This weeks battle featured the Indigo Girls and Edwin McCain singing the Dire Straits song, 'Romeo & Juliet'. A few had never heard the song, a few hated the song, and some loved the song. Despite all that, everyone listened in and cast a vote. So who performed the song best?
In our first round, Edwin McCain took an impressive early lead. Collecting five of the six votes cast.
Edwin McCain - Alex, Kate, Arlee, Robin and Stephanie
Indigo Girls - Yolanda
But Edwin lost the second round. Was he losing his support? He only received 1/3 of the vote.
Edwin McCain - Shady and Cathy
Indigo Girls - Cherdo, Michelle, Dixie & Janie
The answer, no. He was not losing support. The third round went back to him, taking nearly all the votes from Indigo Girls.
Edwin McCain - Debbie, Dolorah, Hillary, Chrys and John
Indigo Girls - Mike
With a hefty lead, McCain fans took a back seat for the fourth and final round. Indigo Girls won this round, but were they able to get enough votes to win?
Edwin McCain - Birgit
Indigo Girls - FAE, Stephen, Guillie and Jeffrey Scott
Final Score - Edwin McCain 13, Indigo Girls 10
The battle was much closer than it seemed like it was going to be. Once Edwin took the lead, he refused to let it go.
Top Comments
CowgirlKate – This one was harder for me than I expected... The original of this song would probably rank up there in my top ten favorite songs... As it stands... I love Edwin McCain's voice, guitar playing and phrasing. But I feel like the phrasing and melody of this song got a little lost on his version. With the Indigo Girls, I felt they started out well. Recognizable melody for the song.... But the singer's voice just seemed rough and a little scream-y as the song progressed. It felt she was trying to turn this love lost, broken hearted ballad into some driving rock song and it just didn't work for me... Since I'm not a huge fan of either version, my choice is based on what I consider ease of listening, in this battle... So Edwin McCain has it for me. I wouldn't switch him off if it came in the radio, but the Indigo Girls, I probably would....
Robin - The Indigo Girls has its appeal. It's that pissed off that it's over feeling that I think we all have experienced at least once. Whereas Edwin McCain is the sad that it's over that we've also experienced. It just kind of depends on where you are.
Cherdo - I gotta go with Indigo Girls on this one. Just had a homey, acoustic vibe that tickled my fancy.
Dixie@dcrelief - Hey Jeffrey! Well, you caught me in an Indigo Girls mood today - yep - all peppered up and nowhere to go. But Edwin sounded so, "we're over this, " I wanted to cry... and you know what I think about crying, right? No? Big girls don't cry (right.) Ha!
Debbie D. - Edwin McCain all the way! Beautiful, heartfelt, melodic. I found the Indigo Girls' version jarring.
John Holton - I'm going to go with Edwin McCain. The Indigo Girls do some beautiful stuff, but this wasn't an example of it.
Stephen T. McCarthy - I know a lot of people really love 'ROMEO AND JULIET' by Dire Straits, but as many times as I've heard it, I've never been able to find the "song" in this song. I mean, could anyone hum or whistle this tune? What IS the tune? I can't find it. To me, this is just some words that meander around. It's like opening Jack Kerouac's book 'On The Road' and randomly singing the words without any thought toward melody, chorus, musical hook, nuttin'... I don't get it. I really DO NOT "get" this song. There must be a tune in this song, somewhere, since so many folks love it, but... it eludes me.
Winners Circle
Congratulations to Edwin McCain
Here's a video featuring one of his more well known songs, "I'll Be".
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle October 15th.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.
Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
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
FAR AWAY SERIES
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.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
I.W.S.G. (2) - Writing vs. Blogging
It may or may not be news to many, I'm slowly working to complete a project I started nearly 30 years ago...
Has it been that long? Yikes!
You see I have always wanted to be a writer. And I've always enjoyed writing. I started a personal journal in 1984 and continued writing in it till 1992. Why did I stop? Good question. I'll address that in a bit.
Thirty years ago (while in school) I wrote a fun piece of fiction for a friend of mine about the two of us driving around the city, goofing off. We repeatedly and humorously continued to get injured and sent to the hospital. I broke the 'fourth wall' frequently and myself as the Author was a character in the story. It was such a success with my friend we showed other friends who enjoyed it also. From there, I went on to write six more sequels, with a seventh planned. For a time, I literally had several friends waiting to have their turn to read the latest episode. In the ensuing years, interest waned. No, not because people were losing interest in the story, but because life was getting a hold of me. I got married and my wife was not keen on my writing and was not encouraging. ("Why are you writing? There are things to do around the house.") Quite the reverse, to be honest. Needless to say, I pretty much stopped writing. Remember my journal I mentioned before? That too fell by the wayside.
