The Side Show Never Ends ( #BOTB Results )

 Old friends can be like a fine wine that we savor as pleasant thoughts linger in our memories or they can be like leftovers gone bad in the refrigerator leaving a bad smell.  I think it's time to clean out my fridge...

The Year of Side Show

                            Arlee Bird in Ottawa Ontario

      The yearly vacations that my wife have taken have been the highlights of the past decade plus-- those years since I lost the last job I had until being forced into retirement.   During those years we were able to spend quality time with family and friends, including those who have since passed on.  If I had still been working we would not have been able to take such lengthy trips.  Fortunately, my wife was still deriving a good income from her teaching job and with her summers off we had several weeks that allowed us to travel.  They were good times.  Some of the best.

       One of the most memorable summers was that of 2016.  We drove north from Los Angeles to British Colombia and then for several days traversed the breadth of Canada to Quebec where we veered back down into the United States via New England as we continued to stays in New Jersey, Tennessee, and Texas before heading back home to California. 

       It was a grand tour filled with so many amazing places and so many wonderful people.  And so so many good memories.  Part of those memories were in the music that served as our soundtrack for that remarkable summer trip. 

      Shortly prior to embarking on that journey I discovered a musical that latched onto my interest like few have ever done.  I have long been a fan of musicals and finding the Broadway musical Side Show was an exciting discovery for me.  As I recall, I first heard a song from the musical on some radio show and it so captured my attention that I began investigating this hitherto unknown to me musical.

        After discovering that two different Broadway show recordings had been released I then found that most of the songs could be found on YouTube.  As I listened to the songs on YouTube it was a quick decision for me to locate both versions on Amazon and order them before we would leave on our vacation trip.   We would have our trip soundtrack.

        We listened to both CDs daily, sometimes more than once and even repeatedly. I memorized every detail of the music.  My wife and I would try to decide which version was best.  Our preference would change from day to day, but the two of us fell in love with the musical.

         Part of the draw for me was the story--it was based on true life characters.  The Hilton Sisters were very attractive twins who performed in vaudeville and films.  They were hugely popular in Europe and the United States.  What made them particularly unique was the fact that they were Siamese twins conjoined at the hip.  Their attractive appearance made them all the more appealing to audiences.

          Gaining fame and popularity in side shows and stage show circuits, they caught the attention of Hollywood.  You may have seen them in their most well-known film, Tod Browning's Freaks. After that film appearance their popularity lessened and they struggled to keep working.  They starred in one more film in 1951.  Chained for Life was loosely based on their lives and the musical Side Show seems to have taken some ideas from that film.  After that it was tough times for the Hiltons.

           My late former boss Philip Morris from Charlotte NC used to tell stories about meeting them in the sixties when he was working as a theatrical agent. Morris related how he was in a grocery store and saw them bagging groceries.  Apparently the store manager had felt bad for them and gave them the job since they were now essentially destitute and nearing sixty years old.  Philip Morris befriended them and found them occasional jobs at movie shows and other appearances.

           The deaths of the sisters seems especially poignant in our time. Sometime around New Year of 1969 they had contracted Hong Kong Flu (the pandemic that killed millions from 1968 to 1969) and Daisy died.   No one can say exactly what transpired at that point, but the forensic investigation suggested that Violet Hilton probably lived on another 2 to 4 days with her dead sister at her side.  They were discovered on January 4, 1969 after the grocery store owner reported to police that they had not shown up for work and he feared the worst.

           It's a sad story, but we got a decent musical from it.  Granted the musical has never gained much traction with the critics or the public, but I think the subject matter was perhaps too politically incorrect for our times.   Despite that, at least the Hilton Sisters got some final recognition that will live on for many.  In 2018 the city of Brighton and Hove, England honored them with a plaque in front of the house where they were born. At least they have some kind of legacy.  

          If you're a fan of musical theater I recommend that you check out some of the recordings that can be found on YouTube.  I'd like to see a movie made of the show, but I doubt that it will ever happen.

Battle of the Bands Results

          My most recent Battle used three different songs with the same title of "The Devil You Know."  Two of the choices were pretty standard modern rock fare by the artists Kovacs and Blues Saraceno" while the third came from the Broadway musical Side Show.  

         If you read my opening story then you can likely easily deduce that my own favorite tune was the one from  Side Show.   But I really liked the other two picks as well.  That's why I used them of course!  As I might have expected, my choice was the least favorite.  And Blues Saraceno's song sounded pretty good to me too.  Not a bad outcome over all.

Final Vote Tally

Kovacs                  4

Side Show             3

Blues Saraceno     5                 

Next Battle on Sunday November 15th

          Lord willing and I don't choke to death on my face mask, I'll have another Battle of the Bands installment on my usual 15th of the month appearance.  

