Friday, April 1, 2016

Christmas in April? You must be fooling me!

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

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

Fae

and,


Details, and how we play:


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 song: "SISTERS" from the movie, WHITE CHRISTMAS. 


For many years I believed Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen did the duet, "Sisters,"in the movie, White Christmas. April Fools! My research proved otherwise. Here's the inside scoop from Wikipedia:

"Sisters" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1954, best known from the 1954 movie White Christmas. The movie White Christmas also starred Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Both parts were sung by Rosemary Clooney (who served as Vera-Ellen's singing vocal dub for this song, while Trudy Stevens dubbed Vera-Ellen's other songs in the film). Surprisingly Vera Ellen did not sing in the movie or on the soundtrack.

It was not possible to issue an "original soundtrack album" of the film, because Decca Records controlled the soundtrack rights, but Clooney was under exclusive contract with Columbia Records. Consequently each one issued a separate "soundtrack recording": Decca issuing Selections from Irving Berlin's White Christmas, while Columbia issued Irving Berlin's White Christmas. On Decca the song "Sisters" was recorded by Peggy Lee, while the Columbia label featured the song was sung by Rosemary Clooney. 

So what we have is Rosemary Clooney singing both parts on Columbia Records, while Peggy Lee sang both parts on Decca Records. Fooled again!

Later Rosemary recorded the song with her real sister, Betty. The Clooney sisters' version, which was also released as a single, was the most popular recording of the song, charting in 1954. 

Today's challengers:

1 - Rosemary Clooney with Rosemary Clooney

2 - Peggy Lee with Peggy Lee.




 I'll be back on the 7th with the results.

34 comments:

  1. Peggy Lee gets my vote I liked her vocals better!

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    1. Okay - Peggy gets the first vote. Thanks, Mike.

      Delete
  2. Thanks for sharing that fascinating bit of trivia. ☺ I like Peggy's vocals a bit better. She gets my vote!

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  3. A clever April Fool's Day BOTB, DIXIE POLKA.

    I never heard this song before, and I would say it's a bit of a "soundtrack novelty", but I liked it. And I DEFINITELY liked ROSEMARY CLOONEY's version better.

    Instrumentally, the ROSEMARY CLOONEY version is better. BUT... vocally, the ROSEMARY CLOONEY version is better. And that's why it was so hard for me to decide I should vote for ROSEMARY CLOONEY.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. You are too clever for your own good. Yay - a first vote for Rosemary Clooney. Thank you.

      Delete
  4. Fascinating backstory on this song! I liked both versions but I'm going to give my vote to Peggy Lee. I like her voice better and she adds more "personality" to the song.

    Great battle, my friend!

    Michele at Angels Bark

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    1. Okay - good enough, Michele. Logging you for Peggy Lee.

      Delete
  5. I love the premise of this battle. You've tied it cleverly to the pesky April Fools holiday.

    Both of these ladies get props for sounding like they could be two different people singing (sisters). Not easy to duet with yourself!!!

    I think that Rosemary Clooney edges out Peggy Lee on this one. Her voice is so darn lovely. Plus, I really like the big band sounds in her recording. So, give my vote to Ms. Clooney!

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    1. Love that you noticed that big band sound!!! Yes ma'am and I;ll log you for Rosemary Clooney.

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  6. Ha ha ha, this is a grand display for the day!

    For me, I gotta go with CLOONEY! My Dad would kill me, he loved Peggy Lee, so shhhhhh!

    Cherdo
    Cherdo on the Flipside
    "Favorite Characters, Favorite Lines" on the A-to-Z Challenge 2016

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    1. Well, let's not disappoint Dad! Clooney for you.

      I'll be trying to read all your A-Z posts, (smile).

      Delete
  7. Not sure which one - think the second one was smoother.
    This will make you laugh - there's a commercial before the first one begins and I was really digging on the tune playing with it, New Noise by The Refused!

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    1. Oh Alex, only you... commercial, eh?

      The second one is Peggy Lee - got'cha!

      Delete
  8. Peggy Lee gets my vote because of her sublime vocals! And I'm a fan of "Fever."

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    1. Hot girl, got your vote... Peggy, famous for sultry sound!