Oddly, as we were on our way to splitsville, my interest in writing took a hold once again. Around 2002 I acquired my first real computer. (I was using an Apple IIe till then, with no printer. PS - I still have it set up in my basement bar. Pictures can be found HERE). One of the first things I got involved in was posting to forums and joining such awesome social sites as Myspace. Remember Myspace?
But then the real writing came back to the forefront when I began to blog. Discovering blogger was a blessing as far as I'm concerned. It's been a way for me to spend my time creatively and productively. I've written many a poem via my blog and have appreciated any who were entertained by my rants. I even utilized my blogs to continue my short story writing. One of my favourite projects (though I admit still very sloppy) was a Fan-Fiction I wrote involving the TV series, Doctor Who, Quantum Leap and Sliders. I also incorporated Fan-Fiction from the comic book world, namely the Legion of Super Heroes. To make it even more confusing, (LOL), I decided to include (a non-canon) tale using my short story series from almost 30 years ago. The story can be found HERE.
So this is where my insecurity for the month comes in. After I wrote that story, I started to develop a longing to return to the series. But in it's previous form, it was no where near ready for public display, let alone, submission. So I've slowly been working on redoing the series. Removed the Author as a character and have made it less ridiculous. (One of these days I should scan a copy of what the original draft looked like). My writing has improved significantly too, so I knew it was time to do a final final draft. In fact, a few have noticed I've started to upload the polished off episodes to my blog HERE. It's something I've been longing to do for a long time as you are now well aware. But what about my blogging? I love my blogging friends and colleagues I've become acquainted with. But there is so little time. I want to get back to my YA short story series, but keep finding it hard to get back to. Am I doing this wrong? Should I finally take some ME time, buckle down and get to my series once again? I've loved my blogging because I look at it as a continual writing practice. Yet, m I spending too much time on my blogging? How do I find the time? Am I just insane?
Sorry for such a long blog posting this time. I promise not to run on so much next time. As this is only my second contribution to the IWSG, I felt it would probably be a good idea to inform everyone exactly why I write and the base reasoning why I too am an Insecure Writer who needs a Support Group.
Questions:
What was your first computer?
What was your first social media site?
What is the first thing you remember writing, and being proud of?
How long have you been blogging?
Am I rude to my family and friends if I finally decide to take time off for me to work only on my writing?
My IWSG postings will be done the first Wednesday of every month. My fellow writers will be doing like-wise. Are you an insecure writer? Why not join the group? You can find out more information via the website found HERE.
The site is founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh - Thanks for all the support!
Has it been that long? Yikes!
You see I have always wanted to be a writer. And I've always enjoyed writing. I started a personal journal in 1984 and continued writing in it till 1992. Why did I stop? Good question. I'll address that in a bit.
Thirty years ago (while in school) I wrote a fun piece of fiction for a friend of mine about the two of us driving around the city, goofing off. We repeatedly and humorously continued to get injured and sent to the hospital. I broke the 'fourth wall' frequently and myself as the Author was a character in the story. It was such a success with my friend we showed other friends who enjoyed it also. From there, I went on to write six more sequels, with a seventh planned. For a time, I literally had several friends waiting to have their turn to read the latest episode. In the ensuing years, interest waned. No, not because people were losing interest in the story, but because life was getting a hold of me. I got married and my wife was not keen on my writing and was not encouraging. ("Why are you writing? There are things to do around the house.") Quite the reverse, to be honest. Needless to say, I pretty much stopped writing. Remember my journal I mentioned before? That too fell by the wayside.
Oddly, as we were on our way to splitsville, my interest in writing took a hold once again. Around 2002 I acquired my first real computer. (I was using an Apple IIe till then, with no printer. PS - I still have it set up in my basement bar. Pictures can be found HERE). One of the first things I got involved in was posting to forums and joining such awesome social sites as Myspace. Remember Myspace?
