Best Song of the 1970s Bracket - Born to Run wins!

[meebles127]

I'll keep this open until tomorrow at 7 in hopes of a couple more votes.

I assume this is not in best coast time EDT?

[AKKOLADE]

It’ll be Eastern.

[ValenciaQBowl]

this Gordon Lightfoot sounds like music for wusses

When physical distancing restrictions are lifted, I will fly to where you are and wreck you like the Edmund Fitzgerald.

[rylltraka]

this Gordon Lightfoot sounds like music for wusses

When physical distancing restrictions are lifted, I will fly to where you are and wreck you like the Edmund Fitzgerald.

I assert that this will be difficult, as you have outed yourself as a wuss. Now Carly Simon - that's a real man's music.

[AKKOLADE]

Thanks for coming out, everyone. I'll count votes in a couple of hours.

[dwd500]

this Gordon Lightfoot sounds like music for wusses

When physical distancing restrictions are lifted, I will fly to where you are and wreck you like the Edmund Fitzgerald.

You better take care, if he finds you've been creepin' 'round his back stairs....

[AKKOLADE]

Voting is closed.

[AKKOLADE]

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough 17, Lawyers, Guns, and Money 7
Move On Up 16, Killing Me Softly with His Song 7
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 14, If You Could Read My Mind 8.5
Doctor, My Eyes 12, December, 1963 (Oh What a Night!) 10.5
Midnight Train to Georgia 13, Back Stabbers 10.5
Jolene 14, Heartbreaker 9
Moondance 15, You’re so Vain 8.5
Reelin’ in the Years 15.5, Roxanne 7.5
Superstition 17, Closer to the Heart 7

We had a couple of nailbiters, with Midnight Train to Georgia skirting by to avoid an upset. Move On Up and Doctor, My Eyes were the two upsets this time. I think Killing Me Softly was dismissed a bit out of hand by some people. Flack's vocals are amazing. Move On Up is great, too. I actually had December, 1963 as a top 10 or 20 seed for awhile before my last go through bumped it down a few lines.

I'm going to take a day or two off while getting the next set ready. Round three is coming up! If you're following this and not voting, please feel free to jump in with the next batch.

[AKKOLADE]

WELCOME TO ROUND THREE

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1HMKq ... AA4yJsrolQ

Your matchups:

#1 Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Album: A Night at the Opera
Year: 1975
Charts: UK #1, Billboard Hot 100 #9 (initial release)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ

#64 Riders on the Storm – The Doors
Album: L.A. Woman
Year: 1971
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #14, UK #22
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hrgT_ZDUvs

#32 Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
Album: Talking Heads: 77
Year: 1977
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #92
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eauZzwt8Ci8

#33 Gloria – Patti Smith
Album: Horses
Year: 1976
Charts: did not chart
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPO0bTaWcFQ

#16 Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
Album: Bridge Over Troubled Water
Year: 1970
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #1, UK #1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G-YQA_bsOU

#49 Ohio – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Album: non-album single
Year: 1970
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #14
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1PrUU2S_iw

#17 Hotel California – Eagles
Album: Hotel California
Year: 1977
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #1, UK #8
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1pK5anfAVM

#48 Lola – The Kinks
Album: Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
Year: 1970
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #9, UK #2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LemG0cvc4oU

#8 London Calling – The Clash
Album: London Calling
Year: 1979
Charts: UK #11
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvI2xbU3baQ

#75 La Grange – ZZ Top
Album: Tres Hombres
Year: 1973
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #41
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vppbdf-qtGU

#25 Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Album: Wish You Were Here
Year: 1975
Charts: non-single
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjpF8ukSrvk

#40 Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits
Album: Dire Straits
Year: 1978
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #4, UK #8
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyF1FwiYcoQ

#156 War – Edwin Starr
Album: War & Peace
Year: 1970
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #1, UK #3
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZJRJpbGkG4

#76 Only the Good Die Young – Billy Joel
Album: The Stranger
Year: 1978
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #24
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERWREcPIoPA

#24 Won't Get Fooled Again – The Who
Album: Who’s Next
Year: 1971
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #15, UK #9
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrHUD2XmLN4

#96 Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Album: Poems, Prayers, & Promises
Year: 1971
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo

Your ballot:

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

You have until Friday at 8 p.m. eastern.

