Round 3 is finito. We saw a lot of great songs go but we saw even more greats progress. This project is close to wrapping up and coincidentally we happen to be headed into March. Hmmm, March... Brackets... sounds familiar.
Contest!
Ok, here's the deal, I'll be finishing this thing up all throughout March with probably one update per week. Send me your predictions for the rest of the bracket in any form you like along with your mailing address. I shall organize and score them as I go along and the winner shall receive a (secret) (special) prize! Here's the bracket so far:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=143649&tclass=Best%20Songs%20Ever%3F
Good luck bros and brosephines!
Match 3.9
Victor: Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks
Defeated: Under Pressure-Queen and David Bowie
Why did it deserve to be here?
What a fantastic collaboration. It seems like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury were made to sing together. I don’t think I could pick a more perfect pair of artists to work together. It’s a great duet, Mercury and Bowie are both obviously fantastic singers and they play off each other extremely well. Their lyrics are often overlayed on each other and this makes for some very interesting effects. Its got some memorable riffs including the famous Vanilla Ice bit. It’s definitely a vocal song but the parts in the background are technically sound and support the two singers very well.
Why did it lose?
Oh such a dreamy kinks song. It always just makes me a little happier and relaxed. Under Pressure is just a little arena rock. Plus they ripped off Vanilla Ice.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYXKaAzEJrk (check this out if you haven’t already)
Match 3.10
Victor: All My Friends – LCD Soundsystem
Defeated: No Children – The Mountain Goats
Why did it deserve to be here?
There are an awful lot of love songs out there in the world and it’s hard to approach the concept in the new way. Even break-up songs all tend to have the same “I’m so sad” themes. So that’s what really makes No Children something special. It’s not a break-up song since our couple has no intentions of splitting up and its dreary words and mutual hate tell us it’s certainly not a love song. This is more of a staying together in perpetual misery song. It’s a fate much worse than a break-up and the Mountain Goats encapsulate all the feelings of this type of relationship incredibly well in 3 minute song. The spite is fierce “I hope I lie, and tell everyone that you were a good wife.” Our narrator doesn’t want to give his wife the satisfaction of admitting their relationship is a failure. Every positive feeling is a façade but it’s all maintained for appearances sake. The title wraps up the song perfectly. There will be no children in this loveless arrangement.
Why did it lose?
All my friends is more relatable and the music is a bit more complex and interesting. Hard to see no children go though.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRP6egIEABk
Match 3.11
Victor: Gold Soundz - Pavement
Defeated: Hey Ya! - Outkast
Why did it deserve to be here?
I’ve talked a lot about pop songs over this contest and I don’t mean rock-pop, alternative-pop or any other adjective-pop. I’m talking straight off the radio, bubblegum happy, toe-tapping pop music. This is one of the most difficult genres to compose for without selling your soul. Much of the pop music you hear is recycled garbage from the other recycled garbage. Don’t get me wrong, borrowing from other musicians is all well and good, but when the third R&B song about “the club” comes on it’s just a little too much for me.
So in this wasteland of a genre a good song can shine like no other. I spoke about Roam, Real World, and Brimful of Asha really repping their genre and they are truly fantastic pop songs. But in the world of pop music I find that Hey Ya! rules them all. (I’m limiting this to modern pop music here before anyone gets in a huff. Yes, the Beatles are pop music.)
Hey Ya! is indescribably catchy. It’s simply impossible to listen and not move a little bit. The bass is kicking, the drums are popping, Andre is nailing those vocals to the wall. Everything about this song went right. Andre even makes sure to through in a little call and answer for some audience participation “What’s cooler than being cool?!” “ICE COLD.” And who can forget “Shake it like a Polaroid picture.”
Why did it lose?
Oh Gold soundz, you’re so damn good.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw
Match 3.12
Victor: Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
Defeated: Purple Rain - Prince
Why did it deserve to be here?
It’s the power ballad to end all power ballads. It’s a powerful 8 minute performance with killer vocals and awesome guitar solos all emanating from our main man Prince. I always loved that Prince plays his own guitar. So many bands just have Guitar George in the background cranking out perfect notes while the soloist only sings. There’s not too much to say about this song that you don’t already know but it is a classic.