But then the real writing came back to the forefront when I began to blog. Discovering blogger was a blessing as far as I'm concerned. It's been a way for me to spend my time creatively and productively. I've written many a poem via my blog and have appreciated any who were entertained by my rants. I even utilized my blogs to continue my short story writing. One of my favourite projects (though I admit still very sloppy) was a Fan-Fiction I wrote involving the TV series, Doctor Who, Quantum Leap and Sliders. I also incorporated Fan-Fiction from the comic book world, namely the Legion of Super Heroes. To make it even more confusing, (LOL), I decided to include (a non-canon) tale using my short story series from almost 30 years ago. The story can be found HERE.
So this is where my insecurity for the month comes in. After I wrote that story, I started to develop a longing to return to the series. But in it's previous form, it was no where near ready for public display, let alone, submission. So I've slowly been working on redoing the series. Removed the Author as a character and have made it less ridiculous. (One of these days I should scan a copy of what the original draft looked like). My writing has improved significantly too, so I knew it was time to do a final final draft. In fact, a few have noticed I've started to upload the polished off episodes to my blog HERE. It's something I've been longing to do for a long time as you are now well aware. But what about my blogging? I love my blogging friends and colleagues I've become acquainted with. But there is so little time. I want to get back to my YA short story series, but keep finding it hard to get back to. Am I doing this wrong? Should I finally take some ME time, buckle down and get to my series once again? I've loved my blogging because I look at it as a continual writing practice. Yet, m I spending too much time on my blogging? How do I find the time? Am I just insane?
Sorry for such a long blog posting this time. I promise not to run on so much next time. As this is only my second contribution to the IWSG, I felt it would probably be a good idea to inform everyone exactly why I write and the base reasoning why I too am an Insecure Writer who needs a Support Group.
Questions:
What was your first computer?
What was your first social media site?
What is the first thing you remember writing, and being proud of?
How long have you been blogging?
Am I rude to my family and friends if I finally decide to take time off for me to work only on my writing?
My IWSG postings will be done the first Wednesday of every month. My fellow writers will be doing like-wise. Are you an insecure writer? Why not join the group? You can find out more information via the website found HERE.
The site is founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh - Thanks for all the support!
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Battle of the Bands - Romeo & Juliet
It's been said one of the greatest love stories of all time is Romeo and Juliet. One the surface, it may be so. Juliet and Romeo are on opposite sides of feuding families. Despite this, they fall in love. Does love conqueror all? Not exactly. SPOILER ALERT! When Romeo believes Juliet is dead, he takes his own life, not wanting to live without her. Juliet in turn, who is not dead, discovers Romeo is dead, and then takes her own life. So it's a true love story, but not exactly a happy, feel good story of all time.
The film West Side Story was loosely based on the same idea. Two lovers associated with two rival gangs, fall in love regardless. SPOILER ALERT: This film doesn't end well for the lovers either.
In this edition of Battle of the Bands, we take a look at the song 'Romeo & Juliet', a song performed by Dire Straits. Unlike Taylor Swifts, 'Love Story', which has a fairly satisfying ending (so sue me, I'm a romantic), Dire Straits song, like the films above, has no happy love story ending.
Who do you feel performs this song the best? The two contenders are shown below. Edwin McCain and the Indigo Girls
(Thanks Kate for the song suggestion.)
Edwin McCain
Indigo Girls
Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, 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. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 15th when I'll cast my own vote and announce the winner in a separate posting.
Additional Questions:
Do you believe it's better to have loved and lost?
Or do you believe it's better to have never loved at all?
What is your favourite love song?
Do you believe love stories typically end more like the Dire Straits song or the Taylor Swift song?
Did you enjoy this Battle of the Bands feature? Come back on 1st October 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.
The film West Side Story was loosely based on the same idea. Two lovers associated with two rival gangs, fall in love regardless. SPOILER ALERT: This film doesn't end well for the lovers either.
In this edition of Battle of the Bands, we take a look at the song 'Romeo & Juliet', a song performed by Dire Straits. Unlike Taylor Swifts, 'Love Story', which has a fairly satisfying ending (so sue me, I'm a romantic), Dire Straits song, like the films above, has no happy love story ending.
Who do you feel performs this song the best? The two contenders are shown below. Edwin McCain and the Indigo Girls
(Thanks Kate for the song suggestion.)
Edwin McCain
Indigo Girls
Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, 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. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 15th when I'll cast my own vote and announce the winner in a separate posting.
Additional Questions:
Do you believe it's better to have loved and lost?
Or do you believe it's better to have never loved at all?
What is your favourite love song?
Do you believe love stories typically end more like the Dire Straits song or the Taylor Swift song?
