It's the middle of the month when I guess I am among the few with a Battle of the Bands post. Be sure to check the other BOTB participant sites listed below in case there are others. Lots going on as I watch another summer disappear in the rearview mirror. Still I've been getting some of those October reminders of the summer breeze. Can you feel it?
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 Ultimate Summer Song?
There might be a bit of a debate as to the most iconic of all summer songs, but I think many of us will agree that Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze" is one of the best of the best. The Seals & Crofts duo is not something we'd listen to in my basement back in the seventies, but still their music was frequently heard on our car stereos or wherever our 8-track players were. In the basement I only had a turntable and I didn't have any Seals & Crofts on vinyl.
The other day I was looking for a different Seals & Crofts song on YouTube and the following choices appeared. As I listened to the singer of the Running Mates I could clearly understand the lyrics that for the most part I had never actually listened to before. Then, the DSOL video had the lyrics for me to read which further clarified what the song was saying. It really is a wonderful summer song! Such visual images portrayed. Is this among your favorite summer songs?
How about these two versions that inspired me to do this match today? Which do you prefer?...
The Running Mates "Summer Breeze" (2022)
Hang on to summer for a bit longer as you enjoy these two song versions. Which do you like best?. Just listen and have fun. 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
'Curious as a Cathy'
Sound of One Hand Typing
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Hi Lee, great song, two great versions my vote goes to "Dark Side Of Light".
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, I like them both.
DeleteFirst vote goes to DSOL
Lee
This is tough. I listened twice and, in the end, I will go for The Running Mates. They seem more clear in voice so they are my puck.
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I can go either way on this one, but I lean toward one in particular.
DeleteA vote for Running Mates.
Lee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteOur summer days are winding down in East Tennessee. I love your battle song selection. After listening to both covers, the second reir rendition is very close to the original which totally embodies the way the music and lyrics capture the essence of the song. I'm giving my vote to DSOL! Have a bandtastic week, my friend!
Cathy, I've been noting some very cool weather of late in Maryville. My sister said she was cold when I talked to her on Sunday. Still mostly warm to pleasantly cool here.
DeleteA vote for DSOL.
Lee
DSOL presented a much more polished performance, so they get my vote.
ReplyDeleteJohn, definitely a more produced version.
DeleteDSOL.
Lee
I'm going to be a rebel and vote for Summer Breeze by Type O Negative!
ReplyDeleteAlex, can't say that I care much for that version. I guess your vote won't matter unless there's an odd rush of other rebel votes.
DeleteType O
Lee
HOO-WEE! Color me: SURPRISED (as hell!)
DeleteI never realized before that someone could just come along in 'Battle Of The Bands' and declare themselves "a rebel" and then proceed to vote for a (demonic) song rendition that wasn't officially eligible for receiving votes. However, now that I know that Alex has broken the "glass ceiling" (thank you, Alex!!) and voted outside of the envelope, and his vote was accepted, I want to change my vote in this contest! Previously, I said:
The Running Mates captured the carefree spirit of the song. Dark Side Of Light (true to their name) gave it more of a hard edge with tinges of Psychedelia. (And some bizarre, non-musical, noise-like sound that they interjected for no apparent reason at least three times.)
Very easy decision for me:
THE RUNNING MATES
But, I am NOW OFFICIALLY changing my vote to this:
SEALS & CROFTS
(Sorry, Lee, but if Alex can vote for Type O Negative, then I damn-sure can vote for Seals & Crofts. If my logic is flawed, please 'splain it to me, 'Lee.)
~ D-FensDogG
Oh well. Type O is not going to win in this round or likely any Battle I'd ever do. And I'm with you on Seals & Crofts if we're going for the best version. They are the definitive--everything else is just another cover.
DeleteLee
YUK!-YUK!-YUK! I was just joshin', Lee. Why, shucks, everybody knows that in 'Battle Of The Bands' a person is not allowed to vote for the artist who had the big hit song -- not unless the BOTBer states in advance that the hit version is eligible to receive votes. This is one of those unwritten BOTB rules that we all know and abide by.
DeleteAnd that's the reason why I really want to cast my "rebel" vote for Lurch & The Addams Family (a.k.a. Type O Negative). I'm with Alex in his quest to see if, for the first time in BOTB history, a write-in candidate can win the election.
I know this doesn't work in presidential elections, because twice I have written in the name Ron Paul on my ballots, but Ron Paul has never become president of the U.S.A. However, maybe a write-in candidate CAN win in 'Battle Of The Bands'. Let's find out.
GO, LURCH!!
~ D-FensDogG
(Rebelling for the first time in 64 years.)
If Lurch were still living I'm sure he'd be insulted. As it is he & the rest of the Family are probably rolling over in their graves at the suggestion they have anything to do with the atrocious Type O Negative. They probably roll in their graves anyway.
