Wednesday, March 15, 2017

BoTB ~ Then He (I) Kissed Me (Her)

Hello friends! Can you believe it is mid-March? Can you believe winter decided to go for one last dump?  Sorry if you found the use of the word "dump" offensive. Seems like you can't turn a corner these days without offending someone. I know I'm getting used to it.



Speaking of offensive, I just read an article about a lady that has put out a coloring book on menstruation. Yeah, I know that's kind of gross all by itself. (Make sure you have plenty of red crayons kids!) But, the part that had me scratching my head was that this coloring book author (are these folks authors???) teaches that men and women menstruate. Confused much? Me too. I'm not sure where the boys are supposed to put those tampons, but it sounds painful to me. Kids won't be just going to the ER to retrieve those peanuts from noses with this generation. Common sense has left the building. Kiss it goodbye, folks.

Speaking of kissing, I thought of the song for my battle a few days ago. It's not to be confused with And Then You Kissed Me by The Cardigans, which is a great song, but not it! And then, since we're having so much gender trouble these days (because genitalia no longer determines gender, which begs the question of what does if not biology... but moving on... nothing to see here) I decided to choose two versions of this song by you guessed it... different genders. So, depending on you who you ask...  then he kissed me or then I kissed her. I also decided to give you as much possible bang for your buck (man, I'm ON it today!) and go with two heavy hitters.

So, sit back and put on your listening ears. Are you ready to rumble???



The Crystals sing Then He Kissed Me. For your pleasure, I will actually consult Wikipedia on this song. It's been around. The competitor knows a lot about that!



The Beach Boys recorded their take, renaming it Then I Kissed Her.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about them both.

"Then He Kissed Me" is a song written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. The song, produced by Spector, was initially released as a single in July 1963 by The Crystals. It is a narrative of a young woman's encounter, romance, and eventual marriage with a fellow youth.
In 2004, this song was #493 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[1] Pitchfork Media placed it at number 18 on its list of "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s".[2]

The Crystals version

The single is one of The Crystals' most remembered songs. The lead vocal was sung by Dolores "LaLa" Brooks. In the United States the single peaked at number six and in the United Kingdom the single peaked at number two. The single was The Crystals' third single to chart in the top ten in the United States and their second to reach the top ten in the United Kingdom. The song was also a major hit in the Republic of Ireland, reaching number three in the charts there.
 
The Crystals' version was used in its entirety in the 1990 film Goodfellas during the famous three-minute tracking shot through the Copacabana night club. In an homage to that scene, the song (in an artificially extended version) was used in the final episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

The song was also used during the opening credits of the film Adventures in Babysitting, as Elisabeth Shue dances and lip-syncs the song. It is also heard at the end of the film during the last scene and over part of the end credits.

It was used in a scene from The Simpsons 2006 episode "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play".


The Beach Boys version

The song was re-worded to the title "Then I Kissed Her" and released by The Beach Boys on their 1965 album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) with Al Jardine on lead vocals and production by Brian Wilson. Beyond title and gender changes, new lyrics were written retelling the story of the Crystals' song from the boyfriend's point of view.

Two years after appearing on the album, in April 1967 the song was released as a single in the United Kingdom, appearing as a stop-gap release while work continued on the "Heroes and Villains" single. This was reportedly done against the band's wishes, Beach Boys band member Mike Love commented on May 7, 1967 "The record company didn't even have the decency to put out one of Brian’s own compositions. The reason for the hold up with a new single has simply been that we wanted to give our public the best and the best isn't ready yet."[3]

"Then I Kissed Her" charted at number four in the United Kingdom. The B-side of the single was "Mountain of Love", a song off the band's 1965 Beach Boys' Party! album.

  The song inspired The Sun front page headline And Then He Kissed Her on 30 July 1981, the day after the marriage of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer.[11]


Okay, now that you're on info overload, let's just play them both.

The Crystals:



The Beach Boys:




Please vote for the version of this song you prefer. If you want to get into the Ins and Outs of why you like one better than the other... I LOVE long comments!

For more Battle of the Bands fun, check out the other BOTB bloggers to vote on their battles. I've stopped trying to keep up with who is running a battle and who isn't. To see who is participating, go here: Stephen T. McCarthy's Battle of the Bands Blog.

42 comments:

  1. As a dude, I can tell you that is totally false.
    Sorry, Beach Boys wins it for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just can't imagine telling ANYONE I've got this "great idea." They ask what it is and I say a coloring book on menstruation. And then they say... "FANTASTIC. THE WORLD NEEDS THAT!!!" I can imagine puzzled looks and internal wondering if I've really lost it this time.

      What's next? A coloring book on what it's like to be a teenage boy in the morning? Yes, it's awkward, but totally normal. Doesn't mean we need a coloring book folks...

