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Ya ever have that feeling like you’re on top of the world. Like
your life is just clicking along and you know exactly where you are going and
what you’re doing. Well, if you have, or do – stop it now. Every time I feel
like that, if I take time to really look around and really listen, sense what’s
going on, I would clearly see that the bridge it out up ahead. Yep, it’s those
times when I know I’m heading for a fall.
Anyway…it was a little like that today when I realized that I
needed to put together my BATTLE OF THE BANDS XXVI. XXVI (24); Are you kidding me?
We’ve, or at least I’ve been at this for a whole year, Carp! Now I don’t mean
to imply that I’m headed for a fall or anything like that, other than the
mental collapse I had this morning when I realized that I’ve been blogging
about essentially the same ole thing for a year. Actually, I’ve digressed to
the point where that’s about all I blog about anymore. That has got to change.
Anyway…
I had kind of planned a revolutionary post for July1 in honor of
the 4th of July, Independence Day herein the US. I guess you all know that didn’t happen, but
I’ll give you my Revolutionary post today. Let’s start with the thought that
there are a lot of revolutions going on all around us. Most times we don’t
recognize them as revolutionary until long past the initial event. My song
choices today go back to something like that. But, let’s start with a movie
clip. I love this movie, although I admit I hate to see Maureen cheating on
John with Jimmy. This from ‘Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation’.
Are you still with me? At WOODSTOCK Jimi Hendricks was the
closing act. Shame really because a lot of people had bailed – literally. His
final number was this song. It kind of became a song of the revolution that was
brewing. Funny when you think about it, ‘cause it’s a song about a man who
murders his woman cause he caught her with another man. Ha! A battle as old as
time. Now I have no doubt that if I posted Jimi’s version of this jaunty little
ditty he would shut out just about anybody else, so I’m not gonna do that. This
song has been covered by so many different people I couldn’t possible list them
all; as a matter of fact here’s what Wiki-wacky says about ‘Hey Joe’:
"Hey Joe" is an American popular
song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and as such has been performed in many
musical styles by hundreds of different artists since it was first written.[2][3][4]
"Hey Joe" tells the story of a man who is on the run and planning to
head to Mexico after shooting his wife.[5]
However, diverse credits and claims have led to confusion as to the song's true
authorship
and genesis.[
Diversity is what I’m all about when it comes to BATTLE OF THE BANDS; so,
first let’s hear from Patti Smith. Patti added an unusual lead in on this song
referring to some other historical revolutionary type stuff. Sorry if her style
offends, but I believe that’s pretty much, what she’s all about.
Next up, (this is a hard choice for me – I’ll tell you it’s
between Gary Moore and Alvin Lee – excuse me for a minute while I go flip a
coin). OK, I’m back and Alvin Lee won the coin toss (actually, I tossed an
erasure that had red print on one side – Moore got the red print and Lee not –
you probably didn’t really need to know this, but hey I’m in a chatty mood and
in my office, trust me, there ain’t no money up here).
Here’s Mr. Alvin Lee
Now, I know some of you rule breakers will want to vote for Jimi
anyway, but come on play along. We all know that Jimi would have it hands down,
if he showed up to this party. I kind of hope he and Alvin are somewhere having
a laugh over that.
Thinking about Alvin Lee reminds me of a funny 'Craig's List' story about selling my car in the islands to a man named Alvin Lee. Remind me and maybe one day I'll tell you that one.
Now you know what to do and how to do it. When you finish up
here head on over to Ferret-Faced Fascist Freinds the home of ‘the smartest man alive’ and see what he
has posted for BOTB 24 (if his post isn’t up yet let it percolate, he’ll eventually
show). Once there he’ll give you the links to the other participants in this
little game.
I’ll be back on the 21’s (or thereabouts) with the results of this Battle and my vote. See ya then!
Carp! Funny.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to give it to Mr. Alvin Lee.
Glad you thought that was funny.
DeleteGot you down as the first (in what looks like a long line) vote for Alvin Lee.
lol flip an eraser to decide, original at least.
ReplyDeleteGoing with number 2 at my zoo!
That would be me - I hope.
DeleteThanks for your vote, Pat.
This is a song that I had scheduled for an upcoming battle. Guess I can still do it since my picks were totally different versions than yours. I won't be breaking the rules since I have never cared much for the Hendrix version. In fact, even though the song is a classic, I don't particularly care for the song, but it makes for a good Battle pick since their are so many versions.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care much for the poetic opening of the Smith version and the song itself was too wound down for my taste. I'll go with the more traditional approach of Alvin Lee. I like the vocal better and the instrumental part is more interesting.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Well you know as far as I'm concerned you can do whatever you want to on BOTB. It might be interesting to some to see another match-up of the same tune and boring to others. Being that there are some songs that are covered by many, many artists, I've ofter thought what if we did a BOTB and each used the same song, but picked different covers, with nobody being allowed to use the original.
DeleteOK, that was just a thought, one that flitter quickly through this dumb blondes brain.
Got you down for better vocals and more interesting instrumental.
