'Lost and Found' BATTLE OF THE BANDS a TWOFER PRESENTATION

Here we are at February First. You know what that means, don’t you? It’s time for another BATTLE OF THE BANDS, but hold on for just a cotton pickin’ minute here. It seems that I have also signed on to participate in Mr. Arlee Bird’s ‘Lost and Found (Love) Blog Hop’. THAT mean, you’re gonna get a twofer.

For the ‘Lost and Found blog Hop’ we’re supposed to post something about a love in our life; either lost or found. Well now, that there is an interesting concept, but if you come around here often and know me at all, you know I don’t like to blabber on about myself, especially something really personal like Lost or Found love. I will admit to the fact that I’ve had my share of both Lost and Found Love, but  that’s about all I’m gonna say with respect to THAT.

I decided to combine this Hop along with the ongoing ‘Blog Hop of Sorts’ BATTLE OF THE BANDS. I was searching my brain for a good song with two great covers that somehow conveyed this feeling of ‘Lost and Found Lost’ and lo and behold one of my friends came to my rescue with a suggestion, a mighty good suggestion, I might add.

I think a lot of us have had the experience of falling in love and the wrong time. We’re either too young, too old, too afraid, or maybe even too eager, but none the less because of a lack of timing or maybe maturity we’re either forced to, or unwilling to recognize a majestic opportunity. I know I’ve been in this very predicament.  That said; I will tell you that I try to live my life with no regrets, and therefore I console myself that having to pass on those opportunities was probably for my own good…somehow.

Anyhow…that brings me to my selection for BATTLE OF THE BANDS. ‘Too Young to Go Steady’ or ‘Too Young’. Here’s what Wacky Watchee has to say about this tunes composer.

James Francis "Jimmy" McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by such artists as Bill Kenny, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Carmen Miranda, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Adelaide Hall, Nina Simone, Chet Baker, Dinah Washington, June Christy, Peggy Lee, Deanna Durbin, and Ella Fitzgerald.

After struggling in a variety of jobs, including rehearsal pianist for the Boston Opera House and pianist-song plugger for Irving Berlin’s publishing company, in 1921, at the age of 26, McHugh relocated to New York City (Forte). Eventually finding employment as a professional manager with the music publisher Jack Mills Inc., it was there that McHugh published his first song “Emaline”, and briefly teamed up with Irving Mills as The Hotsy Totsy Boys to write the hit song “Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now”.

This songwriting partnership was just the first of McHugh’s many collaborations, among them Ted Koehler (“I’m Shooting High”), Al Dubin (“South American Way”) and Harold Adamson (“It’s a Most Unusual Day”). As impressive as these master lyricists were, perhaps McHugh’s best symbiotic musical relationship was with the school teacher and poet Dorothy Fields (ASCAP). Since he had written material for many of Harlem’s Cotton Club revues, it would be no coincidence that their first combined success would be the score for the all-black Broadway musical Blackbirds of 1928 starring Adelaide Hall^[2] and Bill Bojangles Robinson, which jump-started the fledgling duo’s career with the songs “I Can't Give You Anything But Love,” “Diga Diga Doo” and “I Must Have That Man”.^[3]

Other hits written for the stage were soon to follow, including what is arguably^{[according to whom?]} their most famous composition, 1930’s “On the Sunny Side of the Street” for Lew Leslie’s International Revue, which also contained the favorite “Exactly Like You”; “Blue Again” for The Vanderbilt Revue; and in 1932, “Don’t Blame Me,” which was featured in the Chicago revue Clowns In Clover.
McHugh and Fields contributed title songs for films including "Cuban Love Song", "Dinner at Eight" and "Hooray for Love", as well as “I Feel a Song Comin’ On” and “I'm in the Mood for Love” from 1935’s Every Night at Eight. In the artistically fruitful years after they first collaborated in 1930, McHugh and Fields wrote over 30 songs for the film world. Fields and McHugh finally parted company in 1935.(Spitz) McHugh's longest songwriting partner was Harold Adamson. Adamson provided lyrics to McHugh's compositions. Such hits as "Coming in on A Wing and A Prayer" found its way into Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.

Just so you can hear this very popular version let’s take a listen to Nat King Cole himself. I also want you to have the opportunity to hear the lyrics This IS NOT a part of the contest, so if you don’t have the time and want to skip it, no matter.

Now the Two Contenders, which, by the way, are both instrumental versions.

First up; John Coltrane

Second, let’s hear from Keith Jarrett

OK, now you should know what to do and how to do it. Leave me your vote in the comment section and tell me why you chose as you did. If you want to listen to some other great BATTLES, click on over to the home of Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy. You can find him HERE . Stephen will provide a list of all the participants in BATTLE OF THE BANDS. He is also participating in the “Lost and Found Blog Hop’ so, you can kill two birds or should I say blogs, with one click.

If you’re only interested in other participants in the “Lost and Found Blog Hop’ then by all means, click on over to the home of Mr Arlee Bird, where you will find a list of those participants. You can find him HERE

I’ll be roaming around voting at the other BOTB (that’s short for BATTLE OF THE BANDS) participants and also trying to check in on those of you participating in the ‘Lost and Found Blog Hop’.

I’ll be back on the 7^th of February with the final tally in BOTB and will post my vote at that time. I 
hope you’ll make the time to stop back and see how this thing turns out. Until then, Happy Trails!