Happy New Year’s Greetings & June in January #BoTB showdown
Hello, Kittens & Dawgs! Here it is another January. A brand new year for a fresh beginning. With the cold winds blowing I thought it nice to think about warm weather…it’s June in January because I’m in love. Yep, I’m in love with the same feller for a very long time. From the 1934 movie, “Here Is My Heart”, Bing Crosby first performed June in January (song reference only).
June in January
Lyricists: Leo Robin & Ralph Rainger
It’s June in January
Because I’m in love
It always is spring in my heart
With you in my arms
The snow is just white blossoms
That fall from above
And here is the reason, my dear
Your magical charms
The night is cold
The trees are bare
But I can feel the scent of roses in the air
It’s June in January
Because I’m in love
But only because I’m in love with you
But I can feel the scent of roses in the air
It’s June in January
Because I’m in love
But only because I’m in love with you
There was only been a couple of dozen covers of Crosby’s original. I found two I rather liked and it’s gonna be a hard pick for me. How about you?
Contender #1, I present the soft, seductive sound of a real Calendar Girl, Julie London.
Contender # 2 is the classic smooth vocals of a very likable fellow, Dean Martin.
I loved Dean-O’s variety shows from the 70s and do recognize Julie London from the 70s TV series, Emergency?
Whose touch did you like, the girl or the boy’s… vocally speaking of course?
Ok, here’s the drill. Voting is open to everyone visiting. There is NO wrong vote, except if you DON’T vote. You can start by telling me in comments which artist you like best and why (optional).
Which artist is your favorite, Julie or Dean-O?
The fun continues with more epic battles underway and I invite you to visit the official manager of BoTB, Stephen for the update list of players. I’ll share the results of this battle in my January 9th Mewsic Moves Me post. Speaking of which, I hope you’ll decide to dance with me and Monday’s Music Mewsic Moves Me crew.
This is Curious as a Cathy saying, “Happy New Year!” and just let me saying I’m looking forward to another marvelous year with you my good friends! 😉
20 Comments
Debbie D. | thedogladysden.com
Happy New Year, Cathy! Wishing you and DH all the best for 2017 and beyond. 🙂 This is a tough one, as I enjoyed both versions. Two great singers! Dino has always been my favourite of the classic crooners; there’s just something about his voice. ♥ Please give my vote to Dean Martin.
Cathy Kennedy
Happy New Year, Debbie! Thank you for stopping in with your warm wishes for 2017 and for casting your vote in my latest BoTB. I have you down for Dino. Your vote makes number two for him. Julie is running away with this showdown. Have a good day, my friend!
Robin
I really enjoyed Julie London on this one. She gets my vote!
Happy New Year!
Cathy Kennedy
Robin, thanks for visiting and voting. 😉
greyzoned/angelsbark
Happy New Year Cathy! Hope your holidays were fabulous. I’m kinda sad that they’re over…
Wow, you really made this one hard! I like both of these versions. I love Dean’s vocals but overall I think I preferred Julie London’s version because of both the soft vocals and the brass horns. So please give my vote to Julie.
Funny but I didn’t know she was a singer until someone presented another song by her in a past battle. I’ve always associated her with her role as the hospital nurse on Emergency! 🙂
Have a wonderful week and may it be an amazing start to a stellar year!
Michele at Angels Bark
Cathy Kennedy
Michele, I featured Julie London on my blog last year in a BoTB and I think it was Birgit who reminded me that she was in the 60s TV show Emergency. That’s one of the neat things about these little mewsic memes (or any of them) you always learn something new. Thanks for stopping by to vote. I have you down for Julie!
Cherdo
Interesting choice! Great song, by the way.
When I was a youngin’, I had a Julie London album and I played “A Foggy Day in London Town” till it broke. My pals informed me that (at that time) she was not as cool as she needed to be to be on a middle schoolers record player. So I played it louder.
Dean Martin got a LOT of air play at our house; he was one of my Dad’s favorites and he actually got his start in the town I grew up in. Sadly, the alcohol and crooning does little for me. We had too much of that at home…
So, JULIE LONDON it is!
Happy New Year and stay warm (brrrr…it’s pretty chilly out there tonight, neighbor!).
Cathy Kennedy
Cherdo, I didn’t know Julie was a singer until…I think it was last year that I made this wonderful discovery. Ha, what do middle schooler kids know anyhow?! I’m glad you didn’t cave and kept on playing the mewsic you enjoyed. I bet today they love Julie! 🙂 I’m not a fan of alcohol and crooning but Dino sure had a good voice and I really enjoyed his variety show. It’s a shame what alcohol abuse can do to a person, thought. I have your vote recorded for Julie. The tally stands Julie 4, Dino 1. If you think it’s cold now wait until THIS weekend! Brr, it’s gonna be cold outside baby!
Mary B
Happy New Year, Cathy! I’m giving my vote to Julie simply because she made it so happy and delightful to listen to. Great battle!
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Cathy Kennedy
Mary, I agree Julie’s cover is a delight to listen to and I have your vote down. Happy New Year to you, too!
Birgit
I have to give it to Julie London because I can see a woman sing this with more romance in her voice which she does. Dino is always great but I see him sipping a whiskey hoping to get into her pants…too rude??:) yes, Julie was in Emergency with her husband, Bobby Troup. I remember her first there and not as a singer and never thought of her as sultry given the nurse’s uniform she wore.
D-FensDogG
Happy New Year to you, CATHY! I hope 2017 is terrific to ya!
Nice choice for the first BOTB of the year.
I was sure, without hearing a note, that I’d vote for JULIE LONDON. I have never, ever cared for Dean-O’s singing.
But to my amazement, this one was much, much closer than I anticipated. I read Lee’s comment beforehand and thought it seemed totally off. How could one possibly knock a tune that’s celebrating a June feeling (because of love) in January for being uptempo and bouncy? That’s EXACTLY how I would EXPECT it to be.
But then I heard Dean-O’s and thought: Dang! It works well as a ballad, too!
Anyway, I’m still voting the way I guessed I would — for JULIE LONDON — but this an was interesting contest.
Stay safe and warm, CATHY, and all the best to you and yours in 2017!
~ D-FensDogG
‘Loyal American Underground’
Cathy Kennedy
Stephen, I found Julie last year and really love her vocals and style but Dino has always been a favorite of mine for years. I haven’t settled on my favorite yet. Thanks for voting making the count – Julie 2 and Dino 1. Also, thanks for the warm new year wishes, my friend! God bless!
Alexa T
Hello Cathy! And Happy New Year to you!
How wonderful tunes and various interpretations! I listen the song of Bing and It’s my favorite! and the one of Dean Martin is so warm as a rhitm! interesting, so interesting all the versions!
Now I want to wish you a very wonderful, prosperous, positive and happy New Year full of good health and good cheer, as well! Best regards and lots of joys in 2017! Happy New Year, once again! La multi ani in 2017! Alexa
Cathy Kennedy
Alexa, thanks for stopping in for a listen and warm wishes for the hew year, as well my friend!
lexacain
Happy New Year to you and all your family! May your new year be filled with joy, peace, and prosperity!
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
Happy new Year, dear friend!
The holidays are an ideal time to go old school and you did just that in your first band battle of 2017. How refreshing it is to hear the soft voices and innocent, romantic songs rendered by artists like Julie London, Dean Martin and The McGuire Sisters. (Gangsta rap was still light years away.) Dean-O and the McGuires were two of my mother’s favorite acts when I was a boy and I grew up liking them, too.
Your BOTB offered two wonderful performances of the pop standard “June in January” from the 1954 musical comedy film Here is My Heart starring The Binger and Kitty Carlisle, the movie actress who later became famous on the small screen as a regular panelist on the TV game show To Tell the Truth. The song was also featured in the 1957 Frank Sinatra picture The Joker is Wild. I did a double flip-flop on this one, Cathy. Normally my ears are tuned to female vocalists and the female usually gets my vote in these contests. However, Julie London isn’t my favorite female vocalist. On the other hand I love Dean Martin’s casual crooning. However (flip-flopping again) I much preferred the brassy big band arrangement and male backing singers on Julie’s version and didn’t enjoy quite as much the female chorus and symphonic arrangement on Dean’s version. Dean’s voice seemed to get swallowed up by the violins. Therefore, I am giving my vote to Julie London.
Thank you for a great BOTB to start the year, dear friend Cathy, and all the best to you and your family in 2017!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom, Wow-za! You sure did pull out some interesting factoids for my song pick today. I really liked reading these tidbits. Yes, I realize you prefer female vocals to male and I know today’s pick is a bit challenging considering the two artists. I think it’s rather interesting because I normally prefer male vocals to female. This makes me wonder if the opposite sex vocally is more appealing to most. That could make for an interesting polling question, don’t you think? Anywho, I’m glad you gave both careful considerations but in the end, it looks like Julie won. So, I’m giving your vote to Ms. London! Thanks for popping over, my friend!
Arlee Bird
Normally I’d go with Julie because I do love her vocalizing. However I didn’t care much for the uptempo bouncy treatment of the song. Too showy for my state of mind at the present time I guess.
Gotta go with Dino on this one.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Cathy Kennedy
Happy New Year, Lee! Thank you for stopping in today to vote in my first BoTB of 2017. I’ve penciled you in for the fabulous chillax vocalist, Dino! I’ll be by to listen to your first round in a moment!