Howdy, folks! I'm terribly sorry to be combining posts like this again, but hopefully life levels out some and I get a bit of down time to prepare things a bit better in the next month. (No promises for this one yet-it's getting real up in here and I have to start doing things like pricing electricians, contractors and storage units, and taking care of some personal business to be sure I'm doing the right thing with this house.) So far, work and being sick seem to have sucked February right out of my life. But here's to getting better! And music...
First up is Battle of the Bands. From the BotB website:
"This is 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB') where you listen to different recordings of the same song and vote for the one you like best. Two "Battles" per month, on the 1st and 15th. Six days later (the 7th and 21st), I place my own vote, tally 'em all up and announce the winner."
The song I've chosen for the first of March is House of the Rising Sun. I always thought The Animals did the original, but according to Wikipedia, it's actually a folk song that's been around for quite some time and thusly, covered by quite a few notable artists as well as some lesser-knowns. I grew up listening to The Animals' version, and always found it eerie and creepy, but incredibly aurally delightful! (well, you do know I like the creepy things!) I will not be putting that version up for the battle, since it's the most well-known and I generally won't put the original and/or the most popular version of a song up for BotB consideration.
First up is one of two versions recroded by Louisiana native and legendary bluesman Leadbelly:
Next up is a version by alt/prog band Muse:
I'm really intersted to see where this vote goes, because the two selections couldn't be more different. And I love (and probably equally) the haunting simplicity of Leadbelly's blues version as well as the big, spacey, modern sound of Muse's cover.
The theme for this week's Monday's Music Moves Me is "Caribbean Music". I like! I think my favorite of the Caribbean music genres is definitely reggae, and I hope you love it as much as I do!
Peter Tosh/The Wailers - "Go Tell It On The Mountain"
What music moves YOU today?
Kim - Okay - woman... creepy, huh?
ReplyDeleteSo, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is off limits?! Ha! I did enjoy hearing it.
So we have blues vs alt/prog. Hmm, when I first listened to Leadbelly, I thought it really creepy, but then I jumped down to hear Muse... this is tough for me. I gave them both a couple of extra listens. The blues'man is wearing on me, and the folk song description rings true. I like the Muse vocal pretty much but what you call, "the big spacey modern sound" simply isn't me. If I could have chopped off the last 40 seconds I'm sure I would vote for them.
Very interesting battle... unique 'stuffies.' Thank you.
I vote for Leadbelly.
Maybe I can do a battle specifically with "Go Tell It On The Mountain" one of these days!
DeleteVote entered! You had a great battle today, too. It was a tough choice!
DeleteI was sober when I did this one. (smile) Just kidddddding. Thank you.
Deletedef liking the reggae choice! well played - thanks :)
ReplyDeletehapPy 4Ms - hoping you're well soon and repairs in hand
Thank you for stopping by, FHC - glad you liked my reggae choice :) Thanks for the well-wishes, too. You have yourself a great week!
DeleteMuse will get my vote - I enjoyed Leadbelly and his artistic originality but I'm more familiar with the bigger sound. So familiarity wins the day for me ..
ReplyDeleteNoted! I actually had to go with the more familiar (to me) sound of Deep Purple on someone else's battle, so I totally get it. Sometimes I'm just not all that taken with, let alone blown away by, other versions.
DeleteMuse has my vote! Great song too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping a Caribbean song in there too! :)
http://yaknowstuff.blogspot.com/2015/03/mondays-music-moves-mecaribbean-theme.html
Got it! Thanks for stopping by, and for voting :)
DeleteI do like Peter Tosh those were interesting versions of House Of The Rising Sun :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a tanfabulous week :-)
He is great, isn't he?
DeleteLOL. I couldn't have a tanfabulous week if I tried. I know, because I have tried! My skin just won't ever get more than a shade or two darker than its lightest shade.
Well, it didn't surprise me to learn that Animal did the cover and not the original recording of The House of the Rising Sun. There would be no contest, if you did pit Animals against either of your choices. So, it's a good thing you left them out of the loop for this BoTB. I found I couldn't get into the bluesy original version of Lead Belly. Muse's vocals are stronger and a bit eerie like Animal,but the instrumentals in spots bugged me. I guess that's the alt/prog flavor I'm hearing, eh? Despite this downside, my vote goes to Muse! Fabulous BoTB round, Kim!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful old time gospel classic reggae style! I'm looking forward to the warmer temps promised this week. Have a tunetastic week! ;)
I loved the Peter Tosh version of this, and was just waiting for the right time to include it in a MM post!
DeleteAs for House of the Rising Sun, none of these featured are the original, as it's an old folk song - not even the original recording of it. But it does seem like Leadbelly *would* be the original, doesn't it?
Muse definitely has a weirdness to their sound, but I think overall it gives them a unique vibe without being too weird (relatively speaking). Got your vote added to the others! Thank you for voting!
Anytime you have Leadbelly you are good. Thanks for sharing the great tunes.
ReplyDeleteI agree; I plan on sharing more of his music in the future :)
DeleteHave a great week!
KIM ~
ReplyDeleteThat's some huge difference in these versions you're using. Always makes it interesting when a BOTB includes renditions that are so drastically different that it doesn't even seem like the same song.
Well, I'm a real fan of both Country and Urban Blues, and the Prog/Rock style is something I don't often care for, finding it too jarring and (dare I say it?) somewhat closer to noise than music to my ears.
Predictably, I vote for Huddie Ledbetter.
