Put a Pin on the Map View my Forum Guestmap
Free Guestmaps by Bravenet.com

The Old Acclaimed Music Forum

Go to the NEW FORUM

Music, music, music...
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

WEEK 20

A little breakdown of this week's songs by decade...
1920s: 0
1930s: 0
1940s: 1
1950s: 2
1960s: 8
1970s: 6
1980s: 10
1990s: 4
2000s: 1

Also of note:
Two brackets in the Verdi bloc
Two songs by Bob Dylan
Two songs by Madonna


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.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
#173: "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
#340: "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
#685: "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
#852: "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
#78: "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
#435: "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
#590: "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
#947: "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
#61: "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
#452: "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
#573: "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
#964: "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
#152: "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
#361: "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
#664: "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
#873: "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
#22: "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
#491: "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
#534: "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
#1003: "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
#117: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
#396: "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
#629: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
#908: "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
#300: "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
#725: "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]
#812: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
#207: "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]
#306: "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
#719: "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
#818: "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Speaks volumes to how out-of-touch I've been the past few days; I didn't finish these comments until about fifteen minutes ago. But here's mine...




BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
Easily my favorite MJ track, and for my money, his best. You can have your "Billie Jean," but I'll take this one over that one any day of the week. Easy pick for #1 here.
2. "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
Hardly my favorite Aerosmith track, and not even my favorite off "Toys in the Attic." I'm a little surprised to be putting it at the #2 spot, but the other two just aren't nearly as good as this one. Still, I'd easily take this one over the version done with Run-D.M.C.
3. "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
It's usually around this point in "Blonde on Blonde" that I start to lose interest and put on a different album. It's a nice song, but hardly one I'd put on repeat.
4. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]
In a bracket like this, something had to be 4, but I didn't think it would be such an easy pick for #4. I know that if I took the time to listen to QotSA, I'd probably be more forgiving toward them, but this one just isn't anywhere near the first three.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
I don't foresee this one going into the next round, but it's the strongest song in what is for me, a very weak bracket. A lot of people cite Lauryn Hill as being the first hip-hop artist to win one of the "big four" Grammys when she won Album of the Year for "Miseducation," but these guys actually predated her when they won Best New Artist.
2. "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
Like I said before, this is a very weak bracket for me, so the fact that I'm putting this one at the #2 spot just speaks to how much I dislike the other two songs. That's not to say that I dislike this one, but it's very middle-of-the-road to my ears.
3. "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]
I really don't like this one, but I feel almost compelled not to put it in the #4 spot because I dislike the other one more.
4. "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
Yuck. Barf.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
Easy pick for #1 in this bracket. Truly great song. Nothing more to say; the competition here is too weak.
2. "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
I've heard this one way too many times, and the fact that Coors Light has decided to co-opt it for their commercials makes me a little queasy. But it's still a pretty good song, and easily outpaces the other two songs here.
3. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
This one gets saved from the #4 spot simply because of the video, because honestly, the song is mindless tripe. But I distinctly remember coming home from high school at turning on Total Request Live just so I could watch this video. Ah, good memories.
4. "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
Where the last song brought up pleasant memories from my youth, this one brings up negative memories from my youth. 'Nuff said.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
I've only within the last couple of months been really exploring "Screamadelica," and I can't tell you how much I love it. One great song after another. This is one of the album's best moments, and you can even hear a little bit of Massive Attack's "Mezzanine" (another fave of mine) in this song. Perfect chill-out music.
2. "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
As much as I don't really like Madonna, I can't deny this song. Twenty-six years later, this song is still a hell of a lot of fun. That opening synth line is just so chipper and upbeat, I can't dislike it.
3. "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
I'm a little surprised I'm putting this one below Madge, but for a long time, I've thought that there just isn't that much to the song. And since it clocks in at just under two minutes long, I feel a little vindicated in that statement. And I'm willing to bet that Ray's backup singers actually do more singing in this one than Ray himself.
4. "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
It's not that I dislike this song, I respect it and acknowledge that it's an important song and helped to shape rock and roll. But as many other people have said before, SHTB4.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
One of my all-time favorite '80s songs, and possibly even top 100 of all time for me. This is a perfect pop song. It's only slightly marred by the awful cover by Sixpence None the Richer.
2. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
It took me a while to get into this song, but once I did, it has really wormed its way into my consciousness. Aretha is one of the all-time great singers, and this is Exhibit A.
3. "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
I've never understood this song's acclaim. I don't understand why it's #22 all time. Sure, it's a good song, but there's only 21 songs in the history of popular music that are more acclaimed than this one? In the name of God, why?
4. "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]
I've always had a problem with the "Graceland" album. I know it's supposed to be one of the greatest albums of all-time, but it's always seemed really mediocre to me. Aside from two great songs ("Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and "You Can Call Me Al") and one good one ("Homeless"), there really isn't much of anything worth remembering. This song's acclaim in particular has always eluded me. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's a bad song, but it's hardly a good one either.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
Another easy #1. In 1967, at the height of psychedelia, who could ever have predicted that a song based on some Bach melodies would top the charts? (#1 in the UK, #5 in the US) And the song still holds up to this day. Incredibly oblique lyrics, but so, so alluring.
2. "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
Speaking of psychedelia... Being a big fan of Washington State University, the "crimson" part of this song has always appealed to me, but the song is surprisingly strong, even now. Sure, the vocal affectations about 2/3rds of the way through (where it sounds like someone is tapping Tommy James on the neck while he sings) is a little off-putting, but by this point in the song, I'm hooked anyway.
3. "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
I hate that I like this song as much as I do, but I can't in good consciousness put this song above the above two.
4. "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
As I collect the top 3000 albums and the top 3000 songs, I've discovered a lot of different musical styles that I had never listened to before. Mid-'90s Britpop is a genre that largely eluded my corner of the world during its peak, so hearing it now is like a breath of fresh air.
On the other hand, I'm discovering that, try as I might, I just can't get into heavy metal. Oh, there are exceptions, but the exceptions tend to run more toward the "hard rock" side. I've always felt this song leaned a little more toward the "metal" side. Frankly, that genre just isn't my cup of tea.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
Weak, weak bracket if this one gets the top spot. Sure, it's a good song, but by no means is it a great one. In a bracket like this, SHTB1.
2. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
Man, I just cannot get into any of the other three songs here. SHTB2.
3. "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]
It really speaks to the weakness of this bracket if a Smiths tune gets the #3 spot, but when it's up against...
4. "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
...it's easy to see why. Joan may love rock n' roll, but I hate her ode to rock n' roll.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
I'll say it: I am this forum's biggest Elton John fan. I don't know if there is anyone else out there who is an Elton fan, but I am a bigger fan. I'm sorry, but I am. A couple of years ago, he actually came to WSU and I managed to snag third-row tickets. When he came back for his encore, I was right at the stage cheering, and I even got my ticket stub signed. I cherish that autograph even more than the Cal Ripken, Jr. autograph I got during his last season.
So as Elton's biggest fan on this forum, let me just say right now: this is his best song. Hands down. That's not to say it's my favorite; "Tiny Dancer" is and always will be my #1 favorite song, regardless of artist. But if you want a song that truly represents Elton John, you have to go to "Your Song." I will have this at #1 for a few rounds.
2. "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
Check this out. Seriously. Just start at the top.
3. "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
I really enjoy this song, but it speaks to the strength of the bracket when this one drops to #3. What a week; some brackets I really struggle to find a #1 (Vivaldi 8, Verdi 10), and some brackets where great songs drop this low (Rachmaninoff 15, Schubert 13, Verdi 4, this one). Luck of the draw, I guess.
4. "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]
There's one early Madonna track that I enjoy, and this ain't it. (For the record, it's the other Madonna song this week.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
2. "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
3. "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
4. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
2. "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
3. "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
4. "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
2. "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
3. "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
4. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
2. "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
3. "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
4. "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]
2. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
3. "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
4. "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
2. "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
3. "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
4. "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
2. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
3. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
4. "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
2. "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
3. "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
4. "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]

