Saturday, January 31, 2015

Battle of the Bands 14: My Funny Valentine




Since December my Battle of the Bands post have been pretty thematic. That continues this month as Valentine's Day strikes in the center of the month,  My selection this time around is Rodgers and Hart's "My Funny Valentine." The song is originally from the musical "Babes in Arms."

Before I get to the music let me explain what is going on and who else has battles!

Regular rules, listen to the song clips in the blog post. In the comment section vote for the one you like the best. Feel free to explain why you voted the way you did. The battles take place on the first and 15th and winners will be announced on the 7th and 21st. I will normally post the winner in the comments. Of course have fun and enjoy!

The below list is edited to welcome some new battles and unfortunately some battles have taken a break. If you are still looking for more musical fun after you vote, you can check out these sites for more battles:

DC Relief






The Sound of One Hand Typing


I am changing it around this month, I am not posting the original song. Just two very different covers.

CHALLENGER ONE: FRANK SINATRA


CHALLENGER TWO: ELLA FITZGERALD


A battle of the sexes if you a like. A battle between two legends if you like. A great song covered by two great voices enjoy. 

Enjoy! Vote in the comments and I will see you soon!

Monday, January 26, 2015

Sam Smith's Stay With Me and Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down

Almost like an in between Battle of the Bands. Sam Smith and Tom Petty have come to an agreement over Smith's song "Stay With Me." Apparently it is too close to Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." Under the agreement Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne will receive 12.5% of the song royalties each as co-writers. According to several sources including USA Today.

         To be honest I am a bigger fan of Tom Petty's music than I am of Sam Smith's music.             However with that being said I do think Sam Smith is a talented vocalist and his song "Stay with Me" is a beautiful pop song. Take a listen for yourself...


I also like Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." Though musically the songs may be similar I find the content of the two songs and the overall sound to be quite different.


What are your thoughts? 

Sunday, January 25, 2015

R.I.P Joe Franklin and Ernie Banks

Joe Franklin


Joe Franklin is considered a pioneer of the modern variety and talk show. In a television career lasting 43 years Franklin interviewed over 30000 guests. 88 is a long life and one we can celebrate.

Here are the Ramones on the Joe Franklin Show in 1988..


A great bit for a New Yorker like Franklin. Below he interviews Bing Crosby,,



Ernie Banks

Ernie Bank nearly made it to 84 before he passed away. His last major award came in 2013 when he was honored with The Presidential Medal of Freedom. That is an award not many baseball players receive.


Ernie Banks was elected into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977..



His stats would be better if he hadn't been in military service for a couple of years and playing in the Negro League. Still 14 All Star seasons out of 18 in the Majors is outstanding. He also won two MVP Awards, The Chicago Cubs retired his number 14 years ago.


May Mr. Cub rest in peace!


Friday, January 23, 2015

Happy Birthday Django Reinhardt!

A year and a half ago I blogged about the 60th anniversary of Django Reinhardt's death. You can revisit that post here. Today I celebrate what would be Django's 105th birthday.

Here he performs "Minor Swing"



Again with this post I am celebrating his life and legacy while trying to make sure my musical celebrations don't repeat my previous post.

Below is a piece called "Star Dust"


I will rap this post up with one more tune "Belleville"


Thanks for visiting I hope you enjoyed some Django jazz!

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Today was for the Birds

When I booked my fishing trip I wasn't sick. Then yesterday when my trip was cancelled and they left a message offering a shorter trip I assumed that was for today. The same day as the longer trip was scheduled. I tried to call back but no living voices answered the phone and my calls weren't answered.

Anyway, I prepared myself for the trip. Was it 6 or 7AM I didn't know. I made sure I was there early for the 6AM trip. My wife looked at me like I was crazy and said "they gave you an out, you're sick, you should take the out." She was right like most wives tend to be, husbands just hate to admit it.

The light frost on the top of my car may have been a hint from a higher power this wasn't a great idea. However, I was determined to go fishing!  I was at my destination by 5 including a pit stop at some gas station to stock up on cough drops, a vitamin water, and regular water.  I took medicine and downed vitamins before I left home.

When I got to my destination the only living thing around was the "early bird" and heck he may have stayed up all night. It could have been the "party bird" as the place looked like a night time fun stop.



The familiar hurry up and wait game we all have played a million times before. I waited, I walked around checked out all the boats. Sat on a bench and waited. Repeated those last two sentences a few times.

The light inside the boat I was supposed to go on was on. I could hear the radio playing from the vessel. Could it be a glimmer of hope?

6AM came. No one. Time kept ticking. Even the sun got out of bed..



The time moved closer to seven and with no one showing up I knew the only one going fishing was the birds!



Shortly after seven, I said goodbye to my feather friends like this one...



I took my bag and walked to my car. I drove to a local fishing pier. I debated fishing from the pier and when 8AM struck I was on the pier casting my line.

My adventures with birds would continue. I met a curious crow who decided to check out my bag, He hopped on top of it and peaked his head inside. Then he checked out my bait. I walked over and the crow barely moved just kind of looked at me. I picked up the bait and stated "mine." If I knew how my fishing luck was going to be I certainly would have given the bird a piece. Hindsight is always 20/20.

The only thing I caught was a seagull and a sunburn! The sea birds were chasing baits most of the morning. Then some kids decided to feed them creating a kind of feeding frenzy for the gulls. The next thing I knew I had one tangled in my lines.

I reeled the bird in which kept it from going into the water. The gull had twisted himself up quite well. Another angler grabbed the bird with a towel and we both began the task of untangling the poor bird. The bird had tangled both wings! Amazingly the bird stayed rather calm and we were able to untangle the critter. He lost a couple of feather but was able to fly away unharmed. Later I saw a one legged seagull and I pondered how it had lost it legs. Then it dawned on me that bird may have gotten tangled in a fishing line and may have endured a worse fate than the bird I had caught.

