Hello, Kittens & Dawgs! The weekend is here but I’m not here. Well…you know me I’m spending it with DH. Yesterday was my birthday 🎶HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me🎶 which is doubly nice since it’s also DH’s off Friday. YAY!!! Anyhow, this is a scheduled post. I’ll get to each of y’all at the start of the week. 😘
In the middle of July with things all heated up I planned this battle. I wasn’t sure what song to use, except I was fairly certain I did not want to use a Christmas tune with December being the 4M month to rock to Christmas mewsic. I knew I’d find the one as soon as it snagged my ear. In this case, it happened to be one I wasn’t familiar with from the year DH graduated high school (1977) by The Steve Miller Band. This is one of those groups I don’t recall from back in the day and introduced to by one of you guys. I’d love to give credit where credit is due, so please tell me which of you guys told me about him. It’s actually quite purrrty. It’s not officially winter yet but it’s close enough. Listen to Winter Time for reference if you’d like but remember this one isn’t part of the showdown. Any votes given to SMB will be tossed out.
My job was made easy as there’s only a handful of covers of this song. I don’t know if that’s a good thing but here goes nothin’! Second-Hand Music offered only two vocal covers, one didn’t move me quite as much as the other and so I went with Reid Jamieson for my first candidate in today’s showdown. Please listen to Reid!
I discovered my next candidate on YT in my quest to find other cover artists. The pickings are slim. Adam & Adam performs an all-instrumental version of SMB’s original. May I have your attention one more time for you to listen to Adam & Adam.
Perhaps, it’s not fair to pit vocal mewsical arrangement against an all-mewsic composition but that’s the way this battle lead me.
Who gets your vote, Reid Jamieson or Adam & Adam?
**Poll closes December 21st at noon (EST)**
How do I play BoTB? It’s really super simple!
- You VOTE. Leave your FAVORITE pick in comments. Everyone is welcome to vote. There is no wrong vote, except if you DON’T vote.
- Be interactive. Tell me why you like your favorite pick. (optional)
- Make me happy. Tell a friend, share the below tweet. (optional)
[tweetthis]I just voted in the #SteveMillerBand ‘Winter Time’ #BoTB 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 love 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).
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. 😂
Mark your calendar for December 22st to discover who gets my vote and to see if your favorite is named the winner. Have a good weekend and I hope you’ll hit the dance floor with me on Monday’s Mewsic Moves Me!
X💋X💋, Cathy
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Both are nicely done but Reid gets my vote it was sung very well.
Mike,
I thought everyone finished voting on this battle yesterday and had it all tallied up. lol Your vote gave Reid a one-point advantage. 🙂
Happy late birthday and Merry Christmas, Cathy! I really enjoy Reid’s version more. I find his version soothing with the mellow vocals and the relaxing atmosphere.
aisasami
https://aisasami.wordpress.com
Hey, Darlin’! So, glad you enjoyed and passed your vote to Reid Jamieson! I haven’t really kept up with who’s ahead this round, so it’s going to be a bit of a surprise when I tally them later in the week. 🙂
Both are lovely but I find Reid Jamieson’s ‘prissy’ voice really works for this woman. Hauntingly beautiful and a welcome reminder of this awesome tune.
PS: to STEPHEN T. MCCARTHY. – No need to insult a artist’s masculinity to say you prefer another. says more about you than it does the artist.
Claire,
Are you a first-time visitor? I do not recognize your sign-in that’s why I ask. If so, then welcome and if not, just ignore me. lol I have your vote recorded for Reid Jamieson. Have a pAwesome afternoon!
Belated Happy Birthday to you!!
Adam & Adam gets my vote. I sang along myself filling in albeit off key. I did not want my vote tossed out. I do <3 the original though and if allowed, I’d have chosen that one.
Thanks for the birthday wishes and for your Adam & Adam vote. 🙂
Belated Birthday greetings to ya, CATHY!
It would seem your husband and I am the same age, as I’m also a graduate from “The Class Of ’77”.
And, yep, being old, I was familiar with this song by the Steve Miller Band.
I really liked the instrumental by ADAM & ADAM, and so they’re getting my vote. Something about Reid’s vocal kind of turned me off a little bit. Not a lot, but enough. I think it sounded a little too… uhm… “prissy”… for my tastes. I like a man who sounds like a man when he’s singing. (Pretty funny, I know, coming from a guy who likes Tiny Tim. But some things are simply beyond explanation.)
~ D-FensDogG @ STMcC Presents ‘BATTLE OF THE BANDS’
Stephen,
You’re not old yet. That would imply that I’m old just being a few years younger, so nope you’re not old. 😀 Thanks for throwing in your vote for Adam & Adam!
The instrumental by Howe and Werner is fantastic. Hey, I am a sucker for hammered dulcimer. It is a rare treat to hear an artist other than Alisa Jones play the instrument.
My vote is for Adam & Adam… Thank you kindly, Cat Lady.
