The months are dropping off the calendar like the autumn leaves. We have enjoyed some beautiful colors in the Appalachian mountains lately; we are very thankful to live in a beautiful part of the country.
This is my reflection time of the year; to be precise I count my blessings of my home. My parents’ home; the cornerstone of my early spiritual development, loved unconditionally, and protected from worldly wiles. This home, the home DH and I formed with our children. It’s not perfect, but its full of fond memories, lots of love, and is a cozy refuge from life’s storms.
There’s no place like, Home Sweet Home.
You know I’m a dreamer, but my heart’s of gold
I had to run away high so I wouldn’t come home low
Just when things went bad doesn’t mean they were always wrong
Just take this song and you’ll never be left all alone
Take me to your heart – feel me in your bones
Just one more night and I’m coming off this long and winding road
I’m on my way
I’m on my way
Home Sweet Home
Tonight, tonight, I’m on my way
I’m on my way
Home Sweet Home
You know that I’ve seen too many romantic dreams
Up in lights falling on the silver screen
My heart’s like an open book for the whole world to read
Sometimes nothing keeps me together at the seams
I’m on my way
I’m on my way
Home Sweet Home
Tonight, tonight, I’m on my way
Just set me free
Home Sweet Home…
I’m on my way
I’m on my way
Home Sweet Home
Yeah, I’m on my way
Just set me free
Home Sweet Home
Although I am not a heavy metal fan, this is one song by Motley Crue that I enjoy. Today, I will share two contemporary country artists covering the 1985 original.
I give you contender # 1, Justin Moore.
Now, listen to contender #2, Carrie Underwood.
Do you count the blessings of your home when you give thanks? Are you grateful for your home despite the faults you see in it? I do and even though I’d rather live in my dream house I know I have it better than many others; this brings things into perspective and humbles me in the process.
Okay, you know what to do, leave your vote in comments and tell me why your liked your pick the best. Meanwhile the fun continues with more epic battles taking place on these amazing bloggers sites. Check ’em out!
•Fae @ Far Away Series (Brain Child of this little meme) •Stephen @STMcC Presents ‘Battle of the Bands’ (Blog Hop Coordinator of sorts) •Lee @Tossing It Out •Robin @ Your Daily Dose •Donna @Book Lover •Mike’s Ramblings •John @ The Sound of One Hand Typing •Dixie @ dcrelief ~ Battle of the Bands •Alex J. Cavanaugh •Kim @ The Belle Rocks •Tom @ Shady Dell Music and Memories •Debbie @The Doglady’s Den •Cherdo @Cherdo on the Flipside •Michele @ Angels Barks •Mary @ JingleJangleJungle •Janie @ Women: We Shall Overcome •Jeffrey @ J.A. Scott •Madilyn @ NovelBrews •Holli @ Holli’s Hoots and Hollers •Guilie @ Quiet Laughter
Don’t forget, the polls close midnight November 6; I’ll share the results of this competition one week from today, so mark your calendar and stop by to see if your favorite artist wins!
I am dancing with the Monday’s Music Moves Me crew, so feel free to cut in on the dance floor. Thanks for joining in on the fun. This is Curious as a Cathy signing off with have a bandtastic day!
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CATHY, my friend, how the heck are ya?
I’m a shade late, but I’m here and happy to be here hearing what you have presented here. You hear?
I’d never heard this song before, but the contest was over for me in just 24 seconds of hearing Carrie Underwood.
Give me more MOORE, because I liked him way more! Underwood is all Poppy and nice and sweet and… controlled. But JUSTIN’s got True Grit in his voice and that guitar is all charged up with somewhere to go.
~ D-FensDogG
‘Loyal American Underground’
Stephen, my friend, I’m doing quite well. How are you?
No worries with the late visit. I do that quite often. The race is now even Stephen, I couldn’t resist that one. Not everyone has voted, including myself, so it’s gonna be interesting to see who takes the golden mic this round. Thanks for dropping by & voting!
It is hard to choose from either, but maybe I like the gruff of #1
It surely is changing fast into next year, God’s willing.
It’s a blessing to be here today.
Have a lovely week Cathy! *HUGS*
Happy to see you, Collette! The year is certainly is slipping by us fast. Thanks for voting. I recorded your point for Moore.
I love this Motley Crue song. And I love female singers. But I don’t think this song works with Carrie Underwood singing it. Please give my vote to Justin Moore.
Jeffrey, got ya recorded for Moore this round. Thanks for stopping by & voting!
Justin Moore is too twangy for me. I vote for Carrie Underwood and her powerful voice.
