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ROUND 2, WEEK 9
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.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
REMINDER: You must comment on ALL the songs in order for your ballot to count.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
1/ "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) - Fuck it, I want to give Umbrella the only first slot it'll probably get as Bob will walk this. Amazing pop song.
2/ Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan - Have yet to fully discover the man but this is 24ct, no explanation needed.
3/ "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations - Always enjoyed this from a young age.
4/ "September Gurls" - Big Star - No comment, haven't given it anywhere near enough airtime really.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
1/ "In My Life" - The Beatles - Standard Beatles but even at their most perfunctory it wins out.
2/ "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine - A close second. Gorgeous, swooping stuff but not my favourite on the album.
3/ "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash - This isn't third place material by any stretch but it's a narrow, harsh bracket.
4/ "I Can't Explain" - The Who - Overrated. *ducks*
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
1/ "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones - Prime cut of Stones
2/ "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green - Lush stuff
3/ "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino - Mmmm, blueberry hill ggaarrhhgh
4/ "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide - yet to click at all, Suicide
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
1/ "One More Time" - Daft Punk - Childhood defining for me so no question.
2/ "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones - Short sharp and superb
3/ "Rain" - The Beatles - Sub-par for The Beatles if I'm honest.
4/ "California Girls" - The Beach Boys - Unlucky to be fourth but it's not A-grade BB material imo.
Wow, compared to last week's this is an awful set of brackets.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan (No competition..... at all)
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star (Great song, would win a lot of other brackets)
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations(Smooth intro)
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)(This song just sucks)
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles (It was hard to chose 1 2 and 3, but In My Life got my vote)
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash (Great 50's song, just didn't have enough)
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who (Another early great by the Who)
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine (Easy to place here)
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones (The easiest first place I've given this round!)
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino (decent 50's song)
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green (R&B classic)
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide (What kind of competition did this have in round 1?)
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles (One of my favorite by the Beatles)
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (It's...almost....summer!)
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones (So do I)
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk (Didn't have a shot)
By the way, when will we see the previous two weeks results?
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
Hard to place this wonderful song anyplace else, certainly it was going to be 1st in this bracket.
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
Fantastic track by the Temptations, one of their best.
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
A pleasant song, but not close to the top two.
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
Overplayed and mediocre in my estimation. Easy fourth pick in this and many brackets.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
Great song by the fab four. Not so easy to place this above the Who in this bracket.
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
It is often difficult to articulate one's deepest thoughts. The song is clean and fun. Not so easy to place this in second, could have been 1st in a different bracket.
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
Probably Johnny's best, but he's not nearly as beloved by me as the Who and the Beatles.
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
Seems over-rated at 470 to me. Easy to place this fourth in this bracket.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
Solid song by the Stones, but wouldn't be number 1 in many other brackets.
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
Excellent song, but I strongly prefer "Let's Stay Together."
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
Strong old track that still gets played occasionally on some of my playlists.
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
Easy for me to place this in 4th.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
My favorite in a relatively weak bracket.
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
A rather mediocre song from the Beatles in my view. It still works.
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
Pretty close call for second in this bracket.
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
I enjoy this song, but it was still relatively easy for me to put this in 4th in this bracket.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
It's a great song, even though I don't get why it's rated number 1 by so many people.
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
I love this song. It's so catchy and addictive and sounds way ahead of its time.
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
One of the funkiest things to come out of the 70's.
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
Very good for 00's pop, but still not great.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
One of Lennon's best compositions.
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
The definitive song from the king of country.
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
A great 60's single.
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
Don't get the acclaim for this one. To me it's just another boring shoegaze/dreampop rock song.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
Might be my favorite Stones song.
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
I love anything by Al Green.
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
Great 50's R&B.
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
This song really creeps me out. I'm guessing it's for stoners only.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Not their best song, but I just love Daft Punk.
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
Great song by a great band.
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
Not my favorite Beatles track.
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
Good, but not good enough for this bracket.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
The greatest song ever? Well that's up for debate. One of the greatest songs ever? No question about it.
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
I never got how people can go from heaping praise on artists like The Supremes and Martha and the Vandellas to outright hatred of something like "Umbrella" or "Crazy in Love". Those two songs represent the very apex of modern pop music. However, the vocals on this song aren't spectacular, the real star of this song is the superb production.
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
Great great great pop rock song.
