STMcC’s Vote On '2020, May 1st: Battle Of The Bands' (BOTB) - Or, Van-The-Man Versus Bob Seger - And The Final Tally:
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Sorry! I'm a wee bit o' late with this post. Shoot-'N'-Begorra! Well, coronavirus happens! (I'm gonna start blaming coronavirus for everything that's wrong in my life.)
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The Battle took place [link> HERE, and I thank each and every one of you for participating! I couldn't-a dun it widout ya!
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The outcome of this one *REALLY* surprised me! (I sez that a lot, don't I?) I was worried that Van Morrison - playing his own original song - would clobber Bob Seger playing a cover of Van's tune. HA! Oh, Stephen, you foolish, foolish man!!
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I mentioned to my Brother prior to posting this Battle that Van Morrison has a weird history of losing BOTB contests. I've used him in BOTB at least 3 or 4 times and, for as popular as he's always been, I don't think he's EVER won!
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And I not only thought he would finally win one with this match-up, but I sincerely worried that he might actually shut-out the competition. WRONG!
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Some FUN FACTS:
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* Although I generally prefer male vocalists to female vocalists, my all-time favorite vocalist is Karen Carpenter.
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* Although Karen Carpenter is my all-time favorite vocalist, my favorite vocal performance that I've ever heard is [link> THIS - in which the singer nearly disappears, becoming just an instrument for The Holy Spirit to express Itself through. (You can even see "The Light Of The World" in her eyes!)
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* Although I do like Van Morrison's studio version of 'I've Been Working', I think his version from the live album 'It's Too Late To Stop Now' is not only better, but I believe it is, musically, the funkiest and single greatest live performance I have ever heard by anyone at any time!
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* Patrick Humphries: "As far as Van live on disc is concerned, his first live set, 'It's Too Late To Stop Now' is unquestionably one of the best-ever live rock 'n' roll recordings. ... Van was cooking when he came to record these 18 songs. ... Every note you hear was recorded live - there was not one overdub."
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* Looking back on the album, guitarist John Platania told 'Mojo': "I would say that tour represented the height of his confidence as a performer."
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* Bassist David Hayes: "When I speak to Van about that album he still talks about it as having marked the peak of his career. He really feels that he was on to something very special."
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* D-FensDogG: "Although I usually prefer studio renditions of songs to their live counterparts, I think that in every case, except one, Van Morrison's live versions of the songs on his 1974 album 'It's Too Late To Stop Now' are superior to their studio renditions. No one - not Ray Charles, not James Brown, not Stevie Wonder - NO ONE ever recorded a funkier song than Van Morrison's live 'I've Been Working' from the 'It's Too Late To Stop Now' album! I'm
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Here's the thing... it was almost like the musicians were psychic! Clearly, the band was extremely tight and knew the song quite well but simultaneously, and seemingly contradictory, the band was also so uniquely loose that the song sounds super-spontaneous. It's like the sort of oxymoron that every great Jazz musician has aspired to: attempting to achieve "independent improvisational teamwork".
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This live recording of 'I've Been Working' has always blown me away. From the first few notes, my toes are tapping and the song is just pinging on my backbone. The Funk Factor is off-the-charts and the band seems to be communicating by mental telepathy. That funky chicken-scratch guitar work is itchy-to-the-max. The piano is like a machine gun! The bass is bumpin' 'n' grindin' like a whorehouse in an earthquake!! From 1:28 to 2:08, that
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However, my very favorite section of the song is from 2:40 to the end. The interplay between the musicians is the best I have ever heard - EVER!! According to my ears, no band has ever topped that - the way each musician cuts in and drops out. They all take turns cutting in to play a quick riff, and then dropping out for the next guy. In and out, in and out, in and out! It's just UNBELIEVABLE musical rapport! After 60 years of life, I still consider this live version of Van Morrison's 'I've Been Working' to be the best, tightest, and most spontaneous collaborative musicianship I've ever heard.
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And the BEST way to learn to appreciate it is by listening with your eyes closed, so you can get that single-purpose mental focus on each and every instrument, as they all play off of each other.
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So, here ya go - "one more once"... Please listen with your eyes closed (especially from 2:40 to the end) and FORCE your mind to focus intently on each individual instrument as it cuts in and drops out, making room for the next instrument to cut in and drop out, etc. Phunq, mang, how dey do dat?!
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'I'VE BEEN WORKING' (Live) -- Van Morrison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3hkAWqmICI
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Nevertheless, to my slack-jawed shock, Bob Seger won the Battle:
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Van Morrison = 8 votes
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Bob Seger = 9 votes
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I've got a VERY SPECIAL BOTB INSTALLMENT planned for June 1st, so I really hope to see you all here again for that one. And thanks again for participating in this one!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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