Joan of Arc / The Martyr ( #BOTB )

We've got our corned beef brisket ready to cook on St. Pat's Day but I'll still need to run to the store on Monday to get some cabbage and potatoes to round out the dinner.  I hope I can get in the store.  All this shopping frenzy and panic is kind of weird.  Maybe people should stop paying so much attention to the news.  You'd think it's the end of the world...

Queuing up for panic buying at Costco (Washington Post)

        I've been to the grocery store a couple times this week, not for those items in heavy demand like toilet paper and water, but just for stuff we wanted though not necessarily needed.  Certain shelves were emptied and the store traffic was higher than normal for the time that I visited.  I've heard rumors and seen news reports about the crazy lines and panic buying, but haven't seen much first hand that was too extreme.  Still, what's going on does seem a bit wacky.

         We typically have a goodly supply of necessities and we had already stocked up from Costco before all this craziness started, so we are in fine shape for now.  And I'm not overly concerned about this pandemic mania.  I guess if it's not political nuttiness or climate change extremism or whatever, then somebody somewhere will concoct some other needless fear.  Not to say we shouldn't be concerned, but we shouldn't drive ourselves crazy with worry.

          What, me worry? Alfred E. Newman said it best for me...


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.


Saints Be Praised!

         This week it's all about St. Patrick and all things Irish.  I guess I'll avoid this general theme for my Battle of the Bands and instead give tribute to another saint--Joan of Arc.  There are a number of songs that pay homage to St. Joan.  For this Battle I've chose two that are personal favorites...




Jennifer Warnes    "Joan of Arc"  (1987)

        Though there were a few Leonard Cohen songs that had caught my attention over the years, I wasn't much of a fan until Jennifer Warnes came out with her Famous Blue Raincoat album in 1986. I don't know what made me buy the cassette of her album, but I did and I liked it a great deal and as a consequence became more interested in Cohen's albums, eventually buying several of them to add to my music collection.

        In her rendition of "Joan of Arc", Warnes is joined by the composer himself, Leonard Cohen.  The recording is somewhat long so listening to the first couple of minutes will provide the gist of the song, but you might just like it so well that you will want to keep listening.  Give it a try...








Wally   "The Martyr"  (1974)

         Wally is a mostly forgotten and underrated prog rock band from the 1970's.  I first heard their song "The Martyr" in early 1975 on a radio station broadcasting from Johnson City TN.  The song immediately attracted me with the stately classically tinged violin solo that repeats throughout and then culminates into a dramatic prog rock closing. 
       
         Though I was living in a cabin in the mountains at the time (we had electricity so I could listen to music), first chance I had to drive down to Knoxville I went to a record store to purchase the vinyl LP which I still have to this day.

          As with the previous song, "The Martyr" is probably a bit long for some of you so you might want to just sample some of it.  If you don't feel compelled to listen to the entire track then get a sample of the beginning and then run forward to about 4:40 where they start rocking out a bit more.  Give it chance and see what you think...






Time to Vote!

         You don't have to be a martyr about this, but I hope you'll indulge us in listening to these two songs.   Which song 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 March 23rd

          For those interested in Blogging from A to Z, don't forget that the Theme Reveal will be happening on Monday March 16th.  I'm not doing any special post for this as my theme is still kind of in the works.  In other words, I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing.  On the sign up sheet I stated my theme as "Life Goals", but that might not be exactly right--kind of right, maybe, but maybe not exactly.   I might actually be winging it this year.  Kind of like I did the first year.  Still there should be a lot of A to Z participants who will have something to say for Theme Reveal Day.

Everybody Knows (#BOTB)

     "Everybody knows that the dice are loaded"-- "The system is rigged" Bernie Sanders might say,  Of course this is correct--isn't it?   This system is rigged in favor of a power beyond little control of the average voter.  Everybody knows.

 Seal of the President of the United States
. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

        Rigged or not, running for president as we are seeing more than ever over the past many months is a grueling process.   One might wonder what it is that compels anyone to put themselves in a position of such scrutiny that their lives become open books to the world.

         With the internet, full disclosure of a candidate's background is an ongoing process in the hands of legitimate investigation as well as the most outlandish smears unlike anything the press of the past was ever able to concoct.  Now the press is not so much of a news dissemination service as it is a medium of influence and manipulation of public opinion.  Truth is often indistinguishable from lies and many people don't care that much anyway.

          So the mud is slung and the people wallow in it.  In the process we all become dirtied and disillusioned.  Most of all, the candidates themselves are stripped naked and their dirtiest secrets are revealed.   Their families are put under the microscope and everyone touched by the candidates gets some of the filth rubbed off on them.

