No trick. It's a treat. Two posts in one: Battle of the Bands and Insecure Writer's Support Group wrapped up into one themed package. What better way to get more views for each post? Please indulge yourselves as you indulge my homogeneous blogging mash-up. It's all connected...
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 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!
What's in a Name?
They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but I'll take this a step further in saying you can't judge a work by its title. Still, I'm drawn to titles. How about you? Have you ever wanted to read a book or hear a song because the title lured you?
Titles are often enticing enough to do more than merely catch my interest. I like titles so much that sometimes I'll just think up titles that I like enough to want to expand them into something bigger. Several book ideas in my notebooks are little more than titles. Likewise I've come up with a number of song ideas that started with what I thought was a catchy title. No problem with me coming up with titles.
On the other hand, I might prefer writing some droll essay to writing a blurb for a book I'd written. Of course, if I had actually written a book I might be more interested in writing a blurb. However, if I just wrote a blurb for some sketchy idea I had come up with then maybe I'd be more fired up to actually write the book. Sounds like a chicken and egg conundrum perhaps, but results are the consequences of focused actions.
For now I'll keep thinking up titles. My list keeps getting longer.
Anyone want to buy a title?
Or how about a Battle of the Bands between two songs with simple titles that might not seem particularly inspired? Let's go Battle...
Battle of the Bands
Name That Tune!
Do you ever buy a recording not having heard any of the music, but with a title that intrigued you? I have. In my days of buying music I would peruse the recordings in a store studying carefully the info on the outside package. More than once I've been intrigued enough by a song title to buy the recording. Sometimes I was disappointed while other times I made some wonderful discoveries.
At times I'd be drawn to a topic--dreams for instance. I don't know how many recordings I bought because there was a song listed with "dream" or some related term in the title. Same with "magic" or "mystery." Bland words usually won't be enough to catch my attention even though many great songs have rather plain simple titles.
For this round of Battle I've chosen two songs with one word titles that are common conjunctions. Not words that would seem to inspire much interest at first look, but delve deeper and a couple of words like "because" and "and" can be the inspiration for some interesting songs. Listen and see what you think...
Microdisney "And" (1985)
I don't quite recall how I came across the group Microdisney, but I picked up their album The Clock Comes Down the Stairs shortly after it was released in 1985. The songs fascinated me in their oddity and the album was in regular rotation with me for quite some time. The song "And" I find rather strange, but evocative of memory and the essence of the passing of time in our lives. Such a simple title for a haunting song...
It's simple to play along with 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'S RAMBLINGS'
'Curious as a Cathy'
Sound of One Hand Typing
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday November 8th
Good, next time I need a title, I'm coming to you.
ReplyDeleteI know quite a few writers who create the blurb first and use it as an outline.
I'd have to go with the second song. First one sounded familiar though.
Alex, I like the idea of coming up with a blurb. I've done something similar at times I guess except for actually writing the work summarized.
DeleteFirst vote goes to DC5.
Lee
I'll go with the DC5, because it's a beautiful song...
ReplyDeleteJohn, yes it is a beautiful song.
DeleteA vote for DC5.
Lee
Extremely long book titles (i.e. those between six and two baker's dozen worth of words) were very much a commonplace thing prior to the 20th century. For me, coming up with a story title has always, always been difficult for me. Usually a blurb, however much I detest, is easier for me to do than a story title.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the 1st part of your question, I never read a book/listen to a song right off the bat based on the title. With a book, I'll read the blurb first to see if intrigues me enough to read, as for a song, I have to listen to it first a few times before deciding to learn the title.
GB, I'd rather a title intrigue me than tell me the story, but the long titles can be fun.
DeleteLee
From 6-Gun via e-mail:
ReplyDeleteYou certainly find some little-known groups to expose us to. I would suppose Microdisney’s name was considered a micro-aggression by the Disney Corp, and they probably threatened to sue. Their music held no attraction for me, so they get no vote . The DC5 was a good group with lots of listenable hits. Never my favorite, but I always liked them and looked forward to watching them on the Ed Sullivan Show when I was a kid. Obviously I’ll vote for them.
