This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2025 the theme is a random assemblage of things that are on my mind--or that just pop into my mind. Whatever! Let's just say I'll be "Tossing It Out" for your entertainment or however it is you perceive these things.

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Are You Out of Breath? ( #BOTB )

  There's so much happening that it's hard to keep up if you're not paying continuous attention.  Wars, fires, floods--and that was just the movie I watched the other night.  I should read a book maybe.  Nah, I'll just listen to some music...

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.


Songs That Took My Breath

      My previous Battle of the Bands featured two drifty dreamy songs that I enjoy a great deal.  This round I'm going with a similar theme. Both songs were songs that captivated me from the first time I heard them and I still enjoy hearing them. I hope you will be willing to give them a listen and then tell which one you like best...



Captain Beyond  "Sufficiently Breathless"  (1973)

       This song seemed to get a lot of radio airplay in Knoxville in 1974 or so.  I liked it so much that I bought the album on vinyl which meant the whole album got a lot of play for me.  There are some really fine musicians in this band which made for some excellent music.  This song especially carries me away to a dreamy place...







Duncan Sheik  "Barely Breathing"  (1997)

     I first heard this song playing on the radio in Los Angeles soon after it was released.  I heard it played a lot but that was fine with me.  I liked the song so much that I went and bought the album on CD.  Great song that still sounds good to me.  Do you like this one?






Time to Vote!

          Before you totally drift away into Dreamland, how about casting a vote?  Hey, take time to relax a bit and enjoy music.   Which of these songs do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.
    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 to come on ?

         I guess I'll post them sometime.  I'm not going to commit for the time being.  

    




16 comments:

  1. I like both of these songs this time around. Both are pleasant to the ears, but while Sheik seems "fine," Sufficiently Breathless is quite good. Good musicianship, good melody, and - maybe it doesn't quite "carry me" to a dreamy place, but - it leads me there by the hand. I like this one a lot and it gets my vote.

    Sixgun McItchyfinger

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 6-Gun, Captain had a topnotch line-up of musicians.

      Voting starts off with Captain Beyond.

      Lee

      Delete
  2. I like both of these about the same, the one by Duncan Sheik slightly better than the one by Sufficiently Breathless. Give my vote to Duncan Sheik.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John H, I agree. I'm either way on these two.

      A vote for Duncan Sheik

      Lee

      Delete
  3. VOTE = DUNCAN SHEIK

    I like the acoustic guitars and the vocals. There was a point in Captain Beyond's track where the fuzz guitar riff kept repeating - that was a bit off-putting for me. ~Ed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed, Captain was probably geared toward the getting high crowd so I get the repetition.

      Duncan Sheik

      Lee

      Delete
  4. I'm all for Captain Beyond because I love the dream like style which they composed so well. They get my vote.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Birgit, Captain Beyond was much beloved in my circle of friends back in the day.

      Captain Beyond

      Lee

      Delete
  5. R. LEE BOID ~

    Yeah, I liked both songs pretty well.
    I agree with what Ed said about the guitar bit in the middle of 'Sufficiently Breathing' being a bit too repetitious. They needed to introduce some other instrument there, or maybe a slight tempo shift as a kind of bridge, but other than that, I thought it was pert-goot.

    'Barely Breathing' by The Sheik of Duncany was also fairly good but not something I would feel compelled to listen to over and over.

    I'll cast my vote for Captain Beefhear-- er... I mean, Captain Beyond. (Beyond Beef).

    ~ D-FensDogG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. STMcC, I think the effect was intentional--a sort of lulling hypnotic drone for the stoners.

      Another vote for Captain Beyond.

      Lee

      Delete
  6. Interesting song choices and new to me, Lee. Both good, but I found "Sufficiently Breathless" more captivating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie D, I'm surprised that you aren't familiar with at least one of these. They are classics.

      A vote for Captain Beyond

      Lee

      Delete
  7. From my Cousin Tom on Facebook comes another vote for :

    Captain Beyond

    Lee

    ReplyDelete
  8. Shamelessly voting for the song I already knew, which is "Barely Breathing."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tony, good to see you here again.

      A vote for Duncan Sheik

      Lee

      Delete
  9. Results are in:

    https://tossingitout.blogspot.com/2025/02/dont-hold-your-breath-botb-results.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