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Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

WEEK 10

A little breakdown of this week's songs by decade...
1920s: 0
1930s: 0
1940s: 2
1950s: 1
1960s: 8
1970s: 4
1980s: 12
1990s: 2
2000s: 3

Also of note:
Two songs by AC/DC
A song by the Smiths and a song by Morrissey
Two songs from the Liszt bloc


Here are this week's brackets. Remember, you can also view the brackets on this site. Voting is now open, and you have until 11:59 PM Pacific time on this upcoming Saturday to vote. Vote either in this thread or e-mail me.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
#234: "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
#279: "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
#746: "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
#791: "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
#147: "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]
#366: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
#659: "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#128: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
#385: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
#640: "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
#897: "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
#18: "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
#495: "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
#530: "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
#1007: "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
#223: "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
#290: "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
#735: "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
#802: "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
#461: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
#564: "The End" - The Doors [1967]
#973: "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
#3: "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
#510: "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
#515: "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
#1022: "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
#175: "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
#338: "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
#687: "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
#850: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

WEEK 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]
It's everything that AC/DC has always been: loud and stupid, but a hell of a lot of fun. And in this bracket, that's enough to put it over the top. I have no doubt that Dylan will pull this one out, but I'm a hell of a lot more likely to listen to this one than "Blowin' in the Wind".
2. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
I remember reading an article in one of my Bathroom Readers (go ahead and mock me) that speculated that this song was NOT written by Mr. Dylan. The article seemed to raise some interesting speculations, assuming that it's true. Nevertheless, this is one of the all-time great protest songs in spite of Dylan's usual subpar harmonica playing.
3. "About a Girl" - Nirvana
Difficult call for me between this one and #4, but this one wins out, even though I'm really getting sick of hearing it. Cobain's singing sounds really strained in this one, especially when he starts getting into the higher registers.
4. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
I just can't get excited about this one, which is saying something considering how much I love JB.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Back in Black" - AC/DC
Two songs from AC/DC this week, and I'm going with both of them. I'm running out of chances to bring up this little joke, so I'll use it here. In the book "Our Dumb World" by the Onion, their entry for Australia has this entry: "Embarrassed AC/DC had no idea all their songs were sexual innuendoes". Yes, I know that this song is a tribute to Bon Scott, but the joke is still funny.
2. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]
Play the first two seconds of this song, and EVERY white person in the U.S. instantly knows what's coming: "Crazy, I'm crazy for feeling so lonely..."
3. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
So much has been said about this song since The Wizard of Oz came out back in '39 that the song has almost taken on a life of its own. Yes, it's an Oscar winner, which puts it in elite company along with "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)," "Talk to the Animals," and "I'm Easy." But try to put the mystique of the song behind you and put it in the context of the movie. Dorothy's dreaming of getting the hell out of Kansas, and here she's expressing those wishes. So simple, yet so timeless. Maybe the best thing I can say about it is that the other day I was listening to it in my car, and I actually got a little choked up. I can't explain why.
4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
This song has some merits, but the zany guitar work at the beginning of every verse is just really off-putting. Shame, because the chorus is quite lovely.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]
Say what you will about the video (and all praise is justly deserved), but the song is just as good. It has taken me a while to be able to say that, but it's true. A shame that it's the only PG song in Bracketology, and I'm sure it won't win, but being that I'm a huge Gabriel fan, I feel almost obligated to give it my full four points.
2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
As much as I dislike U2 (and oh, do I dislike them), I can't deny that this is their best song. There is no debate on this one; it's not "One," not "With or Without You," not "Sunday Bloody Sunday," it's this one. Hell, it might be one of the best songs of the '80s.
3. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
I know that the line is "All he ever left us was alone," but every time I hear it, my brain tells me it's "All he ever left us was a loan."
4. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
I just can't seem to get into this one. It's pretty good, but I just can't rank it higher than the other three (vastly superior) songs.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
VERY weak bracket for me, and I can't exactly say I'm happy with the one I've got at #1. But it's the strongest of the bunch, which is kind of like choosing your favorite William Hung tune.
2. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
SO many better songs by the Stones, this one is just so overplayed. How many times do I need to hear this song at football games? Enough is enough.
3. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
Finally, a song where I can actually do the corresponding dance.
4. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]
Tough call for me between #3 and #4, but Ray's voice on this one is just a little too bland for me, especially in the verses.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
Something tells me that this bracket will go to either Jefferson Airplane or Joy Division, but this one just reminds me of my youth. This was about the time I started actually listening to music, and the video just blew my mind when I first saw it. That laid-back groove, the socially-conscious lyrics (though fairly heavy-handed), and the horns! What a great track.
2. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
It took me a long time to finally get this song, but I think I finally have. It wasn't until I watched the movie "The Game" not too long ago that this song finally clicked for me.
3. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]
I'm kind of embarrassed that I'm not putting this one at #4, but it's the only JT song that I can stomach. And frankly, I'm just not a fan of the song that I did put at #4.
4. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
There are other, better JD songs.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
Overplayed? You bet. Corny? Hells yeah. But there's something about this song that I still love, even though I've heard it more times than my alarm clock. Maybe it's the handclaps, maybe it's the "shake it like a Polaroid picture" line, I don't know. But I still love it.
2. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]
I don't know why, but whenever my local radio stations play a Tone-Loc song, it's bound to be "Funky Cold Medina." I've never understood it, as "Wild Thing" is head-and-shoulders above that song. I have no doubt that this will not win the bracket (and it might even take dead last), but there are parts of this song that still make me laugh. "I need fifty dollars to make you holler, I get PAID to do the wild thing!"
3. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
I remember watching Billy Joel's VH1 Storytellers a few years ago (before VH1 decided to switch all their programming to "______ of Love" shows), and he and his band started playing this song. It sounded pretty good, and true to the original, but then Billy stopped everything and said that there are some songs that you just CAN'T do on solo piano. He then started playing this one by himself on the piano, and it was hilarious how BAD it sounded. All that aside, it's a little surprising that this is the only Cream song in Bracketology (No "White Room"? No "Crossroads"? No "Strange Brew"?), and it pains me to put it at #3, but this is just a very strong bracket for me.
4. "The End" - The Doors [1967]
And then comes the Doors. Maybe if I grew up in that time period, or if I had done some psychedelic drugs, this might be scoring better for me, but to my ears, it just sounds overly-long and unnecessarily trippy. Still, it reminds me of an SNL sketch from nine or so years ago. It was a "Behind the Music" sketch with host Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison fronting a band in heaven made up of various dead music legends, including Louis Armstrong on trumpet.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
What can I possibly say about this song that hasn't already been said by more qualified people than I? Perfect song. Easy pick.
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
Big drop-off between #1 and #2 for me. Sort of like falling off a cliff. I really could care less about the last three here. I'm a little surprised I'm putting a Pixies song at #2, but it's just better than the others.
3. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]
Something tells me that this song would fit perfectly in a Coen brothers film. One of their comedies. For a sixty-year-old song, it's startlingly beautiful.
4. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
One bracket before I praise the Smiths, I'm forced to give Morrissey only one point. How the hell did this get the #510 spot?

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
Going chalk here. I am not a fan of either the Smiths or the Cure, but the two songs in this bracket are the best by the respective bands. It hurts me to put the Cure at #2, but the Smiths are just better here. I always thought that the omnipresent guitar riff in "How Soon Is Now?" sounded like a police siren.
2. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
The only Cure song that non-Cure fans know. And by non-Cure fans, I do mean myself. Too much of the band's stuff ventured into "sad bastard" territory, but Smith sounds downright happy on this one. Maybe that's why I like it; there's some degree of optimism in it.
3. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
This is about the closest I've come to liking a Blur song (other than "Song 2"), but it just doesn't compare to the other two songs in this bracket.
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]
I gotta give Devo credit, they managed to take a classic rock tune and make it their own. Props for that. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. And I don't.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

80s week! Woo hoo! And Matt, Robert Smith has a LOT of happy songs. The gloomy, woe-is-me reputation is actually quite unwarranted!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. It's a Man's Man's Man's World - I gotta go with JB. I only really like a few Dylan songs, and Blowin' isn't one of them. The power of JB takes this bracket for me.
2. Blowin' in the Wind
3. About a Girl
4. Whole Lotta Rosie

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. Back in Black - Sorry, not a big Pasty Cline fan. AC/DC's greatest song takes this one easy. Over the Rainbow is good, but not great.
2. Over the Rainbow
3. Ashes to Ashes
4. Crazy

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - This wins easily. PG was a distant second. A relatively weak bracket.
2. Sledgehammer
3. Waiting Room
4. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. You Really Got Me - I like this song, but I like the Van Halen version better. I think it's better than Start Me Up, but not by a lot.
2. Start Me Up
3. Lonely Avenue
4. Buffalo Stance

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. Waterfalls - This takes me back to late elementary school. I think this song has gotten better with age, though. I know it's better than I remember it.
2. White Rabbit
3. Cry Me A River
4. She's Lost Control

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. Sunshine of Your Love - Sorry, not a big Doors fan. And Hey Ya is probably the most overrated song ever. #52? Really? It shouldn't even be in the top 1,000.
2. The End
3. Wild Thing
4. Hey Ya!