I’ve bought records and books based just on the name before, but I don’t think ever because of a one-word title. One word titles are often slightly off from the content. They make for a great poster, but are not usually interesting to me. Putting words together in a brilliant fashion is what use of language is about, and THAT is usually what gets me. A quick web search of “Best Book Titles” reveals some really great ones, and they are not usually short. Like “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, and “And Then There Were None.” I always thought Hemingway was great at naming his books. Think of all of them. Perhaps he was better at that than actual writing… who knows?
Sixgun McItchyfinger .
Six-Gun, I don't know much about Microdisney's background or legal history, but I like the name. I think their music is something one has to delve into for a while like I did. At first I thought they sounded weird and then the music started to infiltrate me as I became more accustomed to the strangeness of it.
DeleteI prefer a few words in a title to just one word. But if the word is striking enough then I might be drawn in.
A vote for DC5.
Lee
LEE ~
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have purchased a book or recording based solely on the title. But I did, a few times, buy music albums based solely on the covers. The BEST payoff ever for me in those circumstances was when I bought the Pat Metheny Group double live album 'TRAVELS', based on the interesting cover.
I had never even heard of the Pat Metheny Group before. All I knew was that it was filed in the Jazz section, and after studying the cover during a few different visits to the same record store, I finally broke down, took a chance, and shelled out the dough. Eventually, the PMG became one of my very favorite music artists - maybe #2 on my All-Time list, after The Glenn Miller Orchestra.
As for this Battle, I did not at all care for "Miniwalt".
I've heard 'Because' by the DC5 countless times, but probably never knew who the artist was. There were several groups from that mid-'60s Pop era that stylistically all sounded pretty similar to me, and I could never keep them all straight in my mind (e.g., the DC5, Herman's Hermits, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, etc.)
Easy vote for THE DC5.
If I had to pick a single favorite song with just a one-word title, I think maybe it would be 'IF' by Bread.
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS
STMcC, I'm pretty sure I've purchased books based on a title, but I'd have to think back to remember. I've been attracted to album titles, but I've always factored in other aspects (artist, style, songs, etc) before laying down any money on those. There are several albums that I've bought based on the appearance of the covers--kind of like you described, going a number of times and seeing an album until I broke down and bought it. An example is Music from Big Pink by The Band. I kept seeing it at the record store and was intrigued enough to get it not knowing anything about the music therein.
DeleteThe latter sixties is when I started honing my listening to distinguish which artist was which. I was a big DC5 fan at the time.
I considered using "If" as one of my song choices but I figured it would take all the votes. Kind of like DC5 is doing. Maybe I should have tried Bread vs DC5.
A vote for DC5.
Lee
Dave Clark Five.
ReplyDeleteYou could make a book of titles!
L.Diane, sounds interesting--"The Big Book of Titles". Might be fun.
DeleteAnother vote for DC5.
Lee
Your playful take on titles and the chicken and egg situation was fun to read. Happy IWSG Day
ReplyDeleteKalpana, thanks for stopping by.
DeleteLee
Interesting subject matter! I'd say short and punchy titles work better. As for your battle, AND was certainly different, but it didn't attract from a musical standpoint. My vote goes to the DC5.
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, short and to the point is probably more memorable and grabbing.
DeleteA vote for DC5.
Lee
Dave Clark Five for me. The first one has the voice of a story song, where I find myself paying attention to the lyrics rather than getting swept up in the enjoyment of the experience. It gets exhausting to listen to after a while.
ReplyDeleteI think you might have more experience with thinking up titles considering your typical mode of writing--blogging. Almost every blog post needs a title!
Loni, true about having to come up with blog titles. I like coming up with the titles more than composing a post.
