Sunday, November 1, 2015

BATTLE OF THE BANDS - I'M LOOKING AT YOU...TURKEY!



Here it is the first of November, Halloween is now behind us and we are in full swing Holiday mode. So, naturally our hearts turn to thoughts of…turkey



Ah, er,…I mean our hearts turn to thoughts of L-O-V-E. Yeah, that’s right. Thoughts of lOVE. ‘The Look of Love’ to be exact. Well, at least that’s my selection for this BATTLE OF THE BANDS.

“The Look of Love’ according to Wacky Watchee…

The Look of Love" is a popular song composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and sung by English pop singer Dusty Springfield, which appeared in the 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale. In 2008, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[1] It also received a Best Song nomination in the 1968 Academy Awards.
The music was written by Burt Bacharach, and was originally intended to be an instrumental. But later Hal David added the lyrics, and the song was published in 1967. According to Bacharach, the melody was inspired by watching Ursula Andress in an early cut of the film.[2]
Early recordings
The first recording is by Stan Getz as an instrumental in December 1966.[3] The song with lyrics was originally recorded by Dusty Springfield for the Casino Royale soundtrack, receiving an Oscar nomination and reaching the US Top 40. Phil Ramone, the soundtrack's engineer, recorded the song separately from the rest of the film tracks. Springfield re-recorded the song the same year in London, featuring a throaty saxophone solo, and released it as the B-side of "Give Me Time". Claudine Longet recorded the song on her 1967 album of the same title. Lainie Kazan also recorded "The Look of Love" (arranged by Pat Williams) on her 1967 album Love is Lainie. Nina Simone also recorded "The Look of Love" in 1967 on her album Silk & Soul. Sérgio Mendes' hit rendition on the Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 album Look Around reached #4 on the pop charts after their performance in the Academy Awards telecast in March 1968. The lead vocal on this single was handled by Janis Hansen, not Lani Hall, a rarity in the early Brasil '66 canon. Andy Williams released a version in 1967 on his album, Love, Andy. Soul group The Delfonics also covered the song in 1968 on their album La La Means I Love You, while the legendary Motown quartet Four Tops gave the song a sweeping Broadway-like treatment on their 1969 album Soul Spin. Brazilian threesome Som Três recorded an early instrumental version on their album Show (Odeon, 1968).
Later recordings
Isaac Hayes covered the song for his 1970 album ...To Be Continued. While Hayes used the same lyrics, his cover includes a unique instrumental which has been heavily sampled on R&B and hip-hop records.
El Chicano covered "The Look of Love" on their 1970 album, Viva Tirado .

No doubt about the fact that this one has been covered A LOT. Today, I’ve chosen to pit two of the earlier recordings against each other.

First up, Miss Nina Simone


Next Brasil ‘66


Does this song seem familiar to you? Have you heard it somewhere else recently? Well, what do you make of that?

Now, you guys know what to do and how to do it. Leave me a comment with your vote and the reason you chose as you did. When you finish up here, head on over to the home of TKOTPPH, Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy. You can find him HERE Stephen will have an interesting selection for you I’m sure, and he will also publish the link for other participants in BOTB. Please try to visit everyone.

I’ll be back on the 7th to cast my vote and tell y’all the outcome. Until then…
HAPPY TRAILS!

40 comments:

  1. The second was more catchy, I like that one the best. So #2 it is. We already did the turkey thing, so we can relax away until Christmas day haha

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    1. Already did the turkey thing? Whoa, you are ahead of the curve.

      got you down for the catchy Brazil '66

      Delete
  2. The versions are quite different. As Pat said, the second one was catchy, and gets my vote.

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    1. Another fish caught by the catchy thing. Thanks for your vote, Alex.

      Delete
  3. Ha! What a coincidence. I just came from Stephen's blog. Do you two talk?☺
    Interesting! I've never heard Nina Simone sing this before. Her lovely alto would normally be my choice, however, this song doesn't really suit her, in my opinion. The Brasil 66 rendition gets my vote. Happy Turkey Season!

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    1. And Happy Turkey Season to you too, Debbie.

      So, Nina didn't quite do it for you. Looks like Brazil '66 caught another vote.

      Delete
  4. You'd think we were coming upon Valentine's Day instead of Turkey Day. Did you and McCathy collaborate on this round? Whether or not you did, the outcome was nice. I'll be having a collaboration round next time--not with the same songs, but related themes.

    I've never heard Simone's version of this song but it was very good. I thought the instrumental arrangement was excellent. Her vocals took some getting used to, but she pulled the song off well.