The first 6 have easy #1 picks. Everything else for those brackets cannot compare. For the final 2, Verdi 10 has songs I'm not fond of. In fact, I hate them. Very strange to have them all in one bracket. For the final, the top 3 are all great, but Just What I Needed is a perfect post-punk/new wave song.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11

01. "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]- One of the all time greatest Bob Dylan songs, which for my money makes it one of the all time greatest songs period.
#173: "Beat 02. Michael Jackson [1982]
#340: "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
#852: "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8

#78: "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
#435: "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
#590: "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
#947: "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5

#61: "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]- Not an incredible bracket, but I guess this takes the cake by default.
#573: "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
#452: "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
#964: "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15

#361: "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]- Not my favorite off of Screamadelica, but still an awesome song.
#873: "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
#152: "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
#664: "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
#22: "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
#491: "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
#534: "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
#1003: "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4

#117: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
#396: "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
#629: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
#908: "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10

#725: "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]- Not particularly my favorite Smiths song, but still the best in the bracket.
#812: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]- Unlike the excellent Just Like a Woman, I always found this song mega overrated.
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
#300: "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]- Total trash.


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6


#306: "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]- I was apprehensive of Elton John for several years, but songs like this one really won me over.
#818: "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
#207: "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]- Sonic Youth's cover is much better than the original.
#719: "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1: "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner: I'm a sucker for '80s love ballads, and this is the archetype. Quite surprised it ranks where it does, given how fluffy it is, but no complaints here.
2: "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins
3: "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney
4: "Tennessee" - Arrested Development

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House: The best AND most popular song from a group (and songwriter) that I've always thought to be criminally under-appreciated; Neil Finn wrote some fantastic songs, but none were as hauntingly beautiful as this. Interesting that there are barely any rhymes to be found, but with an instantly recognizable intro and poetic lyrics (with a meaning that, to this day, still eludes me) buoyed by an incredible melody, this song will likely never die.
2: "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner
3: "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin
4: "Graceland" - Paul Simon