[Stained Diviner]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

The first six are all very close, and I could go either way. I know I'm right about the last two.

[kammajos000]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[A Dim-Witted Saboteur]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Posting to make a point (that Queen is overrated in this bracket and the culture in general)

Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[ryanrosenberg]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm -- it's the better song here, but maybe the 6th or 7th best in this group of 8
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria -- two great songs that build to wonderful insanity, a shame one of them has to go out so soon. Voting for "Gloria" because of the story that it was nearly my parents' wedding song.
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio -- BOTW is ever so slightly overdone and has spawned many many bad covers. Ohio stays focused and precise through all versions, including a couple of incredible live ones.
Hotel California vs. Lola -- I don't love Lola and am a sucker for windy guitar work.
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[dwd500]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[meebles127]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm - God why do you have to do this to me.
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio - Bridge Over Troubled Water continues to be one of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel song.
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[Ethnic history of the Vilnius region]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

It’s getting real now.

[rylltraka]

I think what we've really learned so far is that Chris Borglum and I should have a podcast where we trade barbs about ancient music with one another. Harry White and Joe Nutter can come too.

[ValenciaQBowl]

Our six subscribers would really dig it. Let's get it going.

[ValenciaQBowl]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
--When my nearest-in-age older brother brought home Queen's album A Night at the Opera (I think I was in third grade), we listened to it every day for weeks. We had never heard anything like it before. "Bohemian Rhapsody" has gotten so played out since Wayne's World it's easy to forget the audacity of that song.

Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
--Broooooootal.

Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
--Also tough, but "Bridge should go a long way.

Hotel California vs. Lola
--Did I mention that when my wife (then girlfriend) took me to the Hell Freezes Over tour in 1994 that I brought crossword puzzles and pissed off people around me by doing them during The Eagles' set? Dug that.

London Calling vs. La Grange
--That album was a great way to end the decade of British punk: came out two weeks before 1980 (thanks Wikipedia).

Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
--Oh, man. Also just painful to have to pick here. In the end I have to go with the band that better defined 70s rock radio.

War vs. Only the Good Die Young
--Damn, why do I have to pick between two beloved songs above, and here I couldn't care less? I'm disappointing myself by picking Billy Joel.

Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads
--They won't, but Mik will.

[MiltonPlayer47]

Bohemian Rhapsody

Gloria

Ohio

Lola

London Calling

Wish You Were Here

Only the Good Die Young

Won't Get Fooled Again

[Wynaut]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[Wartortullian]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[ScoBo]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[AKKOLADE]

It’s under 24 hours to vote.

[Steeve Ho You Fat]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm I'll continue voting against Queen on the principle that they're generally fine but are revered for reasons I don't understand. I'll continue voting against Bohemian Rhapsody because it's not even one of Queen's top songs. It's too much, too overstuffed, and doesn't make enough sense.
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola Hyped for one of these songs to unanimously lose to Ohio
London Calling vs. La Grange I don't really care if it's the better song, I'm voting for some silly blues-rock to make it
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing Tough matchup - Sultans of Swing is something like the fourth best song in this group
War vs. Only the Good Die Young I couldn't even make it halfway through the Billy Joel song
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[BenWeiner27]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[ValenciaQBowl]

Joe is correct that

Sultans of Swing is something like the fourth best song in this group.

Welcome to the podcast.

