And so every team has now had one matchup, the standings have begun to take form. This week and next week will most likely result in artists being eliminated from contention. Please remember when voting to vote for the song, not the artist. And DO NOT VOTE STRATEGICALLY!!!!! You should vote for the song you like more, not the song by the artist that isn’t going to be a threat to your team. Now that I got that out of the way, let me go ahead and show you this week’s competitors:

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House)
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2)
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)*
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs)
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La)
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World)
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights)
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive)
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1)
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1))
*Colonial Mentality Continued

The songs that are competing this week are in parenthesis. Please listen to both songs before voting.

As always, please feel free to correct any screw ups I may have.

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again)
Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2)
Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)
The Clash (Spanish Bombs)
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend)
Replacements (Color Me Impressed)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man)
Kanye West (All of the Lights)
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle)
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town)
Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties)
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair)
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name)

W - The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) (3)vs.
L - Talking Heads (Burning Down the House)(10) - one of my favorite Talking Heads songs

L - Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) (9) vs.
W - Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) (6)

L - David Bowie (Space Oddity) (7) vs.
W - Stevie Wonder (Superstition)(4)

LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)* - pass for now, not familiar enough with either song

W - The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) (3) vs.
L - The Clash (Spanish Bombs)

W - R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) (11) vs.
L - The Kinks (Shangri-La)(11.2)

W - Blur (Tender) (11) vs.
L - Replacements (Color Me Impressed)

L- Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame)
W - Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You)(7)

L - Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) (11.4) vs.
W - Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) (11.1)

L - Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs.
W - Kanye West (All of the Lights)(11)

L - Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs.
W - Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) (10)

L - Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) (12)
W - The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)(9)

Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)pass for now, not familiar enough with either song

W - The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties)(11) vs.
L - Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1)(13)

W - Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) (5) vs.
L - Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))(10)

W - U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) (4)vs.
L - James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1))(12)

L - LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) (11.1) vs.
W - Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)(10)

W - Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) (11.5) vs.
L - Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) (11.8)

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) 2-0
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) 0-3
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) 1-2
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) 0-2
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs) 1-3
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) 1-2
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed) 1-0
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) 3.75 vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) 0-1
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) 2-2 draw
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights) 0-1
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) 3-0
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) 4-0
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) 1-0
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) 3-0
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) 1-2
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) 3-4 Most spectacular matchup; I love the U2 epic song the JB track is absolutely brilliant

Gonna copy nicolas' goal method.

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) (4-0)
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) (0-3)
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) (2-3)
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) (0-2)
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs) (0-1)
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) (2-1)
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed) (1-1, 5-4 in penalty kicks)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) (1-0)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) (4-0)
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights) (0-2)
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) (1-0)
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) (3-2)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) (3-0)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) (2-0)
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) (3-3, 5-3 in penalty kicks, what a match-up)

Not voting in the last one until Listyguy gives his ruling on the change.

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) 0-1

Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) 0-2

David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) 3-4

LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) 1-2

The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs) 3-1

R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) 1-2

Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed) 2-0

Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) 2-3 Crap, I didn’t notice Alex D changing Aretha’s song to Baby I Love You. I’m managing The King and I like this straighforward yet affecting song of his, but I can’t vote against Aretha on such fine form.

Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) 2-3

Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights) 0-2

Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) 1-0

Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) 1-2

Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) 0-1

The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) 2-1

Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) 4-4 (4-5 in penalty kicks)

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House)
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2)
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)*
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs)
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La)
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World)
I like the musicality of Highway 61 Revisited much more than those of all other Dylan's albums, and this song is one of the main reasons !
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights)
Damn, even I was tempted to vote for Kanye. But I DOn't Know has been a personal favorite for a long time, and I thought that it would take something diametraly different to grab a few vote from the rap-disliker. Even Henry voted for Kanye, so I guess I was wrong here...

Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive)
Otis delivery is great, but Keep Yourself Alive was one of the 4 "make me feel invincible" Queen songs when I was a teen, much better than some most known hits.

Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
I'm as interested by this match as I though, which is not much. I vote for the most surprising and, here it is a good thing, shortest.

Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)
As different as those 2 legends of their respective genres are, they here both feature effortlessly the same kind of class and charisma. I'll give the nod to Mr Cash though.

