#BOTB Disturbed vs Genesis
Time for the next round of Battle of the Bands!
Here’s how it works: I’ll be posting two versions of the same song and after you give a listen to each, place your vote for your favorite and reason for the way you voted in the comments section.
The Battles take place on or around the 1st and 15th of each month, and the results will be posted on or around the 7th and 21st. As I only post Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, the posting date will be closest to those dates as possible.
The other blogs participating in the Battle of the Bands are posting different battles (different songs), So once you’re done voting and commenting on my battle, take a moment to visit the other participants and vote & comment on their battles. There are some really good battles going on!
The Song: "Land of Confusion"
Wikipedia tells us this:
"Land of Confusion" is a song by the English rock band Genesis from their 1986 album Invisible Touch. The song was the third track on the album and was the third track released as a single, reaching No. 4 in the U.S. and No. 14 in the UK in late 1986. It also reached No. 8 in the Netherlands. The music was written by the band, while the lyrics were written by guitarist Mike Rutherford. The song's video featured puppets from the 1980s UK sketch show Spitting Image.
The First Contender: Genesis
The Second Contender: Disturbed
I always get a bit worried when pairing up the original artist against a contender, as it almost always ends in a bit of a lop-sided vote. That being said, after listening to several covers of this song, I feel that this particular contender has a fight in the battle.
Who will you choose?
Alright now, it’s time to cast your vote! In the comments, please enter who you are voting for and why you chose them. Stay tuned, results will be posted on Feb 22nd! Plus, I've found a rather unique version that I will be sharing with you then.
And don’t forget to visit these other battles going on today!
What does tomorrow bring?
Tune in to find out!
Okay.. so IntenseDebate was not working properly. First, they stopped supporting Commentluv for Blogger... Then out of the blue all comments and replies stopped working. NOT COOL IntenseDebate, NOT COOL especially on a day that I rely on comments for counting votes. So, I took their crap program off of my blog. Not to worry, I did save the vote counts so far. I will mention them in next comment.
ReplyDeleteVotes so far:
ReplyDeleteDisturbed 3 votes (Darla, Debbie, and Cathy)
Genesis 2 votes (Arlee and John)
Sorry for wiping out your original comments, but it had to be done.
~Mary
comment from Arnold sent via facebook: Mary! I tried to post a comment on Jingle Jangle Jungle, but it wouldn't let me; you must have blocked me or something! Can you post my comment on there? Loved this edition! "Wow, I'm surprised I'm saying this, but I have to go with Disturbed. It's just a little grittier, forceful, and louder, but not in an annoying way. However, the Genesis video is one of the most humous, fun videos I've ever seen. Interesting aside--I and other English teachers at my middle school had our students interpret "Sounds of Silence". We played Simon & Garfunkel's version, and for fun, also played Disturbed's. The kids by a large majority preferred Disburbed's version. I can't believe how well I love versions of songs by such hard rockers as Disturbed."
ReplyDeleteAwww. I would never block you Arn, you're too good of a friend that I've known for far too long (not that we should end the friendship, just saying we've been friends for a long time!) I have to admit that Disturbed's covers are making me like them just a little bit more. Thanks for getting in touch with me so I could count your vote.
DeleteDisturbed has another vote!
~Mary
I grew up listening to Genesis, to me this song marked the beginning of the end. It felt too commercial
DeleteDisturbed breathed new life into a tired song, so my vote goes to Disturbed
Thanks, Cheryl!
DeleteI've got your vote counted for Disturbed
~Mary
Ok, this is a bit hard because Genesis' version is the one I've always known, so, I thought I'd go with it for sure. But I really liked Disturbed's! So, vote for Disturbed!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sara! You've restored my faith in this clunky old Google comment box. I was beginning to worry that my comments were broken forever!
ReplyDeleteI've got your vote counted for Disturbed
Thanks for stopping by!