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
Great song, but no match for the first 3.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
The best Johnny Cash song, and the single best track to come out of the 1950's.
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
One of the Beatles best, and that's saying a lot.
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
Like "September Gurls" after it, this song is one perfect pop rock song.
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
Good song, but I prefer "Soon" by MBV by a huge margin.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
This song always seemed underrated on AM, too bad, because it's one of the Stones best works.
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
Great song, but not extraordinary.
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
Good song, but not great.
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
Decent song, maybe a few more listens and I'd have put it higher.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
This song isn't doing all too well this round, so I figure it's about time that this song gets some praise. The perfect house song, in a world of so called "party music" dominated by the likes of the Black Eyed Peas and other such crap, this song is a shining beacon of light.
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
Great great great pop song, way too underrated on AM.
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
Probably their second best song, second to only Blitzkrieg Bop.
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
Mid tier Beatles song, which still means it's better than most other bands best songs.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
"Like A Rolling Stone" is the only song I would rank a perfect 10.0 if I were to rank on the Pitchfork-scale, so obviously the rest is badly outclassed. However, this is my favorite bracket of the week as both the other Rolling Stone song and September Girls are big favorites of mine. Umbrella I'm kind of ambivalent about; don't think it deserves to be nearly as high as 256 though.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
The two I-songs both make my top 200, with Cash slightly outclassing The Who. I don't completely agree that "I Walk The Line" is the best song of the 50s, but I do think it makes the top 3. Loveless took a long time to hit, but "Only Shallow" was the one that did it. I don't think I'll ever come to appreciate them so much that I agree with their #75 position, but this song is pretty great. "In My Life" is another song invoking ambivalence for me; I wouldn't turn it off, but it's rather bland.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
Worst bracket of the week. Only my 7th favorite Rolling Stones song, but still awesome enough to win this bracket. I really like Al Green but I've never really loved him; this is a very strong contender for his best song though. "Blueberry Hill" is a very good song, but not quite special enough. "Frankie Teardrop", on the other hand, is very special, but not that great a song.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk: One of the greatest dance songs.
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys: One of the greatest summer songs.
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones: One of the greatest tricks this deceptively one-trick pony ever pulled.
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles: One of the major instances in which the B-side far outclasses the A-side. This should really have been on Revolver.
I RESOLVE TO NOT BE THE LAST PERSON OF THE WEEK TO POST A BALLOT.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
It's good to be the king. It won it all last time, and it's my pick to win it all this time around (though it's not the song I have winning in my own personal Bracketology).
2. "September Gurls" - Big Star
Absolutely gorgeous song that always sounds like it's about to fall apart about two-thirds of the way through, yet somehow Chilton and co. manage to hold it together. Power pop at its finest.
3. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
I recently picked up a copy of the full almost-12-minute version of this song (off All Directions) and it actually ruined the song a little bit for me. Sure, the 7-minute version tests my patience, but it always managed to stay fresh. The album version just goes on too long and now I don't even enjoy listening to it anymore.
4. "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
It was impossible to avoid this song back when it was all over the radio, and Lord knows I tried. Sure, as far as pop music goes, it's an excellent pop song. That doesn't make me like the song any more though. The "ella-ella-eh-eh-eh" part always kills it for me. But damn, what a catchy song.
MOPS: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
VERY difficult call for me, as I'm not a huge fan of any of these songs. In the end, this one gets the nod more by process of elimination than anything else. But give me "Soon" over this one any day of the week.
2. "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
As someone else noted back in Round 1, every verse of this song is in a different key, which makes it even more of an anachronistic hit song. And though I'm not necessarily a big fan of Johnny Cash (or country music in general), it's difficult to deny the greatness of this song.
3. "I Can't Explain" - The Who
Certainly a fun song, but also certainly not the kind of song I'd expect to have in the "Final 64." Easy pick for the #3 spot.
4. "In My Life" - The Beatles
I don't know why, but I just don't like this one. It's one of the Fab Four's highest-rated, as well as one of their most-loved, but I'm just not a fan, no matter how many times I hear it.
MOPS: "Hotel California" - The Eagles
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
I correctly picked only one of the four songs here, and this is it. It gets the nod here not because of that reason (#2 is a great song too!), but because it's the only one I'd ever listen to on repeat. I've always loved how the song builds from such a laid-back groove (right after the children's chorus) to such a manic finale. Great, great stuff from one of the best bands ever.
