Battle of the Bands

Honky Cat #BoTB showdown

September 15, 2018 /

Hello, Kittens & Dawgs!  Back in the summer…yeah, it’s nearly a faded memory but anyhow while searching for songs for a 4M prompt, I stumbled on the 1972 Billboard Top 10 hit,  Honky Cat (reference only) that Sir Elton released. I don’t know why it never registered until now but Bernie Taupin wrote about a country boy (aka Honky Cat) experiencing city life which very well might be a direct correlation to Taupin being raised on a farm but what throws my brain is his use of ‘redneck’, a term that’s almost exclusively used about uneducated southern Americans abroad and in the states.   The English use another verbiage that means the same, interestingly I learned the origin of ‘Redneck’ traces back to Scotland.  Anywho, it wasn’t until sometime after that I came across a fascinating Honky Cat cover.  That flipped my BoTB button on.  Let’s get this battle started!

The first band to take the stage is new-to-me.  The year after Elton charted with his song, this country rock band did a cover resembling a cross between bluegrass and rock.  Give a listen to COUNTRY GAZETTE!

Next up taking center stage is a name, not new-to-me whose known for her country-pop mewsic.  She slowed the pace of Elton’s song giving it a bit of bluesy-country vibe to this gal’s ears but you be the judge for yourself and I invite you to listen to LEE ANN WOMACK!

**Polls close mid-day (EST) Sept. 21st, results announcement, Sept. 24th**

Who gets your vote, COUNTRY GAZETTE or LEE ANN WOMACK?

How do I play BoTB? It’s really super simple!

  1. You VOTE. Leave your FAVORITE pick in comments.  Everyone is welcome to vote. There is no wrong vote, except if you DON’T vote.
  2. Be interactive. Tell me why you like your favorite pick. (optional)
  3. Make me happy. Tell a friend, share the below tweet. (optional)

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.

Angels Bark (Michele),  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).

DID YOU VOTE? No! Okay, but if you leave WITHOUT voting, I won’t be held responsible for what happens to your computer. Just saying is all. 😂

I’m not visiting Blogosphere today.  I normally try to not post on the weekends but whatcha going to do when the 15th falls on Saturday?  I promise I will see you on Monday first thing, though.  It’ll be rough but I’m committed to doing the job.  Have a bandtastic weekend and I hope you’ll decide to dance with on Monday’s Mewsic Moves Me!

 

X💋X💋, Cathy

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31 Comments

  • John Holton

    September 17, 2018 at 10:23 am

    I liked Country Gazette’s version a lot, even more than the original. I listened to part of Lee Ann’s and it was just way too slow for my taste. She has a lovely voice, that’s for certain. Anyway, give my vote to Country Gazette.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 8:39 am

      John,

      I like Lee Ann, too. Her cover is a bit too slow. It takes being in the right mindset to get into it so I’m not sure which way my vote is going depending on what’s happening on the day I give these one final listening.

  • greyzoned/angelsbark

    September 17, 2018 at 10:21 am

    HI Cathy,
    Hope you’re feeling better and that all is going well with your husband as well.
    I wasn’t able to do a battle for the 15th but on the 14th I did post the FINAL FINAL results of the Dog v Cat Tournament so when you’re making your rounds be sure to stop by and check it out if you have time. (Hint: you’ll be happy with the results…but give it a read anyway, if you want to of course. 🙂 )

    Just as I wasn’t able to do a battle on Saturday, I wasn’t able to do a 4M post either. September is such a busy month and this one was especially crazy with all kinds of stuff (bad and good) unexpectedly happening….
    I’m still working on my aging post/playlist that I was going to post for today’s freebie, had I finished it. I think I’m going to use it for next week’s theme week because I did an Autumn Songs post a short while ago and I don’t want to just do a re-post. Hopefully that will be okay with you…

    Happy Monday. Hope your start to the week is a good one.
    Now I”m on my way over to see your 4M post…

    Michele at Angels Bark

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Michele,

      I will check out your results in a bit. No worries about not doing a battle. It gets hard some months, doesn’t it?

      DH and I are doing ok. Mostly what has us on our toes is the constant doctor appointments for follow-ups or to make sure everything is as it should be. I just want to breathe easier again sometime soon. I’m exhausted!I can relate to your crazy month. I’m in the same boat as you, my friend. Some days I think I need to put on a life preserver just to keep my head afloat. Thanks for visiting!

      • greyzoned/angelsbark

        September 19, 2018 at 12:13 am

        Good Lord, I didn’t vote, did I?? !! Thanks for letting me know. See what I mean? I’m a basket case… And my Mom is waiting for me to bring her some ice water right now so I need to make this quick. I thought I had placed my vote but clearly I didn’t. My intention was to vote for Lee Ann Womack. I’ll have to come back later and tell you why…unless you don’t really care. Who am I kidding? I probably won’t make it back here. I’ll just say I liked her version better. Hope that works! Sorry for my scatteredness….if that’s even a word. It should be, if it isn’t already…

        • Cathy Kennedy

          September 19, 2018 at 2:01 pm

          Michele,

          You’re welcome and no worries here to get back. I’m glad you made it over to record your favorite pick. Here’s hoping life settled down for the both of us!😉

  • Birgit

    September 16, 2018 at 6:01 pm

    Hmmmm…I actually liked both versions but give me the first one, Country Gazette with the banjo which is an instrument I always loved (ever hear Steve Martin play the banjo?). They played the song in a style that I really enjoyed.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 8:24 am

      Birgit,

      Yep, Steve Martin plays banjo. I think he’s actually a part of a band or at least he used to be. I read somewhere that he has a home in Brevard, North Carolina. We visit there off and on throughout the year. The Brevard Music Center is world famous and I believe was founded by members of the VonTrapp family…I think. Don’t hold me to that but I believe that’s right. Brevard also has an interesting feature, white squirrels. I even got a chance to photograph one once. 🙂

  • Cherdo

    September 16, 2018 at 12:02 pm

    I’m back, Cathy! If you don’t mind, add me for the Battles and I’ll be sure to do my part.