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2: U2's stock has dropped a lot in my book over the past few years. Call it a case of the Weezer Syndrome: a succession of recent failures retroactively ruins anything good a band may have once done. "One", along with a few other tracks, haven't been tainted... yet. Luckily, neither has this: the slow-build anticipation of the intro (maybe, for me, the greatest ever?) and Edge's arpeggiated guitar still gives me shivers.
2: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum: I'm warming up to it, but if you ask me, it's still a bottom-dweller in the psychedelic pool of the late '60s.
3: "School's Out" - Alice Cooper
4: "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells: A while ago, I caught a bit of an interview with the singer from Kings of Leon. In it, he mentioned this song's personal importance (something to do with his upbringing in a 'rock-music-is-evil' household), which, in all likelihood, led to a career in music. I really dislike Kings of Leon.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1: "Just What I Needed" - The Cars: A staple on any lite-FM station, but that's not a strike against it. This is just good, catchy power-pop.
2: "Into the Groove" - Madonna
3: "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube
4: "Your Song" - Elton John: I'll say it: I am this forum's biggest Elton John hater. I don't know if there is anyone else out there who is an Elton hater, but I am a bigger hater. I'm sorry, but I am. A couple of years ago, a friend actually was going to buy "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". When he found the cd in its section, I slapped it out of his hands, exclaiming: "what the f#ck are you doing?!?!" I cherish that moment when I saved my friend from a big mistake.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11

1. "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
2. "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
3. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]
4. "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]

"Beat It" is the easy winner here. "Just Like a Woman" isn't one of my favorite Dylan songs, but it beats a rather gimmicky QotSA single (and I really like them) and the very very tired Aerosmith.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8

1. "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
2. "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
3. "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]
4. "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]

Honestly, this could just be a random jumble -- 4 good, not great, songs. "Tennessee" wins by virtue of nostalgia.


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5

1. "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
2. "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
3. "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
4. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]

Surprisingly tough bracket -- anytime I have the O'Jays in the bottom half you know it's gotta be strong. I ended up going with "You Are My Sunshine" mainly because of how completely heartbreaking it is ... just listen to the lyrics! The fact this is sung to children is actually a little disturbing.


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15

1. "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
2. "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
3. "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
4. "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]

Madonna is an easy winner over a fairly weak group. I never need to hear 3 or 4 again.


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
2. "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
3. "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]
4. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]

Good grief, what a strong bracket! My No. 4 here would've beaten "Tennessee" for No. 1 in Vivaldi 8. Just bad luck I guess. Tough call all-around -- depending on the day, any of these could win for me, none is an all-time fave, but they're all really good.


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4

1. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
2. "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
3. "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
4. "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]

Procol Harum triumphs in a psych-pop showdown, with U2 not too far behind. And I love a lot of Alice Cooper's early stuff, but "School's Out" just falls kinda flat. (It's most certainly not metal though, I'll argue that one.)


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10

1. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
2. "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]
3. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
4. "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]

It's actually unbelievable to me how many just so-so songs are in the Top 1000. There's just so many better out there.... Anyway, "96 Tears" wins for that repetitive organ line alone.


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6

1. "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
2. "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
3. "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]
4. "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]

Very solid bracket this, another one where I like all the songs a lot. And I'm a pretty big Elton John fan (at least 1970-75), but I don't consider "Your Song" one of his best. It's utterly ruined by the "If I was a sculptor/But then again no" line. I wonder if it makes Bernie Taupin wince every time he hears it? Actually, I sorta doubt it...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Leaving for the Thanksgiving holiday and won’t have computer access, so I’m not commenting on everything (again) this week.

BRAHMS 11
1. BEAT IT. I still think it’s even better than “Billie Jean.” So there.
2. FEEL GOOD HIT OF THE SUMMER. I have not actually sat down and actively listened to QotSA that many times; however, each time I do, I like them a little more. They’re not groundbreaking or anything, just fun.
3. WALK THIS WAY. If I could walk that way…no, seriously, I like this song, but let me get back to you once Rick Rubin gets Stephen Tyler’s number.
4. JUST LIKE A WOMAN. Mediocre Dylan. I suspect its surprisingly high ranking has something to do with its influence, but since that seems to have been on a welter of incredibly sappy singer-songwriter stuff, that influence is pretty dubious.

VIVALDI 8
1. BLUE SUEDE SHOES. The obvious #1 in a weak bracket. Elvis later felt bad about eclipsing his Sun label-mate, whose time in the spotlight was frighteningly short, even by 50’s standards. By the way, Carl’s impact on George Harrison is underappreciated.
2. TOUCH ME I’M SICK. As disgusting and ugly as its title, but then that’s pretty much the point, and Mudhoney had the advantage of getting there before it became a cliche. It’s amazing that only three years later, the trend launched by this group ended up with Bridget Fonda mooning over Matt Dillon onscreen.
3. TENNESSEE. It hasn’t aged well. Not to be a jerk or anything, but we could have expected that of a nice little group ridiculously overinflated by critics for whom socially conscious but non-militant rap was absolute catnip.
4. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS. The template for Michael Bolton.

