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Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

ROUND 2, WEEK 4

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 18
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
#190: "The Weight" - The Band
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones


REMINDER: You must comment on ALL the songs in order for your ballot to count.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2 (Great song, second best on "War")
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles (Should have been on Sgt.Pepper. Why George, Why?!)
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield (Alright song)
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast(Reasons I put it here:
1. I Hate rap. 2. Everyone else will put it in first 3. I hate rap)

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye (Great lyrics)
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos (Never really liked it)
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies(Any wonder Nirvana "stole" from them?)
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie (A bit odd, but it is Bowie)

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles (Most covered song of all time for a reason)
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols (Great song)
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution (Not his best)
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire (I just don't like it)

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18 (A bracket with no upsets! )
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones (I see a red door...)
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King (Great song)
#190: "The Weight" - The Band (190?!?!?!?!?!!)
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack (Good, but had no chance in this division)

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast ~ It's quite fun, but the lyrics are very crude if you actually try to listen to them. Then again, as with T. Rex, there is the whole argument of style over substance, and sound over meaning - it does work well in that mindset, and especially in this relatively weak bracket.
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield ~ The sheen of jazzy guitar riffs and electric piano really give the original a really laid back kind of soul style - perfect for Dusty's voice. I also like how it subtly builds up, but then just fades out at an abrupt time, giving it an even more understated feel.
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2 ~ I've never really liked U2 at all. The overall atmosphere and more poignant lyrics do make this one better than Penny Lane, though.
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles ~ As with Hey Ya!, it is a bit too childish and...well, 'Beatlish' for my higher mind to appreciate it, but it's not as fun as Hey Ya! for that to be redeemed.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies ~ THE anthem of alternative rock, featuring a fantastic guitar riff, chord progression and overall atmosphere, and just generally catchy.
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye ~ It's a bit too upfront - as with most protest songs for me - with its subject, but the music and Gaye's voice is just great otherwise.
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie ~ Bowie's very own Glass Onion, chock full of obscure references, surreal lyrics, and incomprehensible background muttering.
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos ~ It has an interesting, spacey kind of sound, but ultimately it's too slow, deliberate, and outdated to hold up in this bracket.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles ~ It's hard to judge this against something like Anarchy in the U.K., but I'm going to have to say it's superior. It has a kind of undeniable perfection to its melody and lyrics, much like Cliffs of Dover in a way. As I said, though, this is pretty much the opposite of Anarchy, so it's a close call in the end.
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols ~ THE anthem of the punk revolution. It just so happens to be a great song too. I especially like the guitar tones used.
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire ~ Pretty good song. The texture is really deep, and at the same time aggressive and beautiful. The progression change for the coda is quite substantial.
#137: "Kiss" - Prince and The Revolution ~ It is, like most anything by Prince, rather catchy and funky, but for him to sing "U got to not talk dirty, baby", is so very rich. His voice breaking up near the end is funny too.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack ~ This and Stand by Me are the only ones here I don't have a problem with - the rest, while lovable, have some flaws that nag at me for some reason. Not this, however - superb vocal work, and persistently moving, with or without the perfect music video.
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King ~ Brilliant riff, and worthy of being repeated throughout. King's vocals are also great.
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones ~ I like the subtle addition of sitar to really flesh out the Eastern tinges in the melody. That riff and the vocals do grate a bit sometimes.
#190: "The Weight" - The Band ~ When I first saw this bracket, I would have chosen this as the best... it just goes to show how hard this choice is. I still really like this song, especially the vocal arrangements at the chorus. Something in the instrumentation seems to be lacking for me right now, I guess.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18

#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
Pleasant and catchy tune, but not their best effort musically. I have not yet bought in to the many interpretations offered for the meaning of the lyrics.
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2
Good song by a very good group.
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
Could be my favorite from Dusty.
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
Fun song. But, it seems vastly over-rated to me.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
Awesome and clearly my favorite in this bracket.
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
The bottom three in this bracket are not strong in my view. So, this song catches break and gets a number 2.
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
I think that Bowie is generally over-rated and this song is not at all special to me.
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
Never really was much a fan of the Pixies. I prefer Monkey Gone to Heaven


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles
Great vocals, lyrics will likely always be meaningful. One of my faves of all time.
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
We'll see if this song rates as high in future years.
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
Very good song. Could be 2 in a year or two in this bracket.
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
Good song for the Sex Pistols, but not tough to place in 4th in this bracket for me.



MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#190: "The Weight" - The Band
Solid song by the Band.
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
I really enjoy this song, and still wonder why it is rated this high (195)
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
Enjoyable enough and great message. But, I never felt that this song was very special.
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
Not a big fan, but I do enjoy the song occasionally.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. #205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield / Nice song with a really relaxed mood. Always reminds me of Pulp Fiction, which uses it really well.
2. #436: "New Year's Day" - U2 / One of the great U2 80's songs, but comes just after their best.
3. #52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast / This one is fun, but overrated and I've heard it too often I guess.
4. #180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles / Definitely not my favorite Beatles song. Actually I am quite glad it did not make Sgt. Pepper's. The refrain is really quite dull...


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. #19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye / Easy pick. Great Gaye song, way better than the all-star cover. One of the many relaxing tracks of the album with the same title.
2. #622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies / Good song, the noisy guitars work well on this one.
3. #878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie / Not one of his best, just interesting enough to beat the number four.
4. #238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos / Quite O.K., but I don't like the backing vocals at all.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. #120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles / Another easy pick. Not my favorite Beatles song, but it is my favorite one written by Paul. Just beautiful.
2. #760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire / I like this song. I am starting to appreciate Arcade Fire more and more.
3. #137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution / I have never been a fan of Prince. Just don't dig his sound. Kiss is just another example of such a song. Maybe some day...
4. #9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols / I don't like The Sex Pistols at all, not even wat is considered to be their 'greatest' song. It's raw alright, but where is the soul? Just irrelevant and meaningless to me (not to the development of pop and rock music of course).

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. #195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones / Hard pick, some other day Unfinished Sympathy might have won. But I have liked this song a lot since I was a small kid. Used to be my favorite Stones song.
2. #62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack / Easily their pre-Mezzanine stand-out track. Beautiful and haunting at the same time. Nice blend of genres.
3. #190: "The Weight" - The Band / Although this one deserves better, it cannot compete with the first two. One of the best Band songs. Actually almost flawless.
4. #67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King / Quite nice, but no competition for the other songs. Just a little too dated for my taste.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

Can we not have strategic voting please? Ranking a song lower than you would otherwise because you think it's the song everybody else is going to rank high is unfair to the people who like the song.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
Outkast is more melodic than other rap acts. You can't really lump them in.
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
One of the better straight pop songs ever written.
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2
U2 was such a better band before they started considering themselves a great band.
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
One of Paul's many overrated songs. Too bouncy and sugary. Good melody and harmonizing.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
Great Motown production makes what's otherwise an average song something special.
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
Great song.
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
Also, an average song made good by strong production. The delivery is a bit too soft handed.
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
Comes off as a little weird for weird's sake.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
I like the funky beat, but I hate it when Prince sings in such a high register. And when he does that thing where he starts screaming, and his words stop sounding like the actual english language? Meh. But the positives are enough to be #1 in this bracket.
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
One of their best songs. Maybe the best example of Arcade Fire's lush soundscapes.
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles
Good pop song. I think the strings make it sound a bit too melo.
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
Same thing I said in previous rounds: The Pistols are all flair and no substance.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
You suck, society! Taste my libidinal need to destroy!
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
Maybe the best example of Massive Attack's mastery of electronic moods. A little overrated but not by much.
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
Great vocal performance saves an average song.
#190: "The Weight" - The Band
Probably only my seventh or eighth favorte Band song. I think it's overrated because it's a fun song to sing with three people.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast - I have no idea how this was such a huge hit yet at the same time it's so darn catchy that it couldn't not become a hit. I would also put it up there as one of the most flat-out fun songs to dance to ever.
2. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles - One of the Fab Four's tightest singles, which makes it one of the greatest songs ever.
3. "New Year's Day" - U2 - It would win most first-round brackets but there is a huge difference in quality from the first to the second round.
4. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield - A 3.5 star song in a 4.5+ star bracket.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye - An all-time classic, much deserving of its AM ranking and probably THE soul record of all-time.
2. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies - I much prefer Doolittle to Surfer Rosa, but this is one of the Pixies' best songs.
3. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie - Yes, it's a great song, but it's only second-tier Bowie and overrated on this forum.
4. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos - No competition for these three songs.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Yesterday" - The Beatles - There's a reason why it's the most-covered song ever; it's pretty much the template for every pop ballad in the 25 years or so that followed it.
2. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution - I don't know that anyone foresaw Prince doing this in 1986, but anyone could tell that there would be a slew of copycats in the years to follow.
3. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire - Purely because its influence hasn't been fully felt yet, it doesn't surpass #2.
4. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols - Most overrated track on AM?