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. Good Vibrations - If the Beatles are overrated (which they are), the Beach Boys are underrated. This is a great song.
2. First of the Gang to Die
3. It's Too Soon to Know
4. Gigantic

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. Just Like Heaven - I am by no means a Cure fan. But this is a great song. By the way, that is maybe the shittiest version of Satisfaction ever. Even worse than the original.
2. This is a Low
3. How Soon Is Now
4. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Lanka

1. Good Vibrations - If the Beatles are overrated (which they are), the Beach Boys are underrated. This is a great song.


Underrated? It's the third most acclaimed song of all time!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1 "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966] : The godfather wins this excellent bracket : every song here is good.
2 "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977] : powerful
3 "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963] : ok it was the first Dylan classic, but it seems a little light now.
4 "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989] : unlucky good song


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15 : a rather weak bracket, except for "Ashes..", one of my favourite Bowie songs. I'm not a fan of old pop, btw.
1 "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
2 "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
3 "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
4 "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4 : Another great bracket, led by a masterpiece of 70's soul. I didn't know "Waiting Room", it's excellent, too bad it was on such a solid bracket…
1 "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
2: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
3 "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
4 "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965] : a very important single IMO, not only great, but paving the way for hard rock. Then the Kinks turned to sthg else (brilliant songwriting).
2 "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981] : solid Stones single
3 "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958] : mellow blues Californian way
4 "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989] : decent

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1 "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967] : weak bracket : only the top 2 is worth an ear
2 "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
3 "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
4 "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5 : Outkast wins this weak bracket
1 "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003] : full of fun and inventive
2 "The End" - The Doors [1967] : a bit worn if you want my opinion
3: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967] : that's the type of blues I don't like
4 "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989] : ugly

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1 "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967] : easy winner here too. The bridge is a wonder.
2 "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004] : Didn't know that song. Great song. At last Morrissey can sing.
3 "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948] : pleasant doo-wop pionneers
4 "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988] : not my thing

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1 "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987] : It used to be the opening song to a great TV show in France at a time when there was rock on national TV.
2 "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978] : great cover. Only way to play such an untouchable classic.
3 "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994] : good song, but it has that 90s sonund I just cannot stand anymore.
4 "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985] : I can't stand most of the Smiths

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]3.
2. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
3. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

“About A Girl” is one of my favorite Nirvana singles; it’s pop perfection to my ears. It edges out the Dylan classic, which, despite its cultural importance, doesn’t stand up next to his later material. “It’s a Man’s…World” is pretty decent James Brown, but nothing I really enjoy listening to, and “Whole Lotta Rosie” is not even close to AC/DC’s best.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
2. "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
3. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
4. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

“Over The Rainbow” and “Crazy” are definitely classics, but you’ll never catch me listening to them. “Back in Black” is about as good as overplayed classic rock songs get, but I’m completely sick of it at this point. That leaves “Ashes to Ashes,” with its excellent chorus and clever lyrics, in the top spot from this group.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
2. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]
3. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
4. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]

“Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” is by far the best song out of this group; it’s probably the definitive 70s Motown song next to “What’s Going On.” The other three don’t really do much for me: “Sledgehammer” is pretty dull after its excellent intro, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” sounds just like at least three other U2 songs, and I disliked the Fugazi song on first listen.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
2. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]
3. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
4. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]

As a huge Kinks fan, I don’t think “You Really Got Me” is even one of their ten best songs, but it simply rules this bracket. Its influence is enormous, and its main riff is undeniably awesome. The other three songs aren’t in the same league.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
2. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]
3. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
4. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]

I have never, ever understood the acclaim for “White Rabbit.” Do people really prefer it to the far superior “Somebody to Love?” “Cry Me A River” and “Waterfalls” are two of the best mainstream pop songs of the last 15 years, managing to still be entertaining despite frequent play. But the addictive “She’s Lost Control” rules this bracket for me, and is actually my second favorite Joy Division song to “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
2. "The End" - The Doors [1967]
3. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
4. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

“Hey Ya!” is absolutely deserving of its place as one of the greatest songs of the decade. Like it or not, you have to admit it’s a pop milestone that appeals to virtually every demographic (even my dad likes it). “The End” is interesting but a little too long, “Sunshine of Your Love” has been played to death and I wouldn’t care if I ever heard it again, and “Wild Thing” isn’t even in the same league as the other three.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
3. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

“Good Vibrations” and “You Really Got Me” should receive every first place vote this week. There are so many good parts—the bassline during the verses, the harmonies in the chorus, the “I close my eyes/She’s somehow closer now” line to start off the second verse, and the incredible bridge. The other three songs are pretty good, though nowhere near the same quality, with the Pixies alt-rock classic just edging out a surprisingly good Morrissey song.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
2. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
3. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]

I hate ranking this group just like they are on the AM list, but that is my actual preference in what I think is the strongest group this week. “How Soon Is Now?” would be on my short list of the all-time greatest lyrics, and features one of the most unique, memorable guitar intros in alternative rock. “Just Like Heaven” basically lives up to the title, and “This Is A Low” is one of Blur’s best songs. I don’t really care for Devo, though.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14

Pretty weak bracket, all about the same to me...

1. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]

At the end I went with this, probably more for historical import than anything else. Nice song of course.

2. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]

Great performance, not a fan of the latent sexism, even if he's self-aware about it. I enjoy the very dated movie title reference, though.

3. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]

Good Nirvana song, wouldn't be here without the Unplugged resuscitation I'm guessing.

4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

Bon Scott sorta charms his way through this one.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15

Man, a tough, tough bracket. I'm almost done with a new version of my Top 2000 songs, and this may be the first bracket where all 4 made it.

1. "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]

A pretty valedictory hard rock classic, when you think about it. I do feel a little guilty putting this ahead of 2 evergreen gems, but the 12-year-old boy in me held his ground.

2. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]

A perfect song, really. And it's a touch upsetting seeing so many comments denigrating "old music", as if it's a genre unto itself. Music did not start in 1955, I promise. Plus, how will we feel when the music we love now becomes "old music"?

3. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

Another great song, simple, traditional, totally effective. Possibly the best thing Willie Nelson ever wrote, while one of his first.

4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]

Tough having this last, though I prefer a lot of his '70s material.


BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4

1. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]

Great epic soul, with all those awesome voices! (The babyish voice, the deep bass, the smooth narrator....) The original 11-minute workout is where it's at.

2. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]

I usually hate the incredibly sanctimonious Ian MacKaye, but this is pretty damn effective hardcore exuberance.

3. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]

Props to PG for writing a pseudo-soul song about his cock, accompanied by a ridiculous/inventive video featuring dancing chicken breasts. Brilliant!

4. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]

The self-mythology was starting to seep in.


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13

Not a good bracket at all.

1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]

It's gotten a little tired, but it's still damn exciting. Those harmonies are like a threatening sneer.

2. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]

Dated in a very pleasing way. If there are any Neneh fans out there, I highly recommend checking out the band Rip, Rig and Panic.

3. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]

Lovely but somewhat forgettable.

4. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]

Godawful rehash of the worst facets of their prior glories.


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10

Very good bracket.

1. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]

This is just a flat-classic soul song, I don't care when it came out, or what they were wearing.

2. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]

Effective if occasionally cringeworthy lyrics, all carried by Grace Slick's quite amazing vocal. I don't recommend watching Woodstock footage of Jefferson Airplane though -- it's just embarrassing.

3. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]

Good Joy Division song, though there are many I like better. Generally I like them when they are really and truly brooding and doomy more than their pseudo dance stuff.

4. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

Certainly interesting production-wise, but Justin's vocals just never do it for me. Just too much processing.


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5

1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]

Such a great amalgam of styles.

2. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]

Wow, this came in at 2? Not a very good bracket, then. Mostly only effective in Goodfellas.

3. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

I prefer "Funky Cold Medina", actually.

4. "The End" - The Doors [1967]

Sub-middle school lyrics, stupid Oedipal references, "hip" middle eastern elements completely botched, lounge-meets-Shatner vocals, and the most annoying bespectacled keyboardist ever.


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1

1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]

There are just so many layers of perfection here. It's sad that my first memories of it are from a Sunkist commercial...

2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]

Yet another song about a penis in this week's vote. :| Kim Deal > Frank Black.

3. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

Nice vocal performance; I should give this a few more listens, but this is my one chance to vote this week and I doubt it's moving.

4. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]

It's OK.


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11

VERY strong bracket.

1. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]

Blur's absolute best, IMO, and an epic guitar track that holds its own with the greats. Nice bleary-eyed vocal, too.

2. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]

Ah, that tremolo. So Morrissey's the sun and the air? Silly bastard feeling sorry for himself in a dark club then.

3. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]

I really like the Cure, so it's weird that I've never really connected with this song so much. I'll take any single from either The Head on The Door or Disintegration over this.

