Coming to you live from underneath the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin, here’s Week 11 of the first round. Sixteen more songs ready for their close-up.

Ballots due by midnight US Central time, Saturday, August 25.

BRACKET 41
42. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991)
87. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)
170. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970)
215. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968)

BRACKET 42
23. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977)
106. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)
151. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984)
234. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988)

BRACKET 43
55. Pulp, “Common People” (1995)
74. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)
183. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981)
202. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958)

BRACKET 44
10. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963)
119. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)
138. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978)
247. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966)

You might also want to check out the other tournament, the BNIT, where the last brackets of the first round are up for your consideration this week.

BRACKET 41
42. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) - The weirdest lyrics ever, but I can never get enough of this song. Absolutely fantastic.
215. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) - It's like every track with the word 'Born' in the title is a masterpiece. Born Slippy (NUXXX), the two Springsteen tracks, and now this one.
87. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) - Not my favorite Elvis track, but it doesn't have to be to be amazing.
170. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) - Good song for the genre, but no match to the other 3.


BRACKET 42
23. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) - I prefer this song over Anarchy in the U.K., and it's somewhere in my top 25 for sure.
151. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) - Excellent, excellent song, would have gone #1 in a lot of brackets.
106. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) - Hank Williams is not my thing, it's just too old I guess. A little better than Teenage Riot though.
234. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) - Never could appreciate Sonic Youth.

BRACKET 43
55. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) - My favorite song ever!
183. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) - A star is born! Excellent song.
202. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) - Not that great a song, but better than Hendrix.
74. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) - Hendrix' best is still not good enough to beat the other 3.

BRACKET 44
10. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) - Best song in a weak bracket.
119. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) - Ok song, nothing too special.
138. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) - A little boring.
247. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) - Meh, just meh.

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991): Like U2’s “One”, the strength of this song is simplicity and flow; when you listen to it, it doesn’t sound like it was formed by taking a verse written one day and a chorus written a different day; it just sounds seamless, like it unfolded naturally and probably took mere minutes to compose. Stipe’s lyrics are ambiguous without being baffling, and that mandolin!… sublime. (better than “Maggie May” – sorry Harold). The double-time violin stabs at 3’04” are superb also; gives the impression of a tempo change without one actually occurring. This isn’t my favorite REM song (definitely top 5 though), and Out of Time is a mediocre effort compared to the stronger, more cohesive Automatic For The People, but "Losing My Religion" is a definite high point of the band’s catalogue and a true standout track from the 90s.
2. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970): Ozzy Osbourne: one-time heavy metal god turned babbling reality TV whore. This one's a distant 2nd. And when I say distant, I'm talking Earth-to-the-f$%#ing-Oort cloud distant.
3. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955): What is with the preponderance of Elvis songs in the top 256? I just don't get it.
4. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (196 : Like "Free Bird", there are so many things wrong with this song, it's mindboggling how it ever became popular. I absolutely despise this one; it makes me angry just having to comment on it.


BRACKET 42
1. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984): It’s 80s and it’s cheesy – I know. It shouldn’t get the top spot, but the fact of the matter is that of the four songs in this bracket, this is quite honestly the only one that wouldn’t be skipped on my iPod. Guilty as charged. But here’s my case: if you can get past the largely unimpressive rhythm section, the song has a catchy synth riff, cool (yet predictable) guitar histrionics from Eddie (with trademark two-handed tapping, I might add), and amusing vocals from a pre-scat Diamond Dave. You can't help but sing along “might as well, JUMP!” For the few minutes of feeling like a complete tool, the ear-candy is worth it. Defense rests.
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977): I love a good verbal attack on the monarchy as much as the next guy, but I have to relegate this to second place. Yes, the band essentially started punk in the UK, whipped up a fury of controversy in the process, and inspired legions of bands. And if we're handing out #1's based on a band's resume, this song would get the top spot. But we're not. At the end of the day this is a song that I never have a craving to hear. In fact, not once have I ever thought to myself “gosh, I haven’t heard ‘Bollocks’ in a while – maybe I should put it on.” I mean, I appreciate its place in the canon of rock, but it’s one of those albums that merely exists, nothing more nothing less. Had I been born in London circa 1960, the album would probably be a favorite, sure. Or if I was a bigger fan of punk music at present, perhaps the song would be ranked higher. But I’m neither, so the song gets three points (one of those points is for Johnny Rotten calling the r n’r hall of fame a “piss stain”.)
3. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (198 : The intro with the stereo effects is alright, but by and large, the song doesn't strike me as anything special.
4. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949): Songwriting for Dummies, Rule #12: if you're going to write a sad song, it should include at least one minor chord.

BRACKET 43
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (196 : Quintessential Hendrix. Great energy, beautiful phrasing, psychedelic stereo effects, and amazing guitar playing. This one is a guitarist's wet-dream; Hendrix puts on a soloing clinic and demonstrates his genius with the Strat and Vox wah pedal (and shows he's no slouch with the bass guitar either.) I don’t know how JMH did it, but each guitar solo is better than the one before it (and the solo at 2'00" was done with a lighter in place of a slide – bonus points for creativity!) Arguably the greatest cover of all time, it's become the definitive version of the song - even Dylan said so. But that’s neither here nor there; the song is brilliant. Bravo James Marshall. Bravo.
2. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (195 : The origins of piano rock. Love the boogie woogie playing style.
3. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981): Now this is an 80's hit that I can get behind! Much, much better than "Relax", but still not as good as "We Built This City" (which is not in the top 256. How sad.) Just keeding.
4. Pulp, “Common People” (1995): Guess now I know where the Killers got their sound.

BRACKET 44
1. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966): What can I say, I'm a Hendrix fan. Not his best song, but still worthy of #1 here.
2. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963): The top ten placing is questionable (top 50 I could see), but that aside, this song is proof that it doesn't take a lot of chords to make a great song - this one has three.
3. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971): I'm not sure the sax is completely necessary, but whatever. Decent.
4. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (197 : Full marks for having something intelligent to say, but I like the other three songs more.