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack - I really struggled with this bracket, but I went with "Unfinished Sympathy" because I had no idea music could sound like this until I heard that song. My mind just hadn't conceived anything sounding like it.
2. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones - One of the Stones' great riffs, one of the first glimpses of how good they would get from '68-'72 and one of the scariest songs they made, which is saying something.
3. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King - A great bass line, to be sure, and an extremely catchy song, but also a song I can't listen to without picking out cliches, even though it started half of them.
4. "The Weight" - The Band - I certainly respect it, but it's not exactly my cup of tea; I like my folk-rock biting like Dylan, not serene or quaint like this song.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#1: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
#2: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
#3: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
#4: "New Year's Day" - U2

My second-favorite song by The Beatles, Preacher Man is another top 500 song of mine and Hey Ya! is a great song. New Year's Day is interesting as one of the few songs about New Year's Day, when there's so many about Christmas, but not that great by itself.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#1: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
#2: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
#3: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
#4: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie

No real favorites of mine here, although the first two are in my top 500. I Only Have Eyes For You is a very entertainining song, Ashes to Ashes never really struck me as that good.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#2: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
#3: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
#4: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution

Another Beatles record as my #1, I'm almost gonna seem like a fan. Which, I guess, I am. Anarchy and Rebellion, while entirely different, are pretty close together for me. Kiss is also a great song but not as good as the rest.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#1: "The Weight" - The Band
#2: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
#3: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
#4: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King

Now this is a great bloc, The Weight and Pain It, Black are both top 50 of all time for me, Unfinished Sympathy is amazing, and Stand By Me, although slightly overrated in my opinion is definitely not bad.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast - One of the best songs of the decade, can't really say any more than that.
2. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles - This was released as a single with Strawberry Fields right? Well, I know popular opinion is that Strawberry Fields is a better song, but I disagree. Penny Lane is such a light, boppy little song.
3. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield - Incredibly sensual song. Super seductive.
4. "New Year's Day" - U2 - Song is overrated, just like alot of U2.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos - An old standard actually done better by turning it into a doo-wop ditty.
2. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye - Great intro for this entire album. It really sets the stage for that whole album.
3. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies - Its here where you can hear how different Pixies were compared to so much indie rock in the late 80s. They were just downright creepy with this song.
4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie - Feh. I mean, its an okay song, but not in the company of those.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Yesterday" - The Beatles - Its amazing to think of my how stylistic changes The Beatles went through in 65. They moved from Chuck Berry covers to Yesterday to Norwegian Wood in a year. Wow.
2. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire - Maybe the most overrated song on the album (maybe not know because Wake Up is gaining alot of popularity from its use in movies and commercials) but its still a great song.
3. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution - Can't go wrong with a good Prince song.
4. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols - Can't stand the Pistols. Just because they were "first" doesn't mean they were best.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King - Ben E. King can really do no wrong. Probably the best string arrangements ever.
2. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones - Superb middle eastern vibe on this song. Probably the best Stones song.
3. "The Weight" - The Band - The top 2 must be really good to knock this down to 3. The Weight it the closest thing to an American retelling of the Bible. At least that's what my dad says when he hears it.
4. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack - Recurring theme this round for me, one song that just can't compare to the other 3. And I'm not much of a Massive Attack fan either.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

Sorry, it's too difficult to comment each songs in english !
But it's simple, the four first songs in each of the bloc are incredibles, four of my favourites songs.
And the four last songs of each blocs are songs I don't like.
And second and third places can be switch, i love a lot this 8 songs, the classification could change tomorrow if I did that.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
#190: "The Weight" - The Band

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast : I won't comment on "I don't like rap" which seems to me as stupid as "I don't like cheese", "I don't like painting" or "I don't like american people", given that there is such a broad variety in any of those "things" that you can not hate all of it if you are a minimum open-minded (lactose-intolerance toward cheeses excepted). So, Hey Ya, even though not as darn good as B.O.B., is a wonderfully catchy song, with a very tricky time signature making it quite hard to dance, even though the music makes you want to.
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield : one of the few songs that deserves to be sung by that incredible voice
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2 : Heroic anthem for stadium, that might be quite pejorative most of the time but here it is a very worthy compliment
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles : there are much better Beatles songs in this 2nd round, and that one is not tough enough for the competition

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies : any of those songs would be 4th in the previous bracket, but Pixies easily wins with the only song here I like to sing along
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos : I like the "almost creepy" mood of the song, but I don't think it is solid enough as a whole however
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie : how can he pretend Major Tom was a junkie... blasphem !
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye : I really don't like the production of this whole album, most of the songs could have been good but are overproduced, this one included... as a black conscience-raising song, I like "A change is gonna come" much much more

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols : the proof that rebellion might lie but kicks ass, perfect riff, solo and voice.
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution : throw this one at a party and 1) everybody will be happy and sing 2) you will create in average 3,74 new couples 3) some people will dance ridiculously during the part just before the "kiiiiiiss"
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire : weakest song on Funeral (which is still good enough, because Funeral is close to perfection)
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles : 2 Beatles songs at #4, am I becoming Moonbeamic ? I don't know, but this song is one of the Beatles "classic" I like the less.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones : one of the first songs I have considered a classic (almost as far as I remember in fact) with this heavy drums and unstoppable riff
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack : I don't know, I can not find anything wrong about that song and I remember I have loved it a lot but I'm really tired of it...
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King : tough choice between 2 and 3... sometimes this one seems like the cutest love song ever, sometimes it sounds incredibly cheese
#190: "The Weight" - The Band ; not as good as "the night the drove old dixie down"

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18

Like so many brackets, these songs are all very good.

