Since I've done a lot of music posts on this blog I thought I'd join in on a music Challenge that's been going on for a while now. Don't forget that you can still vote on my current Battle of the Bands as well...
This ongoing Challenge comes from Mary at Jingle Jangle Jungle. She provides the categories of the week. Here's what we've got for this week:
October 20 - Week 42
A Song with a Girl’s Name in the Title
A Song with the word Under in the Title
A Song with Cry in the Title
And here are the songs I came up with coming from three artists that I enjoy...
Bruce Cockburn "Peggy's Kitchen Wall" (1984)
The Church "Under the Milky Way" (1988)
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young "You Don't Have to Cry" (1970)
What are some choices you might have made? Have you voted on my Battle of the Bands yet?
Halloween is coming! Again... Get your candy bucket filled in preparation for all of the masked children coming your way. Or maybe for a more novel idea how about no masks this Halloween. And I mean no masks whatsoever...
Triskaidekaphobia
Recently this blog passed its thirteenth blogiversary having started on September 20th of 2009. That seems like a lot of water under the bridge or, more appropriately, words off of my keyboard--and I guess it is.
In recent years words seem to be getting fewer. The posts have gotten less frequent. And yet I persist into my thirteenth year of blogging. After the past two very weird and annoying years the idea of a thirteenth year seems like a bit of an ominous thing. But not being particularly superstitious I'm not overly concerned. I'm just hoping this upcoming thirteenth year of blogging will bring at least a few quality posts and a decent A to Z April. For those who don't get that last reference I'm talking about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. I imagine I'll be returning for this blogging challenge. In fact I've been mapping out my theme already. But you'll have to wait for March to hear what that will be.
As for now, one of the big things for many of us is Halloween. In my case I think this deserves a mention since thirteen years ago this blog started out as a Halloween blog. Blogging about all things Halloween and related was my original intent. Thankfully I went off course in that mission as I don't know that I could have comfortably sustained that many years blogging about Halloween and the like.
Yes, my blogging has been fairly lucky I think. Went off on some interesting and occasionally weird tangents, but hopefully I've kept readers interested for the most part. So I'm having expectations of another at least okay year of blogging in this thirteenth year. I have no fear of the number 13, but maybe I should fear my frequent lack of initiative. Forget the COVID vaccine--what I need is a healthy injection of ambition. I'm likely not the only one.
But let's get on with the Halloween spirit with a kind of spooky sounding song title for this round of....
Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bandsisthe blogging event started byFar Away Seriesand now hosted byStMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month. My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months. The premise is simple: Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it. Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.
The Killing Moon
The song "The Killing Moon" was originally recorded by the English band Echo & the Bunnymen, appearing in 1984 on their album Ocean Rain. The song is the band's most notable song--one of their few that made to the hit charts.
The song's attributed writer Ian McCulloch gives this account of how the song came to him:
"I love (the song) all the more because I didn’t pore over it for days on end. One morning, I just sat bolt upright in bed with this line in my head: 'Fate up against your will. Through the thick and thin. He will wait until you give yourself to him.' You don’t dream things like that and remember them. That’s why I’ve always half credited the lyric to God. It’s never happened before or since."
Whatever the case may be, I like this song a lot and taking into account all of the covers that have been done and the uses of the song in film and television, a lot of others must agree. There are so many cover versions to be found on YouTube that it made it a little difficult to come up with just two challengers. So I've opted for three quite different versions. Hope you enjoy...
Grant Lee Phillips "The Killing Moon" (2006)
The Quakes "The Killing Moon" (2001)
George Gaudy "The Killing Moon" (2011)
Time to Vote! You don't have to kill yourself or go over the moon to play along in this Battle of the Bands. I hope you'll at least give the versions a listen to discern your favorite. Which version do you prefer? Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.
Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts: StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands 'MIKE'SRAMBLINGS' 'Curious as a Cathy' Sound of One Hand Typing Jingle, Jangle, Jungle Winner of this Battle Announced on Friday October 22nd
Have fun with this Battle and please do vote. I'll have a results post despite the fact that those posts don't get many comments and comparatively few visitors. But that's okay. Gotta announce the winners, right?
Are you superstitious about the number 13? Did your blog start out as something different than where it is now? How many years have you been blogging?
I'm late according to my usual schedule, but I'm still reporting my results on Friday like I said I was going to do. In the interest of brevity I'll just give you the results of my most recent Battle of the Bands which saw the duo of Kevin Costner/Amy Grant go up against Astrud Gilberto and son with versions of the song "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice".
This was a much closer outcome than I had expected. I was sure that at least a few voters would go for the sweet duet of mother and son because I knew that there were some solid Gilberto fans out there. However I didn't expect her version to do so well.
I like both versions, but my preference is with the Costner/Grant pairing. My vote brought the outcome closer to a tie, but the "girl from Ipanema" captured the most hearts.
