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Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

WEEK 29

A little breakdown of this week's songs by decade...
1920s: 0
1930s: 1
1940s: 1
1950s: 6
1960s: 6
1970s: 7
1980s: 3
1990s: 5
2000s: 3

Also of note:
A bracket with three rap songs


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.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
#204: "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]
#309: "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
#716: "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]
#821: "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
#106: "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
#407: "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]
#618: "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]
#919: "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
#131: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
#382: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]
#643: "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
#894: "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
#221: "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
#292: "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]
#733: "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]
#804: "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
#41: "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
#472: "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
#553: "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
#984: "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
#116: "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
#397: "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]
#628: "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]
#909: "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
#71: "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
#442: "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
#583: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]
#954: "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
#219: "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
#294: "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
#731: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]
#806: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

Wow, what a week! Most solid group of brackets yet...(coincidentally coinciding with the 2010 March Madness Tournament seeding...hmmmm....)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
#204: "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]
#821: "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]
#309: "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
#716: "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]

Not my favorite bracket


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
#106: "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
#919: "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]
#407: "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]
#618: "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
#131: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
#643: "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
#894: "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]
#382: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
#221: "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
#804: "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]
#292: "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]
#733: "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
#41: "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
#472: "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
#553: "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
#984: "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
#116: "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
#397: "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]
#909: "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]
#628: "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]


HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
#442: "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
#71: "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
#583: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]
#954: "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
#219: "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
#731: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]
#294: "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
#806: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

Ran short of time again.

VERDI 6
1. THAT’S THE JOINT. At last, the perfect opportunity to recognize some of your actual old-school rap. And with a suitably epic track, too.
2. MY NAME IS
3. KOKO. Gawd. It’s weird to try to shoehorn Bird in here.
4. WHITE LINES. Clearly the third-best rap song in this group.

HANDEL 16
1. AIN’T THAT A SHAME. How strange were the fifties? Fats’ signature—also his best tune—is one of the decade’s most rollicking, most fun, and…just…*sweetest* songs. And yet Pat Boone still bowdlerized it.
2. LAST GOODBYE
3. ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE. Great dance song, although I’ve concluded that George Clinton’s best days were already behind him by this point.
4. MY GIRL. I get why it’s a classic, but it leaves me completely cold.

MOZART 3
1. FOLSOM PRISON BLUES. Last week, I made a snide comment about “Trans-Europe Express” sounding like a train. I did not mean to imply that sounding like a train is a bad thing (nor that I don’t like Kraftwerk). Here’s the all-time champ of the train songs, the live version of which was the centerpiece of the best live album of the sixties.
2. MOVE ON UP
3. LAWDY MISS CLAWDY
4. ONE FINE DAY

CHOPIN 10
1. ROCKET 88. Rock ‘n’ roll’s “That’s the Joint.”
2. ALONE AGAIN OR. The AM website introduced me to Love, and it’s taken me some time to appreciate them, and, to be honest, how goofy they were (that’s a compliment).
3. SH-BOOM
4. FAME. In a list of “the 100 Greatest Britons,” based on a 2002 BBC poll, David Bowie was #29, right after William Wilberforce (anti-slavery guy) and right before Guy Fawkes (Gunpowder Plot guy). His collaborator on this song, John Lennon, was #8, right after Elizabeth I and right before Admiral Nelson. Now THAT’S fame. Too bad the song’s not all that great…

(Other AM-relevant names on the list: Paul McCartney, #19; John Peel, #43; Boy George, #46 (!); Cliff Richard, #56; Freddie Mercury, #58; George Harrison, #62; Bob Geldof, #75; Robbie Williams, #77; Bono, #86; John Lydon, #87. As you can see, there are some problems with this list. But Winston Churchill was #1.)

