Who's Singing the Blues? ( #BOTB Results )

Today at Tossing It Out it's not Taco Tuesday, but it's BOTB Results Blues Day.  It's not that I am blue, but the sky is blue, love is blue, velvet is blue,  and blue is blue.  But me?  No--no blues here,  Just blue, blue, blue in the form of blah, blah, blah...

       So another war rages on far from where I am while I wage my own war against the forces I seem to battle every day.  But we all must push on in our personal battles.  I'm not alone though some might be gliding through life with more successful results.  Still, life is an ongoing battle for all of us.

        And in regard to a lesser Battle and yet a Battle currently forefront in my mind, I give you...

Battle of the Bands Results

Mr. Blue Showdown

       My most recent Battle found folksinger Tom Paxton up against the psychedelic sounds of the group Clear Light.  In my BOTB history I've often been pretty effective at presenting songs and artists that are weird enough to befuddle visitors to my BOTB posts.  This Battle was no exception.

      Stephen T McCarthy correctly guessed that I'd be going for the less appreciated psychedelic drama wildness by Clear Light.  It was, as I had indicated in the previous post, the first and only version of the song that I had ever known until relatively recently.  I first obtained Clear Light's album around fifty years ago and liked it then and still enjoy hearing it.  Partly due to the driving sound of the group's double drummers, the group has a mighty sound that conveys a lot of drama with rock and roll.

       Tom Paxton's version is a fun campy vaudeville sounding rendition that was somewhat prevalent in the mid to latter sixties.  Back then I was a fan of groups like The New Vaudeville Band and other such acts.  Paxton gives a light-hearted performance that doesn't quite convey the gravitas of the song's subject matter. It's a very listenable recording, but it lacks the impact that the song should deliver.

        On the other hand, vocalist Cliff De Young with his hard-hitting back up serves up a menacing plate of Orwellian 1984 nightmare stew.  It reminds me of an episode of Twilight Zone or some dystopian horror story about totalitarian rule.  So considering the subject matter of the song, Clear Light is the clear winner for me.

           ...but not for the voters...

Final Vote Tally

Tom Paxton       13 votes

Clear Light           5 votes

Next Battle of the Bands on Tuesday March 15th

       Yes, I'll probably go for another Battle on that aforementioned date.  That's what I'm here for--for now at least.  However if you stop by on Friday March 11 you get a preview of my theme for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  It's a musical theme that I hope you will enjoy.  It's gonna be kind of epic.  Well, it's going to be time consuming for me at least.  But it should be fun.  Please stop back to see what that theme will be.

Mr. Blue ( #BOTB & #IWSG )

        Feeling blue?  Blue is kind of my favorite color.  Better than yellow, but yellow is okay too in the right place and time.  Context is everything.  COVID.  Climate concerns.  War in Ukraine?   Didn't "C" that last one coming.  But these days we should expect everything and only be surprised when they don't happen.  It's enough to make anyone feel a bit insecure...

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  March 2 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, Pat Garcia, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

March 2 question - Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?

       "Conflicted about writing a story"?   Or maybe conflicted about writing period.  Or maybe just fiction.  I've got so many stories floating around in my head and in snippets throughout pages of sundry notebooks. I'm not adding anything to anything.  So I guess that makes the March 2nd question moot for me.  No specifics in the answer.  Other than, what's the point?  

         Now the thing I need to do is just write.  Write blogs posts.  The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is bearing down upon us.  I've got to get busy writing those posts.  Later I can go back to that question about being "conflicted about writing a story"--or perhaps the conflict of the writing is a story.

        Yeah, I'm sure there's a story somewhere in there.  There's a story everywhere if you look hard enough.  

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.

 Mr. Blue

       Not to be confused with the weepy Fleetwoods hit from the fifties, folk singer Tom Paxton wrote this song of the same name somewhere around 1967.  The song is Paxton's version of a 1984 type totalitarian society where all that we do and think is scrutinized by the powers in control.   Though I have had this Battle in my line-up for several years, now seemed like a particularly appropriate time to put it in the BOTB arena.  

Tom Paxton   "Mr. Blue"  (1968)

       Paxton is a folk singer/songwriter who's been around for decades.   You've undoubtedly heard some of his songs made into hits by other artists.  He also wrote the song "My Dog's Bigger Than Your Dog" which was later adapted as a commercial for Ken-L Ration dog food.  Here is one of his versions of his song "Mr. Blue".   





Clear Light  "Mr. Blue"  (1967)

          Clear Light had the first release of Paxton's song and the only version I'd ever known until researching for this Battle.  The group's vocalist is Clff DeYoung who later went on to be an actor who has appeared often in movies and television.  I guess that's where the drama in this cover derives inspiration...

Time to Vote!
        
        I'll be blue if you ignore my Battle and don't vote.  Come on people.  Now it's time to show your love.   Which artist do you enjoy the most?   Of the two song versions, which do you like better?  I hope you'll at least give the versions a listen to discern your favorite.    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.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 



Winner of this Battle Announced on Tuesday March 8th

  

            During the period of March 7 to 21 the theme reveal for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge will be going on.  I'll wait for a few days after the BOTB results post to put up my theme reveal post so it will stand on it's own. Still, I hope you'll drop by to see who came out on top in this Battle of the Mister Blues.  

     

     

Keeping It Simple (#BOTB Results)

    I can be pretty darn fast when my world ain't so slow...

Battle of the Bands Results

        A slow computer compounded with lots of vacation things to do means I'm not getting too much done in the realm of blogging.   Sorry for not making rounds to other blogs like I usually am able to do when I'm at home with my faster computer and not as many distractions.  Most would probably agree that my time with my daughters, my family, and four beautiful grandkids here in New Jersey take precedent to blogging for now.

       One consequence of not being able to make more blogging rounds is fewer reciprocated visits to my own blog.  Of course, as many of you have noted, summertime is a time when blogging activity is down so like everyone else the voting on this Battle dropped considerably in comparison with my usual turn out.  Oh well--it is summer after all and we probably shouldn't be spending all our time indoors on the computer.

       That being said, I'll keep it short and just stick to my Battle results.

        My long familiarity with the group Clear Light and many years of enjoying their great album leaves me with a big bias for the pairing of Cliff De Young, lead singer of my favored group, and Rob Zabrecky, lead singer of Possum Dixon.   And I prefer the musical style of Clear Light though I thoroughly have enjoyed the music of the newer group.  Therefore my vote goes to Clear Light and Cliff De Young.

          It was a close one with my guy coming in second.

Final Vote Tally:

Cliff De Young                 8

Rob Zabrecky                   9

Next Battle Tuesday August 15th

         I won't have many posts until that time.   I'll try to put up one post for Insecure Writer's Support Group on August 2nd, but other than that this blog will be pretty quiet.  Ah, peace and quiet on lazy summer days.  Or maybe not so lazy.  Either way I hope you are all having wonderful summer days.





     

Career Changes (#BOTB)

Changing Careers

         More than what might typically considered career changes, my work experience has mostly been a matter of job changes or temporary spans of working to pay bills.  Few of those latter jobs were occupations that I would ever have strongly considered as a career choice though I'd have likely been willing to have continued working at some of those jobs had the money and circumstances been right.

          We often work at jobs that come our way while others of us might pursue the passion which we burn for the most.  A dear friend of mine started working during his high school years at a factory where his parents worked.  That friend recently retired after nearly fifty years working at that same factory--rather unusual in our time.   I don't think he ever seriously considered a career change during his working years.  Now that he is retired, he seems content to sit on his deck drinking coffee on summer mornings and watch the sunset while nursing a tall beer.  He piddles about the house during the day or just relaxes listening to the radio.  For him life is just fine and after fifty years working at the same place I guess he deserves to do whatever provides his happiness.

        Having a restless spirit, I sometimes think about moving from retirement into a new career.  Fortunately those thoughts don't last too long or become overly obsessive for me.   There is an option to retirement, but the money and circumstances would have to be right as has always been the case for me.  Money and circumstances likely plays the biggest role in a good many career changes.  I'm probably not going to rush out of retirement any time soon.  A career change could be heading my way, but I'm not making a serious effort at job hunting either.  If something did happen then it would likely fall into my life like so many things have.

         If any, what big career adjustments have you made in your life?   Would you ever want to completely retire into a quiet sedentary life staying mostly at home?   What drives you most when it comes to taking a job:  money or circumstances?





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.

Artists Who Changed Careers

            Recently I watched an episode of Penn and Teller's Fool Us TV show and my attention was particularly drawn to one rather eccentric magician who had previously had a career as a singer in a moderately successful rock band.  Though this factoid was mentioned in the show, Penn Jillette failed to explain who the artist had been in his previous life when he sang vocals on a minor hit that eventually charted at 58 on the Billboard Pop chart.

            With my music interests such as they are I had to Google the magician to discover his previous career incarnation--a band and song completely new to me.   However, reading about this artist made me think of another artist that I enjoyed in his short career as a rock star before he went on to a different career.  This in turn inspired my current round of Battle of the Bands.

Cliff De Young  With All In Mind  (1966)

          Clear Light was an album I used to listen to frequently after it came out in 1966.   I still have my vinyl copy of this album.  Lead singer Cliff De Young later went on to an acting career, not a far cry from singing.   For the Battle I offer up this song from Clear Light's only album.





Rob Zabrecky  "Watch the Girl Destroy Me" (1993)

       Possum Dixon is a new band to me.  Lead singer Rob Zabrecky has multifaceted interests including his current career as a magician.







Time to Vote!

       Do you have a preference between these two choices?   Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. Which version do you like the best?   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.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

 ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ 

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 
  
Winner of this Battle Announced on Friday July 21st

       I might be struggling to make it through Battles this week, but hoping I make it through and making it to my next winner announcement next Friday.   Still truckin'.