A large number of people have been enthusiastically voting for match-ups and letting me hear it when I have the wrong artist, the wrong song by an artist, or the wrong version of a song by an artist. For the next two days, enjoy some of the classics that LTD participants feel that I unfairly left out.
Big thanks to Jordan Ballard, Andy Walton, Jim “Rock” Schiller, Lindsey Earls, Nick Heymind, Jacob Press, Cristina Castro and Mike Corbett for today’s picks. The last match-up includes two songs that have been urged on me by multiple people.
Listen to them on Grooveshark here.
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) vs. Mean Streets (Van Halen)
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) vs. Rocks Off (Rolling Stones)
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) vs. Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
25 or 6 to 5 (Chicago) vs. Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears)
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) vs. Tom Sawyer (Rush)
You can vote by commenting below, on Facebook, or emailing LTDdotorg@gmail.com. Thus far I’ve either not voted or kept my vote anonymous, but given that I don’t even know some of these songs, this’ll be the first time I’ll post my own votes below with ya’ll. Also- if recommenders want me to post a different version of the song in question, let me know soon.
Living the Dream 
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 5
Mean Streets (Van Halen) 6.5
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) 6
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) 7
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) 3.5
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) 9
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago) 7
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) 4
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) 7.5
Tom Sawyer (Rush) 9
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 6 A little much. Maybe it was just my speakers, but lots of noise in this one. I guess they call that guitar playing.
Mean Streets (Van Halen) 7.5 Definitely not Van Halen’s best song, maybe their most hardcore guitarwork though. Good for them. Mediocre group vocals on the chorus bring it down from an 8.
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) 5. Wow. I’m really curious who nominated this. Never heard it before, but I definitely feel dirty for listening to it.
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) 7. Totally unfamiliar with this song from the Stones. Its nice, not remarkable. Honky tonky!
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) 4 Definitely not their best work. Nice lyrics keep the dated instrumentals from completely bombing it. Funny whiny synth work.
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) 9 Now THIS is a classic! And I know, I know, I know, I know, and I know, I know, I know… this one won’t be close.
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago) 10 A clinic on how to blend different instruments over a set of power chords. Great vocals, this one could be a contender. Sad more of Chicago’s catalog wasn’t included…
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) 0 Ouch. So many better songs by these guys, I can’t even listen to this…
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) 9 Another classic that should have been a no-brainer on the first list. By far Jethro Tull’s most accessible work other than Song for Jeremy, which also should have been included.
Tom Sawyer (Rush) 5 Was this in Tron? I like some parts of this song, can’t stand other parts. Hence the 5.
I’m just gonna say it once- the 10-0’s are getting out of hand. I mean, I feel like a song that gets a 10 should be the most amazing, harmonic, dopamine-producing musical experience ever- something that just blows you away. And on the opposite side, a 0 is something that you can not stand from start to finish with absolutely no redeeming facets on the track- not even a riff you like, not even a lyric thats poignant. I’m responding here because I know Nick is probably getting lazy in his musical scrutiny now that he’s a married man and all, and I’ll forgive him- but 10-0’s should be realllllly justified in our heads and hearts, because its a game-changing sort of score. much love, g-mo
Thanks you, G. For reference, all zeroes are turned into 1s. And I agree that you should give out a 10 to a handful of songs throughout the tournament, especially in the early rounds. A ‘9’ means a song is pretty amazing.
Guillermo, I hear you, and can see where you’re coming from. I think I justified both my scores in this one, far more than previous 10-0 posters have. I had thought I liked Head Over Heals and Tears for Fears, but then when I listened it was audibly painful. I couldn’t finish the song, even though I tried to grimace my way through it.
And as far as getting lazy in my musical scrutiny, I think I’ve subjected these songs to more scrutiny than just about everyone else out there. The word you’re looking for isn’t scrutiny, its favoritism…
Holland, 1945 [10]
Mean Streets [6]
Rock n Roll Nigger [7]
Rocks Off [10]
This Must Be the Place [8]
Ain’t No Sunshine [7]
25 or 6 or 5 [8]
Head Over Heels [6]
Aqualung [6]
Tom Sawyer [10]
Wow, your most generous scores yet, Jordan.
I apologize for my temporary hiatus from voting. I’m back!
Holland, 1945 — 5
Mean Streets — 5
Rock n Roll Nigger –6
Rocks Off –5.5
This Must Be the Place –6.5
Ain’t No Sunshine — 10!!