Did you enjoy this Battle of the Bands feature? Come back on 1st October 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.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Battle of the Bands Results - Dont You (Forget About Me)
For this Battle of the Bands, our two contestants were performing the song, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)', from the 'Simple Minds'. Who performed the song the best? Here's what you thought.
In round one, the votes were pretty much split. But with five voters, Smash Mouth came out on top.
The second round was pretty much the same. This time, with an even number of voters, each contestant received three votes. Smash Mouth was still leading, but by a very narrow margin. Oddly enough, our third round was exactly the same. Three votes each, including my vote for Bouncing Souls. The current total was Smash Mouth 9, Bouncing Souls 8. Votes were bouncing all over the place. But could either contender smash through the competition? The answer is yes.
Our Fourth and final round saw one more vote for Bouncing Souls, but the final four votes went to Smash Mouth. This gave Smash Mouth the win, even if it were close and the battle continued right up to the very end.
Final Score - Smash Mouth 13, Bouncing Souls 9
Top Comments
Shady Del Knight –I, Shady Del Knight, proudly cast a write-in vote for the lovely Diana Krall. :)
Turning to today's BOTB, I am hoping to match your vote for a record setting second time by going with act #1 - Bouncing Souls. Their rendition sounds very close to the Simple Minds original and has that authentic New Wave 80s feel. I found the vocals on the Smash Mouth version a little irritating for some reason and didn't like the arrangement as much. Therefore, my vote does to Diana Kra... uh... to Bouncing Souls. Thanks, Jeffrey!
farawayeyes - I'm gonna go with Smashmouth, they have a very distinctive sound, and I generally like it. The Bouncing Souls sounded a little too 'garage band' to me.
Arlee Bird -I do remember the song well and I actually prefer these two covers to the original.
Of the covers, Smashmouth is a bit harsher than I'd like to hear--well, I guess they're called Smashmouth for a reason. I much prefer the smoother sound of the Bouncing Souls.
Guilie Castillo - Awesome song, Jeffrey, and awesome battle! Love this song. Bouncing Souls sounded too much like the original — not necessarily a bad thing, since I love that original — but, given the choice, I'd rather listen to Simple Minds. Smashmouth, on the other hand, gave it a spin, and the pseudo-metal feel worked for me. Vote for Smashmouth :)
Michele Truhlik - I LOVE this song! And you're so right: Simple Minds would've run away with the battle. Their version rocks! I'm voting for Bouncing Souls since they sounded closest to Simple Minds. But Smash Mouth's version was good too. Still it's Bouncing Souls for me. Great battle. Thanks for sprinkling this song into my day!
Stephanie Faris - Smashmouth is SO cool! Anything they do sounds perfect to me. One vote for Smashmouth!
Birgit - I like Bouncing Souls because they added the horns and made it slightly different. Smash mouth is good but it's just...them-nothing unique. so Bouncing Souls gets my vote
Chrys Fey -It's cool how Bouncing Souls sounds so much like the original. But I love how the Smash Mouth version is upbeat. It's fun. So my vote goes to Smash Mouth.
dolorah - I liked Bouncing Souls version. The deeper voice, the horns. That darker vibe appeals to me.
Madilyn Quinn - As for my vote in this battle: Smash Mouth. The horn in Bouncing Soul's version I really liked. Smash Mouth has their usual sound that I enjoy. Tough choice, but I think the fact that Smash Mouth really took their spin on it pushed it up ahead. Really great battle this time!
Winners Circle
Congratulations to Smash Mouth. You are the All Stars for this week.
Here's a video featuring them singing All-Star.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle October 1st.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.
Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
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
FAR AWAY SERIES
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.
In round one, the votes were pretty much split. But with five voters, Smash Mouth came out on top.
The second round was pretty much the same. This time, with an even number of voters, each contestant received three votes. Smash Mouth was still leading, but by a very narrow margin. Oddly enough, our third round was exactly the same. Three votes each, including my vote for Bouncing Souls. The current total was Smash Mouth 9, Bouncing Souls 8. Votes were bouncing all over the place. But could either contender smash through the competition? The answer is yes.
Our Fourth and final round saw one more vote for Bouncing Souls, but the final four votes went to Smash Mouth. This gave Smash Mouth the win, even if it were close and the battle continued right up to the very end.