RACHMANINOFF 9
1. THAT’LL BE THE DAY. Wow. I’ve taken a 50s song in four straight brackets. This one was actually the toughest choice, just because this is a very strong bracket—probably one of the four or five best ones we’ve had. But this is Buddy Holly’s masterpiece, and almost deserves to win only three seconds in, with that gleaming arpeggiated intro (on what sounds for all the world like a Rickenbacker…but that can’t be right, can it?).
2. MAPS. I still love Fever to Tell, but there’s almost no hint on that album that the YYY’s actually had a rich and various musical palette. I say “almost,” because anyone who can come up with a song this solidly constructed, combining yearning and Thurstonesque guitar, can probably do anything.
3. CAN THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN. Oy gevelt…the best song by country’s first family, in third place? Paul’s never going to speak to me again after this. Hell, I might not speak to me after this.
4. THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA. Aaaaaaaahhhhhh…..

BRAHMS 4
1. UP THE JUNCTION. From my perch, one of the very best things about expanding bracketology from 256 to 1024 is that it lets us squeeze in Squeeze, one of the most astonishingly underrated of bands (AM #441, at least 250 spots too low). “Up the Junction,” a truly ingenious sad-sack story that’s more an exercise in clever rhyming than a fully realized song, isn’t the one I would have picked to represent them…that would be “Cool for Cats,” or perhaps “Pulling Mussels from the Shell”…but great fun and a good indication of their tone.
2. IT’S LIKE THAT
3. DANCING QUEEN. Probably the first song for which I have a clear memory of the first time I heard it on the radio. I was required to start hating it about 1980, came to like it again in an ironic way about 1992, and realized I liked it unreservedly about 2002.
4. WHERE IT’S AT. I’m as surprised as anyone that I’m putting it here.

HAYDN 8
1. LIVE FOREVER. Oasis’ finest song by a very, very, very long shot. “You and I are gonna live forever” is one of the great iconic rock statements. Or, if you listen to their career after 1997, a threat.
2. KOOL THING. Sonic Youth’s one intersection with (sorta) mainstream popularity (having the good-looking blonde one on vocals didn’t hurt) lands this nice but not especially noteworthy song in the top 1000, but only just.
3. I’M NOT IN LOVE
4. KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG. The lower half of this bracket consists of two more slabs of maudlin 70s cheese. 10cc get the nod for that cool multi-tracking thing.

TCHAIKOVSKY 10. Chalk-ovsky.
1. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO. This is a bracket of very good songs, each of which has a flaw which prevents it from being great. In this case, it’s Diana indulging in her never-welcome chanteuse tendencies which makes this drag a bit.
2. MY LOVE
3. TURN! TURN! TURN!
4. LET’S MAKE LOVE AND LISTEN TO DEATH FROM ABOVE

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
1: "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]
2: "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]
3: "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
4: "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
1: "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
2: "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]
3: "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]
4: "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
2: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]
3: "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
4: "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
1: "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
2: "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]
3: "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]
4: "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
1: "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
2: "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
3: "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
4: "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
1: "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]
2: "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]
3: "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
4: "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
1: "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
2: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]
3: "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
4: "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
1: "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
2: "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
3: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]
4: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
#309: "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
#821: "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]
#716: "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]
#204: "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
#407: "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]
#919: "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]
#106: "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
#618: "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
#643: "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
#131: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
#382: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]
#894: "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
#221: "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
#292: "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]
#733: "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]
#804: "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
#553: "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
#984: "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]
#41: "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
#472: "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
#116: "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
#909: "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]
#397: "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]
#628: "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
#71: "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
#583: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]
#442: "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
#954: "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
#806: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]
#219: "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
#294: "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
#731: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
#821: "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]
Excellent.
#309: "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
Much better musically than Eminem, with clever lyrics about the hypocrisy of drug enforcement.
#716: "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]
Good rap song, a little vapid. Waaay too long.
#204: "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]
A song written with the knowledge that the bigger a cloud of controversy surrounding Eminem, the more the record will sell. My Name Is is the song that caused millions of 15 year olds to say "I HATE YOU MOM! Now can I have some money?"




HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
#919: "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]
So much…emotion…so much…charisma!
#407: "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]
Awesome funk song.
#618: "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]
Good archetypal blues song.
#106: "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
Too much schmaltz.



MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
#643: "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
Nobody does what Curtis Mayfield does better than Curtis Mayfield.
#382: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]
I like the emotinoal vocal performance but it's a bit too poppy and cheesy.
#894: "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]
Pretty good girl pop.
#131: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
Good song, but I think the whole "Treating prisoners like humans" angle causes it to be overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome that he went to a prison and sung a bunch of prison songs, but that coolness of the event doesn't improve the music.