      Delete
  2. I thought it might be a difficult decision because I love The Beach Boys, but as soon as I listened to both versions I knew I had to vote for The Crystals and their original classic.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Damn! Is it Wednesday already? I must have fallen asleep Tuesday afternoon and my wife didn't even wake me when she got home. Talking about time flying.

    Actually, I like it when BOTB posts go up early so I can get a jump on voting. Mine will still go up the usual time so I hope you don't forget to come back.

    Agree totally on this issue of offense. I seem to offend so many people these days that sometimes I feel like just staying home and reading and watching TV. Well, that's mostly what I do anyway. And then some people will get offended that I haven't called them. I'm like, hey wait a minute--you've got my number. Why don't you call me sometimes?" I don't know why those people would want me to call them anyway because I always seem to say at least one thing that offends them.

    Oh, sorry about my rambling--hope you're not offended.

    And now to the song. I well remember both versions. The Crystals version came out when I first started paying attention to music charts. I liked it then and it still sounds good.

    Beach Boys always sound good so that makes this choice a tough one.

    The Boys version sounds a bit punchy and harsh so I think I'm going to go for the Spector "Wall of Sound" sound with those castanets and strings. Like I say this is a tough choice, but for me it will be The Crystals. Memories you know.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Lee, you are blazing trails on your blog. I don't know if I've said it, but I admire you blogging about a topic (in this case, Trump) that make folks think.

      In case you didn't know it (and this may warrant some research and a blog bit), the definitions of words are changing. And people's attitudes about words. More and more young people are opposed to free speech. Did you know that? Of course, these are the same young people out protesting in the streets and attacking people (plus others who aren't). The numbers are staggering. And then there are those who think the only people who should have free speech are those that don't engage in what they call hate speech. What is hate speech? Speech that they don't agree with, of course. They can't grasp that speech is only free when those speak that which is completely unacceptable to you is allowed. If that speech is protected, your speech is protected. Seems obvious to me, but apparently not so much. So, these inheritors of the republic would rather have their be no free speech for anyone than for someone to say something that might offend them. What do they imagine life will look like in this scenario? (I see gas chambers and death camps. It's a curse to have a working knowledge of history.)

      Sorry for the ramble.

      Glad to transport you to your youth. Got your vote, Lee.

      Delete
    2. I have done a post or two about how words have changed. It's interesting to watch old movies to hear them say things that might make younger folks giggle because they are thinking in context to today's meanings. Especially the many times you hear a movie character saying something like, "I feel so gay!" It's so weird to hear and in the case of "gay" it's sad because it rhymes so well.

      The irony about "free speech" is that in the era of my youth my generation was taking to the streets to protest and call for the right of freedom of speech and now people are taking to the streets to shut down the rights of certain individuals and groups to freely express their opinions. It's kind of like the youth of today rebelling against what the older generation believes. We did that to, but seems like what we were rebelling against often made more sense.

      Arlee Bird
      Tossing It Out

      Delete
  4. I knew my vote, being familiar with both versions, but listened to them anyway.

    My first exposure to the song was actually a Bruce Springsteen radio broadcast (1975 Bottom Line concert), and he did the song Phil style.

    Spector may have been (may still be) a lunatic, but boy could he produce girl groups, and this song was one of the best of the lot.

    The Crystals for me.

    Interesting trivia-didja know Darlene Love, the actress who played Danny Glover's wife in the Lethal Weapon films, was a member of the Crystals (although I do not believe she was there for this song)?

    Larry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Larry, your knowledge of trivia is always impressive. No, I didn't know that.

      Are you watching the Lethal Weapon reboot on TV (Fox)?

      Delete
    2. I have seen a few minutes of the reboot, but I tend to do all my watching from Netflix, so am at least a season behind the rest of the world. And since I only watch an episode a day, it is doubtful I will ever catch up, or subscribe to cable again, since there is more in my Netflix queue than I am ever likely to actually get to.

      Right now I am watching Blacklist season two and The Killing season three.

      Delete
    3. I've not watched The Killing. That sounds... violent.

      I am in the current season of The Blacklist. I DVR it. I'm not completely up to speed, but I like it. James Spades makes an excellent anti-hero. Or is he the hero? I think he's both. Sometimes one and then the other. Ha!

      Delete
  5. Robin,

    Isn't it crazy how sensitive our society has gotten where everyone is so easily offended? Unfortunately this is what the open-minded left teaches who really isn't so open-minded if they are so easily offended, you know? But, anywho love the quote! What's this craziness with this coloring book author? Who wants a coloring about menstruation? Do we have to everything illustrated? What's the imagination for anyhow? Okay, okay let's get back on topic - the battle! I thought sure as the world I'd go with The Crystals but as it turns out my ear preferred the sound of The Beach Boys. I didn't see that one comin! Good battle.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. My least favorite comeback in any "discussion" is this:

      The science is settled.