Final Score - Smash Mouth 13, Bouncing Souls 9
Top Comments
Shady Del Knight –I, Shady Del Knight, proudly cast a write-in vote for the lovely Diana Krall. :)
Turning to today's BOTB, I am hoping to match your vote for a record setting second time by going with act #1 - Bouncing Souls. Their rendition sounds very close to the Simple Minds original and has that authentic New Wave 80s feel. I found the vocals on the Smash Mouth version a little irritating for some reason and didn't like the arrangement as much. Therefore, my vote does to Diana Kra... uh... to Bouncing Souls. Thanks, Jeffrey!
farawayeyes - I'm gonna go with Smashmouth, they have a very distinctive sound, and I generally like it. The Bouncing Souls sounded a little too 'garage band' to me.
Arlee Bird -I do remember the song well and I actually prefer these two covers to the original.
Of the covers, Smashmouth is a bit harsher than I'd like to hear--well, I guess they're called Smashmouth for a reason. I much prefer the smoother sound of the Bouncing Souls.
Guilie Castillo - Awesome song, Jeffrey, and awesome battle! Love this song. Bouncing Souls sounded too much like the original — not necessarily a bad thing, since I love that original — but, given the choice, I'd rather listen to Simple Minds. Smashmouth, on the other hand, gave it a spin, and the pseudo-metal feel worked for me. Vote for Smashmouth :)
Michele Truhlik - I LOVE this song! And you're so right: Simple Minds would've run away with the battle. Their version rocks! I'm voting for Bouncing Souls since they sounded closest to Simple Minds. But Smash Mouth's version was good too. Still it's Bouncing Souls for me. Great battle. Thanks for sprinkling this song into my day!
Stephanie Faris - Smashmouth is SO cool! Anything they do sounds perfect to me. One vote for Smashmouth!
Birgit - I like Bouncing Souls because they added the horns and made it slightly different. Smash mouth is good but it's just...them-nothing unique. so Bouncing Souls gets my vote
Chrys Fey -It's cool how Bouncing Souls sounds so much like the original. But I love how the Smash Mouth version is upbeat. It's fun. So my vote goes to Smash Mouth.
dolorah - I liked Bouncing Souls version. The deeper voice, the horns. That darker vibe appeals to me.
Madilyn Quinn - As for my vote in this battle: Smash Mouth. The horn in Bouncing Soul's version I really liked. Smash Mouth has their usual sound that I enjoy. Tough choice, but I think the fact that Smash Mouth really took their spin on it pushed it up ahead. Really great battle this time!
Winners Circle
Congratulations to Smash Mouth. You are the All Stars for this week.
Here's a video featuring them singing All-Star.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle October 1st.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.
Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
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
FAR AWAY SERIES
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.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Battle of the Bands - Don't You (Forget About Me)
One of my favourite movies from the 80's is the Breakfast Club. It's a film featuring a group of students from different social standings forced to serve detention together on a Saturday. There are several reasons why I like this film; it's an interesting social 'experiment', one of the characters reminds me of myself, (can you guess who), it features Ally Sheedy, and most importantly, it has awesome music. As an 80's fanatic, it's not surprising I love the music.
For today's Battle of the Bands, I'm featuring the signature song from the film. 'Don't You (Forget About Me)', by the Simple Minds. Instead of comparing Simple Minds (who I feel no one could compete with), to another band, I found two other artists who have covered the same song. These two versions can be found below. I hope you like at least one of the versions.
Additonal Questions:
Are there any 80s films you love?
Which character do you identify with from this film?
Can you guess which character I was in High School?
Bouncing Souls
Smash Mouth
So those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, 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 30th 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 October 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.
For today's Battle of the Bands, I'm featuring the signature song from the film. 'Don't You (Forget About Me)', by the Simple Minds. Instead of comparing Simple Minds (who I feel no one could compete with), to another band, I found two other artists who have covered the same song. These two versions can be found below. I hope you like at least one of the versions.
Additonal Questions:
Are there any 80s films you love?
Which character do you identify with from this film?
Can you guess which character I was in High School?
Bouncing Souls
Smash Mouth
So those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, 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 30th 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 October 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.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Rotten Fruit
R.a.n.t. of week 09/14/15
Of all my goals, losing weight is high on my priority list. In fact, it's near the top of my least. Just below learning the Karen language and publishing a book. But anything worth doing, is never easy. When it comes to weight loss, there are several things that hinder my progress. Finding time to work out is one. After a long day at work, going to the gym is not exactly something I long to do. Not that I don't like going to the gym. I actually do like to go and run a 5K on the treadmill. I don't mind it. It's a great time for me to work on another of my past times, and that's writing. Huh? Yes, when I run, I'm thinking. And what do I think about? The current series I'm writing and how I can resolve some problems. But that's not the point of my rant.
