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Howdy, Friends! How all y'all?
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Next month, on November 1st, we will be determining the ultimate winner of my year-long $ilver Dollar $aloon $ong Challenge. I'll be introducing the final challenger and it will be the Super Bowl of the $D$$C. Be here or be... the drunken dog in the saloon!
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As you'll recall, Dr. John was wiping out all the competition in the $D$$C until that punk kid, Jonny Lang, threw him off the throne. And you'll recall that last month in an unrelated Battle Of The Bands match-up, Ol' Blue Eyes (with help from the Mob) beat Kenny Loggins in the 'Lady Luck' Battle.
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Well, this week, we're going to put those two - The Good Doctor & Ol' Blue Eyes - up against each other on 'Makin' Whoopee', a song that's considered a Jazzy Standard. Dr. John will be getting some help in his duet version from Rickie Lee Jones. (Long-time Friends of my BOTB contests will remember that [link> John & Jones beat John, Krall & Costello on this same song back in 2014.)
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OK, let's see if Sinatra & the Mob can beat The Doctor & his Nurse. Please vote in the comment section, and then be sure to visit all the other BOTBers and vote in their Battles also... or the Wolfman's gonna getcha!
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing! . . .
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MAKIN' WHOOPEE -- Frank Sinatra (& the Nelson Riddle Orchestra)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsMhSwMkJU0
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MAKIN' WHOOPEE -- Dr. John and Rickie Lee Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNKEyN6_mtY
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I'll return here with my own vote and the Battle Results on or about Sept. 8th.
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Bless And Be Blessed!!
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~ Stephen T.
Howdy, Friends! How all y'all?
.
Next month, on November 1st, we will be determining the ultimate winner of my year-long $ilver Dollar $aloon $ong Challenge. I'll be introducing the final challenger and it will be the Super Bowl of the $D$$C. Be here or be... the drunken dog in the saloon!
.
As you'll recall, Dr. John was wiping out all the competition in the $D$$C until that punk kid, Jonny Lang, threw him off the throne. And you'll recall that last month in an unrelated Battle Of The Bands match-up, Ol' Blue Eyes (with help from the Mob) beat Kenny Loggins in the 'Lady Luck' Battle.
.
Well, this week, we're going to put those two - The Good Doctor & Ol' Blue Eyes - up against each other on 'Makin' Whoopee', a song that's considered a Jazzy Standard. Dr. John will be getting some help in his duet version from Rickie Lee Jones. (Long-time Friends of my BOTB contests will remember that [link> John & Jones beat John, Krall & Costello on this same song back in 2014.)
.
OK, let's see if Sinatra & the Mob can beat The Doctor & his Nurse. Please vote in the comment section, and then be sure to visit all the other BOTBers and vote in their Battles also... or the Wolfman's gonna getcha!
.
Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing! . . .
.
MAKIN' WHOOPEE -- Frank Sinatra (& the Nelson Riddle Orchestra)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsMhSwMkJU0
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MAKIN' WHOOPEE -- Dr. John and Rickie Lee Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNKEyN6_mtY
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I'll return here with my own vote and the Battle Results on or about Sept. 8th.
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Bless And Be Blessed!!
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~ Stephen T.
This one is an easy vote for ol' brown eyes and RLJ. I like the Sinatra version and generally like ol' blue eyes' singing, but don't love it. I will almost always always choose some other of the crooner class singers if given the choice (except Tony Bennett) over Sinatra.
ReplyDeleteI know you are a huge fan of Jones. I like her, but what makes this song for me is Dr. John. Love his funky voice and especially the piano work.
Some things about this song struck me. One was the vast difference between the language of 1930 vs. 2000+. Songs these days discussing the subject of the "trap" of marriage and the likelihood of cheating afterwards use language that would not have been acceptable in society 100 years ago. But another thing that struck me is that the assumption that a bored husband will go "make whoopie" away from home 100 years ago seemed as inevitable as now.. And this was without the easy access to contraceptives and society's acceptance of abortion. People made whoopie anyway. My dad always told me that sexuality was just the same when he was young as they were when I was a young man in the 1970s "sexual revolution." They just talked about it more in the 70s.
