ROUND 3, WEEK 3

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.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
#328. "1999" - Prince
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk


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

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. #33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones /
One of my favorite Stones songs, partly because of the bad-ass, cool and funny lyrics. But definitely also because of the incredible music. One of a kind.
2. #1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan /
A great, but not my personal favorite Dylan, and only one of the gems of Highway 61 Revisited. Still special and quite revolutionary.
3. #32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 /
Very likeable song, but not special enough to be higher than third. Especially considering the masterpieces that are first and second.
4. #449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan /
It's kind of fun and alright in general, but I don't like it that much. The thing is, the other three are just better. The piano is the nicest part, the chorus is not, as I prefer the verses.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. #104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie /
As my favorite Bowie song, it's a fairly easy winner in this bracket. I always want to sing along with it. Kind of trippy, but in a really good way.
2. #392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman /
I've always liked this one. It's just beautiful and the standout track of Chapman's best known and most acclaimed album. Proves that an acoustic guitar and a nice voice are all that's really needed for a good song.
3. #40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles /
Could have been second as well. I still like this song better almost every time I hear it. One of Motown's best.
4. #328. "1999" - Prince /
There's Prince, again. I'm hearing a bit too much of him lately, since that I'm not a fan of him. Apart from the beginning this song is quite alright and I like the use of his voice on this one. But the beats and the keyboard are still not to my liking, as is too often the case.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. #130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones /
What a bracket! As my favorite Stones song and a possible top 10, this is still not that hard a pick, although this bracket is really strong. I don't mind if Sympathy is going to be beaten by LARS, but I hope this one will make another round. I'm sure it has a chance.
2. #226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads /
The song that made me like Talking Heads. It's a lot of fun and Byrne's singing really takes it to another level. Shows Talking Heads were more than another punk band right from the start. The chorus is great and damn catchy.
3. #63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green /
I like it's smoothness. Perfect song to relax to. And I let this one be third, because it's the underdog when it's up against Cooke.
4. #95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke /
Another favorite of this board it seems. And why not? It's beautiful, first of all because of Cooke's incredible voice and also - but a little bit less - because of the very sweet (a little too?) arrangements. I'm really sorry this one has to be fourth. Even won't complain if it proceeds to the next round and that's actually true for all four.


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. #120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles /
In the weakest bracket of this week (but still not bad at all), the Beatles (Paul here) don't have a hard time winning. An ealy Beatles favorite of mine that has worn of the slightest of bits by now. Maybe it's a bit too familiar to my ears, but the erosion is definitely not harmful enough to make it less than a winner for me.
2. #233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash /
Typical Cash song. The brass is a little bit too tex-mex-y, but alright... His singing and the the lyrics are fine enough to forgive him that.
3. #41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly /
Our 50's rock'n'roll hero. Fun and good, but not enough to beat the ones above. Influential, and altough most of the time that's a merit, I don't know if that necessarily true for this song in my case. Doesn't stand out enough compared to other great rock'n'roll songs to be a favorite, I guess.
4. #824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk /
I think this one didn't have a very tough competition in the previous round, because although it's a good song, it's not that good. Not a very hard number four pick for me.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 (I love this song. Top 50 for me.)
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan (Not my favorit Dylan song, but worthy of it's title.)
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones (No need to change it's spot this time around.)
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan (Love the Guitars, but this is round 3.)
MOPL: Jump

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (The obvious winner here, the song is just too good.)
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie (I love this song too, I'm just glad it beat Imagine."
#328. "1999" - Prince (It should have been the kinks...)
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman (Love the lyrics, but Tracy hasn;t given me a reason to put it higher.)
MOPL: Waterloo Sunset

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones (The song is near perfect, the female vocals just add to that.)
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green (All right, giant gap between 1 and 2.)
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke (The song hasn't connacted with me yet.)
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads (the Heads have better songs.)
MOPL: Satisfaction

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly (I'm glad at least one 50's song made it to this round.)
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles (I prefer the cover of this song. )
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash (Love JC. Figure both 50's songs in this round would face off.)
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (The lowest remaining song, and rightly so. But, this is a good bracket.)
MOPL: Mr. Tambourine Man

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
I wasn't looking forward to having to choose between Sympathy and Rolling Stone. I want them both through.
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
Great song, slightly edged to second in my ballot, because I'm slightly annoyed by the whole 'jealousy of wealth' angle, however beautifully it is expressed.
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
Great song against two greater songs. One of the better pop songs ever recorded.
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan
Not a bad song, but way out of it's league, and a tad smug.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
A song I was voting against in the first round, but now I find the narrative incredible.
#328. "1999" - Prince
Maybe Prince's best pop-hook.
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
Great song, great mood, great story.
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Probably the best song I've put in 4th this whole competition.


BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
My second favorite Stones song.
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
Good song.
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
Another good song but I'm a little surprised it made it this far.
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
Enjoyable song but doesn't hold up as well to repeated listens.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
This is the weakest bracket of the week for me. Yesterday probably would have been third or fourth in the other brackets of the week. In this case, it's got just enough pop sensibility to demand my vote.
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
One of Cash's best.
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Fun Daft Punk song, but the repetition wears a bit.
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly's okay but he's a bit overrated.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan
Steely Dan has been one of my faves since their first single. Reelin in the Years features some of Fagen's biting lyrics along with some smokin' guitar. I am enjoying placing this song ahead of some of the more widely acclaimed songs that I clearly enjoy and respect - just don't enjoy them nearly as much as Reelin In the Years
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
Perhaps the Stones best. In my view it deserves its very high rating.
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
Great performance, great lyrics, but to me this song is extremely over-rated.
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
Lot's of fun and demonstrates Michael's enormous and precocious skills as a child performer. SHTB4, but this is the third round.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Smokey at his best.
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
One of favorites from Bowie, who I feel is generally over-rated.
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
Chapman's first hit and one of her best.
#328. "1999" - Prince
Excellent party song in anticipation of the Millenium. Prince songs generally fit in the category of more respected and less enjoyed for me.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
One of the songs I play the most often. A clear winner for me in this bracket.
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
Another of the best Stones songs of all times, but in my view not as good as Sympathy for the Devil.
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
An easy third for me. The song uses the orchestral elements well, but is not a favorite of mine.
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
The Talking Heads are one of many of the acts that I respect, but still think are vastly overrated.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
Was probably one of my favorite 5 songs of all time until 10 years ago or so.
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly
I'm not particularly excited about any of the lower three songs in the bracket, but I think Holly composed a classic and I also enjoy Ronstadt's version of this song.
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
Cash was a great performer, but not one of my faves, again in my view this song an Cash generally are overrated.
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Good enough song, but I don't think it deserves to even make this round.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. Steely Dan- "Reelin' in the Years" 6: Yeesh. This songs win the bracket? Slim picking here! The driving rhythm is nice, but the only reason this song wins is due to the poor competition.
2. The Jackson 5- "I Want You Back" 5: I'm not really a fan of The Jackson 5. The Jacksons had some songs I can enjoy, but outside of "I'll Be There".
3. The Rolling Stones- "Sympathy for the Devil" 4: I like a few Stones songs. This isn't one of them.
4. Bob Dylan- "Like a Rolling Stone" 3.5: The "best song of all time" still doesn't do it for me.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. Prince- "1999" 10: My favorite single of all-time, this helped me get into music. I'll post the snippet of my review relevant to this track. It opens with an ominous, electronically-altered voice imploring us to have fun, before the Minneapolis Sound comes into full effect. A numbingly catchy synth line triumphantly bursts forth before integrating with a viciously funky bass line and a startlingly intricate drum machine which marks Prince's emergence as a master of the Linn-1. Bandmates Lisa Coleman and Dez Dickerson each sing a line of the opening verse, with Prince adding a third before the three come together for the last verse and unforgettable chorus. Lyrically, the song paints a picture of an impending apocalypse, but rather than wallow in despair, Prince plans to celebrate while he's still alive. While the overt message may seem like a simple excuse to give in to our bodily desires, the lyrics also double as a call for spiritual preparation for the End Times ("Can't run from Revelation, y'all"). While "Controversy" explored a similar theme of interwoven spiritual and corporeal sanctity that was echoed in future classics like "Let's Go Crazy" and "Crystal Ball", the message is never as clear as it is on "1999". After the main vocal segments of the song are complete, it opens up into a tightly-woven funk fest, complete with chicken-scratching guitars and an even more prominent drum machine that geniusly (yes, geniusly) rumbles like thunder. At the end, an eerie set of voices twice beckon, "Mommy, why does everybody have a bomb?" before a sonic blast detonates. With the raw display of innovation and talent evident in each of the instruments Prince plays here on top of classic Prince themes of love, lust and spirituality, this is the Holy Grail of Prince singles.
2. Tracy Chapman- "Fast Car" 10: This song has long been a favorite of mine, and it defies my usual taste. Her genuine delivery and the wonderfully sung storytelling shows that Tracy knew how to sell the lyrics with simplicity and understatement.
3. David Bowie- "Space Oddity" 10: What an incredible bracket! I got a lump in my throat the first time I heard this, the first 60s song I liked. The clever lyrical turn ("Far above the world/far above the moon") is just so powerful!
4. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles- "The Tracks of My Tears" 7: A good soul song that would have won (!) the previous bracket is up against 3 titans here.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. Al Green- "Let's Stay Together" 9: Silky smooth and gorgeous, this is pristine 70s soul at its finest.
2. Sam Cooke- "A Change Is Gonna Come" 7: I prefer Otis Redding's version, but this song is pretty great any way you slice it.
3. Talking Heads- "Psycho Killer" 6.5: I like Talking Heads a lot, but you wouldn't know it judging by their 2 most acclaimed singles. This is a decent song, but I prefer about 40 of their songs to it.
4. The Rolling Stones- "Gimme Shelter" 6: I've warmed to this over the past few years, but it still has to settle for 4th.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. Daft Punk- "One More Time" 7: I respect this song, particularly for helping to usher in a new era of dance music, but I don't really love it.
2. Buddy Holly- "That'll Be the Day" 5: There are quite a few Buddy Holly songs I like, surprisingly enough. This one's decent, and I understand why it gets love, but I've never particularly cared for it.
3. Johnny Cash- "Ring of Fire" 2.5: Not a fan of this one.
4. The Beatles- "Yesterday" 0: Really not a fan of this one.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
Not the greatest song of all time, but certainly the best in this bracket. Simultaneous anger and restraint make it Pride's best commentary.
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
I so want to put Sympathy for the Devil above this, but it is SO infectious and catchy that I just can't. It doesn't matter either way: Like a Rolling Stone isn't going to win a bracket that it absolutely deserves to.
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
A very good song, which under-applies an outstanding concept.
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan
Probably no one else will know what I'm talking about, but this song always brings back fond memories of Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
Bowie never bettered this. Too like A Day in the Life? So what - it's also too like Bowie to be replicated remotely by anyone else.
#328. "1999" - Prince
Alright, as a rule I don't like Prince, but this is a great song. I had forgotten how much I loved its riff. I'd better stop being so narrow-minded and get listening.
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Not as good as it's often made out to be, there is still an unbridled emotion in Smokey's vocal, as well as among the best technical lyricism of the 60s. But the song's melody seems oddly out of place with its lyrical theme, and it could be catchier.
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
A bit too singer-songwritery for my liking. An easy fourth, I'm afraid.


BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
This bracket is impossible!!! Whatever comments I attempt to justify my positionings with, the truth is that they're entirely arbitrary because these four cannot be divided. This one is first purely because I feel slightly more like putting it first than any of the others.
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
Completely serene from start to finish, it would have been a more than deserved winner.
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
How is this not first? I almost put it fourth! Dramatic, prophetic, desperately poignant, and any other hyperboles of importance you want to throw at it.
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
Their best song without a doubt. Again, this could have won.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
I don't want to put this at number one in the bracket, but it is so listenable and well recorded than you can forgive its now cliched fame (plus there's nothing better on offer).
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly
This has a more commercial ring to it than Holly other jewel Peggy Sue, and as such finds itself behind a bit of McCartney business talk in my list.
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Without question among the best dance tracks of all time, this is still beaten fair and square in terms of my preferences here.
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
The worst song in all of this week's brackets, maybe of all the songs left in the competetion. How this got through I don't know.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
01. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan : Few things in life are as deserving of their hype as "Like a Rolling Stone" is.
02. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 : I don't think I've ever heard an overall negative opinion of this song. Jackson's vocal gets a lot of the credit for this song's success, but for me it's that massive, surprisingly complex rhythm section that makes it truly great.
03. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones : Jagger's best lyric by a mile, this song continues to impress even after overexposure.
04. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan : I enjoy this song, but let's face it: it's possibly the easiest call for fourth in its bracket in this entire round.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
01. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles : This is the only song in my personal top 500 out of this bracket. Like "I Want You Back," it's an inarguable Motown milestone that mixes emotion with accessibility.
02. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie : I wouldn't put this at the top of the Bowie canon, but it is inarguably a great career-starting single with an interesting narrative concept and creepy atmosphere.
03. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman : To me this is no more than a good song. I keep waiting for it to break out into something better as I'm listening to it.
04. "1999" - Prince : I don't really dislike this song, but I'm somewhat indifferent between these last two. However, "1999" took out "Waterloo Sunset," and placing it fourth is the only way I can enact my revenge.


BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
01. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones : I personally place this around 90th all-time, but I would never, ever argue with someone calling this song the greatest ever. How it is only ranked 130th on AM is even more baffling than "God Only Knows" being outside the top 50.
02. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke : While I'm at it, this song should be ranked higher as well. Vocally and lyrically, this represents the peak of perhaps the first great soul artist.
03. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green : I've been on a 70s soul kick recently, so I will definitely acquire an Al Green release in the near future. This is a classic example (like "I Want You Back") of a song that is impossible to dislike.
04. "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads : Not in the same league as their later material, but--like "Space Oddity"--it gets extra credit for being first.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
01. "One More Time" - Daft Punk : Horrible bracket, is this really the best we could do at this point? "One More Time" does take this easily for sheer entertainment value.
02. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash: Odd that this is his highest-placing song in Bracketology (unless I'm unaware of another song of his that reached this round). It's fun, but definitely not on the transcendent level of "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues," or "Hurt."
03. "Yesterday" - The Beatles : This shouldn't really be around, but it's definitely better and more genuine than Beatles songs like "She Loves You," "Can't Buy Me Love," and "Hey Jude." At least those aren't still in the game.
04. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly : I hate to dismiss a supposed legend like this, but Buddy Holly songs have always ranked at or near the bottom for me throughout Bracketology. I hate saying this (and I dislike it when people make these kind of arguments), but I do think Holly's perception and acclaim is somewhat based on his early, tragic demise.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan

Sympathy for the devil est une chanson fabuleuse et représente à mon sens tout ce que les Rolling Stones peuvent être, excellent mélodistes tout en étant "lourds".
La chanson des Jackson 5 est loin d'être ma préférée mais dans ce Bloc faiblard, elle arrive tout de même en seconde position. Steely Dan ne me fait rien et Bob Dylan m'oblige à enfiler des boule-Quies à chaque fois, de peur que mes rétines se décollent par vibrations quand l'harmonica attaque.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
#328. "1999" - Prince
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
Smokey et Tracy n'avaient aucune chance dans ce bloc tant les deux premières chansons font partie de la crème de la crème. M'obliger, moi, à mettre une chanson de Prince en seconde position, surtout 1999, il fallait le faire tant j'adore cet artiste, cet album et cette chanson, et il fallait bien un Space Oddity de grande classe pour y parvenir. Peut-être LA chanson qui m'a fait aimer le style Pop-Rock !

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
Aucun changement pour moi dans ce bloc, quatre très bonnes chansons, mais qui, dans le bloc précédent par exemple, se seraient faite rétamer la tronche par Prince ou Bowie. Elle me font toutes plaisir, mais ne me rendent pas ivre de bonheur.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
Quatre chansons qui n'ont rien à faire à ce niveau. J'ai mis One More Time en seconde position alors que je n'aime pas Daft Punk, c'est dire.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#33. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
#32. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
#449. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan

Amazing bracket, my #1, #17 and #79 songs and my favorite Steely Dan song. Like A Rolling Stone is simply the greatest song ever written and Sympathy For The Devil is the greatest song written by the greatest band ever.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#392. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
#328. "1999" - Prince
#40. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

All of these songs are great, but Tracy Chapman's masterpiece beats even Bowie and Prince. The last 3 songs are all within 100 ranks on my personal list, but huddle around the 500 mark, so not really that close to Fast Car.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#130: "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
#226: "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
#95. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
#63. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green

All songs here are equally far apart for me. Gimme Shelter is in my top 100, Psycho Killer in my top 300, A Change is Gonna Come in my top 500 and finally Let's Stay Together would probably be somewhere around 700.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
#824. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#233: "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
#41. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly

It's very doubtful that Daft Punk will win this bracket, but I think they would deserve it. Slightly better than Yesterday and Ring Of Fire, it's just one of the masterpieces of this decade. Plus, I'd love to see a song ranked this low (for this stage of the tournament anyway) make it to the next round. One more time!