Myke,
I’m glad you joined me for this BoTB by voting for Adam & Adam!
Merry Christmas, birthday girl (see what I did there? I’m conserving messages…)!
This is a great pairing because of their differences and it was a hard choice. The guitar in the instrumental is awesome, but I gotta say, vocals really sway my vote. I gotta go with Reid Jamieson.
Have I mentioned I was born in WV, too? I don’t know where you lived in southern WV, but I lived in Oak Hill at one time (technically, Scarbro…but who can find that?).
Thanks, Cathy!
Cherdo,
What’s this, you’re a Mountaineer gal, too? I know Oak Hill. Isn’t that near Beckley? My parents moved from my childhood home in 1980 and live across the state line from Bluefield. Years prior they bought land from my great-grandparents. After Daddy got his black lung settlement they built a home in Rocky Gap, VA. We have more in common than just being local neighbors, sorta, don’t we? Thanks for sharing and for voting in this round of BoTB! I’ll visit your place soon. 😉
Cherdo,
I forgot to thank you for casting your vote for Reid Jamieson!
Wishing you many happy returns of the day, and i loved that instrumental version.
Mimi,
I’m glad you liked Adam & Adam. My birthday was good considering all things.
Happy Birthday Cathy!! I like Adam and Adam’s version best.
Ellen,
Gotcha down for Adam & Adam. Thanks for playing along and for the bday wishes, my friend!
Happy Birthday, Cathy! This here is a really good battle. Such a pretty tune. I found the vocals pulling me in to the song, yet the instrumentals were also very pleasing to the ears. I could see myself having the instrumental on in the background as I went about my day. But overall, I’m casting my vote for Reid Jameison.
~Mary
#BattleOfTheBands : Christmas Edition
Mary,
I have you down for Reid Jameison, my friend. Thanks for the birthday wishes. 🙂
Happy Birthday, Cathy!!!! 🎂 Gosh, don’t remember the song and like both versions. I’m going with the instrumental – Adam and Adam as I like their sound.
Eugenia,
Thank you for the bday wishes and for voting for Adam &Adam!
As Jackie Vernon, who voiced Frosty in the Rankin-Bass “Frosty The Snowman” animated films, would say when he would come to life, “Happy boithday!”
I actually prefer instrumentals over songs with lyrics, so I liked Adam & Adam. Tally up a vote for them!
John,
LOL, yeah everytime my birthday comes around I always think of Frosty the Snowman. Thanks for the bday wishes and for the vote for Adam & Adam. Heading your way next! 😉
Happy Birthday, Cathy! 🙂 I’m a Steve Miller fan, but don’t recall ever hearing this song before. It’s good. Both versions are pleasing to the ears. but somehow, the instrumental grabbed me more. Adam and Adam for me, please.
Debbie,
Thank you for the birthday wishes. I have your vote recorded for Adam and Adam. Now, I’m off to see you! 😉
I like them all, but Reid Jamieson did the best job on this.
Have a fabulous weekend, Cathy. Love you. ♥
Sandee,
A fourth straight vote for Reid Jamieson. It’ll be interesting to see how the tally plays out in this round.
Happy Birthday from all of us! We never heard of the Reid dude but we like that one!
Brian,
I have you down for Reid Jamieson. Thanks for playing along!
Hi, Cathy!
Happy b-day and happy BOTB day, dear friend!
“Winter Time,” from Steve Miller Band’s 1977 album Book of Dreams, is a great song. As I listened, it occurred to me that it must have been inspired somewhat by “California Dreamin'” by the Mamas and the Papas:
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)
I’ve been for a walk (I’ve been for a walk)
On a winter’s day (on a winter’s day)
I must say, Cathy, that you managed to find two excellent covers of the song, making this one of the toughest decisions I have ever needed to make in BOTB judging.
The instrumental by Adam & Adam has depth and power, a sound as big as a starry sky on a winter night. I enjoyed letting the instruments tell the story. It was five minutes well spent. However, I like the version by Reid Jamieson even more, and that means even more than the original. Reid’s vocal treatment is perfectly suited to the material, and I love the sweet female backing and the overall arrangement. Reid takes Miller’s song and makes it even better, a new classic, in my opinion. I give my vote to Reid Jamieson!
Once again, happy birthday to you, dear friend Cathy, and have a super weekend!
Tom,
Thank you for the birthday wishes. I appreciated your visit and vote. I’m sorry for falling so terribly behind but you know how life is sometimes. Anyhow, thanks for voting for Reid Jamieson.
I can’t remember having heard this song before though I’m well aware of the Steve Miller Band.
It is kind of tough to pick between these versions since each holds a special lure depending on what I’m wanting to hear. My tendency would lean toward the version with the vocal.
Give my vote to Reid Jamieson.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Lee,
Sometimes it’s hard to choose between an instrumental and a vocal arrangement, so I get that totally. Thanks for voting for Reid Jamieson.