4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]

They had lots of great songs, yet it always seem like the novelty numbers end up on the best-of lists.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Four for now, four to come.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14

1. James Brown- "It's a Man's Man's Man's World": As much as I love funk, this is my favorite James Brown song, by far! Sexy, sultry and soulful- this is one of the greatest songs of the 60s.
2. Nirvana- "About a Girl": The birth of one of the greatest songwriters of the 90s starts here.
3. AC/DC- "Whole Lotta Rosie": One of the only songs of theirs that I can tolerate.
4. Bob Dylan- "Blowin' in the Wind": I discovered with the 80s poll that there are Dylan songs that I like, but this isn't one of them.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15

1. David Bowie- "Ashes to Ashes": Scary Monsters is by far my favorite Bowie album, because for the first time, he isn't hiding behind some character to defer the attention from himself as he exorcises the demons of years of debauchery and insanity. This is as apparent on "Ashes to Ashes" as any other song on the album, with Bowie confessing "I've never done good things, I've never done bad things, I never did anything out of the blue". A true gem in his canon.
2. Judy Garland- "Over the Rainbow": The eternal quest for hope is captured in this song better than perhaps any other.
3. Patsy Cline- "Crazy": I'm no fan of Patsy Cline, although I understand why she (and this song) gets love.
4. AC/DC- "Back in Black": I can get with greasy and grimy sometimes (hello, Mötley Crüe!), but I just can not stomach this garbage. The vocals are enough to make my ears bleed, and the machismo on steroids is another big turnoff.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4

1. Peter Gabriel- "Sledgehammer": Famous for its iconic 80s video befitting such a colorful and gigantic song, it rises to the top of a very competitive bracket.
2. U2- "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For": My dad's favorite U2 song is also one of mine. This song is a journey in itself.
3. Fugazi- "Waiting Room": I hadn't heard this before. Wow! What a nice discovery- not quite on par with Taana Gardner last week, but still a nice unearthed gem.
4. The Temptations- "Papa Was a Rolling Stone": It's amazing that I have to put such an amazing song in 4th, but awesome 60s songs will almost always finish behind awesome 80s songs for me.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. Neneh Cherry- "Buffalo Stance": A titan among titans and a song to end all songs! How great it is hear to hear about a tough girl valuing sweetness and romance on a song with three, count 'em three delectable and distinct synth lines. The last one, chiming in at 4:36, just happnens to be one of the most heavenly slices of music ever to grace the planet.
2. The Kinks- "You Really Got Me": A defining moment in rock history, and deservingly so. It's raw and rides that adolescent rumble to a furor.
3. Ray Charles- "Lonely Avenue": A nice blues song that has to settle for 3rd.
4. The Rolling Stones- "Start Me Up": The dance moves in the video are good for entertainment, but that's about it.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]: This is a very tight bracket for me – I like all four songs, pretty much equally. Dylan’s first masterpiece, possibly the most influential song of the 1960s, gets the nod more for its historical importance than because it’s so much better than the others.
2. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]: Bon and the boys at their loudest, sleaziest, and most exhilaratingly exciting. What starts out sounding like just another great Angus Young guitar solo just keeps going and going, and it ends up being one of those songs that makes you yell “Wow!” when it’s finally over.
3. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]: The weirdest record the Godfather ever made, and one of the best. Those string flourishes are still startling.
4. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]: I suspect Kurt Cobain’s first great song owes its high rank more to the superior version that opens MTV UNPLUGGED than to the original. Either way, it’s proof that his songwriting gift was effortless from the start.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]: Another bracket full of winners, and probably the most hilariously diverse grouping yet in this game. Brian and the boys get the top spot with yet another entry on my list of classic-rock staples that will never get old for me.
2. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]: A lot of us grew up with this song, no doubt, and of course it’s utterly impossible to divorce it from its cinematic context. But it is a truly great American popular song.
3. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]: Because I’m such an album guy, I don’t know artists like Cline as well as I should. This is early-Sixties country-pop at its very best.
4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]: As much as I love Bowie – and this album – this particular song has always left me kind of cold.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]: Possibly the best Motown recording of the 1970s not made by someone named Stevie (and yes, I’m counting Marvin Gaye). A beautifully atmospheric (all deep bass and hi-hat and spooky strings, with splashes of wah-wah), emotionally devastating masterpiece even in the shortened single version.
2. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]: I heard this song for the first time when I bought 13 SONGS and hadn’t listened to it again until this week; now I can’t -stop- listening to it. A brilliant song that straddles several eras of punk.
3. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]: A big, naked pop move from a most unlikely source, full of single entendres and brassy Memphis Horns interjections. And damned if it doesn’t work, thanks to the unshakable conviction Gabriel brings to everything he does.
4. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]: See my comments on “Ashes to Ashes” above, although I don’t love U2 as much as Bowie. Bono undoubtedly considers this the band’s signature song – it’s still a concert staple – but it may very well be my least favorite track on THE JOSHUA TREE. It’s just never done much for me.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]: Hard to believe that the most sophisticated rock songwriter of the Sixties made his name with a big dumb song with a big dumb riff; it might be pop music’s most artful act of misdirection ever. The record itself remains every bit as chaotically exciting as ever.
2. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]: I always forget how great this record is. It was a remarkable breath of fresh air blasting out of the radio in ’89, and it still sounds amazing.
3. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]: Everything the Genius touched in this era turned to gold, and this driving lament is no exception.
4. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]: Now, here’s a classic-rock warhorse that HAS become a little tiresome, probably because it was SO inescapable for so long – and still is, really. It does have one of Keith’s greatest riffs, and I still marvel at the idea that they were able to get such massive airplay for a song whose lyrics extolled its subject’s ability to make a corpse ejaculate.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]: The Airplane could be as indulgent as any other Bay Area band of the era, but this is two-plus minutes of sheer, stately psychedelic perfection.
2. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]: The most immediately accessible song on either of their albums, with radio-friendly beats and riffs, even if the lyrics are as harrowing as ever. An unsparing portrait of a soul rapidly spiraling downward, but then again, what Ian Curtis song isn’t?
3. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]: I never paid much attention to them at the time; I probably should have. This is a great single, powered by the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes’s remarkably idiosyncratic singing and rapping and her emotional lyrics.
4. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]: The song that first indicated that the veteran boy-bander actually had the goods, that he wasn’t simply relying on Timbaland for cred. He obviously borrows heavily from MJ – his whole solo career has essentially been an attempt to make the sequel to OFF THE WALL – and Prince, but just as obviously, why wouldn’t he, and who wouldn’t?

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]: I hate to put “Hey Ya!” in second place, but at the end of the day I was formed by this music. I will always turn up the radio when this comes on, always sing along even with its cringe-worthy lyrics about dull surprises and seas (seeds?) drying up, always hum along with Clapton’s solo, always desk-drum to Ginger’s deceptively complex patterns. I simply love this song.
2. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]: All that said, this is a strong contender for best single of the current decade. As I’ve written before, there’s no earthly reason why all the conflicting elements in this musical stew – with the minor-chord melody (banged out on an acoustic), burbling synth lines and soul-searching lyrics of the first half suddenly giving way to the dance-floor chants and weird celebrity shout-outs (Lucy Liu?) of the second – should work, but by God, they do and then some. Give me some sugar! I AM your neighbor!
3. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]: Like “Buffalo Stance,” another massive and instantly unforgettable hit from ’89 that didn’t sound like anything else. It’s harder to defend as art, but it holds up remarkably well as sheer salacious fun.
4. "The End" - The Doors [1967]: At this point it’s as inextricably tied to a film as “Over the Rainbow”; you hear those opening strains, and you’re in Vietnam with Martin Sheen. And I’d much rather listen to this song in that context than hear it on its own.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]: Not much I can add to the volumes that have been written about it already. Is it the greatest single ever recorded? I don’t know that there is such a thing. But it stakes a claim to that title better than most.
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]: The former Mrs. John Murphy – Kim Deal to you – hijacks SURFER ROSA from Black Francis and refuses to give it back until she and the band just about – but never do – drive this song into the ground. A template for the Breeders, but with the benefit of a guitar player who actually knows what he’s doing.
3. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]: The idea of Morrissey as a veteran gangbanger (in “the Pretty Petty Thieves,” no less) is hilarious, which I’m sure is entirely intentional, but the song has such a classically effortless Sixties-style pop melody and crisp production sheen that it’s stirring in spite of itself. As usual.
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]: #4 by default – I’ve never heard this song, and couldn’t find audio on YouTube (a first for the songs in this game that I’d never heard, by the way). Hard to imagine that I’d prefer an early doo-wop ballad over any of the other three songs here, though.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]: The narrator of (500) DAYS OF SUMMER tells us that the romantic worldview of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character was partially shaped by “overexposure to sad 1980s British pop music”; the #1 and #2 songs in this bracket are probably the finest examples of that, and it’s very difficult to choose between them. Johnny Marr’s brilliantly reverbed riff gives “How Soon” a slight edge, as does Moz’s matter-of-fact depiction of a typical nightclub excursion as seen through the eyes of God’s Lonely Man.
2. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]: What’s worse: negating the possibility of happiness altogether, as the Smiths often do, or having to live forever with the agonizing memory of one perfect moment after it slips through your fingers? One of Robert Smith and company’s best – not to mention most concise – songs.
3. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]: I have to say, I don’t really get the popularity of this song; maybe you have to be English. It does make for a rousing climax to a terrific album, so maybe that’s enough.
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]: I like the album a lot, but this cover always seemed like a stunt, nothing more or less.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL 14
1. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - thank god!
2. "Whole Lotta Rosie"
3. "About a Girl"
4. "Blowin' in the Wind"

