Ho, ho, ho and all that nonsensical holiday stuff. Hard to believe that Thanksgiving 2019 is upon us and soon Christmas 2019 will be just another memory. Time to be happy everyone!
Blue (or is it "Blah") Christmas
I'm in no mood for holiday seasons or joyful times of gathering together to celebrate. It's not that I'm particularly unhappy or sad in any way. I'm just not in the spirit of things. Not planning to go anywhere this year and not even interested in doing any festive decorating. Just have to put it all away again when the new year comes.
No, I don't have the blues. I guess it's more like the blahs. Maybe the blues would be better? At least it would mean feeling something.
But feelings be damned! Give me logic any day. Feelings just get us in trouble, lead us to do dumb things. Maybe if we all relied less on feelings and more on logic then maybe the world would make more sense. Everything seems so crazy and lacking sense these days.
But blahs don't inspire much. Maybe I'd rather have the blues...
Battle of the Bands
I"d Rather Have the Blues
One of my favorite films is the 1955 noir classic Kiss Me Deadly. This ominous classic has provided inspiration to many films that came after it including Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Kiss Me Deadly is a film that I didn't see for the first time until sometime in the 90's (after reading about it in a review of Pulp Fiction). It's now among the films that I added to my DVD collection and find myself watching periodically. I would rank this high in my list of favorite movies.
As the film opens, tough guy L.A. detective Mike Hammer is driving a lonely stretch of road at night when he encounters a barely dressed woman running in the middle of the highway. He picks her up and the mysteries begin. As the opening credits roll across dark highway scenes, we hear on the car radio a melancholy song by Nat King Cole which I offer for your listening enjoyment, but please don't vote on this version. Other artists usually don't do too well when put up against Cole, but you might want to hear this original version before moving on to the Battle...
....and now that we have gotten that out of the way, let's move on to the contestants in this episode of Battle of the Bands...
Please vote for one of the following:
Lauren White "I'd Rather Have the Blues" (2016)
Lauren is a jazz singer and actress who currently lives in Los Angeles. I wonder if she's got the blahs like I've got of late in my L.A. life? Nah--I doubt it...
Pat Dinizio "I'd Rather Have the Blues" (1997)
Singer Pat Dinizio was a founding member of The Smithereens. I used to listen to them back in the nineties I guess. Dinizio died in 2017. Maybe right now he'd rather have the blues...
Time to Vote!
Are you as torn between these two versions as I am? 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
Cherdo on the Flipside
A I Love Music
Winner of this Battle Announced on Friday November 22nd
Take some time to savor these luscious recordings and come to a decision on your favorite. Inquiring minds want to know. And so do I...
How's the spirit of the holiday season creeping up on you this year? Are you ready for some big times? Would you prefer to be snowed in with complete provisions for comfortable living in a nice cabin in the mountains?
I can relate to how you feel Lee.
ReplyDeleteMy vote goes to Lauren White.
Have a good weekend.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, yeah, I guess you probably do.
DeleteFirst vote goes to Lauren White.
Lee
Tough battle. I skipped the original and just listened to the two fighters. Think I'll have to go with Pat Dinizio.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to send some Christmas cheer your way.
Alex, you can send some cheer and maybe I'll get out of that "bah humbug" place I'm in.
DeleteA vote for Pat Dinizio.
Lee
I've been stoked for Christmas for weeks now and it will really go into overdrive next week when we see TSO. (For the 15th time.)
ReplyDeleteI like Pat's deep, rich voice.
L.Diane, it's been a long long time since I've really gotten stoked for Christmas, but I usually enjoy the travelling I've done during the season. That TSO show really has its fans. I've heard about the show, but yet to go.
DeleteA vote for Pat Dinizio.
Lee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel because I'm suffering from that blah feeling, too. Of course, I recognize it for what it is and pull myself up by the boot straps to get things done despite that dread. I'm going with Pat DDinizio. Overall prefer male vocals to female but his arrangement doesn't seem to drag as slow as his female contender. Have a good weekend and when time allows please join me in #BoTB Round 15 'Piece of My Heart' showdown, my friend!
Cathy, not much I'm going to be doing. Can't really afford buying gifts anymore. Maybe we'll do something special though.
DeleteA vote for Pat Dinizio.
Lee
Lee,
DeleteIf money is tight and it certainly is for many, don't worry about buying gifts. There have been many times over the years where I did homemade gifts, mostly I made candy but occasionally did some something crafty. You're a talented writter, you might wish to think of using that to your benefit by composing poetry for family member or sharing Christmas stories from the past with your daughters. I know they would love to get such treasures! Christmas isn't about the gifts, as you know, it's about the greatest gift given to the world. Feel your heart and mind with this peace allowing the warmth of season to fill every nook of your soul. Blessings to you, my friend!
I am going with Lauren because, even though she dragged a bit but Pat's version started to grate on me when he sang the refrain in such a deadpan way. I love that movie which I wish would be on TV more or at least just once. I am getting into the spirit since we got a foot of snow on Remembrance Day. I am thinking about baking cookies and I have to plan all my decorating:)
ReplyDeleteBirgit, Kiss Me Deadly shows up on TCM now and then. I got my DVD copy fairly cheap so it was well worth the price. My wife will probably want to do some decorating, but so far we haven't done anything.