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
#221: "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
Nothing sounds quite like Love.
#733: "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]
I'm not sure what to make of this one. The lyrics are even cheesier than the other 50s pop songs, but it's so well performed it's somehow awesome anyway.
#292: "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]
Very good instrumentals, cheesy vocals.
#804: "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]
On the scale of Bowie songs, this one's incredibly meh.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
#472: "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
A really good song, but I don't get why it's the one selected as the best from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' catalog. When I listen to Fever To Tell I focus on the first five more energetic tracks. (And if I ever have to hear that bland slow version of it again or any of the poppy covers, UGH.)
#553: "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
Makes me think of French music.
#984: "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]
I liked it better than I expected. A very simple, emotionally honest song.
#41: "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
Good bluesy guitar playing. Generic blues melody and paternalistic lyrics.




BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
#397: "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]
Scratchy and gritty song that really gets at the root of the genre.
#909: "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]
Great melody and lyrics, great emotion. All around strong song.
#116: "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
A song based around a really strong melody and chorus, but overproduced and unnecessarily glossy.
#628: "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]
The flow is way too forced for a rap song.


HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
#71: "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
Oasis is underrepresented in my listening, because I think they're an incredible singles band but weak album band. Oasis are the most notable victim of the British press's Beatles nostalgia complex. Maybe if they didn't have their egos hyperinflated, Oasis would still be making great singles like this.
#583: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]
Another one of those songs that a pop band covered, and didn't go too far out of their way to mention it was a cover, hoping their fans hadn't heard the original. Heck, I didn't know the Fugees version was a cover. And this version is much better. The delivery is much more emotionally subtle and powerful.
#442: "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
Meh. It's okay. Elements of it are good, but they're not all put together very well.
#954: "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]
Meh. Not Sonic Youth's best work.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
#219: "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
One of those examples of a perfectly produced pop song.
#731: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]
Nifty folk.
#294: "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
This might be the first of the many Timberlake songs to somehow make it into the top thousand I've actually liked. Maybe because the vocals are less over the top with the computeriness. But, it still doesn't deserve to be placed nearly this high.
#806: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]
This is the kind of song title that makes Pitchfork drones just *want* to love it. I like the electro-funky loops but the talk-singing doesn't work for me. It just kind of drones.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]: I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that while I’ve obviously always been aware of this track, until this week I’d never actually listened to it. I’m sorry about that, because it’s amazing, from that titanic bassline to the horns to Melle Mel’s powerhouse delivery. I like it more than “The Message.”
2. "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]: I remember being blown away on multiple levels the first time I heard this; it announced Mr. Mathers instantly as both a brilliantly gifted lyricist and a guy who would literally say ANYTHING to get a laugh, or a visceral reaction, or both. In a lot of ways he never really topped it.
3. "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]: All the evidence you need for why he’s such an important figure. Breathtaking (literally), and you have to wonder what the hell people thought of it in ’45.
4. "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]: Entertaining and influential old-school hip-hop (by a fairly rare mixed-gender group), but this is a strong bracket.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]: Another exceptionally strong bracket, without a song that truly stands out from the rest; the first time I ranked this group, Fats was #4, but the more I think about it I realize it’s probably his best track (or at least his most emblematic).
2. "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]: It’s a shame this is Buckley’s only song in the tournament – I would have preferred “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” myself. But GRACE is all of a piece, and this is more than representative of everything that was great about him.
3. "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]: Smokey Robinson was so prolific he could afford to give away some of his best songs, and this is the most notable example. Simple, timeless, and perfect.
4. "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]: SH2B4, big-time. Listen to earlier Funkadelic and you’ll realize how relatively mainstream this is, but with Clinton “mainstream” is a very relative term.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]: Probably my favorite girl-group single, a great Goffin/King song powered by shimmering vocals and King’s own pumping piano.
2. "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]: Irresistible, smoking-hot early-70s soul by one of the masters.
3. "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]: Cash’s breakthrough song still sounds fresh and startling today.
4. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]: Great Fifties R&B, but an easy #4 in this company.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]: How ironic is it that the lead track and most familiar song from Arthur Lee’s masterpiece wasn’t even written by him (Bryan MacLean did the honors). I’d say it’s one of a kind, except for the fact that it so perfectly sets the tone for the wonder that is FOREVER CHANGES.
2. "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]: The best recording John Lennon was involved in between IMAGINE and DOUBLE FANTASY. Not my favorite Bowie track (or album), but it deserved to be as big a hit as it was.