      We have become a society that doesn't even engage in discussion any longer. How will there ever be ideas sharing in this environment?

      Answer: there won't.

      Delete
    2. But the science isn't settled on this... so if you disagree I want to hear it!

      Delete
    3. Uh, that's because biological sex is just a social construct, you transphobe. The science is settled.

      https://www.autostraddle.com/its-time-for-people-to-stop-using-the-social-construct-of-biological-sex-to-defend-their-transmisogyny-240284/

      (Read that only if you want your brain to hurt)

      Delete
    4. I read it. I need a pill or something.

      Delete
    5. I find this whole exchange rather offensive.

      Delete
    6. On a serious note, not only do we not need menstruation illustrated, I am not sure we need to devote much of our imagination resources to it either.

      Let's just relegate menstruation to bad jokes offered by men about why their wives are mad at them, where it has always been.

      Delete
  6. We live in such a strange day and age. Yeah, that's not a coloring book I'd ever be interested in. At. All.

    Totally The Crystals, and it's not even close for me. I kinda grew up listening to that song. So many good memories. It's wrong hearing it any other way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See a rant from above. Who is this woman talking to that she got positive feedback on this idea???

      Because, yeah. Not. At. All.

      Delete
    2. Am I the only one who is surprised that Crystal voted for the Crystals?

      Delete
    3. No, I noticed that. Hahahahahaha.

      Delete
  7. Just. No.
    Aunt Flo nearly killed me about three years ago. This is no lie. I ended up in the hospital with too much blood loss. They attempted 9 times to stick a needle in my arm to draw blood, but they kept coming up empty. Finally, they ended up stabbing me in the neck. It took 7 units of blood to get me back into the 'normal' range. I cannot ever imagine anyone wanting to color menstruation pictures, for any gender (I highly doubt the male species menstruates, but I do believe they experience a form of cyclic mood swings)

    The Crystals have won me over with this round. My vote goes to them.

    ~Mary
    Jingle Jangle Jungle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you thought about creating a coloring book to share your experience with the world??? In your case, a lot less red crayon would be required...

      Delete
  8. I identify as someone who likes The Crystals, even though I'm biologically predisposed to like The Beach Boys more. So I would vote for The Beach Boys, but that's wildly offensive to my musical identity.

    No, I'm just kidding. I vote for The Beach Boys. Maybe I'm just acting goofy because I'm menstruating.

    Hey, this whole thing reminds me - you remember when that article was going around about how "a man is pregnant for the first time ever!" and they tried to push it like it was some kind of crazy landmark event and a milestone in medical history, except it was just a biological female who transitioned to male and then got pregnant?

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3613121/World-s-pregnant-man-weds-children-s-preschool-director-dramatic-divorce-wife-took-FOUR-YEARS.html

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I identify as RICH.

      These are crazy times we live in.

      Seriously, here's the thing I don't get (and maybe someone can explain it to me... seriously): Like the person in your article. Tracy identified as a man. So she decides to remove the boobs and take hormones. Now Tracy totally looks like a man. I've seen the photos and masculine. Definitely. But, why didn't Tracy go all in on this man thing? If you're going to go that far why not have sexual reassignment surgery so you are biologically a man? Because Tracy decides not to go all in the rest of the world has to cater to that. Isn't that why the whole locker room/bathroom thing is an issue? A locker room which has same-sex people of all ages changing and showering is no big deal when they are all actually the same sex. It's scary as crap when your 5 year old daughter comes face to face with a big dick (literally) in the shower. Or your five year old son comes face to face with a vagina. I think that would be traumatizing. But maybe I'm wrong...

      I know. I know. The science is already settled.

      Delete
    2. I don't get it either. Everything I've heard described from transgender people says that they get this feeling, deep down, that they're in the wrong body, and so if a biological male who's transgender loses his hair and gets very thick facial hair that feels wrong, so they strive for the feminine - long hair, no facial hair. I would think that after all that hard work to look like a man (which Tracy definitely does), that getting pregnant would then feel 'wrong', because that's something a woman does. But what do I know?

      Of course I can't find it now, but a few months back there was this article posted by a transgender writer about something being transphobic and how she was constantly discriminated against, but if you looked very closely at the author bio, you could see that the 'woman' who wrote it was very clearly a fat, bald man with a thick, bushy beard. Go to 'her' Twitter, and it's nothing but pictures of a fat, bald dude with a beard in a t-shirt and jeans.

      So I see crap like that and I think, okay, are you REALLY transgender, or are you just seeking attention by being a transtrender? Because I can tell you right now, I don't know many women that would feel comfortable with a fat, bald, bearded dude floating naked around the women's locker room.