    The Brazil 66 is the one I'm used to hearing and it always been a favorite of mine. That band has such a great distinctive sound.

    Between these two I'm going to have to go with Nina Simone. Her band beat Sergio's in my opinion. But I couldn't go wrong listening to either recording.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Are you interested in buying a bridge? I could really use the money and your first paragraph indicates you might be a prime candidate for this choice piece or real estate. Ha!

      Thanks for saving me from a shut-out as Mr. McCarthy predicted with this particular BATTLE, he should have known he could count on you. Ha again!

      Thanks lee for giving me two good laughs on this dreary depressing day.

      Nina gets her first vote.

      Delete
  5. Nina Simone is great but I like the blend of vocals in Brasil's version so please give my vote to Brasil. Nice battle. I'm really getting familiar with this song now after today! :) It's a great song for sure.
    Michele at Angels Bark

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    1. Kind of seems like 'Ground Hog Day', eh? Don;t worry it will all be over in a week.

      Seems you're right there with the other voters, in liking Nina's version but just not as much as Brazil '66.

      Delete
  6. Nina Simone gets my vote - she adds a sultriness to the song and I like her voice. A love song should be smoky and smooth as she does it. I'm not a fan of soft girly voices nor of Brasil 66, sounds too commercial. . .

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    1. Ah, the second vote for Nina. I agree with your assessment of what a love song should be in most cases. I have to admit I never thought of Brazil '66 as being too commercial. A very interesting comment, indeed.

      Glad to have you back coming around D.G. I hope things in your life are leveling out.

      Delete
  7. Two tough contenders here (and very different from both on StMc's blog, from which I've just come). I liked them both. I listened all the way through to each. Still didn't know, so I stop/started alternating them about every thirty seconds. I still like them both.

    Nina's is more sparse. The stripped down version, if you will. The accompaniment is very nice, but intended for her voice to be the feature and everything else supports that. This is a good song for that sort of interpretation. It feels more intimate.

    Sergio and Brasil '66 created a more dynamic version of this song. More upbeat. More percussive.

    This song reminds me of dancing. It's just what kind of dancing do you want to do? Slow and intimate or a lighthearted swing? For me, today, I like Nina's slow and intimate. Tomorrow I might prefer the exuberance of swing dancing.

    Put me down for Nina Simone.

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    1. Interesting comment and analysis. I don't usually get into the habit of trying to predict how my regular visitors will vote, but when McCarthy warned me that I was heading for a possible shut-out with this match-up (which, I figured he might very well be right about), I did think that you would probably vote for Nina. Not even sure why, but I did figure that you would at lest save me from a shut-out. At a quick glance, it appears that Nina is holding her own and raking in a few votes. We shall see what happens in the next few days, though.

      Delete
  8. Great song, FAE! And I would know, because I used the same one this time. And what a disaster averted, because I very nearly used the excellent version by Nina Simone, too. "HOLY COINCIDENCE, BATMAN!"

    Both recordings are enjoyable as heck (did I really just write that?) And Robin's analysis is spot-on! I agree with everything she said... except for her vote. ...I gotta go with Sergio and Brasil '66. I'm a total sucker for group vocals and great harmonizing.

    Plus... Lee voted for Nina, so I was forced to vote the other way.
    Ha!-Ha! [;o)} (Joking, of course, but it's downright amazing how much Lee and I disalee... I mean, "disagree".)

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. Ha, ha,ha! You'll 'Say Anyting' to keep the LF's happy.

      Robin did give a great analysis and if you read my reply to her you'll note that in this case I had her figured as a vote for Nina, but even before her vote I was saved from a shut-out and as I'm looking things over, it may not be a blow out either. Although, in the end I'm sure you'll be right.

      Delete
  9. Wow you and Stephen were on the same wave length:) It is interesting to hear these 2 battles when Stephen did the same song. I will give this to Nina Simone because I love her styling of the song with her voice. It took on a deeper vibe. The 2nd one is more in keeping, I think, with the original but I still go with Nina

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    1. Hey Birgit, thanks for your vote and for bringing Nina up to speed in this BATTLE. Brazil '66 is still in the lead, but Nina is giving a respectable fight. We shall see what happens on the 7th.

      Same wave length...ha,ha,ha!

      Delete
  10. I love ole' Burt B and his string of hits. This is just one more example of why!

    Beads of sweat rise as I try to pick a favorite...cranial straining...I'm in a corner...arrrrghhhhhh....okay, I pick Sergio and Brasil '66!

    I haven't seen Stephen's yet but I'm on my way (I do the list alphabetically). Great job, my friend!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it and sorry it gave you 'cranial straining', Ha!