VIVALDI 15
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - great song about dope addiction, and other stuff...and one of bowie's greatest videos, second only to "be my wife" maybe. "ashes" is sonically weird & complex but controlled, lyrically abstract and visual (little green wheels!), w/ a typical conflation of bowie and his character. a nice little epitaph for major tom and berlin bowie both
2. "Crazy"
3. "Back in Black"
4. "Over the Rainbow"

BEETHOVEN 4
1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - me either, bono, me either
2. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
3. "Sledgehammer"
4. "Waiting Room"

LISZT 13
1. "Buffalo Stance" - best track from the first of two killer albums from neneh
2. "Lonely Avenue"
3. "You Really Got Me"
4. "Start Me Up"

BACH 10
1. "She's Lost Control" - so dark, so catchy
2. "White Rabbit"
3. "Cry Me a River"
4. "Waterfalls"

BRAHMS 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - i like "roses" even better, but this was still a totally awesome & unexpected pop masterpiece
2. "The End"
3. "Wild Thing"
4. "Sunshine of Your Love"

MOZART 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - no words...shhhhh...
2. "It's Too Soon to Know"
3. "First of the Gang to Die"
4. "Gigantic"

LISZT 11
1. "Just Like Heaven" - maybe their best pop moment, and they had quite a few
2. "How Soon is Now?"
3. "This is a Low"
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

No reason to really give a game-break at this point, as there are only seven and a half ballots so far. To all of you out there who might have forgotten: the week is almost over! As of right now, you have 48 hours and 21 minutes! Go!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL 14
1. ABOUT A GIRL. The only mega-colossal band I actually got into before everyone else, I remember Nirvana doing this song at a club in Houston in 1990. I had never seen anyone just explode a crowd like that. Sure, the Unplugged version is better, but I think it’s perfectly OK to take the best recorded version of a song and vote on that basis—which I’m doing here.
2. WHOLE LOTTA ROSIE. More dumb fun.
3. BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND. More of a cultural touchstone than a great song.
4. IT’S A MAN’S MAN’S MAN’S WORLD. My least favorite post-Live at the Apollo James song. More funk would have improved it.

VIVALDI 15
1. CRAZY. Simple, clean, direct. The pinnacle of Patsy’s singing style.
2. ASHES TO ASHES. Moonbeam’s partly right—Scary Monsters is Bowie’s most underrated album (although, ‘beam, he stopped “hiding behind some character” back in 1977). This is also his last great single, and, fwiw, his best video.
3. BACK IN BLACK. Yeah, it’s great, but do we really need two songs from that album in the top 1000? At any rate, this is clearly the lesser one.
4. OVER THE RAINBOW. I appreciate its influence. However, Judy Garland in general irritates the hell out of me.

BEETHOVEN 4. Outstanding group.
1. PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE. Gets the most out of every second of its long running time, and my interest never flags. THAT is greatness.
2. WAITING ROOM. The best AC/DC song on offer this week.
3. I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR. A terrific song swelling over a sound foundation of Larry’s bass-pickin’. Unfortunately, this is the song that points most clearly to the next album, Rattle and Hum…but I won’t hold that against it.
4. SLEDGEHAMMER. This was the first time I sat down and really listened to this song in a very long time, and I’m sorry to say it hasn’t aged well. The album So was where PG made his run at big-80s production, and it just doesn’t work as well as his early-80s stuff. Still not a bad song.

LISZT 13
1. YOU REALLY GOT ME. My favorite Kinks song…simple, powerful, and groundbreaking. I’ve gotten to the point where I can appreciate Ray Davies when he’s more baroque, but this is the real deal.
2. BUFFALO STANCE. I’ve mentioned this before, but this is almost the ideal running song. The cutesy asides in the intro and the breakdown are annoying, but that almost doesn’t matter.
3. LONELY AVENUE. Not bad, but one of Brother Ray’s lesser efforts.
4. START ME UP. The Stones’ last decent song (and it had been sitting in the can for 3 years by 1981), but a pale imitation of ’68-’73.

BACH 10
1. WHITE RABBIT. As pure an artifact of its time and place as you’re going to find, and yet it’s timeless.
2. SHE’S LOST CONTROL. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is a great song…but this is miles better. Sounds a little Talking-Headsy to me.
3. CRY ME A RIVER
4. WATERFALLS. #3 and #4 here seem to be of a piece—solid songcraft with a high production sheen. Timbaland’s gonzo approach puts JT’s offering ahead of TLC’s.

BRAHMS 5. I’m with nicolas on this one—after the OutKast masterpiece, this is just a terrible bracket. If I could rank everything besides Hey Ya fourth, I would.
1. HEY YA! Pre-Gnarls Barkley, this was this decade’s highest-rated song on AM. I still think it’s better. Starring Andre as a demon carnival barker-slash-DJ, it’s wildly innovative and wildly successful.
2. WILD THING. I need fifty dollars to make you holler…that’s a great line. The rest is forgettable.
3. SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE. Here’s how loopy the sixties were—not many people realized what an embarrassment white blues was. Is this what skiffle leads to? (Sorry, Harold…the music that most clearly formed me was the first Pretenders album).
4. THE END. Ack. No, I’m not listening to this again…and I don’t need to.

MOZART 1
1. GOOD VIBRATIONS. Slightly overrated, I think—it’s surely a triumph of production over songcraft. But BW’s “pocket symphony” is certainly perfectly structured, and when I say “slightly overrated,” I mean it’s a 97 out of 100, rather than 99.
2. GIGANTIC. Given what the Pixies’ 90s side-projects did, it’s clear that this band could do anything it wanted. That it wanted to do something this raw and potent both speaks well for them, and is a pretty damning statement about late-80s pop.
3. FIRST OF THE GANG TO DIE. Moz only works when his sensahumor matches up with the listener. That’s not quite the case with me here. Pretty tune, though.
4. IT’S TOO SOON TO KNOW. I…appreciate this. The first time I heard the Orioles, it was on a cassette tape of the old Jack Benny radio program. Now, I love Jack Benny, but that association in my mind makes these guys positively antediluvian.

LISZT 11. Wow. An indie fan’s dream of a bracket. Good thing I am one, then.
1. THIS IS A LOW. Everyone who’s written extensively on Blur says this is their best song, and I think they’re required by law to mention their legendary sunset performance of it at a festival (’94 Glastonbury, I think). I think they did better, but not often. The Cure and Smiths songs, below, are about being emotionally “low.” I might be crazy, but I think Blur is more clever for using the word in its meteorological sense, in a homesick evocation of their country inspired by the BBC Shipping Forecast.
2. JUST LIKE HEAVEN. I’m giving this the nod over the Smiths because a) the Cure needs more love around here generally, and b) Robert, unlike Moz, can deliver heartbroken lyrics without sounding self-pitying; I think that’s worth something.
3. HOW SOON IS NOW? Still, this is a great one—best thing Moz & Marr did prior to The Queen Is Dead. It’s more of a reverb-drenched atmosphere (Joy Division reference intentional) than a song, but a great piece of music withal.
4. (I CAN’T GET NO) SATISFACTION. Looks like the forum has, correctly, reached a consensus—this is obviously the runt of this litter. Devo’s a stunningly great band, but this doesn’t really belong in any discussion of their best songs. I’m guessing this is ranked in the top 1000 because: a) it was a point of reference for 1970s critics who otherwise couldn’t make head or tails of Devo, and b) it’s used often, in a compare-and-contrast with the original, in college courses on pop music (I know this to be true).

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
#746: "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
Another great Nirvana song.
#279: "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
Dylan's early stuff was kinda self righteous, but I guess that's why he rebelled against that scene.
#234: "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
Uh, James, yeah. About that. I guess you can't hold the time against the song. Before the 60's seeing women as the helpless moral support didn't come off as so misogynist. That's how most women in movies were back then.
#791: "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]
Not really into power chord + screaming rock songs.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
#147: "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]
Nice delicate vocal performance.
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
One of those Bowie songs where he seems like a caricature of himself. Nice atmosphere but a bit cheesy.
#366: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
Nice whistful song. You don't get this kind of female vocals anymore cause everyone's rebelling against what I mentioned for James Brown. Women no longer want to seem demure.
#659: "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
Not really into power chord + screaming rock songs.



BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#128: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
Some of the best lyrics ever. A little bit of vocal cheesiness but real groovy and builds on it's mood brilliantly as it moves on.
#640: "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
When I heard this album I hated it. But now I really like it. Damn it, I think I sold the album.
#385: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
An anthem for rich white people who feel spiritually empty because their noble quest to walk around the third world looking at poor black people doesn't make them feel as good about themselves as they'd like to tell other people it does. In other words, a U2 song.
#897: "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]
Not terrible but too many cheesy dramatics.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
#18: "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
#1007: "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]
Nice moody Ray Charles song.
#530: "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
At this stage in their career the Stones were a bit more focused on showmanship than musicianship.
The song is fun energetic old school pop-rock but a little too hooky.
#495: "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
There are some really good moments, but the whole thing seems a bit too blocked out and inorganic.



BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
#735: "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
The noisy awesomeness of Joy Division easily wins this bracket.
#223: "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
A song that gets just as much credit for being obviously-secretly about drugs as for it's actual musical merits.
#290: "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
Loses some of it's luster without the beautiful video.
#802: "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]
You know your career is sad when your best song is 'Dick In A Box'.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
More awesome rap! Third best song of the week. They're the real ones who revitalized rap in the 21st century. The only critically lauded rap act of the millennium not to descend into self-promotion and pander to the male animal need to dominate. Musically -- not just lyrically, creative.
#564: "The End" - The Doors [1967]
A song I will now forever associate with Apocalypse Now. And it was the perfect choice, because it's got that air of finality and complete rejection of society to act completely on instinct. It's the sort of song you feel more than you hear. This is how it all ends. Not with a bang, but with a whisper.
#461: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
Cool song with an easy playable guitar riff. A little overrated.
#973: "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]
Meh. Generic "Hey isn't that chick hot?" song.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
#3: "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
Top ten all time. Pure unmitigated awesome.
#515: "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
Fourth best song of the week. Second best in this bracket.
#510: "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
I could easily put this in first place in a bracket that doesn't have Good Vibrations and Gigantic. (Hey Morrissey! America 'The place where the president is never black female or gay'? In your face!)
#1022: "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]
Not a bad song, but not one I would call particularly timeless.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
#175: "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
Second best song of the week. Sounds so perfectly dejected and helpless.
#850: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]
How Devo made this song their own I shall never know.
#687: "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
I never seem to enjoy Parklife when I listen to it, but this song is awesome. (Doesn't speak well for the pacing of an album when you don't notice the standout singles.)
#338: "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
Awesome but nonstandoutish Cure song.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Umm, BillA? I think you're oversimplifying "Man's Man's Man's World." Many of the lyrics are cringeworthy, but my take is that the tone is much more ambivalent about what men do in the world. (Not sure why I'm rising to its defense, since I don't really like the song...)

Oh, and from the Random Pedantry Department: "This Is a Low," although it's the best track on Parklife, was not a single.

Good night.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

schleuse
Umm, BillA? I think you're oversimplifying "Man's Man's Man's World." Many of the lyrics are cringeworthy, but my take is that the tone is much more ambivalent about what men do in the world. (Not sure why I'm rising to its defense, since I don't really like the song...)

Oh, and from the Random Pedantry Department: "This Is a Low," although it's the best track on Parklife, was not a single.

Good night.


Well, misogynist was probably poor word choice. It's not anti-women in the least. It was just made in a culture where there was no overlap between the role of a man and a role of a woman. Man was the breadwinner and the agent of power and change, woman was the moral center of the home, and each was mandated those roles. That was the culture at the time, so I'm saying the song forces me to put aside my knee-jerk modern reaction to it and accept it for what it is.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966] Godfather does it again. I think this is his best "vocal driven" song.
2. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
3. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940] The beginning of the end of Tin Pan Alley style American pop music. Sinatra came in after this and just stomped that style out. Don't care what anyone else says, and as much as I love Sinatra, he changed the entire goddamn game.
2. "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
3. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]
4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986] - Known more for the music video, this is the best song from the excellent album.
2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
3. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
4. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965] - I'm not particularly fond of this song, but this is a pretty weak bracket for me.
2. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]
3."Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
4. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967] A radio show in NYC did a program a month ago about songs based on Alice in Wonderland. It was this and then a bunch of crap.
2. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994] Excellent music video.
3. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]
4. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003] - Some the lyrics sound more dated than stuff from the 60s. But it probably is the defining song of this decade.
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
3. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989] The best song named Wild Thing.
4. "The End" - The Doors [1967]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967] - Ohmygodohmygod. A sunshine symphony!
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
3. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]
4. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]



LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978] - The best song named this. Seriously.
2. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
3. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
4. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Gotta be short and sweet this week.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1: "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989] One of my favorite Nirvana songs.
2: "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
3: "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
4: "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980] Again one of my favorite Bowie songs, that I actually had never heard until a couple years ago.
2: "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
3: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
4: "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1: "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988] One of the best songs ever.
2: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
3: "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]
4: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989] Weak bracket, but this is better than anything else. I'm not a big fan of early Kinks or late Stones.
2: "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
3: "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
4: "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1: "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]- I'll go chalk here but this is way better than the rest.
2: "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
3: "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
4: "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1: "The End" - The Doors [1967]- One of the few Doors songs I really love. Sunshine was really close though.
2: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
3: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
4: "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1: "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]- I haven't heard the 4th and I don't have the time to listen to it unfortunately. I really like the Morrissey song, but Good Vibrations is the obvious winner.
2: "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
3: "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
4: "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1: "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]- Tough call between 1 and 2, both are fantastic. The other two not so much.
2: "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
3: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]
4: "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966] - My all-time favorite JB song. The strings are haunting, and I think it's a lot less of a woman-hating song than this forum thinks.
2. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989] - I think the Bleach version is better on this one, and I also have never found it poppy, but neither of those hurt its position.
3. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963] - A relic, more important culturally than musically.
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977] - A really good #4. You can't really go too far wrong with AC/DC.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980] - Absolutely iconic. The most monster riff from a monstrous band.
2. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980] - The later you go in Bowie's career, the worse it gets for me (mostly) and this is from one of my least favorite periods of his career.
3. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940] - I like the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version better, but the original has certainly cemented its place in history.
4. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961] - Not as bad as I expected. Has a weird feel to it, more jazz than country to me.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987] - Amazing, amazing song, one of the first U2 songs I ever heard and one of the best.
2. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972] - Consistently excellent and also consistently aged.
3. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988] - Good song, better bassline.
4. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986] - OK song, better video. Much better.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965] - A riff on a par with "Louie Louie" in that it has been stuck in the public conscience since the day it came out.
2. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958] - Pretty good song, though the genius is capable of more.
3. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989] - I had a hard time deciding which song to put last. They're equally mediocre. But...
4. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981] - ...this one is even more dated than Ms. Cherry.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979] - Bracketology has seen Joy Division rise through the ranks to the top of most of their brackets, and this superb song is no exception.
2. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002] - This song deserves all the acclaim it gets - and probably no more. But as derivative as JT is, he stands head-and-shoulders above today's other MJ imitators.
3. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967] - too trippy.
4. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994] - Calculated beat + amateurish attempts at writing your own lyrics when you're really just there to sing = big hit, but overblown praise.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003] - I don't know where to start. It's just so overwhelmingly good. But it has inspired, on several occasions, the most furious (and hilarious) dry-humping I have ever seen in my life, and that seems facetious given how great it is.
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967] - Overplayed, yes, but only because it's good.
3. "The End" - The Doors [1967] - Underplayed, yes, but that's only because there's a finite group of people who like this sort of thing, and I'm frankly on the fence.
4. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989] - Give me Funky Cold Medina.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967] - It's probably the most perfect single ever, and a front-runner for this competition.
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988] - God, I love Kim Deal's riffs.
3. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004] - Melodramatic Moz strikes again, in his "Suspicious Minds" moment where he thinks he's so great and has to make a comeback with the perfect song, and falls just short. But it is catchy.
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948] - I invoke Mr. Wexler's comment - I do my listening on YouTube too.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985] - This song scares me. The reverb together with the siren-y noise just gives me the chills. It's
2. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994] - Not as good as everyone says it is, but still good.
3. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987] - I'm just not a Cure fan, but I will admit that this is one of their best (not saying much there).
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978] - Damn right I don't get any satisfcation from this.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Short comments this week.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1: "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
2: "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
3: "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]
4: "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]

"Blowin' in the Wind" may be Dylan's best - I tend to like his shorter and more melodic offerings (though his other songs are great too).

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
2: "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
3: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
4: "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

Not my favorite bracket, but Bowie's song is exciting, yet still manages to be subdued in a way that AC/DC isn't.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
2: "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]
3: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
4: "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]

The U2 song isn't even the best from "The Joshua Tree", but when you create that amazing of an album, second or third best is still amazing. As for Fugazi, never understood why they were acclaimed.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
2: "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
3: "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
4: "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]

Weak, but "You Really Got Me" is influential and still exciting over 40 years later. Not many songs can say that.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1: "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
2: "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967
3: "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
4: "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

"She's Lost Control" is the song that got me into Joy Division and one of the catchiest (I guess) in their catalog. It's a great introduction.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
2: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
3: "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]
4: "The End" - The Doors [1967]

I can't say I like hip hop or rap that much, but Andre 3000 is possibly a genius and turns songs into much more than you think is possible.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1: "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
2: "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
3: "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
4: "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

Not the best song by the Beach Boys, but it's still amazing with the harmonies and the angelic melody.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1: "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
2: "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
3: "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
4: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]

Best bracket of the week, but still an easy winner. "Just Like Heaven" may be one of my favorite pop songs ever with an amazing sense of melody. Sadly, Blur and the Smiths are outmatched here.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

How can you not love this song?

