WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS!! aka, BOTB
Our battles take place twice a month ~ on the 1st and 15th.
Our results come six days later ~ on the 7th and 21st. That's when I return, add all of the votes, including mine, and announce the winner. Feel free to return and see if your choice won!
The blogging event first introduced by our friends:
I'm dcrelief, and I'm featuring two different recordings of the same song. Listen to both, and then vote for the song version you like the best. Feel free to leave me a comment, along with your vote.
If you would like to listen, and vote in other battles, please see the participant list in the right margin. If you would like to join this blog-hop, click the badge in the right margin ~ it takes you directly to Stephen T. McCarthy's blog. Leave him a message, and your blog address. We would love to have you participate.
Today's song choice: Hello Walls - written by Willie Nelson.
The first person to record the song was Faron Young in 1961. He's not included in the battle today, but if you want to hear him, click HERE . Willie actually recorded it later in 1962. He's not in the battle either, but you can hear him HERE .
Thank you in advance for your vote, and any comment you'd like to add.
Today's challengers:
1- Esther Phillips 1964 - a very soulful version.
2- Dwight Yokum, tribute video to Willie - honky-tonk/country
Tough battle both versions were good! I will vote for Esther Phillips because her version was soulful and different. This should be an interesting battle!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mike. I tried to add some special seasoning this time :) I'll log you for Esther.
DeletePhillips gets my vote. I just can't handle country music.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I wasn't sure but thought you might like the soul better. Esther for you :)
DeleteHi, dear Dixie! Whenever I am required to choose between soul and country I pick soul 99% of the time. Today is no exception. Dwight Yoakam is one of my favorite country artists but Little Esther Phillips nails "Hello Walls," infuses it with feeling. Esther is best known to mainstream audiences for her version of "Release Me" which reached the top 10 on the pop chart and #1 on the Black Singles chart at the beginning of 1963. Esther was one of the first female super stars of R&B and her life story one of the saddest. Plagued for years with drug addiction, she died at age 48.
ReplyDeletePlease record my vote for Esther Phillips and thank you for presenting two excellent versions of this Willie Nelson song, dear friend Dixie. Have a wonderful day!
Hi Shady! Thanks for voting, even though I know you're still traveling. I found Esther's life to be tragic - so young. I'll count your vote for her. Thank you :)
DeleteDixie-chicka! Given the song, I was pretty sure I knew which version I'd vote for until I listened to them. Ester's voice is a bit too screechy to suit my ears, otherwise it's a winner and although Dwight Yokum is more country sounding than I care for I do prefer his version better. So, Dwight steals my vote!
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Cathy. Sort of a catch 22 here. I'll put you down for Dwight, Thanks for voting. I enjoyed your battle :)
DeleteAnother tough one...
ReplyDeleteCountry music, like every other genre, has good and bad. There is no specific "type" of music that I hate across the board. But in general, I'd always vote for the song that is challenging the country artist.
Phillips is great, don't get me wrong. I love the soulful delivery.
But DWIGHT TAKES IT! I've always loved that guy.
Cherdo - we all have our music loves - those voices and or instruments that capture our heart. I'm glad you enjoyed Esther as well. Your vote for Dwight is noted. Thank you, (smile).
DeleteI can't believe someone used this obscure song. I have it on my line-up though by different artists so I guess I can still use it eventually, though judging from how many songs I've got in my queue I don't see me doing this one until next year or maybe the year after. Man, I'm forward thinking aren't I?
ReplyDeleteAnyhow I was pretty sure that I'd be going with Yoakum on this one, but he seemed to kind of just rush through his version.
I vote for Esther Phillips. She puts a lot of feeling into her version.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Hi Lee. I was going to tie in a note about being surrounded by four walls, while recuperating. Somehow I did not copy that paragraph! I too feel obscure, (smile). Please do use this song in the future - they are some excellent versions.
DeleteI'll log your vote for Esther!