Ya know, I actually owned some Patti Smith records, back in the day: "Horses," "Wave," and "Easter" with her version of "Because the Night." They weren't half-bad, but I matured out of my affinity for art-punks as I grew older and wiser. I think her "Hey Joe" predates even those records -- the reference to Patty Hearst would put it around '74 or '75, I think...
ReplyDeleteAnyways... Truthfully, I wish the other side of the eraser would have won. I would have likely voted for Gary Moore hands down. Or any of the Roy Buchanan live versions would have been great. Such mournful, soulful, Tele-playin'!
But I do like Alvin Lee. As a guitar player, it's easy to appreciate him, and he's definitely done some really awesome things. But this video feels a little... Well, like he's off his game a bit. A little older, a little more bloated, kind of phoning it in at times. Still pulls off some amazing runs, and who doesn't love the double-neck bass played by the bass player?
But for me, this comes down to a young, seminal, edgy, artsy, in-your-face, F-U-punk artist on the cusp of her career versus a talented guy who's maybe ten-years past his peak -- I'm guessing this video is from the very late '70's or early 80's?
Still -- although I cringe at Patti's crudeness while admiring her chutzpah, and do think her version has a bit more spark -- I have to give the edge to the past-his-prime guitarist (says this well-past-his-prime guitarist).
So Alvin wins this one by a couple of frets...
Now you surprised me a bit there - didn't figure you for a PS fan, but what do I know.
DeleteWe can talk about Gary on the 21st, right now, I'm thinking about refining my choosing methods. Gonna chuck that eraser and finbd a penny.
got you down for Alvin and more more vote towards a shut-out.
"Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand?"
ReplyDeleteHopefully to shoot ME after suffering through the Patti Smith version of this song! Carp!! Wahoo, that was bad. The poem was the best part. At least it had Sole. Holy Shad!
I liked the Alvin Lee version. He can really play that Longneck Eel.
OK, I am 'Laughing Out Loud'. Not going tomake much of a comment, so as not to give my vote away too soon.
DeleteThanks for the laugh. What no French today?
Ahh... je vous demande pardon
Delete"Bouillabaisse"
Ah, be st!ill my heart!
DeleteWhen I came back to reply to this lovely little message, I re-read your first comment; maybe it would be better if Joe used that gun on Patti and spared the rest of the world. Oops! there I go saying too much AGAIN.
I wish Gary Moore had been the other choice, but while I prefer Patti over Alvin in general, this song works better (for me) with Alvin Lee's version.
ReplyDeletePatti's high points for me were Easter and Wave and I liked her original tunes better (lumping Because The Night in that bucket because it was a joint effort with Springsteen and she recorded it first).
LC
Ahh, I'm working toward a shut-out here and I was counting on you voting for Patti. Well just goes to show what I know.
DeleteI really wanted to vote for Patti...but Lee's version is just better.
DeleteI'll go with Alvin, for the same reasons Arlee expressed. Maybe if I was coming down...
ReplyDeleteThe question would be; 'from what'?
DeleteAnother one for Mr. Lee.
First things first (as Kurt Warner would say)... "the smartest man alive"?!
ReplyDeleteHa!-Ha! FAE, you REALLY need to get out more, meet some folks! (If I were so smart, I wouldn't have just paid some guy $200. to copy my old stuffs into a used computer for me.)
"Smartest man alive"... where do you get this stuffs from (and how much they chargin' you for the high)?
Alright, onto the 'Battle Of The Bands'...
I liked your clever little 'Mr. Hobbs...' intro. - that was a first. I've seen that movie and I liked it well enough. Wouldn't get anywhere near my 'Top Ten Favorite Jimmy Stewart Movies' list, but it was light entertainment that I found entertaining in a light way.
I give you my personal guarantee that you could have used the Hendrix version of 'Hey Joe' and it would NOT have been a shutout. Because unless you put Hendrix up against Patti Smith, I would definitely NOT have voted for Hendrix. And I guess that tells you who I'm voting for in THIS 'BOTB'.
I dislike Hendrix, but I pretty much despise Patti Smith. I liked her 'Because The Night' but that's ALL I ever heard by her that I did like. She's the female version of John Lennon to me. Well... actually, Jane Fonda is closer to the female version of John Lennon, but amongst female SINGERS it would be Patti Smith.
As a couple other voters said, I think I would have preferred Gary Moore over Alvin Lee also. (Lee, too, showed his Communist colors when he recorded 'I'd Love To Change The World' with Ten Years After.) But between Lee and Smith, this one's a no-brainer for me.
I think only Donna Hole could break up this shutout, so you better hope she shows up.
One last thing...
>>... Being that there are some songs that are covered by many, many artists, I've often thought what if we did a BOTB and each used the same song, but picked different covers, with nobody being allowed to use the original.
I LOVE THAT IDEA!
You and I have thematically coordinated our BOTBs a couple of times (putting Satchmo against Darin at the same time; using songs from 'Hair' at the same time), but EVERYONE using the SAME SONG at the same time would be SUPER-INTERESTING, I believe.