Why did it lose?
Losing my religion has just about everything I want in a song. Honestly purple rain is too long as well, though I can’t say I’d want it to be cut.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtrQK8Zqj-g
Match 3.13
Victor: Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones
Defeated: Disarm – The Smashing Pumpkins
Why did it deserve to be here?
It’s a really good mellow one from the Pumpkins. Corgan has stated that the song is about the shaky relationship between him and his parents as a child. Though I can see how that works with some of the lines I have some difficulty seeing how that relates with a lot of the lyrics. Despite the link between the metaphors and the reality being shaky without knowing the background, you can tell that Billy is passionate with his words and there is a lot of meaning sunk into them.
The guitar sounds much deeper than its simple chord progression lends it to be, this is one of those 4 chord songs. The interesting strum pattern allows Corgan to use this simple progression and make it sound complex. The orchestra in the background definitely helps propel the song and doesn’t come off as overproduced.
Why did it lose?
I had it the other way around as a snap pick. The Stones’ statement about humanity in sympathy is so effective though that I felt compelled to switch it around.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQtLoJlQD6E
Match 3.14
Victor: Greener – Tally Hall
Defeated: Chicago – Sufjan Stevens
Why did it deserve to be here?
What awesome orchestration, usually a song throws violins and cellos underneath the melody to add some layers to the song. But in Chicago, the orchestra plays a central role to melody alongside the vocals. When the horns come in during the center of the song, the whole song comes together and reaches a peak. Sufjan then brings everything down a notch to emphasize the most important lyrics of the song
“if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes”
A difficult song to classify, I’d say it fall somewhere under folk-power-ballad. It’s truly something unique and extremely satisfactory for the ears.
Why did it lose?
Greener is such a classic story with a mix of catchiness. Relatable, sad and fun all at the same time.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDRrqcZbdPU
Match 3.15
Victor: The Rat- The Walkmen
Defeated: Cold Days From the Birdhouse – The Twilight Sad
Why did it deserve to be here?
It’s definitely one of the more obscure songs on this list. Frightened Rabbit describe The Twilight Sad as one of their big influences and you can definitely hear it in their songs. I absolutely love the instrumentation of this song. We start out with a repeating out of key piano note. Then the twangy guitars come in with lots of slides. There’s lots of sounds in the background that I can only really characterize as vibrations. I think I hear an accordion in there. Finally our lead singer joins in and I can’t tell you how perfect the Scottish accent is in this song (and album.) If I was a teenage girl I might describe it as “dreamy.”
It’s hard to find meaning in the lyrics, but it definitely about a relationship turning sour. You can hear it in the tone of the voice and in certain lines of the song. “Romantic gesture //With ruined plans” It’s a really fantastic melodic piece.
Why did it lose?
The Rat is intense and powerful. It’s an awesome song.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79pmP4FjnXc
Match 3.16
Victor: Changes – 2pac
Defeated: The Who - Baba O’Riley
Why did it deserve to be here?
They say there’s The Who people and there’s Led Zeppelin people. I have no idea how anyone could be a Led Zeppelin person when The Who is the alternative. I like some regular old rock music now and then as the Zep tends to be but it just doesn’t match The Who.
Baba started its life as part of a rock opera The Who was composing as a follow-up to their record Tommy. The lyrics over top of it are supposed to be sung by the main character of the story to his wife “Sally.” The frantic organ sounds in the background were intitially planned to be the life of mystic “Baba” (hence Baba O’Riley) fed into a synthesizer. When this plan didn’t work out one of the band members simply played this part on the organ.
The song itself is of course breathtaking. It amps you up. It gives you a boost. It plays to your emotions and sets you up like your heading out on a journey (as was the intention in the original opera.) It’s a great composition.
Why did it lose?
2pac’s got it all, lyrics, beats, and a great tune. Fare thee well Who.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2KRpRMSu4g (I had some cool stuff happen playing this song over itself with a 15 second delay, though it does desync eventually at the tempo change)