Love,
Janie
Janie, okay I have you down for Carrie. She’s getting a lot of votes. Thanks for dropping by!
Definitely grateful for my home and all the blessings we enjoy within it….. even though aesthetically speaking??? not. a. fan of it anymore. we really need a bit more space and better layout. But…. still, We Are Blessed!
Definitely going with my down home girl Carrie Underwood.
Les, when you have a growing family you run out of space in a hurry and it’s not until after you’ve lived in your house that you realize that the layout needs improving. Wouldn’t be wonderful to have the foresight to get these things right at the beginning? I’m so with you on these things, though. At least we have a roof over our heads and that’s the most important thing. Gotcha down for Carrie, my friend! So happy you stopped by!
Love the song Home Sweet Home!
The original, that is.
Joyce, thanks for stopping by. Unfortunately, Motley Crue isn’t considered in the vote.
But, they are awesome!
Hi, dear Cathy! i know I’m late and I promise I have not read any of the other comments. (However, I am eager to do so after I submit mine). Month after month I notice that you have a knack for picking genuinely cool tunes for your band battles and I applaud you for that. As I always say, it starts with a great song, and “Home Sweet Home” is one of them. That iconic Motley Crue video was played to death by our VJs at the MTV style television station where I worked in the 80s. Carrie Underwood does the song justice. Her performance is powerful, robust and totally voteworthy. Even so, it is eclipsed by Justin Moore. Justin turns in a gritty, ballsy performance that’s as authentic as you can get and still call it country. I tried not to watch tie video but kept sneaking peeks until I was glued to the screen and watching in awe. I was blown away by the use of clips from the original vid plus guest appearances by Vince and the boys. The whole thing was just too much, too cool to ignore, and Justin Moore gets my vote.
Thank you, dear friend Cathy!
Tom, you’re much too kind, dear friend with your comment “knack for picking genuinely cool tunes”. Sometimes I feel like I’m just feeling my way through each battle showdown. Everyone else seems so in tone with their posts and me…well, I really not all that at ease until I read what others have to say about my choices and then I breathe a sigh of relief. Anywho, I truly appreciate you taking time to listen, vote, and tell us why you picked yours. I have you down for Moore. Thanks for playing along!
What a nice lead into this wonderful Holiday Season. I’m not familiar with this song, but like it quite a bit. Justin did a great job and I enjoyed his version, but I’m giving my vote to Carrie. I felt her version more sincere.
This was a hard one, bcause they’re both excellent singers. In the end, I felt that Justin Moore’s voice was better suited to this song, and he gets my vote.
That’s one of the few Motley Crue songs I actually like! And oh man what a tough decision. Both Justin Moore and Carrie Underwood are mega favorites of mine, but this time I have to give it to Justin – I agree with Robin, Carries version seemed a bit bland, where Justin did the song better ‘justice’ when belting out the chorus.
Absolutely I count the blessings of my home – while there are many faults (need more room and land for my future winery and gift shop!) but it’s a nice home for my family – and eventually we’ll get the house of our (my) dreams and I’ll still be counting my blessings.
Hooked On A Feeling a Flashlight is shining on Crystals just Let It Go to Star Wars: The Force Awakens!
Stacy, thanks for joining in on the fun. It’s a pleasure to dance with you any time! I know country singers are right up your alley, girlie. I gotcha down for Justin. You have a good attitude about your home and aspirations for one day. We all need to keep what’s we have in focus, instead of worrying so much about what we don’t have. Dreams are good to have; sometimes you gotta know when to hold onto them and when to let go. That’s where many folks loss focus. Oh well…thanks for stopping by! I’m hopping over to see you now!!
Nahhhhh Carrie Underwood without a doubt. I’m a total fan I don’t care if she’s singing the phonebook. hahahaha Thanks for playin’ along my friend. We miss ya to say the least!! HUGS
Marie, thanks for dancing with me girlfriend; you totally rock! I have you down for Carrie Underwood. You can’t go wrong with either artist, I don’t think. It’s just a matter of preference is all.
Fab choices Cathy I also like Justin Moore version
Have a covertastic week
Steve, gotcha down for Justin Moore. Thanks for the dance & for voting. I’ll be by soon!
It’s a funny thing when you think you know your vote before you listen… and you’re all wrong. Ha!
Justin Moore is Country (capital C). Some people are turned off by the twang, but I’m okay with it. I think it’s pretty awesome that he got Motley Crue to contribute on the chorus and allow him to use video footage. His version is rockin’ country.
Carrie Underwood, who I really like, just didn’t get me this time. Her version felt bland to me.
I thought I’d be voting for Carrie, but Justin Moore wins the day here.