CHOPIN 5
1. LOVE TRAIN. Even beer commercials can’t dim the appeal of this, one of the happiest-sounding songs imaginable.
2. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
3. BABY ONE MORE TIME
4. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE. Hey, my parents sang this one to me, and I turned out OK…

RACHMANINOFF 15
1. HIT THE ROAD JACK. I can understand getting really sick of it, especially if you’ve spent much time in North American sports arenas, but this is one of Ray Charles’ most masterful performances—probably the song I’d choose to introduce him to somebody.
2. HIGHER THAN THE SUN. Lot of solar imagery in these last 2 brackets…
3. LA BAMBA
4. BORDERLINE. I like early Madonna (see below), but this always falls completely flat for me. Not sure why.

SCHUBERT 13
1. RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH. This is all the justification the world needs for Tina Turner. Motown never sounded so…athletic. By the way, has any classic song ever been brought into the world by two such loathsome human beings as Ike and Phil?
2. DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER. One of the most beautiful pop songs ever.
3. GRACELAND. With Phil and Don Everly providing backing vocals, this is a gorgeous song, although it loses some of its punch outside the context of the whole album (which is brilliant).
4. I NEVER LOVED A MAN (THE WAY I LOVE YOU)

VERDI 4
1. WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME. The saga of this song neatly encapsulates everything I feel about U2. Bono’s vocal performance is an absolute tour de force—he hollers, he gasps, he is delivering us an Important Message. And it works, beautifully; it’s one of the most affecting songs of the 1980’s. Then Pet Shop Boys recorded a brilliant cover version (which Bono hated, apparently), and Neil Tennant’s usual deadpan delivery suits the song just as well. Draw your own conclusions.
2. CRIMSON AND CLOVER
3. A WHITER SHADE OF PALE. Of the two psychedelic tracks in this group, I prefer “Crimson and Clover.” It a) rocks out a bit more, and b) doesn’t go for the oh-so-erudite references to medieval literature (that stuff always makes me reach for the bucket, and has seriously impaired my ability to enjoy much of the standard AOR catalog).
4. SCHOOL’S OUT. Now ensconced as a quaint period piece.

VERDI 10
1. 96 TEARS. Suicide’s Alan Vega called it our national anthem. I wouldn’t go that far, but you can see his point.
2. KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
3. I LOVE ROCK N’ ROLL. An imitation of fun. Depending on where my head is, that makes it either marginally effective or incredibly annoying.
4. WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? The Smiths are a band I can either love or dislike, depending on the song. This one’s on the other side of the line.

LISZT 6
1. INTO THE GROOVE. Compared to “Borderline,” which I ranked last in its group, this achieves the perfect balance of vocals by Madge (spare) and a killer dance riff. AM’s #1 song of 1985, rightly.
2. IT WAS A GOOD DAY
3. JUST WHAT I NEEDED
4. YOUR SONG. I don’t go to Anthony-like (Antoniesque?) lengths of preventing people from listening to Elton by bodily force, but the last time I got genuine enjoyment out of Elton John was when “Crocodile Rock” came on the radio. I was 5.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

schleuse
I don’t go to Anthony-like (Antoniesque?) lengths of preventing people from listening to Elton by bodily force...

The cd incident was a bit less dramatic than what I described, but the M.O. was the same.

I'm not an Elton hater (I was more or less just satirizing Schroeder's tall statement), but Elton, among others, is an artist that my parents would play, but in my adulthood I've come to realize just how devoid of merit his music is.

PS. schleuse -- your comments/posts are, still, what keeps bringing me back.

sonofsamiam
It's utterly ruined by the "If I was a sculptor/But then again no" line.

Good call.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1 - #173: "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
2 - #340: "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
3 - #685: "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
4 - #852: "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
2 - #78: "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
3 - #435: "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
1 - #590: "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
4 - #947: "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
2 - #61: "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
3 - #452: "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
1 - #573: "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
4 - #964: "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1 - #152: "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
4 - #361: "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
3 - #664: "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
2 - #873: "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
2 - #22: "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
3 - #491: "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
1 - #534: "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
4 - #1003: "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4 (Excellent songs in this Bloc)
2 - #117: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
3 - #396: "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
1 - #629: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
4 - #908: "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
2 - #213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
4 - #300: "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
3 - #725: "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]
1 - #812: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
3 - #207: "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]
1 - #306: "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
4 - #719: "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
2 - #818: "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Anthony
I'm not an Elton hater (I was more or less just satirizing Schroeder's tall statement), but Elton, among others, is an artist that my parents would play, but in my adulthood I've come to realize just how devoid of merit his music is.