2. "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
I believe it was schleuse who, in the first round, made the comment "trip-uh-let, trip-uh-let" and caused me to lose my lunch laughing. I defy you to listen to this song and NOT smile. Fats was a true showman, and this is his magnum opus. Well, maybe it's "Ain't That a Shame"...
3. "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
It's not that this is a bad song, but it's DEFINITELY not Round 3-worthy. I personally question whether or not it's even Round 2-worthy. Still, I love Al Green, and this is one of his best. Great, great baby-making music.
4. "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't give this song a fair shake back in the first round. I listened to it again after it became clear that it was going to sweep into the second round, and was blown away by it. But it raises an interesting question (well, it's interesting to me): is it really a song? I mean, the lyrics are truly amazing and bone-chilling, but it's essentially poetry set to minimalist music. It's one of the few songs that I personally think is more effective if you read the lyrics written out on paper than if you listen to the song. Points for creeping me out, but I just can't compare it to the other three here and say that it's a better song. And it certainly isn't something I would sit down and listen to just on a whim.
MOPS: "Hey Jude" - The Beatles
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
No matter which song wins this bracket, it will be the lowest-rated song to advance to the third round (unless "Only Shallow", "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or "Frankie Teardrop" manage to win also)
1. "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Hmm, I picked 25% of the songs in the last bracket, and I picked 0% of the songs in this bracket. So this is one hell of a tough decision for me. The best one here (to me) I only rate 4 out of 5 on my iTunes. I can't say I really am rooting for any of the ones here, and I certainly can't say that I WANT any of them to win. But something must win, so I'll go with this one. Daft Punk is one of those bands that I can only listen to in small doses, but this is right up there as one of my favorites by them.
2. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
It's songs like this that give birth to terms like "sunshine pop". It really is one of the "sunniest" songs I've ever heard, and the harmonies are truly divine (as is expected for any Beach Boys song). But I've heard this song enough for two lifetimes. Still, SHTB2.
3. "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
I've never been a fan of the Ramones, but picking between these last two is like flipping a coin for me. I'll go with this order simply because I do not understand the acclaim for...
4. "Rain" - The Beatles
The 568th-most acclaimed song of all time? Really? Why? Because of the back-masking? Yawn.
MOPS: "When a Man Loves a Woman" - Percy Sledge (I even had that one winning in Round 3 too...)
Pretty much every single song last week would win out against almost any of the tracks here. That Ms Jackson, Bohemian Rhapsody, Song 2, Life On Mars, Seven Nation Army, House Of The Rising Sun and Tears Of A Clown all went out...it's mad.
ROUND 2, WEEK 9
What a bad week ! A lot of songs I don't like.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
I like a lot the first song. The second is listenable and the two others make my ears blood.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
The first three songs are good, but not very good and I hate the fourth.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
The best bloc so far, exept the fourth song, absolutly unlistenable. I put the RS in fist because I have very good memories with it.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
Pfffff, four songs I don't like a much. Put a Beach Boys song in first seems to me surprising. Rain is one of the BEatles song I don't like (it's rare.
This week, only three songs I like in all bloc. Sad week.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17 (weak)
1. #1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan /
Very easy number one on this otherwise unsatisfying bracket. I am sure it will cruise into the next round, as it should.
2. #128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations /
Best of the rest. Kind a nice, but a little too slow and too long in my opinion. I think I actually prefer the instrumental part
3. #256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) /
It's positioning is ridiculous, but maybe I am even getting old, or something. Nice production and even catchy, but still not very interesting, is it?
4. #384: "September Gurls" - Big Star /
Talking about uninteresting. Why is this one so acclaimed? Maybe for the reasons why I don't like it, it's utter simpleness.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19 (weak)
1. #86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash /
One of the better Cash songs, definitely of the ones he wrote himself. Not very good, but a league higher than the other three.
2. #171: "In My Life" - The Beatles /
Fun, but not with their best. Not in their top 20, for that matter. But from that period, one of my favorites, if favorite is the right word.
3. #470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine /
Better than I thought. Somehow it captivates me, although the noise-level is still a bit too high for my taste.
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who /
I can appreciate The Who, but I do not really appreciate their early acclaimed songs. One of the forebodes of punk and that is not really much of a compliment in my view.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19 (average)
1. #606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones /
Although it's surely noy my favorite Stones song, it's still quite an easy winner here. Not enough competition. When I heard the studio version for the first time, I was quite blown away by the high-pitched choir.