      Got you down for Sergio and gang.

      Delete
  11. I am surprised that McCarthy's prediction of a shut out was avoided, because Brasil 66's version is THE definitive version... excellent in every way. At the same time, Nina Simone has a very weird superfast vibrato thang going on that makes her voice quite annoying.

    People may vote another way, but I don't get it. Maybe peoples' taste is simply being bludgeoned into submission to crap through constant exposure to, shall we say, "shizzle?"

    B-66 OWNS this one, now and forever. (envision the mic dropping at this point, with feedback as they walk off stage. HA! How is THAT for insulting the taste of the masses and then using one of their own techniques against 'em?)

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    1. AND, my friend, I had no doubt where your vote would fall. I also knew that a few of my regular voters would NOT be fans of Brazil '66, therefore I felt safe that this would not be a shut. I will admit that I'm surprised at how close it is running. Never knew there would be so many fans of Nina.

      That's all I'm going too say for now, so as not to give away my vote before the 7th. See you then.

      Delete
  12. Tough battle both are splendid. However my vote goes for Nina!

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    1. Thanks Mike, glad to hear you thought it was though. If you read the other comments you'll note that some people thought it would be a slam dunk.

      Delete
  13. Hmmm. Nina Simone has never been a favorite of mine. Although the tone of her voice is divinely warm and sultry, her quivering vibrato irritates me. I'm going to go with Brazil 66 even though it sort of sounds like elevator music or a cocktail lounge where a few lone broken-hearted drunks are silently weeping into their drinks.

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    1. Ha, ha, ha! Your comment really gave me the giggles and I admit that you were one I had figured as a sure vote for Nina.

      Delete
  14. Someone once compared Nina Simone to Diana Krall. I should almost disqualify Nina from consideration for that crack alone. But I won't. I'm fair and honest.
    But she also still doesn't get my vote. I'll go with Brasil '66. Loved what they did with the song.

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    1. That kind of made be laugh also, but I think it may be for different reasons than yours. AND, Brazil '66 gets yet another vote.

      Delete
  15. I don't like turkey very much, but I have been known to be a jive turkey. Come to think of it, Nina Simone kind of reminds me of turkey. It's not bad, but it's very simple. A little bland. Brasil '66, meanwhile, has so much more flavor. We both agree - easy vote for Brasil '66. Also, I'm hungry now.

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    1. You don't like turkey? I'm a vegetarian and a good turkey
      (Thanksgiving) dinner with all the trimmings is about the only thing I miss.

      Poor Nina being compared to a turkey, oh well, I guess I kinda started that one.

      Got you guys down as TWO votes for Brazil '66 and their more flavorful sound.

      Delete
  16. I liked Nina Simone's version... hey, it's a great song, one of my favorites, and I haven't heard any bad versions of it. But Brasil '66's version is the definitive one, in my book. I go with that one.

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    1. Almost thought you were another vote for Nina there for a minute, but no it's Brazil '66 AGAIN.

      Delete
  17. Fae, Mmmm, turrrkey time! I'm looking forward to each loving bite I'll take on that special day of thanksgiving. :P This song sounds a little familiar, but it's been ages...I think. I'm giving Brasil my vote. I just liked her sound over all a little better than Simone's. Have a tunetastic week!

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    1. Thanks Cathy. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, I;m sure planning on it.

      Thanks for the vote also.

      Delete
  18. I adore this song, and I love Brasil '66, ever since I was a wee one. Nina did a bang-up job, but I gotta go with Sergio and the gang here.

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    1. Seems most folks think like you on this one. Nina was good, but not good enough.

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  19. I think I prefer Nina on this one. She sure can hold a note!

    As for Turkey, I was hoping to poach from one of my many children's houses this year. But, seems everyone is coming HERE. Oh, well, guess I'm cooking. Somebody better start learning how to make stuffing!!

    I don't have a post today. Not into blogging - been trying to write a short story, that took a lot of energy and did not finish. I'm just stopping by a couple posts, waiting for Legends to come on.

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    1. I figured you as a vote for Nina (don't usually do that, but McCarethy got me going).

      Funny how that works out on the Holidays, Just when you think they're all gone and you're done with all that stuff ---they're back!

      I'm thinking about taking a blog break myself, getting kind of burned out on just about everything lately.

      Delete
  20. I thought I would vote for Nina Simone, but she didn't grab me on this one. My vote goes to the sound I remember well--that of of Brasil '66. Now that you mention it, I believe I have heard this song someplace recently.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Yeah, this tune has kind of been in the 'air' lately.

      Another vote for the Boys from Brazil.

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