Headliner Division D story: I’m a little biased here- the match-up I am choosing to highlight is literally like me trying to choose between my left aorta and my right ventricle. 1 seed “Don’t Stop Believing,” the first song released before the year 2000 to reach 3 million downloads in iTunes history and the 1 seed of the Division, faces off against the Boss’s last shot at getting out of Asbury Park, the 8 seed titular song of his breakthrough album and consequently #21 on The List That Shall Not Be Named. 
I feel like regular voters have had some moments of “how is this possible, these songs shouldn’t be going against each other this early.” This is my moment of that, to as large of a level as I can emphasize- to me, this should be an Elite Eight match-up. However, Boss support has been sporadic to date so even if Janos and I tear ourselves apart on this, democracy will steer the way forward.
Other stories: in Nirvana’s first of three appearances in the Round of 128, Kurt will be trying to grunge his way past MILF anthem Mrs. Robinson while giving All of his Apologies in the process. An iconic Vietnam War anthem will be staring down a lighter hearted Zeppelin production from the waning months of the 1970s. And after a near scare by Velvet Underground last round (no thanks to WordPress’s spam function, oof,) Aretha will be showing our third Stones survivor what Respect really means, when all Mick and Keith really want to do is to Spend The Night Together.
Grooveshark link is here, vote by commenting on this post or by e-mailing LTDdotorg@gmail.com. Votes are due by Sunday evening at 8 pm. Onward, team.
#1 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) vs. #8 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen)
#5 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) vs. #13 All Apologies (Nirvana)
#2 Respect (Aretha Franklin) vs. #10 Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones)
#6 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) vs. #14 Fool In The Rain)
Living the Dream 
Journey 8.5 Bruce 9.2
Mrs Robinson 8.8 All Apologies 8
Respect 7.5 Lets Spend the Night Together 7
For What Its Worth 6.5 Fool in the Rain 10
Don’t stop believing: 7
Born to Run: 8
Mrs. Robinson: 8
All Appologies: 6
Respect: 9
Let’s Spend the Night Together: 8
For What its Worth: 6.5
Fool in the Rain: 6
#1 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) 8 vs. #8 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 6
#5 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) 8 vs. #13 All Apologies (Nirvana) 8
#2 Respect (Aretha Franklin) 10 vs. #10 Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 6
#6 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 6 vs. #14 Fool In The Rain) 6
Don’t Stop Believing: 8.5
Born to Run: 9
I had actually never heard DSB before I entered a Tokyo karaoke booth with about 15 friends. Everyone knew the words, I felt like a bit of pop cultural black hole for the first time in my life and I was immediately on the phone to my parents (not really) demanding an explanation as to why they had skipped this formative slice of education in my upbringing. It is a mega anthem. I do love The Bruce too though. Totally torn. Born To Run is probably the better song here, an also an awesome karaoke favourite.
Mrs. Robinson: 7
All Apologies: 8
I like both of these a LOT. But on this listen, Mrs Robinson sounded pretty repetitive and All Apologies sounded quite dated. Nirvana wins for me, on nostalgic value.
Respect: 7
Let’s Spend the Night Together: 4
Easy one.
For What its Worth: 4
Fool in the Rain: 6
Fool in the Rain sounding good but neither is a real standout for me.
Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) 6.5
Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 6
Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) 8
All Apologies (Nirvana) 7.5
This one is tough… Robinson edges it out because I am in the mood for that song 98% of the time, while I’m only in the mood for All Apologies like 96% of the time.
Respect (Aretha Franklin) 6.5
Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 3.5
This is not the correct version of Respect…right? Anyway, my streak of not caring for the Stones continues.
For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 9.5
Fool In The Rain 4.5
FWIW is near perfect… the simplest of riffs over drums like a heartbeat. It’s a song that never fails to make me stop and listen. The Zepplin song is fine. Was going to give it a 4, but the Caribbean dance party breakdown in the middle bumped it up. I am a sucker for calypso.
ok, driving now so no commentary
Dab 8.7
Btr 10 (right dec)
Mg 6.3
Aa 7
R 7.2
Lstnt 4.9
Fwiw 6.6
Fitr 7.7
#1 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) vs. #8 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen): 7.5/10
#5 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) vs. #13 All Apologies (Nirvana): 8.5/7.5
#2 Respect (Aretha Franklin) vs. #10 Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones): 8/6.5
#6 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) vs. #14 Fool In The Rain): 10/5.5
Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) 6.5
Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 7
Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) 7.5
All Apologies (Nirvana) 6.5
Respect (Aretha Franklin) 4 (WRONG VERSION BTW. CORRECT VERSION LINKED BELOW:
Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 4
For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 5.5
Fool In The Rain 5
Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) 8
Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 9.2
DSB will forever evoke, for me, the final moments of Tony Soprano
Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) 6
All Apologies (Nirvana) 6.8
Respect (Aretha Franklin) 8
Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 4
For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 6
Fool In The Rain 7.5
All kinds of bonus guests from the St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Boston – Comments will be from Adrock, votes are, in order, Meghan/Adrock/special guest Caitlin/special guest Katie/Danno (Our buddy Danno is in Costa Rica for a while, and has advance listened to the music and sent the scores into G and Janos… I’m just posting them for the masses)
#1 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) 9.5/7.3/8/8/9.5
#8 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 9/6.5/9.1/8.7/7
Odd mix of responses… general consensus was that everyone loved Journey… and then when Bruce came on, people just couldn’t hold back the higher scores.
#5 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) 7.5/6.8/5.2/5.7/8
#13 All Apologies (Nirvana) 6.5/8.5/5.19/9.2/6/0
Mrs. Robinson just went into the background with this group… it may have to do with a drunken partier losing his mind over the “alternative couple” of S&G blasting through his speakers (i’m translating in as politically correct a fashion as I can while holding through to his central thesis)… but who knows. Nirvana seemed to soothe the wounds and the group were far more into the music. (Adrock personally) : Little shocked here, but was definitely in a bit of an angsty mood and Kurt was perfectly on key with the mood. I think this song is a sneaky threat with the right voting group.
#2 Respect (Aretha Franklin) 7/6.1/4.75/5/7
#10 Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 5/8.2/4.42/4.3/5
Aretha fell flat (don’t think it was the version)… then the Stones fell flatter (other than my never-ceasing loyalty… and possibly because a viewing of Charlie Sheen’s winning recipes made me think happily of Keith Richards shenanigans and the Stones were on the mark)
#6 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 7.2/9.8/6.15/6.6/8
#14 Fool In The Rain (LZ) 6.5/3.5/7.85/7.7/7
(Adrock personally) I just don’t understand Fool in the Rain. When it starts I always feel happy and expect that I’m going to love it… and then it just falls off a table and seems sort of empty… I should like it more, and I know it… but I don’t. Wasn’t gonna help against FWIW, but I still feel lousy about not giving more love to Zeppelin
#1 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) vs. #8 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 8/6.5
#5 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) vs. #13 All Apologies (Nirvana) 8/4
I may be a traitor to my generation, but I’ve never been able to get into Nirvana. Sorry Mr Cobain.
#2 Respect (Aretha Franklin) vs. #10 Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 8/8
#6 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) vs. #14 Fool In The Rain) 7/7.5
#1 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) 10
#8 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen) 4
#5 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) 8
#13 All Apologies (Nirvana) 4.1
#2 Respect (Aretha Franklin) 8.1
#10 Let’s Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) 5.8
#6 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 6.7
#14 Fool In The Rain 5.3