Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Welcome March!!!

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

A big shout out, and thank you to our blog hosts:

FAE

Stephen T. McCarthy

We feature 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. 

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!

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: 


"["How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" is a song composed by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the 1982 film Best Friends, where it was introduced by Patti Austin and James Ingram.[1] The Austin/Ingram version became a single in 1983 and reached #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 55th Academy Awards.]"  



1 - Tito Nieves with an unknown female, duet

2 - George Benson + Carmen Bradford 

46 comments:

  1. The voices are great in the second one, but I like the energy of the first one best.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. The first vote goes to Tito Nieves. Thank you, Alex. I'm appreciate your vote!

      Delete
  2. Hey there Dixie- didn't get to post my own battle but I can vote for others. I also vote for Tito.

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  3. I just love George Benson. He gets my vote.

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  4. Never heard this song before to my knowledge but I never saw Best Friends and likely missed that particular Oscar show. It's not a particularly enthralling song for me--it's well-crafted, but like many Oscar nominated songs I'll be damned if I could ever actually remember it well enough to sing it whilst doing something or doing nothing.

    Neither version particularly bowled me over. Both were nice. I guess I'm going to go for the livelier Latin sounds of Tito Nieves.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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    1. I understand, Lee. Livelier is good for the battle.

      I'll log you for Tito.

      Delete
  5. I'll vote for George Benson and what's her name. The latin up-tempo gear that kicks in on the first one seems completely wrong and at odds with the correct tempo for the main melody.

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    1. SBB6 - I thought the same thing, regarding the tempo. Still I found two very different versions.

      Thank you for voting today. George & what's her name, appreciate it. So do I.

      Delete
  6. I like George Benson, but against Tito Nieves I can't choose his version. Tito was energetic and fun.

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    1. Jeffrey - what you like is what counts! Tito it is!

      Delete
  7. Dixie, This is a new-to-me tune; both covers touch different emotions. George Benson & Carmen Bradford sound like background, candle light music; nice, but not not my cup of tea today. I preferred the salsey flavor of Tito Nieves & unknown female artist~duet. Great vocals and more dance-able! Good job!

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    1. Thank you, Cathy. So, you'd rather be dancing, than sipping wine by candle-light??!!

      Another vote for Tito.

      Delete
  8. ^ I'd rather be dancing with a beer in the moonlight, but that's just years of drunken camping talking.

    We'll both echo the sentiments of many others here and say that while George's version is smooth and well done, it's a little slow, and that livelier Latin tempo of Tito's is just right. Two votes for some spicy Latin flair from some spicy Messicans*.

    *the two of us, who are half Mexican, pool together to make one functional Mexican, so it totally counts.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. >>..."Two votes for some spicy Latin flair from some spicy Messicans*."

      Okay gentlemen - two for Tito!! Thank you.

      Delete
  9. Wow, how different these versions are! I like them both. George Benson's version is nice but the one I'd prefer to listen to is Tito's version. I like the snappy Latin sound. Please give my vote to Tito.
    Great battle Dixie!

    Michele at Angels Bark

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    1. Thank you, Michele.

      Another vote for the snappy Latin!

      Delete
  10. George and Carmen get my vote in a close battle. Your picture reminds me of every time I use an umbrella.

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    1. Thanks, Mike... it's been incredibly windy here for two weeks. Spring is nigh!

      A vote for George & Carmen!

      Delete
  11. I've been reading the comments. Must say I'm surprised by the number of people who have never heard this song before. I didn't see the movie, but I remember the song very well. Even though I haven't heard it in an age, I was able to sing along. Music is funny like that.

    I prefer the George Benson & Carmen Bradford pairing. The song is supposed to be sentimental and nostalgic, so I just can't get behind all that pep in the Tito version.

    If we can be the best of lovers
    Yet be the best of friends
    If we can try every day to make it better
    As it grows
    With any luck, then, I suppose
    The music never ends

    ReplyDelete
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    1. >>..." I was able to sing along. Music is funny like that."

      Robin, I love that you sang along! Makes me smile.
      I'll log you or George & Carmen.

      Delete
  12. The woman singing with Tito Nieves is Alexandra Taveras, according to the comments on the video. I like the arrangement of his, with the timbales and Latin beat, much better than George Benson's, who is a tremendous guitarist but not my favorite vocalist. Give my vote to Tito!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. >>..."The woman singing with Tito Nieves is Alexandra Taveras, according to the comments on the video."

      Thank you, John, for sharing that. I'll log your vote for Tito & Alexandra.

      Delete
  13. Tito, I thought I would give it to you but no! Didn't pan out that way at all.

    The Benson/Bradford has a smooth, jazzy vibe to it and I really like that one best.

    On a totally different note: there's not enough James Ingram in the world on any given day (lol).

