No need for me to say any more other than it's time for another...
The Devil You Know
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 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 Devil You Know
Definition of better the devil you know than the devil you don't. —used to say that it is better to deal with a difficult person or situation one knows than with a new person or situation that could be worse. Merriam-Webster Dictionary
This Battle of the Bands has been sitting in my queue for a few years now. Now seems like as good of a time as any to use it. Not much to say about why, but maybe you can figure out. Whatever the case, it probably doesn't matter why I'm using it now. I just want you to take a listen and vote for your favorite song.
What we have here is three totally different artists performing three totally different songs with the same title. Hope you enjoy. And more importantly PLEASE VOTE!
Kovacs comes from The Netherlands. She starts off the Battle with her devilish tune. What do you think?
Side Show "The Devil You Know" (1997)
Kovacs - "The Devil You Know" (2015)
Side Show "The Devil You Know" (1997)
Side Show is a musical that first appeared on Broadway in 1997 and then was revived for another attempt in 2014. Neither time did the show make a particularly big impact. However since my discovery of the musical in 2016 it has become one of my favorite musicals. From that musical comes this song called "The Devil You Know"...
From Los Angeles we have rock guitarist Blues Saraceno. He's collaborated with a number of artists, most notably with a stint playing guitar with the group Poison. Again, he's contributing his song with the title "The Devil You Know"...
Time to Vote!
This week is all about voting so be sure to vote on this Battle to let your preference be known. 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
‘Storms and Stardust’
'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 Monday November 9th
Blues Saraceno - "The Devil You Know" (2018)
Time to Vote!
This week is all about voting so be sure to vote on this Battle to let your preference be known. 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
‘Storms and Stardust’
'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 Monday November 9th
The Insecure Writer's Support Group
Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog.
The co-hosts for the November 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!
November 4 question - Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?
Mention Flannery O'Conner and you've got my attention. She's one of my favorite writers. And I like what she said about her purpose in writing. The oft-given advice to writers is to write what you know and I think O'Connor was onto something in her suggestion of writing to discover what one knows. After all, sometimes we don't always know what we know until it's come to mind and we've given it some thought.
Initially I was first drawn to writing in order to tell stories--to entertain. Soon after I started writing I realized that I wanted to do more than entertain: I wanted to say something about my world view and the things I've learned in life. This is probably why I've been more drawn to writing non-fiction in more recent years.
Maybe it's partly a desire to create a legacy for myself, but mostly I just want to share a philosophy of life through sharing my experiences and whatever it is I have learned in my years of living. I still want to entertain. Not many of us relish reading something boring so I try to make things interesting.
So why do I write what I write? To share who I am and what I believe. That's probably at the root of most artistic expression I suppose. We create based on what we know having a desire to share our knowledge with others. What do you think? Why do you write?
Does anyone else feel like they've been living the plot of a dystopian novel?
Does anyone else feel like they've been living the plot of a dystopian novel?
Being a fan of musicals I vote for "Side Show"
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you Lee and keep safe.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, all is well and thank you for the first vote...
DeleteSide Show.
Lee
This was a good Battle, LEE, and very timely too, because the devil (whom we only *think* we know) is about to make his appearance in "this world" in most likely late 2022. Every day that passes convinces me even further that we are barreling into the Biblical End-Times, and the anti-Christ's 7-year Tribulation period foretold in Daniel (Old Testament) and Revelation (New Testament) will begin in '22, and end with Jesus Christ's return in late 2029. Hosanna! & Hallelujah!
ReplyDeleteAlthough the singer for Kovacs sports all the telltale signs of our times (tattoos & nose ring), I did actually think the song was pretty good... up until about the 3:30 mark. At that point it started to get a bit old, and yet continued for over another minute. (Pro Tip for Kovacs: Always leave the audience wanting more.)
I liked the Side Show rendition pretty well. It had that Classic Musicals approach / sound which is alright by me. However...
BLUES SARACENO had a more devilishly sinister sound to it, and it was pretty good too, but without becoming a wee bit tiresome (as Kovacs became, to my ears).
So, there's the way my BOTB Bote lands in this contest.
~ D-FensDogG
(aka STMcC)
STMcC, this Battle was intended to have multiple suggestions and you caught them.
