We’ve come a long way together, through the hard times and the good. This is the last set of match-ups in the play-in round. On Sunday we’ll begin the Round of 512, so voting on these runs through Sunday morning, 11am. Thank you to Kate Gage, Margot Albert, Shilpa Narayan, Matt Oliver, Grant Rafter, Jenny Bress and Mark Orsini for today’s songs.
In addition to specific requests from the folks above, today’s match-ups also address concerns that Parliament, Depeche Mode and ELO had no songs in the tournament. Finally, someone noted that “Train in Vain” should be in there. The Clash are my favorite band of all-time (though other than Rock the Casbah their songs aren’t very tournament-friendly), so I’ve worked hard not to let that bias show, but let’s give Train a chance.
Here’s today’s Grooveshark link. Oddly, Helter Skelter is not available.
Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford and Sons) vs. Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe (Okervil River)
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) v. Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye)
Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus) v. Helter Skelter (Beatles)
What I Like About You (Romantics) v. Don’t Bring Me Down (ELO)
Give Up The Funk (Parliament) v. Tennessee (Arrested Development)
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades (Exploding Hearts) v. Train in Vain (Clash)
As always, vote by commenting below or emailing LTDdotorg@gmail.com.
Living the Dream 
Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford and Sons) vs. Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe (Okervil River): 7-7.5
As one Miss Kate Gage reminded me a few days ago over discussions of The Last Waltz and the amazingness of the moment, a wonderful externality of this tournament is the introduction of go to music amongst a group of semi-like-minded voters looking to ensure that we all listen to songs upon which each of us puts independent yet great weight. mwah to this match-up- neither blew me away, but both impressed me.
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) v. Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye): 6-8
wherever you are, married dan sherman, i’m thinking of you on this one.
Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus) v. Helter Skelter (Beatles)
3-5.5
What I Like About You (Romantics) v. Don’t Bring Me Down (ELO): 6.5- 7.5
Give Up The Funk (Parliament) v. Tennessee (Arrested Development)
6-8.5
I only started listening to Tennessee this year. It is so good. Particularly as an accompaniment to I-40 West to East, north of Atlanta to Bristol on the VA border. I like the Parliament for sure, but gotta give it to the truth-tellers of the early 90s.
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades (Exploding Hearts) v. Train in Vain (Clash) : 5.5-7.5
You didn’t stand by me. No not at all. Done and done.
Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford and Sons) vs. Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe (Okervil River) 7:4
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) v. Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye) 8:9
Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus) v. Helter Skelter (Beatles) 6:6
What I Like About You (Romantics) v. Don’t Bring Me Down (ELO) 9:7
Give Up The Funk (Parliament) v. Tennessee (Arrested Development) 9:6
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades (Exploding Hearts) v. Train in Vain (Clash) 6:7
Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford and Sons) [7.5] Like the bluegrassy sound, intriguing vocals, nice poetry. Pleasant surprise.
vs. Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe (Okervil River) [7] Kind of an eighties vocal sound, which I’m not a huge fan of, but real nice piano and instrumental work, and I like how it comes together.
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) [8.5]
v. Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye) [9]
How these two had to be suggested boggles my mind. Both completely rock in their respective ways. I gotta give the edge to Marvin for creating a tune you almost always want to listen to. White Rabbit is epic, but not exactly a tune for all seasons.
Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus) [8]
v. Helter Skelter (Beatles) [8]
Maybe Mode’s rockinest song. Fun message. Great bassline. A bit repetitious. Helter Skelter is one of the wildest songs the Beatles recorded, and might have paved the way for much of modern rock and roll. Not particularly listenable, but badass. I don’t know how to score the whole Manson connection…
What I Like About You (Romantics) [9]
v. Don’t Bring Me Down (ELO) [9]
Wow, alot of tough ones today! One of the greatest love ditties of all time (not a bit dated decades later), versus a hands down bitchin’ post-modern stadium/orchestra rock song. Both supremely listenable, great melodies, harmony, instrumentation (for their respective times), and vocals. I think these could both hang with alot of the 512. Shame we’ll have to say bye to one.
