Battle of the Bands

#BoTB Round 14 ‘Piece of My Heart’ showdown

November 1, 2019 /

This is DH’s off Friday, so I’m MIA in Blogosphere.  It’s also the first day of a new month which means time for another round of Battle of the Bands! Before I get to the showdown, let me pass to you the results of my October 15th battle.  A quick recap, I used two different, ‘Apple of My Songs’ songs between the group, Badfinger, and the late Cranberries female singer, Delores O’ Riordan. It was a close showdown.  This is how the votes went.

Debbie, Stephen, Lee, Birgit, Eugenia, & Mike Spain tossed their ballots in for Badfinger giving them 6 points. Tom, Sandee, Mary, Brian, Mike Todd, Kim, John, and Amy went with Delores clinching the victory with 2 point lead making her total 8.  So, there you have it Delores O’Riordan wins!

Allow me to share The Cranberries debut single from 1992, Dreams! 

 

Thanks to everyone for making the last battle a good one, now moving right along to my showdown. For years I believed Janis Joplin (1968) was the original artist of today’s battle song but it was Tom from Shady’s Place who straightened things out for me when he shared the pioneer of this classic hit, Erma Franklin Piece of My Heart (1967).

Did you know Burt Berns, one of the writers of the song wanted Van Morrison to record it? That’s what I learned on Wikipedia.  Morrison turned the offer down because he wanted to do his own material. I wonder if he regretted that decision.  Hmmm, oh well, let’s move on to my two featured artists in Round 14.

Contender #1 – Lionsheart from England was a heavy metal band formed by Grim Reaper and Onslaught (I’m not familiar with these bands, either) vocalist, Steve Grimmett in 1990.   From the groups, 1994 album, Pride in Tract, track 9, the band included their version of (take a little) Piece of My Heart.

 

Lionsheart found success in Japan but not so much from their own country.  The band cut only four studio albums.  Grimmett eventually folded the band in late 2000.

 

Contender # 2 – Nazareth is a Scottish band that’s been around since the late 60s. Who knew? Not me. The heavy/metal rock genre isn’t the mewsic I listen to often but at least I can say I’ve heard of Nazareth.  I thought it interesting that it took this band more than 20 years from either Franklin or Joplin’s cut to cover this song on their 1989 album, Snakes ‘n’ Ladders.

In Nazareth’s 40+ years, they’ve record 25 albums. I thought surely, I’ve heard some of their mewsic and just didn’t know who did it, so I scrolled through a list of their top songs. I discovered one title that I know and love from the mid-70s, Love Hurts.  Another title I recognized is Hair of the Dog.  There are probably others that I know. Who knows, maybe there’s a bit more of heavy rocker in me after all. 😉

Who gets your vote, Lionsheart or Nazareth?

Remember there is no wrong vote, except a no vote. You don’t have to know the song or the artists, just pick the band that sounds the best to you. 😉


[tweetthis]I just voted in the ‘Round 14 #BoTB ‘Piece of My Heart’ showdown & you’re invited to play along. #coverbands[/tweetthis]

You’ll find more awesome battles underway at some of these blog listed below (not everyone is doing the bi-monthly showdowns now) and if you’d like to be included in the fun, then contact Stephen requesting to be added to the list.

✩ai loves music✩ (Amy), Angels Bark (Michele),  Cherdo on the Flipside,  The Doglady’s Den (Debbie),   Jingle Jangle Jungle (Mary), Mike’s Ramblings,   STMcC Presents BoTB (Stephen, BoTB Manager),   The Sound of One Hand Typing (John), &  Tossing It Out (Lee)

Polls close noon (EST) on Nov. 7th!

I’ll share the results of this battle in my mid-month showdown on the 15th, so mark your calendar to check back to see if your favorite wins and be prepared to cast your vote in a new battle!

Thanks for playing along! Don’t forget if you’re in need of some giggles and more then you’ll wanna come back a little later (6am) today for Change is on its way Friday Sillies. 😉



37 Comments

  • Birgit

    November 7, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    This is Birgit:) Anyway, I give this to Nazareth although both are not my cup of tea and no one can replace Janis. I just found Nazareth a bit easier to listen to

  • aisasami

    November 4, 2019 at 11:26 am

    I might have to find Lionsheart’s merchandise here in Japan. They might be a collective item now. I love Nazareth’s version the best because it has that feeling of an awesome but gentle hair metal band sound.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      November 4, 2019 at 5:01 am

      Mimi,

      I love pizza! In fact, I ordered our usual standing Pizza Hut order on Friday, so we had some yummy pizza, pizza! Thanks for voting for Nazareth, my dear!

  • Debbie D.

    November 2, 2019 at 2:28 am

    Hi Cathy; Interesting tidbit about Erma Franklin! I too thought Janis did the first recording. As for your contenders, my metal heart is going with Lionheart. Love the guitar solo at the 2.5 minute mark and the vocals were more pleasing to my ears. Have a good weekend!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      November 4, 2019 at 4:57 am

      Debbie,

      I was beginning to think my two contenders weren’t an even match but then just like that your vote Lionsheart choice began to pick up but still not remains behind the rival. Thanks for dropping in to vote, my friend!

  • Donna Hole

    November 2, 2019 at 1:21 am

    Hey Cathy 🙂

    I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Lions Heart before. They are a bit rough sounding, but I like them. This song just feels wrong for Nazareth, not sure why. So I’m voting for the Lions, thinking maybe I should look up some of their old music.

