Votes due Thursday, April 21st at 8:00 PM EST: While scores continue to come in on the fates of songs on the left side of the Final Bracket, we are going ahead and starting the votes for the right side. Of these eight amazing songs, only four will go on to the next round to join the Most Elite Eight. Grooveshark link is here except for Hey Jude, vote by commenting on this post or by e-mailing LTDdotorg@gmail.com. Best of luck to all songs, but let the most worthy song advance.
#2 Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield) vs. #15 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield): I look at this match-up and feel bad for Aiko, since she’s openly and strongly supported both these songs throughout the tourney. Coincidentally, both of these are play-in songs…Dusty kicked us off on Day 1, and Buffalo Springfield won its Day 6 match-up. That says to me that they’re both fighters, but looking at the Analytics graph, it seems that both could also use a needed boost. Who’s going to turn that recent slump around, the queen of blue-eyed soul or the definitive protest song?
#7 Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) vs. #10 Hey Jude (The Beatles): This is a classic, classic pairing. The song that June Carter wrote about being so agonizingly and sinfully in love with an already married Johnny Cash that she felt surrounded by hellfire, sung back to June by Johnny. Versus the song that Paul McCartney wrote to help out kids going through the pain of paternal infidelity and divorce, starting with one Julian Lennon. These are two songs that definitively represent their artists, and two artists that have enjoyed enormous success in this tournament.
#3 Stand By Me (Ben E. King) vs. #14 Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty): As Janos noted yesterday, Ben E. King has the highest minimum average across rounds- whether it was the 512 all the way to the division championship, he never got lower than a 7.76 average- and that was in the Round of 64 when we all fanatically lowered our scores to the Grant rubric. “Free Fallin'”, on the other hand, took its competitor last round not so much on its own merit as much as on the way “Day In the Life” completely polarized the voter base. We’ll see if Petty can stand on its own two feet against powerhouse 50’s survivor “Stand By Me.”
#6 The Weight (The Band) vs. #11 The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel): In the Round of 512, “The Weight” was only a hair behind “Under Pressure” in average score with an 8.694. Since then it’s leveled out a bit, but this is most definitely a match-up where the seeds do not tell the whole story. “The Sound of Silence” went from a 7.17 to an 8.25 between the first and second rounds- after sandbagging it in the Round of 512, it pummeled competitors left and right to take Division A. Does it continue here? Does The Band decide to take a load off in Nazareth? Do S&G stop here to bow and pray to the neon gods they made? This is going to be a good one.
Living the Dream 
#2 Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield) 7 vs. #15 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 6:
In the battle of the Springfields, I’m pretty indifferent. I wish Neil Young had had more representation deeper into the tournament, but For What Its Worth is more of a Stephen Stills song anyway, so I’ll give the edge to Uma Thurman and Quentin Tarantino.
#7 Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) 7 vs. #10 Hey Jude (The Beatles) 10 :
This is so damn hard. Hey Jude is arguably the most popular Beatles song of all time and will probably be sung by people long after the Beatles are forgotten. For all of my trashing of Paul yesterday and my glorification of John, this is still a favorite, even though this song was written by Paul to make John’s son Julian feel better about his father having left his mother high and dry to get with Yoko. Maybe not every song needs to have an edge, at least when it has a sublime melody like this and an ecstatic, Bolero-esque build up. To its credit, I’ve never heard anyone complain that Hey Jude is too long. It’s a ten if ever there was one.
I also love Ring of Fire, which I once karaoked along with several drunken groomsman at the wedding reception of a couple that had gotten married at the bar I was camped behind in Rexford, Montana. Ordinarily I’d give this a nine or a ten, but it’s facing what may be my favorite song left in the tournament. Johnny’s great, but the sweet sixteen is all about tough choices.