      Delete
  9. I'm choosing The Beach Boys for what it doesn't have: the execrable Phil Spector "Wall o' Sound."

    ReplyDelete
  10. I was too distracted-who put the MEN in menstruation?! to decide which song I liked better

    ReplyDelete
  11. GIRL WONDER ~
    I must admit to temporary confusion. I started reading this blog bit and started thinking I was at Lee's blog instead of yours.

    Listening to this song for the godzillionth time, I got to wondering: "Do any girls really still feel this way about boys anymore?" And that was followed by perhaps an even more appropriate thought: "Are there really still any girls out there?"

    Interesting Battle. And being a huge, Huge, HUGE Beach Boys fan, ordinarily my vote for the Boys in a BOTB contest would be a slam-dunk.

    But in this case, we have two monkey wrenches in the works: 1) This is my 530,666,79th favorite song of all time. (Translation: I don't dislike it, but I'm not particularly fond of it either.)
    2) Of the Beach Boys' original 4 lead vocalists, my least favorite is Al Jardine. (I'm not counting Dennis, because it was so rare.)

    So, in other words, this is pretty far from one of my favorite Beach Boys recordings.

    At the same time... Baby, I'm amazed at how sometimes John Holton's votes are so contrary to what I expect from him, when so often, at other times, he seems to be reading my mind. Ha! And in this case, I'm in full agreement with his anti-Wall-Of-Sound remark. (Yeah, I know! Let's record every instrument we can think of, layer it 30 times until the whole thing sounds like a quarter dropped into 3-day-old mud puddle in Arkansas and call it "art". Uh... no.)

    I do like the castanets in The Crystals recording (if we can safely assume that really was castanets and not 30 layers of a rap on the metal edge of a snare drum) but other than that, it's kind of a big "Eh" for me.

    I did like the Beach Boys a little bit better. It was brighter and slightly more energetic sounding. And let's be honest, even when not close to their best, the Beach Boys are better singers / harmonizers than The Crystals were.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    Check out my new blog @
    (Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure how Lee would say this, but does this mean you are voting for The Beach Boys (but just barely), and that my choice in song sucked? I've never had anyone tell me at such length and with this amount of grace that my offering was terrible. Hahaha.

      Delete
  12. I know the Crystals' version so well, I didn't even have to hit play to have the music start in my head. The Beach Boys version was new to me. I started listening to it and my head started saying, "No. No. Wrong." I kept listening but it didn't change anything. I'm voting Crystals all the way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This does serve to remind us that repetition breeds affection. But, I get what you're saying!!!

      Delete
  13. I always judge tunes by the danceable beat, so actually I let my body make the choice. Definitely the BEACH BOYS has it for this one. The other one is blaaa. I found an old book on my bookshelf that I didn't know I had (I don't even remember where it came from)....written in an archaic style by an English doctor. In very stilted language he was talking about the digestive process, saying that English speaking women had more problems than some others because the English dance with their legs .......not the hips.

    Look at the Cuban women and how beautiful their hips move. You know, sometimes it is impossible to teach Latin motion to American women. I can't figure out exactly why....... Men, yes, I can see that little boys don't usually dance and when they grow up, they feel embarrassed and foolish when they dance so their movement is very self-conscious.

    I don't know how I got to "digestion" on this comment but I find the whole idea interesting. I guess I thought you would too. Haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm still uncertain how digestion in English women led to an inability to move the hips. I think it has less to do with digestion (sorry medical doctor) and more with inhibition. Latin dancing isn't remotely proper. English ladies are simply not encouraged to move this way. Hence, it feels extremely awkward and somewhat scandalizing to try. Latino women don't struggle with this issue. I think it's a culture barrier, not a medical one. But what do I know???

      Delete
  14. So with this BOTB, I had to go to YouTube both times which is weird because this is just a famous song. I love the enthusiasm of the gals but I love the musical styling of the Beach Boys with a bit of slant to some folk feeling so I give it to the Beach Boys. Now, I like colouring books and have 3 but WTF?? This chick is on crack because I don't think men bleed every month and go through the pain and crap we have to. As for menopause, I think some men do have their own version of it because their body is changing but that's a different story.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I've just recently gotten into the adult coloring books but I will give a big pass to the one on menstruation.

    I would have to say I liked the Beach Boys' version better.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Al Bondigas here. I have always liked this song by the Crystals and thought for sure I would be voting for them, even though I am a big Beach Boys fan. But, as soon as The Boys got going I knew it was over. Have to rule em the way I hear em. Rulin fer The Beach Boys!!! That's it. That's my rulin'.

    ReplyDelete
  17. My vote goes with the Crystals and NOT with the menstruating color book.

    ReplyDelete

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Dazzle Me!