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

I'm a bit in a rush but bracketology is a priority ^^
I hope I will be able to do the other brackets before tomorrow.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
#791: "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977] : I think Let There Be Rock is the Aussies best album, and that song among their best. All the songs in the bracket are good though.
#279: "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
#234: "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
#746: "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15 : pretty good bracket once more
#659: "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980] : I could look like a big fan of AC/DC for putting 2 of their songs on first places but I'm not. It's just that it's 2 or their 3 best songs !
#366: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
#147: "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4 : nothing I dislike for the 3rd bracket in a row
#128: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972] : one of the best standard of the Motown. A mix between that one and Shaft Theme Song would be one of the best song ever
#640: "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
#385: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
#897: "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10 : cry me a river is a song I like too... another good bracket. I did not realize I liked the songs of the week that much when I first read the list
#290: "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994] : calling it nostaly would be too easy, I just like that sexy slick sound that top 90's rnb with full of beautiful details (that strange drumroll, horns etc.)
#223: "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
#735: "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
#802: "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5 : one song I dislike this time ! Hey Ya! wins it all quite easily, even though Tone-Loc is a pretty good surprise
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
#973: "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]
#564: "The End" - The Doors [1967]
#461: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11 : awesome bracket once more, 2 of the best songs of the 80s on the same bracket is pretty tough
#338: "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987] : 2 great songs both musically and lyrically, 2 sad stories about (different kind of) loneliness, 2 of the best produced song of the decade too (the great use of stereo and the guitar eruptions of HSIN, the synth explosions of Just Like Heaven). 2 songs which sould definitely be next round... How Soon Is Now lost it one the last meters for being 1 minutes too long while Just Like Heaven stop just at the good moment.
#175: "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
#850: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]
#687: "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994] : good song but not close Blur's best while Devo has made a fun cover

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Okay gang. As of right now, you have 18 hours and 25 minutes left for this week's bracketology!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Just to give you a heads-up on what's going on...

Only three close brackets this week, but all three are very tightly contested. One or two might be surprises!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
2. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
3. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

My fourth favorite Nirvana song beats something like my 10th or 11th favorite Dylan and Brown songs. Not a big AC/DC fan.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
2. "Back in Black" - AC/DC
3. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
4. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

Not an enthusiastic fan of any of these songs; Ashes wins by default because I actually enjoy it.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
3. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
4. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]

I have to go with the timeless classic over the song that wishes it was a timeless classic. Both are great though.


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
2. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
3. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
4. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

Although I listen to the Joy Division track exponentially more often, I'll never forget the first time I heard White Rabbit. I was 13, and just filled with this crazy sense of wonder.


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
3. "The End" - The Doors [1967]
4. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

None of 2-4 stood a chance against Hey Ya. Incredibly easy decission, one of the best pop smashes of all time.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
3. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

Good Vibrations is a T20 song for me. Easily one of the best ever. Which is a shame because Gigantic could have won more than one bracket this week.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
2. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
3. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]

All four are good, but the smiths song is just a bit better than the blur song, which is just a bit better than the cure song imo.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "Blowin' in the Wind" – One of Dylan's best and to me the most powerful song he ever wrote.
2. "About a Girl" – A song up there with a lot of their best.
3."It's a Man's Man's Man's World" – A little slow and without some of the energy I find in his other stuff, but I don't view as misogynistic.
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" – So bad and one of their songs that to me sound the same as so many others.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Crazy"  - Of the first three songs it was hard to pick which great one was best, but the emotion of this song beat out the rest.
2. "Ashes to Ashes" – The first few times I heard this a year ago I was a little confused over the appeal, but it has gotten better with each listen.
3. "Back in Black" – One of the few of theirs that I like. I don't know if it is the guitar riff or the stupid chorus.
4. "Over the Rainbow" – The only dud. I can't stand it.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" -Easy choice as this is one of their best because of its ambition.
2. "Sledgehammer" – The best of the rest is just a fun song.
3. "Waiting Room"  - First exposure to them and it sounds to my liking.
4. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" – I've listened to this quite a few times and I've never understood its appeal. It sounds so mediocre and long to me.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" – Easily wins this bracket. Still a hard song that is a blast to listen or dance to.
2.  "Start Me Up" – I can see this as being great in concerts, but they had long ago lost any hunger and I guess this their last successful attempt to rip off themselves.
3. "Lonely Avenue" – Good, but not great song that is kinda my opinion of him.
4. "Buffalo Stance" – On the annoying side and the chorus is ok.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "She's Lost Control" – This very good song is hypnotic and just keeps on going.
2."Cry Me a River" – Yes his falsetto is weak and annoying, but this song has so many hooks.
3. “Waterfalls" – Cool song that has a great chorus with being all around a good listen.
4. “White Rabbit" – Weird mood and leaves me confused to what happened.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. Hey Ya!" - What a fantastic song. This and Good Vibrations are my favourite this week. It really stands out. My grandmother would say its a sin that they left us after this.
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cool guitar until its gets boring, but a boring song.
3. "Wild Thing" – Uninteresting and bad production make this a chore to listen to.
4. "The End" - So long and boring. A big part of the reason I dislike them.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1.  "Good Vibrations" – Sounds like a million different things are happening. Easily my favourite song in the AM top 5.
2. "Gigantic" – Big drop with this song with cool guitar and singing.
3. "First of the Gang to Die" – I'm lukewarm on this one.
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" – Soft singing, but too slow and old.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Just Like Heaven" – First two are close, but this one is a little happier so it goes here.
2. "How Soon Is Now?" - I like the guitar and the lyrics and it has a great atmosphere.
3. "This Is a Low" – First time hearing it and it has a pretty atmosphere.
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" – Umm no.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Hmmm, looks like I forgot a bracket. Wonder how that happened? It's probably of no consequence but

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me"
2. "Start Me Up"
3. "Lonely Avenue"
4. "Buffalo Stance"

Not even close, the Kinks song is full of everything that made the British Invasion so great.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
#746: "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
#279: "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
#234: "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
#791: "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

<3 nirvana

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
#659: "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
#366: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
#147: "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
#385: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
#640: "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
#128: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
#897: "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
#18: "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
#530: "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
#495: "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
#1007: "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]

riffs.

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
#223: "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
#735: "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
#290: "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
#802: "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

great song, good song and... not so good...

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
#564: "The End" - The Doors [1967]
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
#461: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
#973: "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

This bracket is so unfair, it's ridiculous...

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
#3: "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
#515: "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
#510: "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
#1022: "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

the first two are such great songs.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
#175: "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
#338: "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
#687: "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
#850: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14 Very good group. Any of top 3 could be first.
1. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966] The trumpet intro is so wonderful that James Brown deserves to win this bracket (and covers of this song are also better)
2. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963] Ouch, first I put Dylan at #3 but after this nights listen I was about to give props to him. But then I listened to cover by Bablo and now I can't put this to #1 because it has caused songs like Bablo's version.
3. "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980] The zany synthetic string sound in the beginning is the best moment in popular music in the 80's. Actually everything is perfect in this song. The song of the week.
2. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
3. "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
4. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988] Clear winner. The bass line is simple and brilliant.
2. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
3. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
4. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989] Wow, Neneh Cherry was so danceable in the late 80's.
2. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
3. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
4. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10 Again three very good songs.
1. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967] Compress the whole psychedelic music into 2,5 minutes.
2. "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
3. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
4. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "The End" - The Doors [1967] Is it this song that makes Apocapypse Now a masterpiece or is it vice versa. Nevertheless points to Morrison & co.
2. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
3. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
4. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967] OK third psychedelic song in a row that wins its bracket. The sound of theremin sounds almost always good.
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
3. "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987] In between Days Version 2.0 (only music). No one wrote as good pop songs as Robert Smith in the 80's (expect mr. Bowie once).
2. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]
3. "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
4. "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13 : weakest bracket this week... a terrible Rolling Stones single, an average Ray Charles song, a great riff but improved further by the band... only remains a quite original song by Neneh Cherry
#495: "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
#18: "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
#1007: "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]
#530: "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1 a so-so bracket, does not compare with the 6 of my first post. Needless to say Good Vibrations is a close to perfection song
#3: "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
#515: "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
#510: "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
#1022: "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]

by the way, is "I don't want to set the world on fire" a song first sung by the Ink Spots or by The Orioles ? The Ink Spots is used on Fallout 3 and it is awesome how it sticks well with the whole atmosphere of the game, whether it is when you traval vast empty lands or when you're killing mutants and thieves... maybe it is the contrast with the sadness and desolation of the game, but it is perfect (but you end up hearing it much too much however)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1 - "About a Girl" - Nirvana [1989]
2 - "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan [1963]
3 - "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown [1966]
4 - "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC [1977]
Average bracket. One of the best Nirvana songs,'Blowin' In The Wind' is obviously a classic,but doesn't hold up against his best. One of my least favourite James Brown songs,and AC/DC I'm not a huge fan of in general.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1 - "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie [1980]
2 - "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland [1940]
3 - "Crazy" - Patsy Cline [1961]
4 - "Back in Black" - AC/DC [1980]
Nothing I listen to very much. 'Ashes To Ashes' is my favourite by far of the group,despite not really being a favourite among Bowie songs. 'Over The Rainbow' and 'Crazy' are classics for sure,but I don't think I've ever played either of them by choice since I've had them. AC/DC - meh.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1 - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 [1987]
2 - "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations [1972]
3 - "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel [1986]
4 - "Waiting Room" - Fugazi [1988]
Fairly strong bracket. One of my favourite U2 songs,one part of arguably the strongest 3 track opening of an album ever. Fantastic Temptations single,just wish I'd heard the full length 11 minute version. Great video for 'Sledgehammer',decent song. Not a fan of 'Waiting Room' - sounds pretty average...