1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast

An ice-cold classic. Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor.

2. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield

Most soulful blue-eyed soul of them all? A bit tired-sounding due to Pulp Fiction, though I should probably get over myself and remember that movie came out 16 years ago. (Good lord am I old.)

3. "New Year's Day" - U2

Great earlier U2 track. I like them best from '80-'84.

4. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles

Not my favorite of theirs, Paul falls a touch on the wrong side of cloying with this, though it's obviously perfectly wrought.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20

GREAT group.

1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye

Perfect song, music breezy as spring, lyrics melancholy as autumn.

2. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos

My favorite doo-wop song ever. Perfection.

3. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies

Possibly the most obvious example of the Pixies soft-loud template.

4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie

Tough that this is at 4, though it doesn't quite rank up with what I consider the absolute Bowie classics.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17

1. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols

Easily my favorite of theirs, that riff is so great, and it really has a dense sound for something so raw.

2. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution

Another classic of pop-funk minimalism, from Parade, one of his very best.

3. "Yesterday" - The Beatles

Note-perfect, though this is something I wish I could hear again with fresh ears.

4. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire

I don't know why people pick this one from Funeral as the best ... I'd say it's maybe 4th or 5th best on the album, and I'm not a huge Arcade Fire fan.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18

Good lord, what a tough bracket.

1. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King

Utterly perfect midnight lonesomeness.

2. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack

I went through a phase where I found this dated, but I think it's now transcended that into sounding fascinating because of how/when it was recorded. Gorgeous regardless.

3. "The Weight" - The Band

Not really in my handful of favorite Band tracks, possibly because of overfamiliarity.

4. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones

See same comment as above for "The Weight". This never really stuck with me as a favorite Stones song, and I LOVE their underrated '66-'67 stuff. I like them when they're malevolent, but usually when they sound rawer when they're malevolent.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

Something I meant to do at the start of round 2: for each group, I'll also give the song I would have had winning had all of my first-round choices advanced. Call this the My Own Private Schleuse (MOPS) tournament.

****

BRAHMS 18
1. HEY YA! A tour de force. Like Prince, much of Andre 3000’s pop genius lies in very impressive feats of song structure which nevertheless communicate, clearly and rockingly, to a mass audience.
2. PENNY LANE. I’m coming around on this one…it’s not as twee as I used to think, and it seems like dirty pool to penalize Paul McCartney for being too poppy (that’s like penalizing Roger Federer for having a great serve).
3. NEW YEAR’S DAY. One of these days, I’m going to re-listen to U2’s corpus and mentally remind myself to assume that every case of the second person pronoun “you” actually refers to god. This song would be a good test case.
4. SON OF A PREACHER MAN. Dusty has a wonderful voice that can probably melt concrete. SH2B4.

(MOPS winner: OutKast, "Hey Ya!")

VIVALDI 20. Weird group.
1. WHERE IS MY MIND? Chuck Klosterman opined that Kid A is the true soundtrack to September 11. In their EOD list, Pitchfork said of their #1 song, “B.O.B.,” that it was a perfect capsule of the last decade. However, even though it came out in 1988, “Where Is My Mind?” is my personal choice for both claims—because of its strong association with David Fincher’s 1999 movie Fight Club, especially the chilling final scene over which it plays. If you haven’t seen it, check it out; it’s both a truly powerful use of irresistible pop, and scary as hell. Which is a nice summation of the Pixies, come to think.
2. ASHES TO ASHES. His last great single, from possibly his most underappreciated album (probably not coincidentally, my first Bowie album). I tend to hear it as the perfect epitaph to the 70s, a decade with no other rock star within light years of David Bowie. TimmyWing’s comment about it being Bowie’s “Glass Onion” is very astute, but it’s a much better song.
3. I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. I wonder, did this sound as spooky in the 50s as it does now? Or was it sort of the “More Than This” of its time?
4. WHAT’S GOING ON. This may not make sense, but it feels like more of an interesting aural experience than a hall-of-fame song. Still, as far as I know, it might be the best song ever to feature members of the Detroit Lions on tape.

