Begin the Summer
For many of us, Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning to summer even though the first day of summer is still a few weeks away. Schools that have not already began their summer breaks will start doing so in the next couple weeks. Some of you might have already started making summer vacation plans. Or some might be starting summer jobs.
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| Really early wake up on summer vacation in the Vysoké Tatry mountain (Slovakia). Havran (highest peak of the East Tatra - Belianske Tatry) on the shot. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
As has become a summer tradition for my wife and I, we'll be traveling back east to see family. My wife's vacation will be shorter this year therefore our travels will not be as extensive as the past couple years. Nevertheless we'll still have about a month making our rounds.
We won't actually be leaving until after July 4th, but my summer blogging schedule will begin now. Ironically my summer blogging schedule is essentially the same as what my blogging schedule always is which doesn't amount to much of a predictable schedule for the most part.
I'll keep doing my Battle of the Bands posts on the 1st and 15th of the month although that might cut back to just one a month. There will also be results posts for whatever Battles I put up. The Insecure Writer's Support Group posts will likely appear according to that schedule. After those posts it will be a matter of me posting according to whim.
This all goes against what is considered "good" blogging. My recommendation to bloggers who want to retain and build readership is to post regularly according to a predictable schedule. Whim should not enter into that equation. But it's summer. Let us begin the summer fun!
Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens twice each month on the 1st and 15th. 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.
This Cole Porter song was written in 1935 and used in the stage musical Jubilee. "Begin the Beguine" has been recorded many times as well as having made numerous film appearances. A beguine is a sultry ballroom dance style with French and Latin influences. The song is a standard classic most often associated with big bands and pop song stylists. For my Battle I have chosen versions by two rock artists that one might not have expected to sing this song.
Pete Townshend "Begin the Beguine" (1987)
Sheryl Crow "Begin the Beguine" (2004)
Begin The Vote!
Do you have a preference between these two choices? Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. Which version do you like the best? 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
‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’
'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'
'Curious as a Cathy'
Sound of One Hand Typing
The Doglady's Den
Angel's Bark
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Winner of this Battle Announced on Wednesday June 7th
Next Wednesday will also be #IWSG day so I'll have a short combined post.
Has your summer started yet? What has been your favorite summer job? Do you have a special blogging schedule during the summer?
Lee, I hope your summer will be a marvelous one.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see family......I still wish to see mine though the two son's communicate via text and e/mail. daughter dosen't bother.
I love this BOTB, Very hard to choose but eventually went for Pete Townshend as I know his music a bit better than the other artise.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, hope your summer holds some pleasant surprises in wait.
DeleteFirst vote goes to Pete Townshend
Lee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI began pulling back just a wee back on my blogging after April's A to Z event but am now more into my summer schedule. In the past I rarely changed things for summer but usually folks sorta disappear from Blogosphere until after Labor Day. I figured I needed to give myself permission to not do the same ole same ole and post on a whim as you put it while things are slow for the next few months. I'm thinking about scaling my BoTB posts to once a month starting in July.
Pete Townshend offers a simple, soothing rendition with just his guitar and vocals. But, I was more drawn to Sheryl Crow soft, seductive jazzy cover transporting me to a smoke filled room with broken hearts drowning their sorrows or at least this is scene Crow's version conjurs in my head. Give my vote to Sherly Crow. Good battle. Enjoy your summer slack in cyberspace, my friend! :)
Curious as a Cathy presents: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" #BoTB showdown
Cathy, I have so many Battles planned that I kind of hate to go to just one a month. But I go with the flow.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Happy Almost summer. We're on a 10-day staycation right now with small daily trips, mixed in.
ReplyDeleteAs for blogging. I love the just post when I fancy but I'm on a once a week trial for four weeks to see how that goes because there are other social media things I want to do, like make videos.
Happy Almost Wonder Woman Day!
Whisk, once a week makes for a good schedule I think. As long as there is some consistency.
DeleteLee
Happy Summer and happy trails, Lee! Except for BOTB and a few other things, I've always posted on a whim, time permitting. Schedules? Bah, Humbug! ☺ (I'll be cutting back to once a month with BOTB to make more time for other stuff.) Begin the Beguine was a favourite of my mother's. Interesting choice of covers! Pete Townsend did a nice, stripped down version, but it's easy to see why Roger Daltry is The Who's lead singer and not him. His voice is a little thin in places. I loved Sheryl Crow's jazzy/bluesy take on it am voting for her.