         The political scene is nastier than ever.   The candidates who run for president are risking being tainted for life if not being totally ruined.  Friends, allies, and families can be split apart.  Each election in recent decades has brought more distrust among the parties, the factions, and the people who make up an increasingly more divided nation.

          Whoever wins the 2016 election as well as whoever loses will be exposed for things they've said and done as well as things they have been accused of saying and doing.  The next president of the United States will likely face an almost impossibly divided electorate leading to less and less cooperative efforts toward getting things done and a greater threat of a United States ruled by a totalitarian leaning government.

           The legislative branch of the United States government will likely continue in the weak bickering state they've been in over the past administration as the next president issues more executive orders or relies on Supreme Court decisions to make law.  Exactly how all this turns out will depend on the outcome of the election.

           In the days to come we'll see more and more layers of the onion skin peeled away with more and more disturbing evidence about each candidate delivered by biased media.   Truth and lies will be rampant leaving us to figure out which is which.  And the candidates will have to steel themselves up to endure the onslaught.   The voters might have a difficult time sorting it all out and in the end the issues and the impact on the future might not even matter.   Maybe it will just come down to the superficial things.   The nation will pay the price in the years to come.   Or maybe reap the rewards--we can hope.

            Why do you think anyone would subject themselves to such exposure for themselves and their families?    Do you think this current election will sharpen the divide among people in the United States or bring them together?    Do you believe the system is rigged?


The 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.


"Everybody Knows"  (1988)

      This song first came to my attention when I saw Atom Egoyan's 1994 film Exotica.  The original Leonard Cohen version was used in the soundtrack.   My wife liked Cohen's vocal in the song and the song became one of her favorites.   Since my wife liked the song so well I purchased a number of different CD's with covers of the song as well as Cohen's original version which has remained her favorite.   I like the Don Henley cover which got frequent play on Los Angeles radio stations in the latter half of the nineties.

      "Everybody Knows" presents a bleak outlook of the world and human nature in general as it refers to a number of social issues and provides a commentary about the government and those under its rule.   The song doesn't offer much hope for the future while delivering an acerbic judgement about humanity throughout the ages.   Still, I find it to be an interesting song and not an unpleasant listening experience.

          If you want to reference the original Leonard Cohen version you can listen here, but please don't vote on it.   Instead, listen to the following two versions and vote on your favorite of these two.  

Concrete Blonde "Everybody Knows" (1990)
       




Holly Figueroa O'Reilly  "Everybody Knows"  (2007)






Time to Vote!

       I don't know if everybody knows what to do next so let me explain.  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?   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

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Cherdo on the Flipside  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Janie Junebug Righting & Editing.
  
J. A. Scott  

Holli's Hoots and Hollers

Be ReInVintaged


Winner Announced on Friday October 21st

         There will be no post on Monday in order for this post to get maximum exposure. However I'll be here on Friday October 21st to announce the winning version of "Everybody Knows."   Not everybody knows which version is going to win the most votes, but on Friday you'll find out. 

Related articles

• Krauthammer: 'Everybody Knows' Hillary Has a Private and Public Position On Everything, and That Trump Is Crude - Breitbart
• The US Election: an Exercise in Mendacity
• Donald Trump Jr. says media would be 'warming up the gas chamber' if Republicans acted like Hillary Clinton
• Trump U. would help Trump

Attack! First We Take Manhattan (#BOTB)(#atozchallenge)

Attack on Manhattan

September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City: View of the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty. (Image: US National Park Service ) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

        When asked what Manhattan brings to mind, just about any adult in the United States will at some point think about the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.  This terrible event is one of those things most of us will remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard what had happened in New York City on that fated morning.  In my case, I was fixated by the television images and the reports on the radio.  My business came to a near standstill on that day and for a couple days to follow.   We had never witnessed anything quite like that event and hopefully never will again, but I'm sure more is yet to come.

        Now the years have passed and the world has changed in many ways as a result of the catastrophic attack on Manhattan.  The current generation can certainly never forget what happened on that fateful day.  It's likely to be remembered long after all of us are dead and gone.

         The attack on Manhattan was horrible and yet Manhattan remains an extraordinarily wondrous place.  It is a lure to dream seekers.  With so much to see and do, the island city attracts millions of visitors from around the world.  Perhaps you are planning a visit to the city sometime in the future.  During the month of April this blog will be exploring the city and contemplating some of the things the city and what the name "Manhattan" evokes in our minds.

           Manhattan is a city of sights and sounds; people, cars, and buildings.  More than anyone can take in over the span of a day, a week, a year, or even a lifetime.  Manhattan is more than a city in New York.  Manhattan is also a concept and a descriptive term.  We'll take on Manhattan during A to Z Challenge and we'll barely even scratch the surface.

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event hosted by Far Away Series and  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.



