RESULTS for BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVIII Tough Guys and Tunes

BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVIII OR Show Me Your Tunes, was really fun, at least for me. There was a whole lot of love/hate expressed for those tough guys who really can’t sing, but give it what they got anyway, and croon from the heart. If you come around here often, or follow my votes at the other BATTLE OF THE BANDS participants, you would know exactly how my vote would lean.

That last sentence reminds me of something I want to ask and talk about for a minute. Please bear, or should that be bare, with me. My questions is; why don’t you guys click the link I give you and go on over to Mr. McCarthy's site and vote there also? Once at his place, he provides a link to other sites also participating in these bi-monthly BATTLES, and you can vote all through the game. Some of you are incredibly loyal to BOTB, so I have to figure you enjoy it, therefore why not quadruple or quintuple your enjoyment (there are usually four or five participants) and vote all around. ANYWAY…I’M JUST WONDERING. 

Let me know in the comment box what ya think.

OK, back to PAINT YOUR WAGON, I promised some fun facts. It was over budget, overdue, and suffered many delays. Some of the delays were attributed to Mr. Marvin’s drinking and inability to, ah um…perform. It was stated that quite possibly it also added to his performance. Whoever knows if those are ‘urban myths’ used to hype the film, or real truths. Something that has been reported in several locations is that Marvin was originally cast to play Pike Bishop in ‘The Wild Bunch’ (a role later played by William Holden), but had a falling out with director Sam Peckinpah and pulled out in order to star in ‘Paint Your Wagon’. Whoa! That was quite a switch.

I’m sure a musical ‘oater’ starring two ‘tough guys’ like Eastwood and Marvin proved to be a disappointment to a whole lot of folks. Thanks to the ‘Beer Boys’ over at A Beer for the Shower I was treated to one real man’s extreme disappointment:

Many of you expressed your sentiments that although Lee Marvin really couldn’t sing he did express the feeling of the song better. I think Susan Kane summed it up nicely when she said: ‘Lee Marvin delivers the angst, passion, and rawness.

If you haven’t guessed by now, my vote goes to Lee Marvin. He is definitely one of my favorite ‘tough guys’. Sure he can’t ‘really sing’, but maybe that adds an element of reality to this silly, over the top depiction of the wild west, gold fever, mining towns. Maybe because he doesn’t have the range of a Robert Goulet it’s exactly like Susan says, and he delivers more feeling. I don’t know for sure. I do know that his delivery appeals to me, and it did to most of you.

The final tally, including my vote:

               

                 Lee Marvin         13 votes

                Robert Goulet       7 votes

 I had a record 18 votes on this BOTB (yes, I can add. One of you voted for both, so I counted it that way). Thank you all for your loyalty and support. Now, keep coming back here and voting, but also PLEASE visit the other participants and vote there also.

I do want to add that it is my opinion Robert Goulet has a great voice, and has done a great job on this tune, as well as many other Broadway hits, but I just don’t get the same feeling from his rendition here.

If you follow me regularly and listen to some of my exploits, you’ll also realize that; I was in fact, born under a wanderin’ star.

I’ll be Back on May 1^st with BATTLE OF THE BANDS XIX. I have a special surprise for you then.

'JOY"

I admit I don't expect a lot of people to see this, being Sunday, and Easter Sunday at that. I expect most of you are enjoying the celebration of what is perhaps the most important event in the history of mankind. BUT, regardless of who might read this post or comment, I would be seriously remiss if I did not publicly express my gratitude and JOY.

For, on this day we celebrate THE GOOD NEWS that HE IS RISEN!

I have a song for you to enjoy, if you have the time. This song if from the movie 'The Prince of Egypt' and they are singing about 'the Deliverer', Moses. But it's a beautiful song and for those of us who anxiously await the return of our Savior Jesus Christ, (that Beautiful Outlaw)  the same words apply. Truly, 'there will be miracles, if you believe'.

There are many beautiful videos of this song, but I choose this one, so you would be able to read the words.

May you have a most Blessed Easter.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVIII - SHOW ME YOUR TUNES

Ah, April 15^th…a time to render unto Caesar…Problem, as I see it, with this modern  day Caesar is that he seems to think everything you have is his (whether his image is placed upon it not); like your home, your kids, your livestock, your livelihood and your money. YIKES! Oh well, you’re not really gonna do anything about it, are ya?

So…let’s get onto a more pleasant topic shall we? BATLE OF THE BANDS. Yes, it’s also THAT time again.

