Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
JS: Loneliness can make us do odd things. Even see something that isn't there. Trust me, I know.
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
JS: I've found I've become very accustomed to a certain kind of sadness. It certainly manifests itself frequently in my life. As I've gotten older, I've spent more time alone, even crave it. I do this, even when on the inside I'm longing to be out with friends or family. I certainly need to get out more.
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over
JS: Okay, hands up everyone who has ever been in a relationship that finally ended, and though sad, you are almost glad it's finally over.
Yes, as I said. The songs means a lot to me. But enough about me, let's move on to the actual songs. I wanted to do something a little different this week. I've decided to put two songs up that are really quite different from each other. The videos are certainly very different. But remember, we are judging the songs based on the actual song, and not the video.
Our first contender is another of my favourite electric string groups.
Ben Lee is the dashing, master violinist. He's so awesome, he holds a Guinness World Record for his talents.
Linzi Stoppard is the gorgeous other half of Fuse. Her talents involve not only modelling, but playing expertly, as she always does.
This duo love to play modern day songs, with their own little spin to them. Let's give them a listen:
Lisa Hannigan I found quite by accident. Her rendition of this song is so different and unique I instantly fell in love with it. It's a great song, and she plays it well with the rest of her band. Let's listen to her version.
So those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, (as awesome as I find both), who do you think performs the song best? I collected the two bands to battle it out, now it's your job. Time to vote on your favourite. Please vote for your preferred song choice and let me know in the comments. Also, please let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 31st when I'll cast my own vote and announce the winner in a separate posting.
Did you enjoy the Battle of the Bands feature? Come back on the 1st of September when I'll have a new battle. Also, be sure to check out my friends below who have banded together to offer up their own musical battles.
FAR AWAY SERIES
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
YOUR DAILY DOSE
BOOK LOVER
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS
Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.
Hi, Jeffrey! Will you and I finally have matching votes? I can't wait to find out. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was exciting to hear this dueling violin performance by Fuse. They reminded me of one of my favorite acts of the late 60s and early 70s, violinist David LaFlamme and his keyboardist wife Linda (with lead vocalist Pattie Santos) and their psychedelic rock band It's a Beautiful Day.
Holy crap! The Lisa Hannigan version gets off to a slow start but I continued to listen and when she unleashed the full glory of her vocal instrument, my eyes rolled back in my head. I think Lisa would sound exactly like Melanie Safka if she ever decided to cover the Woodstock anthem "Lay Down Candles in the Rain." I was totally won over (blown away is more like it) by Lisa's performance and she gets my vote. Thanks, Jeffrey!
Thanks for the vote, as always. Will we vote the same for once? Well, I already know the answer to that. LOL But I won't be releasing my pick till the 8th, so you'll have to wait until then. :)
DeleteI, too, like the lyrics to this song (plus I tend to vote for songs with lyrics over instrumentals). BUT, this battle surprised me. I wasn't all that crazy about the Lisa Hannigan version, and I really liked the Fuse interpretation of the song. So, chalk one for Fuse.
ReplyDeleteI like to see a battle start off with a tie. Hoping to see a closer battle this time around.
DeleteLike Debbie, Jeff, you always post battles that both make me swoon and bang my head on the wall :D Great picks, impossible to choose. I CAN'T DO IT! NO, DON'T MAKE ME!
ReplyDeleteFine. I vote for Lisa. (Ouch.) Look, the Fuse version is amazing, and I'd gladly listen to it every day on repeat for -- well, for a long time. But... as musically amazing as they are, as talented as their execution is, this is one of those songs that (for me) hinges on the lyrics. The actual words. The Fuse version was beautiful and I was sure I'd vote for them, but as soon as Lisa started singing I... knew. I'm so, so sorry, Fuse.
On the subject of break-ups: yes. Some people are better lost than found, but it takes time -- and pain -- to accept that of someone we've convinced ourselves to love (and to make plans and to have dreams with). Like you say, loneliness is a powerful hallucinatory. Much love, Jeff.
Guilie @ Quiet Laughter
Sorry I'm making the battles so difficult for you. Or maybe I'm not. ;)
DeleteLove that - Better lost than found. So true.
Wow, great battle! I love to hear electric violins so I thought I was going to automatically find the Fuse version better but that's not the case. I guess I like hearing vocals for this song. The lyrics are outstanding and though the music is fabulous in the Fuse version, I miss not hearing the words so my vote is going to Lisa Hannigan.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know what they mean about sadness being addictive. It can lead to a rut, that's for sure.
Thanks for turning us on to these two (new to me) artists.
Michele at Angels Bark
Seems like the vocals are what's making or breaking on this song.
DeleteThanks for the vote. And yes, that's what this BOTB is good at, showcasing new bands.
At least that's how I look at it.
I like the first one best. Little more pep to it. Although not fair that we only get to see the front half of the guy...
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped in to place a vote.
DeleteOne more for Fuse.
I ADORE electric violins. I think it's the coolest sound ever and for sure thought that was the one I'd pick until I listened to the second one and as you said, fell in love. Lisa just brought in the emotions that are so needed for this song!
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one choosing the rendition based on lyrics vs. non.
DeleteBut it's nice to know both artists are appreciated and liked.
This song cries out for the lyrics so Lisa gets my vote. Yes this was done before but not the same artists I believe so this is great. I like Lisa's voice and the way she put meaning into the song. Fuse is excellent but we need the lyrics:)
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for lyrics. ;)
DeleteThis song ironically was in its prime when my ex-boyfriend of 8 years broke up. The words fit my story far too much. Its especially fitting because I still work in same office as my ex. We can go weeks without seeing each other due to our schedules and I am in different part of the office. You would never know we were a couple. Just somebody that I used to know....
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Lisa's version wins for me because I can hear the words to the song which is so important. The electric violins were amazing. I do like that version. I would most likely vote for them on another song but not this one. Great battle!
Believe it or not, I was going to opt for another song from Fuse, but the performance in this video was so much different from most of the videos I've seen from them.
DeleteThe violins for sure!!! This song came out after my single days but I think we can all relate to how astonishing it is to go from being in love with someone to feeling odd that now we're nothing.
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for Fuse. Nice to see they are getting some votes, despite the lack of lyrics.
DeleteI think someone else used the song but not these versions. Or maybe I have the song in my line-up because I recall watching several YouTube versions of it. It's a good song.
ReplyDeleteThese are both good versions, but for me the violin trumps the vocal.
Give my vote to the violin duo.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Arlee, as I was doing research for this song I did notice a few that seemed familiar. One in particular from Walk off the Earth. I'm certain I've seen this group perform in a few battles so far.
DeleteI had to listen through both versions a couple times to make my pick, honestly.. The instrumental version was, admittedly, amazing... But like many others, for me it seemed to lack something without the vocals. On the other hand there was a certain quality to Lisa Hannigan's voice that I wasn't completely sold on right off. I felt her performance gained strength as she went along and she had a very dynamic and unique arrangement for this song. Ultimately tho, even lacking the vocals, I decided to go with Fuze. There's just something so melancholy and emotional that gets me right in the chest when I hear beautifully played violin.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a hard time choosing a winner. Perhaps I shall use some of your comments in the reveal of a winner. ;)
DeleteI love violins! I wish vocals had been used for the Fuse version though because I do like the lyrics for this song. I also thought it was weird that they were naked. And yet, I wasn't blown away by Lisa's vocals, so my vote goes to Fuse.
ReplyDeleteFuse was (somewhat) imitating the original Gotye version of the song. Which explains why they performed sans clothing.
DeleteFuse has a catchy rhythm to it but no words - the naked bodies in music is new to me but its hardly surprising the female kept her back to us. She would have blinded us with her beauty, LOL. Well done Lisa Hannigan - shes got great vocals.
ReplyDeleteWas there one in particular you liked better than the other?
DeleteMs. Hannigan all the way. She had me from the moment she opened her mouth to sing. There was a great Star Wars parody of this song. Let me see if I can find it...
ReplyDeleteHere you go: https://youtu.be/qJlbPXZEpRE
Oddly enough, I saw the Star Wars parody and watched it already when I did research for this battle. Thanks for voting. :)
DeleteMy pleasure. It looks like I'll be on the losing side this time, though.
