexpected and unexpect the expected. And I'm glad, because I'd have gotten bored with it long ago if it were too predictable. (BOTB - where psychics go to die.)

      ~ D-FensDogG

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  3. Thank you, Stephen T.! Your announcement has me toeing the dirt in an aw-shucks moment ;-)
    I kind of expected The Who to take the win. I do like the song, but it reminds me of someone I can now only miss and, yes, it's depressing. You guessed right - I would have voted for the Beach Boys ;-) I agree with your interpretation of the song. Good battle!

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    1. Howdy, dIEDRE ~

      Thanks for checking in to see who won the Fight Song fight.

      I can definitely see how some folks might find 'Behind Blue Eyes' depressing. I guess I never have simply because there's a lot of myself in those words. (And probably even more of my Brother.) I've always had an inner angst / rage, but my sense of humor has usually done a good job of keeping it cloaked.

      We haven't had a new BOTB member in a long time, so it's refreshing to get a new participant and I look forward to the tunes you treat us to.

      ~ D-FensDogG

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  4. Stephen,

    Interesting. Maybe in my subconscious state that's why I enjoyed the lyrics because the words spoke to me from a spiritual point view. It wouldn't be the first time that this has happened. I've heard other songs that resonated with me this way and it's usually after hearing the songs repeated that it clicks with my spiritual side even though the song is about earthly relationship or struggles. Very cool backstory which I enjoyed learning about! And just look I picked the Beach Boys who I normally would not in this round because of how touched I was by the lyrics and for good reason. :) See ya next month, my friend!

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    1. HiYa, CAThy! It's That You!!

      I'm pleased that you enjoyed our winning song here. Obviously, it's been a very meaningful song to me for a long time. And it's one of only a tiny handful of songs that I consider to be "true poetry" set to music. Most song lyrics are just song lyrics, even when they're really good. But on exceedingly rare occasions, a few songwriters have written genuine poetry, in my opinion, and 'Long Promised Road' is one of the prime examples.

      I know what you mean about some songs taking on a Spiritual tone, even when they weren't necessarily intended that way. One example that always jumps quickly to my mind is Simon & Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. If you listen to it while imagining that the words are being sung to you by God Himself, it's an extremely moving song that seems to be overflowing with Spiritual Love.

      Thanks for stopping by, Dear!

      ~ D-FensDogG

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  5. Definitely a shocker that the Beach Boys won.

    And whatever song is playing in Freddie The Falcon's head.. has gotta be a top fight song.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez-zqSgWgCM


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    1. PROFESSOR DOGG ~

      What the-- ?!
      Well, I'll say this... even on foot and in feathers, that falcon had some speed. I don't know why he did what he done, but I believe that birds are America's future!

      And I also gotta believe the fight song playing in Freddie Falcon's head was 'Gonna Fly Now'.

      ~ D-FensDogG

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