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January 15, already. Time sure does fly when you’re having
fun, or something.
Due to an old ‘war wound’ that I lovingly refer to as ‘PITA’,
I have difficulty sitting in my office chair for long periods of time during
the occasional flare up. That was me yesterday, when I spent my comfortable
allotted computer time, paying bills, answering emails and doing Internet
research (basically goofing off), instead of writing my BATTLE OF THE BANDS
post. Sorry, if that was a little bit TMI.
This morning when I woke up at 3 AM and couldn’t get back to
sleep (incurable insomniac) I decided to peruse the blogs. To my surprise and
horror, I found that all of the regular participants in BATTLE OF THE BANDS had
already put up their posts. Further checking confirmed that even a new
participant Donna Hole was up and running. Holy carp! This bit of information really
kicked my insomnia into high gear, and I got up to write my post. Therefore, if
it’s any more incoherent than normal, blame it on my bleary eyed, sleep
deprived, somnambulist, condition.
During the Christmas Holiday’s one of the local grocery
stores ran an ad with no voice over and no print on the screen other than their
name. It was an interesting Holiday montage of fancy eats backed up by a very
familiar tune. The song lent itself very well to the Christmas Season, but was
just somewhere out of my being able to put a title to it. It was driving me
nuts (OK more nuts). I finally did a little google research and found it to be
a song written by Rod Argent and recorded by the Zombies in 1968 (if you
remember the 60’s, you probably didn’t enjoy them, much, or so I’m told). Anyway…This
song is often used in ‘pop culture’ to represent the late 1960’s (or so Wikipedia
says).
Enough with the yak. It’s now 4
Am for crying’ out loud. Let’s get on with the music. First up here are the Zombies
with ‘Times of the Season’.
Next a newcomer to the music
scene, Phillip Phillips; (as per Wikipedia) Phillip LaDon Phillips, Jr.
(born September 20, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter, known as the winner
of the eleventh season of American
Idol on May 23, 2012. (Man this guy is young.) Give him a listen.
So, tell me, as far as this
BATTLE goes ‘Who’s your daddy’.
Now you should know the drill,
but if you’re new around here I’ll give you a few clues. First leave me a
comment with your vote as to whom you prefer. Also, please tell me a little bit
about why. Next head on over to my partner in this particular crime Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy and
see what he has cooked up for you in his BATTLE. There are also four other
regular participants who are listed (links included) at Mr. McCarthy’s site
(You really didn’t expect I would be able to get all those links correct at
this hour in the morning, did you?) Please visit each site and leave a vote and
comment there also. Don't forget Donna. Go back on up and click on her name for a link to her site (I hope). FINALLY, come back here (and at the other sites) on the 21st
of January to see my vote and the winner of this BATTLE OF THE BANDS.
I'm going with the original. Not crazy about the twang in Phillip's voice.
ReplyDeleteI love this song. It's an all-time classic of the sixties, with some great arrangement -- that skewed vocal harmony on the ending word "loving" is awesome, and Rod Argent's organ solo is fabulous. The Zombies were a really good band -- "Tell Her No" and "She's Not There" are also terrific gems.
ReplyDeleteBut the remake is essentially the exact same song with just a different singer. I get having respect for the original, but this cover doesn't really add much.
Give me Rod Argent and the Zombies by a long shot!
You lost me at American Idol Winner but I was willing to give Phillip Phillips McPhillips de Phillip a chance (what an awful name. His parents are just plain cruel).
ReplyDeleteHis version is not bad, but it doesn't add anything. Just as I would in the apocalypse... I side with The Zombies.
The original is definitely better, so that is my pick
ReplyDeleteI really like this song. I thought both versions were done well. I don't watch American Idol, but I also don't live under a rock, so I don't know if this was a live performance on that show, but I suspect it might have been. Phillip's voice is fluid and just wonderful on the ear. Not surprising that he won. He does a really great job with this song. I wasn't expecting to like his version all that much, and was happily surprised.
ReplyDeleteSo, I went back and listened to the original again. The big differences are found in the music itself. The Zombies instrumentation is much better. And I love (though not everyone does) that psychaldelic sound that 60s music (sometimes) had. The Zombies version is also different vocally because the lead singer had one of the other band members lending his voice throughout and everyone chiming in harmonically periodically. It makes the sound more full.