3. "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]: One of the few records that can make a legitimate claim to having invented rock and roll. There certainly hadn’t been a fuzzed-out guitar sound like that before, accident or not.
4. "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]: Good but dated doo-wop.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]: Rock’s first great casualty can’t really be considered in terms of wasted potential – he was a fully formed artist from the beginning, as this commanding debut proves. Arguably, the sound of every great subsequent rock band can be traced back directly to this record.
2. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]: FEVER TO TELL is a very canny debut, blasting you with short-sharp-shocks and then suddenly hitting you right between the eyes with the devastating emotion, both lyrical and musical, of this instant classic.
3. "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]: Endlessly imitated and parodied (there was one called “The Girl With Emphysema”), but it became ubiquitous for a reason. One of the earliest fusions of jazz and world music, and still possibly the best.
4. "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]: Classic Americana, but it’s #4 here.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]: I can’t top Schleuse’s comments, which trace the general critical trajectory (from popularity to loathing to “love” to non-quotation-mark love) not only for this record but for ABBA as a whole. I’ll just add: if you say you don’t love this song, you’re lying.
2. "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]: The first single from ODELAY is a fair representative of its brilliance but not really one of the very best tracks (again, a relative statement). Gotta love those creepy samples in the middle.
3. "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]: Another track I’d shamefully never heard before (and I like Squeeze). Par for the course for Difford and Tilbrook – indelible pop melody, deceptively complex story-song lyrics, impeccable performance, yada yada yada.
4. "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]: Their influence is undeniable, as was their talent, but I rarely listen to them.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]: The endless drama can make it easy to forget that those first two albums really are that good, and produced some of the defining tracks of the last 25 years. This one may be the very best, a soaring anthem.
2. "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]: One of the most strikingly original records ever to become such a worldwide smash (although lyrically it’s standard believe-what-I-mean-not-what-I-say stuff), with its bed of endlessly overdubbed voices and its surpassingly creepy middle section.
3. "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]: As great as they can be when they stretch out and experiment, SY are frequently most thrilling at their most accessible, particularly when Kim’s giving her devastating deadpan a workout like she does here (with help from Chuck D.)
4. "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]: One of the most inescapable hits of the Seventies. It holds up fine, but I don’t ever need to hear it again. Either version.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]: One of those brackets where all four tracks are good but not particularly inspiring. I fall back on the listen-right-now test, and as much as I like #2, it’s a little played out for me; I’d rather explore JT and Timbo’s endlessly listenable weirdness (that Porky Pig-esque synth hook on the chorus still cracks me up).
2. "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]: See comments above. Their biggest hit, but not their best by a long shot.
3. "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]: An odd song – it keeps the same structure all the way through, relying on the production and the performance. Which it gets, of course, but there are plenty of other Supremes (and H-D-H) tracks I like more.
4. "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]: Gets massive points for sheer goofiness and chutzpah. Just fun. (There’s a joke somewhere in that title – girl says it to guy, guy says, “Wow, I wouldn’t have guessed you were into that band,” girl replies, “What band?”)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

In honor of "Kool Thing"'s Bracketology appearance this week, here's a classic scene from Hal Hartley's 1992 film SIMPLE MEN:

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
1 - "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
2 - "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]
3 - "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]
4 - "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
1 - "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]
2 - "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
3 - "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]
4 - "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
1 - "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
2 - "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
3 - "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]
4 - "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
1 - "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
2 - "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]
3 - "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]
4 - "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
1 - "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
2 - "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
3 - "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
4 - "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
1 - "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
2 - "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]
3 - "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]
4 - "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
1 - "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
2 - "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
3 - "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]
4 - "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
1 - "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]
2 - "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
3 - "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
4 - "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999] - For better or worse, the song that gave Eminem to the world. I think better. Has there ever been a song that has successfully hidden its genius better than this one?
2. "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945] - It's hard to put this under "My Name Is", because it is truly brilliant.
3. "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980] - Funky, but I prefer "Rappin' and Rockin' the Joint" by them.
4. "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983] - Doesn't come anywhere to "The Message".