DeleteI usually don't count votes till the end, but I noticed Hannigan started off strong. I think this may be a close battle.
DeleteI'm familiar with that sad/relieved feeling over a broken relationship. Sometimes, it's good to wallow in the sadness for a little while. Makes it easier to dismiss after a time.
ReplyDeleteThis was a tough battle, as both versions were so good! In the end, I chose Lisa Hannigan. The unique quality of her tone made it more memorable.
I think the best compliment us fight co-ordinators can receive is how much both songs are loved and the decision is hard to make.
DeleteI admit I like Hannigan's voice and arrangement. But, I am beyond partial to violins...
ReplyDeleteSo, my vote is to the naked violinists
Another vote for fuse. Thanks for stopping by and checking out the battle.
DeleteJEFFREY ~
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the other comments yet, but will do so after I post mine.
Ehhh.... I hate being that guy who pours sparkling water into a perfectly resplendent red wine but... this wasn't my cup of musical magic.
I like the violin, but only as an accent or additional texture. I do not care for the violin as the principal instrument in a musical piece. After awhile, the high-pitch starts to irritate me a little bit. To my ears, the violin is great... in smaller doses.
So, although the violins were played very well , I was SURE I would vote for Lisa Hannigan after hearing the first version.
And that's where the "Ehhh...." comes in. Although the musicianship was fine, I did not at all care for Lisa's singing. She seemed to me to be "putting on".
Sorry I can't be more positive about this one. At the end of the day, I guess my vote goes to the VIOLINS. At least I didn't feel there was anything "artificial" about their performance.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
I think you are in the minority of disliking both songs. But that's okay too. I've had to choose between two songs before where I hated each one. Like the President, sometimes you just have to vote for the lesser of two evils.
DeleteI too reserve reading comments till after I cast my vote or comment. I don't like to be swayed and in one battle, I think the comments I read before hand did sway me. So I totally understand why you would not read them first.
JEFFREY ~
DeleteI didn't hate either version. I don't think I'd even say I "disliked" either one. I kinda-sorta liked the first version until the ongoing violin-screech became unenjoyable to me. And the second one was "tolerable" but nuttin' I'd ever care to hear again.
The two versions combined simply equaled "Ehhh...." to me. Not good; not horrible - just kind of... there.
>>... Like the President, sometimes you just have to vote for the lesser of two evils.
Not to become too political but... actually, I stopped doing that, too, many years ago. I came to the conclusion that the vote for a "lesser of two evils" is STILL a vote for evil. A politician needs to EARN and BE WORTHY of my vote. I don't just "give it away" anymore because one guy is the lesser of two as--- er... well, you get the idea.
I'm more apt to "write in" the name "Ron Paul". Or "Jesus... help us!" Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
I stand corrected. When you said you could not be positive, I took it to mean you disliked them both. Sorry, didn't mean to put words in your mouth. And no, I certainly didn't think you thought either were evil. ;)
DeleteJust using that as an example. Have a good day. :)
Lisa Hannigan brings haunting vocals to this song. I do enjoy the electric violins. Again another eclectic battle of the bands so job well done. My vote goes for Fuse!
ReplyDeleteThanks for placing the vote. Glad you like the misch-masch match.
DeleteI have a fondness for a lyracist, and Fuse did an outstanding job, letting their violins do the singing. But I'm going to have to give my vote to Lisa Hannigan. Great battle!
ReplyDeleteSeems to be more of a battle of the vocals vs violins.
DeleteWhoa. I love both of them. I have to go with Lisa Hannigan, as her voice is so angelic.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, another vote for Lisa.
DeleteYou're correct. This one was done before, but not like this. These are two very different versions. Personally I find this song irritating, not sure why, I just do. I did like the electric violins, though. Nice touch and it was much less irritating to me as an instrumental. Give my vote to FUSE.
ReplyDeleteVote recorded. You must have dreaded seeing this battle then, having used the same song. But yes, I did realize it was done before but I knew I had two completely different artists selected. I hope my next battle, you'll like the participants more.
Delete