Perhaps it was a tall statement, but I stand by my original sentiment that I am a big fan.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
#173: "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
One of Jackson's best songs. I love the solo, and I like Jackson so much more before he went completely over the top with the flair.
#340: "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
One of hte most energizing rock songs there is.
#685: "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
A great catchy Dylan song, but doesn't have the staying power of some of his other great songs.
#852: "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]
Really, is anyone still impressed by just listing the names of recreational drugs? Does this still pass as rebellious? Easy fourth place in this strong bracket.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
#435: "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
Very well constructed, fun hip hop song.
#78: "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
Pretty typical 50's pop song with a charismatic performance.
#947: "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]
Meh. This is what inspired Nirvana?
#590: "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
A song more at home on a 'worst songs' list than a best one. Melodramatic, schmaltzy, overemoted, the sort of song I'm forced to hear all day at work.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
#61: "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
This mainstay of guitar classes is a good song, and this is easily the weakest bracket so far of the tournament. Not just one awful pop song, but two.
#573: "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
This is a good soul song, but it didn't have to be to get second place in this bracket. That was more of a gimme.
#964: "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
At least this one has folksy charm.
#452: "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
Where the hell did Henrik find critics who would actually call this song one of the greatest of all time? It's not only awful and noxiously catchy, it inspired a whole decade of awful, noxiously catchy bubblegum pop songs.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
#152: "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
Another of the funnest songs ever recorded.
#873: "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
My brother went to Berklee School of Music, and he said he learned in song building class to have be as simple as possible in the chorus, then use the verses to go into detail. This is the sort of song that would get an A. "Get the hell out" has not been expressed more simply and elegantly.
#361: "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
Primal Scream are kind of an enigma. They have two great albums, then the rest are mediocre. They're really critically acclaimed, but it's hard to find other people who like them.
#664: "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
One of Madonna's best early songs.


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
#491: "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
Aretha + weak bracket = first place
#22: "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
Good song.
#1003: "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]
Graceland the album was in my top 100 a year ago, but it's sank like a stone on me. I don't know why, I guess all the Africanisms just started seeming a little forced. This song seems like it has a lot of good ideas, but they come at you too softly and cutely.
#534: "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
I'm one of the only forum members who can't stand 80's 'Oversensitive manboy' synth pop.


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
#629: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
Another white guilt inspired U2 song where you wait for Bono to shut up so you can hear Edge play guitar some more. Which just happens to be in a lame enough bracket to get first place.
#908: "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
Boring.
#117: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
Boring.
#396: "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
"Hey teenagers, buy this! Why? Cause your parents will hate it! Do you need another reason?"


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
#812: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
The most soulful output of this phase of Dylan's career.
#725: "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
Different for a 1966 song. I like the organ.
#300: "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
Fun aggressive rock song.


Worst...bracket...ever
#306: "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
Least boring of the four.
#207: "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]
Meh.
#818: "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
Boring hook-driven middle of the road 70's rock.
#719: "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
A bunch of stupid gangster cliches.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Just wanted to remind people that there's only about 25+ hours left to vote this week! I'm guessing that some of the forum's American members might be busy with Thanksgiving (I know my attentions have been elsewhere the last couple of days...). Hope there are more ballots on their way!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]: This is one of the strongest and toughest brackets yet – on a given day, I might be likely to place any of these four songs at #1. Because my formative years were so defined by classic rock, I’ll always have a soft spot (no double entendre intended) for this one; the second I hear that unmistakable beat, I’m turning the volume way up.
2. "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]: One of the highlights of BLONDE ON BLONDE, and a deceptively gentle respite from the furious whirl of Dylan’s version of rock in that era.
3. "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]: If “Billie Jean” was the single that definitively made him the biggest pop star in the world, its follow-up made him a rock star, too, complete with the Eddie Van Halen seal of approval.
4. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]: A riotous statement of purpose(lessness) from the best and most idiosyncratic hard-rock band of the last decade. SH2-2-2-B-FOURRRRRRRRRRRR!

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]: No, it’s not Elvis’s song. The original (which hews much closer to the “billy” than the rock in rockabilly, but still rocks plenty) was even the bigger hit, and it deserved to be.
2. "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]: Some of the tracks on that much-praised debut are overly self-conscious in their consciousness, but this gutsy first single, which manages the difficult trick of being nostalgic for the ancestral South while simultaneously fully aware of what those trees were once used for, isn’t one of them.
3. "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]: To a certain extent, grunge was just the old NUGGETS sound spiked with an extra helping of self-loathing, and this track exemplifies that perfectly.
4. "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]: The ultimate Eighties power ballad, complete with brilliantly deployed gospel choir. A good record, but #4 here.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]: Easiest #1 pick of the week. One of the greatest singles of all time, and one of the most remarkably intense performances ever to become a #1 hit.
2. "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]: Irresistible Philly soul; I prefer the insular paranoia of “Back Stabbers” to this utopian vision, but I dare anyone not to sing along.
3. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]: I saw the video (Catholic schoolgirl alert!) with the sound muted before I ever heard the song, and I instantly knew that whoever this girl was, she was destined to be a superstar. That tells you something about the utter lack of importance of the music itself.
4. "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]: Classic song, but I never need to hear it again.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]: One of the shortest #1 singles ever (it’s less than two minutes), but also one of the best, with some of the most brilliant call-and-response vocals ever recorded. That’s right!
2. "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]: Who knows what he might have become? His ballads were treacly, but his rockers were something else – fast and loud and almost out of control, and spiked by some first-rate guitar playing. Sure, it’s been played to death, but it’s a great record.
3. "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]: For me, the highlight of her early (pre-TRUE BLUE) years, a terrific pop single in every way.
4. "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]: I’ve just never been able to connect with SCREAMADELICA, although I do love “Come Together.”