Anyway, make mine John/Jones in 2024.
Sixgun McItchyfinger
MR. McITCHYFINGER ~
DeleteVery astute observations, McBrother. From what I have read, it seems women now cheat on their husbands as often or even more often than the men cheat on their wives. I think the word for that is... equality(?)
Despite our "Great Musical Divide", I can really rally behind your remarks about Sinatra. Both of my parents dug him - particularly my Ma - and I can now understand why. He had a pretty suave way of delivering a song, and tossing in some little ad libs to "cool it up". (According to my Ma, it was really all about "the phrasing".)
Although I now kind of get it, I'm still not a real big fan. Some Sinatra songs I like wa-aaa-y more than others. But, for crooners, make mine Bobby Darin. After him, Mathis, and then maybe (believe it or not) Michael Buble.
Over the last few years, I've finally begun to appreciate Dean Martin considerably more than I used to. (Crooning isn't exactly my favorite style of delivering old Standards.) But, like you, I say "Never!" when it comes to Tony Bennett. I don't know what it is about that guy, but he always sounds flatter than my 8-year-old girlfriend was.
[Man, that's an awful lot of musical agreement between us. Is the world coming to an end this week?]
~ D-FensDogG
Happy October, Stephen!
ReplyDeleteDr. John wasn't half bad! But I have to give it up for Ol' Blue Eyes and his Big Old fashioned Band. I enjoyed everything about it ;-)
Happy Hallothanksmas, dIEDRE.
Delete(Hmmm.... Where have I run across that word before? ;-)
My favorite thing about Frank Sinatra has always been..... the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. HA! (My Ma would shoot me if she were still here.)
Of course it's extremely early in the game, but so far, up to this point, you are saving me from a shutout. (Muh thanks!)
~ D-FensDogG
Interesting battle, Stephen! I much preferred the jazzy/funky Dr. John and Rickie Lee version. It had way more pizzazz! ☺
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE D'DOGLADY ~
DeleteI could have imagined you going either way in this match-up. Of all my regular visitors, you may be the one I have the most difficult time predicting how the vote will go.
~ Stephen
I'm taking that as a compliment, Stephen. ☺ Saw your reply to Sixgun about crooners and my favourite is Dean Martin, with Michael Bublé a close second. Frank is much further down the list. And Tony Bennett? Meh... Andy Williams was good!
DeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteYeah, I like Andy Williams, too.
Unpredictability is a sign of unpredictability which, as traits go, is always a goot juan. Occasionally in a restaurant I will order a dish I know I dislike, just to keep myself guessing. (I'd hate to get bored with myself because... there's no escaping me. So I might as well keep me unpredictable and interesting to myself.)
How about Bobby Darin? He's my favorite of all the crooners because in his ballads, I find a natural vocal quality (saudade) which I have found in only two other singers. Those being Karen Carpenter (#1) and Astrud Gilberto.
Bobby singing ballads like 'A Taste Of Honey', 'Skylark', 'Was There A Call For Me?', 'What A Difference A Day Made', 'Just Friends', etc. Those songs really go straight to my heart, and it's all because of that *thing* in his voice that's hard to describe but unmistakable.
~ D-FensDogG
No question, Bobby Darin was a great singer, but the only song of his I remember is Mack the Knife. I'll head over to YouTube and check out the rest.
DeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteMy all time favorite Bobby Darin song is [Link> LAZY RIVER. That one is actually uptempo (and then some!!) Darin wrings every bit of sass and energy out of that song, and the orchestra behind him is every bit as great and aggressive. LOVE IT!