2. #222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino /
I dig this song beacause my father got me to listen to this when I was younger. Just nice. Not cocky at all.
3. #350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green /
Nice as well, but not earth-shattering. I could grow tired of it, but I haven't yet. Not even a bit.
4. #990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide /
What happened with this one in the first round? Actually quite interesting it survived any round. When I listened this one lately, it got on my nerves in a special way. It was quite mesmerizing. It is a special 'song', that's for sure. But is it good?
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18 (weak)
1. #696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys /
Another easy winner. Usely I'm not a fan of all-too-happy music, but when done by the Beach Boys, and in a proper way, I am overwon in every way!
2. #824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk /
Could have been The Beatles as well, but this one is a tad more interesting. Not my favorite Daft Punk song though and I definitely prefer their Homework album over Discovery.
3. #568: "Rain" - The Beatles /
Not a very absorbing song. Is this really one of the better songs of what is considered to be the best band of all time? They should be able to do better. And they can.
4. #440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones /
I even get annoyed by Blitzkrieg Bop, and this one is not doing any better. I really don't like The Ramones. I'd even prefer Frankie Teardrop, well, almost every day of the year. It's just -dare I say?- nugatory.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) : I have been lucky enough to avoid an over-exposition to that song, so I still can listen to it as a close to perfect pop song mixed with some of the best inventions of the hip-hop of the 10 previous years, with a neat production and a flawless delivery. I'm pretty sure a good dozen of 00s RnB songs (including this one) will be remembered around 2030 the same way we remember Motown songs... you'll see !
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations : great song obviously, but before it there had been Theme From Shaft, which was the same but in a better way
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star : great song obviously, but before it there had been Thirteen, which was the same but in a better way (well, at least this time it his their own song)
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan : even though I like him a bit more than before, I could still live without Dylan...
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash : I love the humming at the beginning, don't ask me why. The rest is so simple it seems rid of anything dispensable
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles : the 9 first seconds are flawless, the rest is pretty good even though for some reasons, it's not much memorable on the Beatles discography
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who : I have the Who's best of in front of me, and that might be the song I would least likely listen to if I had to choose
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine : I know lot of bands I like have been hugely inspired by MBV, but that does not make their music enjoyable to my ears
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide : my favourite track on the album would be Ghost Rider I guess, but Frankie Teardrop is one of the creepiest song ever packed in an haunting minimalist electro package... and guess what listyguy, it has beaten Hey Jude on first round !
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones : anyone who found Marqueen Moon overlong and who dares put this one first is a huge hypocrit !
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green : Al Green has many good songs, but not much great ones
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino : sounds quite generic even though likeable
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones : might be here thanks to two weak brackets in a row, but I'm glad it is ! My favourite Ramones song, one of my favourite early-punk song, efficient, cool, sarcastic and fun.
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk : during the past 10 years, I haven't met any party where people have not started dancing as soon as this one was played. However, as great as it is in a party, it's not a dance song I enjoy in a more casual occasion
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys : as easily enjoyable as forgettable
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles : honestly, Ringo Starr should be ashamed for that one (almost as much as the French ex-Prime Minister who explained recently that his favourite member of the Rolling Stones was Ringo Starr), probably the worst drum breaks on any song on bracketology ; and for me that matters !
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations : great song obviously, but before it there had been Theme From Shaft, which was the same but in a better way
I always enjoy reading your comments, because more often than not, I disagree with them. I attribute this disagreement to a fundamental difference in our subjective tastes.
Therefore, reading and considering your comments affords me an opportunity to expand my thinking about music; and I am grateful to you for spending the time to clearly articulate your views.
In my view unless you think that the lyrics from Papa Was a Rolling Stone are detrimental to the song, it is difficult to me to understand what it is about Shaft that makes it "in a better way" to your ears.
Vive le difference!
The rap that was coming out in 1988 was courageous, but in my opinion, sometime in the early to mid 90's it moved from 'Courageous' to 'Overly market conscious'. Writing an extremely violent or dirty song was only courageous before it became a lock to sell millions.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
You can argue whether it deserves to be #1 of all time, but it's certainly one of the best. Whenever a really bad song plays at work, this is the first one that pops in my head to sing to drown it out.