With the exception of bracket 41, this is—by far—the toughest week yet for me. Ah, well….into the breach:

Bracket 41
1. R.E.M., “LOSING MY RELIGION”: My favorite band. Their most-acclaimed, iconic song. What else am I gonna vote for? Anyway, this might be Peter Buck’s finest hour (now THAT’S mandolin-pickin’).
2. BLACK SABBATH, “PARANOID”: The best metal (as with Motörhead a couple of weeks ago) is the stuff like this that truly feels demented, as opposed to just posing as demented. The live version is essential here—Ozzy sounded almost as damaged in 1971 as he does today.
3. ELVIS PRESLEY, “MYSTERY TRAIN”: This is corny, but I always think of this song as the arrival of Elvis Presley at the beginning of rock and roll. A lot of fun—especially all the trademark vocal hiccups and burbles.
4. STEPPENWOLF, “BORN TO BE WILD”: I like 15 of 16 songs this week. This one I actively hate…the next time I hear this song on a wasn’t-the-60s-great movie soundtrack, I’m puttin’ my foot through the screen.

Bracket 42: I don’t think there’s been a bracket yet where the songs were as diverse as they are here. This is like comparing apples to cameras to llamas to moonlight.
1. SEX PISTOLS, “GOD SAVE THE QUEEN”: Here’s the dirty little secret about punk—underneath the rude lyrics and intentionally crappy performances, it’s all about pop as finely-crafted as you’ll find. So, even when Johnny sounds like he’s about to blow his spleen out on that last “NNNOOOOO future!,” you’re listening to something with Lieber/Stoller, Spector, and Lennon/McCartney in its DNA. (That comment would make Johnny sneer and McLaren snigger up his sleeve.)
2. HANK WILLIAMS, “I’M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY”: I’m not entirely clear why this, and not “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” is his most highly acclaimed song. But it’s Hank Frickin’ Williams. No, of course it’s not technically very accomplished, and the lyrics are very trite—the brilliance is the emotion of the performance. And I’m a sucker for lugubrious country fiddle.
3. SONIC YOUTH, “TEENAGE RIOT”: Took me a few years to really appreciate this one, but I came around. Good power-pop epics are very, very rare, and I wish I could rank this higher.
4. VAN HALEN, “JUMP”: Van Halen is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I realize this song is here for historic reasons, but at best it’s the third-best song on 1984 (I’m glad to see that “Panama” will be featured in the movie Superbad).

Bracket 43
1. LITTLE RICHARD, “GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY”: My favorite song of the 1950s. Frankly, I’ve been shocked at the lack of love for LR around here. A well-structured performance (wonderful progression in the horn section) supporting Little Richard’s trademark hollerin’, piano-playin’ and foot-stompin’…if this doesn’t rock you and roll you, what on earth can?
2. PULP, “COMMON PEOPLE”: Don’t hold me to this, but this might be the best song of the last 15 years—certainly the best anthem, anyway. Only Jarvis Cocker could make a virtue out of not being as clever as he thinks he is.
3. THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, “ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER”: How good is this bracket? This masterpiece, with Hendrix performing ferociously while singing Dylan’s most apocalyptic lyrics…is #3.
4. HUMAN LEAGUE, “DON’T YOU WANT ME”: Great fun, but not in the same League as the other 3 songs…and the lyrics are cringeworthy.

Bracket 44
1. THE KINGSMEN, “LOUIE LOUIE”: In the words of Spinal Tap, there’s a fine line between stupid and clever. This song is that line. One of my two or three favorite songs of the 1960s, and no I’m not kidding. And can you spot the four-letter word? (Hint: It’s not in the lyrics.)
2. THE CLASH, “(WHITE MAN) IN HAMMERSMITH PALAIS”: Wonderful tarted-up ska. My “vocals-don’t-really-matter” aesthetic has its roots in Joe Strummer.
3. JIMI HENDRIX, “HEY JOE”: Jimi gets swamped again. Despite what jonmarck said a few weeks ago about JMH’s greatness being his songwriting ability (which, I admit, is underappreciated), this one is great simply as a bravura psychedelic cover of a 12-bar blues.
4. T. REX, “GET IT ON (BANG A GONG)”: Influential and a lot of fun…listening to it for the first time in a while, I’m surprised by how cute and domesticated it sounds now.

This isn't a tough week for me but I can tell that a bunch of my picks are going to get trounced.

BRACKET 41
1. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) - After Black Sabbath recorded this the label changed the name of the album from War Pigs to Paranoid. It wasn't because they liked the song though, even the band considered it filler, they just didn't want a backlash from Vietnam war supporters.
2. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) - In Canada we have a different, better REM that we call the Tragically Hip. It's not as pretentious and they prefer to sing about things like Road Apples (hockey pucks made of cowshit) and Polar Bears. Their Losing My Religion is called Nautical Disaster.
3. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) - Anthem of its time. The type of song with such pure emotion it defines its genre. They're Canadians too.
4. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) - What, 3 Elvis tracks to go?

BRACKET 42
1. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) - I believe it. Though pretty much every one of the 36000 cover versions sound better than the original few match its honesty.
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) - This is turning into a skipper song for me on NMTB. If it weren't for the fact that it takes a shot at the monarchy I doubt anyone would listen to it.
3. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) - I feel like a 5 year old listening to this song. The most unabashedly exciting synth line and a simple suggestion. Sure, I'll jump.
4. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) - I think people are intimidated by pretentious art so they acclaim it because it's not as scary as having to find a fault.

BRACKET 43
1. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) - Jarvis Cocker simultaneously shows why he should and shouldn't be the most undeservedly unknown pop star.
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) - Dylan doesn't under stand musical power. He relies on his words and attitude to give sincerity to a song. Hendrix, thankfully, understands music muscle quite well.
3. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) - There are many things I want and none of them are you.
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) - I think of Little Richard as a cheap Chuck Berry.

BRACKET 44
1. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) - Hendrix's second cover this week fares better because it's against easier competition. It's a solid tune.
2. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) - I still can't find a reasonably priced copy of Electric Warrior anywhere. It's like T. Rex is a moment in the past that record stores are trying to bury.
3. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) - This is an odd choice for top 256. I don't even think it's in the Clash's top 256. Still, another bright point on their already shining debut.
4. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) - Recorded with one mic suspended from the rafters. Try explaining THAT to Mutt Lange.

As a fellow Canadian, I can totally attest to the Tragically Hip's status as one of the worst bands to ever come from north of the 49th. They sing about cow crap and Canadian wildlife - how much more proof do you need? How about the fact that their success outside of Canada is marginal at best. More? Their target market is rig pigs, oil workers and construction workers; call them the I-barely-graduated working-man's band.

jonmarck - that was the point you were trying to make, right?

