#BattleOfTheBands: Labor Day Weekend Battle



Whew! Labor Day weekend!  With it being the first of the month, that means it is also time for the next installment of Battle of the Bands.



I thought for today’s battle I would go with a song for the working class. Paired with a long weekend, it just makes sense that the competitors be a group of friends that have gathered together for a jam session.  So, grab your favorite beverage and come ‘hang out’ with these competitors.  In the end, I’d like to hear who you favored the most. 

As a reminder for you seasoned readers and to help out those of you who may be new here

Here is how a battle works:

Step One - Listen to each of the contenders. TRY not to be persuaded by the videos

Step Two - Pick  the contender that you prefer the most (not just the one with the name you are familiar with)

Step Three - Comment  with your selection. The comment section has been set up so that anyone can leave a comment. I do ask that you please include your name, should you use the anonymous feature.

Step Four - Visit Stephen’s blog to check out his battle and for a list of other bloggers that have battles going on. We each have different battles, so please be sure to visit everyone. I'll provide a link below the videos to Stephen's blog for your convenience.


Now that we’ve got the formalities out of the way, let’s get to it!


Contender #1 -  Sam and Emma
These guys take a minute or two to really get into the song, so hang in there!





Contender #2 - The New Fortune
These guys seem pretty laid back and cool. I bet they throw a pretty good house party!





Now, to repeat myself:

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH AN ARTIST OR A SONG TO KNOW WHICH ONE YOU PREFER. You only need to listen to the videos and choose which one sounds better to you.  There are no right or wrong votes, unless you vote for someone not listed as a contender or don’t vote at all.


For those of you who may be interested in joining in our fun - The battles take place twice a month. Once on the 1st, and again on the 15th. Some participants have chosen to participate only once a month - and that’s okay - we’re just happy to have you join us! Your battle can consist of covers of the same song, different songs with the same title, or even a themed type battle. We just want you to join in the fun!  Catch the link to Stephen’s blog to join in - all you need to do is drop him a comment on his blog stating you’d like to participate and he’ll add you to the roster of participants.

I’d like to encourage you to visit the other bloggers participating in the battle of the bands blog hop as well.  We’ve all put a lot of time and effort into putting together these battles and they are a lot of fun. Each blogger has a different battle taking place. You can find a current list of participants on Stephen’s blog (don't forget you can also request to join the battle of the bands blog hop by simply commenting on his blog that you'd like to join us). 


Alright now… Cast your votes for Sam and Emma or The New Fortune!
Voting will end on Saturday, September 7 with results being posted on Sunday, September 8.

Hey! Before you leave… I want to invite you to join me in #RocktoberMusicFest2019
There’s no commitment - meaning you don’t have to participate each day.  Find out more information HERE








Comments

  1. I once went to a concert where BTO was the opening act and made the mistake of taking a first date with me. I was there to see the headliner Kansas, but the lady asked to leave after the BTO set saying it was too loud and she had a headache and needed to go home. Never much liked that "Taking Care of Business Song" anyway.

    These two versions still haven't sold me on the song. I'm not the biggest blues harmonica fan so the first version started me off on the wrong footing. The second version was more original so I'm giving them my vote.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww Lee

      Sorry to hear your date didn't go so well. Perhaps if she didn't have a headache, you may have come to enjoy the song. You never know.
      Thanks for stopping in with your vote!

      ~Mary

      Delete
  2. Really good (i.e., "tough") Battle, MMQE!

    First of all, I've always dug this song. Of the famous B-T O'drive songs, I'd say that 'You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet' is my favorite, but 'Takin' Care Of Business' ain't far behind it.

    OK... both versions are pretty good. I dug the harmonica opening in the Sam & Emma recording, and that guy on the keyboards (I'm assuming that's Sam, but the way things are today, that could be "Emma" and the singer could be "Sam") had some real chops on the ebony and ivory. Unfortunately, the singer (I'll go way out on a limb here and assume that's Emma) looks so young that I can scarcely believe she knows what she's singing about. Has she (he?) ever even punched a time clock in her (his) life? I rather doubt it.

    But aside from being mildly skeptical of a 16-year-old girl singing to me about the hardship of being a working man (er... person), I just found her voice to be a shade too sharp, too grating, too... well... a wee bit o' annoying. Not terribly so, but a wee bit o' so.

    The New Fortune played it MUCH more closely like the original Bachman-Turner Overdrive original, but I dug the percussion sounds played against the speaker, and that dude with the cool, Robin's-egg-blue guitar had all the original notes down pretty pat.

    I think I have to vote for THE NEW FORTUNE. But!... if they could manage to get that keyboardist from Sam & Emma to join them (whether the keyboardist is Sam or Emma, I'm still not sure), I think they'd have the makings of an E-Ticket group!!

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, McCarthy!

      I sure hope you are having a grand holiday weekend! I'm trying to stay to myself as there has been far too much drama in my life this past month. I was digging the harmonica as well in the first group, and I just really want to hang out and party with the second group. Maybe we could message the second group and have them invite the first group (sans Emma) over for a party!

      I hope you'll enjoy my next battle, and not think the song is over-rated.. but it's a special 'Back To School' Battle.

      Catch up with you soon!
      ~MMQE

      Delete
  3. Sam and Emma reminded me a little too much of all the crappy lounge acts I used to watch in small-town Holiday Inns. The New Fortune looked like they were having fun, and I liked the musicianship better, so I'll go with them. Good battle!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, John!

      The battle is having a bit of a slow start - I suspect it's due to the holiday weekend. Thanks for stopping in with your vote!

      Delete
  4. A Facebook vote from my good friend Burnham - voting for The New Fortune!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mary,

    Stephen's take on the different covers purrfectly and matches precisely the way I preceived both. Sam & Emma have talent. Emma's voice wears fast on the ears, though. Their rendition was more uptempo from the original which I didn't care too much about. Obviously, you know who's getting my vote...The New Fortune. I enjoyed their cover the best. They remind more of BTO. The recording wasn't top knotch but good enough for me to know that I liked this band's 'Taking Car of Business' cover. Great battle! Now to go boogie with you on the dance floor! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm thinking I didn't do such a great job in matching up the contestants. I thought for sure that Someone would appreciate the harmonica, but I'm afraid if things don't change soon, Sam & Emma are going to be out on their ears!

      Delete
  6. I love the original, and in fact, saw Randy Bachman perform it live with Burton Cummings a couple of weeks ago. I only mention that, by way of explaining why these covers didn't do much for me. That said, I vote for The New Fortune. They, at least, kept it similar to the BTO version. Sam's keyboard skills are awesome, but Emma's vocals didn't cut it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How awesome to have seen Bachman Cummings! They are such Canadian icons :) Yeah, I am thinking I missed the mark with Sam & Emma. Oh well...

      Delete
    2. It was a Burton Cummings concert and nobody in the audience had any idea that Randy Bachman would be there. Talk about a wonderful surprise! 😎

      Delete
  7. Yes, girlfriend, we are both doing the work theme! I love it!

    BTO irritated me back in the day. Our local station must have loved them because they played them to death.

    Now, when I hear it, nostalgia buffers my opinion. 😁

    New Fortune, you get my vote today!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That nostalgia thing does wonders sometimes! Another vote for New Fortune :)

      Delete
  8. The New Fortune gets my vote, liked the keyboards from the first one.

    ReplyDelete

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