[rylltraka]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Joe is correct that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is overstuffed and weird and bizarrely un-contextualized, but I fail to see why any of those are bad things. Queen, especially early Queen, was gloriously weird and reveled in it - and as for the earlier claim as to why people revere Queen: I'm no expert, but they had an absolutely unique sound, a ton of joy in their music, and the musicianship to back that up (check out "Brighton Rock" if you haven't). Now if you want to talk about the most overrated bands of the last 60 years, my friend, let me introduce you to the Doors, whose stoner burnout LA-cool nonsense never stuck with me.

Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
I like Patti Smith and this song as ideas better than much of the reality. It's very much the precursor to things like Bikini Kill. But, like them, it's pretty scattered.

Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Brutal matchup, absolutely brutal. I guess I'll go with the one whose instrumentation I like better, and with the historical angle? Don't feel good about it.

Hotel California vs. Lola
I have a feeling I'm going to be doing a lot of defending the Eagles over the next few weeks, which basically makes me St. Stephen, right? Anyway, this allusive trip through the dark parts of the 70s should have a good run ahead of it. "Lola"s tongue-in-cheek grunge is great, but a little too simple and superficial on the uptake.

London Calling vs. La Grange
My instinct here is to abstain; I don't think either of these songs are good enough to have made it this far. "London Calling" is so ugly and "La Grange" is far from ZZ Top's best work. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
"Wish You Were Here" is going to be a monster, a nightmare for another song to try and knock off. Even the highly meta "Sultans of Swing", which has great guitar licks and goes by in a flash despite being close to six minutes.

War vs. Only the Good Die Young
"War" is super memorable, but god, is it a mess musically. Also, in a field littered with poetic imaginings, its lyrics sound like they were written by a talented middle school student. Simple can be an advantage, but ....eh. "Only the Good Die Young" is similarly dated and jangly, but has a very different brand of musicianship behind it. Both songs are, however, (very vaguely) about death.

Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

--They won't, but Mik will.

I don't know what response this statement expects of me, but I hope that I have fulfilled it.

[Whiter Hydra]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm — Don't get me wrong, The Doors are an iconic group and Jim Morrison is a legend for a reason. However, their best stuff I feel was in the 60s, and Riders on the Storm lingers a bit too much. Bohemian Rhapsody, on the other hand, is a complete song, with what a beginning, middle, and end. Every section on the song is there for a reason, and it would be really hard to cut any part from it, unlike its competition.

Psycho Killer vs. Gloria — Psycho Killer has times where the concept is executed flawlessly and times where it feels more "lolrandom" than anything. Gloria, on the other hand, is a great early punk rock song, but there are times where it's a bit unrefined. I feel like Psycho Killer has the higher highs, but I can't be sad with either of these two advancing.

Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio — These are two really good songs. Ohio has the cultural significance behind it and a great presentation of its message, but Bridge Over Troubled Water is such a beautiful song that presents an air of positivity to it that is very hard to replicate. Since I'm a sucker for such stuff, I'll have to give the nod to Simon and Garfunkel.

Hotel California vs. Lola — Hotel California nails the idea of lyrics vague enough to get everyone in a tizzy determined to find the real meaning. It's a pretty good Eagles song, but then they finish with a great guitar solo. Lola provides surprisingly stiff competition, especially with its grungy guitar work, but it's not nearly as memorable as Hotel California.

London Calling vs. La Grange — London Calling is overrated in my opinion, but it's still a very good British punk rock song. La Grange also does well for its genre, but good blues rock isn't going to beat good punk rock.

Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing — Wish You Were Here is easily one of the top four songs in its album. The music and tone wonderfully convey the message the song is trying to present. Sultans of Swing definitely deserves a spot in the top 32 with its wonderfully-crafted narrative style, but it had to go up against one of the greatest and most emblematic bands and songs of the decade.

War vs. Only the Good Die Young — As I've mentioned before, I don't really rate Only the Good Die Young that highly among Billy Joel's hits (Big Shot and Captain Jack are the only ones that I'd definitively rank below it), but that's balanced by Billy Joel being quite my favorite solo artist growing up. (I believe I have every Billy Joel album up through The Nylon Curtain on vinyl). War is a very memorable song, but it feels like it tries too hard. I'd certainly vote for it if we were looking for the best 70s songs to set Vines to.

Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads — My head is telling me to vote one way; my heart another. Won't Get Fooled Again is probably the better song and thus I guess ought to win with its cynical outlook and one of Pete Townshend's greatest performances, but Take Me Home, Country Roads speaks to me on a more personal level having spent a lot of time visiting and then going to college in that general area. It's also very singable.

[AKKOLADE]

There are two and a half hours to vote!

[mrtyrmystry]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
the best

Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

gee ello r aye a

[Bosa of York]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[Blackboard Monitor Vimes]

Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Riders on the Storm
Psycho Killer vs. Gloria
Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Ohio
Hotel California vs. Lola
London Calling vs. La Grange
Wish You Were Here vs. Sultans of Swing
War vs. Only the Good Die Young
Won’t Get Fooled Again vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads

[AKKOLADE]

Voting is closed.

[AKKOLADE]

Bohemian Rhapsody 16, Riders on the Storm 8
Psycho Killer 14, Gloria 9
Ohio 12.5, Bridge Over Troubled Water 10.5
Lola 13.5, Hotel California 9.5
London Calling 16.5, La Grange 4.5
Wish You Were Here 17, Sultans of Swing 5.5
Only the Good Die Young 14, War 8.5
Won’t Get Fooled Again 15.5, Take Me Home, Country Roads 6.5

[AKKOLADE]

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3k5hq ... LMD6v56fDw

Your matchups:

#44 Dancing Queen – ABBA
Album: Arrival
Year: 1976
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #1, UK #1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P9CxN7RVVs

#21 War Pigs – Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Year: 1970
Charts: non-single
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_A6y58afFY

#53 Runnin' with the Devil – Van Halen
Album: Van Halen
Year: 1978
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #84, UK #52
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99nQpN0S5hE

#12 The Chain – Fleetwood Mac
Album: Rumours
Year: 1977
Charts: non-single
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwTPvcPYaOo

#37 September – Earth, Wind & Fire
Album: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1
Year: 1978
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #8, UK #3
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cKtSlsYVEU

#28 Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Album: (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
Year: 1974
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #19
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqnU_sJ8V-E

#60 American Pie – Don McLean
Album: American Pie
Year: 1971
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #1, UK #2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX_TFkut1PM

#5 Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
Album: Led Zeppelin IV
Year: 1971
Charts: not released as a single
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkF3oxziUI4

#45 Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) – The Hollies
Album: Distant Light
Year: 1972
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #2, UK #32
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCLYYNllZJg

#20 No Woman No Cry – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Album: Live!
Year: 1975
Charts: UK #22
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfNymCvydHc

#80 American Girl – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Album: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Year: 1977
Charts: UK #40
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIhb-kNvL6M

#140 Flash Light – Parliament
Album: Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
Year: 1978
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #16
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5uH1JFcaq8

#102 Just What I Needed – The Cars
Album: The Cars
Year: 1978
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #27, UK #17
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5-rdr0qhWk

#112 Southern Man – Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Album: After the Gold Rush
Year: 1970
Charts: non-single
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5FCcDEA6mY

#69 Lust For Life – Iggy Pop
Album: Lust for Life
Year: 1977
Charts: did not chart in US/UK
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuBU3pzy7is

#4 Let It Be – The Beatles
Album: Let It Be
Year: 1970
Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #1, UK #2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfEBY9NM4

Your ballot:

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[MiltonPlayer47]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs

Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain

September vs. Free Bird

American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry

American Girl vs. Flash Light

Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man

Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[ScoBo]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[mrtyrmystry]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs

Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
runnin in the shadows

September vs. Free Bird

American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
The more I return, I think No Woman, No Cry is the best song remaining. its apparently facile message is sharpened by the specificity of his memories. not that the appeal of the song is its focus; it's just really, real, genuinely uplifting.
and not that the Hollies' title woman isn't also specific. it's that it's really a CCR song. i think this matchup is the only outcome i care about, and it's in question.

