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!

Unable to post a battle

I apologize for upsetting anyone. My health takes priority. I'm not sure when I'll be able to return to BOTB. I'm not critical... but I'm not my usual bubbly self either!

I'll do my best to get to the battles this week and vote. No promises, though (smile).

Dixie

Unable to participate

Excuse my lateness, in letting everyone know, I'm unable to take part in the last July battle. I will try to visit your battles, and vote this week. Hopefully I'll see you in August.
Thank you.

Viva Le Results!

Remember ~
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!"












Welcome to RESULTS DAY for Battle of the Bands!!

I am dc ~ relief, and my battle featured: "Viva Las Vegas" ~
Challengers: Nina Hagen versus Shawn Colvin

In 1963, this song was a "B" side of a record that didn't get very far on the charts. It was also about the time the Beatles hit the states. Wikipedia says Elvis did a single, non-edited cut of the song for the movie of the same name. Then it went off into obscurity until other artists covered it. Most of the film's songs were considered unworthy to produce an album. In fact it was the dancing that was supposed to the film's feature, not the songs, and not Elvis. Strange story, huh? The main feature was to be singer/dancer Ann-Margret. (That spelling is correct, smile.) Moving right along...

It really looked like Nina was going to run away with all of the votes, but Shawn picked a few and a shut out got avoided. Whew!

Nina Hagen with 14 votes
Shawn Colvin with 7 votes (including mine)

Thanks everyone for your participation, and votes! Let's not forget...

A very special thank you to our event hosts:

"Fae" @ Farawayseries

Stephen T. McCarthy presents...

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!

NEXT BATTLE DATE: Wednesday ~ July 15, 2015

One more time from the winner ~ Nina Hagen!

Viva Le Battle ~ it's July 1st!!

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

The music blogging event first introduced by our friends!

Fae @ Far Away Eyes

Stephen T. McCarthy presents...


I'm dc~relief, 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 feature: Viva Las Vegas! It was written in 1963, by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, for a film of the same name, and sung by Elvis Presley. Ironically, although Presley never sang the song live, it has since become widely known, and often performed by others. Should you want to hear Elvis' version, go here > Elvis sings Viva Las Vegas This version is NOT included in today's battle.

Today's challengers:

1 - Catharina "Nina" Hagen (born 11 March 1955) is a German singer and actress. Born in East Berlin, German Democratic Republic, she's had quite the career in music and movies. Rock, punk, and some disco. Considered by some as the "godmother of punk," she turned 60 in March of this year. She also did the Bob Dylan song,  "One More Cup of Coffee," translating it into the German language.

2 - Shawn Colvin (born January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and musician widely known for her Grammy-winning 1997 single "Sunny Came Home"  . Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota and spent her youth in London, Ontario and Carbondale, Illinois. She's country, folk, and early rock and roll.

No more walls ~ let's take a ride!

The June battles are history... I'm posting a personal favorite today. Having been talking to those walls for several days, I feel the need to hit the road... if only to go to the grocery store. Yeah, I know, such an exciting life here!

All this excitement reminds me of an old car I used to travel in, up and down the highway. It was sitting under some pine trees when I spotted it. Lady at the house said she'd take $15 dollars for it,  but there was a catch. I had to keep the car's nickname. You ready for this? "ThunderLizard." Made no sense to me until I cranked it up. Oh, and it cranked up on the first try! --> 457 Rochester Quadrajet. That baby would fly! No one could catch me. No one could catch the old midnight rider that I became.

See you all in July for the next summer wave of sound! Meanwhile, here's...

"Midnight Rider" featuring Vince Gill, Gregg Allman, and Zac Brown, from the forthcoming "All My Friends - Celebrating The Songs And Voice of Gregg Allman" Blu-Ray/DVD/CD available 5/6/14 from Rounder Records.