DeleteA vote for DC5
Lee
I love titles. The shorter, the better. But the challenge is creating a compelling, yet condensed message. Longer titles such as “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining” (Judge Judy Sheindlin) or “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” (Sherman Alexie) are few and far between, though nonetheless captivating. I like the one-word title theme of this battle and am voting for BECAUSE because I’ve heard it all my life, and because I’ve always liked it!
ReplyDeleteDiedre, an absurdly long title can be a bit of a novelty, but in the end we would condense it for easy reference I'm sure.
DeleteGood reasons for voting for DC5.
Lee
Titles are easier for me as well.
ReplyDeleteKim, yeah.
DeleteLee
I have to vote for "Because!" I loved it so much when I was a teenager. I definitely prefer writing titles over blurbs. A book's title catches my eye, and often makes me pick up the book and look more closely. Yes, I've bought books purely because of the title. Have a happy November, Arlee!
ReplyDeleteBlue, buying a title can yield nice surprises.
DeleteA vote for DC5.
Lee
Book titles intrigue me too, Arlee. I wonder what the book's about. But blurbs...nuts! They're tough. All best to you, sir!
ReplyDeleteVictoria, blurbs are nice to read but can be a challenge to compose.
DeleteLee
Before Covid-19 we had Battle of the Bands once a month at the Jax Bar in Bucerias. I'd never been to one before they starting doing that here. It was a fun night. As for blurbs, as you know, I totally agree.
ReplyDeleteJoylene, sounds like a fun night. I don't go out these days.
DeleteLee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteInteresting battle. DC5 I've always enjoyed but I really liked the listening to the new-to-me Microdisney and like you their stye pulled me in earning my vote in this battle showdown. Thanks for the introduction!
I apologize for the late visit. We're on staycation this week and next. Have a bandtastic afternoon, my friend!
Cathy, you have helped prevent a total massacre of a Battle. Thanks.
DeleteFirst vote for Microdisney.
Lee
From my Cousin Tom on Facebook...
ReplyDeleteA vote for DC5.
Lee
Dave Clark Five for me!
ReplyDeleteTitles and cover art are my thing. It's that blasted business of getting the words in between that I struggle with! 😆
Lee, yes, the words and the effort it takes. That's my problem too.
DeleteA vote for DC5.
Lee
Collecting titles sounds fun. I am going to start doing that. Then when (if) I finish a project I have a list of titles to choose from! Like picking shoes to go with an outfit!
ReplyDeleteI think maybe it won't be quite that easy, but I do like the idea of just creating a list of titles. Can't wait to start.
Thanks!
Lori, a lot of the titles I write down come from things I hear others say. Then I should write something to go with the titles, but usually I don't.
DeleteLee
Dave Clark 5 get my vote
ReplyDeleteMike, looks like you'll be rounding out the vote with...
DeleteDC5.
Lee
Now you can tell me who is singing the high falsetto part on the Microdisney track, please. I have only been researching for an hour... If I have listened to this Irish band before tonight, I was not aware. They are a blast.
ReplyDeleteI listen to "Because" by DC5 weekly, without fail. I am a 60s pop music kind of fellow, you know.
Sorry I missed the deadline on this one, but as the saying goes, if you haven't read it, it is still news.
Michael, no problem. At this point your vote either way would have not really changed the outcome.
DeleteThe high voice is merely listed as "female voice" in one reference I found on the internet. I'm not sure where my copy of the cassette is or I'd look to see if there is any credit given on the jacket.
Lee
Your offer to buy a title spurred a thought I have: sometimes my stories are born just from a title alone. Fascinating! I love coming up with titles.
ReplyDelete♥.•*¨Elizabeth Mueller¨*•.♥
Elizabeth, same with me! I've written things starting with just a title. The title came to me and then the story followed. Good titles can be very important and when they are memorable it's a big plus.
DeleteLee