As a soccer fan, I prefer to think of this as the Bracketology UEFA Cup. And as a Tottenham fan, I know that many of these songs are just as great as those in the main tourney. (If you really wanted to be fancy, schleuse, you could drop the 2d placers from the main tourney into this tourney after round 1, but I'm not looking to make things more complicated.)

BRACKET A
1. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1967) (More than a little pretentious. That's Lou Reed for you. But I'm a guy who likes changes in dynamics. The more straight ahead rock songs by VU are better, but this is good.)
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” (1991) (Very solid. Great use of choir. Love the build-up. Kiedis stays more or less in tune (a major achievement for him). Not a big RHCP fan, so surprised to find I'm putting this above U2.)
2. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) (Not their best. Less catchy melody than other U2 songs. But instrumental in the middle rocks. The Edge is much more of a God than Clapton, I tell you.)
4. Link Wray, “Rumble” (1958) (My second "I don't know this song" today. Yikes. I feel unqualified to even vote... but I will.)

BRACKET B
1. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) (Sublime. That's all I've got to say.)
2. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) (Fine song. But not sublime.)
3. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” (1973) (My second 3rd place for Bob Marley today. This time I don't feel so bad. This is one of my least favorite of his songs. OK agitprop, a couple of nice turns of phrases in the verses, but too unsubtle musically.)
4. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” (1955) (Schwah: "Meh." Schwah's inner conscience: "Really, but this is muddy Waters. He's one of the all time..." Schwah: "I said meh. M-E-H. Meh.")

BRACKET C
1. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) (I've had four transcendent live rock music experiences. 1) Pavement drunk off their asses in a tiny college performance space. Last night of the Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain tour. 2) The discovery that Beck is a performer as well as a musician. First NYC date after the release of Odelay. 3) 30th anniversary of the Return of the Mothership in Central Park. Bootsy, Fred Wesley, Bernie Worrell, Maceo were all there. 4) Radio City Music Hall to see the Strokes. Opening act Jack and Meg White blow the Strokes out of the water. It was no contest. That's how you fall in love with a band.)
2. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” (1998) (The precursor to one of my favorite albums, Daft Punk's Discovery.)
3. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973) (This song is so much better than Sexual Healing. I don't know why everyone thinks otherwise. But I still prefer 60's Marvin and What's Goin' On Marvin to loverman Marvin.)
4. Elton John, “Your Song” (1970) (When I was a kid, I sang this song live and forgot the simple, stupid words. Bad memories.)

BRACKET D
1. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) (My wife is so in love with early-80's Bono. Despite that fact, this is a good song. U2 would go on to make many more great songs, but never again would they be this tight and wiry.)
2. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” (1964) (I am so in love with early-60's Mary Weiss. Alas, she's totally out of my league. Then again, so is my wife.)
3. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975) (I've always felt this was a retread of old ground. It's good, but doesn't make me feel alive like many of his other songs.)
4. Madonna, “Ray of Light” (1998) (Less in tune than Anothony Kiedis. This is one of her worst vocal performances ever, and that's saying something. (And I actually like Madonna.) Fine song otherwise.)

Thanks for the soccer analogy, Schwah; I've always felt kind of bad that a lot of the NCAA terminology I was using was unfamiliar to many voters.

And, sad to say, I know very little about soccer. Me American...not know nothing about soccer except David Beckham's ankle hurt now. And he have freakish bony wife which I am supposed to think is good-lookin'. And you not supposed to head-butt someone in World Cup final.

Yeah, I'm American too, but somehow got hooked on European soccer. I thought with so many Brits around here (at least on the lists, if not on the charts), some people might get the analogy.

The Champions League is like the main Braketology... groups of four teams, seeded. However in that case the top two go through to the head to head competition, and the third place team drops down to the UEFA Cup (NIT equivalent), which already had its first round group stage.

And I'm totally with you on Posh Spice.