(MOPS winner: The Velvet Underground, "Sister Ray")

RACHMANINOFF 17
1. REBELLION (LIES). The catchiest song on Funeral…poppy enough for the NFL, apparently. I seem to like Arcade Fire more and more every month, especially since learning that Win Butler was born and raised in The Woodlands, one of Houston’s outer suburbs. So the hometown discount applies.
2. ANARCHY IN THE U.K. It’s a strange day to be voting on this one, since I’m sure that hundreds of lazy headline-writers are paraphrasing the title to refer to the UK’s murky election results. I still don’t think it’s as good as (the already eliminated) “God Save the Queen,” but it’s one of the key songs of the last X years, where X can be any number between 34 and the age of the universe.
3. KISS. Prince had already made it OK to be fey well before releasing this one, but “Kiss” is the apotheosis of that strain of his work—and, probably, the famed androgyny of early-80s pop generally. Morrissey would carry the banner for another year or two, but house music, college rock and an insanely butch style of rap were waiting in the wings, and the nail polish and mousse were not long for the world—and when male rockers started wearing dresses again, it was an ironic gesture.
4. YESTERDAY. Like “What’s Going On,” above, it’s not *quite* as good as generally assumed, and this is a very, very strong group.

(MOPS winner: The Clash, "Complete Control")

MOZART 18
1. PAINT IT, BLACK. And this is not a very strong group, so the Stones’ early masterpiece—for my money, the best thing they did when Brian Jones was an active member of the band—takes the top spot easily here.
2. THE WEIGHT. This would make a dandy addition to the soundtrack of a Stephen King movie: the classic piano riff and compelling vignettes are a tissue-thin protective layer over a feeling of real, looming menace.
3. UNFINISHED SYMPATHY. I don’t dislike this, but I wasn’t “there” at the time, so to speak, and I’m unable to recreate for myself the circumstances which made Massive Attack as groundbreaking and influential as I guess they must have been. My loss, I s’pose…
4. STAND BY ME, Simple, effective, heartfelt, and pretty. And not rockin’ enough for me.

(MOPS winner: The Rolling Stones, "Paint It, Black")

****

By the way, of the twelve brackets in the first three weeks, three MOPS choices would have been different from what I actually voted for.

Week 2
Mahler 20: Toots & the Maytals, "Pressure Drop"
Haydn 20: Big Joe Turner, "Shake, Rattle and Roll"

Week 3
Vivaldi 19: Bo Diddley, "I'm a Man"

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles: My first exposure to the Beatles (that I have memory of) was at age 7, and the childhood ignorance of hearing music with absolutely no historical/cultural framework still sneaks in 20 years later. Especially with this song, where 99 times out of 100, I don't hear a McCartney-penned a-side from 1967. I just simply hear a great song.
2: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast: One of the best crossover hits of the 00's. Or maybe ever.
3: "New Year's Day" - U2: Passion, melody, intensity. All hallmarks of what made U2 great before they became a parody of themselves. Fantastic piano (and guitar) lines courtesy of The Edge.
4: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield: Never really did much for me.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos: I haven't listened to much doo-wop, but I can't imagine it getting better than this.
2: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies: It's a weak bracket if I'm putting Pixies, a band I've still yet to understand the hoopla over, at #2. Sounds like it was recorded in a railway station bathroom.
3: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye: I'm at the point of starting to see this album as drastically overrated.
4: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie: Largely forgettable.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1: "Yesterday" - The Beatles: Shame on all those who still don't own the new Beatles remasters. With this one, it's like Paul might as well be there in the room with you.
2: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire: "So the hometown discount applies." haha. As one of the minority who thought Neon Bible was a major step forward (insomuch that it makes Funeral seem almost redundant), it's difficult to listen to this and hear the brilliance in what's essentially a pedestrian ("cliche" might be a better word) chord progression played by a group containing about six more people than necessary. Despite its energy, there's about 17 Arcade Fire songs I'd rather hear over this one.
3: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution: Points for the sparse less-is-more production, but a major deduction for being just plain ridiculous.
4: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols: "where is the soul?". I'll second that.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack: With this song, it's almost like the music gets up out of the speakers, walks across the room and starts rubbing my shoulders, like a musical massage. Mmmmmm, that's the ticket.
2: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King: It's so ubiquitous; makes me wonder if there's anyone out there who's never heard it. If so, they're fortunate.
3: "The Weight" - The Band: Another song that seems to pop up everywhere, unfortunately. Case in point: I thought "It Might Get Loud" was a decent flick, until it showed up.
4: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones: Why the comma?