As far as fish I didn't catch a single one. The only fish that was a caught by anyone was a puffer fish. Oh well that is why they call it fishing.

The sun was shinning and when I looked at the coast I saw white sand beaches as far as the eye could see.



Gazing out into the Gulf of Mexico this was my view..



Add in the fact I was able to watch a pod of dolphins swim bad the the day was that bad. Years ago I probably would have been more upset about the fishing trip being cancelled or not catching a fish. I guess I am mellowing as I age. Maybe I am just able to look at things with different perspectives. After all I could have stayed home and be sick just as well. Of course being sick and sitting in the sunshine looking at beautiful scenery works just fine. As Jimmy Buffett sings "changes in latitudes changes in attitudes."

Until my next adventure take care! 

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Battle of the Bands 13: Winterlong




Welcome to my Battle of the Bands number 13! I know this is running late but I am feeling a bit under the weather, battling naps and the struggle of children doing homework. Continuing my winter theme  this month so I wonder what I will come up with.T

Regular rules, listen to the song clips in the blog post. In the comment section vote for the one you like the best. Feel free to explain why you voted the way you did. The battles take place on the first and 15th and winners will be announced on the 7th and 21st. I will normally post the winner in the comments. Of course have fun and enjoy!

The below list is edited to welcome some new battles and unfortunately some battles have taken a break. If you are still looking for more musical fun after you vote, you can check out these sites for more battles:

DC Relief






The Sound of One Hand Typing

Alex J. Cavanaugh

 
Original Song: Neil Young "Winterlong"


Challenger One: Whitehorse


Challenger Two: The Pixies


Enjoy! Vote in the comments and I will see you soon!

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

My Rankings: NCAA Football 2014-15 Final Ranking

The college football playoffs provided an undisputed champion in the Ohio State Buckeyes. Urban Myer has to be the coach of the year having a team when a championship led by a third string quarterback!  TCU moved up the most. I have Alabama, Oregon and Michigan State finishing out my top five.
     

Here are my final rankings of the season:

1) Ohio State Buckeyes (14-1)  beat Alabama 42-35 and stunned Oregon 42-20.

2) Texas Christian Horned Frogs (12-1) crushed Mississippi 42-3.

3) Alabama Crimson Tide  (12-2) lost to Ohio State 42-35.

4) Oregon Ducks (13-2)  crushed Florida State 59-20, fell to Ohio State 42-20,

5) Michigan State Spartans (11-2) beat Baylor 42-41.

6) Baylor Bears (11-2) lost to Michigan State 42-41.

7) Florida State University Seminoles (13-1) lost to Oregon 59-20.



8) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-3) beat Mississippi State 49-34.



9) Georgia Bulldogs (10-3)  whipped Louisville 37-14.

10)Missouri Tigers (11-3) beat Minnesota 33-17.

11) Clemson Tigers (10-3) crushed Oklahoma 40-6. 

12) UCLA Bruins (10-3)  defeated Kansas State 40-35.

13) Arizona State Sun Devils (10-3) beat Duke 36-31

14) Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-3) lost to Georgia Tech 49-34.

15) Wisconsin Badgers (11-3) nipped Auburn 34-31.

16) Marshall Thundering Herd (13-1) crushed Northern Illinois 52-23.

17) Boise State Broncos (12-2) defeated Arizona 38-30.

18) Kansas State Wildcats (9-4) fell to UCLA 40-35.

19) USC Trojans (9-4) topped Nebraska 45-42.

20) Utah Utes (9-4) beat Colorado State 45-10

21) Mississippi Rebels (9-4) was crushed by TCU 42-3.

22) Arizona Wildcats (10-4) lost to Boise State 38-30.

23) Air Force Falcons (10-3) defeated Western Michigan 38-24.

24) Memphis Tigers (10-3) defeated BYU 55-48 in a thriller,

25) Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-4) lost to USC 45-42/














19) Louisville Cardinals (9-3)  did not play.






22) Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3)  did not play.

23) Northern Illinois Huskies (11-2) crushed Bowling Green 51-17.

24) Colorado State Rams (10-2) did not play.

25) Auburn Tigers (8-4) did not play.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Happy Birthday Jimmy Page!

Today is Jimmy Page's 71st Birthday! Two years ago I gave a career spanning blog post for his 69th birthday which you may enjoy. I might do the same today but I don't want to repeat. However, I want to celebrate the music.

The song that has always grabbed me from his Yardbirds days is "Train Kepta Rollin'" ..


Yes I mixed it up with Jimmy guest appearing with Aerosmith! Hey we all like surprises!!
Below is a little Olympic Love with Leona Wilson...


The first time I saw him concert was during his "Outrider" tour...a live version of "Emerald Eyes"



I guess I need to get the Led Out or it would be a "Heartbreaker"


Happy Birthday Jimmy Page!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Battle of the Bands: California Dreaming



Welcome to my Battle of the Bands number 12! This month marks a new year! Last month my selections went with the Holiday theme. This month I will go with a Winter theme to kick off 2015.

Listen to the song clips in the blog post. In the comment section vote for the one you like the best. Feel free to explain why you voted the way you did. The battles take place on the first and 15th and winners will be announced on the 7th and 21st. I will normally post the winner in the comments. Of course have fun and enjoy!

If you are still looking for more musical fun after you vote, you can check out these sites for more battles:








The Creative Outlet of StratPlayer


Alex J. Cavanaugh


Original Song: The Mama and Papas California Dreaming


Challenger One: The Beach Boys

One of the best summer bands of all time present their presentation of the song..



Challenger Two: Bobby Womack

Adding contrast with my second version.



Enjoy! Vote in the comments and I will see you soon!