American Girl vs. Flash Light
i think i miss maggot brain

Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
vote as i ????, not as i vote

Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[Wartortullian]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[dwd500]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs

Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain

September vs. Free Bird
- One of the new things I've added to my trash-viewing diet over these past couple of months is music "reaction" videos on YouTube, especially ones featuring this song. There's something about watching someone enjoy the song while having no idea that the guitar solo is coming up that's just fun.

American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry

American Girl vs. Flash Light

Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man

Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[kitakule]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[Stained Diviner]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Now that's an easy choice!

Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
This one is close, and I might be wrong, but Van Halen can play some guitar, and The Chain just repeats itself.

September vs. Free Bird
FREE BIRD

American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Strongest pairing in the group. I recommend listening to Stairway outside.

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
No Woman, No Cry is better live. I never say Marley live, but I did see the Wailers and his son Ziggy (separate concerts). Ziggy put on a great show, but his claim to fame probably is the Arthur theme.

American Girl vs. Flash Light
If it wasn't for Dancing Queen, Flash Light would be the weakest entry in this pool.

Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
This is the worst of the eight songs I am voting for, but it's not a bad song. Neither is Just What I Needed.

Lust for Life vs. Let It Be
This Carpool Karaoke is cool. Who knows? Maybe an Iggy Pop one would be better.

[A Dim-Witted Saboteur]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[ValenciaQBowl]

Wow--"they say styles make fights," and this bracket has more matchups between radically different sounds/genres than any of the previous, I think.

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
--Case in point! I have to guess that the overlap of the Venn diagrams of people who really like both of these songs is pretty small.

Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
--I'm in for the long haul with Eddie and David Lee on this one.

September vs. Free Bird
--While Free Bird is ponderous, it is also too long.

American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
--"Stairway" is probably the fifth best song on IV. Long live "The Battle of Evermore"!

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
--In most situations, given a choice between these two, I'd choose the choogly thump and side mouth delivery of "Long Cool Woman," but the Marley song wins in iconicity. (Iconic-itude?).

American Girl vs. Flash Light
--I'll take "Songs Set in Buildings Where I've Hung Out" for $400, Alex."

Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
--Side note: it's unfortunate that Ric Ocasek (pbuh) refused to let Carseat Headrest keep the brief samples of this song in their "Not What I Needed."

Lust for Life vs. Let It Be
--It's easily the best song about shooting smack ever used in ads showing retirees enjoying a cruise ship.

[Ethnic history of the Vilnius region]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[BenWeiner27]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain
September vs. Free Bird
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry
American Girl vs. Flash Light
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be

[Steeve Ho You Fat]

Looks like we're back in the continuously brutal section of the bracket.