Robin, I know what you mean. I experience this sort of thing all the time; thinking I’ll vote for one artist and do a complete turn around. A little twang doesn’t bother me; anything more than that tends to make me think of the old country sound. I’m happy that you discovered a pleasant twist to your voting outcome; that’s always kind a nice surprise. I have you down for Moore.
Carrie gets my vote. Perhaps it is a little less twang on the song, perhaps the females vocals.
Lovely post all around, BOTB or not! It’s important to count your blessings. Too few people practice that daily gratitude.
Our house used to be a barn that was turned into a private home. It’s been a great place to raise kids and animals but seasons change and we think we will most likely look for a one-level home this Spring. And that will be fine; my family is my home. Where they are – I’m home.
Give my vote to CARRIE UNDERWOOD! Loved her version!
Cherdo, we all fall short of giving thanks for what we have. I learned several years ago when DH lost job, which we are currently in that boat again, and he was out of work for a long time. Although, I always thanked God for what we had, I got comfortable…too comfortable with having DH’s steady income. I hadn’t truly realized how good I had it until it was gone. I haven’t forgotten that; since that time I always looked for ways to see the blessings surrounding me. Thanks for sharing and voting, my friend! I have you down for Carrie.
I am not for pure Country so I give it to Carrie Underwood. her strong vocals and the orchestration felt less country than Justin Moore. Don’t we all think about our dream home when we often don’t realize our dream home is the home we have. We think of things and big rooms, cathedral ceilings, jacuzzi’s, open floor plan, big windows etc…. and yet we fail to recall how wonderful it is to have a roof over our head. We forget the wonderful memories of events and celebrations and laughter and even tears. Our home is where we make it. Some people have their “dream” home and are so unhappy. My mom’s first home, after she escaped from East Germany into West Germany, was a bombed out home. She lived in the basement part which was held up by a chair holding the beam up. I think her heat came from a wood stove. There was no insulation since the building was bombed out but she still put a table cloth on a table she found and she had flowers on a windowbox.
Birgit, thanks for sharing such a touching story about your mother. That’s amazing! Our home is in need of repair and often this bothers me a lot, but when I think of the story my FIL told us; his childhood home had cracks in the walls and often he had to clear snow off of himself in the mornings. This brings things into perspective for me pretty quickly; I realize my life is easy in comparison. Thanks for voting. I have you down for Carrie.
Surprised to see Motley Crue over here!
Good song, Cathy and more “rock” than “metal”.
Interesting to hear it transformed into the country genre. Both contenders did a good job and this is a tough battle! Justin’s had more rock overtones and that gives him a slight edge, for me. Please give my vote to Justin.
I love living in this town, but the house could use some work. (At least we own a house. Many people are worse off. Grateful for that!) That said, “home is where you hang your hat” and where hubby is, plus I’m surrounded by my favourite stuff, so, what’s not to like?
As you said, it’s a cozy refuge.
Debbie, I was thinking while composing this BoTB that you would be surprised to see Motley Crue here, too. LOL I totally agree with you home is where you hang your hat and where hubby is! I tell DH all the time while he’s looking for a new job that I hope we can stay in Knoxville, but as long as we are together then it doesn’t matter where the road takes us because a home is where we make it no matter where that is. Thanks for voting. I gotta you down for Justin!
“as long as we are together then it doesn’t matter where the road takes us”
I wish your hubby good luck with his job search!
That’s exactly it!
Thanks, Debbie! God has brought us through the storms before and He will get us through this one, too.
Wow, is this ever a tough one!! Truly, I liked them both. And maybe I liked Carrie Underwood’s just a tad better. So let me give my vote to her.
Really good battle. Hard choice!
Michele at Angels Bark
Michele, I like it when I can make the pick a bit challenging for y’all. This makes me feel like I’m doing something right. lol I gotta ya done for Underwood. Thanks for voting.
I do like the house in live in quite a lot, and the town’s passable too. Our house is very comfortable and enjoyable.
I’ve heard this song but not sure who I’ve heard it by. Both of the versions you put up are really good to my ears. The rock country sound of Justin Moore really has a lot of feeling and good playing.
The version by Carrie Underwood is lighter but then gets pretty heavy. The orchestration gave the recording a Beatles sound like their more psychedelic period.
This is really tough but I think I’ll go for Underwood because of that orchestration.
Great match -up for an outstanding song.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Lee, I’m glad you have the blessings of a good place that you call home; the house you live in and the town you reside it. That’s really important. So, happy to hear that you enjoyed both artists today. I have you down for Underwood. Thanks for casting your vote!