Actually I'm a huge hip fan and can tell you that they're actually very well known and respected outside of Canada. The States never caught on but they have large fanbases in countries such as Australia and the Netherlands. In fact the reason why they're so appreciated is because they don't babble incoherently like Michael Stipe. They actually sing real songs about real things in a way no one else has ever or will ever again because Gord Downie's literate-yet-rural style is one-of-a-kind. Unlike what Anthony believes their fanbase is spread across the entire demographic. You're just as likely to see a 20 year old biology major as a 50 year old construction worker or as a 40 year old female english school teacher at a hip show. Some have called them Canada's best kept secret. Those people are idiots. The Tragically Hip aren't a secret.

They're just a band that I've never been into. Aside from the fact that they're good musicians, I just can't find any merit whatsoever in what they do. (other than "Nautical Disaster", which I will admit is a well-crafted song.)

I'm especially tired of the ties to Canadian patriotism; I can't count how many times I've gotten the "You don't like The Hip? But you're Canadian!" line. I'm starting to grow tired of justifying my dislike, and I'm confused as to why they haven't broken through in the States if they are indeed a quality band.

B41
1. Mystery Train (it matches neither the sax driven spookiness of Junior Parker's original nor the bubblegum soul outrage of Sam The Sham, but it definitely belongs to one of my deepest lviscera shakedowns)
- and there goes the bubbling under section again:
2. Paranoid
3. Losing My Religion
4. Born To Be Wild (3 ultimate though likable tracks that shouldn't'd been included on a rock mixtape back those days when mixtapes still existed... unless you didn't aim for uniqueness)

B42
1. God Save The Queen (a couple of years ago a young guy in an overcrowded Italian supermarket suddenly left the till just to turn up the radio nearby that was playing that song at the moment.. it immediately brought the spirit and the fever it once possessively owned back directly to my mind. and once more I recognized - that royal dump ground slur was made to stay, so..)
2. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (quote Anthony: "Rule #12: if you're going to write a sad song, it should include at least one minor chord" - Rule #13: add a 'cry' to the title. then even okies from mustknowthese can salute to that tear-in-my-beer-content Hank himself was afraid to have coded it much too saturatedly)
3. Teen.Age Riot (a territory the Feelies never would set foot on. it grows with every year passing the 2000's)
4. Jump (though it was Eruption to manipulate Marty McFly's unstable dad, my mind still merges Jump and Back To The Future to the same genuine and streamlined heart the middle of the 1980's have nostalgically stood for (and that includes The Power Of Love as well). plain catchy and simple childhood memoires)

B43
1. Common People (it spreads much too much paul-weller-anger to reveal the camp and glossy magazine narcissm inside. breathtaking)
2. All Along The Watchtower (how could he do this? he crippled three dozens of self written songs by his unapologetically off jacking fender, but this one snowblinds Dylan nearly into folk roots dyslexia)
3. Don't You Want Me (social paranoia is much stronger than love. in your face,
ya stinky uptown girl)
4. Good Golly Miss Molly (bias marking: oh lawd, why the many cover versions? the original is still fine with me)

B44
1. Louie Louie (one of the rare moments both the original and the cover version were born by the same foetus but fizzed out two different overwhelmingly handsome mothers)
2. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (so much for the riot)
3. Get It On (a greased boogie woogie diamond shag mahal... nothing more, nothing less)
4. Hey Joe (I STILL prefer the Leaves' version)

"I'm especially tired of the ties to Canadian patriotism; I can't count how many times I've gotten the "You don't like The Hip? But you're Canadian!" line.

any idea how sick Senegalese people can get when you 24/7ingly tie them to Youssou N'Dour? excuse my intervention, but i'm still much too much into Wolf Parade, Joni Mitchell, Marshall McLuhan, Jack Kerouac, David Cronenberg, Jim Carrey and the Trailer Park Boys when it comes to Canada's brightest stepping stones of (even unwilling) self fuelled patriotism? so sorry, I'm only European... but The Hip happened to be merely an insider connaissance semicolon upon these shores...

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) - Great 90's alternative pop.
2. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) - A favorite from the King
3. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) - A favorite metal tune.
4. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) - I'm sick of it, but it was used to perfection as the backdrop for Albert Brooks' mobile-home escape from L.A. in "Lost in America," so that's worth something...

BRACKET 42
1. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) - She ain't no human bein' No. 1 for that line alone.
2. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) - The most celebrated Hank Sr. track, but not my favorite one.
3. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) - the real grunge...
4. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) - yuck

BRACKET 43
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) - Best Dylan cover and, imo, best Hendrix track. It just works perfectly.
2. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) - Great song that would win most brackets for me.
3. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) - Another great tune. Hated it when it first came out. Love it now.
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) - This was a tough bracket for me. Tough to put LR last, but I have to. The CCR cover is good too.

BRACKET 44
1. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) - Yes, we have heard it a million times and it is incredibly simple, but, for me, this song IS rock'n'roll... Winner of my favorite bracket yet.
2. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) - Super-close call, but I am going with this one over the Clash because I think T. Rex is criminally underrated. The chunky guitar riff just makes me happy. The lyrics are kind of stupid, but I'm more of a sound person than a words person.
3. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) - I love this tune and cannot believe that I am putting it third. This bracket really gets me.
4. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) - See comment above. By far my all-time favorite 4th place pick.

Hey Anthony - you do realize 'We Built this city' is considered one of the worst songs of all time right?

Really? I love it as well.

BRACKET 41
42. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991)
87. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)
170. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970)
215. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968)

For sheer mystique, "Mystery Train" grabs me everytime. After that, the heavy metal anticipating kick of "Born to be Wild" and Stipe's lovely "Losing my Religion". Sabbath comes last..mostly because I've only learned to appreciate them in the last 2 years. They could move up in the future.

BRACKET 42
23. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977)
106. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)
151. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984)
234. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988)

Pretty weak bracket for me. Hank practically defines country with "I'm So Lonesome..." so it's a walkaway here. Van Halen hop into #2 with the pretty good "Jump" (although it's that seismic keyboard riff that makes the song not Eddie's guitar). I don't really know the Sonic Youth tune but that Pistols album is one of the most overrated discs ever IMHO so that gives Youth #3 by default. Since I have to give it SOMEthing, Vicious and co. get last.

