For the past few months my life has been traveling
down a track like a bullet train. Yesterday, there was a major derailment.
There is blood and body parts all over the place, but don’t worry they are only
mine.
Due to the fact that I am currently
running a contest on this blog, I feel that ‘the show must go on, but I hope
you will understand my need to be brief.
For information regarding the contest,
please check my previous posts. You may do so by clicking HERE.
As might be expected I am completely
unprepared for Battle of the Bands today. A day or so ago while visiting friends
in the blogosphere I stumbled upon a new artist. So, in keeping with my state
of mind today here are two versions of the song ‘Roar’.
And
Now leave me a comment with your vote and
your WHY. Then visit Mr. McCarthy at F-FFF and do likewise.
Today is a busy day. It’s time for my RESULTS post for BOTB XIX
and it’s IWSG day.
Let’s do BOTB Results first, shall we?
Seems poor ole Leon Russell took a beating in this one. His
version was compared to a lounge act, elevator music, and ‘gasp’ dentist office
music (I want the name of your dentist). I’ll admit that these two version
really weren’t all that different. The better contests are the ones that really
strike a different note, sometimes they don’t even seem like the same song.
Anyway…
In the end I’m gonna give my vote to Leon. I really enjoy his
style; that is if you think not really having a definitive style (other than
his good ole boy voice) is a style. You always know when it’s Leon singing, but
as far as a particular style, it’s my opinion that Leon just keeps on
reinventing himself. I was fortunate enough to see him in person at a small
intimate venue while I lived in Idaho. Great show, even if he was and ‘old guy’
now, with a physical appearance that Santa Clause could envy.
The final tally including my vote:
Danny O’Keefe9 votes
Leon
Russell5 votes
Remember a comment on this post gives you one more entry into
the May BOTB contest (see contest rules at the end of this post). Before you
read any farther (or should that be further) click on over to Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends and leave a
comment for Mr. McCarthy after his ‘VOTE COMMENT’. Then check out all the other
participants and see what their results were.
For my IWSG post this month I’ve been scouring YouTube for an ad
I’ve seen on TV. It’s about optimism. I figure if you’re an Insecure Writer
that is something you can use. Can’t find the ad I’m looking for so I’ll just
give you my basic ‘two cents’.
The ad I'm talking about is the one with the little guy who drags a bucket of balls up to the backstop. He then proclaims 'I'm the greatest batter in the world' and proceeds to strike out THREE TIMES. A look of surprise crosses his face and he shouts 'I'm the greatest pitcher in the world'. Now that's some OPTIMISM.
I try to live by the motto 'Attitude is Everything'. If you believe that, and I do, you might as well try to have a good one.
My advice today to all of your Insecure Writers out there is work on a positive attitude. It will show through in your writing. Write to please yourself and PLEASE break at least one rule.
Now if you want some really good advice, check out the other
participants in this monthly endeavor by clicking over to the site of the originator Alex J. Cavanaugh. Click on the link at the top for the list of participants While your there, thank Alex, and all those who help each month to put this group
together.
Contest Rules and Prized for May BOTB
Here’s how it’s gonna work.
Everyone who comments will have up to eight possible entries. Vote once here at
Far Away Series (FAS) on May 1 and May 15 on each BATTLE OF THE BANDS post and
once at F-FFF on May 1 and May 15 on each BATTLE OF THE BANDS post. Then come
back on the 7th and 21st and leave a comment here on Far
Away Series in my BATTLE OF THE BANDS RESULTS POST and return to Mr. McCarthy’s
original BATTLE OF THE BANDS POST and leave a comment after ‘HIS OWN VOTE’ HAS
BEEN RECORDED AND THE WINNER ANNOUNCED. If you VOTE at each site you will
receive four (4) entries into the contest AND if you return and comment at (FAS)
RESULTS post and comment at F-FFF (Mr. McCarthy’s site) after his “VOTE’
comment you will receive another four (4) entries for a possible total of eight
(8) entries = 8 chances to win. On May 31st, we will drop all of the
entries into a hat and draw one. The
winner will be announced on June 1, 2014 at BATTLE OF THE BANDS XXI.
What can you win? After careful consideration it has been
decided that we will be giving away an all-expenses paid vacation to spend
either a week in lovely Phoenix, AZ or Lake Tahoe, NV with the your respective
hosts Far Away Eyes or Stephen T. McCarthy- JUST KIDDING!!! Seriously now,
we will be giving away a CD of your choice, as long as it contains one of the
songs featured on any BATTLE OF THE BANDS posted at Far Away Series or
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends. (Super expensive imports or Boxed Sets NOT
included.) To make it even more interesting and to honor the origination of
BATTLE OF THE BANDS you may go all the way back to that first BATTLE on August
1, 2013 to make your selection.
KEEP IN MIND this contest will only run for the month of MAY and votes will ONLY be
counted from FAR AWAY SERIES and FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS. But, we
encourage you to visit and vote at the sites of ALL THE PARTICIPANTS in BATTLE
OF THE BANDS (links for other possible participants can be found at F-FFF)
cause that’s what makes this such a ‘party’.
I'll expect you back here on May 15th for BATTLE OF THE BANDS XX.
Before we get onto BATTLE OF THE BANDS XIX, I want to back track
to my RESULTS post for BATTLE OF THE BANDS XVIII. Do you remember that I
promised you a surprise? Well…
SURPRISE! Back on August 1, 2013, Mr.
