El Cumbanchero ( #BOTB )

      It's Christmas time and that means time for favorite Christmas songs and that provides another opportunity for sharing that music fun in what we call...

 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.

Favorite Christmas Song

       What song most evokes the Christmas season for you?  So many to choose from!  And so many that you might wish would go away.  I have many favorites among traditional as well as pop Christmas songs, but one song takes me back to many Christmas events in my younger days.   

        You might remember "El Cumbanchero" from my earlier Battle "The Real Juggling Music" where Xavier Cugat's version of the song ran away with the victory.  This Battle consisted of two songs my family used in our juggling act.  So why, you might wonder, does this song have any particular significance for me during the Christmas season?  Naturally I'm going to explain it to you now.

       Since my father always worked at a regular job in all his years as head of a household, our juggling performances were mostly relegated to two times of the year:  summer vacation and Christmastime.  Back in the fifties and sixties it was fairly common for companies and organizations to host Christmas parties for their employees.  Often a part of the festivities would include some kind of variety show or entertainment.  From November to Christmas we would be booked on many of these shows and since "El Cumbachero" was the back-up for our act's exciting finale, we would hear that song repeatedly throughout the holiday season.  It was a song we probably heard as much as any Christmas song. So now if I hear it, my thoughts will take me back to those days juggling with my family and the many Christmas shows we would do.

       For this Battle I am offering a version of "El Cumbanchero" that we actually used from 1966 and after up against a very different version that I recently heard on the PBS television show Song of the Mountains.

The Pepper Pots  "El Cumbanchero"  (1958)

Jeff Little Trio  "El Cumbanchero"    (2022)

Time to Vote!

          Don't be a Scrooge!  Have fun and play along.  Which song version do you like best?   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 

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Stine Writing

Results coming on Friday December 22

  

        It's a busy time I know, but I'll try to do this in a timely manner.  No matter what--Have a Wonderful Christmas.   Hope your 2024 is pretty good too.