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Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

WEEK 14

A little breakdown of this week's songs by decade...
1920s: 0
1930s: 1
1940s: 1
1950s: 6
1960s: 5
1970s: 10
1980s: 4
1990s: 3
2000s: 2

Also of note:
Two brackets from the Mahler bloc
The winner from the first Bracketology


Here are this week's brackets. Remember, you can also view the brackets on this site. Voting is now open, and you have until 11:59 PM Pacific time on this upcoming Saturday to vote. Vote either in this thread or e-mail me.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
#107: "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
#406: "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
#619: "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
#918: "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
#25: "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
#488: "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
#537: "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
#1000: "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
#158: "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
#355: "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
#670: "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
#867: "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
#72: "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
#441: "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
#584: "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
#953: "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
#250: "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
#263: "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
#762: "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
#775: "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
#512: "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
#513: "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
#1024: "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
#100: "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
#413: "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
#612: "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
#925: "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
#248: "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
#265: "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
#777: "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
Before Bracketology even started, I put together my own picks. Sort of a "if I were the only one voting, what would the results be?" kind of thing. Looking back at my picks, I see that I had this song reaching the third round, and I'm not sure why. Looking at the matchup for this round (and the matchup I had for it in the second round), I can only assume it's a winner because of weak competition. Don't get me wrong, "Heart of Gold" is a fantastic song, but I wouldn't say it's a great song in the same way I'd say Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue" or Ray Charles's "What'd I Say" are. Still, it's strong enough to beat out an over-rated Rod Stewart song, a warmed-over Aaliyah song, and just about ANY Smiths song.
2. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
I remember watching a VH1 Storytellers of Rod Stewart a long time ago, and he was saying that he gets tired of a lot of his songs, but never this one. Weird, because I've been tired of it for a while now. Don't get me wrong; this is a fantastic song. I've just heard it enough times for this lifetime.
3. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
I remember watching the video for this when I was in France back in the summer of 2000 and thinking, "This is nothing special." I still feel the same way. What happens when you put a generic Timbaland beat in a blender, then add some boring "up with people" lyrics and an uninspired R&B vocal performance, and mix? Ladies and gentlemen, "Try Again."
4. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
First time I heard this song was the version done by the Puppini Sisters. That reminds me... God, I hate the Puppini Sisters. Their version wasn't much better than the original.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
God, this song has almost become cliché. Any douchebag who thinks he knows how to play the piano will inevitably sit down at the ivories, get this super-serious look on his face, and launch into this song, just so he can get laid. Lines of this song are now used in comic strips and by stand-up comics as punch lines. Hell, the John Lennon documentary from a few years ago was even called "Imagine"!
In spite of all of that, it's still a damn good song. It gets an easy pass in this bracket, but I'll be looking very carefully before I put it through to the third round (and in fact, I don't have it moving on in my own personal Bracketology).
2. "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
Speaking of cliché songs... Another song that is more a joke now than a serious song. But then, was there ever a time when someone took this song seriously? I remember when I was in high school, I would sign my friends' yearbooks with lines from this song. "John- When a problem comes along, you must whip it. Matt"
3. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
Why the hell has this song become so popular? I mean, there's really only about five different lines in it, and the one that everyone, and I do mean everyone, knows is a bunch of snotty-sounding kids shouting, "Hey teacher, leave those kids alone!" I guess the reason why I've got it as a four-star song is the guitar solo. It's not the greatest I've ever heard, but it's still pretty darn good. Now who wants some pudding?
4. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]
It hurts me to put a jazz standard like this one at #4. I have no doubts that this one will get dead last in the bracket (and might even challenge for poorest-performing song in all of Bracketology), which is sad because this song is just as important to shaping jazz music as anything the Beatles did in shaping popular music. This is in every jazz musician's repertoire.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
Killer bracket. Not a bad song here. This was the first MSP song I'd ever heard, and that was only about a year and a half ago. Why the hell didn't any of my local radio stations play this back in '96? I AM MAD!
I don't know how it is for you out there, but with me, there are certain songs that become instant favorites for me, and I play them over and over for a set amount of time. There was a time when the Dandy Warhols' "Bohemian Like You" was the "it" song for me. There was another time when it was Goldfrapp's "Utopia." That's how it was with me and this song when I first heard it. The only difference is: this song hasn't lost any luster for me. I still adore it as much as ever.
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
Without a doubt my favorite Supremes song, and possibly one of my all-time favorites of the '60s. That opening one-note guitar riff immediately hooks me EVERY TIME. If this song ends up beating out the Manics, I certainly wouldn't be crying.
3. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
I really should be putting this one higher, considering how important this song is to the entire genre of rap music, but it just can't compete with the Manics and the Supremes. Plus, at almost fifteen minutes long, the song is a little long. And another thing, just how is it bragging or boasting that "we like hot butter on our breakfast toast"? Still, a seminal work and nearly perfect.
4. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
Country music, yes. But I love this song, and I don't know why. It's so simple: for the most part it's just an upright bass, a brushed drum kit, a muted trumpet, and a clarinet. And that chorus is so classic. "You load sixteen tons, whaddaya get?/Another day older and deeper in debt/Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go/I owe my soul to the company store" The workingman's hardship summed up in four simple lines. Brilliant.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
I remember I'd hear this song all the time on my local oldies radio station, but the bastard DJs would never say the song title, so for the longest time I couldn't get it. So I'd listen to the words, trying to catch a snippet of the lyrics I could then Google. But the singer mumbles just about every word! And Googling the words "just walk away" gives you way too many results, most of them crap. Needless to say, I eventually got it (I managed to snag the line "now as the rain beats down" and a Google search of that sealed it for me).
"Pet Sounds" is good, but this song is baroque pop at its finest. The strings are a little overbearing at times, but in the end, that's what makes this song great. I adore this song.
2. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
There's a reason why this song is the biggest-selling single of all time. I'm not sure what it is, because to me it's just a sappy old-time Christmas song. But to use someone else's line, SHTB2.
3. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]
I've thought that calling that infamous plane crash "The Day the Music Died" might be saying a bit much. Yes, the loss of Buddy Holly was immense. Who knows how popular music might have been had he survived? But Ritchie Valens wasn't THAT great, and the Big Bopper was a novelty singer.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: if tomorrow, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, and Asher Roth all died in a plane crash, would we be saying that it was "The Day the Music Died Again"? (Yes, I know I'm comparing Kanye to Buddy Holly. So sue me.)
4. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
Not a fan of the King.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
Easy win for the Beach Boys. This is a matter of one great song and three songs that I could care less about. Not much more to say. I'll write more about this one when it gets around to round 2.
2. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]
I've watched WAY too much VH1 over the years. And one thing that they continually try to do is justify the amount of crappy hair metal they played back in the '80s. One of the bands that they continually try to say was a "great" band back in the day was Quiet Riot. "'Metal Health' was a great song," they'll say. They are wrong. Quiet Riot sucked, as did all the music of that detestable genre. You want to hear a good Quiet Riot song? Listen to the original version of "Cum on Feel the Noize." The Slade version is actually pretty good. It doesn't compare to "I Get Around," but it's decent.
3. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
I wouldn't be half surprised if this one pulled out the upset win. I'm just not a Metallica fan and probably never will be.
4. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
Meh. Pretty average late-'50s teen idol music. Pass.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
It's good to be the king. I'll reserve my comments for later rounds when it might actually face some worthy competition. But not now.
2. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
Going chalk on this bracket. It's one of Seger's best (up there with "We've Got Tonight" and "Main Street"), but it can't compare to the greatness that is "Like a Rolling Stone."
3. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
Ooh, now here's a song I could see myself getting into if I ever bothered to listen to it. Instrumental reggae... Mmm.
4. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]
Too corny and outrageous to be a serious threat in this bracket.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
The first time I heard this song was back in the winter of 2000-1 and I remember thinking that this was some kind of brand new, fresh turn that rap music was taking. I thought, "This is incredible stuff!" Then I found out that this song was released when I was seven years old. I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. "What? You mean that this was happening back in the late '80s and it didn't become the biggest thing ever?"
Absolutely brilliant song. Maybe my favorite hip-hop song. I could never get tired of it.
2. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
Another excellent song, but I've never been completely sold on Dire Straits. What I've heard of them is good, but never great. I'm not sure if I like this one better than "Money for Nothing," but I definitely prefer "Me, Myself and I" to this.
3. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
R.E.M. is a band that really stymies me. I haven't listened to very much of their stuff, but what songs I have listened to, I really like. And yet, I'm never in the mood to delve into any of their albums. Maybe I'm just afraid I'm going to really dislike them.
I'm bringing all this up for a reason. "Automatic for the People" is widely considered R.E.M.'s best album, but whenever I start listening to it, I start with this song (naturally, considering that it's the album opener) and I'm immediately disinterested. By the time I get to "Try Not to Breathe," I'm reaching for my iPod to change the playlist.
4. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
I'll grant that Holly was highly influential (I think I alluded to that in my comments for the Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" above), but I have yet to hear a BH song that I'd want to hear again. And frankly, the "pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty" part of this song just comes across as grating. Next please.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
The first time I came to Acclaimed Music, I saw that the top-rated album for 2004 was by some band called Arcade Fire (I wasn't nearly as in touch with indie music as I like to think I am now). So the first chance I had, I ripped "Funeral" and "Neon Bible" to my computer, then promptly forgot about them.
A few months later, I finally decided to listen to "Funeral." My first pass through, I remember thinking that there weren't any obviously great songs, though there were some good ones ("Tunnels" and "Power Out" were obvious picks for that category). Then I got to "Rebellion (Lies)". And my immediate reaction was... "not bad."
There are some songs that I can hear them and immediately recognize their greatness. (Mercury Rev's "Holes" is one of those. The first time I listened to that song, I rated it "five stars" on my iTunes before I even finished the song.) Other songs take multiple listens for their greatness to be revealed. "Rebellion (Lies)" is in that category.
The more I listened to "Funeral," I found myself getting antsy waiting for track 9 to come up. "Rebellion (Lies)" had finally revealed itself to me. Or maybe I was finally in the right frame of mind to listen to it. That driving bass drum, the one-note piano solo (I'm a sucker for songs with that, e.g. the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog"), the jubliant-sounding "Lies! Lies!"... To steal a line from Clarence Henry, I don't know why I love this song, I just do. God, I've written way too much...
2. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
Considering that I really don't give a shit about the other two songs in this bracket, and that I actually do like this one, there's only one place where this song could go for me: #2.
3. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
I can't say I like this one, but I do like it more than "Roadrunner." What can I say? I prefer a song to have more than two chords.
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
Richman's voice is what kills it for me. Too disinterested. That guitar riff isn't much better.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1: "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
2: "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
3: "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
4: "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
2: "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
3: "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
4: "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
2: "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]#
3: "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
4: "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]



MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1: "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
2: "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
3: "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
4: "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1: "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
2: "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]
3: "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
4: "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
2: "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
3: "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]4: "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1: "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
2: "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
3: "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
4: "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1: "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
2: "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
3: "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
4: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Giuseppe, I'd love to count your ballot, but you need to comment on (at minimum) your #1 choice.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16

1. Aaliyah- "Try Again": This is one of the greatest songs of the 2000s, point blank. I was quite fond of One in a Million and loved 1998's "Are You That Somebody", but it was with "Try Again" that Aaliyah reached her pinnacle as Timbaland reached his in terms of production. I remember hearing that warped synth line for the first time and thinking, "This is the future of music!" Sadly, her tragic death cut short a career that was quite accomplished for someone of only 22 years of age. I attended the candlelight vigil in her honor in Detroit, and she represented a classy, sophisticated sweetness in addition to a street consciousness that resonated with a lot of young, disadvantaged girls. Her absence has only become more glaring as the years have gone by- Rihanna and Beyonce wish they could nail the smooth subtlely with which Aaliyah graced her songs. Anyway, this has turned into a convoluted ramble about an artist I miss, but "Try Again" still sounds amazing to these ears.
2. The Smiths- "Panic": One of their great singles, "Panic" saunters along with quite the punch. While I don't agree with the sentiment at the time (I quite love the 80s, to nobody's surprise), it really has become a nice mantra for me in the subsequent decades, as radio has ceased to be relevant to me whatsoever.
3. Neil Young- "Heart of Gold": I'm not a Neil Young fan, and I don't anticipate ever becoming one. I can see why he's respected, but his songs just don't do anything for me.
4. Rod Stewart- "Maggie May": Embarrassingly, Rod Stewart's music doesn't do anything for me either, with the exception of his "sellout" music like "Forever Young" and "Broken Arrow". I remember being obsessed with "Crazy About Her" and imitating the "she's destined to be mine" lyric in "Crazy About Her". But I'm not a fan of "Maggie May".

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. Devo- "Whip It": Quirky new wave fun is tough to beat for me, and this is one of the finest examples of it.
2. Hoagy Carmichael- "Stardust": I had never heard this before, but apparently it's quite the standard. I can hear why- it's uplifting and beautifully performed.
3. Pink Floyd- "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2": I absolutely detest Pink Floyd.
4. John Lennon- "Imagine": But I'll take Pink Floyd any day over this banal display of sheer awfulness.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15: Very tough call among the top 3

1. The Sugarhill Gang- "Rapper's Delight": Hip hop's genesis admittedly has some stupid lyrics, but it's a ton of fun (and 6'1"?) and runs with Chic's giant hook quite well.
2. The Supremes- "You Keep Me Hangin' On": This is by far my favorite Supremes performance- pleading, tense and memorable. Kim Wilde had quite a nice update in the 80s as well!
3. Manic Street Preachers- "A Design for Life": I was new to this song, and I imagine I wouldn't have cared for it back in 1996. However, its grandiose sound is pleasing to my ears, for tonight at least!
4. Tennessee Ernie Ford- "Sixteen Tons": I know that this must have been a really important song back in the 1950s, but it just can't compete with the top three for me. Looking into it, I prefer the Merle Travis version anyway.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8

1. Bing Crosby- "White Christmas": A giant Christmas anthem by any standard, it's rather surprising that it was written by a Jewish guy! Having immigrated to Australia, the longing for a white Christmas is something that I fully understand.
2. The Left Banke- "Walk Away Renee": This is a pretty good slice of late 60s pop. I didn't realize that I already knew it, but the strings are pretty adept at pulling the heartstrings.
3. The Big Bopper- "Chantilly Lace": It's a gimmick centered around a pretty standard blues riff, but the Bopper nails it with his delivery.
4. Elvis Presley- "That's All Right (Mama)": I think this song is more acclaimed for being Elvis' debut than for anything noteworthy within the song itself.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2

1. Metallica- "Enter Sandman": I was a headbanger back in the late 80s and early 90s, and this song fit right in with it. "Enter Sandman" was supposed to be a "scary" song, but I just dug the guitar shredding.
2. Slade- "Cum on Feel the Noize": A lot of links can be drawn between sleazy glam of the 70s and hair metal of the 80s, and this song represents that link quite well, as I was only familiar with the Quiet Riot version. I much prefer this version of the song, even if there is (much) better glam out there.
3. The Beach Boys- "I Get Around": It just feels wrong to hear these sweet hearmonies extolling their badassedness and their sexual conquests!
4. Dion & the Belmonts- "A Teenager in Love": This song is just silly, and part of why I hated "oldies" so much. Chirpy chipmunk bubblegum of the 50s and 60s just isn't my thing.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1

1. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band- "Night Moves": Good ol' rock and roll usually isn't my thing, but I somehow like a lot of Bob Seger songs. Maybe it's a Detroit thing. Maybe it's the soulful backing vocals. Whatever it is, this song works for me.
2. Augustus Pablo- "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown": I normally don't like reggae or dub, but that bass guitar line is too good to ignore.
3. Bob Dylan- "Like a Rolling Stone": How does it feeeeeel to be placed number 3?
4. The Coasters- "Young Blood": Why couldn't this have been #1025 on AM? It's ok, but nothing special to me.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16

1. De La Soul- "Me, Myself and I": Mirror, mirror on the wall- tell me mirror, what's the best song in this bracket? De La runs away with it with their best single.
2. Buddy Holly- "Peggy Sue": Raw rock in its early stages, and it's great. I like Buddy Holly a lot more than I probably should given my taste in general.
3. R.E.M.- "Drive": This is one of my favorite R.E.M. songs of the 90s. It's just up against two songs I prefer.
4. Dire Straits- "Sultans of Swing": Yeah, the guitar solo is nice, but I don't really understand why this is so acclaimed.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2: What a bracket!

1. Arcade Fire- "Rebellion (Lies)": The one-two punch of this song and "In the Backseat" to close Funeral is a thing of glory. Propulsive piano and a bass line that isn't to be met with sets up the stage for this passionate homage to the eternal generation gap between kids and their parents.
2. The Undertones- "Teenage Kicks": Immediate, raw and exciting, this is some of the finest rock recorded in the 70s. It's just a shame it had to go against such a personal favorite.
3. The Modern Lovers- "Roadrunner": I just pulled this album out last week after not having listened to it since I first bought it some 4 years ago. Wow- what an album! This leading song is wonderful too, although I must admit that I first knew the Joan Jett version. In any case, this might be the best song I've ever placed in 3rd.
4. The Monkees- "Last Train to Clarksville": The weakest link, by far, and it's not even a bad song.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Moonbeam
1. Arcade Fire- "Rebellion (Lies)": The one-two punch of this song and "In the Backseat" to close Funeral is a thing of glory.


YES! In that big, long diatribe I wrote about Arcade Fire, I completely forgot to mention how amazing "In the Backseat" is also, especially when Régine hits that "Ooo-OOO-ooh!"

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. Heart of Gold - Weakest. Bracket. Ever. Neil Young wins because. That is all.
2. Panic
3. Maggie May
4. Try Again

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. Stardust - Sorry, John. I just love this song so much. The lyrics and music fit so well, and Louis Armstrong's version is timeless.
2. Imagine
3. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2
4. Whip It

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. Rapper's Delight - You gotta go with a song that spawned a new genre. And it holds its own well even 30 years later.
2. A Design for Life
3. You Keep Me Hangin' On
4. Sixteen Tons

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. White Christmas - Yeah, it's cheesy, and it's Bing Crosby, but you gotta admit the music and lyrics are good.
2. That's All Right (Mama)
3. Chantilly Lace
4. Walk Away Renee

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. Enter Sandman - One of the best hard rock songs ever. Beats out the Beach Boys by a fair margin.
2. I Get Around
3. A Teenager in Love
4. Cum on Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot sucks.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. Like a Rolling Stone - Rolling Stone can suck my balls, but this is a good song. Certainly the best in this bracket. I like the Hendrix version better.
2. King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown
3. Night Moves
4. Young Blood

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. Me, Myself and I - I just love this song. Something to be said for good party music.
2. Drive
3. Peggy Sue
4. Sultans of Swing

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. Rebellion (Lies) - This might be my favorite indie song, which is impressive because I generally hate indie music.
2. Last Train to Clarksville
3. Teenage Kicks
4. Roadrunner

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Matt Schroeder
Moonbeam
1. Arcade Fire- "Rebellion (Lies)": The one-two punch of this song and "In the Backseat" to close Funeral is a thing of glory.


YES! In that big, long diatribe I wrote about Arcade Fire, I completely forgot to mention how amazing "In the Backseat" is also, especially when Régine hits that "Ooo-OOO-ooh!"


That part chokes me up. "In the Backseat" is my favorite Arcade Fire song, because it hits so close to home. I lost a lot of very important people between 2004 and 2006, and "In the Backseat" captured the feelings I had so well.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
2. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
3. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
4. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]

Aaliyah easily wins this bracket -- this is almost the proto-Timbaland production. Great song. The rest are OK, though I'm REALLY sick of "Maggie May".


MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]
2. "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
3. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
4. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]

Terrible bracket -- "Stardust" is a great standard, so wins with ease. (Though I prefer Nat King Cole's version.) "Whip It" is fun but yet another Devo novelty (whereas they have many better, less jokey tracks). Then we have Pink Floyd jumping the shark and Lennon's most santimonious track of all. Yucky.


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
2. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
3. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
4. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]

Three straight brackets where my Number 1 easily beats the competition -- here we have easily the best Supremes song. (Even Vanilla Fudge could not ruin it.) "A Design for Life" is probably the Manics' best single track, and then both "Rapper's Delight" and "Sixteen Tons" are smile-inducing if not life-changing.


MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
2. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
3. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
4. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]

AGAIN..."Walk Away Renee" just blows away the competition here, perfect baroque-pop song and just executed flawlessly. Early Elvis just pips timeless Bing, and the Big Bopper doesn't have much of a chance (though "Chantilly Lace" is fun).


HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
2. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
3. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
4. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]

What a terrible bracket. My 1 and 2 aren't anywhere near my favorites by either artist, "I Get Around" wins by sheer dint of the harmonies. There are also several Dion songs I like better, and I've never understood the appeal of Slade. At all.


BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
2. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
3. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
4. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]

Y'know what? "Like a Rolling Stone" really IS that good. After that, "King Tubby" is obviously classic dub, we have an actually tolerable Bob Seger song, and then a Coasters track that doesn't even measure up to the best Coasters tracks. Weird.


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
2. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
3. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
4. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]

De La ousts this group fairly easily, even with that being about the 5th best track on 3 Feet High. "Peggy Sue" has its drums going for it, "Sultans" happened before Knopfler really got down to navel-gazing, and I never got the appeal of "Drive", which just plods along and is one of the most skippable tracks on AFTP.


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
2. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
3. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
4. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]

Wow, finally a tight bracket! "Roadrunner" just pips "Teenage Kicks" in The Battle of Pop-Punk Universal Rock Theme Songs. Really, I could flip a coin, great songs those. After that we get an excellent early Monkees track and a pretty good song from Funeral.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

My original intention to give full comments for every ballot has, I’m afraid, crashed on the shores of Reality—I barely have time to track down and listen to the songs I don’t know (not as many as I’d feared, luckily), let alone say something relevant and coherent about 32 songs every week.

I’m assuaging my guilty conscience by promising myself that I’ll comment as much as I can, and go back to full ballot comments once we’re down to 256. But holy crow, eight blocs a week is a lot for a working stiff...if I don’t get my votes in today, I won’t have another chance for the rest of the week.

SCHUBERT 16
1. HEART OF GOLD. Neil’s finest moment of the early 70s is an easy winner here. Gorgeous and sinister, as, complete with slide guitar and harmonica, Neil reminds us all of a lesson many songwriters in his generation (besides Dylan) forgot: the journey’s much more interesting than the destination.
2. PANIC
3. TRY AGAIN
4. MAGGIE MAY. This came up early in ’07 bracketology, and I was duly chastised by people who like Rod the Mod, which was a useful reminder to broaden my horizons. Still, of these four, this is the one I’m least interested in hearing.

MAHLER 13
1. ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL. I was almost the perfect age (12 or 13) when this song came out, and I’ll never forget the impact it had on me…this was one of those childhood moments where you realize that the world isn’t exactly the way authority figures say it is.
2. WHIP IT. I was almost the perfect age (12 or 13) when this song came out, and I’ll never forget the impact it had on me…this was one of those childhood moments where you realize that the world isn’t exactly the way authority figures say it is.

(Yes, I meant to do that—the comment fits each song, although in very different ways.)

3. STARDUST. This has nothing to do with the song, but Hoagy Carmichael was Ian Fleming’s physical model for James Bond.
4. IMAGINE. Sigh. Once again: the most overrated song in rock history, even if it is by one of the three or four best songwriters in rock history.

MOZART 15
1. RAPPER’S DELIGHT. Another nostalgic favorite, even though, as I’ve been giving myself a crash course in pre-Run-DMC rap, I’ve discovered that this wasn’t quite the real thing. Still, it takes a weak group.
2. A DESIGN FOR LIFE
3. SIXTEEN TONS
4. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON

MAHLER 8
1. WALK AWAY RENEE. Not the kind of 60s stuff I normally like, but this clicks perfectly. I know nothing about the Left Banke, but this song just sounds timeless to someone who grew up on indie.
2. CHANTILLY LACE. Of the two 50s songs in this group, it almost seems like heresy to rank this higher, but the truth is that I have always loved this song, an unusually masculine and barrel-chested statement of physical infatuation, set over a driving beat. And, no, it doesn’t hurt that the Bopper’s from Texas.
3. THAT’S ALL RIGHT MAMA. We have two songs this week that essentially introduced a new genre to the world (even if the genre had existed in some form already): “Rapper’s Delight,” and this one. Unlike the Sugarhill Gang, though, this doesn’t hold up real well.
4. WHITE CHRISTMAS. I really do like Der Bingle, but I just don’t know how to rank this alongside the others. It’s a classic, but only rated in the AM top 500 because of its commercial success.

HAYDN 2
1. I GET AROUND. In this strange, strange group, featuring a couple of genres I don’t care for much (doo-wop and metal), a solid offering from the Beach Boys is the clear winner.
2. CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE. Say what you will, but this is the real thing.
3. A TEENAGER IN LOVE.
4. ENTER SANDMAN. And this is not the real thing. One of these days I’m going to sit down and try to figure out Metallica’s appeal to people whose tastes I otherwise agree with.

BEETHOVEN 1
1. LIKE A ROLLING STONE. Book it. The champion of bracketology ’07, this has become no less epic, biting or fresh in the last 44 years, let alone the last two. Nothing else in this group is within a parsec of it.
2. YOUNG BLOOD
3. KING TUBBY MEETS THE ROCKERS UPTOWN
4. NIGHT MOVES

CHOPIN 16
1. DRIVE. Oh, what the hell—it’s a very, very close call between this and the De La Soul song, but I’ve got a rep to maintain as our resident R.E.M. person, and this is a brilliant meta opening to AftP. Longtime forum posters may recall that bad things tend to happen when you ask me to explain the lyrics…
2. ME, MYSELF AND I
3. PEGGY SUE. I love Charles Hardin Holley, but this is not his best work.
4. SULTANS OF SWING. I’m actually fond of this song, and struggled to find a way not to rank it fourth. The competition’s too stiff, though.

RACHMANINOFF 2. The toughest bracket of the week by a long shot.
1. REBELLION (LIES). They Did It. It didn’t look like we were ever going to get this combination of songcraft, beauty and ferocity without a heavy overlay of irony. But that’s what Funeral was, and this is that album’s finest moment.
2. TEENAGE KICKS
3. ROADRUNNER. #2 and #3 are both essential first-generation power pop, and fantastic songs to boot. “Teenage Kicks” is just a little more fun, though.
4. LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1 "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972] : a long time favourite of mine from an underrated album. Seems like "serious" people only like the dark side of Neil and despise his most commercial recordings. To me "Harvest " is one of the most beautiful albums ever made.
2 "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971] : I first hraed it when I was 15. Still love it, although I'm not a fan of Rod.
3 "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000] : good song
4 "Panic" - The Smiths [1986] : just the Smiths… the acclaimed band I understand the least

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979] : that's a great single
2 "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
3 "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
4 "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1 "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980] : me and this song go waaaay back. Despised by the hardcore hip hop fans because the group was made up for the occasion, it's the first rap single ever and everything is already there : funny and funky
2 "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955] : the best version of a great Merle Travis classic
3 "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
4 "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996] : can't stand that mainstream '90s sound. You know back when the Cd was new and each album had 15-16 tracks and this sound supposed to fit the new media.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1 "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954] : my favourite Elvis song. He should have sounded like that forever but…
2 "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
3 "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]
4 "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1 "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964] : to me the best song of pre-Pet sounds Beach Boys
2 "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991] : great riff, 90s sound but the song is very good.
3 "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
4 "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1 "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965] : the most acclaimed song of all times easily wins a relatively weak bracket. I got a feeling it's gonna break Otis' points record
2 "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
3 "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
4 "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16

1 "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978] : hard to chose between the first 2 (they are exactly in the same key, btw). The Dire straits song wins because of all the memories it brings back of the 80's when Dire Straits was the only vaguely rootsy thing you could hear on the radio.
2 "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
3 "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
4 "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2

1 "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004] : this band is growing on me. After all they may deserve their acclaim.
2 "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979] : a ….'s hair behind
3 "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
4 "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]: As has been said here many times, it’s almost impossible to remember that Rod the Mod used to be not only good but a legitimately great artist, helped immeasurably by his close collaboration with Ron Wood and a loose gaggle of eccentric studio pros (notably, minimalist wild-man drummer Micky Waller). This massive hit, the centerpiece of his masterpiece EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY, remains as evocative and brilliant as ever despite decades of overexposure.
2. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]: Young famously wrote that this song put him in the middle of the road but that he soon went back to the ditch because the ditch is more interesting. I can’t top that, except to note that it’s still a great song.
3. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]: No mistaking who produced this: Timbo’s arsenal of scratchy synths and truly bizarre sound effects, combined with Aaliyah’s terrific vocal, make this compulsively listenable.
4. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]: Not one of their best; sometimes Morrissey’s smug elitism emerges unfiltered, and this is one of those times.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]: It’s taken on such a life of its own that it almost can’t be assessed on its own terms – it’s like the WIZARD OF OZ or IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE of popular music. Next time you hear it, try to pay attention to the essential spareness of the arrangement, unusual for a Spector production: just piano(s), bass, drums, and remarkably understated strings. It’s endured for musical reasons, too.
2. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]: An utter anomaly in their catalog – short, punchy, and filled with such gigantic hooks and unforgettable catchphrases that it became a huge hit single despite the fact that the lyrics make no sense outside the sprawling context of THE WALL.
3. "Whip It" - Devo [1980]: Pure power-of-positive-thinking fun, nothing more or less.
4. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]: Obviously a great song, but I’m just not into pre-WWII pop. I actually prefer the Carmichael piano instrumental version I found on YouTube.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]: Probably my favorite Supremes song, with a fantastic Morse-code arrangement and an emotional urgency most of their hits didn’t really have.
2. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]: I’ve always been familiar with this song, but I didn’t comprehend the spareness and power of Ford’s original until I listened to it closely this week. It really doesn’t sound like anything else that was popular at the time, from the near-acapella beginnings of each verse to that deep gospel howl Ford unleashes at the very end.
3. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]: I had never really listened to this, either, although I’ve always known it (actually, considering that the full version is almost 15 minutes, I still haven’t heard all of it). It’s dated but its historical value is unparalleled, and some of the raps are pretty hilarious.
4. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]: I don’t know – I’ve never “gotten” the Manics. I have most of their albums but the only one that really stands out for me is the harrowing HOLY BIBLE. Is it the tragic backstory that people respond to? The tension that derives from the fairly rigid, Sixties-style division of labor in the songwriting, where the lead singer is not the lyricist? There’s a certain majestic quality to this song, but why do it and the band in general rank so high?

