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Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

ROUND 2, WEEK 15

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.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#54: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
#310: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.
#331: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder
#438: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#44: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
#85: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians
#341: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#48: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
#81: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry
#209: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
#337: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#144: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
#241: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard
#400: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf
#1009: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads


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

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed - Easily my favorite Lou Reed song, it never seems to lose its magic. It's one of the few songs I would never guess what year it was from if I didn't already know.
2. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M. - This song would have been enormous if it had come out about 6 years later. It hardly sounds like the 80s (which is a good thing).
3. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder - I've mentioned before that I don't think this is the opus others here do, but it is growing on me a lot.
4. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder - SH2B4, and this was a particuarly hard one to put there.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution - It's "When Doves Cry." Can you really put it somewhere other than first?
2. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles - This song is lovely. I love how it just saunters along, and the melody is so soothing.
3. "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's - One of the best instrumentals ever.
4. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians - Overrated. It's an average garage rock single.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve - I just listened to this today. Win. It's gorgeous.
2. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles - It's one of those songs that makes you go "WTF?" while you're listening to it, but by the end it all makes sense and is brilliant.
3. "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth - I should listen to more SY, because I really like this song.
4. "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry - Classic tune, but it was destined for fourth.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads - The best of a good-but-not-great bunch. It wins for having David Byrne.
2. "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf - A smokin' blues track that sometimes hits me, sometimes doesn't.
3. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash - A good song, but the Clash have much better songs.
4. "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard - Overrated. It's not as good as its reputation.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

Yay! Bracketology is back!

Must...evalulate...art...must...not...listen...just...for...sake...of...ENJOYMENT!

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#331: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder
Possibly Stevie's best song.
#310: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.
Best hook ever.
#438: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder
One of those songs that's really improved by perfect production. I don't know why they haven't been able to produce pop songs like this since the sixties. They'd rather show you the performer's cleavage than do a good job on the mix.
#54: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
Great song but the least great in this bracket. The talk-singing brings it down a bit.


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#44: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
One of my favorite pop songs, probably Prince's best.
#341: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles
Good, moody, well produced song. Has a very strong emotional climax at the end.
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians
Good song.
#85: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's
Good music, but can't compare to all these pop rock masterpieces we're voting on now.



SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#48: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
One of the most beautiful pop songs of the 90's.
#209: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
Great song. Probably not my favorite Sonic Youth song. But one of the first to use noise this well.
#81: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry
A very energetic guitar song.
#337: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles
Great emotional song. A little gimmicky and cute with it's double meanings.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#144: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
Great song.
#400: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf
Great instrumentals and emotional delivery.
#1009: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads
Good quirky song with great atmosphere.
#241: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard
A tad formulaic.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18

1. Stevie Wonder- "Living for the City": Never has he sounded so convincingly angry. It seems to capture the heart, soul and pride of black America in the 70s so well. I particularly love the "her clothes are old, but never are they dirty" line.
2. Lou Reed- "Walk on the Wild Side": Great, great song, but I'd put it in 3rd on Transformer.
3. R.E.M.- "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)": One of my favorite R.E.M. songs, but it's in over its head.
4. Stevie Wonder- "Uptight": Charming, but not as riveting.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19

1. Prince- "When Doves Cry": Lightning in a bottle for Prince. Utterly awesome!
2. ? and the Mysterians- "96 Tears": One of my favorite 60s singles.
3. Booker T. & the MG's- "Green Onions": One of my favorite 60s instrumentals.
4. Ray Charles- "Georgia on My Mind": Still quite great for a 4th place finisher, it just doesn't grab me like the others.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19

1. The Verve- "Bittersweet Symphony": A song that makes me stop in my tracks when I hear it. Good enough to win.
2. Chuck Berry- "Maybellene": You're really trying to get me to get a Chuck Berry comp, Matt!
3. Sonic Youth- "Teenage Riot": I've recently discovered "Kool Thing" and quite like it, but I still haven't cracked "Teenage Riot" yet. In time...
4. The Beatles- "Happiness Is a Warm Gun": One of their better songs, but I still just don't get it.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17