My vote is going to The Zombies because I think it is better done overall. However, I am going to give Phillip Phillip's a thumbs up for a really nice cover with limited musicianship on American Idol. It is all about one person's voice on that show.
Thank you for posting that song. I could listen to it again. Great song!!!
I will confess that since I believe American Idol is slowly destroying popular music, I did not even listen to Phillip's version.
ReplyDeleteSo my vote goes to the Zombies.
Who do I believe AI is so bad for music?
These "winners" are accorded superstar status without paying their dues-and you get a lot of experience when paying your dues-like how to connect with an audience.
I still remember when Jordin Sparks sang the national anthem at a football playoff game how lousy she was. It was obvious she went from singing in the shower to singing in a stadium, and the result was what you would expect.
If everyone would stop watching AI (and all shows of that ilk), they'd go away!
LC
My vote goes to the Zombies. I prefer both the lead vocalist's voice and the blend of voices with the others in the group.
ReplyDeleteWow! FAE, of all the past BOTB installments (meaning everyone's, not just yours) I think this was the closest contest for me to decide.
ReplyDeleteYou can put an electric organ on just about ANYTHING and you've got my attention.
I did not expect I would like the cover version much at all, but right from the get-go I realized that this one was going to be harder to decide than I'd have ever imagined.
Both takes on it were cool - The Zombies' original seemed a bit more psychedelic, as one would certainly expect.(Also, that was a pretty bizarre but interesting video that accompanied The Zombies music - not that the images at all factored into my decision.)
Phillip Phillips actually has a pretty good voice; there's a slight rough-edged quality that comes through subtly at times. Plus, I think I liked the organ work a wee bit better in the cover.
This was a damned hard call to make but... believe it or not (and I barely can believe it myself), I'm going to break this voting cycle and give my vote, by the slimmest of margins, to the bloke with two first names.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
POSTSCRIPT:
Also, since DiscConnected admitted right up front that he didn't even listen to the cover version, I'm casting a second vote for disallowing Dr. Disc's vote for The Zombies.
Wow, this ended up harder than I thought it would be. Vocals were great on the new guy, but you can't top Rod Argent. Zombies for me.
ReplyDeleteAlex - No twang, so,one for The Zombies.
ReplyDeleteChris - No difference, so, another one for The Zombies.
Beer Boys - Agreed, that's one strange name. Glad you have an open mind and at least listened.
Pat - Another Zombie fan.
Robin - I've never seen an episode of American Idol - maybe I DO live under a rock. Another vote for a song you love. BTW, feel free to come back and listen often.
LC - See my comment to Robin (I've never seen American Idol). Do you really think that's fair, I mean not even giving this guy a listen; ESPECIALLY after I listened to about a gazillion versions on your BOTB this time.
LD - Another Zombie voted. I'm afraid we're heading into another shut out.
STMc - Thank you for keeping me from writing a post titled, 'What do Glen Miller and The Zombies Have in Common'. FINALLY, one for PP.
CW - At least you admitted to liking the 'new guy'. But another Zombies, it is.
Hmmm...I really like Phillip Phillips. I kind of like his version and given time it could really grow on me. Hard to pass the classic though.
ReplyDeleteHave to go with the classic, #1
ReplyDeleteZombies all the way for me here. I like Phillips, but his version drags to much and it's just too American Idolish.
ReplyDeleteGive me the Zombies.
Lee
Tossing It Out
What? You didn't pre-schedule the post, lol. Insomnia is good for something!
ReplyDeleteI was all set not to like Phillip; seriously how can anyone sing it better than The Zombies. But Phillip has a deeper, richer tone, and his voice is sooo smooth. I guess my vote goes to Phillip - grudgingly.
.......dhole
Zombies get my vote.
ReplyDelete#2 was okay, if you've never heard the original.
Phillip Phillips is excellent. I listen to this guy daily. Everyone here has heard this guy before, whether or not they watch AI (which I never have, even once.)
ReplyDeleteThis song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoRkntoHkIE
is on about every twelfth commercial shown on television, and every third movie filmed in 2013.
I love the Zombies, but I'm gonna do what I usually do and vote in lockstep with StMcC: I vote vote for Phillip Phillips.
I caved to peer pressure and listened to Phil's tune here (good thing I did that first), because when I went and listened to Sheboyganboy's link, he was right-I have heard the guy in commercials, and I do not like that song.