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 - "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks [1965]
2 - "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones [1981]
3 - "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry [1989]
4 - "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles [1958]
Great early Kinks single,classic riff. Overrated for sure at #18(should be Waterloo Sunset ranked higher) but still,a classic. 'Start Me Up' is one of my fav. Stones songs for some reason,it shouldn't be. Find the other 2 a bit mediocre,never even thought of 'Lonely Avenue' among Ray Charles' key songs...

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1 - "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division [1979]
2 - "Waterfalls" - TLC [1994]
3 - "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) [2002]
4 - "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane [1967]
'She's Lost Control' isn't one of JD's best songs,but it's far too dark and powerful for anything else to come close in this weak bracket. 'Waterfalls' is a decent radio standard,but the other 2 I'd probably turn off if they came on.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1 - "Hey Ya!" - OutKast [2003]
2 - "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream [1967]
3 - "The End" - The Doors [1967]
4 - "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc [1989]
'Hey Ya' is easily one of the most exciting and inspired tracks of the last 10 years so wins easily. The Cream and Doors tracks are classics as well,and would have won many other brackets. 'Wild Thing' is outclassed here

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1 - "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys [1967]
2 - "First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey [2004]
3 - "Gigantic" - Pixies [1988]
4 - "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles [1948]
Is 'Good Vibrations' the most innovative song of all time? Quite possibly. Obviously wins here anyway,just amazing. Great Morrissey song - definitely the best thing he's done for 10 years. 'Gigantic' - One of the Pixies many classics. Unlucky to be in this bracket. Orioles song is OK,a little too early for me though...

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1 - "How Soon Is Now?" - The Smiths [1985]
2 - "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure [1987]
3 - "This Is a Low" - Blur [1994]
4 - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Devo [1978]
'How Soon Is Now' wins easily. One of the most terrifying and thrilling songs of all time. Classic Cure track,maybe my 2nd favourite of theirs after 'In Between Days'. Find the verses of 'This Is A Low' a bit dull,decent chorus though. Devo? Bit of a laugh...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

I realize it's a little late in the day to be saying this, but I just saw your ballot Michael. I can't count any bracket that doesn't have a comment, so as it stands I can only count five of your eight brackets. If you were to re-submit your ballot with comments for those three brackets, I could then count them.


And if you haven't voted yet, you have 54 minutes left!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10

1. Joy Divison- "She's Lost Control": Subtly terrifying and oh so effective. One of my favorite JD tracks, for sure.
2. TLC- "Waterfalls": It's been overplayed, but it's a decent slice of 90s R&B and clearly outpaces the tracks below.
3. Jefferson Airplane- "White Rabbit": Grace Slick can lick my ass.
4. Justin Timberlake- "Cry Me a River": Timbertwat has no place here at AM.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5

1. The Doors- "The End": While "The Crystal Ship" is my favorite from the debut, this begins their trend of epic, libidinous, foreboding tracks, and I quite like a lot of those, in spite of myself.
2. Tone Loc- "Wild Thing": This takes me RIGHT back to 1989, which for me is a great place to be. I'm partial to "Funky Cold Medina", but this will do just fine.
3. Cream- "Sunshine of Your Love": I hadn't heard this before, but any song that combusts as many times as this one does with the delicious bass and flurry of guitar wizardry is at least going to grab my intention.
4. OutKast- "Hey Ya!": Speaking of combustible songs, I'm surprised that this comes 4th here. I understand that it's an impressive whirlwind, but I much prefer this genre-defying, suite-like sonic explosion of talent.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1

1. Morrissey- "First of the Gang to Die": I was totally taken aback by You are the Quarry, which still rates as one of my favorite albums of the decade. At first, I hated this pastiche of the 50s "let's celebrate the villain" type of song, but then it stole my heart away, hey-hey, hey-hey, hey-hey.
2. The Orioles- "It's Too Soon to Know": I hadn't even heard of this group before, but this is probably one of my favorite songs from before the 50s now. Nice!
3. The Beach Boys- "Good Vibrations": Legendary and yadda yadda yadda, but I still can only get with "God Only Knows" and sometimes "Wouldn't It Be Nice".
4. Pixies- "Gigantic": Why don't I like this band more?

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11

1. The Cure- "Just Like Heaven": There are dozens of Cure songs I like more, but this is the rightful magnet for non-fans to the band, and for showcasing that Robert Smith has every possible shade in his limitless kaleidoscope of emotions and palettes, it gets the nod.
2. The Smiths- "How Soon Is Now?": The first genius melody Moz ever came up with, for my money. I am huuuuuman and I need to be luh-uhhhh-uved, just like everybody else does- chills every time.
3. Blur- "This Is a Low": I never warmed to Blur like I have Gorillaz, but there's no denying that this is bloody brilliant.
4. Devo- "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction": It's a real pity that this comes in last for me- I much, MUCH prefer it to the original, as Devo managed to make a testosterone-laden sleaze-fest funky and quirky, which always wins in my book.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

schleuse

2. ASHES TO ASHES. Moonbeam’s partly right—Scary Monsters is Bowie’s most underrated album (although, ‘beam, he stopped “hiding behind some character” back in 1977). This is also his last great single, and, fwiw, his best video.


Schleuse, the character may not have a name from Bowie's Berlin period, but he was definitely playing the avant-garde, mysterious, disillusioned European to a T from 1977-1979, which made Scary Monsters sound so startling to me!

I'd argue that "Fashion" is another great single from the same album, and heck, can I get some love for "China Girl"?

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Voting for this week is now over. Results will be posted as soon as I get everything totalled up.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

RESULTS


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 14
1. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan (57 points, 4 first-place votes)
2. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown (54, 7)
3. "About a Girl" - Nirvana (53, 7)
4. "Whole Lotta Rosie" - AC/DC (36, 2)

In the week's closest bracket, Bob Dylan puts his first song into the second round, squeaking past James Brown and Nirvana. This is really testament to how important the second-place vote is: Dylan only got four first-place votes, but eleven second-place votes. Those three points can really add up! AC/DC is now oh-for-two, Nirvana is two-for-three, and JB is one-for-two.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie (55, 9)
2. "Back in Black" - AC/DC (52, 6)
3. "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland (45, 1)
4. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline (38, 3)

This bracket is a testament to late voting. AC/DC led this bracket for the majority of the week, and even had a two-point lead earlier today. The last two ballots put David Bowie into the top spot and into the second round. "Ashes to Ashes" moves on to face Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and the Flamingos' "I Only Have Eyes for You." AC/DC is now oh-for-three with only "Highway to Hell" left.


BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations (57, 9)
2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2 (48, 4)
3. "Waiting Room" - Fugazi (44, 3)
4. "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel (41, 3)

Even though the Temptations won this bracket by only nine points, this one was never close. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" led all week and never really faced a significant threat. Fugazi and Peter Gabriel are gone, but U2 still has eight chances for victory left. The Temptations will be facing Big Star's "September Gurls" in round two.


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks (74, 15)
2. "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry (46, 5)
3. "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones (41, 0)
4. "Lonely Avenue" - Ray Charles (39, 0)

In the week's first big blowout, the Kinks win their bracket by a whopping 28 points. "You Really Got Me" will face off against Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" in the next round. The Rolling Stones are now one-for-two in the first round, Brother Ray is one-for-three, and Neneh Cherry is gone after her only bracket.


BACH BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane (60, 8)
2. "She's Lost Control" - Joy Division (56, 8)
3. "Waterfalls" - TLC (51, 4)
4. "Cry Me a River" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring Timbaland) (33, 0)

Strange how this bracket worked out. TLC took an early lead here, Jefferson Airplane came roaring back, then Joy Division came on strong at the end. In the end, the Airplane flew higher than the rest of its competition, and "White Rabbit" is in round two. Joy Division is now oh-for-two in the first round. TLC has only one chance left to advance, and Timberlake has two.