DeleteA vote for Lauren White.
Lee
LEE ~
ReplyDeleteI'm going to vote for LAUREN WHITE. I liked the musical backing of Pat Dinizio's rendition but I didn't like his vocal approach at all. I understand what he was doing: trying to convey that dead feeling of something worse than the blues through his dragged-along singing style. But it just kind of bored me after awhile. (I still want a song to entertain me, even if it *IS* about something bluer than the blues.)
~ Stephen
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation
STMcC, I'm kind of thinking along similar lines about this contest, but I'll have to listen a few more times.
DeleteAgain it's Lauren White.
Lee
Lauren White gets my vote here. She has a great voice and this is a perfect song for her. I'm not able to find anything about her, oddly enough: I've checked Wikipedia, Allmusic, and Discogs, and I find neither her nor her album. I'll check again...
ReplyDeleteJohn, I didn't spend an immense time in research, but, well, that's why I didn't say much about her. Didn't find much.
DeleteA vote for Lauren White.
Lee
You know what, Lee? The Boombox says, "The Blues ain't nothin' but a good man feelin' bad." So there is that.
ReplyDeletePat Dinizio
Michael, I like that quote.
DeletePat Dinizio.
Lee
I listened to the contestants in order, and after hearing Lauren, I thought: "Pat is going to blow her to Smithereens!"
ReplyDeleteBut then I listened to Dinizio.
So, by process of elimination, by default, by the lesser of two evils, I vote for Lauren.
I like the song a lot, and Nat King Cole sounds great. He would have received every vote if he'd been eligible.
>>... "Nat King Cole... would have received every vote if he'd been eligible."
DeleteI feel pretty confident in saying this:
WITHOUT A DOUBT!
~ Stephen
DogGtor of Alcohology &
King of Inebriation Nation
6-Gun & STmcC--
DeleteThat's why I didn't use Nat's version. He's the King--well, one of the kings of modern music.
Another vote for Lauren White.
Lee
Lauren for me, as well. She has a silky edge to her voice that I could listen to for more time.
ReplyDeleteLast year was a race-to-the-finish year. Halloween+T-giving+Christmas was all one big stew pot.
This year I skipped H-ween, will slide thru T-giving and then linger for a long time at Christmas. We all need to have something to rejoice about and celebrate.
Susan K, life is flying by. I'll have a special Christmas because every day is special even in times of "blah".
DeleteA vote for Lauren White.
Lee
The blahs are not fun. At least with the blues you can write some good music.
ReplyDeletePTM, blahs are not necessarily fun or not fun. That's what makes them the blahs I guess. Blues can inspire.
DeleteLee
I enjoyed both but finally felt the Pat Dinizio version expressed to me the essence of the song. The other version felt too upbeat.
ReplyDeleteHoping the 'blah' brightens up. Or should I say, 'Humbug'? (I'm about to read A Christmas Carol by coincidence.)
Roland, all will be well--it always is eventually.
DeleteA vote for Pat Dinizio.
Lee
I'll take Pat. Pretty much a draw for me, but just enough more interest in his. Agree with the sentiments in the song, though.
ReplyDeleteCW, kind of a draw for me as well, but that's my aim in these Battles.
DeleteA vote for Pat Dinizio.
Lee
A legend, a female voice, or a really nice guy (that is my impression from meeting Pat). My voice for this song goes for Lauren White
ReplyDeleteMike, I don't know much about him personally, but I thought he did well on this song.
DeleteA vote for Lauren White.
Lee
From my Cousin Tom on Facebook...
ReplyDeleteA vote for Lauren White.
lee
Blues and blahs seem to be prevalent, this time of year. At least you have that California sunshine to cheer things up. We get a lot of gloomy, overcast, cold rainy/snowy stuff. Both contenders were good, but I really like the saxophone and Pat's vocals, so he gets my vote. Hope you find some bright spots over the holidays!
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, yeah, we do have the weather and usually it's pretty decent.
DeleteAgain one for Pat Dinizio.
Lee
I recently talked about Nat's daughter Natalie on my blog. What timing! It been getting windy and cold here in Japan, however it will be warm next week with highs in the 70s! We might have a warm Xmas.
ReplyDeleteFor the Battle, I am going to choose Lauren White's version as I love the instrumentation and her voice. These kind of slow and dark jazz songs are my cup of tea!
https://ailovemusic.net/a-battle-of-thanks-battle-of-the-songs/
Amy, sounds like our weather is similar right now.
DeleteA vote for Lauren White.
Lee
I liked Lauren White's version more. Her voice is amazing.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate snow, I'd love to experience, at least once, being snowed in on a little farmstead in a remote place like rural Minnesota or the Far North. It might be bone-chillingly cold outside, but inside would be nice and cozy, no need to brave the storms for extra food and supplies.
Carrie-Anne, I'd be okay with being snowed in under the right circumstances. I wouldn't want to be uncomfortable.
DeleteA vote for Lauren White.
Lee