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]: One of my favorite songs of the Eighties, and a moment that this talented band never topped. My undying affection for it edges it forward in this bracket.
2. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]: The Queen’s first Atlantic single, a sinuous slow builder that proved just how clueless her previous record labels had been.
3. "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]: As much as I love the Wall of Sound, and as much as I appreciate Tina, I have to admit that this record is wildly overrated. That doesn’t mean it isn’t great, but it certainly doesn’t deserve to be ranked as high as it is.
4. "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]: Another member of the Academy of the Overrated. I like Simon, and I like GRACELAND (song and album), but I’ve always found his solo work overly fussy and overly pleased with itself. The African musicians give GRACELAND (song and album, and the album would be stronger if the Africans were on every track) a welcome bounce and looseness, though, and the song gets even more points for featuring the Everly Brothers.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]: Another great bracket, but this time with an easy #1. I suppose Bach has to get a lot of the credit for how majestic this song is, but it certainly is majestic. Gary Brooker and company made a lot of great music, but this track still towers over everything they ever did.
2. "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]: The beginning and ending of this song, one of the all-time great opening tracks, may be The Edge’s finest work on record, brilliantly encapsulating everything that makes him such a singular guitarist. It’s a good song, but he transforms it into a masterpiece.
3. "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]: In which one of the biggest lightweight pop stars of his time gets extremely high and makes an enduring psychedelic classic almost in spite of himself. Seek out the full album version, with its midsong tour of dated guitar styles, if you can.
4. "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]: Alice’s biggest hit, because it does such a fine job of pandering to its target audience (which also makes it timeless). It’s far from his best song, but you have to love any song with a verse that both puns on “principles” / “principals” and ends with the line “We can’t even think of a word that rhymes!”

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]: The insistent, instantly unforgettable organ riff made it a classic and an obvious #1 hit from the beginning; it’s also possibly the cheapest-sounding record ever to top the charts (in case you’re wondering, “Louie Louie” only made it to #2), which only makes Mr. Q. Mark’s cheesy intensity even more potent.
2. "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]: Another song with an insistent riff, this time courtesy of Johnny Marr. As aggressive as the Smiths ever got, and one of their best.
3. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]: A perfect, compact little jewel of a song that says its poetic piece in two quick verses and exits; of course, everyone who’s ever covered it makes up for its brevity by repeating the chorus endlessly, which kind of misses the point, I think.
4. "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]: A fun record, but did it really deserve to be #1 in America for -seven weeks-? No, and it doesn’t really deserve to be ranked so high, either.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]: The entire debut album holds up brilliantly – there’s a reason that nearly every track remains a radio staple – but this first single encapsulates almost everything great about this band, particularly Elliott Easton’s underrated guitar work and, of course, Greg Hawkes’s glorious synths.
2. "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]: His first worldwide hit and in many ways possibly his best; there’s nothing the least bit rock and roll about it, but Elton’s melody is timeless and Bernie Taupin’s lyrics are his most heartfelt (even affectations like “But then again – no” work in the context of this song, which is supposed to sound tentative).
3. "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]: Hilarious and hilariously blunt – again, no pun intended – in its celebrations (“I had the brew, she had the chronic/The Lakers beat the Supersonics”), but then it hits you that it was a good day not because of what happened but because of what DIDN’T happen – e.g., none of Cube’s homies got killed or arrested, and he “didn’t even have to use my AK!” Then all of a sudden it isn’t funny anymore, which is exactly the point.
4. "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]: The non-album single (although, as a 12” only, it wasn’t eligible for the BILLBOARD singles chart, either) that was one of the most dominant radio hits of its era. Good, but an easy #4 in this company.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Again, I'll vote on the brackets where I know each song. I'm not sure if I'll have time to listen to the ones I don't know, but we'll see!

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11

1. Michael Jackson- "Beat It": By far my favorite song on Thriller, "Beat It" is my 2nd or 3rd favorite MJ song (after "Leave Me Alone" and maybe "Who Is It"). Perfect, perfect pop/rock.
2. Aerosmith- "Walk This Way": I really wish this was in another bracket, because I like it a whole bunch. "Janie's Got a Gun" is my favorite Aerosmith song (and among my all-time top 100), but "Walk This Way" is mighty fine funky rock.
3. Bob Dylan- "Just Like a Woman": Huge dropoff to this. There are only a few Dylan songs I like, and this isn't one of them.
4. Queens of the Stone AGe- "Feel Good Hit of the Summer": Pass.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. Crowded House- "Don't Dream It's Over": Wonderful 80s classics are tough to top for me. Nothing comes close in this bracket.
2. Ike & Tina Turner- "River Deep, Mountain High": I prefer some cover versions of this, but that's because I'm an Annie Lennox fanbot. This is a deserving classic, even if I don't like it 1/100th as much as my top choice here.
3. Aretha Franklin- "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)": I never loved this song (and I doubt I ever will).
4. Paul Simon- "Graceland": I haven't heard the parent album, but I imagine that if I did, I would find it one of the most overrated albums ever. I just can't stand this.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4

1. U2- "Where the Streets Have No Name": The biggest band in the world at that point was just hitting on all cylinders- with their singles, at least.
2. Tommy James & the Shondells- "Crimson and Clover": It's ironic that this song comes up this week, as I absolutely ADORE Joan Jett's version, even preferring it to Prince's great version from this year. I don't like the original nearly as much, but for inspiring 2 versions that I really love, it gets 2nd slot.
3. Procol Harum- "A Whiter Shade of Pale": Is this Annie Lennox covers week or what?! In this case, I do quite like the original as well.
4. Alice Cooper- "School's Out": I respect the heck out of Alice Cooper, but this is just a bit too gimmicky for me. I must confess, though, my favorite song of his is "Poison".

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10

1. The Smiths- "What Difference Does It Make?": I like this eons more than "Hand in Glove", making it my favorite early Smiths single. It has a nice (gasp!) groove to it that distinguishes it from the rest of their catalogue.
2. Joan Jett- "I Love Rock 'n Roll": A deserving 80s classic, even if Joan Jett had at least 10 better songs in the 80s. She was very instrumental in me discovering that I really, really liked girls back in the day, and this will always make me crack a smile.
3. ? & the Mysterians- "96 Tears": One of my favorite 60s songs of all time, largely due to the enigmatic and weird performance by one Question Mark.
4. Bob Dylan- "Knockin' on Heaven's Door": Knockin' on the cellar door.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6

1. Madonna- "Into the Groove": It's funny how Madonna's 3 singles from 1985 (this, "Crazy for You" and "Gambler") are so much better than anything on Like a Virgin. The only Madonna song that likely has a shot to advance, and I really hope it does. And you can dance, for inspiration! C'mon!
2. The Cars- "Just What I Needed": The incorporations of synths into their post-punk new wave helped balance The Cars' music along several genre boundaries, appealing to many, including me!
3. Ice Cube- "It Was a Good Day": A good, but not great rap song, in my book.
4. Elton John- "Your Song": I was tormented by Elton John by my mother when I was young. I absolutely hated his music, but was subjected to it ad nauseum. I recall one album around 1990 coming out that had a song called "Sacrifice" that my Mom played on repeat for hours on end, prompting my teenage brother at the time to sarcastically snap, "Mom, it's not a single". Further fueling my hate was VH1's countdown of the 100 greatest artists of rock 'n roll, in which Prince placed 18th, one place behind Elton Damn John. When I came to Australia, my father-in-law referred to Sir Elton as "vomit with a head". I can't say I disagree.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

And if I don't get the chance to say it, Madonna's debut album is unbelievably good. "Borderline" is a damn fine song, but I rank it seventh (yes, seventh) out of the 8 songs. My favorite song on there, "Burning Up" is my favorite Madonna song and among my top 10 songs ever.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
(1): "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
(2): "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
(3): "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]
(4): "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]

A tough bracket: I enjoy all four of these tracks but don't love any of them. “Beat It” is maybe my favorite Michael Jackson.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
(1): "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]
(2): "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
(3): "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
(4): "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]

Mudhoney's early singles are amazing. I've read that those in the know at the time knew that Seattle was going to break nationally and that many thought Mudhoney would be to one to do it. It's easy to hear why with tracks like this (and “Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More”). I'm honestly surprised that it's getting completely schelacked in this voting. But for me, it's enough to edge out a great and classic “Blue Suede Shoes.” Don't really care about the bottom two.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
(1): "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
(2): "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
(3): "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
(4): "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]

Awesome + nostalgia = clear number one. I love Back Stabbers, but I always pretend it only has 9 tracks since I can't stand “Love Train”. The other two are essentially a toss up.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
(1): "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
(2): "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
(3): "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
(4): "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]

Not really anything to say on this one. The top two are significantly ahead of the bottom two. I wish I liked Madonna, but the more I hear the more I think there's nothing there for me.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
(1): "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
(2): "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
(3): "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
(4): "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]

I, also, have never understood why “River Deep” is so highly acclaimed. It's nice, but... Same with Simon's “Graceland” (the album). The only track here I really get into is Aretha's.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
(1): "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
(2): "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
(3): "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
(4): "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]

I have a certain fondness for big, dumb rock and big, dumb dance music. Hence, the high placement of Alice Copper here, Joan Jett below, and Britney Spears in the Chopin bracket. That said, the top three would probably be in a different order on a different day.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
(1): "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
(2): "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
(3): "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
(4): "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]

A lackluster Dylan stays out of fourth due to my intense dislike of The Smiths. “96 Tears” gets the edge because of the organ.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
(1): "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
(2): "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
(3): "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
(4): "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]