BRACKET 43
55. Pulp, “Common People” (1995)
74. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)
183. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981)
202. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958)

"Good Golly" is 100% adrenaline in the top spot. After that, Hendrix's slow boiler "Watchtower" (it starts to boil over after Jimi sings "And the wind...began to HOWL!". Synth delight "Don't you Want Me" still holds up in 3rd. I like the Pulp tune but still don't know it well enoigh to give it more than 4th.

BRACKET 44
10. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963)
119. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)
138. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978)
247. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966)

Tough choices here. "Louie Louie" never fails to bring a smile and force a singalong so it takes 1st place. Hendrix's "Hey Joe" after that and The Clash's "White Man" 3rd. The T. Rex tune is only good for me when I'm in the mood so it settles for the cellar.

BRACKET 41
1- R.E.M., “Losing My Religion”
2- Black Sabbath, “Paranoid”
3- Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train”
4- Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild”

BRACKET 42
1- Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot”
2- Van Halen, “Jump”
3- Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen”
4- Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”

BRACKET 43
1- The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me”
2- Pulp, “Common People”
3- The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower”
4- Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly”

BRACKET 44
1- T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)”
2- The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais”
3- Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe”
4- The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie”

"We Built This City" is an awful song.

My comment about its unfortunate absence from the top 256 was a joke, hence the "just keeding" remark.

no need for excuses, Anthony. seems that only the simple minded people got that right. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now ever was and will be the only option - Mannequin is Jesus Christ

BRACKET 41 - Tough bracket
42. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) One of R.E.M.'s (talk about fun with punctuation) finest song, which is definitely a big statement with R.E.M.
87. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) An early classic Elvis song.
215. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) A great song, but unfortunately it's one that I'm never craving to hear. That's probably because I've heard it so many times that I can hum it now.
170. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) My first instinct was to put this ahead of Steppenwolf since it is a great song, but I don't have it on my comp and haven't missed it, so I guess my subconscious likes Steppenwolf more.


BRACKET 42
23. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) It's amazing that it took me so long to finally get the Sex Pistols' album considering how awesome it is. This and Anarchy are a total 1-2 combo.
234. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) I don't care for Sonic Youth like I probably should. I think Daydream Nation as a whole is horribly overrated, but I listen to this song almost religiously because it's wonderful.
106. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) A great song (as is Al Green's version). Just not my favorite.
151. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) I got over spandex in 1985.


BRACKET 43
55. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) Perfect in every way shape and form.
74. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) I can't believe this is in 2nd because I never get tired of it and it is the greatest cover this side of "Respect."
183. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) Can't say that I'd heard this song before which is odd because these great 80s synth pop songs usually product a "that was who did this?" reaction. Oh, and as I was typing this the chorus came and now I strike the first sentence from the record.
202. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) Sorry Little Richard, I could never get over your silly lyrics.

BRACKET 44
138. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) I just got this song about two months ago and have listened to it about 20 times since then. This is the pre-London Calling masterpiece.
119. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) This song makes me feel dirty in a good way.
247. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) A good Jimi cover, but never struck me as something truly extraordinary.
10. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) I'm not really a Louie Louie hater, per se, but why is this song so loved? There were a million "The" bands with one-hit that also could've been picked up by the music press for years to come, but this was the one that stuck. Whatever.

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” - It's this song and then the rest in Bracket 41. Beautiful mandolin and searching lyrics make this a winner.
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” - Sounds like a Harley Davidson ad to me. Overplayed, but it's fun.
3. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” - A cool train-like rhythm, but it's repetitive.
4. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” - Monster riff, what eighth grader wouldn't love it? (2-4 are really interchangable for me, but I have to put them in some order.)

BRACKET 42
1. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” - I like "Anarchy" and "Holiday" better, but this is another blast of pure punk vitriol. Man, that's a great album.
2. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” - When the word "alternative" meant something. Now alternative is mainstream, and the true alternatives are just obscure.
3. Van Halen, “Jump” - The peak of synthesizers and hair metal. One of the few peaks.
4. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” - I appreciate it from a distance.

BRACKET 43
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” - Hendrix takes a Dylan tune and makes it into the greatest cover of all time.
2. Pulp, “Common People” - I love the story line and exciting pop dynamic. It was a tough choice for me, and I wouldn't mind either song moving on to the next round.
3. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” - An adrenelin rush of '50s rock 'n' roll.
4. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” - Guilty pleasure for me. I recognize it's awful for so many reasons, but it's also catchy and I get a kick out of it. Not enough of a kick to put it higher, though.

BRACKET 44
1. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” - One of my favorite Clash songs. A nice change of pace to the ferocious attack of the rest of their songs on the U.S. version of their debut.
2. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” - The finest sea chantey of all time.
3. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” - Somewhat of a novelty song, but it's fun.
4. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” - Hendrix does a solid rendition, but the source material isn't that great.

Bracket 41:
1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid - Great riff. Rock classic
2. Steppenwolf - Born to be wild - good hard-rocker
3. Elvis - Mystery Train - Good Elvis song (and it has a train in it!!)
4. REM - Losin my religion - too overplayed i guess...

Bracket 42:
1. Van Halen - Jump - Great fun 80's stadium rock
2. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot - great intro
3. Sex Pistols - God Save the queen - hopelessly overrated.
4. Hank Williams - I'm such a crappy songwriter that I could cry - title says it all...

43:
1. Jimi - All along the watchtower - fantastic song. much better than dylan's. Especially the start and the part where hendrix actually sings (shouts!) "all along the watchtower"
2. Pulp - common people - good song. very nice brit pop
3. Human league - okay
4. little richard - ok, enough with the little richard!

44:
1. Jimi - Hey Joe - another hendrix favorite
2. t-rex - get it on - fantastic riff
3. kingsmen - louie louie - classic and nice - but not great - age has taken it's toll
4. clash - i never got early clash

BRACKET 41
1. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) An iconic song and performance.
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) Something of a shame that two of the great metal songs of all time are bunched together here. Born to be Wild gets higher billing from me for it’s punchy rhythm and organ.
3. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) I suppose this is almost as iconic in its way as mystery train, but no way is it as good. pot-smokers and high-school dropouts need something to listen to.
4. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) I see this as another ordinary song from this oh-so-very ordinary and over-praised band.