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
I have no doubt that Dylan will take this bracket, and that's fine with me. It's an excellent song in its own right, but I gotta put this one first. It's just too much fun. It's infectious and full of joy.
2. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
Some songs just have some absolutely brilliant rhymes in them. Ludacris rhymed "Impala" with "Nevada," Busta Rhymes rhymed "beautiful" with "pharmaceutical," and Andre the Giant rhymed "mean it" with "peanut." Geniuses, all. But before all of them, Bob Dylan rhymed "didn't ya" with "kiddin' ya." I think that alone is enough to get three points.
3. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan
I like Steely Dan, but even this one isn't strong enough to best Dylan's magnum opus or "I Want You Back."
4. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones
It's a brutal bracket when something like this slips to the fourth spot, but this is the quarterfinals. And frankly, this song has gone far enough.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
I think I said back in the first round that this is my second-favorite song of all time (only Elton's "Tiny Dancer" beats it out), so I can't put this anywhere but the top spot. I didn't expect it to beat out the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" back in the first round, and I certainly didn't expect it to beat out Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," and yet here it is. If it makes it any farther, I'll have to assume that this board is taking some pity on me and voting it through to keep me happy. If that's the case, keep it coming gang! But what could I possibly say about this song that I haven't already said? Hmm...
Let's see, it was released in 1988, at the tail-end of the Reagan presidency, and it's a brilliant description of middle-class American life under Ronnie. The narrator doesn't have much in the way of opportunities, but manages to make the best of what she has by marrying a guy with a fast car and raising a family. Only at the end of the song does the listener discover that the life the narrator escaped at the song's beginning is the same life that she has now. Every time I hear it, this song takes my breath away at how beautiful and how heartbreaking it is.
2. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
As I said in Round 2, I prefer Smokey's other "tears" song, but this one is still pretty damn good. This one has some truly brilliant lyrics, and some gorgeous music to accompany it as well. I just happen to like "Fast Car" more.
3. "1999" - Prince
I like Prince. I really do. I just happen to like other Prince songs a lot more than this one. Sorry Moonbeam, but I just don't have the same love for this particular song that you do. It's good, but it's not great.
4. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
Really? This even has a shot at making the final 16? Don't get me wrong, it's a good song. But even among Bowie's canon of work, it's not THAT great. Frankly, I'd much rather listen to Flight of the Conchords' "Bowie," which beautifully parodies this song (and all of Bowie's material). Highlight of that song: "Do you have one really funky sequined space suit, Bowie/Or do you have several ch-changes?"