Stephen T. McCarthy and I aired the first ever BATTLE OF THE BANDS (well, at
least our first ever). Once we set up the concept, we also decided to make it a
contest. At that time we stated that we would begin a new contest period every
four months. At the end of November, 2013, we had our first winner – C.W.
Martin,BUT we never started the
contest up again. (Not totally surprising considering one of us is an old
codger, and the other a dumb blonde). Anyway… After a total of nine months in
play, Mr. McCarthy and I have decided to run a SECOND BATTLE OF THE BANDS ‘contest’
brought to you by the originators of BATTLE OF THE BANDS.
Here’s how it’s gonna
work. Everyone who comments will have up to eight possible entries. Vote once
here at Far Away Series (FAS) on May 1 and May 15 on each BATTLE OF THE BANDS
post and once at Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends on May 1 and May 15 on each BATTLE OF THE BANDS post.
Then come back on the 7th and 21st and leave a comment
here on Far Away Series in my BATTLE OF THE BANDS RESULTS POST and return to
Mr. McCarthy’s original BATTLE OF THE BANDS POST and leave a comment after ‘HIS
OWN VOTE’ HAS BEEN RECORDED AND THE WINNER ANNOUNCED. If you VOTE at each site
you will receive four (4) entries into the contest AND if you return and
comment at (FAS) RESULTS post and comment at F-FFF (Mr. McCarthy’s site) after
his “VOTE’ comment you will receive another four (4) entries for a possible
total of eight (8) entries = 8 chances to win. On May 31st, we will
drop all of the entries into a hat and draw one. The winner will be announced on June 1, 2014
at BATTLE OF THE BANDS XXI.
What can you win? After careful consideration it has been
decided that we will be giving away an all-expenses paid vacation to spend
either a week in lovely Phoenix, AZ or Lake Tahoe, NV with the your respective
hosts Far Away Eyes or Stephen T. McCarthy- JUST KIDDING!!! Seriously now,
we will be giving away a CD of your choice, as long as it contains one of the
songs featured on any BATTLE OF THE BANDS posted at Far Away Series or
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends. (Super expensive imports or Boxed Sets NOT
included.) To make it even more interesting and to honor the origination of
BATTLE OF THE BANDS you may go all the way back to that first BATTLE on August
1, 2013 to make your selection.
KEEP IN MIND this contest will only run for the month of MAY and votes will ONLY be
counted from FAR AWAY SERIES and FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS. But, we
encourage you to visit and vote at the sites of ALL THE PARTICIPANTS in BATTLE
OF THE BANDS (links for other possible participants can be found at Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends )
cause that’s what makes this such a ‘party’.
Now onto my choices for BATTLE OF THE BANDS XIX:
When I was making my list (of potential BATTLES) and checking it
twice, I had a stroke of nostalgia/nightmare, thinking about an old boyfriend.
YIKES!
You know how a lot o’ folks have a song that they think is ‘their song’.
This guy’s song is the one I’ve settled on for today. I was never sure exactly
why, because he really was more a moody sort of guy than a ‘Good Time Charlie’.
Long story short, he and I broke up and he moved onto to seeing another woman
named Janet. About a month later I met a guy, whose name I can’t
remember for the life of me, BUT after he and I had been dating for
about a month or so, I ran into a mutual friend who was having a hissy fit
about my being with Steve (I just remembered his name). Anyway… the reason for
mutual friends ‘hissy fit’ – he tells me Steve is Janet’s ex-husband. How weird
is that?
OK, I guess I better finish this story ‘cause it gets even
weirder.Several years later, I’m
married to someone else and moving back to Colorado from Florida. It’s the
middle of winter in a ski resort (think - there are no rentals available). A
friend of a friend, tells me that they know of a townhouse that is a wreck. The
owner is a divorced woman who lives in Rancho Mirage, CA, who doesn’t know what
to do with the place. I get her name and number and it turns out to be none
other than Janet. She rents me the townhouse in exchange for it being ‘fixed
up’. My family and I get a free place to live, if we’re willing to invest a
little ‘sweat equity’. Worked out good for all of us.
As a footnote; Janet tells me she and Bob (Good Time Charlie),
are divorced and he is in the ‘witness protection program’ (Are you kidding me?). It seems he ratted
out some fairly big drug dealers in the area. (I told you it got weirder)
I don’t know what possessed me to tell you guys all of that.
Just file it under what I like to call the Y & S Syndrome (Young &
Stupid) and a great big ole ‘WHAT WAS I THINKING?’
OK, enough of the nostalgia/nightmare.
First up is Danny O’Keefe, he’s the guy who wrote, and
recorded this tune. He first recorded it in 1967 but never released it. Then it
was recorded as a B-side to a record (if you don’t know what that means, Google
it) by a group called The Bards. O’Keefe then recorded it in 1971 on his debut album. The
following year he re-recorded it with a slower, more downbeat arrangement on his
second album. The second version was released as a single and reached #9 on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 1984 a cover of this song by Leon Russell peaked at #63 on
the Billboard Hot Country Singles.
Just about everybody and their dog have covered this song
including Elvis, Willie, and Waylon. Those three versions are all great, BUT are
not a part of this BATTLE. So cast your vote for either Danny or Leon and tell
me why in the comment box.
Next, click your way on over to Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends the home of Mr. Stephen T.
McCarthy, where your vote will grant you more chances to win a CD. THEN, visit
the other participants (links at STMc’s Place).
I’ll you back here on the 7th, with my vote and the
results for this BATTLE. At that time you can leave another comment and gain
another entry into the contest.
Sorry for yakking your ear off here. Sometimes I just don't know what gets into me.
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