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]: One of my all-time favorites. A brilliant melody, accented by a remarkably Baroque arrangement, and lyrics that capture a specific mood with heartbreaking perfection. I could listen to this song all day.
2. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]: Peerless historical value, of course, but it holds up just fine as a record. It may be the least interesting of the five Sun A-sides, but with its percussive rhythm guitar, perfectly judged lead fills and solo, and thumping bass, you can literally hear rock and roll being born in the grooves.
3. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]: Again, how can you judge this one by any conventional standards? A perfect song, given a perfect rendition, and the rest is history.
4. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]: SH2B4, because although it may be a silly little trifle, it’s still a LOT of fun. And the Bopper’s lascivious chuckle makes it clear that what he REALLY likes about the lace is the prospect of tearing it off.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]: Brian Wilson’s deceptively simple pop genius at its early peak, with unpredictable chord changes and those magnificent harmonies.
2. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]: “Going pop” for these guys meant downshifting the tempos slightly, making the guitars a little less abrasive, laying a thicker production sheen over everything – and, with this track, creating one of the great hard-rock singles of all time.
3. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]: These yobbos created an unstoppable string of U.K. hits with big stoopid beats, big stoopid hooks, stoopidly ungrammatical titles, and Noddy Holder’s truly amazing voice. This one, the most famous because of its later slaughtering by Quiet Riot, is an admirably representative example.
4. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]: A classic, but no match for Dion’s solo hits.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]: How does it FEEEEELLLLL? To be the reigning champ? On this game it’s put its stamp. And with good reason. As I wrote back then, how many other songs are instantly recognizable from a single snare crack? Or start at such a fever pitch of anger and indignation and manage to sustain that mood for six minutes without ever getting tiresome?
2. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]: This was the veteran rocker’s national breakthrough (after a decade of Midwest-only hits, most documented on LIVE BULLET) for a reason. It’s universal and timeless, and will be for as long as there are teenagers and Chevys and trusty woods.
3. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]: It’s a bit of a shock to hear how relatively hardcore R&B they were before “Yakety Yak” gave them a more streamlined, mainstream-friendly sound. The vocal interplay here is hilarious.
4. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]: SH2B4, although dub works better for me over the course of entire albums which give you space and time to appreciate it, rather than often-mystifying individual tracks.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]: It seems more than a little odd that a band could have a career-launching smash with a lengthy, low-key song about, of all things, an amateur Dixieland jazz combo. But then you slowly realize what an effortless command Mark Knopfler has over his story and the way he sings it, and then he uncorks that even more effortlessly dazzling guitar solo, and then it doesn’t seem odd at all. I’m not the world’s biggest DS fan, but I’ve always loved this track.
2. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]: If “Sultans” wasn’t such a personal favorite this would be an easy #1 for its amazing production alone – Jerry Allison’s nonstop drum rolls are deliberately mixed so far down he sounds like he’s playing in the next county, and indeed everything is so muted that when Buddy’s rhythm-guitar solo comes in at a normal volume it’s practically a punk record.
3. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]: An entertaining statement of purpose from a singular group, highlighted by a kicking P-Funk sample and a three-word Q-Tip cameo.
4. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]: The opening track to their most acclaimed album is a hypnotic mood piece that, truth be told, isn’t really one of my favorites.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]: More and more I think FUNERAL is my favorite album of the decade, and this is my favorite track and has been from my first listen. From the second that commanding bassline kicks in, it’s obvious that Win & Regine & company consciously crafted this song as the climax to the album (and to most of their shows, no doubt); the way it implacably, inexorably just keeps building and building is euphorically exhilarating, even more so than the rest of the album has been, and when it finally explodes (after a brilliantly unexpected key change) into those repeated string figures you just want it to keep going forever.
2. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]: It’s a shame this is in the same bracket as #1, because in its own laconic way it’s almost as exhilarating, and certainly as implacable. Here, as on most of that incredible first album, Richman and friends manage to co-opt the sound of “Sister Ray” and find a way to make a pop song out of it.
3. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]: Pure punk-pop for all people. A little simplistic compared to the very best tracks on the debut, but exciting as hell.
4. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]: An obvious #4 here, but a terrific mash-up of “Ticket to Ride” and “Day Tripper”. Their music wouldn’t have existed without the show, of course, but as many have noted, it was a lot better than it had to be.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
#406: "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
It's a good song, but I think it's a little overrated among Young's work.
#619: "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
Another cool moody 00's pop song that sounds so inorganic with all the over-cut computer noises it's hard to connect with it.
#107: "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
Easily Rod Stewart's best, in my opinion. Love the medieval introduction. Though his singing kind of annoys me. It milks the emotion in a kind of in your face way.
#918: "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
I don't like it in songs when they just kind of repeat the same phrase over and over beyond the point of getting sick of it. Okay, I'll hang the damn DJ! Just say something else!

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
#25: "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
Imagine all the people...agreeing with me! (Hail communism!)
#537: "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
I love this sort of bombastic pop-punk vocal performance.
#488: "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
Another of Pink Floyd's intention-before-music songs. It tries to be a machinistically droning youth rebellion song and just ends up being droning and cheesy. All these disenfranchised youth rebelling against corporate straw men to justify their lack of personal initiative.
#1000: "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]
Just kind of...inert.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
#158: "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
One of the funnest songs ever written.
#867: "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
Incredible chorus, perfect production. The echoey keyboard accentuates the feeling of frustration.
#670: "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
Enjoyable spacey rock song.
#355: "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
Overly bouncy and cheesy.



MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
#72: "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
Great early Elvis song, from when he still just sang the song straight and delivered the emotion without the unnecessary showiness.
#441: "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
Nice pleasant song, but it doesn't deserve to be considered such a standard. Too schmaltzy.
#584: "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
Average Britpop song. Don't know if the violin helps much.
#953: "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]
All the overly showy mannerisms stolen from Elvis, except over the top and without any real musical talent. Almost unlistenable.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
#250: "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
A beautifully harmonized pop song.
#263: "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
Black is the one album where Metallica managed to be marketable and sound badass at the same time.
#775: "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]
Did spelling it 'cum' actually seem edgy in 1973? The song is just a bunch of stereotypically raspy yelling.
#762: "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
Booooring.


BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
The ultimate in wealth jealousy schaudenfraude. The story we secretly desire for all those spoiled little rich kids we see on TV.
#513: "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
Has a nice groove.
#512: "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
Everything Bob Seger did sounds like fogey rock now. Not a bad song, but doesn't depart from the formula much.
#1024: "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]
I like the Coasters kind of fun goofy presentation, but it loses that appeal when the novelty wears off.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
#612: "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
De La Soul are one of the funner 80's rock acts. You could tell they really enjoyed themselves.
#413: "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
I love that guitar riff and the mood of the song.
#925: "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
A great moody REM song. Some of the echo is a bit much.
#100: "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
Cool rock song with great energy.



RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
A cool song, but it works a little better in the context of the full album. It's engaging and atomspheric, but the structure doesn't quite work as a standalone single.
#248: "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
This is a punk song driven mostly by vocal charisma. Hey, whatever works.
#265: "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
This is a punk song without much vocal charisma. It's a bit overly formulaic.
#777: "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
Manufactured to seem as Beatles-ish as possible, not having written their own songs or created their own image, the Monkees are the original boy band.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Busy, busy. But enough meat on these bones to motivate me to comment.