    Good battle, my friend!

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    1. Cherdo, I didn't use Ingram, though his version was nice. In fact, I think his is the original (smile).

      Tito takes another vote!

      Delete
  14. I vote for Benson and Bradford. I like their sound. Tito's accompaniment overwhelmed his voice.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. >>..."Tito's accompaniment overwhelmed his voice."

      Janie, good point. I've got you for George & Carmen.

      Delete
  15. Dear Friend DIXIE POLKA ~
    Right up front I can tell you that within 10 seconds of listening to the GEORGE BENSON version, I knew I was voting for him.

    The thing is, though, that I really do dig big time that kind of Latin flair and percussion found in the Tito Nieves recording. Well, you know, I was born and raised in L.A., which is totally steeped in Hispanic/Latin cultural elements. Also, you know, I love Bossa-Nova, dark-haired, dark-eyed ladies, and "Messican" food - which I could eat every single day for the rest of my life and be happy.

    So, those kind of upbeat rhythms in the Tito version naturally appeal to me. But somehow the arrangement really didn't work. All the tempo shifts seemed kind of arbitrary and therefore artificial. Also, the "bounce" of it seemed to betray the natural sentiment of the song.

    GEORGE BENSON, however, I really like. His guitar sound wasn't especially "original", but he sure did master it and play it as well as anyone else ever did. Yes, I like him better as a Smooth Jazz guitarist than as a Smooth Jazz vocalist, but he's even perfectly enjoyable in the latter capacity also.

    Good Battle! The votes seem to be falling well for BOTH contestants and it forces the listener to really analyze the music to determine WHY they prefer one recording to the other.

    This one, at least right now, seems like it could end up as a tie, or photo finish at the very least.

    Yours is better'n my most recent Battle, which is turning out to be a blowout.

    ~ D-FensDogG

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    1. POSTSCRIPT:
      I just listened to BOTH recordings a second time, and found that I liked the Tito version WAY MORE than I did the first time.

      Upon a second listening, the tempo shifts didn't seem nearly so abrupt, dramatic, and artificial.

      I'll stick with my BENSON vote for now. But several more listenings to each and it's within the realm of possibility that I would switch my vote.

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
    2. POST-POSTSCRIPT:
      I meant to ask this and forgot...
      Is that one of your own paintings in the blog header? Is that a Dixie Polka original?

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
    3. >>..."I love Bossa-Nova, dark-haired, dark-eyed ladies."

      Oh well, I'll cancel any future visit, (smile).

      The voting is really surprising, but it's fun.

      The header artwork is from my niece. It's a small photo she wants me to paint on a very large canvas or a wall mural. Her work is done in pastel. She doesn't do acrylic, but I think she'd do okay. She doesn't agree. We'll see, sometime come April.

      You are welcome to change your vote... I'll be back on the 7th. Until then, I'll log you for George & Carmen.

      Thank you!

      Delete
    4. You're saying your niece painted that? It's really great! I love the use of colors.

      Maybe you could/would send me that file of your artwork, such as you'd mentioned before. I'd really like to see it (if I can figure out how to open and view it).

      ~ D-FensDogG

      Delete
    5. Yes, Kristen has always worked pastels, and feels intimidated by acrylics. I think the quick drying time bothers her. Still it would be easier and faster if I use acrylics to reproduce her art work for her (on a 6' canvas ot a ten foot wall).

      I'll put a file/folder together for you soon. Thanks or the interests!

      Delete
  16. Give my vote to Carmen and George. Loved that version. Great BATTLE. Very diverse and interesting. Two good versions.

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    1. Fae, thank you for the compliments... There were so many versions with/without being a duet!

      Carmen and George for you. Hope your own battle is going well.

      Delete
  17. I'm not familiar with the song, but enjoyed both covers. Carmen & George's version gives it a smooth, big band feel. Please give my vote to them.

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    1. >>..."Carmen & George's version gives it a smooth, big band feel."

      Debbie, that hooked me too. Got you for Carmen & George!

      Delete
  18. I don't cRefor the wailing of the second one especially near the end. So my vote goes to Tito because of the styling he gave it. It seemed more fresh than the other one

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  19. I've been a fan of George Benson since the 80s, and hadn't heard this duet in all this time. I figured I would surely vote for him and Carmen, but as it turns out? I prefer the Latin flavor of Tito Nieves's cover better. Give my vote to Tito, please!

    ReplyDelete
  20. P.S. Your blog address is wrong on your comments at my site, and it won't let me edit it to the correct one. Instead of this one, it says "53cringe". You may want to make sure that part of it shows up right next time; not sure why it's doing that.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Oops, should be "cringe53." I typed it backwards... ha ha ha. I'll come change it. Thanks, Kim.

      Delete