BRACKET 42
1. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) One of the most perfect songs of all time given one of the greatest performances.
2. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) Great bubblegum metal – an endless source of pleasure.
3. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) A nice touch of melody to go with their noise makes for probably the best SY song. However, I don’t really think it warrants this much acclaim.
4. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) I suppose it could be argued (and perhaps most would) that this is iconic as elvis or the beatles … but where-as the Beatles and Elvis opened up endless possibilities for popular music, the Pistols were a dead end. They gave us a sound that was instantly atrophied, that had absolutely no where to go. DOA, so to speak. F**k them.

BRACKET 43
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) I prefer the Dylan original, but this does have a wonderful wailing solo.
2. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) Effete UK synth-wimps do no lift my skirt, but this is the best and most (maybe only) enduring single to come of the new romantic movement. The blonde from this group was my first pop star crush.
3. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) This rocks hard, and LR camps it up nicely.
4. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) Here I am on the outside looking in again – this generational anthem means squat to me, beyond the fact I find it’s class-bashing lyric kinda irritating. I’m sure it will win this bracket by a healthy margin.

BRACKET 44
1. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) The great garage/frat rock/proto-punk/whatever anthem of the rock era. Stupid and graceless in the best possibly way.
2. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) Mean, threatening and frightening.
3. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) I recognize its greatness, but I just cannot get excited by this band anymore.
4. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) Exciting for the first verse, a snore afterwards.

damosakuzi -

First of all, thank you for making me feel better about Hank Sr. (I was reeling a bit from the "crappy" comment in the preceding post.)

But now for the reason for this post: Your kiss off to the Pistols!? C'mon...

I agree with you that the Sex Pistols were, musically speaking, a sonic dead end. But extreme simplicity is not some that is easily built upon. The greatness of the Pistols was not their contribution to the complexity of rock music! They were great because they (along with the Ramones) trashed so much of the complexity (i.e., bombast and foolishness) that sprung up in the 1970s in the wake of the Beatles. They brought rock'n'roll back to its more base roots. This opened the door for a lot of the great "alternative" music that we heard in the 1980's and 1990's. For instance, both R.E.M. and The Replacements were big fans of the Pistols.

If Rock music were divided up into different eras, the lines of demarcation (i.e., when the eras changed) would be (1) Mid 50's - Sun Records/Elvis to (2) Mid 60's - Beatles/Brithish invasion to (3) Mid 70's - Sex Pistols/Punk to (4) Early 90's - Nirvanna/Commercial "Alternative" Music. Still waiting to identify the next sea change.

I voted the Pistols number one because, in my mind, Never Mind the Bullocks ushered in an entirely new era in rock music.

(You can consider this an addendum to the reasons for my original Pistols vote.)

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) - Not losing the bracket though. No competition.
2. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) - Listening to this makes me almost feel paranoid. Strong!
3. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) - Good rock. Tough competition.
4. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) - Elvis has left the building 30 years ago.

BRACKET 42
1. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) - Again no competition, much better than the rest.
2. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) - Sad and beautiful, I feel for him.
3. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) - Important anti-establishment song, not really beautiful.
4. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) - Fun. Makes me wanna jump and then listen something else.

BRACKET 43
1. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) - Easy choices today. The best of this 16.
2. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) - I really like this disco.
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) - Again Jimi plays the guitar masterfully.
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) - Funny old song.

BRACKET 44
1. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) - Clash has so many good songs, and this is one of the best.
2. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) - Great!
3. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) - Hey Jimi. Nice song.
4. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) - Nice, gets a little bit boring in the long run.

"Still waiting to identify the next sea change."

Gimme some time will ya? I'm working on it!

B41:
1. Losing my religion - Very good song from an overrated album
2. Mystery train - Early Elvis is the only Elvis
3. Born to be wild - OK. That's it.
4. Paranoid - Same as #3 but since I can't stand Ozzy it goes to fourth.

B42:
1. Teenage riot - Very good
2. I'm so lonesome I could cry - I prefer the older style country and this one is one of the best.
3. God save the queen - not a Pistols fan.
4. Jump - I'd jump out of the way of hearing this one everytime.

B43:
1. All along the watchtower - I don't of any Dylan covers which surpass the original but I think this one does it. Good one Jimi!
2. Common people - I don't care for the others. Including this one.
3. Good golly Miss Molly
4. Don't you want me

B44:
1.Hey Joe - I guess I'm a bigger Hendrix fan than I thought. This is a decent song.
2. Louie Louie - Good early rock. Enjoyable.
3. (White man) In Hammersmith Palais - Can't say why I don't like this.
4. Get it on - Not a fan of the T Rex sound.

2.

Bracket 41
1)Black Sabbath - Paranoid:A brilliant blast of protopunk - lyrics I can relate to sometimes
2)Steppenwolf - Born to be wild:The greatest driving song ever probably - good times
3)Elvis Presley - Mystery Train:One of the King's best Sun singles - can't believe it's at #87 though...
4)REM - Losing My Religion:I know it will probably win this bracket anyway but for me it's just overplayed,dull and boring,much like 'Hotel California'

Bracket 42
1)Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen:Kicks serious ass - maybe this and Anarchy are the best 1-2 punch for singles released off an album of all time
2)Hank Williams - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry:My favourite track by Williams - has stood the test of time very well by remaining this high after all these years...
3)Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot:When I heard this the first time,I thought it was the coolest thing ever - sort of gets bland after a while...
4)Van Halen - Jump:Well I sort of like this song but I just hate that genre - all that hair metal stuff,just sounds so horribly dated...

Bracket 43
1)Pulp - Common People:Haven't known this for very long but has fast become one of my all time favourites - they sound far too cultured for rock n'roll. My favourite of the 90s
2)Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower:Made an already fantastic song even better - a masterstroke
3)Little Richard - Good Golly Miss Molly:Another milestone in rockn'roll - useless info:He swiped the music from the piano intro to one one of the BNIT songs this week:Rocket 88
4)Human League - Don't you want me:OK but nothing exceptional - not top 200 material for sure...

Bracket 44
1)T.Rex - Get It On:Irresistable,one of my favourite riffs ever - gotta love T.Rex
2)The Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais:Well when I got it,it wasn't quite as good as I expected,but nevertheless I like the song
3)Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe:Not one of Jimi's standout songs
4)The Kingsmen - Louie Louie:Absolutely appalling - shame on the people that contributed to this getting to NUMBER 10 OF ALL TIME - sure it may be important,but does that mean it's good?

