BoTB Results and SOML ~ Did Someone Say Party???

First, we're going to reveal the results from Battle of the Bands. Who won it? Daughtry or Corvyx? (Did you note the spelling Bryan? Not Cervix. Corvyx. hahahaha.) I really like both versions. I think Daughtry was grittier while Corvyx was smoother. I really like Daughtry and all his grittiness, so my vote lands there (but I think Corvyx did an excellent cover to this song!). What was the final tally with my vote included?

Daughtry: 13

Corvyx: 14

It doesn't get any closer than that, folks (unless it's a tie;). I confess that you guys upended my expectations for this battle. I really thought Daughtry would win it by a slim margin since the Corvyx cover is really good, but it is Daughtry's song. Once again, you've proven me WRONG.

I haven't done a Soundtrack post in a while. In fact, blogging has been a struggle. Migraines are roaring. It really hasn't been a great start to the new year. And still, I think 2016 is going to be better than 2015. But let's step back in time to 1989. Yeah, we're jumping in the Way Back Machine.

My senior year of college was largely uneventful. Frankly, it was a big party. Not saying I didn't study or go to class, but my focus was not in the places my parents would've preferred (or even adult me would've preferred). I was very involved with my sorority and parties and generalized drinking and parties... your average obnoxious college kid.

J1 was pretty well absent from my senior year. The last I saw of him was that surprise visit during the summer. He fell off my map. I didn't call him when he didn't call me. I did meet J3 (yes, he's a new one) over winter break at home. I'm not sure he's even worthy of being mentioned since it never really got serious. We dated when I was home, but I was still emotionally tangled up in J1... even if I wasn't actively doing anything about it.

So, for better or worse, my senior year can pretty well be summed up with one word: party. Frankly, I'm glad I lived through it. And, yes, that is a colander on my head. We were playing 3 Man. If you know the game, 'nuff said. If you don't... I repeat, so glad I didn't die.

Me and J3 Playing 3 Man

If you're enjoying these posts, feel free to share your own Soundtrack. This isn't a hop. No requirements at all, but a suggestion to do it one song at a time. (If you participated in the hop several years ago, you can still do this. Just post them one song at a time, with the freedom to add more songs if you'd like.) I'll link to all participants at the bottom of each of these posts:

StMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Cherdo on the Flipside 

Holli's Hoots and Hollers 

THE DOGLADY'S DEN 

Mean Who You Are

Battle of the Bands ~ Waiting For Superman

I know that Battle of the Bands has become an adventure in time management. This all began with a few participants and grown to something pretty amazing. However, what I once could do in one day (vote on all BoTB) has now become a marathon versus the sprint. Yes, I'm often voting on Day 6 (and that's okay). I could've posted this read on a different day, but it goes with the song, so you get it today AND I think it's worth reading, so I hope you do.

A few days ago, one of my friends linked to a blog on Facebook entitled I Should Be Engaged. The inner me sighed in disgust, but this friend almost always links to very interesting things, so I clicked over. Turns out that the writer didn't want to be engaged to be married in 2016 but more engaged in life. In people. In daily discourse. In all of the opportunities for connection with others that get lost with this "advance" of technology (which is a double-edged sword for sure!). It made me think about all of the ways I've disengaged due to the hazardous combination of chronic illness, technology, and plain old human nature.

The truth is that it is work to be actively engaged with others. Active listening (just to name one element of engagement) is work. Am I the only one who will find my brain wandering when a story drags on a just a bit too long? That is one area of engagement I know I can work on. Another one is just the doing. Active engagement requires volunteering/participating even when it falls somewhere outside of where you feel comfortable. Isn't there someone else more "qualified" to do this? Probably. But, if you've been asked or given the opportunity... Heck, even this act of blogging requires engagement. Let's face it, I've been lacking since the holidays (and probably before that). I get tired. I run out of ideas for interesting things to write about and I find my time being sucked in other directions. But, I care very much about my blog friends and want to stay actively engaged with you.

So, while you listen to this song, I hope you think about the word engagement. Think about if you're as engaged in this life as you'd like to be. Think about ways you could engage better. I hope you share your thoughts on this (along with your vote) in the comments section. I think choosing to be engaged in the year 2016 would serve us all well!!!

The song is Waiting For Superman. I'm going to do something I rarely do and pit the originator of this song against a cover of this song. I'm only doing that because so many of you will have never heard the song, ergo it really makes no difference. Ha!

Who sang it first? Daughtry. Here is his version. I really love this video (and I think it speaks to the topic of engagement as discussed above), but if you don't think you can vote without voting on the video... don't watch it. Or watch it again after you've voted.




Here is the cover by Corvyx.


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:

• Far Away Series 
• Stephen T. McCarthy's Battle of the Bands Blog
• Tossing it Out
• DiscConnected (temporarily disconnected from BoTB)
• Mike's Ramblings
• Curious as a Cathy 
• Book Lover
• The Sound of One Hand Typing
• dcrelief ~ Battle of the Bands 
• Cherdo on the Flipside 
• Angels Bark 
• THE DOGLADY'S DEN 
• Jingle Jangle Jungle 
• Janie Junebug Righting and Editing
• NovelBrews
• J.A. Scott
• Quiet Laughter
• Holli's Hoots and Hollers 
• beReInVintaged 

The Votes Are In And There Is A Winner (BoTB Results)

I just finished counting up the votes from Battle of the Bands. What a close one! The vote was tied up after the first ten votes (five for Ed Sheeran, five for Ruth Moody) and then it was back and forth right up until the end.

In My Life is one of my favorite Beatles songs. The lyrics captured how I was feeling ringing in the New Year, so I was pleased as punch to find two exceptional cover versions. When I listened to them I was a bit like Cherdo. This is what she said in her vote:

When I saw you used In My Life, I thought "wow!" and smiled. Truly, this is one of my favorite Beatles' tunes. This is a perfect mix for me.

Then...Ed Sheeran. BAM, again. Love Ed Sheeran. Just look at that confident, handsome red headed crooner singing a Beatles' tune in front of Paul McCartney, Sean Lennon, and Yoko. What could possibly pull a vote away from Ed? I smiled with satisfaction as I listened.

WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA....Ruth Moody? I don't even know Ruth Moody's work. But I listened and got the shocker of my BOTB-life. Ruth's clear soprano coupled with a delicious grouping of strings...call the police. Someone just stole Ed Sheeran's vote. I'd have said it couldn't be done.

I, too,  really liked Ed Sheeran until I heard Ruth Moody. That girl can sing! I thought the violin suited the song. I could go on, but I liked everything about her version. So, I also flipped from Ed to Ruth... just like that.

The final tally:

Ed Sheeran ~ 10

Ruth Moody ~ 13 (including my vote)

To everyone who voted, thank you. If you commented on my IWSG post, thank you. If you're wondering where I've been... who can say? How does a chicken with its head cut off see anything??? This chicken is working at stabilizing things and will blog visit soon. I also plan on re-launching The Soundtrack of My Life (maybe Monday). So, don't give up on me. I WILL get it together.