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965] - One of the all-time great singles. Everything is just about perfect, from the first bass notes to the very end.
2. "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994] - I've been listening to Grace a lot lately, and I've reached the conclusion that this is about the fifth-best song on the album. Still an amazing song though.
3. "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978] - Even if this is commercial, it's George Clinton and therefore by definition is not commercial but is deliciously funky.
4. "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955] - I just don't like Fats' piano style I think.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970] - It's got to be one of the catchiest songs around, but something about the way Curtis arranges songs that they always have that apocalyptic, the-ghetto-is-burning quality to them.
2. "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956] - The legend is bigger than the song, but the song is still pretty damn good.
3. "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963] - Love that piano line.
4. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952] - This sounds like 1972, not 1952.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951] - First time hearing this. I can see why this thing called "rock and roll" became popular after this came out.
2. "Fame" - David Bowie [1975] - An average Bowie hit but that's still a great song.
3. "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954] - Fun but insubstantial.
4. "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967] - I've always found this song to be overrated, along with Forever Changes and Love.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957] - Generally speaking, I tend to value songcraft over great performances, and so I tend to value this as one of the best singles of the fifties.
2. "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963] - I'd actually never heard this before. I'm a sucker for bossa nova.
3. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003] - The only song of theirs I like.
4. "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935] - Didn't really stand a chance. Destined for SH2B4 territory.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984] - One of the best electro tracks of the eighties, if not the best.
2. "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977] - Very cheesy but a definite front-runner for best-constructed pop song ever. ABBA wrote the playbook for Max Martin and Dr. Luke.
3. "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979] - Solid but unspectacular.
4. "Where It's At" - Beck [1996] - Give me "Devil's Haircut" over this anyday.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994] - Second in their canon next to "Wonderwall". It's easy to forget that their best singles are all-time classics, since they've released so much crap.
2. "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990] - Aptly titled.
3. "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973] - Weren't the Fugees in this too? I like theirs better.
4. "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975] - Haven't heard it for a while, but don't remember liking it.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006] - T.I., Timberlake and Timbo all turn in great parts here. Love that synth line.
2. "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964] - The Supremes are pretty middling by Motown standards, but any of the label's singles are going to be excellent, no exception here.
3. "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965] - Haven't listened to it in awhile, and while it's overrated, I still like it pretty well.
4. "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006] - Not crazy about this one.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "Koko" - Charlie Parker [1945]
In the game's most rap-heavy bracket, I'm going with the only song that isn't a part of that genre. But considering my history and the sheer genius of Parker, this one's a pretty easy pick. I have a feeling that it won't win the bracket, what with the very jazz-ophobic populace on this board, but it wins four points from me.
2. "My Name Is" - Eminem [1999]
Of the remaining three rap songs, this one stands out as the strongest, if only because this song was so different from everything else back in '99. Today, Em's practice of having one ultra-pop lead-off single is pretty staid. But back when this came out, it was one of the funniest songs around (and it still is), not to mention one of the unlikeliest singles.
3. "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 [1980]
I've said before that early '80s rap is not my forte. To me, a lot of it sounds very cartoonish (obviously, "My Name Is" is cartoonish in its own way, but that's another ball of wax), and even slightly minstrel-ish. Of course back in 1980, I'm sure this was very incendiary in how different it was, but now it just seems silly.
4. "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel [1983]
Definitely the more socially-conscious of the two "golden age" singles in this bracket, but the other one is just more listenable.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley [1994]
My first exposure to Jeff Buckley was his rendition of "Hallelujah" (which deserves to be mentioned in any discussion of "greatest cover ever" arguments), but when I first started following the AM lists, I found "Last Goodbye" 1,176 spots higher than that song. At that time I chalked it up to another example of "I'm right and the critics are wrong," even though I'd never heard "Last Goodbye."
About a year ago, I was working as a pizza delivery man, and while on a run, "Last Goodbye" came up on my iPod. Usually when a song comes up that I don't know, I immediately push the "fast-forward" button to get to a more familiar song, but for whatever reason, I decided to stick this one out. The whole thing struck me as just an average alt-rock song from the mid-'90s until Buckley sang the words "Kiss me, please kiss me/But kiss me out of desire, baby not consolation". My jaw dropped. It was one of the most amazing couplets I'd ever heard, and the song has been in constant rotation in my "favorites" playlist ever since. That night I finally decided to dig into "Grace," and I'm glad I did.