BRACKET A
Le bracket surprise

1. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1967) ****: Miles ahead. Not my favorite VU&N song though. For me, it’s Venus in Furs..
2. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) ***: I can’t believe my ears : it’s good ! Surprise of the week. Excellent music for 1984. I love U2 in the 80s. Great lyrics.
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” (1991) *** : another classic of acoustic campfire sessions. Doesn’t move me like it used to
4. Link Wray, “Rumble” *** (1958) : Dark and full of guitar effects, more influential than really exciting

BRACKET B
Le bracket de la mort.

1. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” (1955) **** : Well it’s not my favorite blues song, but man, a blues song in the brackets, I mean a real one.. With Muddy's huge vocals and Little Walter’s harp... I just can’t resist !This song was written as an answer to Bo Diddley’s I’m a man which was largely inspired by... Hoochie Coochie Man.
2. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” (1973)****: Énorme, I would say in French. Marley beating Williams Sr and Orbison : where is my mission to defend roots material ? Well I’m defending roots reggae, cause I think it needs a little defense too
3. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) **** : Big O singing... For the fans, if you didn’t do it, buy A Black and White night, a live album with Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits
4.. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) *** : I prefer him when he rocks a little more

BRACKET C
Le bracket du caca

1. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973) *** : Marvin at his most sensual.. but I don’t really dig that one. But anyway, it’s first (see why below)
2. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” (199 *** : incredible that I put thet song second, but true : it’s the weakest bracket I’ve ever known. Catchy, avec l’accent français. For dancefloors only
3. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) *** : I don’t get it
4. Elton John, “Your Song” (1970) *** : Listening to that song is like eating a jumbo sundae with lots of caramel. The first mouthfuls are good, but after that, too much sugar... (but the bastard can sing)

BRACKET D
Le bracket facile

1. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975) **** : Dylan at his best : the longer it lasts, the better it is : the anti-Elton John
2. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) *** : a little disappointed : Pride made more effect on me, despite what I thought
3. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” (1964) ** : no good
4. Madonna, “Ray of Light” (199 ** : what can I say ? I don’t like Madonna, one thing I know

not "le bracket de la merde?"

you can also say that
But I have a 3 year-old daughter and caca is more in her vocabulary (although I've heard her say merde a couple of times, i wonder where she got that word

Bracket A:

1. "Pride"
2. "Under The Bridge"
3. "Heroin"
4. "Rumble"

Bracket B:

1. "Get Up, Stand Up"
2. "Your Cheatin' Heart"
3. "Cryin'"
4. "Mannish Boy"

Bracket C:

1. "Fell In Love With A Girl"
2. "Let's Get It On"
3. "Your Song"
4. "Music Sounds Better With You"

Bracket D:

1. "Tangled Up In Blue"
2. "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"
3. Ray Of Light"
4. "Leader Of The Pack"

BRACKET A
1. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1967) Great! Jason Pierce owes a career (and a great one at that!).
2. Link Wray, “Rumble” (1958) The riffing is so mean! First came to
my attention in the cool Robert Rodriguez rockabilly move “Roadracers”,
where it’s used to great effect.
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” (1991) The guitar intro is
great. The choir at the end comes close to ruining the whole thing.
4. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) Good pop song.

BRACKET B
1. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” (1955) I’m going by the 1977 version on
this one. One of my favourite vocal tracks of all time.
2. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) Not very familiar with Hank Williams. Listening to this now, and it sounds great.
3. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) Great ballad.
4. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” (1973) Nice and simple.

BRACKET C
1. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973) Marvin wants to get down to business. Absolute brilliance.
2. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” (1998) Not rated highly around
here it seems. One of the best club-pop tracks in the latter 90s.
3. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) Cool stripped down rock.
4. Elton John, “Your Song” (1970) Not my thing.

BRACKET D
1. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975) One of the first Dylan songs I got into.
2. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) My favourite U2 song. According to
Alan Partridge it’s about waking up with a hangover.
3. Madonna, “Ray of Light” (1998) Good song.
4. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” (1964) Fun.