But it's only in the ballads where I hear that "saudade" in the man's voice, where it is so prominent that it sometimes almost hurts to listen to them. Here are a few goot juans:
[Link> SOFTLY, AS I LEAVE YOU
[Link> WHERE LOVE HAS GONE
This last one, for me, seriously challenges 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' for the title of saddest Holiday song. If it catches me at the right moment, it'll make my eyes leak a bit.
[Link> CHRISTMAS AULD LANG SYNE
~ D-FensDogG
Thanks for the Bobby Darin concert! I especially like Christmas Auld Lang Syne.
DeleteYou're quite welcome, Debbie!
DeleteMy Ma really, Really loved Bobby Darin. And oddly enough, it was I who turned her onto 'Christmas Auld Lang Syne' just shortly before she passed on. I now think of that song as a sort of Going Away gift from me to her.
~ D-FensDogG
No wonder it makes you teary-eyed! You do have a soft, sensitive side, Stephen. ☺
DeleteSHHHhhhhh!...
DeleteThere are two things we don't talk about:
1) Fight Club.
2) My soft, sensitive side. ;^D
~ D-FensDogG
https://christinebialczak.com/2023/10/01/october-battle-of-the-bands/
ReplyDeleteI love Sinatra but I want to vote for Dr. John and RIckie Lee because to me Sinatra wouldn't really say "makin' whoopie". It just seems more fitting for Dr. John and Rickie Lee.
ReplyDeleteCHRISTINE ~
DeleteHa! That's as good a reason as any for casting a vote for The Good Doctor (& his blonde nurse).
~ D-FensDogG
Well, Dr John and Ricki Lee made for a fun delivery, but it started getting annoying to me. Probably more fun as a live performance.
ReplyDeleteSinatra rocked this one. He gets my vote.
Lee
LEE ~
DeleteYeah, I hear ya. Doctors poking around on me will start annoying me, too. There's only just so much of a doctor that a person can tolerate. Except, of course, Dr. James Crow. I don't mind him so much.
~ D-FensDogG
I can't believe I'm writing this but I prefer Sinatra over Dr. John. I can't believe it because I'm not a big fan of Sinatra but I love the orchestra and, not to sound like a prude, cos I am, most definitely, not but Dr. John's version sounded a bit sleazy. I'm all for sleaze but not this way. Weird but going with Sinatra who really was a bit of a sleaze.
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
DeleteThe Nelson Riddle Orchestra is almost impossible not to enjoy.
Dr. John came from New Orleans, which is synonymous with "sleaze". I've been there, so I know. Bourbon Street is almost the same thing as The Vegas Strip. Sleaze & Sin Cities.
I read somewhere that Dr. John once went to see a voodoo shaman type of guy to get the sleaze exorcised outta him. It didn't work, but at the conclusion of the session, the voodoo dude suddenly found he could play some funky keyboards.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen -
ReplyDeleteGoing in, I thought for certain I would be voting for Sinatra, but he kind of bored me. I most definitely enjoyed Dr John.
Dr John gets my vote!
-MMQE
MMQE ~
DeleteThe Good Doctor thanks you for your support. And as an expression of his appreciation, he is offering you a 50% discount on the "prescription" of your choice... no questions asked; no ailment necessary.
~ D-FensDogG
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI'm giving my vote to Dr John and his nurse. I can't put my finger on it but I have never been a fan of Ole Blue Eyes. His personality always seemed a bit stiff and uninviting. Have a bandtastic week, my friend!
Thanks for dropping your two cents into the BOTB kitty, CAThy.
DeleteMy favorite Sinatra performance has always been his rendition of 'Witchcraft', which he presented as the Singing Sword in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. Frank never looked better!
~ D-FensDogG
Like your comment above, I find ol Blue Eyes to be rather hit or miss. Some of his songs I do really like (such as the one I boted for previously, Luck Be A Lady), but others don't do it for me as much. This is one of those. He sings it just fine, and the orchestra is great, but it doesn't really seem very sensual, despite being about... well, whoopie.