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, I guess I've mostly cut back because I've gotten lazy. My other stuff has been watching TV and I need to break from that.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
The cat will go out and eat Crow as that is the one we liked the most. Oh how that could be taken all wrong. lol
ReplyDeleteJust same old working away at our bay, no matter the season. Post on a whim? Pffft every day comes to play.
Pat, you're one busy blogger. Guess that would account for a healthy appetite.
DeleteAnother vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
LMAO at that first line! ☺ Good one, Pat.
DeleteHands down Sheryl Crow. This is one of my all time favorite songs...and Crow definitely puts the emotion and force required to make the true emotions of the song come to life. In my humble opinion. ;)
ReplyDeleteI used to post to strict schedule, but recently I've decided to post to a half committed schedule. More people come to my blog through google searches than actually subscribe so it hasn't effected my traffic much. The only thin it has possibly effected is a few likes from WP followers...but even then that wasn't a very dependable following.
Shopgirl, I think it's kind of impressive that you get so many visits through Google searches. You're doing something right in the SEO department I guess.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
I cut back my posts after the AtoZ mostly because I was feeling a bit burned out. I've noticed a trend since November that people just aren't visiting posts much on Fridays through Sunday. Now, given the summer months are upon us, I'm sure it's going to scale back even further. I think going to once a month is a good choice for now.
ReplyDeleteMy vote in this battle is Sheryl Crow
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Mary, I've noticed the same drop on the weekend posts. There was always some drop, but I think Fridays used to be stronger than they are now.
DeleteAgain it's Sheryl Crow.
Lee
I never heard of the beguine dance. Pete Townshend's version didn't do a thing for me. I didn't like his voice for this song style.
ReplyDeleteSheryl Crow's voice is always pretty. So she gets my vote.
This is a nice song.
Even though it's going to be shorter, a month vacation is still going to be a good chunk of time to cruise around. Wish I could take a summer vacation! With my business, that's just not an option...
Michele at Angels Bark
Michele, I feel very fortunate to be able to have a month of travel to visit family. If someday we all live closer then maybe then we can actually travel to some other destinations.
DeleteGoing with the current trend, it's a vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Our summer started on January 9, the day after our 3-day long winter of January 6-8. :)
ReplyDeleteI never had a job that was specifically a summer job. The favorite job I ever had was working at David's daddy's store.
I don't have a special blogging schedule, period. I try to make at least one post a day. Sometimes that happens, sometimes it doesn't. Some days I post several. There are memes I participate in that have particular days, so that part is pretty much on schedule. Reviews are posted as soon as we're done writing them. Press releases and articles are done as soon as we can get them posted after we receive them. Aside from those things, "original" posts from me are totally at random.
I hope that you and Mrs. Bird have a great time visiting with your family this summer. :)
Have a blessed day.
Suzanne, one post a day is more than enough for me, but I guess it's a matter of your blogging objectives. Mrs Bird and I are looking forward to flying the coop.
DeleteLee
our summer will start on june 20 - july 13, when we head to see our gr-sons in switzerland!
ReplyDeleteI vote for sheryl crow. she gives it a sultry sound, which is how it feels to me.
Susan K, a vacation to Switzerland sounds very nice and a visit to grandkids is an added bonus.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Peter Townshend is a great guitar player, but singing is not his forte, and his version of the song sounded like he was playing it in his bedroom for himself. Sheryl Crow's was taken from the film De-Lovely, a telling of the Cole Porter story that didn't gloss over the fact that he was gay. A very good movie, but I'm not sure that all the musical decisions, such as a minor-key version of "Begin the Beguine" as was done here by Sheryl Crow, were the right ones to make. And I don't think Sheryl had a strong enough voice to carry this one. Since Artie Shaw (who did what I consider the definitive version of the song) isn't in the running, I'll go with Pete Townshend, if only because his didn't monkey with the tune.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I've yet to see the De-Lovely film, but I did like Night and Day even if it didn't delve into the gayness aspect.
DeleteFinally another vote for Pete Townshend.
Lee
I just can't believe we're coming into summer already. The time is going WAY too fast. As for the song, I'm a purist and will only listen to Artie Shaw's. It's one of my fave big band songs.
ReplyDeleteJoJo, I hear you. Every year gets faster and faster or so it feels. And my brakes are wearing out.
DeleteArtie Shaw's version is one of the definitive versions I think which is one reason why I didn't want to pit it against any other.
Lee
LEE, I haven't read any of the other comments yet. I may be stating things already said but...
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, great song! I have had this one on my "To BOTB Someday" list for ages and ages. As you likely would guess, I have other artists in mind, so I'll probably still use this song again at some point.
What a shock to find Pete Townshend doing this song. And he does it really well, too! He doesn't quite hit the high notes just right, but he still does the song well -- like a godzillion times better'n I'd have imagined, IF I could have even imagined him doing this song in the first place... which I couldn't.
I have never, ever liked ANYTHING by Sheryl Crow. Ever. In fact, some indefinable thing about her really rubs me the wrong way. So when I heard how well Pete performed this song, I was as certain as I could be that he had my vote.
But... DAMN! I can hardly believe that was SHERYL CROW singing this song. She sounded great. The instrumentation and the way in which she sang it was so "dreamy". That was shockingly terrific, and I can't believe I'm voting for SHERYL CROW in a BOTB contest, and enthusiastically so.
Wonderful Battle, Lee! A real surprise for me. Both versions top-notch, but Sheryl's being nearly impossible for me to believe. I may return to listen to it again later, making sure my ears weren't playing tricks on me.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
STMcC, yes, it's a song that could be used many times. When I first added it to my line-up I had completely different artists in mind, but then I found Townshend's version and that changed the whole game. I too was very surprised that he had done this song and had done it quite credibly.
DeleteSheryl Crow's version also blew me away as it had all the qualities that typically attract me to a singing performance. I won't say how my vote will be going yet, but I will reveal my choice next week.
For you it's Sheryl Crow.
Lee
I'll be by to listen later, just wanted to say you are so right about blogging and summer. A lot easier- and better- to have a flow than a schedule.
ReplyDeleteCW, if I can manage, I'll try to have most of my posts pre-scheduled before I go on my trip. I don't like messing with doing blog posts while I'm traveling.
DeleteLee
This is a very interesting battle; unexpected, strange, good.
ReplyDeleteSheryl Crow is not usually high on my list, though there are a couple of songs she's done that I like.
I am a huge fan of Townsend on certain numbers ("Let My Love Open The Door" for example)... I loved most of his solo albums, and his genius with The Who is acknowledged. But his voice does not suit every song, of course. I was doubting this was one at first as his voice seemed pretty shaky early on, but later - as he hit his higher notes - he wins this one to my ears.
Have a nice vacation!
Sixgun, I think most would agree that Townshend's prowess is not his vocal abilities, however he does hold his own and manages to persist through this song to make it quite listenable. One cannot easily judge this performance based on the first minute or less.
DeleteA vote for Pete Townshend.
Lee
Happy summer and happy travelling! I like weekly and I like whim as well.
ReplyDeleteAnything with French and Latin stirred in has got to be excellent.
Both the versions are great, very difficult to choose! I'm voting for Sheryl just because her voice quality and rendering appeal more to me personally.
Nilanjana, Cole Porter successfully blended many genres into his great songs.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Hi Lee - lots of interesting comments here - just enjoy the time away. I'm recovering from the A-Z - but enjoying the longer days ... and I do 'when I feel like posting' except for the A-Z, the We Are The World Blogfest and now the Read Edit Publish one ... in between my others ... cheers enjoy the summer too - Hilary
ReplyDeleteHilary, blogging should be fun and it sounds like you've reached the comfortable place in your blogging. If it's not your business I say blog when you feel like it and in a way that you enjoy.
DeleteLee
Okay, this one was easy. Sheryl and the jazzy backup way outdoes Pete's vocals and acoustic.