BRACKET A - A strong bracket
1. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1967) Awesome
24. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” (1991) Their best song
48. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) One of their best
25. Link Wray, “Rumble” (1958) Pulp Fiction


BRACKET B
41. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) This song is epic like an Ennio Moricone song
8. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” (1955) I'm pretty sure I've never heard this version, but it doesn't matter since I've heard a billion covers
32. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” (1973) Bob Marley wrote one song melody and a bunch of different lyrics for different songs (except for "Could you be loved" which is awesome in all aspects)
17. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) Eh.


BRACKET C
9. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” (1998) Oh, I had heard it, but I didn't realize I had heard it until Monday and since I listened to it on Monday it's been stuck in my head, and I'm not really complaining about that. I think that says something about the awesomeness of this song.
33. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) Maybe it's so awesome because we all think we can do it like this, but we can't.
40. Elton John, “Your Song” (1970) A little bit cheezy, but it's one of Elton's best.
16. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973) Really cheese. I always hated that this album wasn't really that good for getting it on. Ironically enough I think Here, My Dear was the best for getting it on if you ignored the lyrics.


BRACKET D
21. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975) Oh Bob, I'm glad you have feelings too.
28. Madonna, “Ray of Light” (1998) A great dance track. This was the point that I actually started likeing Madonna.
4. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) I know most people love this song, but then most people just love U2 more than I.
45. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” (1964) Bleh.

BRACKET A
1. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1967) – Wow. This bracket is better than most of the ones in the main tournament, with four songs I absolutely love. But Lou’s paean to oblivion, with extraordinarily blatant viola abuse by Mr. Cale, tops them all.
2. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) – Grabs you by the throat from the first second and never lets up. Might be my favorite single of the 80s.
3. Link Wray, “Rumble” (1958) – All you need to know is that some radio stations banned this song for being too violent. It’s an -instrumental-. ‘Nuff said. To paraphrase a line from a David Mamet movie, Link Wray’s so cool that when sheep go to bed they count HIM.
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” (1991) – I wish I didn’t have to put this last. It changed their entire career, and (as far as I’m concerned) with good reason.

BRACKET B
1. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” (1973) – Four classics here, but none of which I feel particular fondness for. This is one of Marley’s very best (and angriest), and I feel comfortable giving it the top slot.
2. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” (1955) – I know it better via the ferocious remake on HARD AGAIN than in its original recording, but it’s blues (ain’t-that-a-man division) incarnate.
3. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) – The Big O at his slow-build-to-a-crescendo best.
4. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) – I need to get to know Hank better. I just picked up a used copy of 40 GREATEST HITS, so that will help.

BRACKET C
1. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) – Two minutes of modern garage heaven. Not their best song, but it was a fantastic calling card. Great Michel Gondry video, too.
2. Elton John, “Your Song” (1970) – Is it blasphemous to say I like this better than “Let’s Get It On”? It may not be either rock or soul, but it’s just a great song, plain and simple.
3. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973) – Almost a cliché by now, but it became one because it so perfectly is what it is, and nothing more.
4. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” (1998) - #4 by default; I’ve never heard it.

BRACKET D
1. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975) – One of Dylan’s very best, the brilliant lead track on a masterful album. Full of elliptical and unforgettable imagery about everything that can go right and wrong between two people.
2. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) – A very close race here. If there had been any doubt that this band was here to stay, it was erased with that first arresting snare drum crack, and the rest of the song maintains that level of intensity. The best track Steve Lillywhite ever produced.
3. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” (1964) – The ultimate girl-group death song, endlessly parodied even though it’s practically self-parody in its own right. LOOKOUTLOOKOUTLOOKOUTLOOKOUT!!!
4. Madonna, “Ray of Light” (1998) – Just when you thought she might be out of surprises, she went and dropped this dazzling track (and album). But it’s still #4 here.