25 or 6 or 5 — 6
Head Over Heels –8.5
Aqualung –7
Tom Sawyer –5
Holland – 5
Mean Streets – 6
Rock n Roll – 6
Rocks Off – 3
This Must Be the Place – 4.5
Ain’t No Sunshine – 7.5
25 or 6 to 4 – 7
Head Over Heels – 5
Aqualung – 7
Tom Sawyer – 6.5
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel): 5
Mean Streets (Van Halen): 3
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith): 4
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones): 7
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads): 7
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers): 8
25 or 6 to 5 (Chicago): 5
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears): 7
Aqualung (Jethro Tull): 4
Tom Sawyer (Rush): 5
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 6
Mean Streets (Van Halen) 4.5
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) 6.5
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) 5.5
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) 7
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)6
25 or 6 to 5 (Chicago) 7
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) 5.5
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) 4.5
Tom Sawyer (Rush) 5
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) [6.5]
Mean Streets (Van Halen) [4]
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) [6]
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) [5]
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) [6]
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) [9]
25 or 6 to 5 (Chicago) [6]
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) [4]
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) [3]
Tom Sawyer (Rush) [5.5]
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) vs. Mean Streets (Van Halen) 6:3
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) vs. Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) whoa patty smith…awesome…however, not a great song. 5:5
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) vs. Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) I think this is the first ten I’ve handed out and I’m glad you put it against Ain’t no sunshine because I’ve always thought it was highly sappy and overrated. BAM! 10:4
25 or 6 to 5 (Chicago) vs. Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) 8:8
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) vs. Tom Sawyer (Rush) 6:7
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 5.5
Mean Streets (Van Halen) 4
Mean Streets meandered quite a bit, and Holland 1945 never took the jump I was waiting for. Still a solid song.
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) 8
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) 8
Love it. Rockin out all the way.
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) 7.5
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) 7
Both pretty songs. I was just getting into Sunshine when it ended.
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago) 7
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) 3
Nick is salivating over watching Chicago advance. I wasn’t really digging this TfF song.
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) 7. This is a classic, and should have been in the play-in round all along, though I’m glad it had to go through the gauntlet.
Tom Sawyer (Rush) 7.5. Neat. Don’t recall enjoying Rush this much.
Holland 1945 (6.5) vs. Mean Streets (5) – Neutral Milk Hotel gets props for horn usage, and horn through pedal usage. Sure, the distort is up a bit much, but I don’t mind it. Nice snappy beat to push through. On Mean Streets, the Eddie intro is pretty great, and it sounds like the hook was lifted from any number of Meters songs and sped up slightly. I can’t decide whether the fact that it sounds like the music of this Van Halen tune was lifted wholesale from any number of old Meters sessions makes me like it more, or really pisses me off. No, it means Holland 45 gets the nod. If I want to listen to George, Leo, Zig, and Art, I’ve got large WAV files from concerts for that.
Rock and Roll ****** (7) vs. Rocks Off (6.5). Oh Patti. Patti, Patti, Patti. I feel like I’m back on the floor of the bathroom at cbs, praying that the whiskey never stops. the fuck you vibes, the political rage, the syncopated piano shit. Love. OTOH, the Stones, twangin it up and they have the horns, which you’ll figure out are almost always a way to my heart, unless your freaking kenny g. Eh, but not feeling the bridge, even though they come back strong. Another squeaker, but Patti takes it.
This Must Be The Place (4.5) vs Ain’t No Sunshine (8.5). I love those art school funkateers, but they need to bring it to take out ole Bill Withers, and that’s NOT happening on This Must Be The Place. G-d damn, there are the strings. I know, I know, I know, I know it’s over.
25 or 6 to 4 (8) vs Head over Heels (5). Loving the horns, and the multipart vocal harmonies… but the driving guitar and drums combo are the skeleton and pulse of this song and I’m feeling it. It feels stupid to be sitting in here listening to this, I should be driving someplace with this song on. Tears for Fears don’t have a prayer… or do they? interesting arrangement, liking the slinky bassline, the chorus an interesting musical change, sure it’s cheesy but the synth upward bend into a little fill, some nice stuff here. Liking the synth strings too. But no, they don’t quite have enough. I have to say, this is one song that did a lot better than I thought it would do when I forced myself to listen and not sing really annoying extra cheesy nah nahs.
and now, what feels like the main event. This is a matchup I hate, as I think both of these songs should’ve been in and shouldn’t be facing each other in the play in. c’est la vie. Tom Sawyer (8) vs. Aqualung (7.5 ). Ah Geddy Lee, you freakishly skinny Canadian Yid, you. Some mixed meter prog deliciousness. You have to bang your head super quick to stay with the beat. The drum fills! The synth going higher! Ah, but then, sitting on a park bench! The transition doesn’t feel weird, like it did in Rocks Off before. Loving the piano, it’s feeling the epic it is (and it is, clocking in at a heavyweight 6:40) they bring in the bo diddley hits (1, 2, 3, 45) to raise the tension and tempo… but I think they flounder in the mellow section just a little too long.
Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 3
Mean Streets (Van Halen) 4
Rock n Roll N*** (Patti Smith) 9
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones) 6
This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) 3
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) 9
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago) 4
Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) 1
Aqualung (Jethro Tull) 7
Tom Sawyer (Rush) 2