The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1)
Tougher than I thought it would be

Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))
Even if Rebellion is the song I like the least on Funeral, only 3 or 4 Sly songs would get my vote against it. That's how great I think Funeral is !

James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) beats U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) which beats James Brown (I Lost Someone)

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) "Burning Down" mayt be my favorite heads song, but the Who are at near their best as well.
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) I love both songs. I decided to vote for Zep because I like their song slightly more, and it looks like they're gonna get blown out anyway.
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) Another match with two great songs, but Stevie's is top-notch.
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) Despite being twice as long, Fela's song seems shorter than Murphy's.
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs) This was an interesting matchup. A Beatles songs that I consider decent versus a song off London Calling I consider decent.
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) Great Kinks songs.
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed) The Blur song ran too long for my liking.
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) Elvis kicks ass here.
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) Another tough vote. The Nirvana song is good, but it doesn't seem like Nirvana (probably becuase it's a Bowie song).
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights) That may be the best Beasties song I've ever heard.
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) When you're tempted to vote against your team, you know you're screwed.
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) I hate Jay-Z.
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) Not PE's best song.
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) I'm hoping my Sly team can keep this close enough to prevent their GD from dropping badly, and then look for a win against the Cure.
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) One of my favorites by U2. Pleasently surprised by the Godfather's song. Mindrocker, you're doing a damn good job.

Andre: Yeah, those 2 matchups were very close for me but I don't like to pass so I tried to illustrate how close they were by using penalty kicks. I realize now though that the last one is not really possibly since it would be over after the second team missed their second penalty kick. Let's make that 3-4.

U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) (2-3)

And I thought King Heroin was great. Whew!

TH -- Burning Down The House | Both songs are classics and what you think of almost immediately when you think of both of these bands. I guess it comes down to what I would like to hear right now...

LZ -- The Ocean | Zepp always plays the Rock Radio Big Brother to Floyd...

SW -- Superstsition | All-time top 20 song, only Bowie song I take over this is Life On Mars...

LCD -- Get Innocuous | Weakest of all matchups this week...

CLASH -- Spanish Bombs | Hard Days Night, kinda average. I hope I am not the only one voting for a Clash tune this week...

R.E.M. -- World Leader Pretend | Great selection!!!

BLUR -- Tender | Difficult choice, love 'em both...

ELVIS -- (Marie's The Name) Of His Latest Flame | One of a handful of Elvis tunes I really dig...

2nd half to come later...

Ah yeah, you're right. 3-5 it is!

Didn't vote for this one earlier because I was waiting for the ruling on James Brown...

U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1))

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) 0-4
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) 0-2
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) 5-4
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) 0-2
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs) 4-1
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) 2-0
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed) 1-0
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) 1-2
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) 3-1
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights) - A nod to the BB manager for the unusual choice though, 1-2
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) 2-0
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) 1-2 (William scored during the last minute and the goal was really something)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) 1-0
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) 2-0
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) 4-1
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) - Though I liked the JB track which was new to me, 3-2 (U2 went to a big early lead, but JB almost got a draw in the end)

DYLAN -- Ballad of a Thin Man | By the narrowist of margains...

KANYE -- All of the Lights | Barely...

QUEEN -- Keep Yourself Alive | Another tough one, Otis would have won the above matchup...

SMITHS -- William, It Was Really Nothing |

JC -- The Man Comes Around |

PE -- Public Enemy No. 1 |

AF -- Rebellion (Lies) | Tough break for Sly, I would have gone with "Family Affair" in the last 2 matchups...

U2 -- Where The Streets Have No Name | Not my favorite U2 song by any stretch, but enough to win...

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again)
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean)
Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous)
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night)
The Kinks (Shangri-La)
Replacements (Color Me Impressed)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man)
Kanye West (All of the Lights)
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle)
The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties)
Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name)

Even 2-0 in penalties is possible. This is how Brazil was eliminated today against Paraguay in the quarterfinals of America Cup. Hope nobody here has seen, hahah. It was a shame, with Brazil losing 4 consecutive penaty kicks, while Paraguay score the second and third, don't even needing to take their 4th shot.

So, Copa America without Brazil AND Argentina ?? Has it ever happened before ?

Part I:

Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) beats The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) - Only a fair song by Talking Heads. But it's up against the song that is emblematic of the moment the Who went off the rails. But I've delivered enough anti- 70's period Who screeds on this forum.

Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) beats Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) - I was always ambivalent about Another Brick in the Wall. Musically, it's best thought of as a great sing along chant. But I don't care for the groove on the song. The drumbeat is relentlessly blah. That said, I always get a chuckle out of my wife when I yell at my kids, "How can you have any pudding when you don't eat your meat?!" Having recently renewed my love for Houses of the Holy, I'm big on the Ocean and happy to vote for it.

Stevie Wonder (Superstition) beats David Bowie (Space Oddity) - Powerhouse matchup. But despite my love for "Space Oddity," it's no contest.

Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) beats LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) - Tough call. But Fela's workout compels me to dance more.

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean)
David Bowie (Space Oddity)
The Clash (Spanish Bombs)
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned)
Replacements (Color Me Impressed)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man)
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties)
Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))
James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1))

Thanks!

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again)
DK
Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
DK
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night)
DK
DK
DK
Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World)
DK
DK
The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
DK
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties)
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair)
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name)

Does "DK" stand for "Don't Know"?

Yes. Either because it's too close or because I don't know one of the songs and likely won't have the time to listen this week.

Won't Get Fooled Again +++ beats Burning Down The House ++

The Who song has special meaning for Americans right now.

The Ocean + beats Another Brick In The Wall ---

Hello phony teenage rebellion, I hate my parents but I still want all the stuff they give me!

Supertition +++ beats Space Oddity ++
Get Innocuous +++ beats Colonial Mentality +
Hard Day's Night + beats Spanish Bombs +
World Leader Pretend = beats Shangri-La =
Tender - beats Color Me Impressed -
Baby I Love You + beats His Latest Flame =
Ballad Of A Thin Man +++ beats The Man Who Sold The World ++

Maybe his best incomprehensible lyrics.

Hard To Handle ++ beats Keep Yourself Alive +

I like Queen's very early stuff much more than their hits.

Soccer scores for me too but no penalties ... yet.

Part 1:

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) 0-3
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) 0-3
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) 4-4 : no winner
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) 3-1

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House)

I can forgive the poorly-developed politics of Pete Townshend's lyrics because the instrumental is so completely fantastic.

Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2)

Houses of the Holy is pretty underrated in comparison to Led Zeppelin's other albums, and "The Ocean" in comparison with their other songs. Agree with the comment about the chant with regards to Pink Floyd.

David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition)

"Superstition" is at least top 30 all-time for me. "Space Oddity" is great but doesn't stand a chance.

The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs)

I love early Beatles tunes but "Spanish Bombs" is a standout Clash track (one that gets the politics right).

Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You)

Second obscure Elvis song in a row? I like the risk, Dan M, but I have to go with Aretha here.

Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World)

This is one of Bob's greatest tracks. Nirvana stands no chance. (In fact, I might have pulled out "Smells Like Teen Spirit" here.)

Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)

The title track of Darkness on the Edge of Town doesn't match the quality of the album's other tracks. The Smiths it is.

Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))

I've soured on Funeral of late but "Rebellion (Lies)" is still a great track. Just not good enough.

Since I was asked, I'll answer.
The Who before "Tommy" were not album oriented, but they had great singles such as "My Generation", "I Can't Explain" and "I Can See For Miles". With "Tommy", they began their "Rock Opera" era, which led to "Who's Next" (an abandboned rock opera project) and "Quadrophenia". This said, I personally like both eras of The Who, but I prefer the 70's Who beacuse of their albums.

Part 2:

The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs) 0-1
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) 5-2
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed) 1-1 : no winner
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) 1-2

Burning Down The House
The Ocean
Superstition
Get Innocuous
Spanish Bombs
Shangri-La
pass
pass
Ballad of A Thin Man
All of the Lights
Hard To Handle
Darkness on the Edge of Town
pass
All Tomorrow's Parties
Rebellion (Lies)
pass

Part II:

The Clash (Spanish Bombs) beats The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) - I love "A Hard Day's Night" quite a lot, but "Spanish Bombs" is an even more special song, and the Clash at their absolute finest.

The Kinks (Shangri-La) beats R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) - "World Leader Pretend" is a strong mid-period R.E.M. song. But "Shangri-La" is a top-ten all time song for me. Musically, that shift from the chorus to the bridge is as thrilling as music gets. Lyrically, the miracle for me of this song is how Ray Davies packs in so much ambivalence about middle class striving. Yes he is incredibly biting about the houses on the street looking the same, but he can be sympathetic about "how insecure you are," and he can be genuinely happy for Arthur, having at last dispensed with the days when he "dreamed of that car." There are multitudes in the line "You've reached your top and you just can't get any higher."