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
I love the feel of this song. The narrative of throwing in one's face things they don't want to admit about their heritage.
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
Great power pop.
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
This is a good pop song but I hate Rihanna's signing habits. The way her voice abruptly starts and stops, and the way it sounds too obviously computerized. I want to hear this song acoustic. It'd probably be really good.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
I'd been listening mostly to the Live at Leeds version of this song. The studio version sounds better than I remember. I love that energy and those background harmonies.
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
The perfect opener for Loveless which immediately throws you right into the mood of the album.
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
Love Cash's charisma, but the song is so hooky, that's all it runs on.
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
Good song, but works better in the context of the full album.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
Good blues pop. Little formulaic.
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
Not good enough to be in the final 64, but neither is anything in this bracket.
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
Weird song with a perfect vibe for the lyrics.
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
Al Green is a great singer but a lot of his songs don't stand out very much.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
Great single.
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
Good song, a little too loopy and overlong.
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
The Ramones are a really fun band and this is one of their funnest songs.
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
This is one of the first round advancements that ticked me off the most. It's got good harmonies like all Beach Boys songs, but it's so annoyingly bouncy and hooky, and the lyrics are so freaking stupid. Give me post-Pet Sounds Beach Boys.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z)
Top 3 here are all SO good, they each easily would have won Rachmaninoff below. What can you do? Anyway, LARS is unimpeachable, the "other" Rolling Stone song one of the great epics of progressive soul, "September Gurls" perfect power pop and unfortunate to be in this bracket. I'm not a basher of "Umbrella", but it can't compete in this company.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who
Tough call between the top 2, Cash wins 'cause he's just more of a badass. "In My Life" is certainly brilliant and yet another great leap forward in Beatle songwriting. The MBV track is very nice but only about 4th best on the album. It saddens me to put "I Can't Explain" last, but there are frankly several better early Who singles.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
I really have no problem with music that's terrifying or disturbing -- anything beats staid or boring! That's why freaky Frankie takes an easy win here for me. Not something I venture to play very often, but on the rare occasions when I want to immerse myself in something DARK, there it is. The Stones track is of course glorious even if Charlie Watts took a breather for it. Al Green comes in 3 with another of his fine singles. "Blueberry Hill" sounds too dated now for me -- gimme "I'm Walkin'" anyday.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
"Rain" is my default winner in a pretty weak group, what with the fantastic drumming and excellent early psych production. The Ramones come through with their biggest hit (and the last of their golden years). "One More Time" is good, but I still think it's the 4th best of the first 4 tracks on Discovery, so there you go. And "California Girls", while wonderfully sung and produced, delivers none of the emotional resonance of my favorite Beach Boys tracks. Plus, I'll forever associate it with the moment that David Lee Roth jumped the shark.
This is a GREAT group of songs. I’ve had to make some very, very tough choices below:
BEETHOVEN 17
1. LIKE A ROLLING STONE. I don’t think it’s the best song ever, but it’s way, way up there, and it’s *just* strong enough to take this group.
2. SEPTEMBER GURLS. Garage gorgeous.
3. UMBRELLA. I pay no attention to commercial radio, so perhaps I just haven’t had time to get sick of it…yeah, it’s a bit of a case of blinding with science, but it’s a great pop song.
4. PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE. A dark, beautiful groove.
MOPS: Bob Dylan, “Like a Rolling Stone”
SCHUBERT 19
1. ONLY SHALLOW. See my comment on #2.
2. I CAN’T EXPLAIN. This is an almost impossible choice; I absolutely love both of these songs. Pete Townshend’s mission in life (down to the mid-70s, anyway) was to create music that sounded more monstrous and in-your-face than anything else in rock. But MBV reset the standard for monstrous and in-your-face.
3. I WALK THE LINE. I guess we now have to consider this JC’s signature tune; I would have had it winning a lot of other brackets.
4. IN MY LIFE. An easy #4; I’ve always thought it was overrated.
MOPS: My Bloody Valentine, “Only Shallow”
MOZART 19
1. FRANKIE TEARDROP. One of the darkest songs imaginable. Suicide was punk before anybody realized punk wasn’t supposed to be epic. Luckily, they never learned that lesson.
2. YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT. There you go—a #2 vote. It’s still a great song, and for me, kind of a haunting elegy for the 60s.