DeleteSomeday a write-in might win, but not this evil metal group. Not many fans of that music likely read my blog.
Lee
Definitely on my short list of 'Best Summer Songs'.
ReplyDeleteThe Running Mates captured the carefree spirit of the song. Dark Side Of Light (true to their name) gave it more of a hard edge with tinges of Psychedelia. (And some bizarre, non-musical, noise-like sound that they interjected for no apparent reason at least three times.)
Very easy decision for me:
THE RUNNING MATES
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC, this is your vote and what I'm recording for the sake of the contest.
DeleteA vote for Running Mates.
Lee
I've always loved this song, though it reminds me of fall for some reason. Dark Side of Light did have a strange sound. Like when kids play with pots and pans on the kitchen floor.
ReplyDeleteThe Running Mates get my vote as I really enjoyed the listen ;-)
diedre, "Summer Breeze" is one of my wife's favorite songs and she's not much into American pop music. How can anyone not like this song?
DeleteRunning Mates
Lee
Unlike you, I DID buy and play Seals & Crofts albums in my basement. Well, if I had had a basement I would have. Lacking a basement, I played them in my room. I liked their unique sound, their moral stance, and their naive but gentle Ba'hai faith outlook. They are a pretty interesting duo, with Seals being the brother of England Dan and Crofts and both of them playing in bands with Glen Campbell in the early days.
ReplyDeleteI think at one point I had all their albums, so a BotB with their tune is a fun one for me.
I liked both versions but find room for improvement in both. However, what wins the battle for Dark Side in my book is their proper harmonizing. Essential to the S&C sound is when they go high/low at certain points. In this song it is every time they sing the word "mind." Running Mates simply drops the note down at that point, and it was a massive let down! I suspect they can't hit the high note. So I strong vote with the receipts for Dark Side.
Sixgun McItchyfinger
6-Gun, I was listening to Seals & Crofts often back then--just didn't own any of their music on vinyl & still don't. Have it on CD though. I saw them in concert around 1971 I think. They did a great show & then afterward stayed to discuss their Ba'hai faith for any who wanted hear. I stayed, but they didn't sway me. They sure were nice though.
DeleteMy favorite album by them was the first one. I first heard the songs from that album on a PBS show about them where they played the entire album if I remember correctly. Soon after that I found the 8-track in a cut-out bin at Big K discount store and snatched it up as did my best friend at the time, Vernon. We played the heck out of that album and it still holds up well for me.
A vote for DSOL.
Lee
That's great that you got to see them! After reading your comment and thinking about mine, I thought: "I should double check to see if I REALLY owned all their albums and which one was their first."
DeleteI turns out that I did NOT own them all, especially their first. They had two albums with an obscure publisher before their first with a major label: Warner Bros. I did not own either of the obscure ones NOR the first WB one, so whichever one you meant in your comment, I did NOT own! But I just found one of the early obscure publisher's albums (vinyl) and ordered online, so I'll get to hear it soon. FYI, I refer to all "albums," whether vinyl, cassette, CD, digital, or 8 Track, as "an album." So since you have Seals and Crofts on CD, I'd say "Lee has their album." Unless we are specifically discuss the medium itself, then I differentiate.
Sixgun
That first self-titled album is an amazing gem of music. When I compiled my "Summer Breeze" battle I had originally intended to use covers of one of the songs from that first album. Weirdly as sometimes happens, the song "Birthday of My Thoughts" started playing in my head so I set out to find some covers because I thought surely someone else must have covered it. Sadly, no, but my search yielded "Summer Breeze" and so it went.
DeleteNowadays who needs albums. But I like having them.
Lee
This past Saturday, I entertained kids and grands. For a time, we were listening to Dan Seals. When it was time to move on to another artist, I said, "Here is a song by Dan's brother, Jim" and played 'Summer Breeze." That was fun, and now, here we are...
ReplyDeleteBoth of these tracks were pure joy to listen to, and very much appreciated. The one I did a double take on was the latter, and as such, I am leaning toward Dark Side of Light. While they are typically too clever for their own good (and my tastes), this is a perfect vehicle for them, and they hit it in stride. Well done.
A Vote for DSOL
Michael, it's fun to introduce old music to newer generations--when they're willing to listen.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the tracks presented here. I did too.
A vote for DSOL.
Lee
Because I'm hard of hearing, I appreciate closed caption, but I liked the vocalism of Running Mates better
ReplyDeleteTom, my hearing is still good, but I often tend not to listen closely to lyrics so I like having the captions.
DeleteA vote for Running Mates.
Lee
The first version was light, and pretty. The second I put on my M10 shuffle. DSOL for me.
ReplyDeleteCW, it's another vote for...
DeleteDSOL.
Lee
I've got the results up for this one:
ReplyDeletehttps://tossingitout.blogspot.com/2023/10/autumn-waft-botb-results.html
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ReplyDelete