Talking Heads- "Burning Down the House": Twisted, loopy and funky, this serves as perhaps the most commercial taste of Speaking in Tongues, even if there are several songs on there I prefer to this. That said, it's still quite great!
Little Richard- "Long Tall Sally": I'm not a fan of the era in general, but Little Richard's reckless abandon intrigues me.
The Clash- "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais": I like The Clash, but I prefer several of their other songs to this. Perhaps it's my wall against reggae preventing me from enjoying this as much as others. Still, their unrivaled spirit shines and beckons me to change my mind.
Howlin' Wolf- "Smokestack Lightning": It's a nice blues track and could have competed in the previous bracket, but it's perhaps a bit too reserved for this bracket.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
2. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.
3. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder
4. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder

"Walk on the Wild Side," one of the most inexplicably mainstream songs, is the clear winner for me here. It was a toss-up between 2 and 3, but "It's the End of the World" has been really growing on me and is probably my favorite R.E.M. song right now. I want to rank "Living for the City" higher, but the part in the middle is off-putting and slows the track's electric pace down. "Uptight" is a solid pop song, but fairly ordinary for this stage of Bracketology.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians
2. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
3. "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's
4. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles

"96 Tears" might be the peak of that undeniably 60s keyboard sound. What a great all-around performance and enjoyable listen. "When Doves Cry" will cruise through this bracket, and it probably should as one of the more experimental and unique songs to chart in the 80s. I'm glad "Green Onions" is so highly rated; it is a masterwork in terms of setting a mood. "Georgia on My Mind" is one of my least favorites this week; Ray Charles easily has 10-15 better songs.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
2. "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
3. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles
4. "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry

I have no idea what will win this bracket. It should be a pretty tight three-way race. "Bittersweet Symphony," an incredibly beautiful and meaningful song that thankfully became a huge hit, is in my top ten all-time. It just edges out alternative epic "Teen Age Riot," which is in my top 20. Too bad "Happiness is a Warm Gun" finds itself in such elite company; it's one of the few Beatles songs to advance this far that I feel genuinely deserved to. "Maybellene" gets crushed in this competition.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#400: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf
#144: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
#1009: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads
#241: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard

This is the bracket "Love Will Tear Us Apart" should be in. I'm still upset about "Burning Down the House," a cool single but not an upper-echelon Talking Heads tune, beating out Joy Division's masterpiece. This does allow for me to give a well-deserved first place vote to "Smokestack Lightning," one of my favorite discoveries of the whole tournament. "White Man" isn't one of my favorite Clash songs by any means, but I haven't given it much of a chance, while I don't think "Burning Down" will get any better for me. This bracket continues my trend of rating 50s rock and roll singles last. It's not that I dislike "Long Tall Sally" or similar songs; I'm just not going to rate them over songs I listen to regularly and whose acclaim is more based on musical excellence than influence.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#331: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder
The biggest hit from one of Wonder's best albums. I prefer "Golden Lady," "Visions" and "Too High" - but they are not even close to making this round of competition
#54: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
Great vehicle for Reed's talking/singing vocalization. I prefer this straightforward (no irritating viola scratches) tune to some of the VU tracks so many others adore (e.g., Heroin).
#310: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.
Fun uplifting and perhaps a bit sarcastic. R.E.M. was clearly in its pop mode with this song.
#438: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder
Excellent song, shouldn't have to be fourth - but this is a very strong bracket.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#44: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
Could be Prince's best and nothing else in this bracket comes close.
#341: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles
Solid effort from Ray, but nothing that seems innovative.
#85: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's
Enjoyable enough, but not spectacular
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians
I still enjoy this track, but it's the weakest in this relatively modest bracket.


SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#48: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
One of the many "finds" that I've made over the past 5 years since I broadened my listening spectrum.
#81: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry
Classic tune, but not as much a fave as Johnny B. Good
#337: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles
The Beatles made great music even when they were just clowning around.
#209: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
I do appreciate some of the low-key guitar and drum work on this song, but it doesn't have the emotional range and interesting transitions that I generally prefer in songs that exceed 4 minutes. The vocals are average in my view - typical for many grunge bands.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#241: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard
Classic and dated song that I still enjoy - puts a smile on my face (gets a 9 on my scale of: 1=best, ~ 25 being the worst, with 11 being perfectly acceptable). Nice saxaphone break as well.
#1009: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads(gets a 10 rating on my scale. The vocals don't quite work for me, but I have fond memories associated with song.
#144: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
Crisp Clash, but alas not exactly my favorite (11 on my scale)
#400: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf
In keeping with my advice to Moonbeam, this tune gets an 11.5 rating and I only listen to a portion of the song when I need to remind myself why it still doesn't work for me.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18

1. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder: His greatest singular achievement, from his best album. If I ever get bored of it, I just close my eyes and listen to the drumming, and wonder how the hell he did it.

2. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder: "Fingertips" is fun and all, but this where Stevie truly made the leap.

3. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.: A GREAT song, tough to land at 3 here. Winning Document in a high school radio station contest was a bridge toward exploring "alternative rock" over classic rock and prog. It was sort of a long journey.

4. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed: I know I'm in the minority here, but I've always really disliked this. Something about the laconic vocals, the "shocking" lyrics, the use of "colored girls" (ironic? who knows/cares?), and the fact it was used in a really annoying '80s commercial all combine to make me jump to change the radio station. Sorry, Lou fans.


VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19

1. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution: Blindingly good. His albums are great and all, but Prince's run of singles, holy hell...

2. "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's: Funk before it was known as such.

3. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles: A little MOR for my taste, but obviously lovely.

4. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians: Great organ/grating organ?


SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19

1. "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth: See comment on R.E.M. above. Blew my little prog-lovin' mind.

2. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles: They pack so many changes, and frankly, flat-out oddness into the 3-or-so minutes here.

3. "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry: I'm unpacking the rock critic cliche book so I can call this track seminal. Heh-heh..."seminal".

4. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve: Wonderful production, but the really annoying video of self-aggrandizing Richard Ashcroft knocking people around on the sidewalk drops it to 4th. Really, someone arrest that jerk!


SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17

1. "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf: I love my blues with that scorched earth sorta feeling. I mean, the title by itself is just cool as hell, and then you get Howlin' Wolf singing it?

2. "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard: My favorite of his, just a frantic buzz.

3. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash: Everyone says they don't like this as much as other Clash stuff, but I'd take it over anything on London Calling. Great song, just barely slid down here.

4. "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads: They took their white afro-funk and got it on Top 40 radio...good for them and good for 1983 radio. Great, rather disturbing video too, but it just can't hold up in this company.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#1: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
#2: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.
#3: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder
#4: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder

Walk on the Wild Side is easily the best semi-spoken word song ever recorded, and R.E.M. recorded one of the best fast-sung records ever with "It's The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). Stevie is slightly outclassed here, but Living For The City is definitely his best song here.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#1: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
#2: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians
#3: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's
#4: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles

I love all of these songs, but something has to win and something has to lose. Prince and the Mysterians could make a great song together, and I think Booker T. and Ray could do something neat as well. That said, the first two songs are in my top 500, and the other two are just outside. All very close though.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#1: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
#2: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry
#3: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
#4: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles

Following the AM order on this one, Bittersweet Symphony is one of my very favorite songs, and I was just playing Mafia II and Maybellene came on, and I realized it was the perfect song for the perfect atmosphere in that game. Other than atmosphere the game is pretty boring, but I digress. Teen Age Riot is awesome, Happiness is quite enjoyable but outclassed.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf
#2: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
#3: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads
#4: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard

A bunch of guys here who are the best in their respective genres. I've only recently got into Howlin' Wolf, but in my not so humble opinion he's the greatest of the early blues rockers. The Clash are indubitably the greatest punk rockers, Talking Heads were the greatest new wavers and Mr. Penniman is the rock and roller.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT 18
1. IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT. Might be their second most iconic song. It’s basically just a long goof, but gawd, is it energetic. There’s a reason it was their show-closer for over a decade.
2. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. Lou’s most famous song is the perfect introduction to everything he’d ever do well—tales of urban lowlife over a classic 60s pop song structure.
3. UPTIGHT. I’m guessing that “Living for the City” is going to end up ahead of this one, but I think that’ll have more to do with the fact that “Uptight” came out when he was still Little Stevie Wonder, not yet Stevie Frickin’ Wonder! Both are great songs, but “Uptight” is tighter and less sprawling, and I prefer it for that reason.
4. LIVING FOR THE CITY. See above.