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1 - "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
2 - "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
3 - "New Year's Day" - U2
4 - "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
'Hey Ya' wins this easily - much more unique and fun than the other tracks here. 'Penny Lane' still holds up as one of my favourite Beatles tracks. Not one of my favourite U2 tracks,probably slightly overrated. 'Son Of A Preacher Man' is decent,just sounds a little tired these days,overplayed...

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1 - "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
2 - "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
3 - "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
4 - "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
'What's Going On' is obviously a masterpiece - top 10 all-time for me. 'Where is My Mind' is one of their best songs and unlucky to be in this bracket. 'Ashes To Ashes' was,I guess David Bowie's last great song. It's still minor compared to his greats though. Great doo-wop song - just not so much my genre...

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1 - "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
2 - "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
3 - "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
4 - "Yesterday" - The Beatles
Raw power from the pistols - literally blows the competition away. 'Kiss' is a fun and catchy Prince number - the Tom Jones version makes me laugh as well. Rebellion is decent,although the opener on the album is the real classic. 'Yesterday' sounds a bit tired at the moment...

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1 - "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
2 - "The Weight" - The Band
3 - "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
4 - "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
'Paint It Black' is one of the Stones' best songs,which makes it one of the best songs ever. Great song by the Band,maybe slightly overrated. Massive Attack aren't really my thing,but I respect the song. Nothing wrong with 'Stand By Me',just sounds a little boring after so many listens

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
#52: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
#205: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
#436: "New Year's Day" - U2
#180: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles

"Penny Lane" might be the most overrated Beatles song. I greatly prefer even earlier songs like "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "A Hard Day's Night." "Hey Ya" is by far the standout here, somehow eluding aging despite a gazillion plays at this point. "Son of a Preacher Man" and "New Year's Day" have similar status for me--I won't turn them off if they come on, but I won't go out of my way to hear them.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
#622: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
#878: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
#238: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos

I actually like "I Only Have Eyes For You," but it's not enough to make a dent in this bracket (even though the top three artists all have much better songs than these). "Where Is My Mind?" asks one of the simplest, yet most profound statements in alternative rock. "Ashes to Ashes" is clever and probably Bowie's best 80s tune, but I'm not always in the mood for it. "What's Going On" has fallen for me--I just don't see the magic in it anymore, and now think "Inner City Blues" is the highlight off that album.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
#137: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
#9: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
#120: "Yesterday" - The Beatles

"Rebellion (Lies)" has slipped a bit in my estimation--I now think "Wake Up" is Funeral's best song--but it still one of the decade's best--and most lyrically mysterious--anthems. I'm still mad at Prince for knocking "Waterloo Sunset" out of the competition, but "Kiss" is his finest smash hit this side of "When Doves Cry." "Anarchy in the UK" is a nice aggressive song, but we all know it's ranked higher on AM for its influence than its musical content. "Yesterday" is firmly in the my-parents-think-it's-one-of-the-Beatles'-best-songs-but-it's-really-not pantheon.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
#62: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
#190: "The Weight" - The Band
#195: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
#67: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King

Great bracket. This is what most brackets should be at this level of competition. "Unfinished Sympathy" is definitely the standout here, packing emotional punch along with a unique dance/soul hybrid sound. "The Weight" is a superbly done Americana song. "Paint It Black" isn't in my top tier of Stones songs, but it's close, with some of their best lyrics and a dark atmosphere. "Stand By Me" is way too good to be in fourth, but that's where it finds itself among this bunch.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Hey Ya!" – OutKast: A very, very tough bracket – I love all four of these songs, pretty much equally. I suppose originality is as good a criterion for #1 as any other in a group like this, and in that case Andre Benjamin’s one-of-a-kind smash takes the biscuit.
2. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield: The single from the ultimate white-girl soul album gets #2 here under the arbitrary criterion Best Use in a Movie, for Uma Thurman’s shuffle-step in PULP FICTION.
3. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles: There’s no more succinct representation of the contrast between John and Paul than The Greatest Two-Sided Single of All Time, and it’s kind of a shame that McCartney’s half tends to get overshadowed by “SFF.” Quite possibly the most effervescent record ever made.
4. "New Year's Day" - U2: SH2B4, to the extreme. A song that would be the highlight of most bands’ careers but is only second-best on its own album.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies: Another song utilized to perfection by a great filmmaker – Music to Watch Society Collapse By, courtesy of David Fincher. Of course, it was already a brilliant song, highlighted by David Lovering’s towering drumming.
2. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye: I’ve written repeatedly about my mixed feelings toward the album as a whole, but that doesn’t apply to the timeless and brilliant singles.
3. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos: To my mind, the pinnacle of doo-wop (or doo-vop-sha-bop, if you prefer). Elegance personified.
4. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie: A great song, but a fairly easy Round 2 #4 for me.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire: A more typical Round 2 bracket for me – great songs from top to bottom, but one track that truly stands out as an easy #1. My favorite song from FUNERAL, with a beautiful slow-build arrangement that culminates in a coda that could go on forever, as far as I’m concerned.
2. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution: Could anyone else have taken a record this weird to #1? In its own way, it’s even more daring in its minimalism than “When Doves Cry.”
3. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols: As brilliant as John Lydon’s hectoring, R-rolling vocals are, Steve Jones was the linchpin of the group, and his wall-of-squall here set the tone not just for the Pistols but for all the punk to come.
4. "Yesterday" - The Beatles: Listen to it after not hearing it for a good long while and remind yourself how great it actually is – it’s one of the most (over)played songs in history for a reason. That said, it’s an easy #4.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "The Weight" - The Band: A genuinely magisterial song, one that (almost) justifies Robbie Robertson’s arrogance all by itself. The BIG PINK original is still the best version, even without the organ filigrees Garth Hudson would add live.
2. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones: The single that really heralded the beginning of the Stone’s greatest era – and of Brian Jones’ penchant for coloring the songs with odd instruments (admirably, his sitar doesn’t call attention to itself in a look-how-exotic-I-am way).
3. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King: See #4 directly above.
4. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack: As I said in Round 1, the more I listen to this and to BLUE LINES as a whole the more I appreciate them. But it’s still #4 here.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

