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Today is that silly un-holiday, 'April Fools' Day', so here I am, the king of the court jesters, to amuse, entertain & tickle you with foolishness.
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This installment of Battle Of The Bands' Battle Of The Booze is going to feature a couple of silly songs that I consider to be pretty E-Tickety, as far as silly songs go.
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'Beer Run' by Todd Snider
Versus
'Less Thinking, More Drinking'
by Bruce Blackman
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Last November, I introduced you to the song 'Ballad Of The Devil's Backbone Tavern' by Todd Snider, whom I consider to be one of the funniest & cleverest lyricists ever.
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Snider ought not be underestimated! This guy writes songs across an amazing spectrum. He can write downright funny songs; also, downright serious stuffs. (At one time, I considered using his song 'You Think You Know Somebody' in my 'Battle Of The Booze' series, and then dismissed the idea because the song is just too depressing.) And, Snider wrote & recorded one of my two all-time favorite Christian Rock songs: > 'Somebody's Coming'. (Got any idea who that Somebody, "who don't need your vote", might be?)
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Snider's song in this contest is about making "Beer Runs". When I was a member of 'The League Of Soul Crusaders' in the early 1980s, we made a lot of beer runs. But we didn't need a car & a driver. Our headquarters were located at 824 Bay Street (where 98.97% of the executive decisions were made); and being a beer bottle cap-toss away from the intersection of Pico & Lincoln Blvds., we had 3 different liquor stores "within stumbling distance" (i.e., within two blocks).
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However, 99.87% of the time, we walked (or stumbled) to Lucky Liquor, which was located right next door to Jolly Jack's Bar. "Two great places that tasted great together!"
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| Lucky Liquor & Jolly Jack's: an Alcoholic's Alliteration Award winner! |
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Bruce Blackman, the leader of Starbuck, gave us the catchy hit song 'Moonlight Feels Right'. In his book, 'The Road To Moonlight Feels Right', Blackman tells the following story:
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At a recording studio in Doraville, Georgia, Bruce had just barely finished singing 'Moonlight Feels Right' when Steve Clark, the recording engineer, walked in and said, "You done? We've got to stop now. Skynyrd is waiting."
Then Ronnie Van Zant [lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd] entered the room and said to Steve, "Hell's that? You ready to quit doing this stupid shit and work on something good?"
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That "stupid shit" went to #3 on the Billboard music charts in 1976. Lynyrd Skynyrd's biggest hit? 'Sweet Home Alabama' in 1974 - #8.
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Years ago, I left a comment for Bruce Blackman at YouTube, telling him, "...It was actually your song 'Doing Nothing' that turned me on to Mojitos. Prior to that, I was strictly a Margarita man. Thanks, Bruce, you done good!
:o)
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He responded:
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@StarbuckMusic
8 years ago
+D-Fens DogG I've been known to down a mojito or two, or three on occasion.
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Alright, let's get on it!
Let's get ON this thing!!
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Please vote here, there & everywhere.
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BEER RUN
by Todd Snider
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LESS THINKING, MORE DRINKING
by Bruce Blackman
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~ Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy
I'm giving my vote to Todd Snider. I enjoyed the overall fun vibe of the song and the way he sings reminds me a little of Ray Stevens who I've always liked. Anywho, great battle. Mine goes live at noon today. Stop by when you get a chance, dear friend!
ReplyDeleteHiYa, CAThy!
DeleteI'm as pleased as spiked punch that you stopped by with a vote for Mr. B Double-E Double-R You In.
I'm generally a fan of novelty songs, and this is definitely a F-U-N one!
~ D-FensDogG
Todd's song is clever and quite humorous, but I don't know that I'd want repeated listenings, though I'm sure it would be fun to spin with a gathering of folks who were partying.
ReplyDeleteFor me the Bruce Blackman song would stand up to more repeated casual listening and that's the one I'd buy if I were buying a song so that's my vote.
Lee
R LEE BOID ~
DeleteI like both of these songs (nearly equally), but neither one is something I'd listen to on anything more than sporadic occasions. In fact, I have both of these on CDs but neither one spends a good deal of time in my player.
~ D-FensDogG
It is fun that you got a rise outta Bruce "Da Boss" Blackman! That isn't the only time you have gotten a response from the mo richer and mo famous.
ReplyDeleteI prefer him to Todd this time, but I've liked all the Todd samplings you have proffered through the years. I read what Lee said about this Todd song, and agree completely.
I stick with you through thick and thin on these BotBs... but I must remind you again that I am a TEETOTALER. So any relating I do to ANY of these drinking/booze songs is purely abstract. I have no clue. No reference. NADA. Zilch. Zip. Bereft of knowledge, I remain without reference.
How about a contest between: https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197189/
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taCcNtIU0VI
Sheboyganboy VI
SHEBOYGANBOY 6 ~
DeleteYes, I've definitely had contact with quite a number of members of the Rich & Famous Club. I've found that, like the rest of us, they put on their brassieres one cup at a time.
As always, I appreciate your loyal participation in my BOTB contests. Obviously, one doesn't need to be a doctor of Alcohology in order to know which of two songs they like better.
Q: If Jesus (the *real* One) showed up at your door one night and offered you a glass of wine that He had miraculously made from water, would you drink it, or tell Him, "No, thank you anyway."?
That BOTB sample contest you posted... that would be a toughie. I'd have trouble deciding which was the lesser evil to bless with my vote.
