This epic snow storm is perfect for listening to music. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m proud to welcome Arcade Fire to the tournament. One person on another blog questioned how I could have 5 of their songs in the tourney, and while “Sprawl II” is something of a personal favorite, the other four are pretty epic. That includes “Tunnels”, which kicks things off tonight. Check ’em out on Grooveshark and vote by commenting below or emailing LTDdotorg@gmail.com.
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel)
Hey Ya (Outkast) vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley)
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR)
Jolene (Dolly Parton) vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley)
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure)
Living the Dream 
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel): 7.5 – 4.5 – Liking Arcade Fire – this song builds momentum throughout and could be a sneaky tough out.
Hey Ya (Outkast) vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley) 6.5 – 8.5 – Damien’s on FIRE
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR) 5.5 – 6.5
Jolene (Dolly Parton) vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley) 5 – 6
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure) 8 – 4
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) = 6.5 to 0
I’m not really into the Arcade Fire, but I must say I was surprised by this album when my friend from Montreal bought it for me and said “these guys are local, you should check this band out.” it’s quite an intro to a solid album. I just can’t roll with the sentimentality and flailing emotionality of it all much any more. That Neutral Milk Hotel album has some good songs but they need to find a new trumpet player.
Hey Ya (Outkast) vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley) = 9.5 to 9.5
Maybe the best song of the 2000s vs. one of my all time personal favorites. Quite a tough head to head. I know the 9.5 for Damian is a little over the top, but I have a lot of memories tied up with this one. I can’t give either a 10 because I don’t know what this will all sound like 30 years from now. I’m sure they’ll sound badass as all hell, but I won’t know until then.
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR) = 3 to 10
I know I’ve already given out one 10 in this contest, but there are some songs that are 10s, simply based on comparisons to what other music has been produced in our popular culture. This is one of them.
In other news, I spent a lifetime living, what I believed, a life that was diametrically opposed to anything even remotely related to the Grateful Dead and the moribund, rotting carcass of the cult that surrounds them. I’m less angry and more open minded in my old age, so I assume they weren’t such bad guys. My dad grew up with an artist that chilled with them – so they couldn’t have been bad guys.
Jolene (Dolly Parton) vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley) = 1 to 1
Neither of these are my cup of tea. Not a Buckley fan, prefer Leonard Cohen. Sorry to be a dick.
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure) = 6.5 to 7
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel): 5.5/6
Hey Ya (Outkast) vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley): 8/5
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR): 3.5/4.5
Jolene (Dolly Parton) vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley): This one is hard. Little girls in Oklahoma grow up listening to Dolly and Jolene is one of my faves. And Hallelujah takes my breath every time, especially this version. I’m going to let someone else break this tie for me. 9.5/9.5
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure): Livin’ on a Prayer makes my nostrils tickle with the memory of a million weekend nights trudging through the mung-encrusted basements at Dartmouth. 8.5/8
Welcome back, Lindz. And welcome to the tourney, Polish/Democratic Adam. Your scores may be all over the map, but as long as you justify them like you have been I think you’ll be good.
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) = 10:7 (never heard Neutral Milk before… sick)
Hey Ya (Outkast) vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley) = 10:7 (Hey Ya may be a bit played out… but god-DAMN what a song. Overplayed for a reason. Like Jamrock, but not the whole song… drags a bit for me)
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR) = 9:10 (Truckin is a great, GREAT tune by an undeniable nearly-flawless band… but Back Door by CCR might be the perfect fuckin song)
Jolene (Dolly Parton) vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley) = 8:8 (Another song I think was covered better than the original by Jack White, but a great one. Buckley makes me wanna open my wrists… but in a good way)
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure) = 8:6 (Fuck you if you’re really too cynical to take joy in screaming “Livin on a Prayer.” “Ooooohhh, I’m too cool. That song is for Murray Hill chiefs and Bridge and Tunnel jocks” – Get outta here, cuz we’re singing!)
Oh and…
Death
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Buckley]
On the evening of May 29, 1997, Buckley’s band flew to Memphis intending to join him in his studio there to work on the newly-written material. That same evening, Buckley went swimming in Wolf River Harbor,[103] a slackwater channel of the Mississippi River, while wearing boots, all of his clothing, and singing the chorus of the song “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin.[104] Buckley had gone swimming there several times before.[105] A roadie in Buckley’s band, Keith Foti, remained on shore. After moving a radio and guitar out of reach of the wake from a passing tugboat, Foti looked up to see that Buckley had vanished. Despite a determined rescue effort that night, Buckley remained missing. On June 4, two locals spotted his body in the Mississippi River near a riverboat, and it was brought to land.