#3 Stand By Me (Ben E. King) 6 vs. #14 Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty) 9:
Stand By Me is without a doubt a classic: it’s plaintive and sad, but somehow still manages to be joyful and uplifting. Ordinarily I feel obligated to give a classic the credit it’s due, but this vote is entirely personal, so I’m violating my owns rules and giving a pretty substantial edge to a song that hasn’t quite earned its place in the cannon yet over one that has.
There are plenty of male-narrated songs about breakups, some of which focus on heartbreak and some of which are just fuck-off songs, but this song does something unique by capturing men’s contradictory feelings about commitment. Any guy who’s moved on from a relationship in order to satisfy the need to be unfettered, but has then had to live numbly alongside his guilt for having hurt someone he cares about can’t help but appreciate this song.
#6 The Weight (The Band) 10 vs. #11 The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) 7:
Another tough match up. I’ll always think of the Sounds of Silence when I’m on a moving walkway thanks to the opening scene of the Graduate, but Levon Helm’s voice and Robbie Robertson’s lyrics come back to me every time I pull into Nazareth feeling half past dead, which seems to happen a lot more often.
I am listening to these songs really, really hard at this point, and some surprising things are coming out of it. Also I’m finding that the mood that an early match-up puts me in carries through to the consequent match-up, which is making things a little kooky. So it goes.
Son Of A Preacherman 7.6
For What It’s Worth 5.8
I love the improvs at the end of Preacherman, I didn’t really notice those til now- “sweet talkin’ son of a preacherman, kiss stealin’ son of a preacherman, only one who could ever move me, only one who could ever groove me.” It’s a sexy song for sure. Young and Stills are solid, but Dusty is still rolling on in my book.
Ring Of Fire 8.6
Hey Jude 5.4
After having listened to that American Life story about Ring Of Fire, this song has taken on a whole new identity for me. Like the part where Vowell imagines what June was thinking when she wrote the word “oh” before “the fire went wild”:
“There’s an acre of misgiving in that little word ‘oh.’ As in, ‘oh’ what have I done. ‘Oh’ his poor wife. ‘Oh’ Lord, forgive me. ‘Oh’ for crying out loud, I better flush his pills down the toilet yet again. ‘Oh,’ I am Grand Ole’ Opry royalty and this belligerent drug addict is about to get banned from my beloved Opry for smashing out the stage lights with a mike stand and oh- I’m going to love him anyway.”
So yes, there’s hope for us all, and this one got me today. Hey Jude is nice enough, but not for me.
Stand By Me 7.5
Free Fallin’ 8.6
So I think Free Fallin’ is about breaking up with a girl who is wonderful, just not for you, not that time. When I contextualize this to my memories (I mean, come on, we’ve all got something we think of when we hear music) and driving alone in punctuated moments over the last 10 years, and biting my tongue over the malaise of being a heartbreaker, I put numbers to it. The number of cigarettes over the guilt, the number of miles I needed to put behind me to put it behind me, and the number of times I just came to accept the free fall of not completely understanding anything at all. Sorry Ben- I love Stand By Me, but the 10 I gave you last round was for simplicity, and that’s not what I’m feeling at this point. Tom Petty, you sneaky, sneaky competitor. I have no idea how this happened, but it did.
The Weight 7
The Sound of Silence 8.2
See intro comment.
SoaP-man v. FWIW: 7/6.5
Dusty has such a great voice.
Ring v. Jude: 6/8
I did not know that Ring was written by June. Knowing that makes the song sound different to me in some ways. Either way, though, Hey Jude does it for me today. I prefer the na na na nahs to Ring. I’ve always felt like Ring sounds a bit like there is a cheap, faux mariachi band in the background — I don’t care for the horns here.
Stand by Me v. Free Fallin: 6.5/6
The Weight v. SoS: 8/4
I still can’t believe that THIS Simon & Garfunkle song made it this far.