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
This song didn't really register with me until a few years ago when I started to get really disillusioned with politics and the war in Iraq that, at that time, was going full-swing. I finally listened to the lyrics and the righteous anger that coursed through Mick's voice, and something clicked. It's been one of my all-time favorites ever since. Oh and since everyone else has already mentioned it, is there a better single moment in recorded music than when Merry Clayton's voice cracks?
2. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
Another powerful call for social change, and a worthy victor should it win. It's just not as powerful or as... great as "Gimme Shelter."
3. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
Brilliantly beautiful song, and Al's finest moment. It's just up against some really tough competition.
4. "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
The only four-star song in the bracket (the rest are five), it's a fairly easy pick for the #4 spot here. That said, it feels weird to be putting a song this strong at the bottom.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
Without a doubt, the weakest quarterfinal of Bracketology. Of the four songs here, this is the only one I would want to put on repeat, but I can't say that I love this one.
2. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Really? This one second? It's fun, but it's pretty forgettable too. Give me "Digital Love" over this one. Hell, I'd watch the "Daft Hands" video over this one.
3. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
It's a good song, but it doesn't really resonate with me the way a lot of other songs this week do. Come to think of it, I could say the same thing about the other songs in this bracket.
4. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I respect Buddy Holly more than I actually like him.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones - One of the songs that got me into music. Yes, I know "LARS" is the G.O.A.T., but "Sympathy" has lyrics that are just as good, delivered just as well, and it rocks harder, so it takes the top spot.
2. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 - This is one of the songs that reminds me why I love music so much. I don't think there's a more joyous 3 minutes than little Michael belting it out here.
3. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan - I really do like this song, and I can appreciate all its best qualities, but there are other tracks on Highway 61 Revisited that I like better. This just gets the love because it's everything that's great about Bob Dylan crammed into one single that was a (deserved) smash hit.
4. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan - An easy fourth. I don't like Steely Dan's smugness nor their guitar tone, though this is one of their better songs.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie - No, it's not his very best song, but it's up there. One of those songs that's great to sing along to.
2. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Great lyrics, great arrangement, great vocals = recipe for a very solid song. I considered it for first.
3. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman - Another great song, although I don't feel like the lyrics hit me as much as they seem to hit other people on here.
4. "1999" - Prince - A SH2B4 situation. By no means is this a bad song - just caught in a good bracket.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones - Stunning and apocalyptic. As luck would have it, the Stones' two best songs are in the same week and both top their brackets.
2. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green - Just one of those sublime soul songs that never gets old.
3. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke - See #2.
4. "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads - Should have been eliminated by now.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "One More Time" - Daft Punk - An easy #1. It's one of the best songs of the decade.
2. "Yesterday" - The Beatles - A legendary song, for sure, but it's kind of a drop-off in personal enjoyment from "One More Time".
3. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly - A solid song, but I don't think it's interesting enough to be here.
4. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash - A good song, but it's become so clichéd to me that I can't listen to it seriously.

Parens indicate generally a spot on my all-time list...

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. (Top 50) "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan: Really, an absolute masterpiece, and it's a rare track that I can have heard so often, in so many contexts, that still remains interesting and full of nuances that I continue to pick up on.
2. (Top 500) "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5: Joie de vivre.
3. (just outside Top 2000) "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones: When I was 12 I thought this was cool as hell, and it still has its moments (a lot of it is Jagger's delivery when I think about it), but now it gets a touch monotonous.
4. (outside Top 2000) "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan: I really like somewhat later Dan best ... Can't Buy a Thrill does almost nothing for me, though this is the best track on it.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. (Top 200) "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles: Perfect vocal, perfect lyrics, perfect song.
2. (Top 500) "1999" - Prince: This one blew my mind when I first heard it on the radio in early 1983. Still an absolute gas.
3. (Top 2000) "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman: During the sheeny-gloss gated-drum production years of the late-'80s, this stark slice of acoustic folk/pop was a breath of fresh air.
4. (just outside Top 2000) "Space Oddity" - David Bowie: I love Bowie, but this is sort of in the second tier of his classics to me.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. (Top 20) "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke: Civil rights activism in hymn form, with one of the most poignant vocal deliveries ever.
2. (Top 1000) "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green: Smooth as silk, and Pulp Fiction couldn't ruin it.
3. (Top 1000) "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones: It's weird how a building sense of dread and an almost gospel release can be combined so effectively in one place.
4. (just outside Top 2000) "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads: Great stutter, not a good enough song at this point.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. (Top 1000) "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash: Cash wins a really really weak bracket for this late in the game. It's the horns, I'm sure of it.
2. (Top 2000) "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly: He makes it sound so easy.
3. (just outside Top 2000) "Yesterday" - The Beatles: At this point, good as the song objectively is, I'd rather hear it as "Scrambled Eggs".
4. (just outside Top 2000) "One More Time" - Daft Punk: Never liked this nearly as much as the other great songs that surround it on Discovery, though it's prime Daft Punk and that is by definition a good thing.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan: This may be the finest bracket I’ve ever seen, in either iteration of this tournament – any of the remaining three songs here would have topped two of this week’s other three brackets. But Dylan’s masterpiece still towers ever-so-slightly over them all.
2. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones: Having used most of my previous comments on this song to praise Hopkins’ piano and Richards’ guitar, I was all set to pay homage here to Bill Wyman – until I learned that, in fact, it’s Keith laying down that amazing bassline. I should have guessed.
3. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan: I hate to put a record as blissful and exuberant as #4 in last place, but I just love this one too much, particularly Elliott Randall’s dazzling lead guitar work.
4. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5: SH2B4, SH2B4, SH2B4. Suck it, Round 3.

MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman: My top two here represent two very different kinds of brilliantly incisive songwriting. There’s just something about Chapman’s narrative of blissful optimism gradually ground down to a nub by bitter reality that cuts so close to the bone you can SEE the bone. It’s unshakable and unforgettable.
2. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles: As many have said, Dylan called Smokey America’s greatest poet for a reason, and this one’s a big part of it.
3. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie: It really IS an oddity – try to think of a weirder recording that still gets such consistent airplay. Bridging the gap between the bizarre novelties Bowie was doing before and the visionary work to come, it truly stands alone in his – or anyone else’s – catalog.
4. "1999" – Prince: I’ll echo the apologies to Moonbeam here; while I love Prince’s music as much as anyone (well, maybe not as much as some), I’ve just never been that enamored with this one. Now, put “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” or “Lady Cab Driver” here and we’ve got something.

BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones: My favorite Stones track, and almost certainly destined to be my #1 for 1969. There’s nothing about it that isn’t extraordinary, and there’s nothing about it that doesn’t contribute to a kind of free-floating sense of dread. They really should have been able to predict Altamont – it’s all here already.
2. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green: The essence of soul. The essence of cool. Again, an instance where an artist’s most popular song really is his best.
3. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke: A truly magisterial song, and kind of a shock considered against most of what Cooke recorded – it makes you wonder what directions he could have gone had he lived.
4. "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads: Another magnificent bracket – again, #’s 2 through 4 here would all have easily topped the brackets directly above and below. Putting a psycho killer in last place may not be polite – I have it on good authority that he hates that – but SH2B4.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET
1. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly: By contrast, this seems like a particularly uninspiring bracket for Round 3 – don’t get me wrong, they’re all great songs, but none of them screams out, “I deserve to still be here.” Holly’s brilliant debut, which more or less created the rock band as we know it, is the best of the bunch.
2. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash: Best use of horns on a country record. That’s all I’ve got.
3. "Yesterday" - The Beatles: Go back to it after avoiding it for a while (if you can), and you realize it really is that good – maybe not most-played-song-of-all-time good, but that McCartney kid was quite the tunesmith in his day.
4. "One More Time" - Daft Punk: One of the best examples of its kind, but I’m not quite there yet. It works better as the gateway to the rest of DISCOVERY than as a stand-alone track.

In reality, I'm just psyched that "1999" made it this far. Sure, I'd love it to advance, as it is a large part of the reason why I'm here talking about music, but I accept that it's not everyone's cup of tea. Still, top 64 is a great result for it, I think!

Sorry it took me so long to make this post, but voting for this week is now over.

Here are your RESULTS




BEETHOVEN BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan (38 points, 5 first-place votes)
2. "Sympathy for the Devil" - The Rolling Stones (36, 4)
3. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 (34, 2)
4. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan (22, 2)


MAHLER BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie (38, 5)
2. "The Tracks of My Tears" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (34, 4)
3. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman (31, 3)
4. "1999" - Prince (27, 1)


BACH BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones (44, 9)
2. "Let's Get Together" - Al Green (36, 3)
3. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke (32, 1)
4. "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads (18, 0)


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, FINAL BRACKET

1. "Yesterday" - The Beatles (40, 6)
2. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (31, 4)
3. "That'll Be the Day" - Buddy Holly (30, 2)
4. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash (29, 1)

Just to give you an idea of what the semifinals look like at this time...

SEMIFINAL 1

#1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#104. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie
#120. "Yesterday" - The Beatles
#305. "Paranoid Android" - Radiohead


SEMIFINAL 2

#356. "B.O.B." - OutKast
Winner, Wagner Bloc
#44. "When Doves Cry" - Prince & the Revolution
Winner, Brahms Bloc


SEMIFINAL 3

#3. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys
#59. "'Heroes'" - David Bowie
Winner, Schubert Bloc
#51. "God Only Knows" - The Beach Boys


SEMIFINAL 4

#130. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
Winner, Haydn Bloc
#10. "Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin
#50. "Common People" - Pulp

Like a Rolling Stone has got an incredibly easy bracket - Space Oddity and Yesterday are really weak at this stage.