When the chips are down, The Predator gets my vote for the best rap album of all-time. “It Was A Good Day” is one of the lesser tracks on it, but that still makes it better than most other songs, easily including these three. I'm also a big fan of Elton (the early 70's version). I grew up listening to all of his hits so, weirdly, I much prefer his non-famous stuff. (Which is why “Tumbleweed” is one of my favorite albums.) For some reason, I thought The Cars' track was much, much more recent. Also didn't know it was The Cars. Learn something new everyday.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1 - "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
2 - "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
3 - "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
4 - "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1 - "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]
2 - "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
3 - "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
4 - "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
1 - "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
2 - "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]
3 - "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
4 - "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1 - "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
2 - "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
3 - "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]
4 - "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 - "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
2 - "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]
3 - "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
4 - "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1 - "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
2 - "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]
3 - "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
4 - "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
1 - "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]
2 - "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
3 - "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
4 - "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1 - "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
2 - "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]
3 - "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
4 - "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1: "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan [1966]
2: "Beat It" - Michael Jackson [1982]
3: "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith [1975]
4: "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age [2000]

One of the best Dylan songs and a bunch of mediocre songs.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1: "Tennessee" - Arrested Development [1992]
2: "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins [1956]
3: "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney [1988]
4: "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner [1984]

Weak bracket. I can't believe Foreigner is that high.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
1: "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals [1964]
2: "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears [1999]
3: "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis [1940]
4: "Love Train" - The O'Jays [1972]

House of the Rising Sun easily wins here but the next two are no slouches.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "Borderline" - Madonna [1983]
2: "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles [1961]
3: "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream [1991]
4: "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens [1958]

Love Borderline, and Hit the Road Jack is hands down my favorite Ray Charles song.


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House [1986]
2: "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner [1966]
3: "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin [1967]
4: "Graceland" - Paul Simon [1986]

Don't Dream is a fantastic song, nothing else here is anything I've liked. I'm just not a soul fan I guess.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum [1967]
2: "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells [1968]
3: "School's Out" - Alice Cooper [1972]
4: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 [1987]

Another weak bracket but the top 3 aren't bad.


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
1: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians [1966]
2: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan [1973]
3: "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [1981]
4: "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths [1984]

96 Tears blows away the competition.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1: "Your Song" - Elton John [1970]
2: "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube [1992]
3: "Just What I Needed" - The Cars [1978]
4: "Into the Groove" - Madonna [1984]

I've never understood why Into the Groove is one of Madonna's most acclaimed songs. Maybe it's nostalgia but since I didn't listen to Madonna when I was younger it doesn't click with me like a lot of her other songs.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Wow, cool to see all the support for Don't Dream It''s Over. It is a fantastic song, but I actually think Weather With You is my favorite Crowded House song.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Only six hours left this week!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

And with that, voting for Week 20 is over. Results will be posted as soon as I get them totaled.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Just a reminder that we never got the results from week 20... Hope all is well, Matt.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 20

Lord, I should have done this a long time ago, but here are your...





RESULTS

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 11
1. "Beat It" - Michael Jackson (43 points, 8 first-place votes)
2. "Just Like a Woman" - Bob Dylan (32, 3)
3. "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith (29, 1)
4. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" - Queens of the Stone Age (16, 0)

In the next round: Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy"; the Jimi Hendrix Experience's "All Along the Watchtower"; U2's "With or Without You"


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins (39, 4)
2. "Tennessee" - Arrested Development (34, 4)
3. "Touch Me I'm Sick" - Mudhoney (27, 2)
4. "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner (20, 2)

In the next round: the Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 5
1. "House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals (41, 8)
2. "Love Train" - The O'Jays (30, 2)
3. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears (20, 0)
4. "You Are My Sunshine" - Jimmie Davis (19, 1)

In the next round: Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"; Television's "Marquee Moon"


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Hit the Road Jack" - Ray Charles (31, 2)
2. "La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens (28, 4)
3. "Higher Than the Sun" - Primal Scream (28, 3)
4. "Borderline" - Madonna (23, 2)

In the next round: Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"; Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man"


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House (42, 7)
2. "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner (36, 3)
3. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - Aretha Franklin (31, 2)
4. "Graceland" - Paul Simon (21, 1)

In the next round: the Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man"; Neil Young's "Heart of Gold"


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum (41, 7)
2. "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2 (39, 5)
3. "Crimson and Clover" - Tommy James & the Shondells (29, 0)
4. "School's Out" - Alice Cooper (21, 1)

In the next round: the Who's "My Generation"; the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army"; OutKast's "Ms. Jackson"


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians (36, 6)
2. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan (33, 2)
3. "What Difference Does It Make?" - The Smiths (29, 3)
4. "I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (22, 1)

In the next round: Prince's "When Doves Cry"; Booker T. & the MG's "Green Onions"; Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind"


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "Just What I Needed" - The Cars (37, 3)
2. "Your Song" - Elton John (33, 5)
3. "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube (32, 3)
4. "Into the Groove" - Madonna (28, 2)

In the next round: Pulp's "Common People"; Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman"; the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night"