I love me a good musical. I know they are kind of silly. People walking down the road and bursting into song and dance. Tough guys singing their threats, and quite literally wearing their hearts on their sleeve as they belt out a ‘love song’. BUT, I don’t care, I love ‘em. Well, maybe not all of ‘em, but I do like quite a few.

One of my favorite ‘musicals’ is ‘Paint Your Wagon’. Yep! What could be better than a ‘Western Musical’? Its set at the gold rush days of California in a little ole mining town called ‘No Name City’. Predominately male cast, but there is a love  story of sorts in there, and a great buddy tale also.

‘Paint Your Wagon’ a Lerner and Loewe production, was originally a Broadway play set on the world in 1951. It was basically a flop. BUT, in 1969 it was adapted for the screen by Paddy Chayefsky. Jay Lerner teamed up with Andre Previn to add a few new songs, with the whole thing being directed by Joshua Logan. The two male leads were…are you ready for this…Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood…in a musical, and they each sing a solo. This already sounds like a wild time.

First up let’s hear Lee Marvin as Ben Rumson Singing ‘Wanderin’ Star’

Next up ‘Mr. Smooth’ Robert Goulet up against Lee with the same tune.

OK, now you know what to do. Vote in the comment box and give me your why. Next, head on over to the home of the handsome, and ever popular Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy and vote in his BATTLE. STMc will give you links to other participants in this BATTLE and I urge you to visit everyone.

As a side note, read Mr. McCarthy’s disclaimer on his site. If he doesn’t start getting more votes he’s done, finished, gonna quit BATTLE OF THE BANDS. So, if you enjoy this bi-monthly diversion into silliness, better head over there and cast a vote also.

I’ll be back on the 21^st with an in-depth analysis of the voting and an explicit overview of the necessary material. NOT REALLY, but I will come back and give you my vote and reasons. I might even give you some fun facts about ‘Paint Your Wagon’.

G is for GOOD and BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVII RESULTS

G is for Good! Take a look at this yummy cheesecake. Does it look good?

Let me tell you ‘GOOD’ DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE IT.

Do you want to know how to make it? Do you want to find other scrumptious foods that you can make with easy recipes? Well, have I got a deal for you. Check out this blog Faiths a Foodie.

Faith is the daughter of a blog friend of mine who has entered the A to Z Challenge. Faith is an incredible chef in the making. Faith is funny, articulate, and very smart. Faith is twelve years old. You read that right, she’s twelve.

Relatively new to blogging, Faith decided to enter this year’s A to Z Challenge. I found her through her mom’s blog and started following. Now, I’m hoping that you guys will check out her site and follow her. I’m also hoping that you will include a few sentences about this wonderful kid and encourage others who stop at your place to check out Faith’s blog and also follow her. I would love to see her top 100 followers during this month, and you can help. Although, I’m not really participating in the A to Z this year (this post is just me crashing the party, for this one day), it’s my opinion that this is the type of thing A to Z is all about. Helping out and encouraging the new and aspiring bloggers. What could be better that encouraging someone so talented, who is also so young and fresh?

So take a few minutes and pop on over and visit Faith. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Find Faith at Faiths a Foodie

OK, now for the real business of today.

I’m late to my own party. So, what else is new? Lately, I’ve been running faster than I’m able and I’m still far behind. Needless to say I’m exhausted most of the time. I know…excuses…excuses…excuses.

Let’s get right on it then. BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVII was indeed one of my favorites here at Far Away Eyes. I love this piece of music, no matter who covers it. I also found it enjoyable that in this BATTLE so many of you had a hard time deciding. I have to admit I love both versions and find it difficult to cast my own vote.

In the end, I’m going to vote for the original/more traditional version played by Berliner Philharmoniker as Tomaso Albinoni intended. It is so haunting and beautiful. Because of my introduction to this piece, I’m reminded of a time in my life that was tranquil. I was fortunate enough to live in a marvelous place, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Hearing this music played this way takes me back to that time. At the same time, I want to comment that I think The Doors did a marvelous job with this piece of classical music, proving to the world that they had a very diverse background and were ‘real’ musicians.

The final tally including my vote for the original/traditional version is as follows:

                

 Adagio for Organ and Strings as played by:

                Berliner Philharmoniker                                7 votes

                The Doors                                                   5 votes

There you have it another BATTLE OF THE BANDS. Come back on the 15^th of April for BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVIII.