Cheap results but not shabby - results for May 1st BOTB

Welcome to RESULTS DAY for Battle of the Bands!!

There were some pretty interesting and exciting battles this time around. I hope you got the chance to participate. If not, we return on May 15th for another awesome adventure of BOTB!  I'll be looking for everyone to join in the fun!

We have two hosts for this musical event. I'd like to thank Fae and Stephen for their examples and guidance. You never know when they'll "tweak" a battle. Our other participants, (listed in my right-hand margin) bring additional surprises! You won't know if you don't go, and have a listen, (smile).

The song I featured was by Cheap Trick : "I Want You to Want Me." It was supposed to be included on their first album, titled, 'Cheap Trick," but did not make the cut. It was a country version. I've researched and discovered that this version was replaced by Cheap Trick after they heard a more upbeat version by a French Group. It is also the version they included on their second album. Therefore the original version is not available.

CMT (Country Music Television) recently aired a "CMT Crossroads" program, featuring Jennifer Nettles with Cheap Trick doing this song. Is it a country version? I don't know. All videos of the performance cannot be played due to Viacom copyright grounds. So I'm still not able to bring a country version, played by Cheap Trick. CMT's program aired March 24th. Jennifer Nettles' new album, "Playing with Fire" should be out soon. This song will be included, but I'm not sure if Cheap Trick will be on her album, with her. 

Thank you to everyone who could listen, and take part in my battle. This one brought me a few chuckles. Those who don't care for country music - a special "thanks' for toughing it out! (smile).

The results of this battle...

Dwight Yoakum @ 10 votes, including my vote.

Gretchen Wilson @ 5 votes

Your interest in joining this blogging event would be most welcomed. Please go to Stephen T. McCarthy's blog, leave your name and blog link in the comment box!

The next battle takes place on Sunday, May 15th. I hope to see everyone then!!

I'm closing out with the song that was SIDE B of "I Want you to Want Me,"titled, "California Man."

BOTB - One Cheap "Country" Trick

WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS!! aka, "BOTB". This musical event is sponsored by our blog hosts: Fae and Stephen T. McCarthy. Thank you, guys!

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. Today's battle runs from May 1st to May 6th. I cut my battle off at midnight on May 6th, posting results on May 7th. 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 co- host, Stephen T. McCarthy. Leave him a message, and your blog address. We would love to have you participate.

Let's go!! Today's battle song: "I Want You to Want Me," by the group, Cheap Trick.

Background noise: This song has a long and intriguing history. It was written by Cheap Trick's guitarist Rick Nielsen and recorded for their 1977 self-titled debut album, but it didn't make the cut. The song was included on their second album In Color, which was released later in 1977. Originally, this version had a medium tempo with a country feel and a honkey tonk piano throughout the song. (I have not been able to locate that particular version.) Later a French cover version ("J'attends Toutes les Nuits") by  a fairly obscure French synthpop artist named Niko Flynn, sped up the tempo and put a beat to the song. Suddenly the song was changed from Country to Rock!  Lastly, this is one of the few rock songs that starts with the chorus.

In 1978, the band had dropped it from their setlist, but restored it when they toured Japan that year, since Japanese audiences loved the Rock Version of this song. They played it on April 28th and 30th at their famous concerts that took place at the Budokan temple in Tokyo, which was a big deal because many Japanese citizens felt the temple was sacred and not appropriate for rock concerts. The concerts were released as the Live At Budokan album, which captured Cheap Trick's live energy and turned their fortunes around in America, where the album was released in February 1979 and sold over 3 million copies. The extracted "I Want You To Want Me" became their first hit, charting at #7.

Song writer, Rick Nielsen explains his perspective behind the song:

"I just pictured myself in a big, overstuffed chair, and my dad turned on the TV; there were like three stations. I wanted to watch Gabby Hayes – he was a cowboy. I always wanted what wasn’t there, so I think that’s what made me inquisitive throughout my whole life. When you wanted Gabby, Gabby’s not there; when you want your dad, your dad is not there. It was the easiest lyric I could think of. And I wish I were that stupid more often. It’s like Van Morrison – with some of his old songs it didn’t matter what the lyrics meant, it’s how they sounded."

For today's battle I'm featuring two versions with a country-rock flavor. Some of you are not Country fans - tough it out!!

Challengers:
1- Dwight Yokum
2- Gretchen Wilson