Blur (Tender) beats Replacements (Color Me Impressed) - Tight call. That Replacements tune is catchy. But the ambition and ballsiness of Blur to release a song like that wins me over. "Tender" could have been really bad, but it's really not.

Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) beats Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) - That was not such great Franklin power. I'm surprised to like Presley's song better, but it was a pretty good song.

Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) beats Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) - To this day, "Ballad of a Thin Man" still sounds unsettling and exciting. The Nirvana cover is good, but dynamically stagnant.

Kanye West (All of the Lights) beats Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) - "I Don't Know" is uncharacteristically limp. While I'm not a fan of Kanye's rap on "All of the Lights," the production is enormous and impressive.

Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) beats Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) - I really like early Queen, but there was still something missing to their sound here. Regardless, Otis is in such fine form on this track.

Two things:
1- There are currently 7 matches separted by two votes or less.
2- Every time I see a vote for Arcade Fire, I die a little inside.

R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La)

These are two bands whose singles I know well but whose albums I have never really been intrigued enough to explore. "Shangri-La" might change that a little bit.

Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights)

"All of the Lights"' (poorly) ghostwritten-lyrics aren't enough to sink the song's superb production and arrangement, but even if they were I think the song would still whip the weakest Beasties song I have ever heard.

Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)

I am not particularly fond of the revived 2000's Johnny Cash, but I do quite like Reasonable Doubt.

U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1))

I continue to be impressed with the JB tracks, but "Where the Streets Have No Name" is probably my favorite riff from The Edge.

LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)

This Fela track seemed just a bit too long.

Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed)

Tie. Both are 7/10 songs.

Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive)

Tie. Queen can be very cheesy, but Brian May is fantastic; I've always enjoyed his playing. I think, however, that "Keep Yourself Alive" loses steam over the course of the song. Meanwhile I like this Otis song, but I have never really understood why he is so highly acclaimed; to me he is a great singer of average songs, with a few exceptions.

The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1)

Despite thinking that Nico sounds completely weird, "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a really hypnotic song.

Talking Heads (Burning Down the House): 8
The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again): 2

"Won't Get Fooled Again" does nothing but remind me of how much I dislike The Who. "Burning Down the House" makes me wish I was listening to the entirety of Speaking in Tongues, clamoring for "Girlfriend Is Better", "Pull Up the Roots" and "Naive Melody" in particular!

Led Zeppelin (The Ocean): 2
Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2): 2

These songs embody what I dislike about the 1970s. Thankfully, there is a lot better (including music by both of these artists) from the decade to make me regard it rather fondly.

David Bowie (Space Oddity): 10
Stevie Wonder (Superstition): 10

This is a titanic clash! I could easily go either way. "Space Oddity" choked me up the first time I heard it, and "Superstition" is relentlessly funky. Both are among my top 10 songs of each artist.

LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous!): 10
Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality): 8

"Get Innocuous!" is one of the best songs of the 2000s, in my book. That persistent metallic underwater synth. The brilliant combination of live drumming and drum machines. The Remain in Light vocals. The delicious "You can nor-ma-lize!" lick. The gradually warping string section that freaks out in the end. Wow. "Colonial Mentality" is yet another great discovery for me from Fela, and enough to make me actively seek out his stuff, but this is still no contest.

The Clash (Spanish Bombs): 8
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night): 1

"Spanish Bombs" is a wonderfully melodic mess and a highlight of London Calling. "A Hard Day's Night" is almost Exhibit A of the elements of Beatles music that I abhor.

The Kinks (Shangri-La): 8
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend): 5

I had never heard "Shangri-La", and it was quite mesmerizing! It's a shame Arthur is out of print in Australia, but I'm tempted to buy it on Itunes (Itunes!) just to have it after hearing this. "World Leader Pretend" finds the perfect balance of elements I like and dislike about R.E.M., so it gets a 5.

Replacements (Color Me Impressed): 7
Blur (Tender): 7

This is a very close matchup of songs that are intriguing and quite good, but fall a little short of special status in my book.

Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You): 6
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame): 4

These scorers may seem low, but they are both fairly high relative to my general feeling about the artists. Well done, managers! Aretha's straightforward hooks win out.

Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World): 7
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man): 7

This is a lot closer than I envisioned at first! Nirvana acquit themselves quite well covering such a great Bowie classic. I was rather amazed to find a 60s Dylan song that I actually like, but "Ballad of a Thin Man"'s piano-led skulk is just that! It stands as my favorite Dylan song from his 2 most acclaimed albums.

Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know): 8
Kanye West (All of the Lights): 5

Hello Nasty is wonderfully weird, and "I Don't Know" is a highlight. "All of the Lights" passed me by without much of an impact, in spite of its best efforts.

Otis Redding (Hard to Handle): 7
Queen (Keep Yourself Alive): 5

Otis' unimpeachable vocals coast by a Queen song I like more than their usual fare.

The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing): 8
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town): 6

Another matchup of a favorite against an artist I don't really care for that is closer than I expected. "William, It Was Really Nothing" still has more than enough fun courtesy of Morrissey's fluid vocals to outpace Bruce's bombast.

Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts): 5
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around): 3

A standard Jay-Z track cruises by a Johnny Cash track that unfortunately makes Jesus' arrival sound like a hokey hoedown.

The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties): 9
Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1): 7

Public Enemy seem to have the 7-rating on lockdown, with songs that I find good but not spectacular. "All Tomorrow's Parties", however, is spectacular, from Nico's ghostly presence to the hypnotic rhythm.

Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)): 10
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair): 6

A top-3 Arcade Fire song easily vanquishes a merely good Sly track. I'm obviously missing out with Sly, but "Family Affair" hasn't wormed its way into my heart yet, while "Rebellion" immediately demanded my heart surrender with each pound of the piano.

U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name): 9 vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)): 7

James Brown's more measured ballad is out of the school of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" but doesn't quite reach those heights. "Where the Streets Have No Name", meanwhile, suggests that my perceived cooling on The Joshua Tree may not be valid after all.

Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) beats The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) - Thin margin between two songs I didn't like that much. "William..." is a bit higher in my estimation as compared to the remainder of the Smiths work I know, but nowhere near my favorites of theirs. Bruce's is much more of a disappointment. But I definitely prefer Bruce's sound overall, so even this dull track squeaks past the Smiths.

Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) beats Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) - There's a impressive heaviness to the instrumentation and production on "The Man Comes Around," true of lots of Rubin's work with Cash. Unfortunately, on this track Cash's beaten voice works at odds with that sound. (This is not true on other late period Cash tracks.) "Cashmere Thoughts" is not as consequential by half, but the funky beat and Jay's care-free delivery bring me more enjoyment.

The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) beats Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) - Probably my least favorite song on VU and Nico... mostly because of Nico. But PE has done much better also, and I didn't care for the beat on the song.

Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) beats Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) - Two great songs from two of my favorite albums, although both have even better. I feel a little traitorous voting against Sly, but "Rebellion (Lies)" is that stirring.

U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) beats James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) - Not a close call, although I'm having trouble articulating why. Just not my preferred mode for James Brown. He's unparalleled at the funk, a great soul loverman, but this mode does not suit him, to my ears. The U2 song rises and falls in my estimation at different times, but there are times when I think it is a truly great track. (By the way, I do not feel good voting against SLy and JB in back to back votes.)

W - LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) (10) vs.
L - Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) (11)

The LCD song is good enough to win this competition, but I don't share the view that it as one of the best of the last decade.

Henry, you voted for Fela above. Are you changing your vote?

Part 3:

Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) 1-3
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights) 0-0 : no winner
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) 1-0
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) 0-3

Part 4:

Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) 1-0
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) 2-0
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) 1-5
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) 2-0

Highlights of week 3 were: R.E.M., Arcade Fire, Bowie and Stevie Wonder

Talking Heads-Burning Down The House
Led Zeppelin-The Ocean
Stevie Wonder-Superstition
LCD Soundsystem-Get innocuous
Beatles-A Hard Days Night
Kinks-Shangri-La
Pass
Elvis Presley-His Latest Flame
Bob Dylan-Ballad Of A Thin Man
Beastie Boys-I Don't Know
Queen-Keep Yourself Alive
Bruce Springsteen-Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Johnny Cash-The Man Comes Around
Velvet Underground-All Tommorows Parties
Sly & The Family Stone-Family Affair
James Brown-Public Enemy (Part 1)

First votes:

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) - Speaking in Tongues is far from my favorite album of the Heads, being this track not much above its others. Even a median TH song, though, beats this repectable opponent. That says much about how high I have Byrn's group in my esteem.

Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) - Didn't expect to vote for Zep in any match, but this was a good song, much better than the overplayed Pink Floyd's pick.

David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition) - Space Oddity blew me away the first time I heard it, but since then it falls in my concept with each subsequent listen, even if the structure is quite interesting. Stevie has many better tracks than Supersticion, but it wins here anyway.

R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La) - Wow, my opponent track impressed me when I heard it, and its already clear it will win here. Even I have thought of voting in Shangri-la, but in the end I still prefer this beautiful R.E.M piece, one of their most refined songs, and one of their best growers.

Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) - Even not being a Dylan's fan, Highway 61 is a great album in my book, always a pleasant audition, and this track is one of it's standout points. Nirvana's cover is good but doesn't stand a chance.

Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) - Easiest choice so far, sorry Listyguy! I don't know which is my real favorite Arcade Fire song, but this is one of the greatest contenders. In it's own this is already a perfect track, with multiple attributes that always get me, like the piano chord, the vocal response in the choir and the creative melody; not to mention that, during the album, the transition from Haiti to it makes for one of Funeral's most magic and thrilling moments. Well, for Sly, I don't understand all the acclaim they get. I've liked some of their more funky tracks, like Hot Fun... and Thank You, but their sound generally annoys me a bit. Their only albums I've listened to are Stand and There's a Riot, and both have been big deceptions given what I expected from them. Do they have an album that sounds less guitar oriented? Maybe this one I would like.

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) vs. Talking Heads (Burning Down the House)
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) vs. Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2)
David Bowie (Space Oddity) vs. Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) vs. Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality)
The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) vs. The Clash (Spanish Bombs)
R.E.M. (World Leader Pretned) vs. The Kinks (Shangri-La)
Blur (Tender) vs. Replacements (Color Me Impressed)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) vs. Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) vs. Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World)
Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) vs. Kanye West (All of the Lights)
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) vs. Queen (Keep Yourself Alive)
Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) vs. The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) vs. Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) vs. Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1)
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) vs. Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies))
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) vs. James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1))

All The Lights + beats I Don't Know +

Kanye overcomes his typically asinine lyrics to edge a close match.

William, It Was Really Nothing +++ beats Darkness on the Edge of Town +
The Man Comes Around ++ beats Cashmere Thoughts ++
All Tomorrow's Parties +++ beats Public Enemy No 1 +
Rebellion (Lies) ++ beats Family Affair +

This is the sort of variety missing from Arcade Fire's next two albums.

Public Enemy ++ beats Where The Streets Have No Name +

Where The Streets Have No Name is musically really good but the lyrics are a little cringe-worthy. It's all about how spiritually fulfilling poverty tourism is for rich people.

So, I decided to stick with Top Of The Hill for my Waits pick. It's not the safest pick, but I figure I already have a win under my belt, and I can always bust out Tom Traubert's Blues or something for round 3. I want to introduce people to Waits' weirder stuff in addition to playing the more accessible stuff.

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again)
Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2)
Stevie Wonder (Superstition) - Space Oddity was my pick,but I'll play fair here - I prefer Superstition,and it's going to win anyway. I considered trying to get my song for this matchup changed,but it was too late before I realized it was facing a song the calibre of Superstition. Life On Mars and Heroes are the only songs that could beat it,but even both of those would be toss-ups IMO anyway...
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous)
The Clash (Spanish Bombs)
The Kinks (Shangri-La)
Blur (Tender)
Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame)
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man)
Kanye West (All of the Lights)
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle)
The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing)
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around)
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties)
Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair)
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name)

And with less then 6 hours left to vote, there are still three matchups separated by a single goal.

Listy, how are the round of 32 matches determined? Is it 1st A1 vs 2nd A2, 2nd A1 vs 1st A2, etc?

Time to vote this week has expired.

The results for the week:

The Who (Won’t Get Fooled Again) def Talking Heads (Burning Down the House) 13-9
The Who took the early lead and never looked back. But, the Heads kept it interesting and scored a goal. The Heads become the first team to be eliminated from round 2 contention, but they will face the Smiths week 6. The Who will face the Boss week 5 to determine which of them will move on.
Led Zeppelin (The Ocean) def Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2) 12-9
In the best comeback of the week, Team Zeppelin climbs out of an early hole (down 5 at point) to draw even, and then moved in for the epic win. Zep will face the Beach Boys week 6, and Floyd will face the Byrds week 5.
Stevie Wonder (Superstition) def David Bowie (Space Oddity) 16-5
In one of the week’s biggest blowouts, Stevie Wonder becomes the first artist to clinch a spot in round 2. Stevie will face Public Enemy week 5, and Bowie will face the VU week 6 to decide which of the two will advance.
LCD Soundsystem (Get Innocuous) def Fela Kuti (Colonial Mentality) 12-7
Unfortunately, the Black President couldn’t keep his magic from week 1 going this week. He will face Wilco week 5, and Murphy’s gang will face MJ week 6.
The Clash (Spanish Bombs) def The Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night) 11-10
In another thriller, The Clash come from behind to stun the Beatles by a goal. The fab four will face U2 week 5, The Clash the same week will face James Brown.
The Kinks (Shangri-La) def R.E.M. (World Leader Pretend) 11-10
In another close one, the Kinks last minute goals gives them the edge over the mighty R.E.M. The Davies brothers will face Neil Young Week 6, and the Boys from Athens will face the Stones week 5.
Blur (Tender) def Replacements (Color Me Impressed) 11-5
This one wasn’t as exciting as the two before it, with Blur winning craftily over the Replacements. Blur will face Tom waits week 5, and Replacements will face NIN week 6.
Aretha Franklin (Baby I Love You) def Elvis Presley ((Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame) 10-9
In yet another thrilling match, the Queen of Soul outlasts the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis will face Prince Week 5, and Aretha will face the other Elvis Week 6.
Bob Dylan (Ballad of a Thin Man) def Nirvana (The Man Who Sold the World) 15-6
And so Team Dylan keeps on Rolling (sort of like a stone, if you ask me) through the tournament, this time by squashing Nirvana. Dylan will face Marvin Gaye week 5, and Nirvana will face the Doors week 6.
Kanye West (All of the Lights) def Beastie Boys (I Don’t Know) 14-4
In a battle of rappers, the forum has shown Kanye that we do care about the black people, and that Kanye is one of the best rappers of all time. Of all time! In other news, the Beastie Boys are already working on a song telling Kanye they forgive him for beating them, even though he isn’t sorry. Anyway, the Beastie will face Eno week 5, and Kanye will face Vampire Weekend week 6.
Otis Redding (Hard to Handle) def Queen (Keep Yourself Alive) 12-6
Otis Redding wins in big fashion for the second week in a row. This time, he handed it to team Queen. Otis will face Chuck Berry week 5, and Queen will face Arctic Monkeys week 6.
The Smiths (William, It Was Really Nothing) def Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on the Edge of Town) 12-9
Despite losing, Bruce still has a better goal differential than the Smiths. The Smith join Stevie Wonder as artists who have clinched their places in the big show. The Smiths face the Heads Week 6, and Bruce will face off with the Who, in a game that will decide which team moves on.
Johnny Cash (The Man Comes Around) def Jay-Z (Cashmere Thoughts) 13-6
And so JC wins again. Both will have their final pool round matches week 5, Cash against Black Sabbath, and Jay-Z against Siouxsie.
The Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties) def Public Enemy (Public Enemy No. 1) 20-1
For the second straight week, Slick prevents a shutout. Anyway, Public Enemy have been eliminated from contention, but will face Stevie Wonder week 5. The VU will face David Bowie week 6, in a match that will seal their fates.
Arcade Fire (Rebellion (Lies)) def Sly and the Family Stone (Family Affair) 14-8
I pulled out Sly’s best song, hoping it would be close, but no. Oh well. Sly will face The Cure week 6, and Arcade fire will face Eurythmics week 5.
U2 (Where the Streets Have No Name) def James Brown (Public Enemy (Part 1)) 14-6
U2 wins with ease again. They will face the Beatles week 5, the same week JB will face the Clash.

Thanks for the results!

Interesting to see Beatles and R.E.M. lose their 2nd match.

Very sad to see one of my top 5 artists, the Heads, already out