    Hope you are having a great weekend. I did not post so no worries about a visit 🙂

  • Michael Todd

    November 1, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    The two versions you feature here are interesting, and similar, as well. The tambourine in the Nazareth track, makes my skin crawl. I cannot get away from it. So, Lionsheart gets my vote.

    Since listening to these, I went on an played the original version by Erma Franklin, and of course, Faith Hill’s recording. I remember Faith being interviewed on a local Nashville television station, as “Piece of My Heart” was getting airplay on the national radio charts, on its way to becoming her second number one, in as many releases, off her debut “Take Me As I Am” debut album… When asked if she was inspired by Janis Joplin’s rendition of the song, Faith replied, “Who’s Janis Joplin?” … She really did not know.

    Lionsheart

  • Stephen T. McCarthy

    November 1, 2019 at 3:09 pm

    CATHY, it’s that you!!

    I’ve always dug Nazareth’s ‘Hair Of The Dog’ – that’s a great, tough rocker!

    And I believe I can state with complete certainty that Van Morrison never regretted not recording ‘Piece Of My Heart’. Bert Berns produced Van’s very earliest songs, and he even cowrote ‘Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)’ with Van:

    But Morrison was such a prolific songwriter and wrote such unique stuffs that, seriously, something like ‘Piece Of My Heart’, Van could write by himself and in his sleep if he wanted to.

    Anyway… my bote goes to NAZARETH, because Lionsheart was a bit too loud and noisy for my tastes (although I liked the electric organ buried in there).

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

    • Stephen T. McCarthy

      November 1, 2019 at 3:16 pm

      Oops!
      Correction: Bert Berns didn’t co-write ‘Baby Goodbye’ with Van. He co-wrote it with Wes Farrell. (My memory ain’t what it used to be, and it never was!)

      ~ D-FensDogG

    • Cathy Kennedy

      November 4, 2019 at 4:51 am

      Stephen,

      You’re probably right a successful singer/songwriter that Van Morrison is probably doesn’t regret not recording this song. Thanks for the intro to ‘Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)’ and for voting for Nazareth, my friend!

  • Sandee

    November 1, 2019 at 12:18 pm

    Nazareth has my vote. Because this is what I listened to back in the day.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend, Cathy. Love and hugs. ♥

    • Cathy Kennedy

      November 4, 2019 at 4:38 am

      Eugenia,

      WOW, 28º in Blue Ridge! That’s pretty chilly!! We didn’t get that cold but we did reach the low 30s. The Weather Channel was calling for us to drop to 29 on Friday night but I don’t know if we got that cold or not since we slept in on Saturday. This is plenty cool enough for me, though. lol Thanks for voting for Lionsheart.

  • Thomas Anderson

    November 1, 2019 at 6:03 am

    Hi, Cathy!

    Thanks for reporting the result of the mid-month BOTB. I am happy to learn that Team Dolores O’ won the battle. I thoroughly enjoyed flashing back to the beginning of the Irish recording artist’s career as lead zinger of The Cranberries and the watching the video for their first single “Dreams.” They had a fabulous alternative rock/dream pop style.

    Thanks for the shout out, dear Cathy. It always makes me sad to remember that the prolific songwriter, record producer and label owner Bert Berns died so young, at the age of 38, at the end of 1967. Think of all the great songs that went to the grave with him! “Piece Of My Heart” is one of his greatest songs, co-written with another man I admired, Jerry Ragovoy, who wrote “Time Is On My Side,” first waxed by by jazz trombonist Kai Winding, then covered by Irma Thomas and most successfully by the Rolling Stones.

    The two covers offered in your band battle are new to my ears. On the Lionsheart version, I appreciate the female backing singers and the wailing guitar solo. As you well know I love heavy metal, but somehow, to my ears, the Lionsheart recording sounds contrived. The elements of metal are there, but the sound doesn’t seem genuine. On the Nazareth cover we get the real deal – raw, raspy, passionate, soulful vocals that do the song justice, plus an excellent rock arrangement. The Lionsheart version is the “menu” and Nazareth version is the “meal.” It satisfies deep down. I vote for Nazareth!

    Have a tunetastic weekend, dear friend Cathy!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      November 1, 2019 at 7:46 am

      Tom,

      You’re most welcome for the mention. I try to give credit where credit is due but sometimes I forget. I hope when I do others remind me it was they who possibility introduced or did a share or something like that to help jiggle my memory. Thanks for sharing the factoids about Bert Berns. You’re so good to give this gal a little mewsical education with your visits. I’m delighted you got a chance to vote. It’ll be interesting to see how this battle plays out. I have you down for Nazareth.

  • Arlee Bird

    November 1, 2019 at 12:18 am

    Even though I own some Nazareth albums, I’ve never liked them all that much. But they seemed like essentials for my collection back when I cared about such things.

    Their version is pretty good, but I prefer the sound of Lionsheart.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    • Cathy Kennedy

      November 1, 2019 at 7:49 am

      Lee,

      That’s interesting that you owned Nazareth’s mewsic but didn’t like them too much. It’s funny how we think we need something sometimes, like with your mewsic library. I’m like that regarding movies. If we have a series then I think we need to get the next one even if we aren’t crazy about it but that was then and this is now, so like you don’t worry about those things much anymore. I just buy what I really like. Thanks for casting your vote for Lionsheart.

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