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast (69, 14)
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream (50, 2)
3. "The End" - The Doors (46, 4)
4. "Wild Thing" - Tone-Loc (35, 0)

In the second big runaway of the week, OutKast blows out all comers en route to a nineteen-point win. Big Boi and Dre now have two songs in the second round, as "Hey Ya!" joins "Ms. Jackson" in the second round. Cream is eliminated after only one song, as is Tone-Loc, but the Doors still have "Light My Fire" and "Riders on the Storm."


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys (78, 19)
2. "Gigantic" - Pixies (50, 0)
3. "The First of the Gang to Die" - Morrissey (43, 1)
4. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles (29, 0)

It looked like the Beach Boys were going to do a clean sweep of this bracket until... (dun, dun, dun!) the last ballot came in. Still, "Good Vibrations" is moving on to the next round. Pixies are now two-for-three in the first round. The Orioles still have one chance to advance, and Morrissey has two.


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure (58, 8)
2. "How Soon Is Now" - The Smiths (53, 7)
3. "This Is a Low" - Blur (47, 3)
4. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (32, 1)

In the big battle of '80s indie rock groups, the Cure inches out the Smiths by a scant five points. The Cure is done for this round, finishing one-for-two. Robert Smith and company moves on to face Derek and the Dominoes' "Layla," Pixies' "Monkey Gone to Heaven," and James Brown's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag."

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

I'll post statistics tomorrow morning. I need to clear my mind right now.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Matt Schroeder
I'll post statistics tomorrow morning. I need to clear my mind right now.


Thanks for the awesome results as always, Matt!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Wow, I thought "How Soon Is Now?" would top "Just Like Heaven," though I love both songs so I don't mind the Cure winning. I do wish "She's Lost Control" would have overtaken "White Rabbit," but too many people put it in last for that to happen.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

STATISTICS


TOP TEN BEST-PERFORMING SONGS
1. "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" - Otis Redding (3.905 points per ballot)
2. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys (3.9)
3. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (3.882)
4. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana (3.778)
5. "All Along the Watchtower" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (3.75)
6. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks (3.7)
7. "Crazy" - Gnarls Barkley (3.667) tie
7. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles (3.667) tie
9. "Ms. Jackson" - OutKast (3.65)
10. "'Heroes'" - David Bowie (3.611)


TOP TEN WORST-PERFORMING SONGS
1. "Donna" - Ritchie Valens (1.333)
2. "You're No Good" - Linda Ronstadt (1.35)
3. "Just the Way You Are" - Billy Joel (1.353)
4. "I Want It That Way" - Backstreet Boys (1.4)
5. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles (1.45)
6. "Crazy Arms" - Ray Price (1.474)
7. "Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer (1.529)
8. "Up on the Roof" - The Drifters (1.55)
9. "Hounds of Love" - The Futureheads (1.556)
10. "Yeah!" - Usher (Featuring Ludacris & Lil' Jon) (1.611)


TOP TEN WORST-PERFORMING SONGS TO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND
1. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (2.667) tie
1. "God" - John Lennon (2.667) tie
1. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (2.667) tie
4. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer (2.75) tie
4. "Wichita Lineman" - Glen Campbell (2.75) tie
6. "Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley (2.778)
7. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman (2.810)
8. "Genius of Love" - Tom Tom Club (2.813)
9. "Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival (2.842)
10. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan (2.85)


TOP TEN BEST-PERFORMING SONGS TO BE ELIMINATED IN THE FIRST ROUND
1. "No Woman, No Cry" - Bob Marley & the Wailers (3.059)
2. "I Can See for Miles" - The Who (3.053)
3. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey (3.036)
4. "Atmosphere" - Joy Division (3.0)
5. "Walk on By" - Dionne Warwick (2.952)
6. "Sign 'o' the Times" - Prince (2.95)
7. "Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys (2.941) tie
7. "Ace of Spades" - Motörhead (2.941) tie
7. "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" - The Jam (2.941) tie
10. "Iron Man" - Black Sabbath (2.9)


TEN LOWEST-RANKED SONGS TO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie (ranked #878)
2. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (#824)
3. "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" - Mission of Burma (#772)
4. "God" - John Lennon (#714)
5. "Karma Police" - Radiohead (#709)
6. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (#696)
7. "Come as You Are" - Nirvana (#661)
8. "The Boxer" - Simon & Garfunkel (#657)
9. "So What" - Miles Davis (#636)
10. "Genius of Love" - Tom Tom Club (#595)


TEN HIGHEST-RANKED SONGS TO BE ELIMINATED IN THE FIRST ROUND
1. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" - Jerry Lee Lewis (#64)
2. "No Woman, No Cry" - Bob Marley & the Wailers (#75)
3. "Mystery Train" - Elvis Presley (#83)
4. "Walk on By" - Dionne Warwick (#109)
5. "Won't Get Fooled Again" - The Who (#121)
6. "Sign 'o' the Times" - Prince (#129)
7. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye (#138)
8. "Blitzkrieg Bop" - The Ramones (#145)
9. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline (#147)
10. "Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys (#149)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

MORE STATISTICS


WHO GOT THE MOST CORRECT WINNERS THIS WEEK?
1. nicolas (7 out of 8 - 87.5%)
2. Michael (3 out of 4 - 75%) tie
2. Penguin (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
2. SR (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
5. Nassim (4 out of 6 - 66.67%)
6. brose (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
6. Harold Wexler (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
6. Jackson (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
6. schleuse (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
6. sonofsamiam (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
11. BillAdama (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
11. Greg (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
11. John (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
11. Lanka (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
11. Midaso (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
11. pop elton (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
11. VanillaFire1000 (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
18. Alex D (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
18. Matt Schroeder (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
20. Moonbeam (1 out of 8 - 12.5%)


OVERALL TOP TEN (BY PERCENTAGE)
1. Michael (15 out of 19 - 78.95%)
2. Honorio (6 out of 8 - 75%)
2. Jackson (12 out of 16 - 75%)
2. Mindrocker (12 out of 16 - 75%)
5. Alex D (43 out of 63 - 68.25%)
6. nicolas (54 out of 80 - 67.5%)
7. SR (43 out of 64 - 67.19%)
8. Harold Wexler (53 out of 80 - 66.25%)
9. Midaso (52 out of 80 - 65%)
10. brose (51 out of 80 - 63.75%)


OVERALL TOP TEN (BY NUMBER CORRECT)
1. nicolas (54)
2. Harold Wexler (53)
3. Midaso (52)
4. brose (51)
5. Matt Schroeder (47) tie
5. schleuse (47) tie
7. BillAdama (45) tie
7. sonofsamiam (45) tie
9. Alex D (43) tie
9. SR (43) tie

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Matt Schroeder
TOP TEN BEST-PERFORMING SONGS
1. "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" - Otis Redding (3.905 points per ballot)
2. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys (3.9)


Just think, if "Good Vibrations" had gotten only ONE more point, we'd have a new leader here. Now where could this song have gotten only one more point? Hmm...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

White Rabbit winning over 'She's Lost Control'(or for that matter anything)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Matt Schroeder
Matt Schroeder
TOP TEN BEST-PERFORMING SONGS
1. "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" - Otis Redding (3.905 points per ballot)
2. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys (3.9)


Just think, if "Good Vibrations" had gotten only ONE more point, we'd have a new leader here. Now where could this song have gotten only one more point? Hmm...


Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Matt Schroeder
MORE STATISTICS

WHO GOT THE MOST CORRECT WINNERS THIS WEEK?
5. Nassim (4 out of 6 - 66.67%)


I have voted for the 8 ballots ! (on 2 different posts, but I did ^^ )

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Nassim
Matt Schroeder
MORE STATISTICS

WHO GOT THE MOST CORRECT WINNERS THIS WEEK?
5. Nassim (4 out of 6 - 66.67%)


I have voted for the 8 ballots ! (on 2 different posts, but I did ^^ )


Oh shoot. You're right. The updated statistics are...





1. nicolas (7 out of 8 - 87.5%)
2. Michael (3 out of 4 - 75%) tie
2. Penguin (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
2. SR (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
5. brose (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. Harold Wexler (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. Jackson (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. schleuse (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. sonofsamiam (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
10. BillAdama (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Greg (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. John (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Lanka (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Midaso (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Nassim (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. pop elton (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. VanillaFire1000 (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
18. Alex D (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
18. Matt Schroeder (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
20. Moonbeam (1 out of 8 - 12.5%)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Moonbeam, since you ALWAYS end up at the bottom of the "correct winners" list, reading your comments has become a special interest of mine. However, this week I found that you did not pick one but actually two correct winners (Bowie and Cure). You're still at the end of the list though.

PS. Keep going with your personal choices Moonbeam, I agree with a lot some of them!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 10

Henrik
Moonbeam, since you ALWAYS end up at the bottom of the "correct winners" list, reading your comments has become a special interest of mine. However, this week I found that you did not pick one but actually two correct winners (Bowie and Cure). You're still at the end of the list though.

PS. Keep going with your personal choices Moonbeam, I agree with a lot some of them!


I'll keep fighting the good fight.