This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Cruel Summer ( #BOTB )

        Another summer is now behind us as we look to fall, then winter, then another new year. We had some hot days this summer, but in no way would I think of my summer 2024 as cruel.  There were some really great things as well as a few not so great.  It's been a pretty good year for me, but that's the way my life usually has been in retrospect...


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 of 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.


Cruel Summer

       Recently I received one of those YouTube recommendations for a Taylor Swift recording of a song called "Cruel Summer."  Since Swift is so much in the news, I thought this would be a good Battle of the Bands selection since I thought she was covering the old song I already knew. But, no, this was her own song of the same title and not the one from the eighties that I remembered.  Oh well, I guess it can still be part of a Battle of the Bands

       Soon I plan to tell more about my interesting--and somewhat cruel to a degree--summer past.  But for now, let me focus on this Battle of the Bands...

         

      

Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer (2019)

       Definitely not the "Cruel Summer" song that I remember.  This is kind of catchy in a way.  But how does it stand up to the Bananarama song that I knew?  What do you think?

       




Bananarama - Cruel Summer (1983)

      This is the one my generation remembers.  You do remember this one right?


   



Time to Vote!

         Don't be cruel!  Just listen to the songs then tell us which song 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 







Results on Monday September 23
  
        Maybe I'll tell you about my summer or something.  But I'll mainly try to give some results of this Battle.  Please vote!






18 comments:

  1. While Taylor is not without talent, Bananarama gets my vote for fun!
    Good match-up ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diedre, there is definitely talent there--somewhere.

      Voting starts off with Bananarama.

      Lee

      Delete
  2. LEE ~

    It literally took every ounce of willpower I have to get all the way through the Taylor "Polyester" Swift song. I was determined. I almost quit at the 2:30 mark. But then I thought: No, you can do this, Stephen. You can DO this! So, I hit the play button and started the video up again, and finished it.

    I'll cast my vote for Banana-Polyester-Rama.

    ~ D-FensDogG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. STMcC, the Swift song didn't bother me that much. I've listened to it a few times now.

      A vote for Bananarama

      Lee

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. Mary B, sounds pretty assertive to me!

      Bananarama.

      Lee

      Delete
  4. I'll go with the majority and vote Bananarama.I do remember it, and I liked it then, and I like it when compated to Taylor Swift's offering.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John H, yeah, I always thought the Bananarama song was fun. Never bought the album though.

      Again it's Bananarama.

      Lee

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Alex, since they are both originals I'm going to assume that you're casting your vote for the oldest song.

      A vote for Bananarama.

      Lee

      Delete
  6. I loved Taylor Swift when she was a teenager and writing beautiful and catchy country songs. At this point she has few redeeming features. Deep down, she's shallow.

    Besides being a nitwit, her songs all sound the same these days. Same chord progressions, same pauses, same lyrics... only the boyfriend she references changes. I liked Bananaramadingdong and they get the vote.

    Sixgun McItchyF

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 6-Gun, I've never listened to any of her music, but my late youngest brother seemed to like her a lot. I'm not sure it was her music he liked because he didn't have any of her albums in his collection that I inherited. But he used to talk about her a lot. I think most celebs are pretty shallow from what I've heard.

      A vote for Bananarama.

      Lee

      Delete
  7. To be honest, neither song appeals to me that much, but I'll go with Bananarama for the nostalgia factor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie D, I would have thought you would have liked that eighties sound pretty well, but I guess not a genre you cared for.

      A vote for Bananarama.

      Lee

      Delete
  8. Birgit, I sense a trend here.

    A vote for Bananarama.

    Lee

    ReplyDelete
  9. VOTE = BANANARAMA

    Always liked this song. Did not care much for T-Swift's. Mehh. Bananarama I bob my head, tap my foot, dig it. ~Ed.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Results of this Battle are now posted:
    https://tossingitout.blogspot.com/2024/09/cruel-is-matter-of-perspective-botb.html

    ReplyDelete

Go ahead and say something. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.
I normally try to respond to all comments in the comment section so please remember to check the "Email follow-up comments" box if you want to participate in the comment conversation.

For Battle of the Bands voting the "Anonymous" commenting option has been made available though this version is the least preferred. If voting using "anonymous" please include in your comment your name (first only is okay) and city you are voting from and the reason you chose the artist you did.

If you know me and want to comment but don't want to do it here, then you can send me an email @ jacksonlee51 at aol dot com.

Lee