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) - Their biggest hit -and- their best song; brilliantly arranged, with wonderful strings and mandolin. It announced itself instantly as a timeless classic the first time I heard it, and I’ve never gotten tired of it.
2. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) - The culmination of the Sun period, and for some Elvis fans, it never really got any better than this. His whoop at the fadeout is one of rock’s purest moments of sheer joy.
3. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) - A sharp, concise blast that must have been startling after the lengthy indulgences of the debut (and of much of the album that surrounds it as well).
4. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) - Another classic worn out by overuse. Anybody who puts it in a commercial or a movie these days better be using it ironically, although even that’s become a cliché by now.

BRACKET 42
1. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) - A great lead track on a remarkable album. Like most of DAYDREAM NATION, it’s a rhapsodic blend of melody and noise, and they make it sound effortless even when you know how strenuous it is to make music like this.
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) - A verbal and musical letter bomb mailed to Buckingham Palace and sealed with a malevolent grin. Still exhilarating to listen to, mostly due (as usual) to Steve Jones and Paul Cook even more than the front man.
3. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) - A tremendously beautiful song that would probably rank higher if I was more intimately familiar with it.
4. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) - Sorry to put this last, but something has to be. A great single, but give me “Panama” any day.

BRACKET 43
1. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) - Now THIS is a bracket. Everything here is a personal favorite of one kind or another. But picking #1 is no contest: as others here have said, this may well be the finest single of the last 15-20 years. Starts slow and cool and just keeps building and building until by the end it’s breathlessly exciting - and yet, somehow still cool.
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) - Would be an easy #1 in most other brackets. Finest Dylan cover ever, but everyone knows that. An amazingly well-produced record.
3. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) - Did he really get “you sure like to ball” on top 40 radio in 1958? Yes, he did. As great as everything else he did in those years, with a scream leading into the break that sounds like it could have melted the mic.
4. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) - Didn’t sound like anything else on the radio at the time; soon enough, everything sounded like it. Again, it’s last here only by default.

BRACKET 44
1. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) - Yes, it really is that good, partially because on an objective level it’s so -bad-, with its remarkably crappy sound and production so cheap they couldn’t afford a do-over when the singer came in too soon on the last verse. As such, it’s the very definition of an entire genre, and it deserves to be here.
2. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) - Sorry, Jimi, it’s another #2 for you. As a cover it’s every bit as much a reinvention as “Watchtower”; most other versions are far too jaunty, considering the subject matter. Hendrix gives it the darkness it deserves. “And I gave her the gun - I SHOT her!”
3. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) - Its cutting commentary on the then-current British music scene can’t possibly have the same relevance today (and probably didn’t have it even then outside the U.K.), but its essentials ring true, and musically it’s wonderful (although as non-LP singles go, I prefer “Complete Control”).
4. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) - A great single on a great album, but I’d rather hear any of the other three.

This is dedicated to Anthony.

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991)- The band has had some great material, but this may be R.E.M.'s crowning achievement.
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (196 - An anthemic, hair-blowin-in-wind classic. (of course I don't have enough hair to be blowin' in the wind, bu that's besdiess the point.)
3. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970)- Not a big fan of Ozzy or BS (though I know they have a cult following), but this is a decent rocker.
4. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)- OK, this is a fun little ditty. But let's not pretend it holds a train to his best work.

BRACKET 42
1. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977)- Great, clever track. I like the contrast of the biting words regarding the Queen, yet "we love our Queen."
2. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984)- Sure, it may be one of VH's most commercial efforts (OMG, like, did the band use something computerized?)- but it's catchy as heck.
3. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)- I like some old-school country- this one's alright, but it doesn't make me cry (in the way some sad songs so).
4. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (198 - OK, but no real OOMPH in this track.

BRACKET 43
1. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981)- Ok, I LOVE this track. It gets me in a good mood, makes me wanna just sing along and dance- which also makes it a great karaoke track (though I've never done karaoke).
2. Pulp, “Common People” (1995)- This is pretty good- one of the ones in this Bracketology I wasn't familiar with- I may need to investigate me some more Pulp.
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (196 - What can you say? No denying this is a classic track. I'm glad we have/had artists like him, who have things to say and express with their work.
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (195 - Cute number, but I don't get into as much as I do some other trcks from that era.

BRACKET 44
1. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963)- Simple, yes, but undeniable, as well.
2. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)- No big fan, but this one's pretty cool.
3. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (197 - This has a nice, groovy vibe to it (I want to say it's almost "island-like," if that makes any ssense (the music underneath the guitars).
4. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966)- Intense subject matter, yet he makes it sound very casual- not bad.

BRACKET 41 (poor bracket)
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) (This song was always more than a little annoying, even when it was fresh. This is nowhere near R.E.M.'s best. But I like what it did for the pop charts and MTV in the early to mid 90's. Brought that college rock element more into the mainstream. If it had just been "Smells Like Teen Spirit," we would have ben overrun with Nirvana-clines (even more than we were), and that would have been unbearable.)
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) (When it first came out, did it sound as silly as it does now? I suppose it did not, but it has aged remarkably poorly. However, listneing to it again, I will concede that it is actually not bad straight-ahead rock.)
3. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) (The Ozzy/Sabbath cult is a mystery to me. In his heyday, he was an affectless, bland singer. I prefer the cartoon character that he has become.)
4. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) (Poor version of the blues. He's much better elsewhere.)

BRACKET 42 (Very good bracket)
1. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) (I took a long time to warm to Sonic Youth. I actively disliked them for a while. Finally I got it, after listening to my roommate play Goo and Dirty a few hundred times. It completed the turnover of my previous, narrow, classic-rock-only mindset. So I now have a warm place in my heart for them (especially after I saw Thurston and Kim on the subway taking Coco back home from seeing the Lion King!). Listening to this song reminds me of how simply they create a sound and a feel that other bands try to match but can't.)
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) (I'm on an extended break from the Sex Pistols. I'll ease them back in to my iPod running mix eventually, just as Johnny Rotten intended. This is a great song, particularly for pumping your fist, getting the blood rushing, and imagining that you're a dead-end jobless geezer in 70's-era London. Doesn't envelop me like Sonic Youth, though.)
3. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) (Boy, I was watching too much MTV at this time. And of course, this became the third most played song on the school piano, behind Chopsticks and Heart and Soul. One of those songs where there are multiple great, catchy hooks in one song. Nonsense lyrics.)
4. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) (I like Cassandra Wilson's cover version. Everyone goes on about Williams' wonderful mournful voice, and I just don't hear it. There are other country singers, and songs, that move me far more.)

