Friday’s come around again, so, in the words of Pomtidom, here’s more brackety goodness.

Ballots due by midnight on Saturday, August 18.

BRACKET 37
34. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)
95. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
162. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960)
223. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)

BRACKET 38
31. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)
98. Chic, “Good Times” (1979)
159. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967)
226. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968)

BRACKET 39
63. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
66. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
191. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)
194. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975)

BRACKET 40
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
127. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993)
130. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002)
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)

A couple of reminders: the hub for the tournament is Bracketology Central. Also, don't forget bracketology's runty little brother, the BNIT, now playing on this forum.

BRACKET 37- I don't have anything real special to say about these songs. All of them are songs that I consider ok, but never listen to and I'd probably turn past them if they come up on the radio. I might not turn past Relax so I'll rank that #1. It's definitely my least favorite #1 so far.

1. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)-
2. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)- I just don't have love for 50's rock and roll.
3. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)- This song deserves it's own museum.
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960)- Every song in this bracket is a nostalgia song...



BRACKET 38
1. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)- One of the best baselines EVER. Just plain awesome.
2. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967)- Strong #2. The VU are one of my favorite bands and I've denied them the #1 ranking twice now.
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968)- Hulkamania
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979)- I don't recognize this song by the title.

BRACKET 39
1. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975)- Hands down the best Springsteen song. I would place this song in my top 10 of all time and I don't even like much else from Bruce.
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)- Depending on the moment it can be really great or really annoying.
3. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)- Amazingly this is one of his weaker 70's songs.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)- I never really got this album no matter how many times I listened.


BRACKET 40
1. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993)- The Chronic might be one of the most overrated rap albums, but there is nothing overrated about this song. One of the best hip-hop tracks ever.
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)- It's a fun song. I don't really listen to it that much though.
3. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)- It seems like there a lot of these girl group wall of sound songs on the list. It kind of makes them look less impressive.
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002)- It's ok.

BRACKET 37
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957): Another homogenous 50’s twelve-bar rocker. Gosh, these tunes are really starting to irritate me. I'm only giving this #1 because I can't justify giving it to any of the other three.
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977): disco [dis-koh] colloq. - n. 1. popular dance music characterized by hypnotic rhythm, repetitive lyrics, and electronically produced sounds; 2. The Bee Gees - "Stayin Alive"
3. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960): It doesn't fit the definition of a novelty song, but I still hear it that way.
4. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983): Frankie says “rubbish”. I can think of a handful of 80’s new-wave/synth one-hit-wonders that are better than this. (Real Life’s - “Send Me An Angel” is one.)

BRACKET 38
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968 )
2. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)
I’m going with James Marshall for this one, but it wasn't an easy choice. It's funny given the rankings of these two songs; one near the top and one near the bottom, not to mention how different they are; bubblegum Motown in one corner vs. guitar-frenzy psychedelia in the other. The pop side of me is a sucker for a catchy melody, so at first I was tempted to choose the group from Gary, Indiana. But in the end, as a rock guitarist I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t pick one of the all-time greats: Hendrix. This may not be his best song, but he takes the top spot with virtuosity and sheer genius.
3. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967): I'm waiting for this song to end.
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979): Maybe so, but not when I'm listening to this crap nugget. It's painful. (unless of course, you're into the whole pain thing, in which case it would be good times. But I digress...)

BRACKET 39
1. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975): I gave top billing to “Born To Run” in Week 7, so I don’t see any reason why this one shouldn’t get the same honor. It might not have as much energy as the title track, but it does open the same album, and it sets the tone for the us-vs.-them tale of young romance. Plus, it’s got those damn bells that I just can’t resist.
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970): I’ll just come right out and say it: I hate Art Garfunkel. His talent… next to nonexistent. His usefulness… zero. His popularity… bewildering. His post-S&G career… laughable. In the history of pop music, one would be hard-pressed to find another figure as unnecessary as that goofy-haired loser. Blender magazine said it best: “Simon wrote the songs and played the instruments; Art harmonized.” (issue #34) Well, that was until the duo’s 1970 swan-song Bridge Over Troubled Water, where Garfunkel almost justified his existence by singing lead on the title track. To this day, it’s arguably the most enduring song by the pair, but the fact that it was sung by choir-boy Garfunkel and not the songwriter himself – Paul Simon (incidentally, to whom Garfunkel owes his entire career), is stupefying. What was Simon thinking when he relinquished vocal duties to this hack? When listening to the song, for the split second that I’m able to tune out Garfunkel’s castrated crooning, it’s actually quite a beautiful song. So on songwriting merits, I award the song four points, but I deduct one point for the Garfunkelization (I could easily deduct three points on principle.) It’s been well documented that Simon always regretted giving the song to Garfunkel to sing, but maybe what Simon truly regretted was letting that talentless crony ride his coattails for the better part of the 60s.
3. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977): “I/I wish you could swim/Like the dolphins/like dolphins can swim”. And I thought “the sink is full of fishes” was the worst aquatic-themed lyric in rock! Not anymore.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002): I was surprised that I hadn’t heard this song before, given that it’s relatively recent. After listening to it, I realized I wasn’t missing much. Sounds like Franz Ferdinand without the melody.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965): So according to rock lore, the opening guitar riff of this song came to a 22 year-old Keith Richards in his sleep; one night he woke up with a melody in his head, recorded it with his guitar and fell back asleep. After playing the tape for Jagger the next morning, "Satisfaction" was born. Whether this story is accurate or not, the very idea of inspiration such as this is something every songwriter wishes for – being able to capture a musical idea the moment the inspiration strikes. In my experience, musical ideas – especially those that come during sleep (as most do) – vanish quicker than it takes to say “satisfaction”. In any case, this piece of rock trivia puts the song up near the top of this bracket. But the fact that it's an amazing song - and one of the best from the Stones - makes it the clear winner.
2. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962): It's no "Then He Kissed Me", but it's fun. What's the Spector count at anyway? 3? 4?
3. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993): The sample gets annoying after a while. Plus, Dre’s later work is more solid.
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002): Timbaland’s mark on the last decade of pop music is the equivalent of a 4 year-old with orange Cheezie-coated fingers running around, touching everything in the house. At first, it’s sort of cute because he doesn’t know any better – hell, you’re just happy that the little kid is entertained. But it quickly becomes irritating when you can’t find something – anything – that isn’t covered with a sticky orange gunk. And with every one thing that’s been wiped clean, another two things have been stained. Before long, you’re hoping the little bastard child chokes on a Cheezie.