BRACKET A
1. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” - "Early Morning, April 4????????????????" Well, Martin Luther King was assasinated in the early evening, but despite the historical inaccuracy, this is still a lovely and moving song.
2. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” - Perhaps the closest a song has ever come to making me feel like I've taken drugs. Not sure if that's good or bad.
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” - A little overwrought, but a good Peppers tune.
4. Link Wray, “Rumble” - Never heard of it, not going to start now.

BRACKET B
1. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” - Fine protest song from the king of reggae
2. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” - Fine country standard
3. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” - Better than a womanish boy.
4. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) - Pretty ballad, but a bit too warbly for my taste.

BRACKET C
1. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” - The reason I'm even voting in the BNIT. A great punk love song. Thank God for the White Stripes this decade. P.S. The lego video kicks ass, too.
2. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” - (Using Austin Powers accent) Yeah, Baby!
3. Elton John, “Your Song” - A lovely ballad, but up against tough competition.
4. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” - Why is this on the list?


BRACKET D
1. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” - This song is shear emotional power, and given it's subject matter, it better be.
2. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” - Took him five years to get into gear in the '70s, but he finally did. I do prefer "Shelter From the Storm" on this album, though.
3. Madonna, “Ray of Light” - "And I feel" ... like this is perhaps Madonna's best song ever. Tough to beat top two, though.
4. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” - Why do gimmicky songs like this and "Yakety Yack" rate so high?

BRACKET A

Pride (in the name of love) - Absolute number one, one of the best songs from U2. Both live and studio version are great
Under the bridge - Good ballad by the peppers.
Rumble - Must have been great at the time
Heroin - I think I don't understand this song, a skipper on the banana album

BRACKET B

Get up, stand up - And again a number one for Bob Marley. Not his best but by far better than the rest in this bracket
Crying - Good ballad
Mannish boy - Great blues song. Nice to hear so now and then but not too much
Your cheatin' heart - Maybe a little bit dated

BRACKET C

Let's get it on - One of his best songs. Deserves a higher ranking.
Your song - A quite simple song indeed. But simple can also be beautiful
Fell in love with a girl - I just don't get the white stripes
Music sounds better with you - Not good

BRACKET D

Sunday bloody sunday - Absolute number one, one of the best songs from U2. Both live and studio version are great
Tangled up in blue - Not his best song but still better than madonna's best
Ray of light - Never write her off
Leader of the pack - Also not good

BRACKET A
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Under the Bridge” (1991) - I've lost some of my interest in RHCP over the years, but not in this song.
2. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) - It can not be more U2 than this.
3. Link Wray, “Rumble” (1958) - Ultimate Tarantino song.
4. The Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1967) - Can music get more intense? Still goes as #4 here though.

BRACKET B
1. The Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up” (1973) - If only for "You can fool some people sometimes, but you can't fool all the people all the time".
2. Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy” (1955) - Probably the coolest blues song ever. This bracket is so tough!
3. Roy Orbison, “Crying” (1961) - Good, but not one of his very best.
4. Hank Williams, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953) - Again, not one of the artist's best IMO, but Hank was always good.

BRACKET C
1. Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973) - I think the acclaim for this song is bigger than the AM position shows. It would have appeared in many more lists if it wasn't for "What's Going On" always being the critics' #1 pick. This IS just as good.
2. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) - Compact disc!
3. Elton John, “Your Song” (1970) - Elton's beautiful signature tune somehow only ends up at #3.
4. Stardust, “Music Sounds Better With You” (1998) - Great dance beat, but a great song? All the music-moving-in-and-out gets tedious after a while.

BRACKET D
1. Madonna, “Ray of Light” (1998) - Now this is a great dance song!
2. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) - Surprisingly good reviews for U2 so far. I concur.
3. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975) - Really good song, but I have more love for #1 & #2.
4. The Shangri-La’s, “Leader of the Pack” (1964) - A standout girl group song, but it has to be #4 here.