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart: If I stop and think about it, the only thing that I find compelling about this song is that minor key chord change during the "oh Maggie..." parts. Funny how one little well-placed hook can keep you coming back.
2. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young
3. "Try Again" - Aaliyah
4. "Panic" - The Smiths

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Imagine" - John Lennon: Without it, there'd be no 'Don't Look Back in Anger', and for that matter, probably no 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' either. For being the template for two great Oasis ballads... well, that's worth four points to me.
2. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd: I understood Dark Side, and I understood Wish You Were Here. Animals was iffy, but still enjoyable. But I never really got the Wall. Maybe it's because the songs never seemed quite up to snuff -- case in point, this, the album's centerpiece. Always seemed too deliberate; too contrived. Ambition and ideals at the cost of songcraft. Big ideas and bigtime talent, but a reach exceeding its grasp. Like a great destination and a great driver, but in a really big boat of a car. Like a Pontiac Parisienne.
3. "Whip It" - Devo
4. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes: Not my favorite Supremes song, but still a gooder.
2. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers
3. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford
4 "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke: Let's talk hooks -- here's one you could land a marlin with. Goddamn, what a great pop song! And written by a 16 year-old to boot. Sonuvabitch.
2: "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
3. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper
4. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2: Don't really care much about these.
X: "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys
X: "Enter Sandman" - Metallica
X: "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts
X: "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1: "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: "She was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes/And points all her own sitting way up high/Way up firm and high". I'm not sure if anyone has ever written about teenage lust with such potent emotion and nostalgia that it instantly made you yearn for those days of dry-humping a girl in your car. *sigh*
2. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
3: "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo
4: "Young Blood" - The Coasters

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Drive" - R.E.M. Today, 'Automatic for the People' is my 24th favorite album. Interestingly, the only R.E.M. record that I give two shits about, and also a rare instance of an album where the opening track is my least favorite (and in this case, by a LOT.) Points for setting the mood, but several points deducted for the lyrical abomination, not to mention, meandering on far longer than it should.
2. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits
3. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly
4. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire: I was going to mention the key-change, but Harold beat me to it. Incidentally, the same key change that the members of an ex-band of mine just couldn't wrap their minds around. It was late '04; the album barely a month old. The band I played guitar in decided it would be a fun idea to cover this song, but after countless failed attempts, I had to push the 'abort' button -- the song would always, ALWAYS fall apart near the end at that key change. I'd be like: "Guh! Guys, it's a fucking B flat, for christ sake!" (Yeah, I got a bit testy, I can admit.) At any rate, it's never been among my favorite Arcade Fire songs, maybe for the reason mentioned above. I'm more of a Neon Bible guy anyway.
2. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees
3. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT 16

1. "Maggie May" - All you did was wreck my bed, and in the morning kick me in the head, Ohh Maggie I couldn't have tried any more
2. "Heart of Gold"
3. "Panic"
4. "Try Again"

MAHLER 13

1. "Stardust" - one of the greatest songs ever written. perfect melody, perfect lyrics. and way ahead of its time.
2. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2"
3. "Whip It"
4. "Imagine"

MOZART 15

1. "Rapper's Delight" - the first, and still one of the best.
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
3. "A Design for Life"
4. "Sixteen Tons"

MAHLER 8

1. "Walk Away Renee" - i like songs about giving up. especially when they're as beautifully orchestrated as this. another one in my top 20.
2. "That's All Right (Mama)"
3. "White Christmas"
4. "Chantilly Lace"

HAYDN 2

1. "A Teenager in Love" - when the music drops out and D sings the song's title...that's the moment
2. "Enter Sandman"
3. "I Get Around"
4. "Cum on Feel the Noize"

BEETHOVEN 1

1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - yup
2. "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown"
3. "Night Moves"
4. "Young Blood"

CHOPIN 16

1. "Drive" - great way to begin their darkest, and best, album
2. "Sultans of Swing"
3. "Me, Myself and I"
4. "Peggy Sue"

RACHMANINOFF 2

1. "Last Train to Clarksville" - weak bracket, so here's a little love for the monkees
2. "Teenage Kicks"
3. "Roadrunner"
4. "Rebellion (Lies)"

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

A very, very strong week.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
2. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
3. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
4. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]

I’m perplexed as to why Neil Young fans tend to prefer his deeper cuts while altogether ignoring “Heart of Gold,” which is by far the best song I’ve ever heard from him. It’s absolutely beautiful, from the lyrics and backing vocals to the main riff and harmonica solo. The other three songs are around the same quality level. I hadn’t listened to “Try Again” in at least five years before it came up in this bracket, and I had forgotten just how good it was. “Panic” is mediocre Smiths, but even that is able to beat “Maggie May,” which has been completely worn out by my local ‘classic hits’ radio station. I’m confused why it’s close to T100 on AM.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
2. "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
3. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
4. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1927]

It’s boring to praise a song like “Imagine,” but it’s hard to say it’s not deserving of the acclaim it has accrued over the years. It’s still lyrically powerful and musically masterful. I’ve always liked “Whip It” as far as cheesy 80s pop songs go, though I assume Devo has much better songs. “Another Brick” isn’t among Floyd’s best work, but it’s still an enjoyable anthem which I never turn off when it comes on the radio. Unfortunately, I couldn’t listen to “Stardust,” though based on the quality of the top three, it probably would have ended up in this spot even if I was able to listen to it.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
3. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
4. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]


There was a very tough choice between numbers 1 and 2 in this bracket. “Rapper’s Delight” is pure start-to-finish enjoyment, with its excellent sample of “Good Times” and enjoyable lyrics about nothing. But “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” is right up there with it, a complete pop masterpiece that is among the Supremes’ best. I’d be fine with either song finishing first out of this bracket. “Sixteen Tons” and “A Design for Life” are miles behind, neither motivating me to check out any more by their respective artists.


MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
2. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
3. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
4. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]

This is the oldest bracket I’ve seen in Bracketology—unfortunately, it’s also this week’s weakest. I’ll agree with the critics: “That’s All Right” isn’t near Elvis’ best, but it’s enjoyable enough to beat these other songs. “Walk Away Renee” is an alright pop song, enough to beat out the overplayed “White Christmas” (which has been done far better by other artists, in my opinion) and the extraordinarily dated “Chantilly Lace.”

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
2. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
3. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
4. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]

This is a strange bracket, with two songs that are no where near the best by their artists and one that was later made much more famous by another artist. “I Get Around” probably isn’t one of the Beach Boys’ top 20 songs, but its extremely catchy chorus allows it to cruise through this bracket. I have no idea why “Enter Sandman” is rated 1,000 spots above “Master of Puppets” and 1,600 spots above “One,” which are both far better Metallica songs. “A Teenager in Love” isn’t my kind of thing at all, but it easily beats out “Cum on Feel the Noize”—one of the most genuinely annoying songs of all time—for third place.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
2. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
3. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]
4. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]

This one just isn’t even fair—“Like a Rolling Stone” exists in a different musical universe from the other three songs. I don’t really need to comment on it—everyone here knows why it’s number one, and it’ll sail through at least the first three rounds practically unscathed.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
2. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
3. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
4. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]

I’ve heard “Sultans of Swing” more times than I can fathom, but it still stands up—that guitar solo at the end is assuredly one of the all-time classics. “Me Myself and I” is excellent old school hip-hop, though I prefer “Eye Know” from the same album. Then we’re left with two artists I don’t ‘get.’ I’ve tried many times to listen to R.E.M., but I’ve never really understood the acclaim, though I do like “Drive.” And Buddy Holly just puzzles me; “Peggy Sue” does absolutely nothing for me.


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
2. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
3. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]

They certainly saved the best for last this week, didn’t they? All four of these songs could be number one in most of the other brackets. “Rebellion (Lies)” still wins this rather easily though, with its incredibly emotive arrangement and lyrics making it not only Arcade Fire’s best, but probably the decade’s best. “Teenage Kicks” is incredible, with one of the most instantly accessible riffs in all of pop/rock. “Last Train to Clarksville” is pure pop excellence, by far the best thing the Monkees ever did. It’s hard to put “Roadrunner” in fourth when it’s far better than any of the other number 2’s this week, but it faces some steep competition here.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

You have 23 hours and 10 minutes left to vote this week. Go, go, go!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
#619: "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000] : probably the best non-Outkast song to top the US chart this decade if not the best R&B song of the decade
#406: "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
#107: "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
#918: "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
#537: "Whip It" - Devo [1980] : I discovered Devo with a song called "Huboon Stomp" in South Park's Chef Aid and it still stands as one of my favourite songs ever, and that one is the only one of their songs I know to stand the comparison. Another Brick in the Wall with its great riff is not enough to beat it, and the 2 others I just don't like at all
#488: "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
#25: "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
#1000: "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
#355: "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955] : since Rapper's Delight ages poorlier than The Message, this pretty cool song earns the first spot
#158: "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
#670: "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
#867: "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
#584: "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967] : the only songs I know from this band has never been enough to make me listen to a full album by the band, but it's far great enough to win this pretty weak bracket
#72: "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
#953: "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]
#441: "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
#250: "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964] : I do love Metallica but that is far from my favourite song by them, I'd rather listen to the plain fun of I Get Around
#263: "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
#762: "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959] : less annoying than its cover in Rayman Raving Rabbits
#775: "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965] : even though its #1 spot is for me the definition of "overrated", it's easily good enough to win this bracket
#513: "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
#512: "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
#1024: "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
#612: "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989] : pretty cool bracket but I will choose the brilliant, fun and irresistible Me Myself and I as a representation of 1989, the year music changed and really started to sound the way I like it !
#413: "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
#100: "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
#925: "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2 : very good bracket, any of these songs could have won the 3rd to 6th bracket of the week. Pretty hard to choose but I will stick with the AM order, Roadrunner takes the first spot for its very efficient riff, the way Richmand vary the way he sings through all the songs and the whole progression of the music. I did not like Teenage Kicks at first, and I still don't get why it ranked so high on the forum songs poll, but still its good riff and chorus is enough to beat Funeral less interesting song. As I said on another topic, an album must not have more than one "average" song to deserve 5 stars, and that is the only average song of Funeral, not as intense as any Neighborhood, not as subtle and delicate as in the back seat or crown of love and of course not as awesome as Wake Up. The Monkees lose with a very strong song which would have deserved to end in an easier bracket.
#248: "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
#265: "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
#760: "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
#777: "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

With my laptop broken at home and work busier than ever it's become impossible for me to vote and comment on all of these. Unless the rules change I probably won't be able to vote for a few more weeks.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

I'm not knocking the rule by the way, but I do think rules like that discourage casual AM'ers from voting and prevent some people from getting votes in. I know you get a week to vote but it's something to think about.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. Rod Stewart - Maggie May
- The beginning is great, and it sounds like some brilliant British folk. I'm not a big Rod Stewart, but he doesn't ruin this completely. It's actually quite good, and beds a surprise win for me here.

2. The Smiths - Panic
- One of the least good Smiths songs.

3. Neil Young - Heart of Gold
- Never been a Neil Young fan either. It's not a grotesquely horrible song, but it bores me.