    Meanwhile, where did you find that version from Country Gazette? I’ve never heard of them but I sure like their version. The banjo is perfect, lol. And I’m not even a Bluegrass fan. Lee Ann was “okay” and sounded like Lee Ann. Nothing wrong with it, but Country Gazette blew her version outta the water.

    Hope all is well with you — we’re gonna get wet today, I hear. 🙂

    Hugs,
    Cherdo

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 8:20 am

      Cherdo,

      So, happy to see you back with BoTB and for your vote. I just came from you place. I’m sorta doing things a bit out of turn today as I play catch up. lol

  • Stephen T. McCarthy

    September 15, 2018 at 4:45 pm

    Hey ya, CATHY, it’s that me – STMcC!

    I hope things are going better for you and yours.

    Unlike some others here, ‘Honky Cat’ has always been one of the songs I like best from Elton John’s repertoire. Pretty funky for a pudgy White boy from decidedly un-funky England. ;o)

    In this Battle, I definitely preferred the Bluegrass-like version by COUNTRY GAZETTE. The second one just seemed too start-stop, start-stop, start-stop for me. This song is supposed to have a groove to it, and Lee Ann Womack’s recording sounded to me like a bunch of bears got hold of pickaxes in a tin can factory.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents ‘Battle Of The Bands’

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 6:35 am

      Stephen,

      We’re doing ok. I’m still trying to bound back from more than a week ago when we had that crazy long day traveling to WV, back, loading, unloading stuff, returning rental, …. Life just doesn’t want to slow down for us! But on a good note…I’m still here to complain. 🙂 You and I are in the minority with this oldie. At first, listen I liked what she did with EJ’s song, so I had to play it again after your comment sounded like a bunch of bears got a hold of pickaxes in a tin can factory. I will weigh both artists again in a few days before settling on my preferred pick. Thanks for stopping by!

  • Mary B

    September 15, 2018 at 11:53 am

    Cathy

    At first I thought I would be voting for Country Gazette, because they sounded much like the original. But once Lee Ann got into the song, I realized I enjoyed her watered down version so much more. I think you are going to have a close battle, here!

    My vote: Lee Ann Womack

    ~Mary
    Jingle Jangle Jungle

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 5:13 am

      Eugenia,

      I’m learning with this battle that not only is the not a favorite EJ song but he’s not some folks favorite artist. I like many of Elton’s songs but it might a stretch to say he’s my favorite. While I always liked “Honky Cat” I guess I can say it might not be one of his best songs but it has a fun vibe and it definitely transports back to my youth. Thanks for playing along!

  • Thomas Anderson

    September 15, 2018 at 5:57 am

    Hi, Cathy!

    Elton John is not one of my favorite artists, mainly because he was hyped and overexposed at the peak of his career and his hits played so often on radio that I got sick and tired of hearing them. “Honky Cat” is one such song that I heard about a hundred times too often. However you found a superb cover for this round of the BOTB, one that breathes new life into the song, a version I wouldn’t mind hearing every day for the rest of my life because it’s that good. I am referring to the cover by contestant #2 – Lee Ann Womack. Lee Ann’s recording of “Honky Cat” is found on the April 2018 album release Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin which features covers by various country artists. Released the very same day was another tribute album Revamp: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin which contains covers by various pop, rock and R&B artists. What a great idea! Those two new albums will provide plenty of material for future volumes of BOTB, I would think.

    Getting back to your battle, the first act, Country Gazette, runs through an ordinary bluegrass rendition of the song, while Lee Ann’s version, with its slowed tempo, imaginative arrangement and the singer’s sexy vocals, turns the old pop song into a new country classic. I had no problem making up my mind on this one – Lee Ann Womack gets my vote!

    Thank you, dear friend Cathy!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 4:01 am

      Tom,

      EJ isn’t one of my favorite mewscians but he does have several tunes across the decades, mostly 70-90s, that I love. I’m not sure if I’ve heard anything new by him in years. I enjoy Womach’s cover but I’m still undecided who gets my vote. I am going to revisit her Restoration album that features “Honky Cat”, though. I’m really behind on things in Blogosphere, so let me cut this short. Thanks for making time to visit and play along in spite of your busy weekend, my friend.

  • Arlee Bird

    September 15, 2018 at 12:23 am

    “Honky Cat” is high on my list of least favorite Elton John songs–or at least his performances are. These two artists really made this song work in very different ways. I love both of them.

    Lee Ann Womack’s version is a musical extravaganza that really cuts a groove. But Country Gazette does the song true justice. I was convinced. I’m amazed that I keep discovering groups that it seems like I should have heard of but never ran across back in that day.

    My vote is for Country Gazette.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    • Cathy Kennedy

      September 18, 2018 at 3:52 am

      Lee,

      I’m glad I found two versions of EJ’s song that you like better than the original. I like it but I like these covers, too. It’s going to be a hard pick for me. I’m always amazes me to find new mewsical talent thanks to all of my good friends in Blogosphere. 🙂

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