Give Up The Funk (Parliament) [8.5]
v. Tennessee (Arrested Development) [7]
Parliament brings it. I was ready to give it a 9, but realized that despite its tremendous funkiness, there are parts of this song I don’t like (probably why its so samplable). Tennessee is nice, can’t keep up with a legend though.
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades (Exploding Hearts) [6] Classic sound, peppy and poppy, but not my style.
v. Train in Vain (Clash) [7.5] I’m learning alot about songs I’ve heard but didn’t know who to attribute them to. Great song, doesn’t grab me quite like alot of the earlier songs, but makes me nostalgic for some reason…
Roll Away Your Stone – 9
Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe – 6.5
White Rabbit – 7
Let’s Get It On – 9
Personal Jesus – 3
Helter Skelter – 4
What I Like About You – 8.5
Don’t Bring Me Down – 7.5
Give Up the Funk – 6.5
Tennessee – 8.5
Train in Vain – 6.5
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades – 7.5
Roll away your stone — 6
Our life not a movie… — 4
White Rabbit — 7
Lets get it on — 8
Personal Jesus — 2
Helter Skelter — 6
What I like about you — 8.5
Don’t bring me down — 5
Give up the funk — 6
Tennessee — 8
Sleeping Aides — 4
Train in Vain — 7
Roll away your stone — 5
Our life not a movie… — 3.5
Just not what i was into this evening…
White Rabbit — 7
Lets get it on — 10
Tough break for one of my favorite drunken songs – Marvin definitely belonged in the 430
Personal Jesus — 6
Helter Skelter — 7
Oddly, one of my top 5 favorite beatles songs.
What I like about you — 7.5
Don’t bring me down — 8.5
Always think Michael Madsen dancing as a mob boss in Donnie Brasco to don’t bring me down – somehow never realized it was by ELO. Tremendous song – gotta believe its got some legs in this thing.
Give up the funk — 9
Tennessee — 7.5
Too much funk – never heard Tennessee before though… really like this tune. Any other suggested listens from Arrested Development?
Sleeping Aides — 6.5
Train in Vain — 7.5
Another unknown (to me) song put up a nice battle in my ears to end probably my favorite day of the play-in rounds.
Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford and Sons) [5]
Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe (Okervil River) [6.5]
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) [8.5]
Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye) [8]
Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus) [4]
Helter Skelter (Beatles) [6.5]
What I Like About You (Romantics) [8]
Don’t Bring Me Down (ELO) [9]
Give Up The Funk (Parliament) [6.5]
Tennessee (Arrested Development) [9]
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades (Exploding Hearts) [6]
Train in Vain (Clash) [6]
Roll Away Your Stone [7]
Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe [5]
White Rabbit [9]
Let’s Get It On [10]
Personal Jesus [7]
Helter Skelter [8]
What I Like About You [7]
Don’t Bring Me Down [8]
Give Up the Funk [6]
Tennessee [7]
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades [6]
Train in Vain [9]
Roll Away Your Stone 6.5
Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe 7
White Rabbit 8
Let’s Get It On 9
Personal Jesus 4.5
Helter Skelter 8
What I Like About You 6.5
Don’t Bring Me Down 6
Give Up the Funk 6
Tennessee 8.5
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades 7
Train in Vain 8
Roll Away Your Stone – 5
Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe – 5
White Rabbit – 6.5
Let’s Get It On – 7.5
Personal Jesus – 4
Helter Skelter – 8
What I Like About You – 7
Don’t Bring Me Down – 7.5
Give Up the Funk – 6
Tennessee – 8
Train in Vain – 8
Sleeping Aides and Razorblades – 9.5 ( I don’t know who nominated this, but I was super-excited to see the Exploding Hearts in this competition. I almost nominated a different song by them!)
All I have to say is that exploding hearts maybe should lose to train in vain but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t all buy the whole album RIP
I couldn’t agree more! I wish they would’ve had a chance to make more music. It’s really hard against Train in Vain though!