Each week, several cats battle it out over the same song. I ask you to listen to the audio file below, which contains a themed music program and concludes with several versions of the same song by many different artists. Listen to both versions in their entirety before deciding which one you TRULY DIG THE MOST! Then vote below and see how your fellow Cat Fighters voted. That's the Friday Night Cat Fight from MattTheCat.com.

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15 Comments on “3/11/11 – The “Nature Boy” Cat Fight!”

1. 
   1 CCK said at 11:37 am on March 11th, 2011:

   I voted for Nat because his version just really created an environment for me of an enchanted forest, with small animals milling about, and being told a great story by a nymph. It’s very woodsy for me. Loved it. Sinatra’s choir was hauntingly beautiful too, but put me in a cathedral, rather than in the forest.

2. 
   2 Virginia said at 1:09 pm on March 11th, 2011:

   Oh, no contest for me this week, NAT KING COLE please. I had the honor of meeting this gentleman in the mid-fifties and he was as wonderful to be with as his voice is to listen to. Very good show Matt thank you once again.

3. 
   3 Ron said at 4:15 pm on March 11th, 2011:

   Call me whatever, I have NEVER heard the unique aspect of this song. All of the 1940’s sound the same; there’s nothing special about any of them. For that reason, I voted for Darin’s version. He, at least, tried to do something different with the composition.

4. 
   4 Stephen (De La Soul) said at 6:14 pm on March 11th, 2011:

   Nat for the Orchestra and styling
   Frank for the back-up singers
   Dick for vocals
   Bobby for the funky doo wop cha cha cha

5. 
   5 Yum Yum said at 7:34 pm on March 11th, 2011:

   There Was A Boy Matt A Very Enchanted Boy They Say He Was The Best On The Night Prowl Show Which Was Over Land And Sea On XM A Very Talented Guy Was He But Very Wise Who Was Matt The Cat And Then One Day They Took His Show Away And While We Spoke Of Many Things Fools And Kings This He Said To Us The The Greatest Thing You’ll Ever Learn Is Just That We Had The King Matt The Cat For Seven Years !! Keep On Prowlin Matt And The Prowlers And My Vote Bobby True True Love Darin Yum Yum

6. 
   6 Lana GeibelName (required) said at 8:26 pm on March 11th, 2011:

   A hard choice. Liked Nat for the storytelling quality, Frank was good too but settled on Dick Haymes for the vocal. Bobby gave it an interesting twist, but I really like the earlier versions for their haunting interpretations.

7. 
   7 Steve in Arizona said at 10:00 pm on March 11th, 2011:

   It was Nat for me. Franks, though good, and Dicks were just remakes of Nats. Bobbys was a nice change, I had never heard it before and it fit his style.

8. 
   8 timevac3 said at 1:30 am on March 12th, 2011:

   All great great artists. That said, this song really does nothing for me. I have to give the nod to Bobby Darin for adding a little more interest to it.

9. 
   9 Bruce And Deb said at 12:47 pm on March 12th, 2011:

   What a truly eerie, disturbing and unsettling song. Who is this “nature boy” and what does he really want? Is this the same boy that shows up again as Lennon and McCartney’s “mother natures son”? Is he real and still out there today wandering the forests and scaring the living daylights out of unsuspecting hikers or was he no more than a mushroom fueled hallucination that existed for a short moment in time? I’m not sure, but both Deb and I (who did not sleep well last night after hearing the song) decided that Bobby Darin’s version was the least creepy so he gets our vote

10. 
    10 Dick in Seattle said at 5:50 pm on March 12th, 2011:

    With all due respect to the crooners, Bobby Darin’s upbeat version gets my vote!

    Keep up the great work Matt!

    Dick (the world’s biggest Paul Revere fan!)

11. 
    11 Gene said at 8:35 pm on March 13th, 2011:

    Nat is King, his feel for the music and mastery of phrasing are still unsurpassed.

12. 
    12 Stickball Eddie said at 7:32 pm on March 14th, 2011:

    Well, now I know the song was not a tribute to Ric Flair. The first three versions, the slower ones, prompted me to say “hey bartender” . I needed a big “splash” so I then heard the “king of the hop” sing and I was glad he was back in town from beyond the sea. If I were a carpenter I’d vote for him as well, the great Bobby Darin wins my vote.

13. 
    13 Sierra said at 2:28 pm on March 15th, 2011:

    My vote went without hesitation to Bobby Darren. All the other renditions dragged out too long, with no rhythm at all. Bobby’s was a song one could slow dance to, with a definite mild beat and good rhythm. I feel that none of the special effects or the meaning of the song was lost, though they were not audible here. Thanks again, MTC, and also for doing 2 cat fights in a row; wow!

14. 
    14 David said at 10:11 am on March 18th, 2011:

    I think this song calls for an air of mystery and contemplation and is a challenge when sung quietly. I see I’m in the minority here, but Frank’s slightly better vocal interpretive skills and quiet emotional range won out by a nose for me over Dick Haymes, though Nat’s very good, too, of course, and I appreciate Bobby trying something newer. And yes, Yum Yum, loving and being loved in return is the ESSENCE of Matt The Cat!

15. 
    15 Mark said at 5:18 pm on March 18th, 2011:

    Nat IS King, but gotta give the thumbs uip to Bobby Darin. He was totally mod, always struggling for “modern” interpretations, and totally fearless about going “out there”.
    “Sha la la la loo!”

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