VERDI 19
1. WHEN DOVES CRY. When an artist has built up just a massive body of excellent work, their highest-rated AM song frequently turns out to be their biggest chart success. It’s the case with R.E.M., Van Halen, Radiohead…and Prince. It’s a great song—not least because “and the Revolution” is a total misnomer—but not the best thing he ever did. However, this is an easy call in the week’s weakest bracket.
2. 96 TEARS. In the same category as “Louie Louie.” Insubstantial, but hard to forget, hard to dislike, and very influential.
3. GEORGIA ON MY MIND. A beautiful song, but I don’t warm up to Ray as much when he’s this maudlin.
4. GREEN ONIONS. Not bad, but let’s face it, if you had your choice between hearing this or hearing the music these guys made behind Sam & Dave, Otis, Wilson Pickett or Bill Withers, which are you gonna pick? Me too.

SIBELIUS 17
1. TEEN AGE RIOT. To paraphrase Mark Twain, Sonic Youth are a band that everyone wants to have listened to, but that not everyone wants to listen to. This song remains the perfect wedge to introduce someone to their music, although, to be honest, if we’re talking albums as a whole, Goo is probably more accessible than (the definitely superior) Daydream Nation.
2. BITTER SWEET SYMPHONY. It’s too glib to dismiss this as the Rolling Stones’ best song of the last 30 years. I happen to think it’s rather static, but it is glorious and powerful.
3. HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN. This might be John Lennon’s last stone masterpiece.
4. MAYBELLENE. I never thought I’d penalize Chuck Berry for being “default,” but in this group, that’s kind of how I feel about “Maybellene.” That’s the risk you run when, you know, you invent rock guitar and half the songs in the tournament sound at least a little like you.

SIBELIUS 17
1. (WHITE MAN) IN HAMMERSMITH PALAIS. Outstanding. Contains one of the most jaw-dropping vocal tics on any record I know—listen to Joe seeming to break into uncontrolled, unplanned laughter, only to immediately recover to sing, with a straight face, “You think it’s funny? / Turning rebellion into money.”
2. BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE. Remain in Light was almost the last T-Heads album, and certainly none of their post-1980 albums (except the live one) can match up with any of their pre-1980 albums. But this remains, not just one of the highlights of the (still good) Speaking in Tongues, but one of the best things they ever did.
3. SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING. Compared to his contemporaries, Howlin’ Wolf truly does sound like a man among boys. Or maybe a shark among minnows.
4. LONG TALL SALLY. I love Little Richard, but there are probably four or five other songs of his I prefer.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#331: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder(Excellent song. Stevie's growling voice over some of his deepest lyrics make this a classic.)
#438: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder (If it isn't obvious, I'm a Stevie fan, and this is his best song from the 60's)
#310: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M. (My second favorite song off "Document", after "The One I Love", but this song is pretty good too. It's a shame retards today think it's about 2012.)
#54: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed (Half strategy vote, half SHTB4 vote. I love the sax solo at the end, and of course, this song is about lezboes.)

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#44: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution (My favorite Prince song. The guitar intro blasts the song in, and it's provacative lyrics just add to that. And, it's famous influence was the exclusion of a bass.)
#85: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's (Great instrumental, probably the best, it's a shame it's up against such a strong song.)
#341: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles (Pretty good cover of the state song of Georgia)
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians (I literally hate this song. I don't see it's apeal at all.)