Sorry, it's 2.40 am and I have nothing to say any of these songs.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
Haven't aged as well I expected. Still deserves to be #1 in this group.
2. "New Year's Day" - U2
U2 made many very good pop songs in 80's. This is definitely one of better ones.
3. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
Very good.
4. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
I'm very glad this isn't in Sgt. Peppers.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
Bowie's best song.
2. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
Actually I heard this first time in Fight Club. It's still my favorite Pixies song.
3. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
One of the best soul songs of early 70's or ever.
4. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
Doo wop. Good song with no chance in a great group.


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
I want to see them live.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42g4T_tZPTA
2. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
One of my favorite punk songs.
3. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
One of the many great songs by Prince
4. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
Great song but over played.



MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
Greatness.
2. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
The video is classic and so is the song.
3. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
Great song by the Stones
4. "The Weight" - The Band
Not a big fan of The Band.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1: "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
2: "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
3: "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
4: "New Year's Day" - U2

Penny Lane is a Beatles song that I've really grown to love over the past few months. It never was one of my favorites, but I think it would be top 20 now. The rest are all great but not quite Penny Lane. New Years Day is my favorite U2 song though.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1: "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
2: "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
3: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
4: "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos

One of my favorite Bowie songs. Where is My Mind is good, but I don't like it as much as I used to, and the other two are highly regarded songs that I've never been into.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1: "Yesterday" - The Beatles
2: "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
3: "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
4: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire

4 great bands, but none of their best songs. All are good though. It's hard coming up with comments on songs that don't invoke a reaction out of me, good or bad. But, I'll try to oblige.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1: "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
2: "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
3: "The Weight" - The Band
4: "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack

3 songs I like well enough, but nothing desert island here. Stand By Me always reminds me a story my dad told me, I think I commented on that last time we ran a songs poll. I don't like Unfinished Sympathy at all.