   

        Do you have any Facebook friends that actually aren't friends and you really don't know?  Have you ever purged your friends list?   What has been your greatest benefit from being on Facebook? 

          

The Devil You Know (#BOTB #IWSG )

Sometimes it's best to be happy with what you've got, but often that's just not human nature.  I don't need this Communist Chinese Virus crap, but other than that life is good--for now at least...

      No need for me to say any more other than it's time for another...

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.

The Devil You Know

Definition of better the devil you know than the devil you don't. —used to say that it is better to deal with a difficult person or situation one knows than with a new person or situation that could be worse.    Merriam-Webster Dictionary

        This Battle of the Bands has been sitting in my queue for a few years now.  Now seems like as good of a time as any to use it.  Not much to say about why, but maybe you can figure out. Whatever the case, it probably doesn't matter why I'm using it now.  I just want you to take a listen and vote for your favorite song.

       What we have here is three totally different artists performing three totally different songs with the same title.  Hope you enjoy.  And more importantly PLEASE VOTE!

Kovacs - "The Devil You Know"   (2015)

           Kovacs comes from The Netherlands. She starts off the Battle with her devilish tune.  What do you think?

       

  Side Show  "The Devil You Know"  (1997)

          Side Show is a musical that first appeared on Broadway in 1997 and then was revived for another attempt in 2014.  Neither time did the show make a particularly big impact.  However since my discovery of the musical in 2016 it has become one of my favorite musicals.  From that musical comes this song called "The Devil You Know"...

Blues Saraceno - "The Devil You Know" (2018)

           From Los Angeles we have rock guitarist Blues Saraceno.  He's collaborated with a number of artists, most notably with a stint playing guitar with the group Poison.  Again, he's contributing his song with the title "The Devil You Know"...

      

Time to Vote!
        
           This week is all about voting so be sure to vote on this Battle to let your preference be known.   Which version do you prefer?   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

 ‘Storms and Stardust’ 

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside 

A I Love Music


Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday November 9th

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 November 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!

November 4 question - Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

       Mention Flannery O'Conner and you've got my attention.  She's one of my favorite writers.  And I like what she said about her purpose in writing.   The oft-given advice to writers is to write what you know and I think O'Connor was onto something in her suggestion of writing to discover what one knows.  After all, sometimes we don't always know what we know until it's come to mind and we've given it some thought. 

     Initially I was first drawn to writing in order to tell stories--to entertain.  Soon after I started writing I realized that I wanted to do more than entertain:  I wanted to say something about my world view and the things I've learned in life.  This is probably why I've been more drawn to writing non-fiction in more recent years. 

        Maybe it's partly a desire to create a legacy for myself, but mostly I just want to share a philosophy of life through sharing my experiences and whatever it is I have learned in my years of living.  I still want to entertain.  Not many of us relish reading something boring so I try to make things interesting.  

       So why do I write what I write?  To share who I am and what I believe.  That's probably at the root of most artistic expression I suppose.  We create based on what we know having a desire to share our knowledge with others.   What do you think?   Why do you write? 


Does anyone else feel like they've been living the plot of a dystopian novel?

Is Boycotting the Right Thing? (#BOTB Results)

       Rarely do I support boycotting as an effective way of making a statement, but there are those instances where I think it's worth consideration.  One such instance might be in regard to the film opening today (10/7/2016), The Birth of a Nation.

Theatrical release poster (photo credit Wikipedia)

 
       Though rumors of this film had been wafting my way in recent months (I don't keep up with the film industry much these days), The Birth of a Nation was fully brought to my attention in a recent report on 60 Minutes which was aired on October 2nd.

        Since I don't want to delve too deeply into this, for those who want more information on the controversies surrounding this film I'd recommend viewing the 60 Minutes interview or checking out the Chicago Tribune article regarding the interview.    However let me touch upon the points that concern me the most.

         For the sake of clarification for any who might be unfamiliar with the film, this new film has essentially nothing to do with the 1915 D. W. Griffith silent epic of the same name that celebrated the origins of the Ku Klux Klan.  The 1915 film being a racially offensive film to a great extent, I was surprised that anyone would think a remake would be a good idea.  But the new film is not a remake.  Instead it's a depiction of the Nat Turner slave uprising of 1831 which occurred in Virginia--a story that I find almost equally offensive since it involves what I would consider mass murder.

       Granted that some deem Nat Turner a hero since he was leading a rebellion against the injustice of slavery, there are likely more who would disagree with that assessment.  Arguably, Nat Turner's rebellion was almost at a parity with the Manson family murders.  No matter how one views it, both incidents were devised with an intention to incite action through violence.  My comparison would likely raise the ire of some of the defenders of Nat Turner's conspiracy, but to me murder is murder.  Turner and his cohorts viciously and indiscriminately killed men, women, and children in their beds and wherever else they could find them.   The reprisals by the white community against innocent blacks not involved in the Turner rebellion were equally reprehensible.  In its totality the entire episode is a horrible blot on the history of the United States.