BRACKET 43 (Another very good bracket)
1. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) (Very hard to rank the top three here. Could go in almost any order. I like this tops because of the huge build of the song. Starting with cheap, tinny synths, Cocker weaves his story at the forefront. His voice builds with the arrangement, crescendoing to the anthemic "la la la's." The sneering class-consciousness, which I often find tedious, is different and much more palatable here.)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) (Jimi's greatest vocals completely transforms an otherwise-minor entry in the Dylan songbook. The arrangement behind the song is great, as is the guitar solo (of course). Very minor quibble... loses focus before the fade out.)
3. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) (My wife and I were debating great duets the other day, and we agree on this one. A well-crafted 80's gem... another song with multiple catchy hooks.)
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) (I have been overly harsh on Little Richard this tourney, and this is one I actually like. But this song is outclassed by the others here.)

BRACKET 44
1. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) (I've got a soft spot for when two voices sing the same line in multiple octaves, as with the chorus here. I'm not saying it's as good as some of the Stones' best, but it takes those songs and adds even more theatricality... creating glam rock.)
2. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) (A fun mess.)
3. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) (Good riff, and bass line. The song itself is triesome.)
4. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) (A great Stummer vocal, but only an OK song.)

I realized that the way I listed my choices the first time are confusing (if you don't read the explanations, you might order them incorrectly) so I'm reposting with the songs in the order I chose them. If you've already tabbed it up schluese, this hopefully doesn't affect things:

BRACKET 41
1. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968)
3. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991)
4. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970)

For sheer mystique, "Mystery Train" grabs me everytime. After that, the heavy metal anticipating kick of "Born to be Wild" and Stipe's lovely "Losing my Religion". Sabbath comes last..mostly because I've only learned to appreciate them in the last 2 years. They could move up in the future.

BRACKET 42
1. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)
2. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984)
3. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988)
4. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977)

Pretty weak bracket for me. Hank practically defines country with "I'm So Lonesome..." so it's a walkaway here. Van Halen hop into #2 with the pretty good "Jump" (although it's that seismic keyboard riff that makes the song not Eddie's guitar). I don't really know the Sonic Youth tune but that Pistols album is one of the most overrated discs ever IMHO so that gives Youth #3 by default. Since I have to give it SOMEthing, Vicious and co. get last.

BRACKET 43
1. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)
3. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981)
4. Pulp, “Common People” (1995)

"Good Golly" is 100% adrenaline in the top spot. After that, Hendrix's slow boiler "Watchtower" (it starts to boil over after Jimi sings "And the wind...began to HOWL!". Synth delight "Don't you Want Me" still holds up in 3rd. I like the Pulp tune but still don't know it well enoigh to give it more than 4th.

BRACKET 44
1. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963)
2. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966)
3. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978)
4. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)

Tough choices here. "Louie Louie" never fails to bring a smile and force a singalong so it takes 1st place. Hendrix's "Hey Joe" after that and The Clash's "White Man" 3rd. The T. Rex tune is only good for me when I'm in the mood so it settles for the cellar.

Thanks, Greg. No, I figured out what you were doing...it was your ballot, so I didn't want to tell you your business. But, to be honest, this version does make my bookkeeping a little easier.

Hey, does anybody know how to disable auto-smiley so that (1968) or other years ending in 8) don't turn into cool smileys?

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991): I was a long-time R.E.M. fan by then, but when they released this song as a single in 1991 they broke into mainstream (at least in Spain they were ubiquitous at the time). I was happy then thinking that they were no sell outs, simply they have achieved its biggest hit with his better song so far.
2. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955): pure Sun Records-style, there were even mistakes in the released take (at 1’48” Elvis rushes in with his “train, train” too soon). But this was Phillips style, the definitive take was not the most perfect, it was the one with more feeling. And this one had lots of it.
3. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968): the quintessential 60 song about motorcycle freedom, inseparable from the brilliant “Easy Rider” movie.
4. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970): great single from one of the pioneers of heavy metal, only slightly inferior to the previous three.

BRACKET 42
1. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977): powerful punk anthem, it includes a line originally dedicated to the Queen of England that became the leitmotif of all punk generation: “No Future!”
2. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988): another powerful anthem, this time for the indie generation, for the Daydream Nation.
3. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949): I’m so sad for putting this wonder at #3 that I could cry.
4. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984): in Spain we call this garrulo, that I could best define as the opposite of stylish and classy (but not in a positive sense at all).

BRACKET 43
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower”: if only for the four-part guitar solo in the second half of the song (1º bluesy with string bending 2º with slide and echo 3º with his landmark wah wah 4º with madly funky rhythm) had deserved the #1 spot, but there’s the Dylan lyrics too…
2. Pulp, “Common People” (1995): very clever lyrics in a brilliant musical envelope, one of 90s best. And, yes, being poor is not cool at all.
3. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981): recently saw them on stage, the song hasn’t lost any of its power and fascination (I can’t say the same about Oakey’s hair).
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly”: the previous two Little Richard songs in Bracketology were better.

BRACKET 44
1. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971): funny, devastating, resounding number from the Glam icon. The sound of the seventies.
2. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966): cool guitar playing, drumming and singing. I love the mariachi cover by Willy Deville too.
3. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963): grossly overrated (#10 of all-time?!), but anyway a funny slice of 60s garage rock.
4. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais”: I like The Clash a lot and hate to relegate them to #4, but I would choose anything from half of its repertoire than this one.

Yes, tick "Disable smileys"...


Surely, the smileys are quite annoying at times. But a lot of times they are fun too, and help expressing yourself.

I think there is an option for me to remove the whole smiley function, but at least for me they're more fun than annoying.

oh, I've got no problem with smileys (don't use them myself, though)--but a few folks have been accidentally (?) conveying that every song that came out in a year ending in 8 is cooool.

BRACKET 41
1. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970)-Hard and exciting track.
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968)-A lot of fun, hard to resist.
3. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)-Classic early Elvis.
4. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991)-Just don't care for it, sounds too much like the mounds and mounds of emo rock out today to me.