~Mary
So I was never thrilled with the idea of a battle of the bands because you are trying to make a sport out of what should be an art. This is taking it to the next level where you are judging bands on playing the same piece. You can do a battle of the bands where the bands are performing different pieces to take that out of the equation. That said my comments on this question is that you chose one of the worst songs that Genesis had written to judge them on. When comparing the band that has composed a piece to a band that is doing their rendition of a piece the handicap has got to go with the composer. In my mind Genesis takes it. You should really look at the 1970s discography of Genesis over their later repertoire. There is a interesting video that sums it up done by Kevin Gilbert & Giraffe at the 1994 ProgFest...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Ml1QDdNZ0&t=232s
If you are going to continue judging performances of the same piece I would offer these up just as how some artists will invest in developing their own renditions...
Kasmir
Led Zepplin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW_WLxseq0o
Kevin Gilber & Thud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaZ4_tSfRgQ
America
Simon & Garfunkel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFAoWwUwknc
Yes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBLTlW7Kc_Q
Angel From Montgomery
John Prine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVZmSEpuJtg
Bonnie Raitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhe3vb0z7mY
Woodstock
Joni Mitchell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjQCvfcXn0
Crosby Stills Nash & Young
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMrKxH_Ze_0
With A Little Help From My Friends
The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Oct1Qv8x0
Joe Cocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wG6Cgmgn5U
A vote for Genesis.
DeleteMARY! MARY!...
ReplyDeleteIt's Coffee O'Clock and here I am!
[Hopefully this comment will go through.
If not, I'm gonna sue.
But not you.]
FUN FACT: First I wanna say that I have a long, long history of online activity debating various sorts of people about various sorts of things. I rarely started the debates, by the way. But in my extensive history of Internet interactions with people who are wrong, it seems that every person I ever encountered who used the word "Scrutinizer" in their pseudonym (and oddly, there are many), they were wrong about everything they wrote about.
Now then, on to the important matter at hand:
By the title, I did NOT think I knew this song, but as it played, pretty quickly I discovered I was wrong. (Maybe I should start calling MYSELF Stephen T. McScrutinizer?)
I've never been a fan of Genesis, but this song actually isn't bad. I kinda-sorta like it. And I would say that Disturbed didn't really do much different with it, other than to just make it harder or harsher sounding. And in case you didn't get the memo, I'm an old geezer now and Hard Rock doesn't please my ears like it did in my teens and twenties.
There are some exceptions, of course, like Golden Earring's 'GRAB IT FOR A SECOND' album, UFO's album 'LIGHTS OUT', 'WHO'S NEXT' by The Who, 'TEENAGE DEPRESSION' by Eddie & The Hot Rods, and the album 'HARD ROCK FOR GEEZERS' by The Extra Cowbells.
So, anyway, that was a long-winded, traditionally bizarre way of saying I'm boting for GENESIS.
So happy to have you back, MARY! (Now don't let it happen again:o)
Incidentally, this idea of pitting song against song makes a mockery of art by turning it into a sport, and whoever started this blogfest should be made a public example of! ...I'll bet he even voted for Trump!
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Here he comes to save the day! LOL
DeleteThat coward's comment hit the spam box, but because there was a tiny vote in there I decided to let it go through. They are a coward because their profile is fake and they couldn't even put their name on their own comment.
This is quite the interesting battle. certainly not the blowout that I thought would happen. I was even shocked at Cathy's vote! (You missed it from the set of comments that got wiped out in the comment change-over, but I promised to prepare her baptismal font with Ozzy playing in the background)
Not sure if I mentioned this to you, but this battle was insisted upon by the former boyfriend before the big move... and since he's a bit younger than both you and I, that explains the want of a heavier rock.
My next battle will most likely be a bit gentler on the ears. I don't know. I haven't planned it out yet. This sickness has thrown me way off schedule!
So, Trump lover or not, I've got you down for my man Phil Collins and his gang. It's going to be a close one... Let's see if they pull through.