4. Aaliyah - Try Again
- Pop music, rnb-style, just doesn't do it for me.


MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. Devo - Whip It
- This is one I often play when I arrange a party, though partying doesn't happen very often nowadays. Entertaining and catchy.

2. Hoagy Carmichael - Stardust
- I don't care for this music, really, but it ends up here because it is far less irritating than those below it. I like to listen to jazz now and then, when riding elevators.

3. Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall, Part II
- Pink Floyd was good when they were a psychedelic rock band in the 60s. By the time this came, they weren't good anymore, just annoying. By the way, this was number 1 on the Norwegian single chart when I was born. If you want to know what topped the lists when you was born, just say your birthday.

4. John Lennon - Imagine
- Oh, I'm so tired of this. Never even liked it.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
- Though the lyrics are a little outdated, the rapping and music sounds surprisingly fresh. Early hip hop is a very likeable genre, and this is one of the prime examples.

2. Manic Street Preachers - A Design for Life
- Amazingly, some people claim Everything Must Go is the Manics' best album. They must be tone deaf, or just haven't heard The Holy Bible. When it comes to the Manics, I love The Holy Bible a lot. It is one of the best albums ever made. The rest of the albums... well, they are quite ok.

3. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
- I was in love with Kim Wilde when I was kid. Not as big a crush as I had on Belinda Carlisle or Wendy James, but I still liked her. Back then I loved this song with her, but I didn't hear this version until reaching young adulthood, and then the love affair had faded.

4. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons
- Entertaining lyrics, and the song doesn't suck either. But generally this isn't my thing.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
Not voting. Don't know that Left Banke song.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. Beach Boys - I Get Around
- For such a stupid song (at first glance), this is pretty awesome. Extremely catchy, nice harmonies, and great handclapping.

2. Dion & the Belmonts - A Teenager in Love
- The opposite as Metallica. I really like this song, it's sad and happy at the same time. And it's fun to sing, though it might be a little pathetic for a 30 years old man to do so.

3. Slade - Cum on Feel the Noize
- Very very fun rock band, Slade. They just recently had a concert in one of the villages surround my hometown. I didn't go, but I wish I did. They'll be back soon, though, they play quite a lot in Norway.

4. Metallica - Enter Sandman
- So little metal to be found here, and then f***ing Metallica comes up. Why not Slayer? They're a million times better, and they're not assholes.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Try Again" – Three strong songs here, but this song seems to hypnotize me. Repetitive, but each time it hits me.
2. "Maggie May" – Chokes me up a little. Great singing.
3.  "Heart of Gold" – Strong with a great atmosphere.
4. "Panic" – not one of their best

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" – Sure it may not be sincere, but nothing in this bracket comes close to its simple beauty.
2.  "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" – Very good song, but something seems to be missing.
3. "Stardust"  - A time where the song just seems old.
4. "Whip It"  - I don't remember this song being nearly this horrible.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" – In this weaker bracket this strong soul song wins. I'm curious about the vocals.
2.  "Rapper's Delight" – I see the appeal here, but a little slow.
3. "Sixteen Tons"  - I liked the beginning for some reason, but it got annoying.
4. "A Design for Life" – Didn't do anything sounds like background music.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" – First listens this week and it has a great appeal.
2.  "That's All Right (Mama)" – This song makes me like Elvis a lot more. It might not be my favourite, but its cool to see where he started.
3. "White Christmas" – No thanks heard this a few too many times.
4. "Chantilly Lace"  - I guess you could dance to it.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1."A Teenager in Love" – A nice little 50's song is all it took to win this bracket.
2.  "Cum on Feel the Noize" -Sure its dumb, but its kinda fun.
3.  "Enter Sandman"  - I used to love this song, but it now does not seem edgy at all and rather predictable.
4. "I Get Around"  - This is pretty much all simple and stupid to me.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" – Sure its important and one of his better songs.
2. "Night Moves" – A little cheesy, but there is some beauty here.
3. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" – A little weak standing alone.
4. "Young Blood" – I don't think I will remember this.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Drive" – Close bracket, but this song is just too beautiful.
2. "Sultans of Swing" – I cannot detach memories of this song from my father. Still cool though.
3. "Peggy Sue" – I can see some of the appeal here even if it seems like it could do more.
4. "Me, Myself and I" – I like this song and I didn't think I liked anything from 3 feet high and rising.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" – Easy number one here and for the entire week. Encapsulates a lot of their strenghts here. Other songs here are just good.
2.  "Last Train to Clarksville" – Has some funny parts.
3. "Roadrunner"  - Cool vibe, but that is all that has been revealed to me.
4. "Teenage Kicks" – Not sure what is up with the singing.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000] I hated almost every mainstream R&B artist in the 90's. Try Again was something new. It's not just one of the best mainstream songs of the decade it's also one of the most important one.
2. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
3. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
4. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971] Overplayed? Maybe but I still love it.
2. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]
3. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
4. "Whip It" - Devo [1980]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996] In summer of 96 my friends praised Ash. They were good but this Welsh drinking song was my favourite (post)brit pop song that summer and year.
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
3. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
4. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967] Quite weak bracket. White Christmas may be better song but I don't want to see christmas song in the second round. The production of sixties is so lovely that Left Banke gets the points.
2- "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
3. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
4. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991] Metallica has so many better songs. Though the band was one of my favourite as a kid. So the poinst go to Enter Sandman.
2. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
3. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]
4. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976] What a great song. And what a great name of the song.
2. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965] Nice Dylan song.
3. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
4. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992] I was 10 (or 9) when I saw music video of Drive first time. It was also the first time when I realised that music videos can be art. Those blinking lights and the lonely crowd surfing guy fit perfectly to the music.
2. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
3. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
4. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004] There are so many perfect moments in The Funeral. One of those moments is when Haïti ends and intro beat of Rebellion (Lies) begins. Then piano and the rest. You know (in even first listen) that this must be the last song. And after this there's the still the perfect encore left.
2. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
3. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Just a shade under 6 hours left to vote for this week!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Rune
If you want to know what topped the lists when you was born, just say your birthday.


February 2, 1982

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

John
I'm not knocking the rule by the way, but I do think rules like that discourage casual AM'ers from voting and prevent some people from getting votes in. I know you get a week to vote but it's something to think about.


Any suggestions? I'm open to ideas.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1 - "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]
2 - "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
3 - "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
4 - "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
Maybe 'Panic' isn't one of the Smiths' best songs,but even their 50th best song is still a great song. 'Heart Of Gold' and 'Maggie May' are decent radio staples,so overplayed that I must have memorized every note of them by now. 'Try Again' I remember being a big fan of growing up,but sounds a bit underwhelming now.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 - "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
2 - "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]
3 - "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
4 - "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]
'Imagine' the easy winner here - probably the best Beatles song,collectively or individually. One of those songs like Louis Armstrong's 'What A Wonderful World' where time just stands still when it comes on. Not one of Pink Floyd's best songs,but I'll never turn it off,'Whip It' is just too cheesy to be in with a chance - great video though. 'Stardust' is a little too old...

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1 - "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]
2 - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
3 - "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
4 - "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
'A Design For Life' the easy winner. One of the definitive anthems of the 90s. 'You Keep Me Hangin' On' is probably the best Supremes track and would have won some other brackets,'Sixteen Tons' can get a little boring,'Rapper's Delight' just sounds like a joke now...

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1 - "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]
2 - "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
3 - "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
4 - "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]
'Walk Away Renee' is a track I didn't like at first. I was used to the Four Tops version they played on the radio,and when I heard this version I couldn't stand the guy's vocals and couldn't understand why it had so much acclaim. But now,years later,this version sounds wonderful. 'That's Alright' is one of Elvis' best and most exciting songs,but it's #72 placing is ridiculously high. 'White Christmas' - nah,give me the Stiff Little Fingers' catastrophic cover any day. The Big Bopper was a minor talent compared to the other 2 on that plane crash - average stuff...

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1 - "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
2 - "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]
3 - "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
4 - "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
Pretty comfortable win for the Beach Boys with one of their landmark tracks,but not one of their best. Slade are good fun,must get some more of their stuff. 'A Teenager In Love' is OK,but I don't care at all for 'Enter Sandman'.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1 - "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
2 - "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
3 - "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
4 - "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]
Easy warm up for 'Like A Rolling Stone' - like Roger Federer playing a qualifier in the first round of a grand slam,the result is not in doubt. Unfortunate for 'Night Moves' to be in this bracket - what a classic. The other 2 do nothing for me at all really...

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1 - "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
2 - "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
3 - "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
4 - "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]
One of the toughest brackets ever for me - anything could be #1 really. 'Sultans Of Swing' I have great memories of from when I first starting listening to the radio,so I'll go with it. 'Drive' isn't one of my favourites of theirs,but it's enjoyable enough. 3 Feet High And Rising is becoming a favourite,but I wouldn't go with this track as one of the standouts. 'Peggy Sue' is OK,but not up with his very best stuff.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1 - "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
2 - "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
3 - "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
4 - "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]
This bracket seems to be over already. Can't bring myself to put 'Rebellion' ahead of 'Teenage Kicks'. Can't disagree with much that the great John Peel said about music,and while he may have been going a bit overboard with his praise of this song,it's almost the perfect rock single. Not bowled over by 'Rebellion' the way everyone else seems to be,but it's good enough for #2 here. 'Last Train..'is a decent radio staple. 'Roadrunner' is OK,just in the wrong bracket...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971]
2. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972]
3. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000]
4. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986]

A bit of the best of the worst bracket for me. Even Rod Stewart at his best is pretty unbearable for me, but I really don't like the other songs.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971]
2. "Whip It" - Devo [1980]
3. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933]
4. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979]

Imagine is a song I could picture winning the entire thing. Very beautiful with a message.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955]
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967]
3. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980]
4. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996]

You know how hard it is to put The Supremes at 2 here? Sixteen Tons is a bit of a 50s novelty song, but it holds alotta weight with my family.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942]
2. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954]
3. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958]
4. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967]