However, since I am "the smartest man alive", I think I should be allowed to use the ORIGINAL recording of the song... whatever it is... unless the original is by Jimi Hendrix, Patti Smith, or Jane Fonda - in which case someone else can have it.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
One of the earlier comments gave me a real LOL, but this opening was more of a Guffaw. I laughed so hard I may have spit on the screen. Are you telling me that this is the first time you noticed that I always say something about you when sending people to your blog like; 'the handsome or debonaire Mr. McCarthy', or are you telling me that as long as I tell the complete truth, like that you ARE handsome or debonaire that's OK, your only bothered by the the SMART thing. Ha, ha,ha! Oh and don't worry, I get out plenty, but apparently I only attract a less than 'smartest man alive' crowd.
DeleteYou know, early on in the voting, I thought; 'this is probably going to be a shut-out and I decided that I didn't really care. I went for the diverse - two really different versions, starting with one being female (barely) and the other male. I do have to admit that there are one or two people who come around here regularly that I really thought would vote for Patti. Course it ain't over yet. We'll see what happens.
All that said, I'm not the least bit surprised by your vote. I would have probably fainted dead away if you had cast a vote for Patti Smith.
Now, about the 'same song idea', can't you just hear the whining and complaining? I remember trying to get one of the other participants to do the 'Hair" thing. I made that reply comment to Mr. Bird early on and not another one of the participants (all of whom have already been by), including Mr. Bird said a word about it. I do like your willingness to accept the 'smartest man alive' title here at the end, when you think it might give you an edge. Ha, ha, ha.
One last thing; Thank You for mentioning 'Hobbs' clip. I thought that was pretty cleaver myself, but nt another person mentioned it, so I'm not sure if they even clicked on it to see what might be there. YouTube would not let me post it as a normal video link (who knows why).
As always appreciate you vote and your candid opinion. I don't thing Hanoi Jane has any recorded music, so we should all be safe from any of her screeching.
>>... starting with one being female (barely)
DeleteHA! I loves that.
>>... Are you telling me that this is the first time you noticed that I always say something about you when sending people to your blog, like: 'the handsome or debonaire Mr. McCarthy', or are you telling me that as long as I tell the complete truth, like that you ARE handsome or debonaire that's OK...
Uhm... yeah, I noticed those other times, so... yeah, I guess you nailed it. If you had said, "Stephen T. McCarthy, the second or third smartest man alive", I probably wouldn't have even mentioned it.
[;-)}
Well, I tend to notice exceptional creative touches... like your 'Mr. Hobbs' video idea.
I would DEFINITELY be up for a "Collective 'BOTB' Song' installment one o' these times. So, let's give that some thought. Obviously it would have to be a song that's been covered a great many times, so automatically I start thinking in terms of a 'Pop Standard'. As fate might have it, my very next 'BOTB' will quite likely BE that sort of 'Pop Standard', but that might be a bit too soon for others to prepare.
Well, let's think about this, because I really dig the concept.
I have ANOTHER 'Pop Standard' I'm going to do in maybe 3 weeks. Remind me via E and I'll tell ya which one it is. That might actually work.
Off to sleep now in preparation for tonight's "Graveyard" shi(f)t. So... Yak Later.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I'll have to keep in mind to make you the second or third 'whatever', Ha!
DeleteAs far as the 'Collective BOTB' installment, I could do that. three weeks would be good, because I have kind of theme planned for August. Call me crazy, but I kind of like a theme, it keeps me more interested. We'll have to wait and see if it interests the readership more than my last few BATTLES have.
Every Thursday night at the hipster book store that Brandon and I have become well acquainted with, they have a talent show night, where all of the hipsters come out of hiding and put on a show... if you can call it that. Some read really bad poetry, some read cringe-worthy excerpts from novels they wrote, and some get up and sing songs exactly like the Patti Smith version. Half singing, half talking. A little warbling. Always starts with a poem that they think to be much more profound than it really is.
ReplyDeleteYou know what your daddy said, Patti? You know what your daddy said, Patti? He said you lose this one by a mile because you're a little batty.
Alvin chalks up an easy win in my books.
So, is that your contribution to the next Thursday night at the hipster book store. It's pretty good actually, but might not be as meaningful out of context. Of course you could always play the video of Patti on a large screen first and give the hipsters an edge. A la Charlie in 'So I Married An Ax Murderer'. If you have never seen that it might be a good TRT. I'll mention it to STMc
DeleteThis one remains a shut out. I didn't care for the Patti Smith version at all, so that made it an easy win for Alvin.
ReplyDeleteApparently, you're not alone.
DeleteFYI to anybody stopping by: there is anew participant in BATTLE OF THE , BANDS this time. Please go welcome him aboard with your vote. You can find him at mikespainwrites.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWell, I absolutely hated the Patti Smith version so my vote goes to Alvin Lee by default only. Actually, my favorite version of this song is from Johnny Rivers' album Realization.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I'm not familiar with Johnny river's version. I'll have to head over to YouTube and see if it's there. Thanks for vote and the recommend.
ReplyDelete