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs I have nothing against Dancing Queen or Abba, but War Pigs is a classic that I'll stan for since it was one of the first "popular" songs that I ever listened to when I was ~12. I no longer think it's the coolest thing in the world, but it's still pretty cool! I'll vote for it just for how menacing the guitar part is.
Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain Runnin' with the Devil is fine, but how is it different than any number of songs that get played on the classic rock radio stations? The Chain is instantly recognizable and brings together the best of the period's themes: tight vocal harmonies, folk influences in the finger-picked guitar (they even used the same tuning as Ohio), a prominent bass riff, and a freakout guitar solo.
September vs. Free Bird This is a real tough one here. Earth Wind & Fire is classic soul and funk, Skynyrd embodies Southern Rock. September is a fun song, but I think I've heard it enough, and as I said elsewhere it's not their best. Free Bird is too famous, but it got there for a reason. What more could you want from a top 70's song than a great guitar solo? This song has one of the best ones left, with most of the competition in this section of the bracket. I'll even forgive the youths for their biking if they'll promise not to let the tradition of yelling Free Bird at concerts die.
American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven. It's 5:56 into the video Fred linked. I'll forgive the '70s excess, the hair, the chests, the nonsensical lyrics, the fact that I could name a dozen better Zeppelin songs in my sleep, the drugs, too many double-necked guitars, not coming back with Jason Bonham, everything for the solo. Also American Pie is boring and nothing happens in it, not really sure how someone can criticize music for being "ponderous" while praising American Pie.
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry Another tough one here. I never had the Bob Marley poster in my dorm room, but I endorse them, and he's clearly the more important, more influential, and probably better musician here. But No Woman, No Cry has never been one of my favorite of his songs, and the other song is great.
American Girl vs. Flash Light Not sure how we ended up with two of the three least inspiring songs in the bracket matched up against each other here. Whatever.
Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man It's again challenging to vote against such a famous, and influential song, but Neil Young will live on through Ohio. Just What I Needed is simply too much fun and too much energy to vote against.
Lust for Life vs. Let It Be It's still The Beatles, and I'm still, in my heart, voting for the non-Phil Spector version.

Pretty impressed at how little overlap Borglum and I have here - guess we just go for radically different sounds/genres.

[ValenciaQBowl]

Joe wrote:

American Pie is boring and nothing happens in it, not really sure how someone can criticize music for being "ponderous" while praising American Pie.

I find "American Pie" quite jaunty in the long middle section, actually.

[Whiter Hydra]

Dancing Queen vs. War Pigs — This is probably the most apples vs. oranges matchup I'll see this round. They're both iconic songs within their genre that I really enjoy listening to. War Pigs requires a bit more investment to listen to, though. In this case, I think I prefer the upbeat escapism of ABBA than the grimmer Black Sabbath.

Runnin’ with the Devil vs. The Chain — Van Halen suffers from having their best work be in the 80s. Runnin' with the Devil is fine, but it's not special in the same way that The Chain is. The latter song is instantly recognisable, which is probably why BBC put it in its Formula 1 intros. Plus, it comes from one of the greatest albums ever made.

September vs. Free Bird — Two very good songs that both deserve a place in the top 32. September is a suburb disco song that doesn't try to weigh things down with an attempt to be deep and has led to one of my favorite Youtube annual traditions. Free Bird, on the other hand, has an unbeatable four-minute guitar solo that is more than worth the wait through the almost-filler lyrical section.

American Pie vs. Stairway to Heaven — If I'm late submitting my votes, it's because I listened to three 8-minute songs in a row. American Pie is a great journey through the music of the 60s. Don McLean has a voice that is perfect for telling his tale and his allegories have the perfect balance between evoking imagery but also not being too vague. On the other hand, I'm not really a big Led Zeppelin fan. I will admit the final two minutes of Stairway to Heaven is up there in terms of the best moments of rock, but it doesn't quite make up for the rest of the song.

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) vs. No Woman, No Cry — After four great matchups, we finally get our first clunker. Long Cool Woman's a good song, but it isn't really much more than filler music while I'm listening to the radio. On the other hand, I never got into Bob Marley, and his entry doesn't really appeal to me at all.

American Girl vs. Flash Light — Flash Light's run was like the song itself: Longer than expected, and not necessarily in a good way. Thankfully, it's now going up against an actually good song.

Just What I Needed vs. Southern Man — Once again we have a light-hearted song vs. a serious song. Southern Man is definitely more important, but the song itself is a bit lacking at time and lags somewhat during the middle. The Cars' entry, on the other hand, is solid through-and-through and is definitely the song I would be more willing to listen to all the way through.

Lust for Life vs. Let It Be — I continue to enjoy Lust for Life more with every listen. Unfortunately for Iggy Pop, he gets being put up against better and better songs. It's going to take a lot of convincing for me to vote against Let It Be. It probably helps that it's a perfect last song to listen to and it keeps being the final song in the playlist.