White Christmas gets me into the move for Christmas, and I'm Jewish. And the Big Bopper's only song is only in the 900s? For shame.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959]
2. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964]
3. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991]
4. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973]

Oh god, Dion. I heard Dion every day when I was little kid. Parents loved him.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965]
2. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976]
3. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976]
4. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957]

I haven't been looking at the other brackets, and this may already be wrong, but Dylan should get a 4.0 average here.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992]
2. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989]
3. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978]
4. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958]

Drive one of the best album openers ever. With its sorta-crazy lyrics and melodic acoustic guitar, it sets the stage for one depressing and beautiful album.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004]
2. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966]
3. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979]
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976]

Rebellion (Lies) was originally my least favorite track on the whole album during my first listen. It isn't my favorite, but I've grown to like it.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

I don't know, I'd prefer just not making people comment. I think most people still will. For example during my Beatles song poll, I didn't make people comment and I think half of the voters usually ended up commenting, and discussion happened. With comments you don't get much discussion just a lot of reading. Just my two cents.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart [1971] - Maybe the only Stewart song I like, and definitely the only one good enough that I'll tolerate him wearing leather pants and shaking his ass onstage while performing. (Even old man Rod).
2. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young [1972] - I prefer political Neil to wistful Neil, but this is a worthy hit.
3. "Panic" - The Smiths [1986] - A good song, but only a decent song for the Smiths, especially for 1986.
4. "Try Again" - Aaliyah [2000] - Not bad, but not great, either.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon [1971] - Nothing short of amazing. Overrated, but don't knock it just 'cause it's simple. Corny as it sounds, every so often I sit down at the piano and play this and pray to the gods that don't exist that it comes true, except the commie parts.
2. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd [1979] - The apex of the album, and a great one to sing in school, especially when the teachers get it, and whip out an air-guitar solo.
3. "Whip It" - Devo [1980] - Crack! Catchy, but not as good on repeat.
4. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael [1933] - If there was a fifth spot, I would place this there.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang [1980] - Hip-hop's first hit sure was a good one. If you know all the words like me, it's hard not to hear it without bursting into rhyme.
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes [1967] - Not my favorite, but pretty good. The guitar is a little annoying for a "hook".
3. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford [1955] - If you hear it more than once, you'll wish you hadn't, because it gets stupid on #2.
4. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers [1996] - I don't like this kind of '90s song.

MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley [1954] - I can picture Elvis sitting on a porch in Mississippi with his guitar, gyrating his hips, and brewing up rock n' roll with this song.
2. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby [1942] - Definition of a standard.
3. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke [1967] - Boring and overwrought, but...
4. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper [1958] - ...that's better than stupid anyday.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys [1964] - You'd never guess how complex this song is until you tried to play it on guitar. Brian Wilson was a genius even before he went crazy.
2. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts [1959] - Dion was a legit star back in the day. I oughta ask Gramps about him...
3. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica [1991] - I used to really like this, but now I realize they have far better songs. Still good though.
4. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade [1973] - A glam classic, but SH2B4. Truly great songs can't be ruined, but Quiet Riot slaughtered this one long ago.

BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan [1965] - Tough bracket for this one...NOT!!!
2. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo [1976] - Sick backbeat, this needs to be sampled by Kanye sometime soon. I can honestly see this challenge L.a.R.S. for some people.
3. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [1976] - Seger wishes he was Springsteen so bad...
4. "Young Blood" - The Coasters [1957] - I hated it from the first chord.

CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Drive" - R.E.M. [1992] - Eerie as hell intro to what is probably their best album.
2. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly [1958] - Buddy Holly is my favorite non-Elvis, non-colored, pre-Beatles rocker, if only for the Weezer song.
3. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits [1978] - Not a huge fan of the DS, but there's no denying Mark Knopfler's guitar solo.
4. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul [1989] - SH2B4.

RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire [2004] - Best song on the best album of the decade...which puts it in a league with "God Only Knows", "Born to Run", "Billie Jean" and "Paranoid Android" in my book. (Album poll hints!)
2. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [1966] - The Monkees don't get their due. Yes, I'm jumping on that bandwagon, but only cause it's true.
3. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones [1979] - Nah.
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers [1976] - God, no!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

I'm heading out tonight and I might not be back by midnight. So if that happens, you'll have some extra time for this week.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Okay, I just got in. Voting is over for this week. Results ASAP.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young (55 points, 6 first-place votes)
2. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart (46, 6)
3. "Try Again" - Aaliyah (44, 5)
4. "Panic" - The Smiths (35, 1)

The consensus for everyone this week seemed to be that this was a weak bracket (or maybe it just was for me). Still, Neil had enough to put this one in the bag early. Neither Rod the Mod nor Aaliyah was able to successfully put up a solid front to compete with "Heart of Gold." What interested me though, was how the top three songs (almost) evenly split the 18 first-place votes. The Smiths are now one-for-four in the first round, while Rod and Aaliyah are one-and-done.


MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Imagine" - John Lennon (53, 10)
2. "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" - Pink Floyd (46, 2)
3. "Whip It" - Devo (45, 3)
4. "Stardust" - Hoagy Carmichael (36, 3)

Had this week's voting ended after the first five ballots, John Lennon would be on the outside looking in right now, as three of the first five had "Imagine" in fourth place. John finally picked up the pace starting with Harold's ballot; nine of the week's last twelve ballots had Mr. Lennon in first place. "Imagine" will face David Bowie's "Space Oddity" in the second round. Hoagy Carmichael is done after only one bracket, Devo is done after two brackets, and Pink Floyd is now oh-for-three with only "Wish You Were Here" remaining.


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang (54, 9)
2. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes (51, 4)
3. "A Design for Life" - Manic Street Preachers (41, 3)
4. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford (34, 2)

Classic rap reigns supreme in this bracket, though classic Motown made it very interesting. For a while, I thought that the Supremes might pull this out on the strength of the second-place vote, but the Sugarhill Gang had enough to go through to Round 2, where "Rapper's Delight" will face the Clash's "London Calling." The Supremes are now oh-for-two, but have three chances remaining to advance. The Manics are oh-for-one with only "Motorcycle Emptiness" left, and Tennessee Ernie Ford is done after his lone bracket.


MAHLER BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke (55, 10)
2. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley (47, 4)
3. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby (42, 3)
4. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper (26, 0)

I was really shocked to see the final results of this bracket and see just how close it actually was. I was certain that the Left Banke had just run away with this one, but "Walk Away Renee" only gets an eight-point win. Still, a win is a win, and the Left Banke is now in Round 2. Bing Crosby and the Big Bopper are both out after their only bracket, but the King is now two-for-five in Round 1.


HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys (58, 11)
2. "Enter Sandman" - Metallica (44, 3)
3. "A Teenager in Love" - Dion & the Belmonts (37, 3)
4. "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade (31, 0)

Unlike the last bracket, the Beach Boys end up running away with this one and take a fourteen-point win over Lars, Kirk, James and Jason. "I Get Around" will take on Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" in Round 2. Dion loses in his first bracket of Bracketology, but he still has two songs remaining: one solo single and one with the Belmonts. Metallica and Slade, on the other hand, are both gone after this, their only bracket.


BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 1
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan (64, 14)
2. "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown" - Augustus Pablo (45, 1)
3. "Night Moves" - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (40, 2)
4. "Young Blood" - The Coasters (21, 0)

Some people predicted that "Like a Rolling Stone" would overtake Otis Redding and become the new high-scorer in Round 1. Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to happen. Still, Dylan is too strong for this bracket, and he wins by nineteen points. "Like a Rolling Stone" will face the Temptations' "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and Big Star's "September Gurls" in Round 2. The Coasters are now eliminated, finishing oh-for-two in Bracketology. Neither Augustus Pablo nor Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band were able to place another song in the AM top 1,024, so they are now both gone.


CHOPIN BLOC, BRACKET 16
1. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul (47, 6)
2. "Drive" - R.E.M. (46, 7)
3. "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits (46, 4)
4. "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly (31, 0)

In what was easily the closest bracket of the week (and maybe even of the whole tournament), De La Soul squeaks past R.E.M. and Dire Straits by a single point. "Me, Myself and I" will face Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" in the next round. R.E.M.'s struggles in Bracketology continue, as they are now oh-for-three in the game, though they do have five chances remaining. Buddy Holly is oh-for-two with three chances left, but Dire Straits are gone.


RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 2
1. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire (59, 13)
2. "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones (43, 1)
3. "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees (37, 1)
4. "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers (31, 2)

In the second-biggest blowout of the week, Arcade Fire proves why they are one of the better-loved bands on this band, winning by sixteen points. "Rebellion (Lies)" will take on Prince's "Kiss" in the next round. The Undertones and the Modern Lovers are eliminated from Bracketology, though the Monkees have "I'm a Believer" remaining.







Statistics will be posted in the AM.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

John
I don't know, I'd prefer just not making people comment. I think most people still will. For example during my Beatles song poll, I didn't make people comment and I think half of the voters usually ended up commenting, and discussion happened. With comments you don't get much discussion just a lot of reading. Just my two cents.


Let me think about this. I'm not going to say yes or no just yet, but I need to process this. It's already way too late for me.

Would anyone else care to weigh in with their ideas? I had hoped that by requiring only the #1 choice to have a comment this might cut down on some of the typing that people would have to do. But maybe I'm not looking at the big picture here. What does everyone else think?

For Round 2, the load will only be four brackets (so 16 songs each week), but I'm probably going to require all songs to be commented. But I'm willing to amend those rules as well. Thoughts?