An autopsy to clarify the cause of Buckley’s death showed no signs of drugs or alcohol in his system and the death was ruled as an accidental drowning.[106] The following statement was released from the Buckley estate:
Jeff Buckley’s death was not “mysterious,” related to drugs, alcohol, or suicide. We have a police report, a medical examiner’s report, and an eye witness to prove that it was an accidental drowning, and that Mr. Buckley was in a good frame of mind prior to the accident.[107]
Did I vote yet? If so, disregard this (or count it and call me a Chicagoan):
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) 7 vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 6
Hey Ya (Outkast)7 vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley) 5
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) 7 vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR) 6
Jolene (Dolly Parton) 6 vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley) 5 (give me the original any day)
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) 1 vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure) 10
I refuse to let Livin on a Prayer win. Just because the guy’s from New Jersey doesn’t make his music good.
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) 5 vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 6 Arcade Fire is a bit over the top for me.
Hey Ya (Outkast)8.5 vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley) 8 Two solid late 90s hip hop songs. It Was Written by Damian would get a 9.5 from me.
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) 7 vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR) 9.5 Really love Lookin’ Out My Back Door, for some reason Who’ll Stop the Rain played though on Grooveshark…
Jolene (Dolly Parton) 7 vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley) 8 Hallelujah really moves me. Liked Jolene more than I was prepared to.
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) 6 vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure) 6 Always felt both these songs were a bit overrated.
Tunnels [9]
Holland 1945 [10]
Hey Ya [7]
Welcome to Jamrock [5]
Truckin’ [5]
Lookin’ Out My Back Door [9]
Jolene [7]
Hallelujah [9]
Livin’ on a Prayer [4]
Friday I’m in Love [7]
Tunnels [7]
Holland 1945 [5.5]
Never got into Arcade Fire, but liking Tunnels here.
Hey Ya [8.5]
Welcome to Jamrock [5]
Hey Ya is not as strong as I remember, but damn, it’s still great.
Truckin’ [5.5]
Lookin’ Out My Back Door [9]
Jolene [6.5]
Hallelujah [8.5]
Livin’ on a Prayer [9]
Friday I’m in Love [3]
tunnels: 7
holland 1945: 4
both of these were first-time listens for me. really enjoyed tunnels. holland seemed to have some good ideas, but it just didn’t flow. at first i thought it was my crappy speakers, but a second listen via headphones didn’t change my scores.
hey ya: 9
welcome to jamrock: 5
hey ya is just SO good. jamrock didn’t stand much of a chance.
truckin’: 6
lookin’ out my back door: 7
i don’t have particularly strong feelings about these two. either one of these can totally rock if the mood is right… or not.
jolene: 8
hallelujah: 8.5
both beautiful pieces of music. jolene earned a solid 8. hallelujah wavered between an 8 and a 9 throughout my listen… a little slow to start, then really hit the right spot, then dragged on a bit too long. i ultimately decided to give it the slight edge.
livin’ on a prayer: 8
friday i’m in love: 7
either one inspires a happy drunken singalong. i belt out a bit louder to livin’ on a prayer.
Tunnels (Arcade Fire) 7 vs. Holland 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel) 8
Hey Ya (Outkast) 9.5 vs. Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley) 6
Truckin’ (Grateful Dead) 2 vs. Lookin’ Out My Back Door (CCR) 8
Jolene (Dolly Parton) 8.5 vs. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley) 9
Livin’ On a Prayer (Bon Jovi) 8 vs. Friday I’m in Love (Cure) 6
Holland 1945: 7
Tunnels: 9
Arcade Fire on cruise control.
Hey Ya: 8
Welcome to Jamrock: 7.5
Jolene: 8
Hallelujah: 6 Sorry, too slow and too long.
Truckin’: 8
Lookin’ Out My Back Door: 9.5 Love this song. Tambourines and elephants are playin’ in the band.
Livin’ on a Prayer: 8 I’m with Orce, you kinda have to fake not liking this song. Not sure how deep it goes, though.
Friday I’m in Love: 6