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  9. An easy least vote for Miss Clooney & Miss Clooney (who knew). I love the movie White Christmas and my favorite part us where Crisby & Kaye lip Sync this song to the Clooney version. Laugh so hard I have tears rolling down my cheeks every time. Fun BATTLE!

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    1. I know- Bing & Danny were hilarious! Thank you, Fae. I'm glad you enjoyed this!

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  10. I have to go with Rosemary Clooney.
    I've always loved her voice and I think I even have a CD compilation of her somewhere.

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    1. Lucky you! Wish I had a CD of her. I'll log your vote for Clooney.

      Delete
  11. Dixie, I love this song, and I love the movie! Good song choice. I knew Vera didn't actually sing in the movie at all, but I did not know that Rosemary did her part. For some reason I thought it was someone else. I'm giving my vote to Rosemary Clooney. Peggy Lee does a great job, but it's Rosemary's rendition that makes me smile from watching White Christmas so many times. Nice battle, my friend!

    Curious as a Cathy
    All Things Vintage: Artists #AprilA2Z #BoTB

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    1. Yes, Cathy! This is the only song that Clooney dubbed for her. Vera's other songs were dubbed by Trudy Stevens. Good memory!

      Got your vote for Clooney. Thank you.

      Delete
  12. Fun battle! I'm going to give my vote for Rosemary Clooney. Wonderful song choice for this April Fools day.

    Mary
    Twitter: @KnottyMarie
    Literary Gold
    Jingle Jangle Jungle

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    1. Thanks, Mary. I'm glad you enjoyed this battle. I'll put your vote to Clooney.

      Delete
  13. Oh, I knew that about Vera-Ellen. She was a great dancer but couldn't sing a note. I was surprised that she wasn't dubbed by Marni Nixon who dubbed so many. I love that musical even though it pains me when I see Vera and her legs at certain times since she was way too thin and it is figured she suffered from anorexia (she always wears turtle necks in the movie because her neck was so bad looking). Ok I have to give it to Rosemary Clooney, she just does it for me

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    1. Birgit - you know your stuff! Marni didn't get this gig; Trudy Stevens came in to do all songs except this one. I didn't know that about Vera. The wedding scene is pretty rough - now I know why. Her legs were very thin.

      I;ll add your vote to Clooney. Thank you for coming over.

      Delete
  14. This is a very fun song, and I appreciate all the background info you've provided for us. As a "singer," Rosemary Clooney never rang my chimes. However, she had a voice that was fine for this sort of light-hearted number.

    I like Peggy Lee quite a bit. She had a sultry voice and style that usually DID ring my chimes.

    However, on this piece I favour Clooney. It just works a little better for me. Sorry to add to the rather overwhelming vote count, but the BOTB was very successful... regardless of the count.

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    1. SBB VI,

      I'm happy you could stop by! The background info was so new to me... I felt I needed to include it.

      I also enjoy Peggy Lee, and was surprised she did the soundtrack for Decca. You never know.

      The vote count totally changed overnight! Peggy kept the lead for a couple of days.

      Thank you for the compliment. I'll log your favor for Clooney!

      Delete
  15. You always come up with the most creative BOTBs. This one is no exception.

    Peggy Lee was pretty good, but then Peggy Lee came in and completely ruined the song. Talk about mismatched talent.

    After that there was Rosemary Clooney. She was decent, but then Rosemary Clooney came on, and holy moley can that woman sing. She carried both of them easily.

    Yeah, kidding aside, both versions were pretty great but we each give the edge to Clooney and each are happy to cast a vote for her (but not the other Clooney. Just the first one).

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    1. >>..."You always come up with the most creative BOTBs. This one is no exception."

      REALLY? I've had lots of doubts on what I'm doing here.

      Clooney is one of the greats, in my book. If she wins, I'll treat you (and everyone else), to a special Result post!

      Thank you for playing. Two for Clooney!!

      Delete
  16. I vaguely remember hearing this song in the past. I'm going to go with Peggy Lee in this match. I like the arrangement and vocals better.

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

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    1. Hi Lee.
      I watch White Christmas even when it's not Christmas.

      Peggy does a fine job! I'll log your vote for her!

      Delete
  17. Interesting info about the soundtrack! And wow, this is kind of tough. I do like both, but think I prefer Peggy's voice :)

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