First We Take Manhattan

        Written by Leonard Cohen, "First We Take Manhattan" was first recorded by Jennifer Warnes for her 1987 Famous Blue Raincoat album which consisted of all Cohen songs.  The song is prescient in its near prediction of Manhattan attacks that were to come later.  Concerning the meaning of the song, Cohen admits that it is about terrorism, but he suggests that it relates also in a metaphorical way to psychic or intellectual terrorism (1).

        After the release of the recording by Jennifer Warnes, Leonard Cohen released his own version in 1988.  Cohen gives the song a unique synth-pop treatment that is uncharacteristic of his typical style and quite different from the two versions I'm presenting in my Battle to be found below.  Don't vote on Cohen's version but if you're interested in hearing it you can click here.

        I first purchased Warnes' Cohen tribute album when it came out in 1987.  In the front of a large record store in a mall in Toronto there was a promotional display advertising the release of the album.  Since I always spent a lot of the money I made in Canada so I wouldn't have to exchange it going back across the border, I always bought a lot of cassettes while I was there.  Though I wasn't overly familiar with the work of Jennifer Warnes, this album was receiving a lot of hype while I was in Canada so I figured it would be worth buying.  I was glad that I did.  It's a fine album with several good Cohen songs capably performed by Ms. Warnes.

       When I hear this song by any artist my eyes can't help but water up as I feel a creeping chill beneath my skin.  It's probably mostly due to what happened on 9/11, but even before then there was an eerie aspect to the song that made me consider the implications of what the song says.  Now that we've seen 9/11 and in more recent times the influx of refugees into Germany and the rest of Europe, the concept of Berlin being the next take down seems far more a possibility than back when the song was first released.

        Here are two very fine versions of "First We Take Manhattan":

   
Jennifer Warnes "First We Take Manhattan"  (1987)

        This version includes some outstanding guitar work by Stevie Ray Vaughn who is also seen in the original music video which I am using here.  Also making a brief appearance in the video is Leonard Cohen, the composer of the song. (2)






Joe Cocker "First We Take Manhattan"  (1999)

       This version of the Cohen song comes from Cocker's album No Ordinary World.  The video I'm using is not an "Official Video" as it is wrongly labeled, but the images depict the terrible events on 9/11.







Time to Vote!

        This is one of the tougher Battle picks for me, but the choosing is in your hands.  I like both of these versions a great deal.  What about you?  Let us know what you think about these versions. There must be 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 prefer over the other.  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:

‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ 

 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



Results on Friday April 8th

       I'll be announcing the results of the voting on this Battle next Friday April 8th. Since we are embarking on the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge, there will posts every day except Sunday on Tossing It Out. I hope you'll stop in to check some of my posts about Manhattan--you might even see yourself featured in some of them since many of the posts are based on comments left on my January post What Does "Manhattan" Say to You?.

       Next Battle of the Bands post will be on April 15th with another song about Manhattan.
      
         What you doing when you heard about the events of 9/11?   How did 9/11 affect you at the time that it happened?   How did the event affect you in the years afterwards?  

An Encounter with Celebrity & BOTB results

The 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 answer a question posed by Michael prior to event day. Click on the link to his blog for more participants. 

Here is the question for March:

“Have you ever met an idol/influence/someone you really admire? How did it go?”

       Over the years,  having worked extensively in the world of show business, I've met many widely known celebrities as well as niche celebrities who were notable mostly to a specific group of people.  I've never been one to be overly wowed by the concept of celebrity so I've often tended to avoid too much interaction with well known people.  Also, along with being innately shy, I often feel awkward when given an opportunity to make contact with a celebrity in that I don't want to bother them.

       If there were a purpose in a celebrity wanting to meet with me then that would be one thing.  But for me to reach out for little other purpose than to meet a celebrity in passing or have a photo op or anything of that nature, that's something I'd be likely not to do.

On Time (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

       One of my biggest celebrity encounters (read more about it here) was with rock star Mark Farner.   For those not in touch with the giants of the 1970's rock scene, Farner was lead singer and guitarist for the hugely popular group Grand Funk Railroad.  The meeting happened because I promoted a concert in 1988 with Farner and his band as the headline act.  Of course I met him!  And what a nice guy he was.  

        Farner was working as a solo artist at the time I hired him and his band.  He had embarked upon a new career as a contemporary Christian artist and was successful in that field of music as well, though nowhere like he was with Grand Funk.  He and I had dinner together the night of the show and it was a great time of discussion between us.  I was impressed by his humility and gentle demeanor.  I wish we could have had longer to visit that evening, but he had a set to perform and I had a concert to oversee.   Farner closed the show with a powerful line-up of songs.   His fans, including me, were not disappointed that night.