DeleteA vote for the more sinister sounding...
Blues Saraceno.
Lee
This battle - as I can SEE but not hear - has the necessary requirements for a good battle: three very different sounds that provide enough variety to satisfy nearly every musical taste. Well, nearly everyone's.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I fancy myself as having very broad tastes, nothing much appealed to me here. Could not stand Kovacs, with WAY too much of a contrived, mouth-contorting style popular these days. And while I love musicals, the middle choice sounded like what I myself might write if assigned to create a musical in high school the week before being graded on it.
Blues S. was the best. For one thing, it was shortest. But it was not bad, despite being unremarkable.
HOWEVER, I know that to YOUR ears these songs had something more at play, and I look forward to you opening my thoughts to their appealing qualities!
I forgot to comment on the "devil" theme here. I can see it as having multiple meanings. Certainly McCarthy's take on it is one. Another is the Halloween angle. A third is the upcoming election, which many people view as a Hobson's Choice of picking the lousy devil you know vs. the more lousy other choice. But I suspect YOU don't view it that way. Some view it as more of an angel vs. devil choice. I hope that is what it is. If that is it we may buy a little more time before the world is destroyed.
Delete6-Gun, maybe you're a bit harsh on these selections. And if you wrote the musical Side Show then you would have written one of my favorite musicals. Granted, this song choice is one of my least favorites in the show, but I think you've been maybe a tad unfair in your assessment. After all, it is more of a dialogue set to music than an actual song I would say.
DeleteThe choice at hand politically seems very clear to me. What has transpired in the past few years has been pretty good (until 2020) and I'm not very anxious to see higher fuel prices as well as possible travel restrictions that might be brought about by a Green New Deal administration..
A vote for Blues Saraceno.
Lee
Yes, I agree that I was indeed a bit harsh on them, but that was why I added my last paragraph. Often you will expound on your reasoning about your selections and sometimes my viewpoint expands on them. I tried to draw more positives about the songs... but maybe you can help me with that.
DeleteI think our ability to appreciate music depends on our state of mind. If we are receptive to a certain piece of music then later we likely associate the song with good memories. Something like that I think.
DeleteSometimes we "hear the music" and sometimes we don't.
Positive thinking is good I think.
Lee
...and I'd say a darn sight better than a long dark winter.
DeleteThe Kovacs get my vote on this one!
ReplyDeleteMike, she's got your vote!
DeleteKovacs.
Lee
And that's human nature - leave a little bit of us behind.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise that Blues Saraceno gets my vote. Definitely not a fan of Poison though.
Alex, yeah, most of us want to have our say about one thing or another. Writing does that.
DeleteA vote for Blues Saraceno.
Lee
Kovacs was OK: she sounded a bit like Amy Winehouse. As for the one from Side Show, I can see why the show closed so quickly. Blues Saraceno was the one I fond most tolerable, so I'm going with his.
ReplyDeleteGood battle!
John H, this song from Side Show is not my favorite, but I think the musical is fantastic. Maybe some of the politically incorrect nature of it didn't go over too well with audiences.
DeleteA vote for Blues Saraceno.
Lee
Hey Lee,
ReplyDeleteI'm back from our staycation and ready to get back into the blogging groove again. :)
You managed to introduce three new artists and songs to my ears this morning. It was a fairly easy pick for me. My vote goes to BLUE SARACENO. The Kovacs are okay but like John pointed out the lead female sounds like Amy Winehouse and I'm not much of a fan of her vocal style. Side Show was too Broadway sounding for me. Great first showdown for November!
I enjoyed reading your response to why you write. The bits and bobbits of your life are very entertaining. I quite like what you share and I hope you never stop being you. I will have to think on this month's question. Perhaps, I'll find time to join in with the IWSG community this month. Have a good day, my friend!
Kingston Calypso #BoTB Showdown & 4M tunes spinning on the turntable
Cathy K, personally I'm ready to get away from blogging for a while, but I probably won't. Not yet at least.
DeleteNot everyone likes Broadway music. I wasn't always the biggest fan either. Now I enjoy it.