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

I'm fine with not requiring comments, so long as everybody is still sworn to actually listening to all four songs before voting.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

STATISTICS



TOP TWENTY BEST-PERFORMING SONGS
1. "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" - Otis Redding (3.905 points per ballot)
2. "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys (3.9)
3. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (3.882)
4. "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" - The Four Tops (3.8)
5. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana (3.778)
6. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan (3.765)
7. "All Along the Watchtower" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (3.75)
8. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks (3.7)
9. "Crazy" - Gnarls Barkley (3.667) tie
9. "Georgia on My Mind" - Ray Charles (3.667) tie
11. "Ms. Jackson" - OutKast (3.65)
12. "'Heroes'" - David Bowie (3.611)
13. "Living for the City" - Stevie Wonder (3.588)
14. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - The Beatles (3.571) tie
14. "London Calling" - The Clash (3.571) tie
14. "Tomorrow Never Knows" - The Beatles (3.571) tie
17. "Heroin" - The Velvet Underground (3.556)
18. "Sweet Child o' Mine" - Guns n' Roses (3.533) tie
18. "Sabotage" - Beastie Boys (3.533) tie
20. "A Day in the Life" - The Beatles (3.529) tie
20. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green (3.529) tie


TOP TWENTY WORST-PERFORMING SONGS
1. "Chime" - Orbital (1.176)
2. "Back in the Saddle Again" - Gene Autry (1.214)
3. "Young Blood" - The Coasters (1.235)
4. "Donna" - Ritchie Valens (1.333)
5. "You're No Good" - Linda Ronstadt (1.35)
6. "Just the Way You Are" - Billy Joel (1.353)
7. "I Want It That Way" - Backstreet Boys (1.4)
8. "The Only One I Know" - The Charlatans (1.412)
9. "It's Too Soon to Know" - The Orioles (1.45)
10. "I Will Always Love You" - Whitney Houston (1.467)
11. "Maneater" - Nelly Furtado (1.471)
12. "Crazy Arms" - Ray Price (1.474)
13. "Chantilly Lace" - The Big Bopper (1.529)
14. "Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer (1.529) tie
14. "Dry Your Eyes" - The Streets (1.529) tie
16. "Up on the Roof" - The Drifters (1.55)
17. "Hounds of Love" - The Futureheads (1.556)
18. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (1.571)
19. "Wabash Cannonball" - Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys (1.588)
20. "Yeah!" - Usher (Featuring Lil' Jon & Ludacris) (1.611)


TOP TWENTY WORST-PERFORMING SONGS TO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND
1. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (2.667) tie
1. "God" - John Lennon (2.667) tie
1. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (2.667) tie
4. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer (2.75) tie
4. "Wichita Lineman" - Glen Campbell (2.75) tie
6. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul (2.765)
7. "Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley (2.778)
8. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman (2.810)
9. "Genius of Love" - Tom Tom Club (2.813)
10. "Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival (2.842)
11. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan (2.85)
12. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan (2.857)
13. "Crying" - Roy Orbison (2.867)
14. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" - The Stooges (2.882) tie
14. "Mr. Tambourine Man" - Bob Dylan (2.882) tie
16. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie (2.895)
17. "Mr. Tambourine Man" - The Byrds (2.9)
18. "Many Rivers to Cross" - Jimmy Cliff (2.941) tie
18. "I Only Have Eyes for You" - The Flamingos (2.941) tie
18. "Wolf Like Me" - TV on the Radio (2.941) tie
18. "Smokestack Lightning" - Howlin' Wolf (2.941) tie
18. "Dream On" - Aerosmith (2.941) tie
18. "Think" - Aretha Franklin (2.941) tie


TOP TWENTY BEST-PERFORMING SONGS TO BE ELIMINATED IN THE FIRST ROUND
1. "No Woman, No Cry" - Bob Marley & the Wailers (3.059)
2. "I Can See for Miles" - The Who (3.053)
3. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey (3.036)
4. "Got My Mojo Working" - Muddy Waters (3.0) tie
4. "Oliver's Army" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions (3.0) tie
4. "Atmosphere" - Joy Division (3.0) tie
7. "Walk on By" - Dionne Warwick (2.952)
8. "Sign 'o' the Times" - Prince (2.95)
9. "Family Affair" - Sly & the Family Stone (2.941) tie
9. "Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys (2.941) tie
9. "Ace of Spades" - Motörhead (2.941) tie
9. "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" - The Jam (2.941) tie
13. "The Sound of Silence" - Simon & Garfunkel (2.929)
14. "Iron Man" - Black Sabbath (2.9)
15. "Doo Wop (That Thing)" - Lauryn Hill (2.895)
16. "Born Slippy (Nuxx)" - Underworld (2.882) tie
16. "Pressure Drop" - Toots & the Maytals (2.882) tie
16. "Everybody's Talkin'" - Nilsson (2.882) tie
16. "Higher Ground" - Stevie Wonder (2.882) tie
16. "Follow the Leader" - Eric B. & Rakim (2.882) tie


TWENTY LOWEST-RANKED SONGS TO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND
1. "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide (ranked #990)
2. "Mr. Tambourine Man" - Bob Dylan (ranked #920)
3. "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie (#878)
4. "Hellhound on My Trail" - Robert Johnson (#870)
5. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (#824)
6. "Pale Blue Eyes" - The Velvet Underground (#801)
7. "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" - Mission of Burma (#772)
8. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire (#760)
9. "God" - John Lennon (#714)
10. "Karma Police" - Radiohead (#709)
11. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (#696)
12. "Come as You Are" - Nirvana (#661)
13. "The Boxer" - Simon & Garfunkel (#657)
14. "So What" - Miles Davis (#636)
15. "Think" - Aretha Franklin (#630)
16. "Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul (#612)
17. "Genius of Love" - Tom Tom Club (#595)
18. "Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke (#584)
19. "Back on the Chain Gang" - Pretenders (#558)
20. "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan (#449)


TWENTY HIGHEST-RANKED SONGS TO BE ELIMINATED IN THE FIRST ROUND
1. "Hey Jude" - The Beatles (#35)
2. "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" - Bill Haley & His Comets (#46)
3. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" - Jerry Lee Lewis (#64)
4. "Get Ur Freak On" - Missy Elliott (#70)
5. "That's All Right (Mama)" - Elvis Presley (#72)
6. "No Woman, No Cry" - Bob Marley & the Wailers (#75)
7. "Mystery Train" - Elvis Presley (#83)
8. "Crazy in Love" - Beyoncé (Featuring Jay-Z) (#105)
9. "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart (#107)
10. "Walk on By" - Dionne Warwick (#109)
11. "Born Slippy (Nuxx)" - Underworld (#113)
12. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" - Hank Williams (#118)
13. "Won't Get Fooled Again" - The Who (#121)
14. "Eight Miles High" - The Byrds (#124)
15. "Family Affair" - Sly & the Family Stone (#127)
16. "Sign 'o' the Times" - Prince (#129)
17. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye (#138)
18. "Blitzkrieg Bop" - The Ramones (#145)
19. "Crazy" - Patsy Cline (#147)
20. "Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys (#149)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

MORE STATISTICS


WHO GOT THE MOST CORRECT WINNERS THIS WEEK?
1. BillAdama (7 out of 8 - 87.5%) tie
1. Matt Schroeder (7 out of 8 - 87.5%) tie
3. Jackson (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
3. schleuse (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
5. Alex D (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. Harold Wexler (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. Lanka (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
5. nicolas (5 out of 8 - 62.5%) tie
9. Anthony (4 out of 7 - 57.14%)
10. brose (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Midaso (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Nassim (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
10. Rune (2 out of 4 - 50%) tie
10. sonofsamiam (4 out of 8 - 50%) tie
15. Greg (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
15. Moonbeam (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
15. pop elton (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
15. VanillaFire1000 (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie


OVERALL TOP TEN (BY PERCENTAGE)
1. Michael (15 out of 19 - 78.95%)
2. Honorio (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
2. Mindrocker (6 out of 8 - 75%) tie
4. Alex D (59 out of 87 - 67.82%)
5. SR (54 out of 80 - 67.5%)
6. nicolas (75 out of 112 - 66.96%)
7. Harold Wexler (74 out of 112 - 66.07%)
8. Greg Rumpff (5 out of 8 - 62.5%)
9. Jackson (25 out of 40 - 62.5%) tie
9. Midaso (70 out of 112 - 62.5%) tie


OVERALL TOP TEN (BY NUMBER CORRECT)
1. nicolas (75)
2. Harold Wexler (74)
3. Midaso (70)
4. brose (65)
5. BillAdama (63) tie
5. Matt Schroeder (63) tie
7. schleuse (62) tie
7. sonofsamiam (62) tie
9. Alex D (59)
10. SR (54)


OVERALL BOTTOM TEN (BY PERCENTAGE)
1. Moonbeam (34 out of 100 - 34%)
2. pop elton (41 out of 110 - 37.27%)
3. Jeff (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
3. netjade (3 out of 8 - 37.5%) tie
5. johan_at (2 out of 5 - 40%)
6. Rune (23 out of 47 - 40.35%)
7. The Lone Gunmen (20 out of 47 - 42.55%)
8. Nassim (43 out of 100 - 43%)
9. VanillaFire1000 (35 out of 79 - 44.30%)
10. Henrik (14 out of 31 - 45.16%)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Matt Schroeder
1. Moonbeam (34 out of 100 - 34%)


I'm leaving that one-third mark in the dust! Yowzah, I'm on a roll!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Moonbeam
Matt Schroeder
1. Moonbeam (34 out of 100 - 34%)


I'm leaving that one-third mark in the dust! Yowzah, I'm on a roll!


I'm really glad you've got such a great attitude about all this. If it was me, I'd probably be really angry or bummed out.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 14

Matt Schroeder
Moonbeam
Matt Schroeder
1. Moonbeam (34 out of 100 - 34%)


I'm leaving that one-third mark in the dust! Yowzah, I'm on a roll!


I'm really glad you've got such a great attitude about all this. If it was me, I'd probably be really angry or bummed out.


No need to get angry about it- it's just a fun game! Actually, it is more than a game, because it's introduced me to a lot of great stuff. Plus, I have small victories like "Genius of Love" making it through to keep up my motivation. Thanks for keeping it up!