I understand the reasons for comments, but I'm just restating what I said in the previous round and the previous two song polls. It takes the fun out of the game for me.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast
As far as "fun" music goes, this one is about as fun as it gets. You can hear the joy in André 3000's voice, especially when he asks what's cooler than being cool. This song always brings a smile to my face, and I'm always doing the claps right along with the song. It's been seven years now, and I still haven't gotten tired of it, in spite of how much radio play it got back in the day. And though it might seem passé now, just remember how funny it was the first time you heard "shake it like a Polaroid picture."
2. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield
Listen to Dusty's early material (stuff like "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," etc.) and then listen to this song. It's like listening to two completely different artists. This song, as well as the album "Dusty in Memphis," is really a perfect example of being in the right place at the right time. Mixing Dusty's version of blue-eyed soul with the southern soul of Memphis was a truly inspired convergence.
3. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
Beautiful sunshine pop, and I really don't have anything against this one. In the end, it doesn't excite me the way "Hey Ya!" does, nor does it hit me on an emotional level the way "Preacher Man" does. Still, it does an excellent job of painting a very pleasant slice of life in a small town.
4. "New Year's Day" - U2
And then there was this song... I'll be the first to admit that I get a knee-jerk reaction against U2 in general, but I'll also admit that they've made some terrific music as well (as much as it pains me to say it, "Joshua Tree" is a damn good album). Still, I've listened to this one many, many times, and I can't figure out why this one is acclaimed at all.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
As far as protest songs go, they don't get any better than this one. The emotion in Marvin's voice is what puts this song on a whole other level, especially when he sings the "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" that leads into the bridge. Chilling. Easy, easy pick for the top spot.
2. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos
As others have said, this is about as perfect as doo-wop gets. Stands head-and-shoulders above the second half of this bracket.
3. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie
This song has moments of sheer brilliance, but there are other parts (namely the opening "riff") that are just off-the-wall for the sake of being off-the-wall. I can't respect those moments.
4. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies
The more I listen to the Pixies, the more I appreciate them. But right now, it's an easy pick for me for #4. Give me a few more listens and this would probably jump up a spot or two.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution
Finally, a bracket where I correctly picked all the winners! I debated over my choice for the winner of this one for a long time, and on any given day, my top two could be flipped. I can't really give much of a reason for why I'm putting this one on top today. I guess I just have to go back to the "fun" quotient.
2. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
I'd be thrilled to see this one pull out the upset, as it's my favorite song off one of my favorite albums of the decade. There is just so much joy in this one, and you can hear it most in the "lies! lies!" refrain.
3. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols
Manufactured punk? Perhaps. Perhaps Malcolm McLaren is more to thank than Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, and company for this one. But really it's about the song itself, and the tone of this one is still incendiary. Cuts right to the heart of what everyone really wants to do, deep down: give a big middle finger to authority.
4. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
In spite of what other people have said, "Yesterday" is not the most-covered song of all time. I'll grant you that it's the most-covered pop song, but "Summertime" (from "Porgy and Bess") is far and away the leader in the "most covers" race. But back to "Yesterday"...
I like the Beatles. I really do. But the Fab Four have done so much better stuff than this. This one is heavily overrated, and the lyrics are pretty pedestrian, even by Paul's standards. What's worse, it's been played to death.
Yes, it's a good song, but whenever it comes up on my iPod, I always reach for the fast-forward button. Still, it looks as though it's going to breeze into Round 3. Where's Moonbeam when I need him?

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack
Sublime. Absolutely sublime. It pains me to see how many people on the board don't care for the song, as it's one of my favorites.
I first bought "Blue Lines" back in '00 when I first started getting into Massive Attack. I'd heard "Teardrop" somewhere and fell in love and decided, "What the hell, I'll buy all the MA albums." I brought "Blue Lines" home, popped it into my CD player, and... was left feeling like the whole thing was really mediocre. Flash-forward to a couple years ago when I first started following the AM rankings. I saw that "Blue Lines" was in the Top 50 and decided to give the album another listen. Yes, this song IMMEDIATELY stood out as an amazing track. But the rest of the album still left me kind of cold. Now I've listened to the album many times since then, and each time it grows a little bit more on me. But most of the time I find myself fast-forwarding to track 6.
2. "The Weight" - The Band
Remember that trivia game I did a while ago? One of the questions in my trivia book was "According to the Band, into what town has the narrator just pulled into at the beginning of 'The Weight'?" Every time I read that question, I get a smile on my face, because I love trivia questions about pop music, especially if I know the answer (Nazareth). Back to the song though...
Shame that this song is up against one of my favorites, because I have no problem putting this one into the next round. Perfect song. Absolutely perfect song.
3. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King
Now we get into great-but-I've-heard-it-enough-for-one-lifetime territory. In the end, I'd much rather listen to this one, King's magnum opus, than...
4. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
Sure, it was used VERY effectively at the end of "Full Metal Jacket." But I've heard it more than enough for this lifetime. And yet it's the one Stones song that everybody seems to adore, much to my chagrin. I'll admit that it's a great song, but I'm ready for it to be out of Bracketology now.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

Voting for this week is now over.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 4

For a change, I've actually got the results done early! And the winners this week are from 1965, 1966, 1971, and 2003.




BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Hey Ya!" - OutKast (61 points, 12 first-place votes)
2. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles (46, 5)
3. "Son of a Preacher Man" - Dusty Springfield (46, 1)
4. "New Year's Day" - U2 (37, 1)


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 20
1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye (58, 9)
2. "Where Is My Mind?" - Pixies (54, 5)
3. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie (39, 3)
4. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos (39, 2)


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Yesterday" - The Beatles (50, 9)
2. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire (49, 4)
3. "Kiss" - Prince & the Revolution (49, 3)
4. "Anarchy in the U.K." - The Sex Pistols (42, 3)


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones (55, 7)
2. "Unfinished Sympathy" - Massive Attack (48, 5)
3. "Stand by Me" - Ben E. King (45, 4)
4. "The Weight" - The Band (42, 3)




Great to see so many people voting this week! This is the most ballots we've had in a week for long time! And a couple brackets came right down to the wire!