~Mary
Actually, I DID see Cathy's comment and your humorous response to her. Although I couldn't hear the videos, I was signed up to receive Email notices of new comments as they posted. So I was following the voting.
DeleteAnd, yes, Cathy's vote shocked me, too. At first I thought maybe it was a case of: "OK, who are you REALLY, and what have you done with Cathy?!"
But then again, she did tell me yesterday in her comment on my blog that she was feeling sick. So maybe THAT 'splains it. Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Okay, I came back over to respond to Mary's comment and now I can't even find my original comment on here. What's going on? First, Mary I don't think I'm quite ready to be a heavy metal rocker fan just yet. It's just sometime these groups will surprise me. Next to Stephen it was totally me casting that vote. I take full responsibility for my actions. lol Now, what happened to my comment? Hmmm...
DeleteIt was nothing you did, Cathy. My comment program, IntenseDebate, stopped functioning yesterday afternoon. I fiddled and faddled with it, and finally ended up having to remove it and replace it with this. In the process, all of the previous responses got wiped out (but I had managed to save the vote count).
Delete~Mary
Hello,
ReplyDeletePut me down for Genesis. Disturbed just played the same piece without making it their own. I'd agree with the Central Scrutinizer ( a reference to Frank Zappa's Joes Garage story ) about the earlier Genesis being much better.
I've counted your vote for Genesis, Mr Anonymous. While I do enjoy earlier Genesis myself, I don't see where you have taken the time to create any band battles and participate with the rest of us, so I'm taking your comment with a great big grain of salt and not giving it much weight.
DeletePerhaps next time, you will take a moment to include your name - it MIGHT give your comments some merit.
~Mary
Nevermind.
DeleteI actually had to minimize the Genesis video, so as not to be biased/distracted by it. I always loved that stupid video, and how muppet Ronald Reagan blew up the world while trying to call for his nurse. Good times. With that said, and while I DO like Disturbed's version, I just like Genesis's sound much better. Give my vote to them.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I always got a kick out of that video as well. I could watch it a few times over.
Delete'Got your vote for Genesis counted. Thanks for dropping by!
~Mary
Call me biased, but since I heard Disturbed's version first I have to go with it. In my mind they just pulled the song off a little better than Genesis.
ReplyDeleteWhile it's too late now, I would have advised playing Disturbed against In Flames, though I don't feel their version is as strong. Disturbed would have won that one hands down.
Song a Day
Thanks Noah. I probably should have mentioned it in my post, but this particular pairing was done by special request.
DeleteI've got your vote for Disturbed counted. Thanks for stopping by!
~Mary
I have to vote for Disturbed's version. I remember when the song originally came out and they played it over & over & over 'til you wanted to puke. Also, I was only 14 so the words didn't mean what they did to me by the time Disturbed put out their version. I turned more into a rocker and I love Dave's voice. He gives me chills!~ Becki
ReplyDeleteThanks, Becki! I've got your vote for Disturbed counted. Thanks for dropping by!
Delete~Mary
Im a big disturded junky. But i still like genesis the original song. Maybe because i grew up in that era. Heard it amillion times .who kws. My vote is genesis. On this one.
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for Genesis Thanks!
Delete~Mary
I give it To Genesis because they just did the song better to me. The other one was too hard core metal for me and was grating on my nerves. I have to say...Love Spitting Image! I used to watch their weekly show which I know was banned in the states. I also loved their one hour documentary on Reagan...hahahaaaa
ReplyDeleteGenesis gets my vote hard to go against the original, but Disturbed gave it a good try
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike!
DeleteA vote for Genesis
~Mary
I'm afraid I've been a big fan of Genesis since the very beginning. Or as long back as I can recall! Land of Confusion is timeless. Disturbed isn't bad, but they don't beat Genesis on their own song.
ReplyDeleteGenesis for me!
Thanks, Robin!
DeleteAnother vote for Genesis
~Mary