Anyway, it's the 1st of the month again. That means I had to dig up another song to do battle.
I first heard today's song in the early 90s. I had no idea (until today) that this song had been covered so many times. Wow. So, if there is another version to which you are particularly partial you can inform me in the comments. You can't vote for it, but you can yak all about it.
What is this song????
THE RACE IS ON.
Ole Possum (George Jones) recorded it first (I do believe). I'm not even going to consult wikipedia on this. I'm simply going to trust my memory.
The Grateful Dead liked it so much that they recorded it in 1981 on their Reckoning album. That is the first contender in this very fast battle.
Sawyer Brown recorded it in 1989 on their album The Boys Are Back. It's also pretty darn fast;)
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.
Robin,
ReplyDeletePlease give my vote to Sawyer Brown. Their rendition pleased my ears a bit more than their contender's. Have an excellent day, my friend!
I recall hearing this song a lot back in the sixties. The version I remember hearing most often was the less country version as done by Jack Jones. I'm sure I've heard George's version as well, but listening on YouTube it didn't sound like something I remember hearing before. Gosh, I hadn't heard this song in many many years. I've never heard these two versions you've presented, but I like them both.
ReplyDeleteBetween the two though, I'll have to cast my vote for Sawyer Brown. They really make it sound worthy of a race.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
I'll go with Sawyer Brown here, but my heart's with George....
ReplyDeleteSeeing how this is shaping up, I think I should have pitted Sawyer Brown against George...
DeleteGIRL WONDER, I will have to return later when I'm not at work and can really listen to these.
ReplyDeleteBut for now I just wanted to say that this is a good song. I'm not entirely sure who I heard singing it first, but probably either Merle Haggard or Conway Twitty.
I'm sure, however, that it wasn't George Jones, who once called Waylon Jennings a "Conway Twitty-acting son-of-a-bitch!" Ha!-Ha! Only in Country music, right?
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Well, I do like the Dead but, it is Sawyer Brown that wins me over with this song. My vote goes to Sawyer Brown
ReplyDelete~Mary
Sorry, I'm not a country fan, so I don't think I can vote for either one. Maybe Sawyer Brown?
ReplyDeleteI thought for sure you'd go Grateful Dead. I am terrible at predicting these things!
DeleteFrank Sinatra had such a great voice, Robyn.
ReplyDeletePART 2:
ReplyDeleteGIRL WONDER, I want some of that Blue Grumpster acid. Can you score me some? Ha! (Kiddin', kiddin'.)
I've never really been able to get into the Grateful Dead, so I can't understand their popularity. Only once had I ever heard a song by them that I really liked. Can't even remember what it was now, but it was playing in a bar and I asked the bartender who it was, because I dug it. I was surprised to learn it was the Grateful Dead, as I'd never liked anything else by them previously. (And the recording was a cover of a song I knew by either Dylan or The Band, but I didn't even recognize it as a song I knew.)
And Sawyer Brown... everything I've heard by them (including 'The Race Is On') has sounded like some slick, studio musicians doing some totally "canned" Country-Rock track to be played in commercials or some Indie movie about teenagers in Oklahoma.
When I think of Sawyer Brown, I also always think of Bruce Hornsby And The Range. Same slick, overly-polished sound that seems canned and ready for a TV bank commercial.
HOWEVER... to my great surprise, I actually DID like this GRATEFUL DEAD version of 'The Race Is On'. And that's why I'm blown away by the fact that not only are they losing badly to Sawyer Hornsby, but they haven't even gotten a single vote..... UNTIL NOW!
This ain't yer fault, Robin. Don't let it get you down, because even I am mystified by the way this one is going. I've had some Battles like this of my own, where I found it impossible to believe everyone was voting the way they were! It's all just part of the mystery of BOTB.
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Love this song, its awesome. I think it was the first Sawyer Brown song I heard, and they have been a band favorite since. Too bad they haven't released anything new in years. I wonder whatever happened to them?
ReplyDeleteI'm voting for Sawyer Brown; I like their more bassy version better than Grateful Dead. GD did a good job on it, but my heart is set on Sawyer.
Thanks for these awesome tunes :)
I like both bands, Sawyer Brown was one of the first country concerts I went to and they put on a great show. That said I am voting for The Grateful Dead.
ReplyDeleteNeither of these are up to the George Jones standard, but I'll go with Sawyer Brown.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've never been much of a Grateful Dead fan, but they did a decent job. Still, Sawyer Brown gave it more life, so that's who I'm voting for. Going to read your previous post, now. Sorry I missed it!
ReplyDeleteGrateful Dead sets my toes to tapp'n a little more than the other. Although
ReplyDeleteI've never been much of a fan for Country music, I guess I can act as crazy as the
next when I used to go out honky tonk"n. A few years ago, a group of couples wanted me to have some "country dance lessons" for them. Ha.... that's not my dance unless I have a very excellent partner. I had to scramble to learn it before I could teach it and once we got into it, it was kinda fun. Swing is swing.
Al Bondigas here. I don't know much about The Grateful Dead, other than I always thought their fans were about as phony as Cub's fans are. However, I really enjoyed their version and found my toes tapping and head bobbing throughout the whole song. Great choices! Sawyer Brown's version wasn't bad, but I have to make a rulin' fer The Grateful Dead. That's it!! That's my rulin'. Ohh, don't tell Stephen I was here, cause I haven't even ruled on his battle yet.
ReplyDeleteI prefer The Grateful Dead because it sounded less Country than the other one and I am not a huge country fan
ReplyDeleteHow have I never heard this song? Or do I just not realize it based on these two versions? I was thinking the same thing as Birgit above here and am relieved it wasnt just me hearing that difference. The Dead it is for me!
ReplyDelete