        Nate Parker, the film's director who also plays the lead role, stated in the interview that he used the Birth of a Nation title in order that people would forget the Griffith film.  To me, this reeks as a bit of revisionist history thinking.   Though perhaps not a great film in the eyes of many, the 1915 film is a big part of film history.  The film was a box office success by today's standards and even then was a topic of great controversy due to the racially charged subject matter and the insensitive stereotypical depictions of black people.   Relatively few today have seen the film and would even likely be interested in seeing an old silent film over two hours in length.  But it is history and should be remembered in that context.

          The Nat Turner story might be equally obscure to many people today even though there have been a number of books and articles written about the subject.  Most famously William Styron released his controversial best selling Pulitzer prize winning The Confessions of Nat Turner in 1967.  I bought the book a year or so after it was released and read it when I was a high school senior. It's still a highly regarded book well worth reading if you have not done so yet.

          A film version of the Nat Turner story was overdue, but I question the motivation cited by director Nate Parker.  In his interview he states that he hopes that Nat Turner's story will inspire resistance through a "riotous disposition toward injustice" and further saying that the film is not a call for violence, but he would like it to be a call to action.

          This sounds fine in theory, but how does this read to young people who might be inclined toward action in the sense of violence and societal disruption of a highly negative manner.  We already have plenty of racial tension in parts of our country and in the minds of certain segments passionately charged groups that feel they have little to lose in doing harm to others with whom they might feel disgruntled.  Nate Parker might have highly idealistic motivations in his hopes for what his film inspires, but the inference that I got from his words is something that might not be good for our country.

          Sure, it's only a movie and might not amount to much of anything.  Still I'm not particularly thrilled about seeing a big box office return for this film considering what I've heard from its director.  I think the film should be boycotted in theaters and any monetary gain be minimized by avoiding adding to the enrichment of those who made the film.  I might see it if it comes to Netflix or television, but that is about as far as I would go.

         The current buzz about Oscar accolades for the film might fade because of Nate Parker's past rape accusations (you can read the stories about that on the internet).  I hope the Academy carefully considers promoting the status of this film by nominating it for any awards.  Not that I want to see this film disappear, but I don't know that it should become a big deal or an inspiration either.

         But maybe I'm wrong about this.   I'm just going by Nate Parker's interview and the articles I read after hearing that interview.   I was not impressed by what this actor/director had to say.  And not that I want to see the film disappear or be banned, but I don't want it to become a big influence to those disaffected citizens who could be inspired to do the wrong thing.

         In closing I'll leave you with this quote from Vinson Cunningham, an African-American staff writer for The New Yorker magazine who previously served as a staff assistant at the Obama White House.  Mr. Cunningham said in a fine New Yorker article:

 "The Birth of a Nation" isn't worth defending.   Nate Parker's retelling of Nat Turner's rebellion does not succeed as art or as propaganda.

         In the final analysis it's up to you and the public to decide.

Battle of the Bands Results

         My previous Battle of the Bands featured versions of the Grace Jones/Astor Piazzolla song "I've Seen That Face Before".   The outcome of this Battle somewhat surprised me as I was afraid that the unique vocals of Kovacs might not sit well with many voters.  I was wrong about that.  The Kovacs version was appreciated by many of you, but the Brady Harris Band had nearly an equal number of fans.

         I liked the version by Kovacs immensely.  Initially I was a bit iffy about the vocals, but it didn't take long for me to start getting into her jazzy style.  Since there are a number of live performances on YouTube of Kovacs performing this song I got a range of her abilities.  Sharon Kovacs is an excellent jazz vocalist.

        However, from the standpoint of extended listening preference, I much prefer the approach taken by the Brady Harris Band.  As some voters also agreed, this version seems especially haunting with the backing vocals, solid bass line, exquisite guitar work, and nifty reverse tape effects.  This version has a British invasion flavor somewhat reminiscent of Peter and Gordon and other such groups. 

        Although I adore what Kovacs does with this song, my vote goes to the Brady Harris Band.  And as is often the case, I am in the minority.  It wasn't an overwhelming decision, but clearly Kovacs is the favorite with most of the voters.  But barely...

Final Vote Tally:

Brady Harris Band           11

Kovacs                                13

Next Battle October 15th

          I'm going to continue my series of songs with themes that I'm relating to the upcoming presidential election.  Again the topic will be just a general question relating to the election and nothing contentious from my perspective.  Oh, but those comments can be interesting and fun.  Stayed tuned to this blog for some more Battle of the Bands excitement.

