Holiday Fun ( #BOTB & #IWSG ).

 Sometimes what you think you're going to get is not what you really get.  And sometimes you just get something without thinking about it.  The real question is did you get what you really needed?

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  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.

A Couple of Holiday Songs

      Before you get into a Christmas mood, let me start off by saying that this is no Battle of Songs of the Season.  Instead we have two perhaps seemingly disparate musical pieces from two different decades that have much more in common than one might expect. Both songs have "Holiday" in their titles and both are pretty weird while at the same time being quite musically complex.  To me it's sheer fun.

      I grew up loving the music and performance antics of Spike Jones and His Orchestra.  Years later I became enthralled with the music of Frank Zappa.  Like my own musical experience growing up, Zappa was greatly influenced by Spike Jones.  I think it is reasonable to say that without Spike Jones there would not be the Frank Zappa that many of us have come to appreciate.

       Here is a "Holiday" piece from each artist--one an original composition by Zappa against Spike's cover of the David Rose of "Stripper" fame's classic "Holiday for Strings".  Enjoy and then tell us which you liked best.

Frank Zappa  "Holiday in Berlin" (1970)

Spike Jones   "Holiday for Strings"  (1945)

Time to Vote!

        It's not your holiday yet so get to work and vote on this Battle.   Which song interpretation 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

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results in the near future

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The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the December 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre.

December 3 question - As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?

       I don't know that I've necessarily received any "gifts" as a writer.  As a blogger I've received many items as giveaways, prizes, or maybe you could call them gifts.  But since I've been writing since I was a kid--I'd say that makes me a writer--I guess I'd have to include the many books, writing materials, and other similar items that influenced my writing that were given to me as gifts by my parents.  Otherwise I don't think I've gotten gifts specifically intended for me as a writer.  Come to think of it, I don't get many gifts anymore.  Since I hit Social Security age, gift exchanging doesn't fit into my budget like it used to.

      One unexpected gift was sent to me out of the blue by one of my regular blogging Battle of the Bands voters a while back.  That person who goes by Six-Gun sent me a copy of a book called Lee After the War by Marshall W. Fishwick.  What a terrific book that even a year or more after having read it, I still think about it.  It's a book that I'd highly recommend especially to anyone interested in Civil War history.  Thank you Six-Gun!

      Christmas is a-rapidly on it's way.  Don't get caught up in too much frenzy.  I plan to stay home a lot this Christmas.

      So, bah humbug, and everybody have a truly wonderful Christmas season!

What gift have you received as a writer?  Did I get the question wrong?   Have you ever known me to be wrong?