Time for another visit to the past. We all have songs that carry us to another time in our lives. Here a couple more songs for my Songs from Lee's Basement series...
In the summer of 1966 my family made a trial visit to Maryville TN where the company my father worked for had a big job. Before summer had ended we all had made up our minds that this is the place we wanted to be. Northern Indiana had been okay, but East Tennessee seemed like paradise in comparison. In time for the beginning of a new school year, we had moved into our new house.
What we called "the basement" was actually a daylight basement--a windowed room but half underground. There was a back door that provided an alternate entryway from the backyard. The basement was finished with a very nice large fireplace. We didn't have much furniture at first. Since the room was L shaped we had a couple of old plush chairs and a stereo in the small side of the L. That's where I'd often hang out and listen to my record albums.
The larger part of the room we used as our juggling rehearsal hall. Since my family was still a working professional juggling act, we needed to practice regularly so to stay in top form. The presence of this space was likely a big selling point to my father since in previous homes we had to practice in a family room or a living room. This basement rehearsal space was a dream for my father.
Now me being a teenager into music my father didn't always approve of came into to frequent conflict. My dad had his old school juggling music that we had always used. I'd heard it all my life so I was used to it, but still I thought an update in music for rehearsal at least might inject a spark of something while I shared some of my music with the family.
During our shows as well as in practice sessions, my father put me in charge of playing the music. One particular evening I tested out two selections from two of my favorite albums at that time. One song sent my father into a rage (he could be like that) and he snatched the record off the turntable and to my horror he sailed the vinyl disc across the room. I was furious. Fortunately the record was not damaged.
Next I put on another selection from a different album. This time we kept on juggling. He was okay with this song. It was more to his liking. Not that he wanted to use it for our act or that he even wanted to hear it again. It just didn't send him into a rage like the first song did.
Which brings us to another...
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.
Basement Juggling Songs
Keeping in mind the story I told above, I present to you the two songs I played for my father as possible juggling songs. After listening to each, please vote for your personal favorite and tell us why you voted that way. Then, can you guess which of these song enraged my father so?
Cream "Rollin' and Tumblin' (1966)
(
Santana "Soul Sacrifice" (1969)
Nothing to get upset about here I hope. Just tell us what you think of these songs. 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. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.
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
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI can't see myself juggling objects in the air to either of these songs but the song that I most preferred is Soul Sacrifice. I have to know which of these songs your father sent sailing across the basement. Will you share that next time along with your results? :D
Drop by when you can to vote in my current BOTB, my friend!
Cathy, if the rhythm is there then you can juggle to it. I will share the conclusion to that story in my results post.
DeleteVoting starts with Santana.
Lee
The Cream song is a bit too chaotic for my taste. Santana's smoother Soul Sacrifice sounds better. Can't guess which one upset your father, though. Do tell!
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, chaos sounds apt, but then I guess rock and roll is about chaos. I will reveal the song my father detested in my results post.
DeleteAnother vote for Santana.
Lee
There are much better versions of "Rollin' and Tumblin'" than Cream's (Muddy's, of course, and Canned Heat's, to name two). "Soul Sacrifice" is one of Santana's best jams: the live versions are a showcase for Mike Shrieve, who is one hell of a drummer, and for the twin congas of Mike Carrabello and Chepito Areas. I'm going with it for this battle. My guess is that it was the one your dad didn't want. More's the pity, because it would have been an excellent accompaniment for your act.
ReplyDeleteJohn, seems like "Rollin' & Tumblin'" was one of those standards many bands played. Guess it gave an air of blues cred.
DeleteI'll tell the outcome of the story about my father's reaction to the song he disliked intensely when I give my results report.
A vote for Santana.
Lee
Hahaaaa....you like to push your dad's buttons if you played this cream version. Hahaaa. It reminds me of my brother who just wanted my parents' minds to open up. Actually I think I bought that Cream album for my bro one Christmas. That one was too noisy for me so I am going with Santana who seems to have more control of the song. They get my vote
ReplyDeleteBirgit, you got that buttons thing right. I was a teen challenging my father while trying to get some kind of approval of things I liked or something like that. My mother was much more opened minded about new things.
DeleteAnother vote for Santana.
Lee
I'm guessing Cream went airborne ;-) I tried to picture juggling but it seemed a bit too jumpy. In the first couple of notes I knew Santana had the song jugglers - and even ordinary folks - could appreciate.
ReplyDeleteA vote for Santana, please.
Diedre, good guess. Fast songs can be good to juggle to, but good fast with tasty music.
DeleteA vote for Santana.
Lee
Cream seemed like hot mess, but I really got into the HH with Santana. Give my vote to Santana
ReplyDeleteMary B, I think you called that one right.
DeleteA vote for Santana.
Lee
>>... "After listening to each, please vote for your personal favorite and tell us why you voted that way. Then, can you guess which of these song enraged my father so?"
ReplyDeleteNo problemo! I can easily kill *BOTH* of those birds with just one stone...
The record your dad threw across the room was Cream's "Rollin' And Tumblin'"
Why?
For the *exact* same reason that *I* would have thrown it across the room. That was nothing more than a whipped Cream can full of LOUD RACKET!!! played by a bunch of long-haired hippies high on LSD. (I sincerely hope McKinley Morganfield was never subjected to *that* recording of his song!)
Clapton has always been overrated, and his early band, Cream, is actually double-overrated. Yeah, sure... they were "different"... for their times but, *still*, highly overrated in the overall scheme of mankind's music.
Based on the above snarky paragraphs, I'm sure you know whose slot machine my two bits is being deposited into.
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC, your comment shows great perception. And that's all I'll say about that. More in my results post.
DeleteI'll take that as a vote for Santana.
Lee
I am voting for Santana. I am thinking that Cream made your dad mad because it was bad karma to play a song about "rollin and tumblin" when things you juggle are supposed to stay in the air. Either way, I love the way Santana sounds.
ReplyDeleteChristine, I like the logic.
DeleteA vote for Santana
Lee
ReplyDeleteSantana has a good vibe for juggling and well cream took the early flight 😂
Truly Anonymous, I agree about the juggling vibe of Santana.
DeleteAnd I take that as a vote for Santana.
Lee
That was NOT good Cream. Santana wins easily. I would be amazed if your dad sailed Santana.
ReplyDeleteCW, Cream had its ups and downs like most bands. There is some Cream that I really enjoy--or at least I used to.
DeleteA vote for Santana.
Lee
Hi Lee -
ReplyDeleteAre you sure about the year? Because Santana wasn't released until 1969. Anywhoo, contrary to the other voters, I actually liked both songs. I listened to that Cream song back in the day and liked it. However, I may have been your best bet to avoid a shutout and I am going to let you down. Like the other voters, I am voting for Santana. That song and in fact that whole album are just too great!
Sixgun McItchyfinger
6-Gun, we moved to TN in 1966, but practiced juggling in that basement over the next several years. You are right about that release date. I received the Santana album for Christmas in 1969. The event described above happened some time in 1970 during my first year of college. I performed with my parents juggling act until I stopped going to college and left home.
DeleteI'm not too concerned about the shut out. It might prove a point.
Santana.
Lee
AH... makes sense! I have not said it to you before, but I think that the fact that you were a family of jugglers is fascinatin. The practice routine and performing publicly are something totally outside of anything in my experience.
DeleteLike you, I got that Santana album when it first came out, and played the HECK out of it, so there is a built-in bias in my vote. I liked Cream a lot, but... even Disraeli Gears (my favorite of theirs) was no "Santana" first album.
Six
From Facebook my Cousin Tom cast his vote for...
ReplyDeleteSantana.
Lee