ReplyDeleteCW, easy for you maybe.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
I never knew anyone had done it in another style! Hard to chose, really, but I lean more towards Cheryl Crow.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, there are probably a lot more extreme styles of this song if one looks long and hard enough.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Sheryl gets my vote. I like Pete's overall body of work but on this one, Sheryl wins with her vocals and her musicians
ReplyDeleteMike,
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
I should vote for Pete being a huge Who fan, but I think Sheryl does it for me this time...or Pete... or Sheryl...or..! Right, final decision. Sheryl.
ReplyDeleteClick to visit Keith's Ramblings
Keith, it's a tough choice for me too, but I have finalized my vote which I'll reveal on Wednesday.
DeleteFor you it's Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI tried to reply under your reply but Blogger wasn't having any of that this morning. :) I'm okay with BoTB staying as is and those who wish to bail out for whatever time period needed are free to do so. I know I need scale things back in order to give myself a breather and to get some things done, too. However, like you I'll go with the flow what ever Stephen decides. Have a fun summer!
My vote goes to Sheryl! I love the sound of her haunting voice with this song.
ReplyDeleteI'll be changing things up this summer in July and August. June will relatively be the same - first Wed, then two Mondays, followed by the last Friday. It's odd, but that's the pattern I have at the moment. In some of July and August, I'll be family vacationing so ... I'll be skipping in and out of the blogsphere during that time.
Steadiness is great, but sometimes we have to just go with what works.
Tyrean, Vacation time is probably not the best time to mess with blogging if there are a lot of other activities going on.
DeleteAnother vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Oh my...scaling back on zthe BOTB?? I hope it will continue to be honest since many have cut out or back. So I am going to Pete Townsend because he makes a folk song out of it and it is refreshing. Sheryl Crow is very good but it didn't wow me
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I'm not sure there will be scaling back on BOTB, but seems like a lot of bloggers have scaled back on blogging.
DeleteA vote for Pete Townshend.
Lee
I am planning to cut back on my blogging also for summer. I haven't figured out how, yet. I've preplanned posts that extend through most of the summer. I could push them all back. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteJacqui, that's usually the problem I encounter--how to scale back comfortably. If you have posts preplanned then maybe you don't need to be concerned about it yet. That is unless you haven't actually written them yet like all the hundreds of ideas I have waiting with little to nothing written yet.
DeleteLee
Perfect summer song, Lee! Alluring tune makes me wish for sand and sea. Both contenders were good but Sheryl Crow gets my vote. Maybe it's the shock value; I would not have recognized her ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy trails - and take pictures!
Diedre, the summery nature of the song didn't cross my mind, but it does have that tropical feel that is befitting of summer.
DeleteAnother vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Yes, we too must abide by strict posting schedules. Absolutely. *cough*
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness, though, ours has nothing to do with whim and everything to do with laziness/lack of time.
As for the battle, Pete Townshend's version was a little TOO mellow for me, so give my vote to Sheryl Crow.
ABFTS, "laziness/lack of time" is my excuse too. It's the best I can think of and I don't want to put any more effort into thinking than I need to.
DeleteGot another vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Happy Summer! I think part of the fun of summer IS breaking from routine and schedules and so I cheer you on in finding a perfect-fit posting plan.
ReplyDeleteAs far as voting, I'm casting mine for Sheryl in this round.
Deborah, if I'm home my schedule is mostly the same, but when we go on our summer trip there is a schedule but a very different one than usual.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
I am sure it has been said already, but I went into this thinking I should just type Sheryl Crow and save myself some time.
ReplyDeleteDamn-Pete surprised me! I kept waiting for power chords and fuzz.
I am still going to vote for Sheryl Crow and her performance was just better, but Pete did it proud.
Larry
Larry, you reasoned through that well. Not saying I agree, but you said it well.
DeleteA vote for Sheryl Crow.
Lee
Not sure I made my point clearly-I really expected Townsend to do the song like a Who song, and his version was quite a surprise and quite good.
DeleteIn the end, Crow's version was simply (to me) better, but I had to think about it.
Larry, I agree on the Townshend surprise. It reminded me of times when artists like the Beatles performed old standards. Clean and straight.
DeleteCrow's version was superior musically in just about every way, but the spareness and direct delivery from Townshend won me over.
Lee