Since managing my weight is a realistic goal, I need to have a strategy. My strategy is essentially what anyone trying to lose weight will tell you. It's a simple process of calories in vs. calories out. That is, eat fewer calories than you burn in a day. If you do that, no matter what you eat, you'll lose weight. And I'm not afraid of healthy foods. I'm fine with salads, fruits, low cal or fat free snacks, it's not a big deal for me. The problem I have is when I'm selecting healthier foods to consume. Why is it healthy food seems to cost so much more than junk food? And yet, that isn't even my biggest problem. Why is it when I am into the healthy eating, the food is always poor quality. I'm tired of buying fruits only to find they are rotten inside. So disgusting, so disheartening. I think I'll grab a Twinkie for comfort. Oh wait, that's probably my biggest problem.
Do you like to rant?
A few people have wondered where my R.a.n.t. series has gone. It really hasn't gone anywhere. It's still here. But having joined a few blog hops and working on my own short story series, my time for writing has been cut drastically. So I had a thought.
Is there anyone willing to join a blog hop if I organize it? Perhaps we can write on the second Monday of the month. Then I only need to write one r.a.n.t. a month and I can enjoy reading what other people are r.a.n.t.ing about as well. What you rant about is up to you, but it should be something that's been bugging you lately. Your writing? The supermarket? Annoying people? The sky is the limit. I've even created a banner. Thoughts on the banner? So, anyone interested?
Of all my goals, losing weight is high on my priority list. In fact, it's near the top of my least. Just below learning the Karen language and publishing a book. But anything worth doing, is never easy. When it comes to weight loss, there are several things that hinder my progress. Finding time to work out is one. After a long day at work, going to the gym is not exactly something I long to do. Not that I don't like going to the gym. I actually do like to go and run a 5K on the treadmill. I don't mind it. It's a great time for me to work on another of my past times, and that's writing. Huh? Yes, when I run, I'm thinking. And what do I think about? The current series I'm writing and how I can resolve some problems. But that's not the point of my rant.
Since managing my weight is a realistic goal, I need to have a strategy. My strategy is essentially what anyone trying to lose weight will tell you. It's a simple process of calories in vs. calories out. That is, eat fewer calories than you burn in a day. If you do that, no matter what you eat, you'll lose weight. And I'm not afraid of healthy foods. I'm fine with salads, fruits, low cal or fat free snacks, it's not a big deal for me. The problem I have is when I'm selecting healthier foods to consume. Why is it healthy food seems to cost so much more than junk food? And yet, that isn't even my biggest problem. Why is it when I am into the healthy eating, the food is always poor quality. I'm tired of buying fruits only to find they are rotten inside. So disgusting, so disheartening. I think I'll grab a Twinkie for comfort. Oh wait, that's probably my biggest problem.
Do you like to rant?
A few people have wondered where my R.a.n.t. series has gone. It really hasn't gone anywhere. It's still here. But having joined a few blog hops and working on my own short story series, my time for writing has been cut drastically. So I had a thought.
Is there anyone willing to join a blog hop if I organize it? Perhaps we can write on the second Monday of the month. Then I only need to write one r.a.n.t. a month and I can enjoy reading what other people are r.a.n.t.ing about as well. What you rant about is up to you, but it should be something that's been bugging you lately. Your writing? The supermarket? Annoying people? The sky is the limit. I've even created a banner. Thoughts on the banner? So, anyone interested?
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Battle of the Bands Results - Wallflower
| Photo Credit: Jeffrey Scott |
In the first round, six votes were cast. However, one of the voters could not see the competition. Reluctantly they went online and found another version of the song I featured from Doug Sahm and listened to that to cast their vote. All in all, six votes for cast for Diana this round. And yet, we have a little asterisk next to one of the votes.
The second round was asterisk free, but was also not a clean and clear vote for Diana all around. One vote cast, the final one, was finally for Doug Sahm But the rest went to Diana Krall. She was now leading 10* - 1. Was it even possible for Doug Sahm to catch up at this time? The third round would likely help answer this question.