I remember Willie Nelson's own version of the song, but these two were new to me. Interesting battle, as they're so completely different. My vote goes to Esther. Dwight was just too country for my taste, plus the tempo was sped up too much, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteDebbie D. - your opinion is greatly appreciated! Many only watch Dwight's twitching leg... never listening to him! Ha!
DeleteI've got you for Esther!
Yokum has my vote.
ReplyDeleteWhile the Philips version was nice, just not my thing!
Madilyn - welcome to BOTB!! I enjoyed your first battle; looking forward to more!
DeleteI'll log your vote for Dwight!
I'm voting for Dwight Yokum. It just felt like that was the way the song was meant to be sung.
ReplyDeleteMary - I hear what you're saying - Dwight 'swings' it. Got your vote for him.
DeleteMy vote goes to Dwight Yokum. I liked Esther Philips version but I didn't care for her voice all that much. I found myself drawn more to Yokum's version.
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark
Michele - glad you're with us for the 2nd June battle. What counts is what you like.
DeleteYour vote for Dwight is logged.
Dwight is pure honky tonk country... no doubt about it. I love him. (And I think Willie liked the tribute, too!) Esther Phillips did a good job with it, but Dwight had me tapping my toe. I can always count on the toe (or most of the time, anyway!) to help me determine a winner. Great battle, Dixie!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Robin. Whether we're tapping toes or clapping hands... BOTB has it all.
DeleteI'll log your vote for our honky tonky hero, Dwight Yokum.
This was a fairly easy decision for me. Never was big on country music. I do like great women of soul so I like the first version by Esther Phillips.
ReplyDeleteJeffery - welcome. I enjoyed your first battle!! We love making easy decisions.
DeleteEsther for you :)
Both these versions are too upbeat for my tastes- for this song anyway. Ya know, I had thought Conway Twitty sang this song at some time. Guess I'm wrong; but his voice would sure suit it.
ReplyDeleteOf the two, I guess my boy Dwight was easier to listen to. As long as he doesn't take off his hat he can sing about anything well :)
Ha ha ha!!! I don't recall a listed version for Conway, but doesn't mean he didn't do it. Sheb Wooley did a joke version.
DeleteGlad we had an easy listening one for you - yahoo, Dwight!
DIXIE POLKA ~
ReplyDeleteHokey-Smoke, goil! If this isn't yer best BOTB ever, it's damned close! You came up with two totally different cover versions of the same song, but both of them - as different as they are - are excellent!
Uh... you may now be the BOTB master. (Maybe you otter be teaching ME how to do this blogfest thang!)
This one is so damn good that I needs to go away, thinks about it, and come back again another day to listen all over again. Yep. It's not even a matter of listening to BOTH versions a couple times. I needs to try it again on a different day. Right now, I'm leaning a certain way. But that COULD change. We'll see.
One thing I do want to say right now though is that, like much of Dwight's stuffs, his version is really much closer to ROCKABILLY than it is to COUNTRY. (Many people don't really know the difference.)
Also, I wanna say that Dwight was WRONG when he said that Willie "miraculously reconciled Rock 'N' Roll with Country music". First of all, "miraculously" is a bit of an exaggeration. C'mon!
But more importantly, it was NOT Willie who welded Country and Rock together, but Willie's great friend WAYLON JENNINGS what done that! That's part of why WAYLON was the first "Country Outlaw" artist. Willie followed along and did likewise in some respects, but credit where it's due: WAYLON was the first real "Country-Rock" star. And without Waylon, there would have been no Garth Brooks, who really reversed that equation and made it "Rock-Country", with a stronger emphasis on the Country than, say, The Eagles had.
I'll be back to cast a vote later. This is a TOUGHIE!
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
~ D-FensDogG - what? You gave me lessons back in January. I really paid attention - I know - I is scattered, covered, smothered, but able to learn...(mostly).