ReplyDeleteMcCarthy's vote for an American Idol winner does not surprise me-the dude is a raging tone-deaf craft-beer swilling foil-hat-wearing lunatic, who is apparently okay with Socialist liberals who cover Zombies songs but not Socialist liberals with skunk hair (see his comment on my blog for more information).
All jokes aside, I really do not like the song in the commercial, and while the cover is better than that, it was not interesting enough for me to change my vote.
And just kidding, Stephen.
Except for the tone-deaf, beer swilling and foil-hat-wearing part.
LC
@DiscConnected:
ReplyDeleteHey, at least you got the Ferret-Faced D-fens-Dogg to visit your blog and vote on your BOTB post.
Not all of us BOTB'ers have been granted such esteemed honors.
'Course, he might be pretty busy folding foil hats and swilling designer brews...
;)
Hey, LC, I resent that remark!
ReplyDeleteI do NOT swill beer. I sip 'n' savor it.
The rest of the stuffs... I'll not deny.
[:-)}
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
POSTSCRIPT:
Alright, FAE, I guess LC's vote is legitimate now. I give you permission to count it. (Ha!)
I like Phillip, didn't know he was a Idol Prodigey of course I didn't don't have TV and if I did wouldn't waste it on AI.
ReplyDeleteI love his song "Home" if for nothing else in his life, it was great that he produced that song.
Anyways, back on subject his "Seasons" was blah.
So Zombies win again...not in a scary take of the world type things just, it looks like everyone is voting for em
Donna Weaver - OK, I'm counting your vote for PP.
ReplyDeleteHGW - Chalk up another one for The Zombies.
Arlee - Another vote AGAINST American Idol and for The Zombies.
Donna Hole - Ha,ha,ha! Blogger doesn't let me do that new fangled type of stuff. I've tried to pre- schedule posts and they never show up.
Hey, hey, hey, one more vote for PP, even if it is grudgingly.
DG - One for The Zombies and at the least a half thumbs up for PP.
SB6 - It took some fancy footwork (only because blogger hates me) but I finally got to your link. I have heard this song, over and over. There is another one that I found was also PP, it's called 'Gone, Gone, Gone' and apparently it gets as much air time as 'Home'. I don't mind either song, I actually kind of like em both, but then I don't watch TV and going to the movies, ha,ha,ha; so I'm not totally immersed.
Thanks for the vote. Good to see ya.
With respect to the comments about Pillip Phillips songs being a 'commercial success' - maybe the guy is out to be the next Barry Manilow. Never been a fan of Barry's but I don't think he cared, he just kept depositing those checks in the bank.
ReplyDeleteLC - I was mulling over your first comment and looking for the right response(other than the one about listening to ALl of your selections), when you fortuitously came to your senses. I mean what's the harm in giving the guy a listen. Rest assured that your vote for The Zombies is now fairly noted.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to get into the merits of shows like AI with respect to the type of music and entertainers they might be turning lose on the public. Just consider it a little more opiate for the masses (Reality TV in general). The thinking public with truly discerning musical tastes still have the right to vote with their feet or should I say wallets.
When it comes to TV in general, I'm wondering what anybody is wasting their time over. After not having TV for a decade, I now get basic cable with my condo and from the little I've seen it's one more step in the process of 'dumbing down America'.
DISCLAIMER - To those of you who NEVER watch TV except for a few favorite shows, please don't hate on me. Just like all BOTB votes, it's only one persons opinion and since were here in my home, I get to give mine - heck I let ya'all give your freely around here also.
STMc - Thank you kind sir. His vote has now been truly noted.
ReplyDeleteChris - would you like a little cheese to go along with that whine. Ha, ha, ha!
ReplyDeleteLuckymama - A vote for The Zombies from a PP lover.
ReplyDeleteONE LAST COMMENT FROM ME -
ReplyDeleteOh Boys - Thanks for the bit of controversy and the opportunity to "pad' my comment box, so I can look like one of the popular girls. Whoever said a little padding in the right place wouldn't do any good. HA!
@FAE: LOL! I was merely joking -- I hope that you or Stephen didn't take it seriously. I knew he was away from the PC and it was surely with good reason -- I was confident he'd make it to my BOTB post eventually.
ReplyDeleteBut now that you offer it, why yes -- I'd love some cheese. That's very gouda you to ask. ;)
The original Zombies version is best.
ReplyDeleteI vote for the original!
ReplyDelete