Another six votes were cast in the third round. Another six votes for Diana Krall. My babe my be winning, but this battle has not been very exciting. 16*- 1 in favour of my favourite pianist an musician.
Some may have accused me of stacking the deck for this battle, but it was not the case. Id always thought people who liked jazz, didn't care for country. And those who liked country were not big fans of jazz. So say what you will about me, I was genuine when I paired Doug Sahm with Diana Krall. I'm not a country enthusiast, so I figured this country song was as good as another. But it seemed not to be the case. Even other country fans went against their genre. Our fourth and final battle had four more voters. But again, another asterisk was placed for Diana Krall, two more full votes for Diana, and one more vote for Doug. The current tally? 19** - 2. Still having my vote, should I even bother placing it? It wouldn't really make a difference, would it? But it IS DIANA KRALL. I could NOT not vote for her. So I'm casting my vote for Diana Krall as well. (Yes Shady, we finally vote the same).
Final Total - Diana Krall 20** (18 or 19 without the asterisks) - 2. Either way, our winner is Diana Krall
Top Comments
*Debbie D. - Not sure I'm eligible to vote on this one Jeffrey. The first video isn't available in Canada and all I could find is a live version.
Holli - I love country music and Doug's version has a touch of twang to it to keep me interested. Then I listened to Diana's version. She has such a gorgeous soothing voice. It was so pretty!! My vote goes to her.
CowgirlKate - Well once again you make this ever so difficult, Jeffrey. The version by Doug Sahm appeals to my very deep rooted love of bluegrass and old country. I could listen to it all day.
Then there is the lovely miss Diana Krall (yes... We know you're completely smitten with her).... Silky smooth voice. Beautiful tonal quality. And very real emotion in her voice that any wallflower would recognize. I was ready to cast my vote after the first version. But you'll be pleased that your leading lady , Miss Krall, has stolen my vote from Mr Sahm
Janie Junebug - I'm a wallflower. Doug Sahm is too twangy for me. I vote for Diana Krall. Her voice is sweet, but a little smoky. I ran into Diana the other day while I was grocery shopping. She told me she has a crush on you and to please wait for her. She's falling in love with you.
Robin – I really like country music but Doug Sahm was actually too twangy for me (those are words I never thought would leave my mouth). I think it might be that he's so twangy I couldn't understand a thing he was saying aside from Wallflower. I call that mouthful of marbles singing. And then there was Diana. Her version was sweet and delicious and delivered in just the way every wallflower wants to hear it. So a vote for Diana please.
Alex J. Cavanaugh – If I was with friends, I was outgoing. By myself, I was in that corner as well.
Afraid I don't like country music so Diana's version wins for me.
Dixie@dcrelief – Shucks, Jeffrey, why make it so tough on a country girl? I'd rather hang out with Doug and buddies. Sounds like some true drinking music... and is that an accordion I hear? Nothing beats a squeezebox. You know I'm part Polka, right? I'm voting for Doug! Silly, shy guy!
Cherdo - Polarizing versions, I'll wager! This will separate the men from the boys from the girls from the women from the cat lovers and dog petters and ....
I vote for KRALL, brother.
Yolanda Renee - Diana Krall, so much easier to listen too. The other one had too much twang! As one wallflower speaking to another, it never does leave, does it, that awkwardness in conversation. Guess that's why I write!
Stephen T. McCarthy - I don't like a lot of Country music, but that which I do, I generally love.
Nope! Doug was too twangy for me, too.
'Nother vote for Diana Krall.
Mary Burris –I knew you would try to get your girlfriend in the battles somehow! And i'm going to stack the ballots and do my part to help her win!
Sergio E. Benìtez –ESTIMADO, TANTO TIEMPO! DIANA KRALL ESTA EN MI PIEL! UN GRAN ABRAZO!
Cathy Kennedy – Jeffrey, Doug is too twangy to suit me, but even if he wasn't it would be hard to out do Diana Krall. I love her vocals! Give my vote to Diana Krall, please. Have a tunetastic evening and thanks for stopping by!
A GAL NEEDS – I'm going to go with Doug Sahm because I love the bluegrass feel to it. Bluegrass is a piece of Americana and lends itself to that simpler time, before things got crazy!
Winners Circle
Congratulations to Diana Krall for winning this battle.
To all you who voted for her, enjoy my favourite video of hers.
Does anyone know where I can find this wallpaper?
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle 15 September.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.
Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
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
FAR AWAY SERIES
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)