       Have you seen the 1915  film The Birth of a Nation and if so, what do you think of it?   Will you see (or have you seen) Nate Parker's new film The Birth of a Nation?    Do you consider Nat Turner a hero?    Explain your reasoning why or why not.  

And to take us out, here is an alternate live version of Kovacs singing "I've Seen That Face Before"

Related articles

• Gabrielle Union Is In A Tough Position With Birth Of A Nation
• Nate Parker's 'Birth Of A Nation' Starts It's Oscar Run With A Standing Ovation
• Entertainment › Parker, cast argue for 'Birth of a Nation' despite scandal
• Nate Parker's The Birth of a Nation heads to TIFF with a charged history
• 'This is not the Nate Parker story. This is the Nat Turner story': Amidst controversy, Birth of a Nation impresses

I've Seen That Face Before (#BOTB) & Questions

        Before I get into my Battle of the Bands contest, I want to address this month's...

Question of the Month

       The Question of the Month is hosted by Michael G D'Agostino from A Life Examined. The first Monday of each month I'll be answering a question posed by Michael prior to event day. Click on the link to his blog for more participants. 

This month's question:

  

“What’s a decision you’ve made in the past that you know, logically, was the right decision to make, but which you still feel guilty or regretful about?”

          In all honesty I can't think of any decisions that I would categorize in the way described by this question.  But then I have the philosophy of what's happened is done and over with so I have essentially conditioned myself not to experience feelings of regret in regards to things I can't change. Really, what's the point of lamenting the past?  Oh, sure, sometimes I'm sorry for things I've done, but sorry shouldn't be an ongoing process as far as I'm concerned.  Same thing with extended guilt feelings.  If I can fix anything then I'll do what I can and hope that remedies the situation.   Thinking about it doesn't repair any damages and one has to move on into the future.

         One decision that I was glad I made was to participate in Battle of the Bands.   That is coming up soon in this post, but first another question...

A Question about Familiarity

        The  two main competitors for the 2016 United States presidential race, Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump, are faces which the public has been familiar with for many years.  Most of us likely know about the candidates from hearing about them over the years and decades.   Proverbial wisdom suggests that familiarity breeds contempt, while others might feel a sense of affection and comfort in the face of their chosen candidate.

         Over the years we've seen well-known faces like World War Two general Dwight Eisenhower, the retry run of Richard Nixon in 1968, and a famous Hollywood actor in Ronald Reagan ascend to the White House--they were all pretty recognizable to American voters when they ran for office.

         Do you think American voters feel more comfortable voting for someone whose face they readily recognize?   

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 twice each month on the 1st and 15th.   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.



"I've Seen That Face Before" (1981)

         A while back I watched the Roman Polanski film Frantic (1988) which stars Harrison Ford.  It's a decent thriller about an American doctor whose wife disappears while they are visiting Paris, France.   The Grace Jones version of "I've Seen That Face Before" is a song that particularly stood out for me while I was watching the film.  Curious, I later researched the song on YouTube where I was pleased to find a number of interesting versions well suited for a Battle of the Bands match.

        The melody comes from an Astor Piazzolla tango called "Libertango" with added lyrics co-written by Jamaican model and singer Grace Jones. The haunting nature of the song fits ideally into the somber Polanski film. You can hear the original version by Grace Jones HERE, but please don't vote on this version--it's for the reference of those who are curious.



Brady Harris Band "I've Seen That Face Before" (2013)

         This band lives up the road from me according to their Facebook page.  I don't know anything more than what's online, but for more info visit their website.    I'll just let the music do the talking.





Kovacs "I've Seen That Face Before"  (2014)

        From Europe we have the Danish singer Sharon Kovacs with her jazzy take on this battle's song choice. Her website is here (music plays after you open so be aware).    And here's her version of "I've Seen That Face Before".     Enjoy.




Time to Vote!

       I hope that  you've enjoyed these two different takes on this haunting song.  Maybe it's not your style of music, but hopefully you'll keep a musically open mind in assessing the two versions.   Let us know what you think about these two recordings. Is there one that you prefer over the other?    If you're visiting a Battle of the Bands post for the first time then let me briefly explain.  Please give each song version a fair listen to decide which one you enjoy the most.  If you don't like either then at least tell us which recording was least innocuous to you. This comes down to your preference and it's as easy as that.

     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

DC Relief Battle of the Bands

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Cherdo on the Flipside  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Janie Junebug Righting & Editing.
  
J. A. Scott  

Quiet Laughter

Holli's Hoots and Hollers

Be ReInVintaged

the pedestrian writer

Winner Announced on Friday October 7th

         I'll be skipping a post this coming Monday so this one stays current until my post for Insecure Writer's Support Group on Wednesday October 5th.   Then next Friday I will announce who won the current Battle of the Bands.  Please vote on one of the above song versions!