Wednesday, January 1, 2014

BOTB 1/1/14: "Auld Lang Syne"



Happy New Year!!!!!

I hope this is a wonderful year for you -- one filled with joy, love, peace, health, and many fabulous blessings!

I also want to thank you for making my blog a part of your new year.  I greatly appreciate each and every reader I get, and I want you to know how grateful I am that you took the time to visit my little out-of-the-way corner of the blogosphere. Thank youvery much!

Well, since today is the first day of the new year, it is also the first day of the month, and that means it is also time for the regular blogging event, "The Battle of The Bands (BOTB)." The BOTB was started by Stephen T. McCarthy and FarAwayEyes back in August of last year.  This event occurs twice every month -- on the 1st and the 15th -- and each of the bloggers taking part offers readers a choice of two (or occasionally more) versions of the same song, performed by different recording artists. And the the readers get to vote for your favorite rendition. 

Today is January first, so I think an appropriate song to start out my blog's BOTB 2014 edition is Auld Lang Syne.  This is the traditional song played at the stroke of midnight as New Year's Eve transitions into New Year's Day, and I wouldn't be the least surprised to discover that some of the other BOTB bloggers are using this song as well.  But right now I'm not sure, because this post -- like many of the performances seen on the TV New Year's Eve specials -- is being prepared well in advance (You didn't think I was actually busy blogging live at this moment, did you?).

The English lyrics to Auld Lang Syne are based on an old Scottish poem, and I suspect that most people aren't quite sure what they're actually singing when they chime in -- "Old wang signs?  What the heck does THAT mean???"

I could post the various translations of the Scottish poem and take the time to discuss what the lyrics are all about, but I won't.  Instead, we'll just go the instrumental route again, like in my last BOTB post.

So below are three instrumental versions of the tune, each of which feature some very solid musical ability, I think.  One I was familiar with before this post and wanted to use for this battle, and the other ones I found on You Tube as I was looking for potential contenders to do battle.

First up is renowed mandolin player David Grisman with a version from his 1983 album David Grisman's Acoustic Christmas, featuring a bluegrass quintet with banjo player Bela Fleck and others:



Next is a version done with a mix of traditional Chinese instruments and Western rythms.  This is by the group Viva Girls playing from their 2010 album A Viva Girls Christmas.  I don't know if this is 100% "live" (where are the bass and drums playing the rythm part?), and there doesn't seem to have been any updates to their website since 2011, but I find the music fascinating and fun to listen to, and the playing is excellent.  See what you think:


You know, if you do a You Tube search for "Auld Lang Syne guitar," you'll find a ton of videos uploaded by guitarists.  I salute anyone who makes music, and it's not like I think my own playing is so great, but the vast majority of these videos are..  well, not likely to win a BOTB bout against the playing of David Grisman, Bela Fleck, and guitarist Mike Marshall.  But here's one that caught my ear where the playing is actually very good -- a version done by a band called A Hero for the World from their 2013 Winter is Coming CD. The guitarist (and bass player) is David Sivelind, half of the Sweidsh duo that founded the band (which is now based in the Phillipines.  So now you have an answer if anyone ever asks you to name a Swedish-Fillipino metal band.). For some reason, I couldn't get this video embedded into this post the normal way, so I had to futz with the HTML code, but it should still work.  If not -- please use this link HERE to check it out:


So there you are -- three instrumental versions of Auld Lang Syne.  Are you surprised that the much-better known Guy LombardoKenny G and Jimi Hendrix live at the Fillmore versions aren't among my contenders?  Well, if any of the other BOTB bloggers go for this song, I don't want to post the same covers they do, so Guy and Kenny are pretty much off the table. And while I love Jimi and consider the Machine Gun from the Fillmore one of the greatest guitar pieces ever recorded, Jimi's Auld Lang Syne really isn't that stellar.

But I do think that the three versions I've posted for this BOTB bout all feature some unique interpretations of the song and some great musicianship.  I invite you to listen to each and give them a chance (and rmember -- the goal is to compare the music, not the videos, so I encourage you to ignore the images).

After listening, please vote in the comments as to which version you think is best, or which speaks to you the deepest. Feel free to also share as much as you would like about how any of the above recordings strike you, even if it's less than positive.

And finally -- be sure to check out the other BOTB bloggers to vote on their battles:
Thank you very much for listening and for voting -- come back and visit again the first part of next week to find out how the voting has gone!  I'll make a post then with my own vote and also announce the winner!

16 comments:

  1. This was the first song I considered for this battle, but I didn't think I'd find many versions of it. I must commend you on finding 3 very good and interesting versions.

    All three have merit. I like the metal version least--not much originality in the sound. The Grisman version is excellent and almost wins for me, but I'll have to go with that Chinese version for my tastes in music.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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    1. This is another battle where I don't think there's a "wrong" vote. The Viva Girls verion has a lot to like. Thanks for voting!