ReplyDeleteDr. John nails the sensuality with that sultry jazzy sound, and the duet really sells it for me. This is something I'd definitely want to hear during whoopie (if the cobwebs ever get dusted off and I find a GCB*). Give my bote to the good doctor. And seek medical help immediately if you experience an auditory erection lasting longer than 4 hours.
~Chief Julio down by the prescription pad
*Good Christian Broad
J S-A ~
DeleteSo, what you're saying is that Sinatra's rendition wasn't sleazy enough? Therefore you're "boting" for the sleazy Doctor?
That's funny because Birgit voted for Sinatra specifically because The Good Doctor sounded too sleazy.
This is the sort of thing that has kept BOTB interesting for 10 years now. The way music affects people is difficult to put into words, and it affects everyone a little (or very) differently.
I'm sure glad you gave me the meaning of GCB, as I'd have had trouble figuring that one out.
Single GCBs are hard to find in 2023. But 2 non-GCBs equals 1 GCB. And that's why I keep one at The Mustang Ranch and one at The Bunny Ranch. (And of course that's not even counting Brenda Lee, Karen Carpenter, and Susan Dey.)
~ Dr. D-FensDogG
And Stephen that's not all....
ReplyDeleteDo you want this in a pahckut?
Good battle mi amigo. On the surface, where I normally dwell, I thought I would be biased towards Ole Blue Eyes..not to be confused with Ole Red Eyes or Ole Bleary Eyes which we were more accustomed to anyway anyhow. But my votes a goin to Dr. John and Rickie Lee Jones as I done had believed that there was more musicality to that number wit dos two. Musicality, yah! I said it!
I liked the upbeatness too. And to boot I recall you had a crush on that Rickie Lee Jones gal and even stalked her at KCRW (SMC) if I recall. Restraining order aside, that's my vote.
Be well and JW!
Poooooooooh!
...AND, POOH!...
DeleteWhy you wanna remind me of the B.F.D. Tour for when I was just starting to put it out of my mind?
My ol' friend (no, I didn't just call you "old"), I thanks ya for comin' by to spike the punch with Bacardi 151. Or was it SoCo? Well, either way, someone had to do it, and if not you, WHO?! And if not now, WHEN?!
Is it not bad enough that everyone thinks I'm married to Brenda Lee and cheating with Karen Carpenter and Susan Dey, that you had to go and toss Rickie Lee Jones into the mix? I wasn't stalking Rickie at KCRW. I only stopped by to tell her that she was almost as attractive as Bruce Springsteen. Is that such a crime?
It's a good thing for the Doctor & his Nurse that you came by to support them. They were starting to fall far behind Frankie & The Mob in this Battle. (Never, ever Battle the Mob in the mean streets of Las Vegas!)
Seriously, thanks for continuing to support BOTB. May your wine in Heaven be the best that Jesus can make!
Love (John Wayne! John Wayne!),
~ Stephen T.
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation
Frank was OK, but Mac and Ricki Lee were sublime. Dr. John FTW!
ReplyDeleteJOHN ~
DeleteAlways voting for John, aren't ya, John?
I can't remember the last time I had a blowout of this proportion. And Sinatra being on the losing side of it, now *that* is noteworthy!
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. This was a fun song you done chose here. I liked the more sultry version by Dr. John and RLJ better, but I did enjoy the orchestra behind that other guy's version. Rulin fer Dr. John and RLJ. That's it!! That's muh rulin'.
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL ~
DeleteYes, this is a fun song... in an anti-10 Commandment, going straight to hell kind of way.
I sometimes feel I shouldn't enjoy this song as much as I do. In much the same way that I enjoy the movies 'The Wild Bunch' and 'Falling Down', and then question my conscience about that.
I'm rather surprised by how badly "that other guy" is getting his skinny arse handed to him in this Battle... (using the word "battle" very loosely here).
~ D-FensDogG