Do join us for #IWSG. It's not any huge deal where you'll be judged by other writers. It's just another bit of blogging fun.
Another vote for Blues Saraceno.
Lee
Lee,
DeleteBlogging breaks a refreshing. Perhaps you can take a few days or weeks off from the routine to get re-energized. I totally forgot to get in on #IWSG but I will give it a stab...eventually!
Side Show gets my vote because I prefer their singing style to both other versions. The last one sounds too dystopian. I write on my blog out of enjoyment and one day, I will need to write that story about my mom’s life. I don’t feel like I live in any dystopian society. This virus came along, maybe to wake us up and tell us how we need to be more conscientious of what we touch and do. Too many people cough and hack and the. Shake you hand...gross. This will pass and hopefully, we will learn from it. Except for not being able to see my friends and family, life is about the same.
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I don't see much of anybody these days. I was fine with the dirty old ways. Now it's like people are trying to reject their humanness to created a sterile fabricated environment. I'd just like to feel comfortable traveling again and going to restaurants without everybody being paranoid.
DeleteA vote for Side Show.
Lee
So I think we're all getting there. Started off with just writing for fun, to entertain and then it was something else. I'm still discovering though, I would say.
ReplyDeleteSonia, hopefully some element of fun stays in the writing so that it never becomes drudgery. Like any endeavor in which we persist, writing is a process that entails growth and enlightenment--hopefully.
DeleteLee
Oooh, I like the Kovacs.
ReplyDeleteSharing knowledge is good. And you certainly have far more musical knowledge than I do with these battles.
Loni, we gain probably most of our knowledge through what has been shared with us. I think we have an obligation to share what knowledge we have with others.
DeleteA vote for Kovacs.
Lee
Yes, I feel like I'm living in a dystopian novel -or in Avengers: Endgame. I have found I write more purposefully when I plan to write to entertain - it's weird, but if I turn off the "plan" it comes out better.
ReplyDeleteHappy Writing in November, Arlee!
Tyrean, sometimes it's fun to take off on a journey without a map. Surprises can be fun.
DeleteLee
I agree with the thought that many of us express ourselves in writing (and many other arts!) to express ourselves and our world view. Spreading hope and knowledge is a great aim!
ReplyDeleteJemi, hopefully hope, but always a certain kind of knowledge whether it be good, bad, or indifferent.
DeleteLee
Sharing a philosophy is among the highest reasons for this labor intensive endeavor called writing. I would love more open dialog based on what I write and how people perceive it. I'm a fan of the old Aristotelian data gathering and discussion. Ah, the good old days.
ReplyDeleteC.Lee, that sounds so cool to me. I've tried to connect with like-minded people in the past, but now it's gotten weird. The dialog sounds nice.
DeleteLee
I often have to research to make sure why I think I know is accurate. Then I fall down the Black Hole of Research and an hour or 3 or 5 have disappeared. LOL As far as living in dystopia, oh yeah! 2020 can't end soon enough for me.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I've been down those rabbit holes many times. Most of the time I research just for the fun of it.
DeleteLee
Hi, Lee!
ReplyDeleteI do love musicals – especially live. Saraceno conveys an edgy urgency that I’ve kind of had enough of lately – no offense intended. But, Kovacks! Fur headdress notwithstanding, Kovacks gets my vote for all around great performance ;-)
As I’ve mentioned before, if you ever described, in that uniquely compelling way you have, your fascinating life as it relates to your views on paper (book-form) people would flock to buy it. I know I would ;-)
I’m fairly certain Dystopia 2020 will never be a box-office hit, though writing about it might be therapeutic to those in need of release from the binds of complete vexation.
Happy, peaceful November!
Diedre, I always like your encouraging words. Now to put my end into action.
Delete2020 has maybe changed our society in peculiars ways that will persist in the future. I feel wistfully melancholy in a sense.
Thank you for your vote for...
Kovacks.
Lee
I'll have to go with Kovacs, though Blues Saraceno is a very close second.
ReplyDeleteAs so many people have been saying in recent years, dystopian novels weren't intended as instruction manuals, yet here we are in 2020.
Carrie-Anne, I guess we could say we were warned.
ReplyDeleteAdded a vote for Kovacs.
Lee