Soft brackets this week make for easy picks. But it makes a good breather, because next week is gonna be brutal—believe it.

Bracket 37: The dance bracket. Throw in Kool & the Gang, and you’ve got a wedding reception.
1. BUDDY HOLLY, “THAT’LL BE THE DAY”: I don’t know what’s more amazing: the genius of Buddy Holly, or the fact that it came out of Lubbock, Texas (it is a godforsaken place indeed). Extra points for quoting The Searchers, John Ford’s greatest western movie.
2. FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, “RELAX”
3. THE BEE GEES, “STAYIN’ ALIVE”
#2 and #3 are both absolutely wonderful dance songs, and if I had been born a year or two earlier, their order might be reversed. But I am the proud former owner of a “Frankie Say…” t-shirt.
4. CHUBBY CHECKER, “THE TWIST”: Frankly I’m tired of it, but it’s impossible not to dance to.

Bracket 38
1. THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, “VOODOO CHILE (SLIGHT RETURN)”: This is what I think of when I think of Jimi. Love both versions.
2. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, “WAITING FOR THE MAN”: My punk soul wants to vote for this, but it’s a notch below Voodoo Chile. And, by the way, much, much better than “Heroin.”
3. CHIC, “GOOD TIMES”: I think I want to live the sporting life. A friend (whose tastes I respect) saw them perform live earlier this year, and apparently they can still melt paint off walls.
4. JACKSON 5, “I WANT YOU BACK”: Very, very silly. I don’t care how musically accomplished it is, I hate child singers.

Bracket 39
1. DAVID BOWIE, “HEROES”: There are not enough stupid TV commercials in this world to make me dislike this song; actually, it’s the reverse—for me, the song subverts any commercials it’s in, because I always think of lonely junkies on the streets of Berlin.
2. SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, “BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER”: This song always makes me a little misty—I now associate it with Hurricane Katrina—even though I think it skirts the edge of corniness. And the gap between this song and the one below it is a chasm.
3. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, “THUNDER ROAD”: Music for an unmemorable small-town bar. Where, oh where, is “Incident on 57th Street”?
4. THE RAPTURE, “HOUSE OF JEALOUS LOVERS”: I started a thread a few months ago arguing that singing quality didn’t really matter that much in pop music. This song would have been a good argument against me…and the vocals are just #1 on the list of things that are wrong with it. I would rank it #5, if I could.

Bracket 40: Considering that AM’s #2 song is here, this is an amazingly weak bracket.
1. THE ROLLING STONES, “SATISFACTION”: More than any other song, I just can’t hear this with fresh ears anymore—I’ve actually gotten to the point where I prefer Otis Redding’s version (or Devo’s, for that matter). But, of course, it has The Riff, and it drew three weak competitors here.
2. MISSY MISDEMEANOR ELLIOTT, “WORK IT”: The backwards bits are cute, and I guess it’s a good thing that the tournament has a song in favor of large women…
3. THE CRYSTALS, “HE’S A REBEL”: I feel like I’ve been harsh to girl groups so far, but I just don’t see that this is all that special.
4. DR. DRE FEATURING SNOOP DOGGY DOGG, “NUTHIN’ BUT A ‘G’ THANG”: After all this time, I realized I’m an East Coast rap guy. Not bad, technically, but actively objectionable.

Anthony, you crack me up. I'll post my picks shortly, but I have to say that I disagree with about 75% of what you wrote. But you argued your picks so strongly and amusingly, I couldn't get angry. Each to his own taste... there is no right answer in these brackets, right?

Oh, except one thing you wrote was unequivocably wrong. The single most unnecessary individual in the history of pop music is Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!.

Oh yes, Andrew Ridgeley: the Sham of Wham. He was quite useless, but Blender didn’t call it “the Garfunkel awards” for nothing. lol

schleuse! Say it isn’t so! Last week, when I wrote that Week 11 will bring a lot of pain and personal torment, I was hoping that you’d reassure me by saying “No Anthony. It’ll be ok.” My worst fears have been confirmed.

It's true, Anthony. We're all gonna come out of Week 11 bloodied, bruised, and generally looking like that poor schmuck who caught Barry's 756th home run.

BRACKET 37
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) - Decent rock n roll tune that paved the way for better things.
2. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) - Disposable dance silliness from the first one hit wonder of the sixties.
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) - Frankie Goes to Hollywood did not actually play on their recordings. The label hired studio musicians. Watching them ape the lines in the video for this track makes the story all the more believable.
4. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) - Oh bracketology how you test my patience...

BRACKET 38
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) - What's so odd about this track being successful is that, other than the quick, pickup chorus, it only uses one chord, Em. Validated the wah pedal.
2. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) - Who knows why a 6 year old is singing about rekindling a relationship? Still, the most charming bit of Motown funk after they moved to LA. Slick writing, great bassline.
3. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) - Lou Reed wrote about dark subjects but always managed to make them happy. This song's cool cause it's about waiting for a dealer.
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) - Call this the bracket of bassists. One of the greatest basslines ever belongs to this otherwise unremarkable disco tune.

BRACKET 39
66. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) - Bowie's strongest single is an anthem about reunited lovers. Bridged his electronic and dance periods.
194. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) - Holy passion batman. Springsteen can make one song sound like a whole movie. I'll never understand how he manages to perform 4 hour concerts of such demanding material. Especially vocally.
63. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) - Garfunkel didn't want to sing this song. One imagines why. Great performance.
191. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) - I thought it funny that I hadn't heard this song until now. Then I listened to it. Now I know perfectly well why I had never heard this.


BRACKET 40
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) - I don't even really like this song. The competition in this bracket is just pretty...rap.
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) -
127. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) - And thus the dark age of gangsta rap fell upon the land. Overnight educated, conscious groups like Public Enemy became has-beens and high school rejects took over the urban world.
130. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) - She couldn't work a car radio.

whoops, forgot a He's a Rebel description.

He's a Rebel - After watching too many James Dean films Phil Spector thinks he knows why young girls go for bad guys.

BRACKET 37 (quite posibly the crappiest bracket yet)
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) (I put this first only because I like Buddy Holly, and given the competition here it might be his only chance to go through. But this is his worst hit by far.)
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) (I liked the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack for a year, then I came to my senses. This is very poor disco compared to what is upcoming in the next bracket.)
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) (I'll give the song this... for a pop/dance hit it establishes a dangerous mood and is fairly relentless in driving that mood through the whole song. If you've ever seen the uncensored video for this song, it bolsters this sadomasochistic, homoerotic dream. But neither S&M nor homosexuality happen to float my boat, so it leaves me cold in the end.)
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) (Silly voice, silly song, silly dance. I prefer almost my late 50's/early 60's announcing a new dance trend to have at least a hint of soul and sex.)

BRACKET 38 (A stunningly great bracket)
1. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) (Deciding between these two completely opposing visions of how to marry funky bass, strings, and piano was nearly impossible. I Want You Back does not have the sweep of Good Times... the sense that it could go on all night and you wouldn't care. But Good Times doesn't have much of a melody, and - more importantly - its anonymous singers can't best little Michael Jackson. Listening to his delivery on this song makes my heart leap for joy at what he was and break over what he became.)
2. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) (Personally, I kind of prefer Everybody Dance (again because it has a better melody). But the feel of this song hits the sweet spot. The ludicrous lyrics make me think of a strange amalgam of a Jay Gatsby party and a roller disco in the middle of Central Park. (For the second time this tourney: "Clams on the half shell, and roller skates... Roller skates!") And Bernard Edwards' bass is just sick.)
3. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) (It hurts to put this third. The Lou Reed snarl bites from the start. I dropped it down because (1) I like a couple of later VU tracks better ("Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll"), and (2) as conceptually influential as the rhythm section on this track is, it is not really as put together instrumentally as what Rodgers/Edwards and the Motown crew acheived above.)
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) (Possibly his most ferocious guitar work... hard to put this at 4th but for the gems above it. But there's not much a song behind the guitar work.)

BRACKET 39 (This bracket looked better before I thought about it some)
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) (Not quite as good as his Ziggy-era work, this is still a very good single. High points: the thrilling leap in octave, and the eerie synth.)
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) (another overrated S&G song. It's not Garfunkle's fault, Anthony. His vocals are sweet, the song is syrupy. Don't get me wrong, Paul Simon is a demigod of songwriting. Just not this number. I mean it's not bad, that's why I have it number 2.)
3. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) (Another overrated number (although my wife would kill me for saying so). In many ways, this is the prototypical Springsteen song - even more than Born to Run. But Born to Run has a much better melody, and nicer turns of phrase. (I mean, I can never remember anything from this song beyond "Oh Oh Thunder Road" and "Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk"). Still, gotta love Clarence Clemmons on this track.)
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) (Fun. But that's all. And by the way, it's not all that danceable.)

BRACKET 40 (This bracket became better after I thought about it some)
1. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) (Anthony, I'd love to get a bagful of whatever cheeze doodles Timbaland is eating. He is the only reliably good talent on the pop charts this decade. I prefer Missy's flow on some of her other singles better (particularly "Get Ur Freak On" and "Gossip Folks". But this single is just so strange and wonderful.)
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) (This celebrated riff is not the hot shit that everyone claims. But Jagger's delivery is, as usual, good.)
3. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) (I came very close to moving this up to 2. There's about a half dozen great shou along phrases in there. I agree that Dre's production would actually improve, but this is pretty good. The only problem with this single is that the humor is lost behind the blunted gansta bravado. If that's what a 'G' Thang is, I'll pass.)
4. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) (Darlene Love's high point would be "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)". The Crystal's high point (without Darlene) would be "Then He Kissed Me". This number is OK, but I remain a Shangri-Las man when it comes to paeans to James Dean-esque rebels.)

Whoa! Stop the presses!

My bracket calculations were way off. Week 11 is looking like a cakewalk; I had it confused with Week 13 (which actually isn't looking that bad either.) Initially, I thought week 13 was going to feature the ultimate same-artist-in-one-bracket doosey. But, I was wrong. Phew.

Moral of the story: never trust an Arts major with even the simplest of math.

BRACKET 37
34. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)
95. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
162. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960)
223. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)

Buddy SMOKES all comers here. Not even close. After that, the Bee Gees, Chubby, and Frankie (mostly a guilty pleasure for me because it evokes thoughts of ZOOLANDER. Don't really think it's all that great...)

BRACKET 38
31. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)
98. Chic, “Good Times” (1979)
159. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967)
226. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968)

Another pretty weak bracket in my opinion. Jackson 5 on top. Whoever tapped this as a great bassline is absolutely correct. After that, Jimi..the Velvets..and Chic in last place.

BRACKET 39
63. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
66. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
191. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)
194. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975)

Another easy one for me. "Bridge" is a ballad of the first order beautifully rendered by Garfunkel. Bowie's next with the Boss 3rd. The Rapture is easily one of my most disliked songs to appear so far.

BRACKET 40
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
127. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993)
130. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002)
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)

"Satisfaction" is probably the Stones' finest effort. #1. Before Spector was a wack job on trial, he made great records and the Crystals definitely deserve 2nd place. Dre and Snoop come in 3rd with Missy last (don't know the song...)

BRACKET 37
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) - I love the jangly guitar part and Buddy's vocals. Really fresh sounding still.
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) - Hard not to dance to this.
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) - This song functions best when employed as a hypnotic trigger to induce male models into executing far-fetched assasination attempts against foreign leaders hostile to the fashion industry.
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) - Dated.

BRACKET 38
1. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) - Super catchy. That's a good thing.
2. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) - I like Lou's attitude here.
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) - Not my favorite Hendrix track.
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) - Sick of it.

BRACKET 39
1. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) - This is one of my favorite Springsteen tracks. The lyrics flow so nicely. "Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays, Roy Orbinson singing for the lonely, hey that's me..."
2. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) - Great Bowie track. Great tempo and instrumentation.
3. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) - I like S&G, but this one is too overwrought for me. Good vocals though.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) - Not my cup of tea.

BRACKET 40
1. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) - Great easy going mood. I would rather here this than tired Satisfaction any day.
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) - It was a good idea at the time, but now its old.
3. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) - See below.
4. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) - The last two in this bracket don't really inspire me, but they have to be ranked.

BRACKET 37
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” - While I appreciated Elvis and like quite a few of his songs, in general you can keep him and give me Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry.
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” - This is as close to disco as I care to get. Just how tight were those pants they were wearing?
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” - Ahead of its time in many ways, but not a personal favorite. I prefer "Two Tribes."
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” - Repetative, but fun enough for five-year-olds or weddings.

BRACKET 38
1. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” - One of the best tracks on a great album. The precursor to "Heroine," where Lou waits for the score.
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” - Another great song from guitar god.
3. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” - At age six, Michael would have been into what, two-year-olds? Fun Motown jam, though.
4. Chic, “Good Times” - Good times, but not great times, especially compared to 1 & 2.


BRACKET 39
1. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” - Over the top, but it still works on an emotional level. Much better than that pretentious piece of shit "The Sound of Silence" that somehow won its bracket.
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” - Suffers a little in comparison to the title track on this album, but still a powerhouse. I love the line, "Show a little faith, there's magic in the night / You aint' a beauty, but hey, you're alright."
3. David Bowie, “Heroes” - Decent Bowie, but doesn't really move me.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” - I much prefer their second album, not sure why this is so acclaimed.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” - Perhaps the theme song for all of rock 'n' roll.
2. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” - The creativity of Missy and Timbaland bursts out of your speakers. Ill joint.
3. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” - Laidback and cool, but a bit of a snooze fest for me.
4. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” - Only a few girl group songs from this era impress me, and this isn't one of them.

Whaddayatell - B37 is the perfect ballot my girlfriend could have drawn with me politely nodding in the shade. Hence I judge these on her behalf

1. That'll Be The Day (it's one of her definite get out of bed signature tunes and she loves each single edge of it)
2. The Twist (every chronological 1960's compilation ought start with this song she says)
3. Stayin' Alive (typically for her generation she heard the soundtrack before she saw the movie - and since she recognized and shuddered at the subliminal dark tone of it, she always keeps a stiff upper lip when she plays that song) (... sure she does...)
4. Relax (one of her much elder sisters once bought the 7" back then. While she even hadn't finished her preschool karaoke meditations in doing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go)

B38
1. I'm Waiting For The Man (just to remind you of the biggest threat that still might happen to your children and your neighbourhood: it's men with big straw hats)
2. I Want You Back (a bitterly hidden testimony to lost childhood, after all)
3. Voodoo Chile (merely defining George Clinton and the RHCP is still fine with me, but as history taught us: that slight return gave birth to a thousand bunches of white guys with evil guitars... so..)
4. Good Times (unbearably outworn by the 8 min lp version, but fathomly crispy with the 7"'s 3:30 + fading out)

B39
1. Heroes (3 different microphones... hell yeah. the mother of all technologically driven vocal climaxes)
2. House Of Jealous Lovers (as canny as 2000's retro pop avantgarde could go (even with that popular tropicaleptic fresh up)... no matter how often I'm listening to an A Certain Ratio record, that song was hauntingly made to stay)
3. Bridge Over Troubled Water (comes right second to You've Got A Friend. an awesome platonic way to tell your best (especially opposite gendered) mate that you'll always stay nearby)
4. Thunder Road (the Great Big Picture of Americana adolescent angst. shame on me for having sent it to the bottom pit)

B40
1. He's A Rebel (I really love the Shangri-La's, but Love and Spector had unravelled that suburban turf way long before their specific motorcycle & defloration martyrisms took part)
2. Work It (Down-and-back-to-earth-Revisionism. 2002 was the definite cold war momentum between two former friends. At this time Pharrell had jugged the Clipse brothers into his tanks , but I'll always remember that Timbaland brand as the appropriate D-Day-counterstrike. Oh, and Missy did well too..)
3. Satisfaction (you're taught to love it, you're taught to hate it, you're taught to inhale it, you're taught to brush it off - and then look out, there's even a song in it - and as easy as it gets, he's simply open to your own personal choice... #3 that is)
4. Nuthin But A G Thang (it burped Snoop Dogg to a broader audience. For fifteen years I slept fairly well will that)

When I said, "I appreciated Elvis," I didn't mean to put it in past tense, as if I was around at that time. I'm not nearly that old. I meant to say, "I appreciate Elvis." A small clarification, but one I felt I needed to make.

BRACKET 37
1. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977): the perfect rhythm for… walking on the street. Just see the “Saturday Night Fever” opening scene, with John Travolta walking on his Cuban heels shaking his hips. And the perfect rhythm for… dancing, of course.
2. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957): really fine 50s material, my second favourite from Buddy Holly (first is “Peggy Sue”).
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983): early 80s stuff that must be credited almost entirely to producer Trevor Horn and to a tremendous marketing campaign. It hasn’t aged well.
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960): if there’s a dated song, it’s this one. Anyway it’s funny enough.

BRACKET 38
1. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967): at the time no one dared to treat such themes so directly as Lou Reed. Love the trademark piano part and the bass line at the end of the song, both courtesy of John Cale (a non-rock performer playing to be a rock performer).
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” (1968): amazingly the two versions of Voodoo Child were recorded within 24 hours and with different personnel. After a fight with Noel Redding, “Voodoo Chile” was recorded as a jam session early in the morning (after spending the night in a club) with Jack Cassidy from Jefferson Airplane on bass and Steve Winwood from Traffic on keyboards. Later that day Hendrix and Redding reconciled and recorded a second version, “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”, that couldn’t be more different than the first one, but with the best use of a wah-wah no one can think.
3. Chic, “Good Times” (1979): agree with jonmarck, this is the bassists bracket. Arguably the best bass line ever. Well, along Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”. Bernard Edwards played both.
4. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969): nice early Jackson material, but easily number four here. And fine bass line, of course.

BRACKET 39
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977): easy winner of the bracket for me (and MUST be the bracket’s winner). The masterpiece from the Berlin period of David Bowie, with a groundbreaking guitar work from Robert Fripp and desperately romantic lyrics. “I can remember / by the wall / the guns shot above our heads / and we kissed as though nothing could fall / and the shame was on the other side”. It sends shivers down my spine.
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975): another desperately romantic one, with great lines as “I’m no hero, that’s understood / all the redemption I can offer girl / is beneath this dirty hood”. Intensely emotional, the favourite one of “High Fidelity” Nick Hornby.
3. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970): the third great song about friendship (Netjade, in my opinion “You Got a Friend” would be second to “Hey Jude”). Excellent songwriting and singing, but overproduced.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002): good, but no chance in this bracket.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965): not Stones best, but it surely deserves its status as a classic. And for many reasons: the stomping beat, the Jagger lyrics filled with generational anger and, of course, the Richards trademark fuzzy guitar riff.
2. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993): deep funky groove, nice interplay between the innovative easy flow of Snoopy Dogg and the more old school flow of Dre.
3. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962).
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002).
Two songs that own credit mainly cause of the producers, I’ll put above Spector than Timbaland but maybe for sentimental reasons.

BRACKET 37
1. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)-Catchy as hell. I like listening to this song, great disco.
2. Chubby Checker, "The Twist" (1960)-Dated, but still fun to me.
3. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)-Somewhat catchy, but just isn't as exciting to me as the above two.
4. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)-Just an okay dance song to me.

BRACKET 38
1. Chic, “Good Times” (1979)-Tremendous beat that set the stage for the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash. Great vocals and lyrics as well.
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968)-Awesome guitar work. Like it just as much as "Purple Haze".
33. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)-Very charming, but I definitely like the "Good Times" bass line more.
4. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967)

BRACKET 39
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)-Tremendous vocals and tempo. My favorite Bowie song.
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975)-Solid to me, but not great. I don't care for the next two.
3. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)-I understand it's appeal, but I just like songs that are faster and can get me wanting to do something.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)-Don't care for it at all.


BRACKET 40
1. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993)-Great standout rap with awesome writing and lyrics and a great beat. You've got to love that chorus. Gangsta rap is now here to stay. I agree that I'd rather hear this than Satisfaction for sure.
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)-Very good, and great riff, but I just prefer Dre and Snoop.
3. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)-Like others in other brackets, very catchy.
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002)-I like rap, but this definitely isn't one of the tracks I'd choose as one of the greatest rap songs.
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)

BRACKET 37
1. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) - Newer = better is not always true, but in this bracket it is.
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) - This song makes me make the moves!
3. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) - Nice song, keeps me dancing.
4. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) - But not today, buddy.

BRACKET 38
1. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) - Easy winner here. And they have even better songs, like Venus in Furs.
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) - Jimi can make a good song.
3. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) - this doesn't make me very happy.
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) - This makes me sad. Stupid disco.

BRACKET 39
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) - What can I say? It's Bowie!
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) - Fantastic song, and good lyrics.
3. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) - Very good, Bruce!
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) - Not bad at all, but I'll pick the other three first.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) - But if we listen to this song, we get great satisfaction. Extremely easy pick: one great song in a furthermore very weak bracket.
2. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) - Overrated like most rap. There are probably millions of songs more worthwhile spending your time.
3. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) - see above.
4. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) - Old and obsolete.

I’m going on vacation tommorow (real vacation : no computer), so I’ll make it quick (quite unusual for me



BRACKET 37

1. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) ****
2. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) ***
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) ***
4.. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) ***

Sorry Buddy, but Stayin’ Alive brings me on the dancefloor everytime I hear it at a party, as it is for Relax, to a lesser extent. The twist is a little bit boring and repetitive (I prefer Twist again)


BRACKET 38

1. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) *****
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) *****
3. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) *****
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) ****


Excelllllent bracket! Twice as good as the previous bracket. I had the same dilemna as Anthony for the 2 first, so I put The Jacksons ahead for balance (hope I’ll sleep well tonight),
Waiting for the man is a good Lou Reed song, and Chic is funky and danceable (and one of the first sampled songs in history)


BRACKET 39

1. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) ***** : the first song I ever covered and recorded when I was 16. at that time, I only knew the live version (in the box set Live 1975-85), with only Bruce singing, a piano and his harmonica at the end (in place of the saxophone), stripped of all the instrumentation he added on the album. I still don’t know which version I prefer, for the album one is excellent too. The lyrics about love and escape are fabulous, and the music matches them :great chord progression : like the main character the song never looks back.
2. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) *** : same subject as Thunder Road, but far from being my favorite Bowie song.
3. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)*** : disappointed. I acknowledge that Johnny Cash’s cover of that song was (contrary to One) quite unappropriate
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)** : What happened to critics in 2002 ? As my grandfather would have said, this guy yells as if somebody had stepped on his foot.



BRACKET 40

1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) ***** : Easy win. You don’t tire of that song. Have you noticed the bass line is weird (awkward ?)
2. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) *** : great music, great funky bass line, but the lyrics are nuthin’ but misogynous shit.
3.“He’s a Rebel” (1962)*** : funny to listen to the 2 rap songs then the innocence of that song... ages ago. Sounds like Abba meeting spector back in ’62.
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) **: Same thing for the lyrics, rap girl trying to sound as lewd as the G boys, what a pity...And the production doesn’t make things better. At least, Dre can make a record sound.

BRACKET 37
1- The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive”
2- Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day”
3- Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax"
4- Chubby Checker, “The Twist”

BRACKET 38
1- Chic, “Good Times”
2- The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man”
3- The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)”
4- The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back”

BRACKET 39
1- David Bowie, “Heroes”
2- The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers”
3- Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
4- Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road”

BRACKET 40
1- The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
2- The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel”
3- Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang”
4- Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It”

BRACKET 37:
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
3. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960)
4. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)

Even after 50 years, Buddy Holly's melodies remain unsurpassed. Buddy Holly wrote five-star pop songs like no-one else. TBTD being a fine example.

"Stayin' Alive" is struttable to the extreme.

"The Twist" is pretty boppin', but "Relax" is a load of cheesy balls.

BRACKET 38:
1. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (196
3. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979)

WFTM is a fave - poetic, literary, gritty, etc. - and Hendrix is obviously da boy. IWYB is OK, "Good Times" isn't, really.

BRACKET 39:
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975)
3. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)

"Heroes" is a pretty damn strange anthem - but it works, God damn it. "Thunder Road" is hot, also - an excellent album-opener. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is pretty, though S&G did far better - and HOJL seems well out of its league here today.

BRACKET 40:
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
2. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993)
3. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002)

"Satisfaction": great riff; sharp lyrics.

"Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang": funky, gangsta.

"He's A Rebel": B+ Spector

"Work It": pain in mine asshole.

Well I'll have to ccome back tomorrow and place a vote with my usual uninspired comments in here and BNIT 2

I dont know enough of these songs so i cant vote on this bracket but as a fan of rap/hip-hop. Dont vote for Nuthin But a G-Thang or Work It. They are absolute rubbish. I continue to believe that the genre is very misrepresented on this site

BRACKET 37

1. “Stayin’ Alive” – probably the most dated sounding song on this whole list, but when you’re talkin’ the essential disco song, that’s a good thing, as it perfectly evokes an era.
2. “That’ll Be the Day” – A naturally good song. I haven’t heard it in years but can remember most of it because of it’s perfect melody.
3. “The Twist” – a little silly, but what a fun song, we’ve got a dance theme in this bracket
4. “Relax” – Never liked it, a little repetitive and dispassionate

BRACKET 38

1. “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” – Where the blues and psychadelica meet perfectly, I think this Hendrix song lasts for me, because the improvisional nature of it allows for you to hear something new each time, while other Hendrix hits, as groundbreaking as they are, have a more straightforward structure.
2. “Waiting for the Man” – Not my fave VU, but you’re talking about a track from Nico in the top 256… it’s hard to marginalize it.
3. “I Want You Back” – Nice and cheerful
4. “Good Times” – Tough to put last just for the hook in “Rapper’s Delight” alone, but I can’t re-like this song when Sugarhill Gang used the hook to make their song timeless

BRACKET 39

Oh man, a tought bracket

1. “Thunder Road” – What a triumphant call to an album so thick with power and emotion.
2. “Heroes” – There are those gems of songs that last over 6 or so minutes but are designed in a way that they are over so quickly. Heroes is one of the well-crafted cases.
3. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Beautiful, just a tiny bit overdramatic and orchestrated to be able to win this bracket.
4. “House of Jealous Lovers” – This song doesn’t belong here. It’s great for this decade, but it sounds so different than the others, it’s hard to even compare.


BRACKET 40

1. “He’s a Rebel” – I’m SO glad this song barely made the cut. This was one of the first song I got on my new computer when I set up iTunes. I think where some of these oldies tunes are satisfied with a pleasant chorus and refrain, this song adds an extra layer of glorious melody where you don’t except it (I’m referring to the part that goes “He is always good to me… etc.”
2. “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” – What a groove. I was still scared as a pre-teen seeing this gangsta life glorified in the song’s video, but the mellow delivery and laid-back sound made it more palatable.
3. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – This song is like Pachlabel’s Canon, it’s just part of music. It’s hard to ever want to hear it, because it just exists as essential.
4. “Work It” – Fine use of backwards vocals, but nothing much else, good for the decade, I guess.

Bracket 37
1)The Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive:Hardly the cool choice I know but I love it - always remember that classic scene at the start of SNF
2)Buddy Holly - That'll Be The Day:Definitely not my favourite Buddy Holly track but still I respect it's place in R&R history
3)Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax:This is the side of the 80s that I really don't like - doesn't do anything for me
4)Chubby Checker - The Twist:Just a bit novelty and cheesy

Bracket 38
1)Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile(Slight Return):What a kickass rock track - this and Purple Haze are the definitive Hendrix tracks for me
2)Chic - Good Times:A really heavily sampled track - and that marks a great track - love it
3)Jackson 5 - I Want You Back:A real masterpiece of a pop song,if a little cheesy with the voices
4)Velvet Underground - Waiting For The Man:The fact this is their most acclaimed song is beyond belief

Bracket 39
1)David Bowie - Heroes:I'll forgive that horror Wallflowers cover - great vocals by Bowie,it may never get old for me
2)Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water:Tire of it sometimes but such a mighty song
3)Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road:Not one of my favourite songs on that album - just OK for me
4)The Rapture - House Of Jealous Lovers:Alright by not in the same league as the others here

Bracket 40
1)Rolling Stones - Satisfaction:This HAS to win this bracket - this song is one of R&R's definitve songs - just a real turning point in rock history
2)Crystals - He's A Rebel:Great tune,I find it amusing it was written by Gene Pitney
3)Dr Dre/Snoop Doggy Dogg - Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang:I know it must be seen as a classic but I can't get into it
4)Missy Misdemeanor Elliot - Work It:I just can't understand the appeal of her or why a couple of her songs are ahead of Eminem...

Been looking forward to this my entire holiday in Portugal. I am now officially sick of Bob Sinclar, my god they play his songs often there, and have developed a strange liking into 'The Way I Are' from Timbaland. Either way, here are my brackets:

BRACKET 37
1. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) - I like the Begees, their screamy songs in particular. This is the greatest one.
2. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) - I really don't care much for the other 3 songs, so I'm gonna stick to the ranking AM has.
3. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) - Influental, and still everyone knows it, but is it really that good?
4. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) - Fun song.

BRACKET 38
1. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) - Been waiting for this.. VU has to go on to the next round, Waiting For The Man is friggin awesome.
2. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) - The Jackson 5 have climbed to 30 since the last update, and they deserve it. This is truely timeless. No match for Reed though.
3. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) - Good times baby, good times. Not that great, but better than the JHE.
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) - Another Jimi Hendrix song I just can't seem to appreciate.

BRACKET 39
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) - Very, very tough bracket.. S&G and Bowie's best songs against an awesome Springsteen song. Bowie takes the win home though, with a song that captures me every time.
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) - Gonna have to put Bruce in second, Heroes is just a tad better.
3. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) - Can't believe I'm placing this third.. oh well.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) - Ok song, nowhere close to the heavy competition in this bracket.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) - Easiest bracket in the entire bracketology I'm sure. No way any of the other songs even come remotely close to this masterpiece.
2. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) - Nowhere close.
3. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) - If words could describe how far apart the #1 and #3/#4 in this bracket are, I would say those words. Not that it's a bad song though.
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) - I stick to my point, it's fun to hear her in the club, but she just doesn't belong here.

Too fatigued this week, so comments will be minimal.

BRACKET 37
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) The template for the modern rock song, and it still sounds good to me – more so than most pre-beatles rock.
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) Pretty good disco song (unjustly vilified genre), though I prefer Jive Talkin’ and Disco Inferno from the soundtrack.
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)Trevor Horn knew how to make good pop records.
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) now this is a pre-beatles track that I cannot get with at all.

BRACKET 38
1. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) The greatest disco song and an immortal bass line from the greatest disco act.
2. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) another great bass line, and wonderful bubblegum pop.
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) Good psychedelic song, but melody beats out guitar wankery in my world.
4. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) ugly, ordinary song.

BRACKET 39
1. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) Winner in a very weak bracket. The song’s really lovely, but I don’t like garfunkel’s choirboy vocals.
2. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) I don’t like it much – would be fourth in most brackets for me, but it does work itself up into a pretty good groove by the end.
3. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) I’ve talked about my problems with the boss’s bombastic tendencies before – don’t think I need to repeat myself.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) I don’t know it – ordinarily I’d try to give it a listen, but I’m really too played out tonight.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) #1 obviously.
2. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) girl group music of a sort I don’t care for, but I’ll take it over what’s below.
3. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) just not my cuppa’
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) neither is this.

37
1) "Stayin' Alive" - The song that actually breathed life into disco. Unforgettable, unbelievable, understandably number one.
2) "That'll be the Day" - holds up far better after fifty years than almost any of its peers.
3) "Relax" - I like the 80s, and I guess I like this song, but more as a guilty pleasure than a legitimate song.
4) "The Twist" - good novelty.

38
1) "I Want You Back" - This week, I appear to like really high-pitched vocals. The best of the Motown instrumental parts and a fantastic group effort by the Five.
2) "Voodoo Chile" - What's this doing three spots behind "Relax" on the AM list? That's a crime! The guitar line is masterfully written and performed. A close second.
3) "Waiting for the Man" - I like the VU, but I think this song is overrated. Maybe I just had to be there...
4) "Good Times" - the best sample ever...as an original, I don't know.

39
1) "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Contrary to some of you, I really like Art's lead on this song. I think he sells it. But ultimately it is the song. This is a timeless hymn that should be revered for centuries to come. The lyrics are inspirational and the music enhances that feeling infinitely. I can't say enough about Paul Simon and this is his ultimate triumph.
2) "Thunder Road" - I wish I could put this number one. As I said a couple of weeks ago, Bruce is a hero of mine. This song is a masterpiece of his. The narrative carries the listener into the main characters' lives and holds attention without the use of a refrain. Great songwriting by Bruce, but just a tad short of Simon's achievement. How can you compare, though?
3) "Heroes" - I know I said I'd vote for "Heroes" when I shafted those other two Bowie songs. But I didn't know it's competition at the time. I take it back. I love this song, but it just can't compare to the stellar entries above.
4) "House of Jealous Lovers" - I have also been explicit about my support of recent songs, and I LOVE the Rapture, but I think they surpassed the quality of this song on their most recent album and the songwriting quality definitely doesn't hold a candle to the other three.

40
1) "Nuthin But a G Thang" - Changed the face of music as we know it. Dre's production is phenomenal and original and Snoop's delivery is genius. This song creates a vibe - a distinct sense of time, place and feeling that is still fascinating.
2) "Satisfaction" - It is a killer riff, and a classic performance by Jagger, but it just isn't as endearing a performance as Dre and Snoop's. Jagger comes across as a jerk when I should be sympathizing with his plight. And after the riff...where else does it go?
3) "Work It" - Great Timbaland production, great lyrics and flow...why did I rank it below "Satisfaction"? Ugh, I got sold on the prestige and robbed another newer song of its rightful accolades.
4) "He's a Rebel" - Sure he is, but do you have to sing about it?

BRACKET 37

Relax - 4 points for FgtH, not only for this song but also their great album from which this single was pulled of
Stayin' alive - Best Bee Gees song. I don't know if it's really good but I always like it when I hear it
That'll be the day - Good song but not a favourite one
The twist - His voice sounds like he doesn't make the end of the song

BRACKET 38

Voodoo chile (slight return) - Not much competition for Jimi but he wins easily
Good times - Good disco
Waiting for the man - Sounds great when I listen to the banana album as a whole, but as a single…..? Mwa
I want you back - Not bad at all but also nothing special to me

BRACKET 39

Bridge over troubled water - A song that never bores me. And who cares if it was sung by Garfunkel, that doesn't make it less beautiful
Heroes - Bowie's best, I wouldn't mind if this wins this bracket but personally I can't put it above S&G
Thunder road - I like Bruce Springsteen more for his albums than for his singles. But this is a good piece of music
House of jealous lovers - Not good

BRACKET 40

(I can't get no) Satisfaction - Even I could have written these lyrics but the way they play it makes it a masterpiece
He's a rebel - No masterpiece but there are a lot worse songs and two of them are in this bracket
Work it - Better than Dr, Dre, but that doesn't say very much
Nuthin' but a 'g' thang - I don't like rap, I don't like Dr. Dre and I don't like Snoop doggy dog. Three good reasons for putting this on the fourth place

BRACKET 37
1. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) – The only song in this bracket I really feel strongly about. A true classic, and pretty much the template (along with some of Elvis’ early records) for what a rock and roll band is supposed to sound like.
2. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) – Not necessarily a song I want to listen to every day, but a perfect recording on its own terms.
3. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) – See #2. Frankie say relax, and Harold say Frankie hold up much better than you might have thought.
4. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) – Fun, and culturally significant, but not a great record by any stretch.

BRACKET 38
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) – Packs a pure sonic wallop like almost nothing else I can think of. Sometimes Jimi’s effortless virtuosity is almost invisible, so to speak; that’s decidedly not the case here. He simply cuts loose, and it’s electrifying no matter how many times you hear it.
2. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) – Possibly my favorite track on one of the great albums; some of Lou’s most brilliantly delineated lyrics, and one of the all-time “is that the way it’s -supposed- to sound?” moments when Cale starts pounding the piano at the end.
3. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) – I hate to rank this so low here; it really is one of Motown’s finest moments, so passionately played and sung in all respects that it takes about two seconds to get past the novelty that it’s sung by a ten-year old.
4. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) – This is definitely one of the strongest brackets; this disco classic would have been #2 in Bracket 37 above. Silly lyrics, to be sure, but insanely catchy and gleamingly well-produced.

BRACKET 39
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) – The most improbably anthemic song of Bowie’s career (thanks largely to an improbable Robert Fripp guitar hook), a song that has transcended whatever context it was created in and has been stripped of all irony and complexity via the myriad ways it’s been overused through the years (it’s Bowie’s “Born in the U.S.A.”). But it became what it is because it -is- so brilliantly what it is, if that makes sense.
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) – An anthem that was intended as such, delivered by Artie with stunning purity over an exquisite slow build of an arrangement. You’re lying if you say those string-and-percussion crescendos don’t produce a swell of emotion in you, voluntary or not.
3. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) – Another great slow build to an explosive coda. An instant signal that this album was going to be significantly different from what he’d done before, that he was raising the stakes to try to live up to what his new manager/producer had written about him. Here, it works. Long live the glockenspiel!
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) – I don’t know it that well. Having listened to it several times, can’t say I have much inclination to, either.

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little tired of it by now, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t deserving of its status and an obvious #1 here. To listen with fresh ears, track down the stereo mix and realize how being able to hear Brian’s acoustic underneath Keith’s riff deepens the dynamics of the whole thing.
2. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) – Where Spector really became Spector for the first time. The Wall isn’t present in all its glory just yet, but Phil (and writer Gene Pitney) had an innate sense of what Young America needed to hear, and Darlene Love and the rest of the faux-Crystals delivered it and then some.
3. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) – For better or worse, another of those “before and after” records. Hugely influential on the genre, and with good reason.
4. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) – Brazenly hilarious in its decidedly unladylike aggressiveness; brings up the, uh, rear here only by default. The first couple of times I heard it, I thought the elephant bray was a particularly creative radio edit; the fact that, nope, it’s actually there in the original is sheer genius.

BRACKET 37
34. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)
162. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960)
95. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
223. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983)

BRACKET 38
226. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968)
159. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967)
31. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)
98. Chic, “Good Times” (1979)

BRACKET 39
66. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
63. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
191. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002)
194. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975)

BRACKET 40
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962)
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
127. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993)
130. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002)

BRACKET 37
1. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) - The best disco song of all time
2. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) - I love the whole "Welcome..." album
3. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) - Very entertaining
4. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) - I have nothing against Buddy, but this is really nothing special at all.

BRACKET 38
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) - Fantastic solo intro, fantastic song.
2. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) - I love the beat and the original is always best!
3. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) - Great song, but it doesn't move me like the two above.
4. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) - Again, I put the highest ranked song at the end. I'm really tired of this one.

BRACKET 39
1. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) - One of the most loveable songs ever
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) - Beautiful, but it doesn't hold as many listens as Heroes.
3. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) - I can understand that this song means so much to some.
4. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) - Don't seem to fit in here, as everyone has it at #4...

BRACKET 40
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) - Can it get easier to pick a number one!!!!!!!!!
127. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) - Flow
130. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) - A funny joke...
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) - Nothing to care about

BRACKET 40
1. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) - Can it get easier to pick a number one!!!!!!!!!
2. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) - Flow
3. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) - A funny joke...
4. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) - Nothing to care about

I was out of town. I hope this gets in in time.

BRACKET 37
95. The Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive” (1977) SO AWESOME! Maybe it's just because I've recently been on a disco kick, but this song is amazing and still gets me grooving. God bless you Bee Gees.
34. Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) Buddy Holly's finest song, and a fine one indeed.
223. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax” (1983) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPLrXFw76Qg
I feel bad putting it at three because of that video. Plus, how many songs give you such truly great advise?
162. Chubby Checker, “The Twist” (1960) The Twist is a pretty awesome song, but without getting to experience the craziness that accompanied it I feel that I've never been able to truly get this song.

BRACKET 38 - This bracket is about the guitar
31. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969) I love the guitars in the song. There's that rhythmic one chord being repeated in the most perfect beat ever that interplays with the main guitar that adds these great little trills throughout. The interplay is perfect and when this song was made it wasn't creepy that Michael wanted to touch kids.
98. Chic, “Good Times” (1979) Another wonderful funky guitar part that makes you want to dance. I'll give it to the five just because I've heard that song more.
159. The Velvet Underground, “Waiting for the Man” (1967) In no way funky, but Lou's playing just oozes along in a way that makes me want to buy drugs now.
226. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (1968) I feel this is a good time to explain my position on guitar solos. They can be great and technical and impossible to replicate, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're particularly interesting to listen to. If that were the case, Steve Vai would be more influential than the Beatles and Stones combined. Thus, this is the song I'd least like to hear in this bracket.

BRACKET 39
194. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” (1975) I'm currently in the center of mancrush on Bruce Springsteen. Honestly, this song should be studied in songwriting 101 because it's so vivid and a great story.
66. David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977) My favorite Bowie (I doubt I'm alone). I love Bowie's vocal delivery in the song. He just REALLY wants us to be Heroes.
191. The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” (2002) I love to dance and I love to dance to this song. It was a little annoying at first, but The Rapture have finally won me over.
63. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) It's a pretty song, but a little too bombastic. I mean, do any songs ever need canons that aren't the 1812 Overture (I'm sure it was probably just a drum, but still)?

BRACKET 40
2. The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) This is one of my least favorite Stones songs just because it's horribly overplayed. However, given the competition there's really no other choice. But for me this would've been fourth in Brackets 37 and 38 and last in Bracket 39.
127. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (1993) I like the slyness of this song, but Dre was never really my thing.
130. Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, “Work It” (2002) I like it better than the other Missy song we voted for. That's not much of a compliment.
255. The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962) Hadn't heard it before. Probably won't hear it again.

Hope this counts! I've been quite sick this week, so haven't had the energy to dedicate to this!

B37: Solid!

1. Bee Gees- "Stayin' Alive": irresistible dance groove, filled with sexy swagger and chic. Perfect!

2. Frankie Goes to Hollywood- "Relax": Monstrous synth anthem that really showcased the theme of the 80s. Wonderful.

3. Buddy Holly- "That'll Be the Day": I'm a Buddy Holly fan in waiting, and I can get with this.

4. Chubby Checker- "The Twist": Important, but unfortunately it can't compete with the others for me.

B38: Strong!

1. The Velvet Underground- "Waiting for the Man": Chugging, stomping and fitting of the drug-induced tantrum that it is, it jumps out of the speakers after the ethereal "Sunday Morning".

2. Chic- "Good Times": Disco perfection. Chic achieved the loftiest of heights in the disco era (along with Donna Summer), and this song is near the pinnacle. Unfortunately, "I Want Your Love" isn't acclaimed enough to be here, or it would be number 1.

3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience- "Voodoo Chile": I can't believe this only ranks number 3! I was blown away on first listen, and still am!

4. The Jackson 5- "I Want You Back"- Cute, but out of its league here.

B39: So-so

1. David Bowie- "Heroes": Bowie gets an easy win here with his paranoid yet uplifting anthem. While there are many other songs I would choose to annoint from his Berlin era, this one is ace as well.

2. The Rapture- "House of Jealous Lovers": I'm a bit of a "Get Myself Into It" guy myself, but this'll do.

3. Bruce Springsteen- "Thunder Road": It's ok- not really my kind of thing.

4. Simon Garfunkel- "Bridge Over Troubled Water": I know it's important and legendary, but it doesn't do it for me.

B40: The urban funk bracket!

1. Missy- "Work It": I'm appalled at the tepid (and that is putting it mildly) response to this song. Missy is responsible for the most creative, mind-bending and fun urban music to come out in the past 10 years.

2. Dr. Dre- "Nuthin' But a G Thang": I used to hate it, but that groove creeped its way into my brain. So just chill, bitches, until the next episode- ya dig?!

3. Rolling Stones- "Satisfaction": Yes, it has a monstrous guitar lick and pretty much defines rock 'n roll. But I prefer my funk, damn it!

4. The Crystals- "He's a Rebel": Can't compete with the top 3.