          After the crowds had gone and the equipment was loaded, Farner said his farewell to me and climbed aboard the tour bus with his band to depart that night.   The meeting was a memorable one for me and my time together with Mark Farner left me with a very favorable impression of a man who had been a rock icon and still wielded the legacy that is his part of music history.

Battle of the Bands Results

       My most recent Battle was centered around the Leonard Cohen song The Future.  Before going in I had sensed that this might be a tough call as Cohen's songs are not always appreciated by everyone.  This song in particular is bleak and strange, but it's song that I happen to like a great deal.

       Either contestant was fine by me.   I thought the driving version presented by the Beggars was outstanding, but I also enjoyed the quirky version done by Glittering Kingdom.   I found myself listening to both versions repeatedly over the past few weeks, enjoying each one for its own merits--I felt the versions both had merit.

        In the end though my preference leaned more toward Glittering Kingdom.  For one thing I thought the live outdoor performance recording was excellent.  It would have been executed in a far more polished fashion if done in the studio, but the way it was done in the video was far more impressive to me.  The ladies are unique and talented.    With a nod of appreciation to Beggars, my vote goes to Glittering Kingdom.

Final Vote Tally:

Beggars                         22

Glittering Kingdom      14

Something Big Ahead!

          My next Battle will be the start of series of Battles related to my Blogging from A to Z April Challenge theme.   On March 15th I will be introducing my April theme with an appropriately themed music Battle.  Later, in April, I will have two more Battles also related to my A to Z theme.  I'll provide more details and the story behind the theme in my March 15th post.  If you haven't signed up for the April event you might want to reconsider if you've decided against doing it.  If you don't know what I'm talking about please visit The A to Z Blog for more information.

         There will be more between now and my next Battle--maybe a bit of controversy along with a lighter post with a musical theme.  Nothing has been written yet so I can't tell you exactly what will happen, but I think something will happen.  And if it doesn't then just be here for my next Battle of the Bands post on March 15th.  

          Were you a fan of Grand Funk Railroad?    Are you a Leonard Cohen fan?   Do you dread when someone uses a Cohen song for a BOTB post?

The Future (#BOTB)

     For those looking for my #ISWG post please visit When Does the Fantasy Chase Away Readers?, but don't forget to vote on the Battle of the Bands that you find below.



                Battle of the Bands

     Battle of the Bands is the blogging event hosted by Far Away Series and  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.



The Future Is Coming

       In an election year many will be thinking of the future.  Of course we all can't help but think of the future in our own lives.  The future is serious stuff, but it can be fun too.  Before we get to the song let me mention one future topic that a number of bloggers are thinking of--Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

         There's likely not a reader of this blog who doesn't know about the    A to Z Challenge that has been occurring every April for the past 6 years.  Yes, can you believe it!  This year will be the seventh year of the Challenge and I'm hoping that you will be joining us again.

          My post today is a lead-in to this year's Challenge.   The song I've chosen provides a hint about one of my song picks for April.  Thinking about the future I'll say now that my next Battle of the Bands post on March 15th will be the announcement for my April A to Z theme.  I think my next three Battles are special as one post will lead to another.   If you want to join in the April fun then please visit Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

"The Future"

        I first heard the Leonard Cohen song "The Future" during the closing credits of the 1994 Oliver Stone film Natural Born Killers.   With prophetic lyrics sung over a driving rock beat the song captured my attention.  In my opinion it's rock and roll Cohen at his best.  The song has been covered by a number of artists.  If you'd like to hear the original version by Leonard Cohen you can click this link.  I've chosen not to embed the video here to discourage anyone from voting on Cohen's version.

         And now for the contestants:      

Beggars  "The Future"  (2008)

       Not too much that I could find about this group other than they released their cover of "The Future" on the London based Heavenly Recordings label.  I like the drive of this version.   





Glittering Kingdom "The Future"  (2014)

     I didn't find too much specific information about the group, but it seems it is a sort of super group comprised of artists who are active in the Vancouver, BC music scene.  A very talented group of ladies from whom I'd like to hear more.  I found this version to be innovative with a unique video to go with it.






Time to Vote!

        The future holds the winner of this Battle, but the choosing is in your hands.  Let us know what you think about these versions. There must be one that you prefer over the other.  For me it's a tough choice.   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 prefer over the other.  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:

‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ 

 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

NovelBrews

Be ReInVintaged



Results on Monday March 7th
      
        Cast your vote now so you don't forget!   Maybe another post or two will appear between then and now, but I'll definitely be back on the 7th with the voting results.   My blogging has become a bit unpredictable of late so be ready for some surprises.  My brain can end up in some strange places sometimes.  But you probably know that already.

         Do you plan much for your future?    Do you think about your future?   Do you care about your future?