BRACKET 42
1. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984)-Tremendous synth line.
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977)-Pretty exhilerating and very anti-establishment, it's good.
3. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988)-Very good melody.
4. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)-Great pioneering track but not one I'd want to listen to all that much.

BRACKET 43
1. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958)-It sounds like kind of a novelty now, but still it's got the great piano boogie-woogie sound, very fun to listen to.
2. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981)-Exciting disco.
3. Pulp, “Common People” (1995)-Good tune, but not that special to me. Good story line too.
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)-Good, but not a favorite



BRACKET 44
1. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963)-Classic great tune. Maybe not deserving of #10 all time to me, but still very good.
2. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)-Cool song, not great but memorable
3. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966)
4. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978)-Not that great of a Clash song.

Muchas gracias Honorio por la traducción. Thanks to Honorio by the translation.

BRACKET 41
1. R.E.M., Losing My Religion (1991), it stands well those fifteen years, it’s a classic by now
2. Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955), rockabilly for the masses
3. Steppenwolf, Born to Be Wild (1968), real psychedelia spoiled by the shout "Born to be wiiiiiiiild"
4. Black Sabbath, Paranoid (1970), they looked so wild but the song is quite simple

BRACKET 42
1. Sex Pistols, God Save the Queen (1977), amusing, forceful, new music with no future.
2. Sonic Youth, Teenage Riot (1988), thanks to Sonic Youth and Pixies mature people still worship rock.
3. Hank Williams, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (1949), aching performance.
4. Van Halen, Jump (1984), they recall me to Genesis: Gabriel, Collins and company.

BRACKET 43
1. The Human League, Don’t You Want Me (1981), those were the 80s: melancholy on a apparently happy melody (like Pet Shop Boys).
2. Pulp, Common People (1995), same comment as R.E.M., we’ve got another classic that will forever stay between the 100 best songs in history.
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, All Along the Watchtower (1968), one of the few cases in which a cover improves a Dylan original.
4. Little Richard, Good Golly Miss Molly (1958), I’m sorry Richard, the other voters didn’t want that Tutti Frutti and Long Tall Sally move to the next round (although I gave you the four points). This song is not too big.

BRACKET 44
1. T. Rex, Get It On (Bang a Gong) (1971), Bolan always taking the uneasy way; 4 points for his bravery.
2. The Kingsmen, Louie Louie (1963), Dylan covers it with soul backing vocals.
3. The Clash, (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (1978), far from its better moments.
4. Jimi Hendrix, Hey Joe (1966), a little boring.

BRACKET 41

Losing my religion - Best REM song wins a tough bracket
Born to be wild - The next three are very close, at this moment I like Steppenwolf most
Mystery train - To me Elvis is always good but his songs are never really good if you know what I mean
Paaranoid - Not bad. No more, no less

BRACKET 42

Jump - Good synth rock. Number one in the weakest bracket this week
I'm so lonesome I could cry - I just like it more than sonic youth
Teenage riot - Maybe I should listen to this some more times to get it, but at this time I don't
God save the queen - The sex pistols mean nothing to me

BRACKET 43

All along the watchtower - His best song, perfectly played
Common people - It hurts to put this on the 2nd place, would have been nr. 1 in any other bracket this week.
Good golly miss molly - All these 50's rock 'n' roll music sounds the same to me.
Don't you want me - I won't say I don't like it but to me this belongs absolutely not to the best songs ever made

BRACKET 44

Hey Joe - Again Jimi on the first spot, I didn't know I liked him that much, great song again
(White man) In Hammersmith palais - Good Clash song
Louie Louie - Just a good song
Get it on (Bang a gong) - I realy like it at the time but it doesn't reach higher than a fourth place in a strong bracket

BRACKET 41
1. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970) - Heavy rock with superflow
2. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991) - One of those songs I rank very highly although it's not a personal favorite. Quality.
3. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968) - THE driving classic
4. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955) - Where's the melody?

BRACKET 42
1. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) - I'm not lonesome but I could cry
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977) - I love hearing John Lydon sing. That's why we all still love the Pistols.
3. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984) - In 1984, I was 12 and there were the synth fans and there were the metal fans. But clearly it wasn't the synthesizer that divided the young boys...
4. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988) - I love Daydream Nation but for me this song is not a standout track, they are all equally good. It hurts to put this at #4.

BRACKET 43
1. Pulp, “Common People” (1995) - It's not time to sit still anymore, y'know
2. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981) - Another reason to love the 80s
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) - Tough competition here, I put this down at #3 only because it's a cover.
4. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958) - Good shouting, but the other three are better

BRACKET 44
1. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) - Electric Warrior is one of the best LPs of all time, every song is fantastic. Still, this is clearly the stand out track.
2. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966) - Great mid-tempo Hendrix
3. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963) - O.V.E.R.R.A.T.E.D.
4. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978) - I prefer Jamaican reggae. Give the credit to those who deserve it.

i'm on vacation, so i can't listen to anything : thus, my answers will be ideologic

BRACKET 41
1. Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)**** : great elvis period. the original by Little junior parker is even better
2. Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild” (1968)**** : an anthem. Some people only know this Steppenwolf song, but the rest is very good too.
3. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (1991)**** : the competition is hard on this bracket, but I love that one too
4. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970)*** : From what I remember, it's a classic; well, good too but less

BRACKET 42

1. Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)**** : the least i can do for Hank; He won't win but hell at least he'll have my voice.
2. Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977)*** : good old rock'n roll. Good punk is nothing but good old rnr
3. Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (1988): Sorry but I don't know this song. But I love Goo so I'll place it here
4. Van Halen, “Jump” (1984)*** : funny song, catchy and everything

BRACKET 43

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)***** : Probably the best Dylan cover ever made. Great song, great chorus
2. Pulp, “Common People” (1995)**** : funny lyrics, great melody, danceable
3. Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958)*** : not my favorite one but it's still Little Richard. I prefer CCR cover
4. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me” (1981)*** : for the moment, no bad songs in these brackets. This one reminds me of my teenage years. I wouldn't play it everyday but it's far from being the worse of the 80's

BRACKET 44

1. Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1966)**** : another classic, the first song I tried to play when I got my first (and only) electric guitar
2. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (1963)*** : I first knew Iggy's version. Great garage stuff
3. T. Rex, “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)*** : good, but a little cold; i don't like glam rock too much because it is pretty distant
4. The Clash, “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” (1978): shame on me, I don't know this song