I'm sure that one of the older songs in this bracket will end up winning, but I absolutely adore this song. Four points for you, Mr. B.
2. "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic [1978]
From Jeff Buckley to Funkadelic. One song has deep lyrical content, the other has basically two lines repeated over one of the catchiest grooves ever. Definitely the best from Clinton's canon of music, and still one of the funkiest songs of all time.
3. "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino [1955]
Oh, that piano. That shuffling groove, those oh-so-simple lyrics, and that PIANO! Fats, you are the man.
4. "My Girl" - The Temptations [1965]
One hell of a bracket for this to end up at the bottom, but SHTB4. And it pains me to speak ill of an evergreen like this one, but I've always thought it was a little weak.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash [1956]
Gets the top spot, if only for one of the greatest lines ever (and I think we all know which one I'm talking about).
2. "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield [1970]
Is it bad that my first exposure to this song was Kanye West's "Touch the Sky"? This isn't my favorite Mayfield tune by a long shot ("Superfly" is only #1993?), but it's still a rollicking good one. Sadly, the message of self-empowerment kind of gets drowned out for me by the infectious groove.
3. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price [1952]
Good song, and the rhythm section gives it a nice rolling feel, but ultimately this one rests solely on Price's vocals (it's credited to him, not his band). While Price does a fantastic job belting this one out, I just don't enjoy it as much as the other two songs.
4. "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons [1963]
Pleasant, but fairly cheesy too.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Fame" - David Bowie [1975]
So glam that you can almost see Bowie's eyeliner, but it's a hell of a lot of fun. And in this bracket, that's more than enough to take the top spot.
2. "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats [1951]
Is it the first "rock and roll" song? Perhaps. Is it a great song? Perhaps not. I'm sure that this song's acclaim comes simply for it being (potentially) the first-ever rock-n-roll song. On its own merits, it's not wonderful. It is fun, though.
3. "Sh-Boom" - The Chords [1954]
Doo-wop doesn't get the respect that it probably deserves, and I'm partially to blame for that (after all, I'm putting this one in the #3 spot), but this is easily top-tier doo-wop. Here's a secret: my favorite part of the movie "Cars" was when they used this song.
4. "Alone Again Or" - Love [1967]
Rough bracket, since this is a really pretty little baroque pop song. SHTB4, but damn.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [2003]
I remember hearing this one back in '03 and thinking, "Meh." A couple of years ago, when I started following the AM Top 3000 lists, I saw this one ranked very high, and decided to give it another listen. I'm glad I did. There's certainly a lot of other songs from this millennium that I like better, but this one climbs up my list with every listen. I'm torn between this one and the Getz/Gilberto ditty, but for today, "Maps" wins out.
2. "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto [1963]
This was Astrud Gilberto's first time singing on a record, and it turned her into an instant star. I've always thought that was interesting since, to my way of thinking, she has a thoroughly unimpressive voice. Still, this song is a classic and is perfect relaxation music. The style of music definitely fits the mood: cool.
3. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly [1957]
As I've said before, I know that Buddy Holly was influential on the popularization of rock and roll, but I'm not really a fan. I just think better music has been made since then.
4. "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family [1935]
I said back in Week 1 about "Wildwood Flower" that I am not a fan. I'm still not.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Where It's At" - Beck [1996]
If "Loser" is the song that Beck is best known for, then this is his best song. The centerpiece of his masterpiece album, what's surprising is just how low-key the song is. For being a mash-up of all kinds of different styles of music, the song is actually fairly relaxed. "Devil's Haircut" has a certain manic energy to it, "The New Pollution" has a strong dance beat to it, "Novacane" is eerily menacing, but "Where It's At" is energetic while still staying loose. For that, this squeaks out the win.
2. "Dancing Queen" - ABBA [1977]
I cannot tell you just how much I dislike ABBA. "Mamma Mia" was a disgrace to cinema. But in spite of that, even I have to admit that this is a great song. Say what you will about ABBA, disco music, and the whole shebang-a-bang, but this is a hell of a song. It's not number 1 simply because Beck's is better and I can't bear to have this one at the top spot.
3. "Up the Junction" - Squeeze [1979]
4. "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. [1984]
After the greatness of the first two songs, these last two are real also-rans. I really can't see that either of them is better than the other, so I'll go with this order.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc [1975]
He's not in love. No, really! He isn't! I mean, the only reason the girl's picture is still up is because there's an ugly stain on the wall! Clearly he's not in love!
2. "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack [1973]
In case you ever wondered, the "him" in the title is actually Don McLean. Think about that the next time you listen to "American Pie."
3. "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth [1990]
Maybe the most "pop" song that Sonic Youth ever created, this one's got some absolutely blistering lyrics directed at male society (not to mention LL Cool J). The song's impact is diminished only slightly by an appearance by the otherwise-capable Chuck D, whose "rap" here amounts to little more than egging on Kim Gordon.
4. "Live Forever" - Oasis [1994]
SHTB4, but this is a pretty easy choice for me. I'm not a fan of pre-"Morning Glory" Oasis.

TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes [1964]
Easy pick for number one here. The Supremes don't get nearly as much respect as they deserve here. Just brilliant stuff, and H-D-H are in a class by themselves.
2. "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds [1965]
Who would ever have thought that in the middle of the '60s, one of the biggest and best songs would come straight out of the Bible? Ecclesiastes never sounded so good.
3. "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS [2006]
Annoying.
4. "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) [2006]
Even more annoying.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

Voting for this week is now over.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

Results?

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 29

RESULTS

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 6
1. "Koko" - Charlie Parker (26, 2)
2. "My Name Is" - Eminem (24, 3)
3. "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel (22, 3)
4. "That's the Joint" - Funky 4 + 1 (18, 1)

In the next round: the Kinks' "Lola"


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley (28, 3)
2. "My Girl" - The Temptations (22, 3)
3. "One Nation Under a Groove" - Funkadelic (21, 1)
4. "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino (19, 2)

In the next round: the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand"; David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust"; Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind"


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Move on Up" - Curtis Mayfield (30, 4)
2. "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash (28, 4)
3. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price (17, 0)
4. "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons (15, 1)

In the next round: the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations"; Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps' "Be-Bop-a-Lula"


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Alone Again Or" - Love (29, 6)
2. "Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (22, 2)
3. "Fame" - David Bowie (22, 1)
4. "Sh-Boom" - The Chords (17, 0)

In the next round: the Four Tops' "Reach Out (I'll Be There)"; the Smiths' "This Charming Man"; the Beatles' "Help!"


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly (27, 5)
2. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs (26, 2)
3. "The Girl from Ipanema" - Stan Getz & João Gilberto (24, 2)
4. "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" - The Carter Family (13, 0)

In the next round: the Temptations' "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"; the Jam's "A Town Called Malice"; Pearl Jam's "Alive"


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 4
1. "Dancing Queen" - ABBA (28, 4)
2. "Up the Junction" - Squeeze (24, 1)
3. "Where It's At" - Beck (23, 3)
4. "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. (15, 1)

In the next round: the Ronettes' "Be My Baby"; David Bowie's "Changes"


HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Live Forever" - Oasis (29, 5)
2. "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc (26, 4)
3. "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack (19, 0)
4. "Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth (16, 0)

In the next round: Martha & the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street"; the Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City"; Pearl Jam's "Jeremy"


TCHAIKOVSKY BLOC, BRACKET 10
1. "Where Did Our Love Go" - The Supremes (30, 4)
2. "My Love" - Justin Timberlake (Featuring T.I.) (24, 3)
3. "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" - The Byrds (23, 1)
4. "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" - CSS (13, 1)

In the next round: the Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Purple Haze"; Guns n' Roses' "Sweet Child o' Mine"; the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby"