Match 2.17
Victor: Under Pressure - Queen
Defeated: Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Why did this song deserve to be here?
I think everyone can relate to this song; sometimes you just want to be home. John Denver’s home here is in the middle of nowhere close to nature but you can insert your home into it still rather easily. I like the instruments, there’s a banjo, twangy guitars and of course John Denver himself singing in his usual cheesy fashion. The lyrics are well formed too. “Misty taste of moonshine” is both easy on the ears and has a good mental image to it as well.
Why did it lose?
More difficult than you might think, I like Denver’s lyrics better but Queen/ Bowie’s music more.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN86d0CdgHQ
Match 2.18
Victor: Waterloo – The Kinks
Defeated: Imagine – John Lennon
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Well, yeah it’s Imagine. It’s #3 on Rolling Stone’s greatest songs of all time. It’s a renowned classic. Of course the song is all about the message, which I always thought was particularly interesting. It’s a song that denounces Religion, Government, and Capitalism but still managed to be very popular in a cold war world. I guess it’s just orchestrated so well that many people just glaze over its message and only the people who really want to hear it do.
Why did it lose?
I still however find the song to be overrated. The piano’s ok but the orchestra is just too over the top for me.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM0Z75KEd_o
Match 2.19
Victor: All My Friends – LCD Soundsystem
Defeated: I Heard it Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
Why did this song deserve to be here?
I remember my brother on the school bus having a conversation about this song with some guy we knew about this song. He apparently had just realized that this was a sad song. That’s kind of crazy to me, isn’t that the whole point? A lot of lost love songs tend to be a little vague on the terms of the breakup but this one is pretty straight to the point. She’s getting back together with an ex and Marvin heard about it in the worst way possible. Though I put down orchestras for Imagine, it works perfectly in here. The strings are more intense (I don’t remember the turn but there are a lot of quite back forth shrill bow strokes) and fit quite well and add a lot.
Why did it lose?
A simple one is better than the other for me.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajBdDM2qdg
Match 2.20
Victor: No Children – The Mountain Goats
Defeated: Missed the Boat – Modest Mouse
Why did this song deserve to be here?
I like this song a lot as a song to bridge the gap between those hardcore “I knew them before they were cool” Modest Mouse fans and those who only know Float On but like it quite a bit. It’s got that catchiness that Float On somehow captured perfectly but it’s on an album that feels more like traditional Modest Mouse. I got a little flack for picking this song over other MM works from Mike and Caitlin and it’s probably warranted. However, I’m probably closer to the casual camp of the Modest Mouse fans than the hardcore one. As such this is song I know best from the two Modest Mouse albums I know and I like it quite a lot, though I prefer The Moon and Antarctica greatly more as an album.
As I already said the catchiness is unmistakable and the guitars are quite good and varied without sounding too much like noise. The lyrics are good but fit better as single lines than a cohesive whole. All in all it’s quite a piece.
Why did it lose?
No Children just does so much right lyrically. I gotta give it to them.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4XskfT6vNY
Match 2.21
Victor: Hey Ya! - Outkast
Defeated: Smells like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Why did this song deserve to be here?
What’s better for a voice of a generation that doesn’t care about caring than a guy who doesn’t want to be that voice? Kurt nailed the feelings of the generation Xers in Teen Spirit with I couldn’t care less attitude. Lines like “Here we are now, entertain us” Capture the feeling of a truly apathetic set of teens.
The Music of course is grunge at it’s finest. The Guitars are loud and fuzzy, the drums crash about as often as they can and Kurt mumbles out the words in a barely audible slur.
Why did it lose?
Two songs at the pinnacle of their genre, but I think Hey Ya crosses more boundaries than teen spirit.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg
Match 2.22
Victor: Gold Soundz - Pavement
Defeated: Mistaken for Strangers – The National
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Another song where it’s all about the words, I guess I’m all about the words too so it’s to be expected. We should definitely not discount the music here though, there’s some good drumming here with some key off beats and rolls. The guitar is sproingy with intelligent melodies.
The words are sooooo good though. The line that sticks out for me is “You wouldn't want an angel watching over you? / Surprise surprise, they wouldn't want to watch.” Wow, early adult life is so boring that angels don’t even care to watch it. This song is of course about the awkward transition into adulthood and this is where the title is based. “You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends” Not recognizing old friends as you charge forward into adult life, ugh.
Why did it lose?
Sooooooo good
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgRsYkKb1eI
Match 2.23
Victor: Purple Rain - Prince
Defeated: Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Queen produced a rock song that also feels like an opera (off the album A Night at the Opera appropriately enough.) This song has so much going on it feels like it could have been at least 3 good songs. Instead it’s one fantastic epic. Queen’s precise and perfectly in tune singing is fantastic as always. It has the oomph of a rock singing and complicatedness of a classical piece. The guitars are rocking it hard in this song at the end and the solo in the middle is great. The parts all clash nicely with each other going from slow ballad to Opera to rock song and finishing back with the ballad. There’s so much to listen to here.
Why did it lose?
Purple rain is just as epic and I like Prince’s emotional singing a little better. Plus the guitar is awesome.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ
Match 2.24
Victor: Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
Defeated: Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) – Radney Foster
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Well there goes the last representative from the genre of country. This is another song the Dixie Chicks covered but whereas I might like the Dixie Chick version of landslide better I definitely prefer Radney’s original version. Radney has yet to really break out in the world of music but other people who have seem to recognize his song writing talents. Dixie Chicks cover of this song is renown and Keith Urban made a version of Radney’s song I’m In as well as a cover of his song Raining on a Sunday. It’s really a shame Radney never really made a name for himself. The best chart position he ever got #74 on the country charts. My dad and brother went to go see him in Chicago last September. He was playing in a sports bar and the cover was $10. They tell me he still put on a good show despite not playing my dad’s favorite song Old Silver. Radney’s songs aren’t known for their complicated melodies but he is quite the lyricist. Most of the song is basic chords but there is some good background female vocals and what I believe is a acoustic Bass.
Why did it lose?
Losing My Religion is too fantastic
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eos7FbtuTbo (excuse the quality, this was the best I found)
Match 2.25
Victor: Sympathy for the Devil – Rolling Stones
Defeated: Random Rules – Silver Jews
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Songs about heartbreak have a natural tendency to be emotional. Somehow though, the Silver Jews captured a laid back attitude towards it. But really this isn’t a song about heartbreak. It’s more about reconciling with someone who was part of your heartbreak in the past and the emotions behind that. It has obviously been a long time since the breakup alluded to in this song and our singer even notices “the tan line on [his ex lover’s] ring finger.” Visiting with an Ex is an awkward experience and Stephen has captured it pretty well in this song. His Ex doesn’t even recognize him (“you look like someone I used to know.") how disconcerting is that?
Why did it lose?
Sympathy for the devil is pretty damn cool.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtbneH8T1S0
Match 2.26
Victor: Disarm – Smashing Pumpkins
Defeated: Mrs. Robinson – Simon and Garfunkel
Why did this song deserve to be here?
This song is considered the magnum opus of Simon and Garfunkel by many people. We’ve got all our usual Simon and Garfunkel attributes. The singing is perfectly intone as always. The guitar is more interesting than usual, with good licks and different strum pattern then we normally expect. The lyrics are a little subtle for their subject matter. Simon only refers to even a possibility of an affair about there times. Wiki tells me that the song was modified to be included in the graduate and was originally “Mrs Roosevelt” so maybe this contributes to that
Why did it lose?
I like disarm better
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_jmDscGi7E
Match 2.27
Victor: Chicago – Sufjan Stevens
Defeated: I am the Resurection – The Stone Roses
Why did this song deserve to be here?
So there are two versions of this song, one is about 3 and one half minutes long and the other is around 8 minutes. I have no idea why anyone would ever prefer the 3.5 minute version over the other. There is about 4 minutes of pure awesome instrumental sections at the end of the eight minute version that was cut from the other. The guitar work in this last section is mesmerizing. There’s a complete stop in the middle of it and then the guitar picks up again with a whole other sound. The lyrics in the first half are sweet too. It’s a mix of hating organized religion and singling out someone the band knows as a shit head. It’s a great piece of brit pop.
Why did it lose?
Not completely sure. I’ll say it has something to do with the clever instrumentation in Chicago.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6QnK0yql8s
Match 2.28
Victor: Greener – Tally Hall
Defeated: Wolf like Me – TV on the Radio
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Ok, how cool is it to have a song about being a werewolf? I love the intensity in this song. Everything is building up to that unavoidable transformation. But it’s more than our singer being a werewolf; he seems to have found a mate. It’s not some sort of bizarre werewolf love song though. It’s just someone that he can relate to with his transformation. The lyrics can be taken in a non literal way too. Being a werewolf could be any sort of dark secret and the transformation might be the worst side coming out of a person. The singing is awesome with tinges of vulnerability and grotesqueness all mixed into one package. The drums pack a big punch and give us the feeling of a pounding heart leading up to an inevitable transformation.
Why did it lose?
Greener has cool guitar work and relatable and poignant lyrics. It’s such a tight song.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1-xRk6llh4
Match 2.29
Victor: Cold Days from The Birdhouse – The Twilight Sad
Defeated: Pale Blue Eyes – The Velvet Underground
Why did this song deserve to be here?
This is a song I like to put on to relax a little. That slow hand guitar with slides has a way of putting the mind at ease. There are absolutely no drums either keeping with the easy going feeling. The only percussion happening in the song is on beat hits of a tambourine. Lou Reed does a good job with the voice here as well. It’s deliberate, yet somewhat fragile. It gives off the perfect tone for this failed relationship vibe that the song gives us.
Why did it lose?
Twilight Sad does a lot with song and is a great standout on an album full of good songs
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnjaevCMj_o
Match 2.30
Victor: The Rat – The Walkmen
Defeated: The Start of Something - Voxtrot
Why did this song deserve to be here?
I saw Voxtrot at Pitchfork Music Festival a few years ago. I have to admit that they were somewhat disappointing. His voice was obviously not doing well that day or something as his usual mellow tones came out grungy. It showed the most on this song which constantly bombards the listener with lyrics. It was still a good show nonetheless as I enjoyed hearing the songs from the EPs. As a song that has so many fast words you might expect The Start of Something to have meatballs in the mix as far as individual lines go. Somehow though, throughout the song they keep the lyrics meaningful and poetic. Best line: "If I die clutching your photograph don't call me boring//it's just cause I like you.” Damn that ones good.
This is another failed relationship song but Voxtrot describes the feeling much better than most bands. They cover a lot of ground with all the lyrics in there. He talks about writing the letter you never should have sent, the grief of a partner with a new lover, and the necessity of trying to let the whole thing die. The repeated lines at the end of the song really drive home that last thought.
“Marianne, let the ghosts sleep tonight
Marianne, let the ghosts sleep
Just shut your eyes, burn the past”
Why did it lose?
The Rat hits some great anger and the drums are fantastic, more on that later.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueFj9V6WWLg
Match 2.31
Victor: Baba O’Riley – The Who
Defeated: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart - Wilco
Why did this song deserve to be here?
Such a sweet song, I’m trying to break down all the lyrics but there’s a lot going on and it’s a little hard to follow. The actual flow of time in the song is said to be backwards and this makes sense considering Tweedy starts off as “an American Aquarium Drinker” and ends as “a disposable Dixie Cup drinker” As I can tell Tweedy is in a drunken stupor and decides to pay his Ex a visit. He asks for sex and gets laughed at. It’s pretty harsh stuff.
Tweedy delivers every portion of this perfectly. The instruments all sound like they’re falling all over each other. Notes and new instruments come in on off beats with out of key notes. If being drunk and upset could be orchestrated, it would be like this. Tweedy’s voice is perfect here too. He’s slurring every word and he’s often off beat. If I didn’t know any better I would say that he had a drink before going into the studio.
Why did it lose?
Classic Rock at it’s finest (No, Really.) I’m giving it to the oldie here.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlxH9-TYseY
Match 2.32
Victor: Changes – 2pac
Defeated: Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Why did this song deserve to be here?
DID YOU KNOW THAT: Maps stands for “My Angus Please Stay” Angus being Karen’s bf at the time (NOW YOU KNOW)
There are three kinds of YYYs fans.
- Those who only know Maps and have somewhat of a disdain for the rest of the catalogue
- Those who know the rest of the catalogue but hold a disdain for Maps
- Those who hold no grudges either way
I try to place myself in the 3rd category, but it does seem rather obvious to me that Maps is the best song there. It’s wildly different than the bombastic shouting and screeching that Karen O throws around in the average YYYS song. Everything has been mellowed out and taken down a notch. It’s different but it’s absolutely awesome. Last Lollapalooza I was at YYYs performed and played this song. Karen O lost her place somewhere the second verse and forgot some lyrics. I think everyone in the audience forgave her simultaneously.
Why did it lose?
Not as easy as Caitlin would have you believe. You've all got Rock Band poisoning your perspective. Me and Maps are like this. *crossed fingers* But Changes of course has such good lyrics and the sample from Way it Is is great. I even have great memories associated with Changes
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJf2FQDl8Ig (Acoustic version! Very nice)
Just checking in to make sure that "Losing my Religion" won the battle. I agree with all of the choices that I know, except I'm curious about "Hey Ya." What boundaries do you think it crosses?
ReplyDeleteI guess Boundaries isn't the right word. I think I was trying to say that Hey Ya is more universal. You need to be in a very particular mood to really enjoy Teen Spirit but Hey Ya is the right song in many moments of life.
ReplyDeleteI still thing the Weird Al version improves on Teen Spirit anyway. Moving on, check out this long comment. Apparently I have a lot of time on my hands as I listened to a good number of these songs for the first time while reading this.
ReplyDeleteAs a first time Kinks listener, I wasn't exactly impressed. I only understood about half of the lyrics which I'm sure lessened my experience, but they didn't seem like they were in the same league as Imagine to me. However, I completely agree that Imagine is overrated and overproduced, just like some of the late Beatles songs...
I'm exactly the Float on liker that knows little else about Modest Mouse that you described. My initial impressions of Missed the Boat are that its pretty awesome. I think I'm in agreement with you though since No Children is probably the best Mountain Goats song I've heard (despite not watching much Morel Orel). Its basically unrelated, but the MGs are a very Steve band- overflowing with awesome lyrics while the music is generally p good. I love a good number of their songs by themselves, but listening to an entire album in one sitting is virtually impossible since they all sound pretty much the same.
I like the matchup of Purple Rain and Bohemian R- for some reason they seem like very similar songs to me. I tired out Rhapsody for myself in high school, so I initially totally agreed. After listening to both of them again though, you HAVE to pick Queen, if for no other reason than the production involved in putting all those layered parts together- with 1970s tech no less- is absurdly amazing.
I don't really like the Rolling Stones, but sympathy of the devil is probably one of their best few songs (that I can think of at least). Mostly because of the awesome congo-drum-or-whatever percussion background, and the classy "ooo ooo"s. After listening to Random Rules for the first time, it seems ok but I can live with one Stones song in the 3rd round.
Mrs. Robinson has always been one of my least favorite S&G songs, as the lyrics dont make a lot of sense. Cecilia, My Little Town, or America totally would have made round 3. Just sayin'.
I've never even heard of the Stone Roses before but I liked that song a lot. I'm a sucker for that kind of quick drum beat though and that bass thing about halfway through is sweet. I'm also a bit Sufjaned out at the moment. I have decided that the new album is clearly the work of a talented musician and that I don't really want to listen to it anymore.
Yeah yeah yeah Maps is great (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?) but even considering it being greater than Changes? Really? There are 2 kinds of Tupac fans- actual fans and those that know hes some rapper that got shot and also made a fucking awesome opus known as Changes. Everyone will find surprising that I am in the second category.
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ReplyDeleteNice comment! I better respond or I'll look like a chump. BTW I don't think I've ever heard weird Al's version.
ReplyDeleteI dunno what it is about Waterloo Sunset but it has a certain magic to it. Honestly I can't really stand Imagine these days, I skip it, I change stations. I just don't listen to it anymore. It's too omnipresent already.
I only have two MG albums, one is kinda meh with a few good songs and the other I'm pretty sure is their best album. That's the one that has No Children on it and it inspired probably 50% of season 3 of Moral Orel. Appreciating No Children is definitely independent of watching MO.
Yeah, I liked the Prince Queen match-up too. I think I started out with your conclusion that it had to be Queen. Then I just went with my gut in the end. It's my song contest eh? I can make a couple greedy picks lol.
Stones have an awful lot of mediocre and overrated songs (I'm looking at you brown sugar) but Sympathy is different and awesome. Though Random Rules is a grower of a song.
Many other S&G songs should have been picked but making the initial list took like 3 hours so there were bound to be some casualties.
Looking back I'm kinda surprised I picked the Sufjan song. Though it's definitely pretty close. Check out The Complete Stone Roses or the self titled album if you'd want to hear more SR. They made like 1 or 2 good albums then made absolute shit from there on out.
Ok, there probably wasn't a universe where I picked Changes. But Maps is definitely a 3rd round capable song and I don't want any song to lose it's due. And bro I totally see what you did there.