~ D-FensDogG
VOTE = BRUCE BLACKMAN
ReplyDeleteDUDE! While listening to Todd's entry, I was SO SURE I would be voting for him. Even more so during the first minute or so of Bruce's entry cuz it seemed kind of meh there at first. THEN... oh, yes, but THEN... the groove got me, and Bruce pulled ahead and crossed the finesse line ahead of Todd, which is a doggone shame sort of, in a way, but not really, and yet, see, Todd's song was SO FUN!!! But, well, so was Bruce's song, and the line 'if you can lie on the floor without holding on' brought it on home for me. I heard THE VOICES of experience in my head, cuz unlike 'Sheboy...' I have a whole mouldering pile o' Skeletors in my closets. Yep.
~Eddie.
And, btw, I was late, but my BOTB is now up and available: https://trivialmusicsilliness.wordpress.com/2025/04/02/battle-of-the-bands-26/
EDDIE ~
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the contest. To tell the truth, I'm still a wee bit o' undecided how I'm a-gonna vote. Both songs - while not going to change anybody's way of thinking - are a lot of fun to listen to. Good music to party-on-down with.
I still remember when I began my "underage drinking" career and how the rooms really would start to spin. As I became a more seasoned drunk, the rooms stopped spinning and it was my mouth which would then become uncontrollable. ;^D
~ D-FensDogG
I like Bruce's song. It stays with me and I agree with the sentiment
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, BIRGIT!
DeleteI believe there's too much thinking and not enough drinking going on in this sorry old world. Wasn't it Rodney King who said, "Can't we all just drink more Olde English 800 and get along?"
~ D-FensDogG
I liked Todd's song, but like Lee said, I don't think it would hold up to repeated listenings. Bruce Blackman, no such issues. Bruce!
ReplyDeleteSIR JOHN ~
DeleteI own both songs and listen to each of them... maybe once or twice a year. Although I find both of them quite amusing, neither one is something I'd have on a regular playlist. (But I tawt dey was poifect fer April Foolishness Day.)
~ D-FensDogG
I'm sorry to have to pile onto the beatdown, but I have to side with Blackman, too. And not just because of his killer comment reply to you.
ReplyDeleteI do like Todd a lot, and I know I boted for him the last time he was in a battle. And his is a great song, but like some of the others have mentioned, it's not necessarily one I want to put on repeat, while Bruce's ultimately is.
So I'm gonna hit repeat, listen to Brucey one more time, and maybe grab a mojito, because now I'm just craving one.
~Chief Julio (in search of mint and lime)
Chief Tom "Big Shooter" HarpBerry ~
DeleteNever worry about piling on; I'm a big fan of it (sometimes).
Bruce seems like a really nice, down-to-earth guy. I suspect he and I would get along famously (...so long as he kept buying the mojitos).
The first mojito I ever had was at a really cool Mexican restaurant in the Phoenix area called Abuelo's. That's also where I invented the term "goldenshadow".
But the *best* mojito I ever had was at a Claim Jumper restaurant in Reno. The bartender told me that just a week earlier, he and some other bartender buddies had a mojito competition and he won. (My taste buds confirmed the rightness of that decision!)
You'd think that the best mojito I'd ever had would have been created in some fancier saloon than a Claim Jumper. But... no, you'd think wrong. Also... one of the very best martinis - if not *the* best - I ever had was served to me at a Chili's restaurant in Podunk, Airheadzona. You just never know where you're going to unexpectedly encounter greatness. (Kind of like... a blog titled 'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends', or 'Stuffs'... and stuffs like that. ;^D)
Thanks for bringing some Black Strap Rum to this foolish contest!
~ D-FensDogG
The Beer Run song was delightful! But when it comes to Doing Nothing I want to hear something seriously fun and Bruce just has that way about him. Bruce gets my vote for Less Thinking ;-)
ReplyDelete~~>>... "Bruce gets my vote for Less Thinking"
DeleteAmen to that!! Oh, DEAR dIEDRE, you have no idea what a fan I am of 'Less Thinking'. I mean, let's be honest here: thinking is what screwed up this world from very early on (i.e., Genesis 3:6 -- which, not coincidentally, could also be translated to 666, because 3:6 is saying three sixes, amiright? And 666 is sick, sick, sick!!!).
What this world needs is much more drinking of grapes ("wine that makes glad the heart of man" -- Psalm 104:15), and much less eating of apples which... may keep the doctor away, but also keeps gladness away from heart.
I really should quit BOTB and start my own church instead. ;^D
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. Both songs are fun and very enjoyable, and as the boid man and Mr. 6 so astutely pointed out, Bruce Blackman’s “ Less Thinking More Drinking” is the one that I would listen to more often. However, during this one time session of back to back listening, muh rulin’ goes to Todd Snider and “Beer Run”. That’s it!! That’s muh rulin’.
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL "REBEL YELL" BONDIGAS ~
Delete~~>>... Blackman’s “Less Thinking More Drinking” is the one that I would listen to more often. However, during this one time session of back to back listening, muh rulin’ goes to Todd Snider and “Beer Run”.
Ah-Ha! So, what you are saying is that you are a Method Actor-- er... I mean, a Method Judge. You are "in the moment" and not thinking about how you might, maybe, possibly feel sometime in the future.
Ya know - funny that - because when I knew you as a League Of Soul Crusaders member, I got the feeling that you were also a "Method Drinker", always living IN THE MOMENT, and not thinking about what the future might bring (i.e., "morning-after apology phone calls").
GOL! I think maybe, perhaps, mayhaps... this is one of my all-time Top 10 comment responses. I thank you for making what once seemed impossible, possibly possible!
I grade this comment & its response:
101 PROOF!
~ D-FensDogG
Ahhh, it’s nothin.
Delete