Thursday, September 21, 2023

Autumn skies and Pumpkin pies

 


We’re not exactly graced with all the splendors of seasonal changes in the desert. Few of our leaves change color, opting instead to forsake their posts for bony winter fingers. Luckily, our evening sky is often willing to step up and deck out with spectacular flair. Time to buy a couple of pumpkins!

According to a few of my favorite haunts, today was quite the day in music history. In 1967, Arlo Guthrie released a song that would one day become a Thanksgiving tradition in our house, as each year while the swamp cooler works overtime, the turkeys are fried or roasted or smoked on the patio, the sides take turns in the oven of our crowded kitchen, another leaf is added to the table and set for 8 – 12 while we listen to a full-length version of “Alice’s Restaurant” that finishes just as the biscuits begin to smolder.

During a meeting with the rest of the band on this day in 1969, John Lennon announced he was leaving the Beatles. Meanwhile, one of only a handful of successful “fake” bands, The Archies, began a four-week run at #1 on the US singles chart with Sugar, Sugarin addition to becoming one of the longest-running one-hit-wonders after eight weeks at the top of the UK charts. "I'm gonna make your life so sweet,"

On this fateful day in 1973, Jim Croce was on his way to perform a second concert of the day when he tragically perished along with five others in the crash of their chartered plane. His song Time in a Bottlemade an instant come-back, as his other hits also saturated the airwaves.

Kate Bush hit the ground running in 1980 with her first album, “Never For Ever,” the first album by any female solo artist to enter the UK chart at #1. Running Up That Hill

But now it’s time for me to go; the autumn moon lights my way.” Led Zeppelin

Peaceful autumn, everyone!

Friday, September 8, 2023

BOTB September 2023 Battle Results

 


Contenders and votes for the September Battle of the Bands

Song:  The Letter

Joe Cocker - 2

Richard Marx, ft. Hugh Jackman - 6 + 1 = 7


It's not a misprint, folks. It really is the same results as last month, 7 - 2! Richard Marx is more of a surprise than I initially thought. 

True, he was a little slow off the mark, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well Marx (and Jackman) represented a song rumored in some circles to have been performed in a gravel pit by a cement mixer, albeit (to be fair) with an impressive amount of human emotion. Considering the lyrics, the song itself deserves some emotion, I think.

I have to admit, I was even more surprised (and secretly pleased) that so many of you preferred Richard Marx ;-) Here’s one where he really shows off his emotive skills:





I’m off to see how the other battles did. Hope you do the same!





Friday, September 1, 2023

BOTB September 2023 The Letter

 


Hey, hi! Glad you stopped by ;-)

The Battle of The Bands (BOTB) is your basic Which-do-you-like-best contest where the one that gets the most votes wins. All you have to do is show up (the 1st and/or 15th of every month) give a listen and cast your vote in the comment section. Votes will be tallied and the winner revealed on or about 8 days later.

In honor of World Letter Writing Day, I’ve chosen a song entitled “The Letter” along with a couple of artists/bands I think you may have heard of to compete in today’s battle. The song was first recorded by The Box Tops in 1967 and was their most successful single reaching #1 on the record charts in both the U.S. and Canada. The lead vocalist, 16-year-old Alex Chilton, later admitted his voice sounded gruff from lack of sleep.

First up, an even more distinctive voice:  English bluesman, Joe Cocker


Next up, an American entertainer whose first seven singles reached the top five on Billboard charts: Singer-songwriter Richard Marx, featuring his buddy Hugh Jackman



There you have it, folks! Which do you like best? And how come? Let me know in the comment section below. Oh! And, before you go, hop around and see the rest of today’s battles (participating sites are located in the top right sidebar of this page)

 

Lastly, on the subject of letters, here is one we can all appreciate (I think) by E.B. White.

 

See you soon!

BOTB December 2024 - Results

    Many thanks to everyone who stopped by to listen and cast a vote on my latest Battle of the Bands! I also appreciate how you all voted w...