Link to current battle

There are three more days to listen and vote... here's the link to my September Battle: Ventura Highway

May your weekend be peaceful. (smile).

Out in the Country ~ I'm still standing

My van has begged for a good scrubbing. It stares at me every time I exit the house. "Today, right?" Thursday won. I could no longer (honestly) tell my neighbors that the grime was there, simply to keep it held together. The van is a blindingly white color, even though it's a 1996!  I'm saddened to see the light greenish tint gone. Maybe I need a vehicle of that color? Summer through, (aw heck), it could even remain through Christmas... green being a seasonal color and all.

Enough stalling - I put on my shades and went to work. The radio was popping out some old stuff and that prompted another part to the tale. Three Dog Night's song, "Out in the Country" is a bit slow to wash by, but wow, did I take a journey to yesterday-land.

Originally the house I own, (inherited from my parents), was considered to be 'in the country'... 30 miles from uptown Charlotte. Today I live just inside the city limit - darn tax moguls! But the song took me back. I found myself sitting on a front yard bench, swept away by the realization that time had moved on... and rather quickly, at that. It still has that country feel... or maybe it's me allowing childhood memories to live on. As the song says..." I stand alone, and take back something worth remembering."

Dedicated to the BOTB participants ~

If you want to listen, and vote in my current battle, go HERE

Meanwhile, quite a few Battle participants are struggling. It would be great to hold onto good thoughts for them. I'm just getting back on the trail, but have noticed others have not had an easy time. For your enjoyment... a song that StMcC once shared on this blog. Maybe you've heard it?

The Beach Boys perform "Long Promised Road." I've included the lyrics.

"Long Promised Road"

So hard to answer future's riddle
When ahead is seeming so far behind
So hard to laugh a child-like giggle
When the tears start to torture my mind
So hard to shed the life of before
To let my soul automatically soar

But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down

Sew up the wounds of evolution
And the now starts to get in my way
So what if life's a revelation
If the mind speaks of only today
So real, the pain growing in my soul
Of climbing up to reality's goal

But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down

Long promised road
Trail starts at dawn
Carries on to the season's ending
Long promised road
Flows to the source, gentle force, never ending, never ending

So hard to lift the jeweled sceptre
When the weight turns a smile to a frown
So hard to drink of passion nectar
When the taste of life's holding me down
So hard to plant the seed of reform
To set my sights on defeating the storm

So I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down

Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah

Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down

Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah

Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down

I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you

Battle 17 for Sept. 1st ~ Ventura Highway or cruising the coast.

WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS aka, "BOTB".


Our blog hosts:

Far away eyes

Stephen T. McCarthy presents Battle of the Bands

Our battles take place twice a month ~ on the 1st and 15th. The 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!

I'm dc~relief, and I'm featuring to 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 hand margin. If you would like to join this bi-monthly blog-event, visit the blog host, Stephen T. McCarthy. Leave him a message, and your blog address. We would love to have you participate.

Today's Battle Song:  Ventura Highway by the band America.

Background: [[The song went to number 8 on the Billboard Top 40 Pop Charts for America, spending nine weeks on the charts after debuting on November 4, 1972.[5] It also reached number 43 in the UK Singles Chart, staying in that chart for four weeks.[6]] Wikipedia

You can listen to America's original version here, but remember they are not part of the competition.

Today's Competitors: 
1 - Saxophonist and composer Tom Braxton - Jazz. Touring this summer!
2 - Claudia Gomes - singer, artist, and activist. Not a lot of information available, unless you can read Portuguese.

Extra Fun!!! A commercial featuring the song performed by The Gypsy Queens - do not vote for them. I just liked the commercial, and wanted to share it (smile).

Thanks everyone. See you on the 7th for the results.

Don't Worry Baby

This is another one of those songs that I want to play over and over. I get a peaceful feeling deep inside. For me it's not about a man... go figure. It takes me back to the days of parents. Yep, you read that right. For instance, I walked down to the lower forty where I planted tomatoes. The lower forty is an adjacent lot I own. The parents always had a huge vegetable garden, fruit trees, and grape vines. Over the years, I've picked okra until I itched to death! Well, close.

Fast forward to this year and how little I was able to accomplish. I could list some four letter words but what good would it do me? No lime in the soil, and you get no tomatoes. Sorry Dad, I forgot. I know... "don't worry, baby, right?!!"

Lots of work to do on the grape arbor. I'm so glad I kept the metal posts and chicken wire. Guy down the street is going to help me install it again. The purple grape vines are climbing the pear trees... can't let that continue! I think I may have lost the green grapes. The root stock may be salvageable... time will tell. Sorry Mom, I got too sick when I needed to be down there. I know... "don't worry, baby."

Okay, one more listen and I have to go measure the brick wall. It's not going to replace the mortar by itself. (If horses were wishes, beggars would ride.)

See everyone on Sept. 1st. Meanwhile the Beach Boys do the song!