The Rolling Stones
New Order

U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love))
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now))

U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love)
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle

L - U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love)) (6) vs.
W - The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar) (4)

New Order (Bizarre Love Triangle) (11) vs.
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)) (11) - no winner

U2
Otis

The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar)
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now))

U2
New Order

The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar)
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now))

Thanks!

U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love)) One of my favorite U2 songs against a Stones one that is really good but I feel overrated.
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)) Tough to vote against "Bizarre Love Triange," but the Otis track just digs deeper.

U2
New Order

The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar)
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now))

All 4 are absolutely amazing great songs!

U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love)) vs. The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar) Damn close. I guess it should be, considering this is the final 4.
New Order (Bizarre Love Triangle) vs. Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)) The only two teams to beat my beloved Queen team (RIP) facing off.

All four teams I predicted to win last week won. Let's see if I keep going.

U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love))
New Order (Bizarre Love Triangle)

The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar) beats U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love)) - Not the best from either, but solid hits nonetheless. I think they're relatively even, but "Pride" wears out its welcome a tad bit more. The Stones add some new elements as "Brown Sugar" moves along to keep things fresh, whereas U2 don't give us much new after the Edge's solo. If Redding makes it to the final (no easy feat against a very good New Order song), then I think I'd prefer to go up against "With or Without You" rather than "Satisfaction." But I can't vote strategically.

Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)) beats New Order (Bizarre Love Triangle) - "Bizarre Love Triangle" is great fun. Very sweet dance pop. I prefer New Order when their music is a bit more of a mixture of the poppy and the moody. The synths are a little bit tinny at times, but the drum machine sounds great. And the melody on this song can't be denied. But my second favorite Redding song wins handily.

First, I should have checked this before now, but I see that the YouTube link is to the mono, album version of the song, rather than the stereo version he recorded separately and that can be found on a number of the better selling of his hits compilations. They are very similar, but some subtle differences give the two versions a very slightly different flavor. If you like the song, it's interesting to hear the very subtle differences between the two versions.

It's more of the same build-up that we heard last week on "Try a Little Tenderness." But the feel is different. Matching the lyrics, Redding's delivery is more nakedly emotional, and a little less controlled. Everything in the first half of the arrangement (beginning with Redding's a capella "I've been!") seems purposely less cohesive and more solitary. Cropper's guitar licks come from nowhere. Al Jackson's drum fills too. The horns blast forth and then disappear as quickly. The song never reaches the ecstasy... it (and Otis) just keeps pleading harder and harder. The fade-out and his desperation indicate that his heart is likely to stay broken for a long time to come.

U2 vs. Stones: not a big fan of those two songs but I prefer the Stones’ one, so Brown Sugar
New Order vs. Otis: a big big fan of those two songs but my vote goes to probably my favourite electronic song ever, Bizarre Love Triangle

U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love)) vs. The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar) - Painful to vote against U2, the only one out of my favorite artists that has remained, and so, the one I want to win the cup. But Pride isn't near their best and unfortunately it's gotten an irresistible Stones track against it.

New Order (Bizarre Love Triangle) vs. Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)) - Bizarre Love Triangle is in the group of the songs that I discovered in 2005 when my interest for (good) music was begining, and that still remain among my favorites today. It was my first contact with electronic/new wave/synth pop-rock other than what used to play in the radios, and while I still don't like much those styles, this song easy figures in my all time top 100. Not the version in the link above, let me say, but the Brotherhood version. I love its tight structure, the inspired electronic beats, the melodical verses, the guitar riff in the middle and, specially, that colorful synth piece that appears before the chorus!
Well, no way Otis could win here, so I know that I'm not voting against him only because Schwah was responsible for the elimination of two of my teams in the cup! (hey, I still haven't forgiven myself for not having put It's the End of the World As We Know It against Shangri-la!).

Rolling Stones and New Order. One of the weaker Stones singles, one of the strongest New Order singles.

If needed, "Dock of the Bay" will be my penalty taker.

Both were close, but not really any surprises.
The Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar) def U2 (Pride (In the Name of Love)) 11-7
Otis Redding (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)) def New Order (Bizarre Love Triangle) 9-8