A short, amusing story...
In Martin Scorsese's documentary about Bob Dylan, 'NO DIRECTION HOME', Dave Van Ronk, one of the mainstays of the early Greenwich Village Folk scene where Dylan got his start, is interviewed. Dylan had heard Van Ronk play 'HOUSE OF THE RISIN' SUN' many times in the coffeehouses, and when Dylan recorded his debut album, he included the song, using Van Ronk's arrangement of it.
Later, before the album was actually released to the public, Dylan asked Van Ronk if he would mind if he recorded Van Ronk's version of the song and used it on his first album. Van Ronk said he'd rather Dylan didn't because he himself intended to eventually record it. Dylan responded, "Uh-oh", because he'd already done it and it WAS going to be on that first Dylan LP.
In the film interview, Van Ronk recounts:
"After he [Bob Dylan] recorded it, I had to stop singing the song because people were constantly accusing me of having got the song from Bobby's record. Now THAT was very, very annoying. ... Later on when Eric Burdon and The Animals picked the song up from Bobby and recorded it, Bobby told me that HE had to drop the song because everyone was accusing him of ripping it off from Eric Burdon!"
And then Van Ronk lets out this boisterous, satisfied laugh. (It's a super-interesting documentary all the way around, KIM, and if interested, you should definitely check it out.)
Nice BOTB installment, my friend.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
That's hilarious, D-Fens! I definitely will watch that documentary (one of these days - I still haven't seen It Might Get Loud, and that's been on my list for a few years now!) - I love music documentaries!
DeleteAs for this BotB, I chose these two versions because they were extremely different. The next one I have planned, the songs will actually be quite similar in many ways - but still worth being heard side by side. You'll see!
I'm glad you are feeling much better.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything come together so you can take care of business.
It's really hard to choose between the two BOTB
I think because of the level, I'd choose Lead Belly.
And I can't tell when last I heard Peter Tosh!
Thanks for sharing and rocking!
Have a successful week!
Thank you, Callie! I am definitely on the mend, just at that point in recovery where the symptoms seem even worse than the illness itself. Coughing, despite cough syrup, cough drops, and Nyquil, has been keeping me up nights. I am sooooo over it!
DeleteThank you for voting in the BotB installment, and I'm glad I was able to play some Tosh for you, then! I hope it brought a smile to your face.
Really enjoyed The Wailers 'Go Tell It on the Mountain'. thank you for posting THIS as Caribbean Music instead of Jimmy Buffet or something like that. Only the people Stateside think of THAT as Caribbean Music.
ReplyDeleteI'm most familiar with Eric Burdon and the animals version of 'House of the Rising Sun, but I did know it was a cover. I'm pretty sure if you had used it in this BATTLE it would have been a shut-out. Smart move, not to.
I was anxious to hear the Muse version. I like some of the stuff, but I think it might be their older stuff. Like the 'Black Hole' song and "Starlight' (I think those are the right song titles), but this one NOT SO MUCH. a little too techno for my tastes.
Ledbelly's version is more the traditional 'folk' type as opposed to the original. BUT, I cast my vot4e for Leadbelly.
Good BATTLE Kim. I like the versions that are sooo different.
Funny thing about Buffett is I LOVE HIM! Can definitely tell his music is Caribbean-influenced in many ways. Key word: influenced. His music may not be Caribbean, but hearing it sure takes me there anyway. A friend and I were talking about him one evening, and we just decided he is in a genre all his own, LOL!
DeleteThanks for your opinions on the two songs presented; I got your vote added to the mix :)
I had no idea this song was as old as this. I only knew the version by The Animals. Muse is too heavy metal for me and too nerve wracking for my taste. The different music sounds seem to fight each other. I prefer Leadbelly's version. It is simple but really brings this song home for me
ReplyDeleteI had no idea, either, Brigit! I thought about pitting Muse against Five Finger Death Punch (a hard rock band, if you're not already familiar with them), but wondered if I might have another situation where people just really didn't like either - although I really like both their versions. Leadbelly at least took it to the other end of the playing field.
DeleteAnother vote for Leadbelly added to the count!
The Animals version of "House of the Rising Sun" is one of the first 45's I ever bought--well, actually the 45 was a cheapo rip-off duplication of the Animals, but it was cheap. Loved the Animals version.
ReplyDeleteI knew this song was essentially a folk or blues song. Usually I enjoy listening to the earlier blues versions but don't overwhelmingly like them. I was pretty sure that I'd be voting for the version by Muse. However, that version was a bit to raucous and cacophonous for my taste and I didn't care much for it.
Going back to Leadbelly's version it now almost sounded soothing. I'm not knocked out by the Leadbelly version, but I'm going to have to vote for it.
I prefer Leadbelly of these two choices. Now I'm going to scroll back up to see what everyone else thought.
Interesting contrast in song versions.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Another for Leadbelly :) Thanks for voting! You voters always point out song characteristics I don't even think of when putting them up for "battle."
DeleteFor certain, Leadbelly's version. The prog-rock version is just noise.
ReplyDeleteMy battle is here: http://goo.gl/DfLqIv
I got your vote for Leadbelly! I guess it's all in preference and perspective :)
DeleteGreat contrasts! I will vote for Leadbelly but it was pretty close in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid that Muse is just too loud for me. Too much "other" stuff going on. I actually like the vocals on the Muse version pretty well... but everything else... no. So, put me down for Leadbelly.
ReplyDelete