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#337: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles (Mother Superior is actually Yoko Ono, the bitch that broke up the Beatles, and who Moonbeam worships .)
#48: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve (My favorite Britpop song.)
#81: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry (Not a Johnny B Goode, but still good)
#209: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth (It's not often I vote against two guitar songs, and I don't think I'll be doing it again anytime soon.)

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#241: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard (My favorite Little Richard song, love his roar in this song.)
#400: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf (Not a fan of the song, but it's all about strategy.)
#144: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash (Great guitar song.)
#1009: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads (I would love to see this song make it through, just because of it's rank, but I would rather see Little Richard get one through.)

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder: The epic centerpiece of Stevie’s finest album is one of his greatest moments. He’s never sounded grittier, or angrier, and the song is utterly commanding from the electric-piano intro all the way through the final, mournful yet ecstatic choral crescendo.
2. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder: If #1 is Wonder’s high point as an album artist, this single is – by far – the high point of his previous incarnation as one of Motown’s most reliable hit machines. It’s one of the label’s best recordings ever, which is saying something. Just pure excitement.
3. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed: The ultimate cult-artist fluke hit single, one that’s acquired such a life of its own that it almost exists beyond criticism at this point. It stands out even within the context of TRANSFORMER, itself a brilliant anomaly in Reed’s catalog.
4. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.: A great song from what might be my favorite R.E.M. album, but a surprisingly easy #4 for me in this company.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution: The easiest #1 of the week. It’s Prince’s masterpiece, even in its truncated single version, and one of the greatest records ever made.
2. "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's: Maybe the finest rock and roll instrumental of all time. The essence of effortless cool, and the perfect encapsulation of what these guys were all about, either on their own or as the Stax house band.
3. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians: The essence of garage-rock – one of the crappiest-sounding #1 hits of all time (“Hanky Panky” is its main competition), but pure joy, thanks to Rudy Martinez’s over-the-top vocal and the greatest, simplest organ riff ever.
4. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles: A pivotal record, to be sure, both for Brother Ray and for soul music in general, but again, a very easy #4 here.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth: The opening track of their magnum opus served notice that a steadily improving band had suddenly vaulted into hyperdrive. Neither song nor album have lost any of their explosive excitement over the years.
2. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles: I almost placed Lennon’s brilliant White Album mash-up at #1, but that may have been because the Beatles have been so much at the forefront of my mind this week. Even amidst their ever-shapeshifting catalog, this one stands out as an original.
3. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve: I’m assuming this one’s going to take the bracket, and I don’t have a problem with that – it’s a terrific record. It’s just not a particular favorite (in general, or even on URBAN HYMNS itself).
4. "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry: See #4 directly above, and make the necessary substitutions.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard: This is the weakest bracket of the week, and one of the weakest of this entire round. They’re all good songs, but not particularly inspiring. Richard’s typically wild-and-woolly classic, while not quite as breathlessly unhinged as some of his others, is more than strong enough for the top spot here.
2. "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads: Their only top ten hit in the U.S. is the lead track on an album whose songs would come to much more vivid life onstage (STOP MAKING SENSE is ranked considerably higher for a reason); the original is most notable and enjoyable for the way Byrne’s acoustic counterpoints all the electronics.
3. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash: A good single, but not a favorite of mine.
4. "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf: The Wolf is a force of nature to be reckoned with, but this track is another easy #4.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#54: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed : a guitar/bass line so great that it served for both a rock and a hip-hop classic
#438: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder : I, in the name of all French music lover, apologize for Johnny Hallyday's cover
#331: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder : Lindsay Lohan, that is somebody who knows how to do a great cover, doesn't she ?
#310: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M. : easy pick, good song but nothing awesome to my ears

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#44: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution : even for someone who does not listen to Prince much, it's hard to deny how great that song is, but I also feel that it is incredibly hard to explain why it is THAT great, it somehow is more than the sum of its qualities
#341: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles : one of those song that is perfect to set a mood, everybody feels the exact same feelings hearing it
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians : cool song but a bit average compared to the classics of the same era
#85: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's : well, when I hear Booker T I think about WWE first, and I don't think that is going to change soon


SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#209: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth : one of those few songs that lead to the music I love the most
#337: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles : not my favourite Beatles song, but still sounds way ahead of its time
#81: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry : even with its cool riff and solo, it lacks a bit of the blasting power of Johnny B Goode or Roll Over Beethoven
#48: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve : I heard this song way too much when it has been released and I can not stand it luch now, but I listened to it today and it seemed far less annoying then what I recalled... almost enjoyable like it used to be

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
#54: "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed ~ This isn't a particularly strong bracket for me, but this classic still comes on top.
#331: "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder ~ I don't really see why Stevie Wonder is rated so well, but then I go back to songs like this, with superlative narratives, a suite-like progression, amazing vocals (and voice acting in that 'breakdown', if you will), and music which sounds almost a decade ahead of its time. The fact that he played and sang everything on the record, and that he was blind, kind of makes that credit obvious.
#310: "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M. ~ Blink and you'll miss them, but those lyrics are actually pretty well-thought for something so rapid. Not to mention the great chorus.
#438: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder ~ Now it's songs like this which makes me wonder why Wonder gets so much acclaim.

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
#85: "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's ~ This thing is too cool for school. Even just the first 8 seconds would have been enough to cement it as a staple of the early 1960s in general. And it's only a studio jam! But then again, something this cool could only be spontaneous...
#44: "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution ~ When that catchy synth riff comes in, in doesn't quite seem to fit in with the tortured lyrics, and menacing guitar solo, and while the lack of a bass leaves it stark, vocals and drum machine alone is perhaps too stark. But half-way through, when that atmospheric pad creeps in, the song really picks up. Sure, it sounds outdated, but I think it holds up pretty well for something past its 25th anniversary.
#213: "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians ~ Despite the cheesy organ, and the primitive song structure, Question Mark himself still makes this song worthwhile, and even badass, in a way. "Cry, cry, cry! (TEARS.)"
#341: "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles ~ As much as I like Ray Charles, I really can't see how this song is worth listening to these days with its paunchy tempo, and lyrics which don't always seem to fit for a national song of Georgia.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
#209: "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth ~ It pioneers the kind of atmospheric noise that had me take a likening to Sonic Youth in the first place. The intro breezes past, ebbing between having and lacking a backbeat, but when that guitar riff kicks in, the track turns into sheer joy.
#48: "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve ~ It's a fantastic track, no doubt about it, but perhaps I've heard it way too many times, and in some very wrong places (no thanks to you, Mr. Derulo). That said, they do need a bit of credit, because you can certainly hear how it could have been inspired by an orchestral version of The Last Time, but it's by no means a rip off. It's most probably even better.
#81: "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry ~ The intro makes the guitar tone questionable, but the lyrics in the verse have an infectious rhythm which make the song worthwhile on their own.
#337: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles ~ None - and I mean absolutely none - of The Beatles' songs could match the atmosphere of the top two tracks in this bracket. I still like this song though - the languid guitars and painterly lyrics/melodies at the start contrast brilliantly with the surreal doo-wop ode to guns at the end.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
#144: "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash ~ An absolutely amazing song, by one of the most distinguished yet true punk bands of all time.
#241: "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard ~ Just his VOICE, man. More guttural than any death metal singers can muster, and with more of a libido than Prince, or even the many musical paedophiles that happen to exist. That is while Little Richard is still talked about today--that's why we still LISTEN to Little Richard.
#1009: "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads ~ It's a fairly good song, but if this is all you know Talking Heads for, you really need to get into their earlier stuff.
#400: "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf ~ It's a shame I have to place this last, but we're very close to the third round now, and that is going to be a time where the choices get harder, and some beloved songs have to be knocked out. The voice is at once ghostly and powerfully present, no matter how bad the recording quality is, and the harmonica solo is fantastic as well. Such a shame.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder
I debated not putting this one in the top spot, but I just can't see myself putting anything else above it. It truly is an exceptional song.
2. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder
Where "Living for the City" is Stevie in full-on social activist mode, this is Stevie in let's-have-fun mode. One of the best from a great artist.
3. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.
Yeah, it's a lot of fun and I always try to challenge myself by singing along and trying to remember as many of the lyrics as I can. But it almost feels like a throwaway and a glorified album filler.
4. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
Listen to anything off of VU&N, then listen to this and tell me it isn't a bit of a letdown. I mean, Lou was supposedly the most talented of the Velvets, but his solo work has always left me wanting so much more. Case in point: "Walk on the Wild Side".

VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
Not my favorite #1 of the week. It's not in my top five favorite Prince songs. Heck, it's not even in my top three favorite songs off "Purple Rain." But the fact is that this is a blistering funk track WITH NO BASS. To this day, that just blows my mind that someone could get away with that.
2. "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's
Best instrumental rock track ever. 'Nuff said.
3. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles
Maybe the best #3 of the week. I'm at the point now where I know that it's a great song, but I have to listen to it to remind myself of its greatness. And every time I do, it knocks me back.
4. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians
It was an easy winner in Round 1, but an oh-so-easy #4 here.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
Easiest #1 of the week. It's a truly transcendent song.
2. "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry
I'll be the first to admit that I don't really appreciate Chuck Berry's music that much, but it's pretty difficult to deny the greatness of a song like this. That opening guitar riff, the chugging beat, and even the lyrics. A-1 stuff.
3. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles
It's definitely an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. I mean, take out the "Mother Superior" part, and it couldn't possibly stand on its own. Nor could the song function without it. But somehow the whole thing works.
4. "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
I keep trying to "get" Sonic Youth, and this song in particular. I'm just not there yet.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads
I hold a little bit of resentment toward this song, as it beat out "Love Will Tear Us Apart" in Round 1, and I felt that was a much more deserving song. But it's up against three songs that, at best, I only respect. And besides, this isn't that bad a song. Still, if it gets to the third round, I'd be hard-pressed to vote for it again.
2. "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard
Like I said above, I respect this song. A lot. That doesn't mean I'd want to sit down and listen to it a lot.
3. "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf
There were few like the Wolf, and there will not be many like him ever again. But like the above song, the most I can say for this one is that I respect it. I can't picture myself putting it on repeat.
4. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
Damned if I just can't get into the Clash. Sorry. I've tried.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

Voting for this week is now over.

Re: Bracketology, Round 2, Week 15

Here are your results!




SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder (40 points, 7 first-place votes)
2. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed (35, 5)
3. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M. (30, 1)
4. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder (25, 0)

This is the third bracket of the tournament to feature two songs by the same artist, but this is the first time that one of those two songs won. "Living for the City" will take on Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line," the Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man," and Aretha Franklin's "Think."



VERDI BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution (50, 11)
2. "Green Onions" - Booker T. & the MG's (29, 1)
3. "96 Tears" - ? & the Mysterians (26, 1)
4. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles (25, 0)

The week's biggest blowout goes to Prince, as he wins by a whopping 21 points. "When Doves Cry" will face off against the Who's "My Generation," Oasis' "Wonderwall," and the Kinks' "Lola" in Round 3.



SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve (41, 7)
2. "Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth (35, 5)
3. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - The Beatles (28, 1)
4. "Maybellene" - Chuck Berry (26, 0)

The Verve took an early lead in this bracket, then held on as Sonic Youth made it interesting. "Bittersweet Symphony" will take on the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" and Radiohead's "Paranoid Android."


SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash (31, 3)
2. "Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads (31, 3)
3. "Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard (29, 3)
3. "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf (29, 3)

Well, this was an interesting finish! All four songs finished within two points of each other, and all four finished with three first-place votes! However, the Clash finished ahead of Talking Heads on 7 ballots, while Talking Heads finished ahead of the Clash on only 5 ballots, so "Hammersmith Palais" advances. The Clash will take on the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever," the Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony," and Radiohead's "Paranoid Android." (Interestingly, "Long Tall Sally" finished ahead of "Smokestack Lightning" on 6 ballots, and "Smokestack Lightning" finished ahead of "Long Tall Sally" on 6 ballots. So there was a tie for third place!)