3. BLUEBERRY HILL. I’m sure this is the last we’ll see in this tournament of Fats…let’s remember to see him out with a smile. He deserves it, in kind.
4. TIRED OF BEING ALONE. Much respect to the Reverend, but this is another tough bracket.
MOPS: U2, “One”
RACHMANINOFF 18
1. RAIN. Not much more to say than the usual: the greatest B-side of all time.
2. ONE MORE TIME. I’m now sold on Daft Punk; they’ve got cast-iron guts and smarts that could cut diamond, and both are on display in this song.
3. I WANNA BE SEDATED. A great biographical song about something that Joey Ramone had in common with Lou Reed.
4. CALIFORNIA GIRLS. Iconic, but this was the kind of song I had to get past, in a way, before I really began to appreciate the Beach Boys.
MOPS: Bo Diddley, “Who Do You Love”
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan: Is it truly the greatest record ever made? As I’ve said many times, there’s no such thing. But it’s close enough, and in terms of expanding the lyrical and musical boundaries of rock (not to mention skyrocketing its creator to a whole new level), it may be the most important and influential.
2. "September Gurls" - Big Star: The late great Alex Chilton’s power-pop masterpiece would be an easy #1 – ridiculously so – in a lot of Round 2 brackets, including all of the other three this week.
3. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations: This smoldering, powerful late Motown classic would also likely have topped quite a few brackets. One of the greatest arrangements ever.
4. "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z): One of the best singles of the 2000s, but a very easy #4 amidst this stellar company.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "In My Life" - The Beatles: Even on an album as packed with gems as RUBBER SOUL, this simple but astonishingly mature Lennon ballad stands out as a highlight.
2. "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine: The amazing opening track to a hugely influential yet one-of-a-kind album, a startling mixture of shimmering distorted beauty and harshly atonal noise that still sounds fresh almost 20 years on.
3. "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash: I continually marvel at the odd structure of this song – every verse is in a different key. But Cash’s natural, effortless authority made it a smash and an instant classic anyway.
4. "I Can't Explain" - The Who: Keith Moon’s drumming is just unconventional enough to give their debut single a hint of what they were capable of, but it doesn’t belong in Round 2 here.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones: Overplayed and overused, but still one of the Stones’ great tracks (and a perfect bookend to “Gimme Shelter” on LET IT BLEED) and an easy #1 pick here. Special kudos to Al Kooper (making his second appearance this week), doing triple duty on piano, organ, and French horn (!).
2. "Frankie Teardrop" – Suicide: Quite possibly the most harrowing record ever made. Not exactly easy listening, but a singular, formidable achievement.
3. "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green: Green’s big breakthrough hit, and one of his best records.
4. "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino: I hate to put an artist as genial and deceptively effortless as Fats at #4, but his signature song – a standard that he indelibly made his own – just seems a bit lightweight here.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "Rain" - The Beatles: There may be no better exemplification of how insanely prolific they were than the fact that they could afford to toss off a track as hard-edged and brilliant as this as a B-side. Anyone who can hear this one and still dismiss Ringo’s drumming just isn’t listening.
2. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys: I initially had this one at #4 for its lyrical fluff, but the music – especially that incredible intro – is undeniable. Is there a more succinct representation of the dichotomy between Mr. Wilson and Mr. Love?
3. "One More Time" - Daft Punk: The linchpin of what has turned out to be one of the last decade’s most acclaimed albums; not much to say, other than that it’s a lot of fun.
4. "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones: A great track, but it’s kind of mystifying that it’s come to be seen as their most iconic song; its album is inferior to the three that came before it, and those first three albums all have tracks just as good or better (a lot, in some cases).
Voting for this week is now over.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan - Not entirely deserving of G.O.A.T. status, but damn close.
2. "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) - Everyone thinks this is just a pop song, but if you listen to that hi-hat wallop and the synths going mad in the background it's a different story.
3. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations - Overlong and late to the cop-funk party.
4. "September Gurls" - Big Star - Bleh.
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "In My Life" - The Beatles - One of their best, off their best album (though it is sappy, it is heartfelt too).
2. "I Can't Explain" - The Who - Halfway between the garage and "My Generation" and a great riff.
3. "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash - Until today I'd never known each verse was in a different key. Hmmm.
4. "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green - I really like Al Green, even if he is a one-trick pony. The little flourishes of the drumbeat make this song.
2. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones - Yeah, they tried to make "Hey Jude", but there's still that little dark Stones-y element to it that makes it.
3. "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino - Can't stand.
4. "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide - Turned off halfway through the first and only time I tried listening to it.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys - Great intro and underrated lyrics. The first hint of Pet Sounds.
2. "One More Time" - Daft Punk - The song that gets any party started, anywhere.
3. "Rain" - The Beatles - Ringo goes to town, successfully.
4. "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones - Not a fan, they have better songs.
Well,if it's not too late:
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "September Gurls" - Big Star - Quite simply,the finest power pop single of all time,could not be improved in any way...
2. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan - It may be the greatest song of all time,but I don't care - I play September Gurls twice as much and would always choose it to listen to between the two. That said,it's still awesome.
3. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations - Well behind the first two,but great vocal track. Maybe a bit long though...
4. "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) - Easy #4,man Jay-Z's contributions to some of these tracks are annoying...
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine - Blew me away on first listen,amazing stuff
2. "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash - Iconic,one of the best of the 50s. In an era when most rock n'roll songs were interchangeable,this was something different...
3. "I Can't Explain" - The Who - Simple but effective song - great riff
4. "In My Life" - The Beatles - Dull stuff,has worn a bit thin...
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones - Wonderful song,the Stones at their best. Easy winner of this group
2. "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino - Not a fan of his,but this song is one I've always enjoyed
3. "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green - A little boring now,but decent soul track
4. "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide - Alright the first time,one dimensional and overlong now...
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys - Not one of my favourites of theirs,but then again there's at least 30 of their songs that I'd have as #1 in this group.
2. "One More Time" - Daft Punk - Great feel good song,slightly overrated though...
3. "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones - One of their key tracks,doesn't stand out enough against the top 2
4. "Rain" - The Beatles - It may be an important track,but sounds pretty grating to my ears...
Better hurry up with this one then!
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
#1: "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan ~ I'm going to have to put it first, especially for this bracket. It's quite simply a ravaging, sneering classic, with equally bitter instrumentation and diction. It's almost bound to continue, so further comments will be made in later rounds.
#128: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations ~ I heard this and September Gurls for the first time with this. I really like them both, but Rolling Stone seemed more memorable to me, I guess.
#384: "September Gurls" - Big Star ~ I absolutely love the chorus and the chorus guitars, but it seems a bit bland otherwise.
#256: "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) ~ No. No no no. I can admire why people in general like this, but how can one musically analyse this and say it is superior to Like a Rolling Stone, of all things?!
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
#470: "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine ~ Absolutely mesmerising. It may be my favourite from Loveless, but it mainly stays in my head for exploding open up the can of worms that is that album. The lone snare drums preceding the eruption of an entire jungle's call to arms is an utterly perfect opening to what follows.
#214: "I Can't Explain" - The Who ~ The basic riff without the vocals is absolutely stunning for 1965, paving the way for things from power pop, all the way to hip hop. It's not a bad song otherwise, but it's only really in second because this is such a weak bracket.
#171: "In My Life" - The Beatles ~ As far as The Beatles go, it's fairly good. But that's as far as The Beatles go, I'm afraid.
#86: "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash ~ It's a shame to put this in last place, but I think Cash has done so many more innovative and appealing things than this mainly generic song.
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
#990: "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide ~ I'll put this one first, because people seem to think that because it's like nothing they've ever heard before, it shouldn't be eligible for first place or something. Frankie Teardrop is one of the most harrowing tracks ever conceived. Does that make it enjoyable? Hell no. But it makes you weary of it. It makes you make it incredible in your mind. Oh God, the screams...
#606: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones ~ People at school always find my appraisals for it a bit dubious when they first hear that choir, but I don't care what they say--as the song progresses, that choir just makes this one more epic than it already is. Bohemian Rhapsody? Phsaw. More than a Feeling? They wish. Stairway to Heaven? Well, maybe second to Stairway, but this is easily the most epic classic rock song ever put to record.
#350: "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green ~ A subtle but slicing funk groove to what is essentially a soul song in the '70s. Al Green's vocal range is also a force to be reckoned is. However, it's up against sheer monoliths, so it really shouldn't continue.
#222: "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino ~ It is an undoubtable classic of the '50s, and I'm liking those rolling pianos, but ultimately, it's only a classic of a pretty outdated style.