      -- Viva Girls - 1; Grisman Quintet - 0; Hero For the World - 0

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  2. The Grisman version... well, yeah, I heard traces of the Auld Lang Syne melody in there, but mostly I felt like I was watching an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies. Sure, he's an excellent musician, but that style of music doesn't appeal to me for very long, In fact, Grisman's version had grown old for me long before the tune actually came to an end.

    I liked the Viva Girls take on it because I appreciated all of the various sonic textures they brought to the tune.

    Hero's metal guitar version... eh. So much heavy metal guitar playing comes off seeming self-indulgent to my ears nowadays. (Look at me! Watch how many notes I can cram in here!) I lost my taste for most of that type of music about the time I turned 21 and discovered The Blues, and later Jazz, which I think usually favors feeling over flash. Sure, I still enjoy a bit of it here and there, but if it's going to be fast 'n' flashy, make mine Danny Gatton.

    Another vote for Viva Girls.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. I'm kind of surprised that Grisman's version grated on you so much. It's much more straight-forward bluegrass than some of his 'Dawg Jazz' stuff, but there's some awesome pickin' in there. :)

      But I certainly can't say anything but incredibly positive agreement with your mention of Danny "the Humbler" Gatton (although his roots in rockabilly aren't really that far afield from Grisman's bluegrass,,,) -- he was a phenomenal Tele player who was sadly under-appreciated by most people.

      And I do tend to agree with your basic assessment -- blindingly fast playing can be very impressive, but it's also like a very strong spice. A dash of it here and there can really accentuate the experience, but too much overwhelms and detracts from the taste.

      And nothing at all wrong with liking the Viva Girls version!

      -- Viva Girls - 2; Grisman - 0; Hero For the World - 0

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    2. >>... there's some awesome pickin' in there.

      Oh, there's no question about THAT! And I wouldn't say it "grated" on me. More like... "bored" me after about a minute and a half.

      Believe it or not, I kind of like Bluegrass, but I've found I appreciate it much more when I can see it being played live, like at a concert. On record, I tend to tire of it pretty quickly. It's much the same with how I feel about Reggae: I like Reggae, but in smaller doses. Because it's a fairly limited musical style, I get tired of it rather quickly. Put one or two good Reggae songs on an album and I'll love 'em. But to sit and listen to an ENTIRE record of Reggae music? I won't be there at the conclusion of the recording (same thing with Bluegrass).

      I'm happy to be able to tell you that I intend to feature Danny Gatton in a 'BOTB' installment pretty soon (probably in February). The tune will be 'Harlem Nocturne', but - SHHHhhhhh! - that's a secret between you and me only. Don't let that Flashy Cat out of the bag! (I just have to figure out which of his two recordings of that piece do I want to use - the one with The Fat Boys, or the one from 'Cruisin' Deuces'?)

      ~ D-FensDogg
      'Loyal American Underground'

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  3. This was not an easy choice for me. Normally I like me some Blue Grass banjo picking music, but with Auld Lang Syne it just sounded wrong.

    The very beginning pat of the metal guitar version had that slow mournful sound that I associate with this tune and I thought now this is more like it, certainly reminiscent of Jimi and his style, but my idea of what OAS should sound like and THEN he slide right into some 'Jingle Bells' and those typical heavy metal riffs; - Are you kidding me? Scratch the metal guitar.

    The Chinese girls had a nice sound and a very different style, still a little to peppy to my way of thinking on this tune, but the best choice here, by far. Give them my vote.

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    1. Again -- nothing but an option of "right" choices here, in my opinion. Add another for the girls:

      -- Viva Girls - 3; Grisman - 0; Hero For the World - 0

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  4. I am logging in another vote for Viva Girls. I loved the unique combo of instruments. Really fantastic.

    I hated the bluegrass version. Sadly, I couldn't make it all the way through it.

    The guitar version was pretty good, but it just didn't compete with Viva Girls.

    Happy New Year!

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    1. Wow. I am a little surprised that Grisman's version is generally not cared for so much, but I do also understand the appeal of the Viva Girls version.

      -- Viva Girls - 4; Grisman - 0; Hero For the World - 0

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  5. Hmmmm.... Not enthralled with any of them really. Give a half to the bluegrass, and half to the Vivas. As least they basically stayed with the melody.

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    1. Sorry none of them grabbed you, but I got no problem with a split vote. :)

      -- Viva Girls - 4.5; Grisman - 0.5; Hero For the World - 0

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    2. Don't be sorry, music's a wide and wonderful world. I guess my idea of ALS will always be Guy Lombardo.

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  6. Mmmm.... I like the metal version most. :-D

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    1. sorry for the delay in responding, Misha!

      But I understand.your vote. It's definitely cool and there's some great playing in it.

      -- Viva Girls - 4.5; Hero for the World - 1.0; Grisman - 0.5

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  7. it's ALWAYS been such a great song! I just think of all those New Yorkers singing it in the streets and swaying...ahhhhh....drunks...

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    1. Lol!

      Drunks are like puppies -- they're only cute when they're someone else's. They lose their appeal when you're the one to have to clean up their messes on the floor.

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Don't be shy -- feel free to comment. I really appreciate your thoughts.