And Your Bird Can Sing ( #BOTB )

 

    In my previous post I made a special request to my readers to visit my granddaughter Marley's YouTube page and become a "Subscriber".  If you haven't do so yet then I hope you'll visit her YouTube page and click through the procedure.  I'm trying to help her reach 100 subscribers by her birthday which is this week.  

       Marley sings like a bird and that leads me to my Battle of the Bands installment for this date...

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.

And Your Bird Can Sing

         This song was always one of my favorite Beatles tunes.  Maybe it's not as well known as some of their other tunes, but I think it's just as good if not better than most.  And it references "bird".  Another reason for me to take notice.

       Anyway, I've found two similarly presented videos of groups covering this Beatles song.  From the videos the groups seem to be out standing in their fields--or sitting or whatever.  Let us know whose version you like best...

Josh Turner Guitar   "And Your Bird Can Sing"   (2020)

 

Skyy Theater  "And Your Bird Can Sing"  (2016)

Time to Vote!
        
         This Battle is one for the Bird.    Please join in and play along in this Battle of the Bands.  I hope you'll at least give the versions a listen to discern your favorite.   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

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 



Winner of this Battle Announced on Wednesday September 22nd

        Vote on the Battle and subscribe to Marley Lego's YouTube channel.  Come back to hear the results.

A Big Favor Please

 

        I'll officially be returning to my blog on Wednesday September 15 with a new Battle of the Bands post, but today I'm here to ask a favor of you who follow my blog. 

       As some of you might know, I've been taking a blogging break for over a month now while I was taking a vacation to visit family back east.  It was a fantastic trip and I hated to see it end, but as all good things seem to do my vacation has ended.  I've been home for over two weeks now and have been trying to recuperate during that time.  The trip though fun was rather draining physically and mentally.  Getting back on my blog might be a bit tough for me.  I guess I was struggling before the trip though and going on vacation probably has little to do with having much enthusiasm for blogging.

      Anyway, I'm here today to ask a favor--a big favor.

      My oldest granddaughter, Marley Lego, has been singing since she was a baby and over the past several years has taken up a number of instruments.  She's becoming a rather accomplished musician who sings solo gigs as well as playing marimba in the high school band and singing and playing in various rock bands.  She's still in middle school, but recognizing her musical abilities, her music teacher convinced her to join the high school band which she has been doing for over a year now.

       All my New Jersey grandkids came to Tennessee with their parents during our vacation.  We stayed in a wonderful camping resort called Little Arrow in Townsend TN.  Nightly Marley would perform for us as we gathered round the campfire (so to speak) and dazzle us with her singing and playing talents.  I absolutely loved having that time with Marley and all the other kids.

        Something Marley failed to mention to me while I was with her is that she has a YouTube channel with 53 videos so far.  Fortunately, her mother (my youngest daughter) posted one of the videos on Facebook which alerted me to the channel.  Marley started the channel back at the beginning of this year and for now she looks to be experimenting with the medium, but her videos provide a look at some of her talent as well as her fun quirky personality. 

         If she keeps up what she's been doing I can see a lot of potential in her future.  For now though what she needs is more exposure and more followers.  Here's where that favor comes in.  I'm asking you to please check out the video sample I'm including in this post.   Listen to it and like it (hopefully you will like it).   Then, for the biggest favor, please "Subscribe" to her channel.  It's free to do so despite the misleading term of "Subscribe".   All you do is click on "Subscribe" and follow the directions.   I've subscribed to many video channels and really it's no big deal other than occasionally getting notified when a new video is posted on the channel.  Otherwise, no obligations.

        And here's the other part of this favor:   Friday will be Marley's 13th birthday and I'd love to see her reach 100 subscribers by then.   She only needs another 30 or so to reach that goal, so won't you please help her reach it by subscribing and maybe even sharing the video with any of your friends or followers.  Then if you can "Like" at least a few of the videos and maybe leave some encouraging comments you might be an early fan of a future music star!

        Here's one of her videos. Hope you enjoy it!

             Don't forget to "Subscribe" to the channel.   Help Marley achieve her musical dreams!   Thanks to all of you!

Summer Reading Perhaps? ( #IWSG )

 

Didn't think my quirky computer would let me post this month, but just at the last minute it decided to come back to life.  I think it's playing around with me....

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 August 4 posting of the IWSG are PK Hrezo, Cathrina Constantine, PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, and Sandra Cox!

August 4 question - What is your favorite writing craft book? Think of a book that every time you read it you learn something or you are inspired to write or try the new technique. And why?

          I have so many good writing craft books that I've read and probably more that I haven't. It's been years since I read a writing book and that was Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing.  I seem to recall enjoying it, but now that I've got this one on my mind I'm going to add it to the books I'll be taking with me on our upcoming summer cross country road trip.

        Yes, I'm going to take a chance on travel in these times of COVID stupidity.  I hope the rest of the country has more sense about it than my state of California.  I'm looking forward to getting out of L.A. and retreating to something simpler and more peaceful in East Tennessee.

       I can see me now sitting beside the Little River in the Smokey Mountains reading that Ray Bradbury book again.  Maybe I'll learn something new or inspiring.  Maybe I'll even start writing again.  Mostly though I want to enjoy being with my family.  

  

        Hope you are having a wonderful summer.  Stay safe.  Stay well,  Stay sane.  And avoid the nonsense.