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
#696: "California Girls" - The Beach Boys ~ An absolutely astounding song. With this song, you can actually see how The Beach Boys' origins in surf rock actually contributed to the quality and originality of their later stuff. The harmonies here are just great, and the overall musical effect more than make up for what it lacks lyrically.
#824: "One More Time" - Daft Punk ~ It's not the best on Discovery, but it still makes for a cracking opener. Especially if you're in a place where you can dance.
#440: "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones ~ "Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go!" An excellent sample of proper, honest punk from its very own godfathers.
#568: "Rain" - The Beatles ~ Even as far as The Beatles go, this is simply terrible. There are countless times when the rhythm is off, and even though it sometimes has a kind of psychadelic feel to the melodies, it still doesn't hold up in this one.
BEETHOVEN 17
1. Bob Dylan - LARS - easy 1st, top 30 songs of all time for me.
2. Big Star - September Gurls - undoubtedly the single of that album.
3. Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone - odd having two snogs with "rolling stone" in it. What would be great is if there was a Rolling Stones song. Ah well. Quite a strong third.
4. Rihanna/Jay Z - Umbrella - suffers from overplaying, I know the lyrics of this song better than Like A Rolling Stone, and that is shameful. That said, that's not very hard when they go "and when the sun shines, we'll shine together/And know that I'll be here forever/contrived lyric ending in "ever"/you can be under my um...brella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh, under my umbrella, ella, ella" etc.
SCHUBERT 19
1. MBV - Only Shallow - sounds just as fresh now as it did the first time I heard it. You've got to have it through headphones on full volume to really get the hit. Stunning song.
2. The Who - I Can't Explain - good song, especially that playful guitar.
3. Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line - less is more. The fact that musically it's quite simple means that you can really listen to the excellent lyrics.
4. Beatles - In My Life - It's all right. I just HATE the harmonies and how they just echo what Lennon's singing. Sounds too clean and pretty for me.
MOZART 19
1. Rolling Stones - You can't always get what you want - great ending to Let It Bleed, which is probably my favourite stones album.
2. Al Green - Tired of being alone - excellent voice. Love it when the trumpet and the drums kick in at the end of the song.
3. Suicide - Frankie Teardrop - Reminds me of Halleluhwah by Can (which is a good reference).
4. Fats Domino - it's awful putting this last. It's not that this is a great bracket, it's just that they're all similar in their "good, but not great status".
RACHMANINOFF 18
1. Daft Punk - One more time - how many times have you heard this on the radio? It's an absolute anthem.
2. Beach Boys - California Girls - classic beach boys. Harmonies always uplifting. Just brill.
3. Beatles - Rain - I have to say, the drums are my favourite part of this song. Reminds me of the superior "She Said She Said" on Revolver.
4. Ramones - I wANna Be Sedated - feel stupid putting this at 4th, but I've always found it difficult to listen to Ramones. It's the best of them too, except for "Blitzkrieg Bop"
I don't get the appeal of pre-Pet Sounds Beach Boys. They were sure way more vocally talented than boy bands, but they still used that style of songwriting.
After a bit of a delay, here are your...
RESULTS
Your winners this week hail from Duluth, Minnesota; Kingsland, Arkansas; London, England; and Paris, France. All hail.
BEETHOVEN BLOC, BRACKET 17
1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan (65 points, 14 first-place votes)
2. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - The Temptations (43, 1)
3. "September Gurls" - Big Star (42, 1)
4. "Umbrella" - Rihanna (Featuring Jay-Z) (30, 2)
In the third round: TBA
SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash (48, 5)
2. "In My Life" - The Beatles (47, 6)
3. "Only Shallow" - My Bloody Valentine (45, 6)
4. "I Can't Explain" - The Who (40, 1)
In the third round: the Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man"
MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 19
1. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones (66, 12)
2. "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green (43, 1)
3. "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino (37, 1)
4. "Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide (34, 4)
In the third round: the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations"; the Clash's "London Calling"; the Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black"
RACHMANINOFF BLOC, BRACKET 18
1. "One More Time" - Daft Punk (54, 6)
2. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (51, 6)
3. "Rain" - The Beatles (41, 5)
4. "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones (34, 1)
In the third round: Buddy Holly's "That'll Be the Day"; the Beatles' "Yesterday"; Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"