Delete"Rockabilly." Yep, I almost used that word but wasn't sure if anyone would know what I was referring to.
I agree about Waylon, and I think Wllie would agree too. See you later.
I noticed that GIRL WONDER used the term "honky tonk". She's right on! In fact, I would say Dwight's version is closer to Honky Tonk than it is to Rockabilly, but when attempting to differentiate, it can sometimes be like "splitting hairs", as in this case.
DeleteI guess I would say that "Honky Tonk" is just slightly more Country than it is Rock. And "Rockabilly" is just slightly the reverse.
Then you have Waylon's "Outlaw Country" which is neither Honky Tonk or Rockabilly, but still utilizes both musical influences.
For a non-musician like me, it's impossible to really give an accurate, musical definition of the differences. And I suspect that even for a professional musician it would be nearly as difficult to put into words. But I (usually) know one from the other and from the other, when I hear 'em, because I have spent decades listening to this stuffs.
Anyway, this was one of the toughest BOTB blog bits I ever had to vote on. (The only one I can think of that was likely tougher was my own, when I put Ray Charles against Frank Sinatra on 'We'll Be Together Again'. I truly did not know for certain how I would vote on that one until the moment I did.)
You've mastered BOTB. What R U going to conquer next?
~ D-FensDogG
POSTSCRIPT:
Delete>>... I is scattered, covered, smothered,...
Go to the 'WAFFLE HOUSE' much?
[;-)}
~ D-FensDogG
~ D-FensDogG,
DeleteI thought the term 'Honky Tonk', referred to bars and taverns. I actually think Dwight was 'Hillbilly'... who found an electric guitar and said, "Let's do it." Ha!
"Waffle House." Ha-ha. Don't think I've been in one in twenty years. Come to think of it... I've probably been scattered, covered, and smothered, since then.
What am I going to conquer next? Whew! soon as I getz this wall out of my way, I'll take on China - there's a great wall, right?!
I'm back... and yep, I'm going with my first impression from last night.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I like Dwight - and I do, especially his first couple albums - I gotta vote for ESTHER PHILLIPS on this one. That Bluesy Soulfulness just appeals too much to me, and I like those background vocals, also.
DIXIE POLKA, this was a fabulous match-up, the two songs being about as different as they could be, and yet both of them really good recordings. GREAT BOTB!
~ D-FensDogG
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteI really like that 'Lounge Lizard Cafe' logo, too!
~ D-FensDogG
~ D-FensDogG,
DeleteI know exactly what you mean with Esther's version! The more I played it, the more I liked it... thus this battle.
I appreciate your comments and support on this one. As for me, I'm still yakking at the walls today!!
Logging you for Esther! Thank you, (smile).
I must vote for Esther. She makes me want to rip off my clothes and . . . censored. The woman has soul.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Oh my, Janie! That's quite the comment, (smile). I'll note Esther for you. Thank you.
DeleteWow Dixie, this is a great BATTLE. I like this song and I really like both versions. This is a tough choice for me. I always feel when that happens you have put together a really great BATTLE.
ReplyDeleteIn the end I just gotta vote for Dwight. I really like this guy and his delivery of 'Hello Walls' is excellent and what I expect from this song. Having said that I do want to also say that Esther's blusey version, although very different from the original, is great and I did truly enjoy it .
Thank you, Fae... this was really going out on a limb for me. Faron's original was nice but I thought Willie had more sophistication. So these two were truly long shots pairing together. I hope that made sense?!
DeleteI enjoy Dwight too, and he can really shake a leg, eh?
Dwight Yokum is quite the Dwight Yokel, isn't he? (I just really wanted to make that pun)
ReplyDeleteSuffice it to say, we are not big country music fans. Pair that against the soul of Esther, and well, you have two very emphatic votes for Esther.
Thanks for the 'yoke' guys!! Ha! I'll log two emphatic votes for Esther!! Thank you for voting gentlemen, (smile).
Delete