Subtract Attract and You've Got What?

     The closer I get, the farther away I sometimes feel.  It's all a matter of nuances, ongoing perplexities and a realm of complexities.   Then there are my own assumptions about the way I would want things to be.  In the end things all work out as they are meant to be.



Is Love the Drug?

A scene from Kennywood, an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania on the Monongahela River. This is a view of the Grand Carousel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

         If love or affinity does not exist between people then what is there?  We could be strangers known to each other, but each having a tacit refusal to recognize the other.   Like on a busy street we pass faces we see often, regularly avoiding eye contact, walking on.  There is our world and then there is the rest of the world that we don't know. 

       Perhaps in some deeply ingrained stubborn anger--an anger that understands not from where it came--or perhaps resentment rooted in events or words that have lost any actual impact on our lives other than the burden we carry in our memory--if we remember.   Facing days with fists clenched and steely expressions, we might wonder where our hate (even the smallest traces of hate), where we developed it and why we love who we do.

         But forgive my pondering.  Some of the greatest philosophers of this age are the writers and singers of song.  Sometimes when I hear songs, my mind wanders to places where the songwriters may have intended or maybe I take a side track.

           Love as a drug makes for good metaphor.  I can see how there are times in peoples' lives where it really does seem like love makes the world go 'round.  And I believe it does.  Sadly though, on this merry-go-round of life, there are other horses with names like Hurt, Hate, Sadness. and Loneliness.   Keep riding and reaching for the brass ring.  We all ride more than one of those horses in our lifetime.

           If your life was part of an amusement park, which ride would you be on most often?   As you get to know someone better do you ever find them to be more mystifying as time goes by?   What is your best cure for overcoming disappointment? 



Battle of the Bands Results

Love Is the Drug

        My recent Battle was between two versions of the Roxy Music hit "Love Is the Drug".    I presented a remake by the songwriter Bryan Ferry and a version by the rock group Divinyls.

        For me it started out to be a tough choice--I think both are very good, each for its own special reason.  I dug the horns--especially the saxophones--in the Bryan Ferry version.  After repeated listening I became more inclined to liking the Divinyls version and that's where my vote went.

         The Battle was a true horse race from the start, but in the end Bryan Ferry won by a nose. 


Final Vote Tally

Bryan Ferry       11

Divinyls              10



Happy Thanksgiving!

       A lot of readers will likely be celebrating a special dinner on Thursday of this week, but no matter what:  Always make your dinners special!  After all life is pretty special.  If you don't agree then I would recommend looking for the special things wherever you are.  If you can't seem to find anything special then take it upon yourself to make something or someone special.  That's one reason we have imagination.

Love Is The Drug (#BOTB)

The purest truest love is the cure for all of our ills.  Personally, I think I'm addicted to love...



   
       In my Remakes Blogfest post previous to this post I mentioned that my favorite film version of The Great Gatsby is the 2013 release directed by Baz Luhrmann.  The film soundtrack can be rather jarring at first--it was for me--but I began to not only get used to it, but I enjoyed it.  The incongruity of the crazy songs rather set the mood for the setting of the Roaring Twenties when the film takes place.  For my Battle of the Bands this round I pit a song from the Gatsby soundtrack (a remake of an earlier hit rock song) against another rock version of the same song...


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 blogs there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle on 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.

Love Is the Drug

          This song first done by Roxy Music in 1975 was the group's biggest hit.  You surely know it, but if not you can hear the original version here.   Please don't vote on the orignal!  The following are your choices:

Bryan Ferry  "Love Is the Drug"  (2012)

         This version by Ferry is essentially a  twice-over remake since he also sang the original with Roxy Music.  Here he gives the song a hot jazz band sound which made it well suited for the Gatsby soundtrack.






Divinyls  "Love Is the Drug"  (1993)

        This Australian group rocks this song   Their version appeared on the soundtrack of Super Mario Brothers. 





Time to Vote!

        I think this is a very very tough choice.  Guess I'll have to come up with the version that is my personal favorite after several more listenings.   Do you have a preference between these two choices?   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 

Cherdo on the Flipside 


Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday November 20th

         With Thanksgiving next week I'm going to cut back the voting time which I think will be fine since you've got the weekend to cast your vote.  

         Busy times ahead for me--how about you?   Have you experienced what you've felt to be true pure unshakable love?   Does the use of more contemporary songs in films set in past periods bother you?