June Carter wrote it, then Anita Carter recorded an initial version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkX_YoVcoy8
Then Johnny Cash had a dream one night that he was covering it accompanied by “Mexican horns.” So Johnny went up to Anita and said he was giving her six months to see if her cover of “Love’s Ring Of Fire” was a hit, but if it wasn’t he wanted to record it his way. The rest is history.
That’s really interesting. Thank you sir!
And listening to Anita’s version gives me a new appreciation for Johnny’s version, but not enough to change my score.
#2 Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield) [8.3]
#15 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) [7.4]
#7 Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) [6.3]
#10 Hey Jude (The Beatles) [9.2]
#3 Stand By Me (Ben E. King) [6.8]
#14 Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty) [7.75]
#6 The Weight (The Band) [8.25]
#11 The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) [9]
Son Of A Preacherman 10
For What It’s Worth 5.5
Ring Of Fire 9.4
Hey Jude 5
Stand By Me 8
Free Fallin’ 9
The Weight 9
Sound Of Silence 8
Son Of A Preacherman (Shelbyville) ~ 9.6
For What It’s Worth (North Haverbrook) ~ 10
Both these songs are phenomenal. I gotta give it to FWIW because the instrumentals on it are so surreal and visceral. There’s a reason why its in every Vietnam era movie, and that shouldn’t be held against it. Dusty has awesome pipes, and she’ll probably take this, but I gotta make a case for the song that makes me think of muppets hiding.
Ring Of Fire (Cash Money) ~ 4
Hey Jude (Bugs) ~ 6
I know both these songs are great, but they didn’t seem anything special after those first two.
Stand By Me (Emperor Benedicto) ~ 8.1
Free Fallin’ (Don’t Sweat the Petty Things) ~ 9.8
The two previous posts about Tommy boy primed me for this matchup. Ben E. is awesome, but Sweaty Petty definitely captures something in this song.
The Weight (Generic Brand Name) ~ 9.2
Sound Of Silence (Slimin’ n’ Fartspunkle) ~ 2
SOS is pretty boring to still be in the game. The Weight. Easy.
#2 Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield) 3
#15 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 7.1
This doesn’t make much sense to me, but Dusty just felt… like white noise. The passion that I know is there just didn’t hit my ears today. For What Its Worth wasn’t leaping off the page – it hits hard, but its short and a little uneven, so I don’t know that it can go much further.
#7 Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) 6
#10 Hey Jude (The Beatles) 7
Bet Danno and Marc are laughing right now. For all my years of smack talk about the Beatles, they come up big when it counts. I love Ring of Fire, but it just wasn’t holding my attention. I admit I tend to like longer songs and when songs are short and a bit repetitious, my feelings on them are uneven. But still a shocker here, even if it will have minimal effect on the final result.
#3 Stand By Me (Ben E. King) 5
#14 Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty) 8.5
And the hits just keep on coming. Having bashed Petty for several rounds now, he was the first real rocker on this list, and was exactly what I wanted, nay, needed to make this standout. Ben E. King is a legend… but this song just isn’t as crisp on repeated listens as it needs to be.
#6 The Weight (The Band) 9.1
#11 The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) 8.3
Just a great battle here. Nothing more to say.
Me and Gina
#2 Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield) 8 /8.5
#15 For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 7/ 8
Wow, Gina just explained what this song means to women, the whole Uma Thurman thing. Either
#7 Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) 7 / 9
#10 Hey Jude (The Beatles) 10 / 10
#3 Stand By Me (Ben E. King) 8.5 / 9
#14 Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty) 7.5 / 7
#6 The Weight (The Band) 8.5 / 8
#11 The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) 8.2 / 7
What’s the uma thurman thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-RsIzb78U
Ooooh. I like her lips. And her authority. OK, I sorta get it.
And now that I’ve read this blog, I get it even more.
http://seriousfilm.blogspot.com/2010/07/unsung-heroes-dusty-springfield-in-pulp.html
and after reading the blog, now that I realize the last 45 seconds of the scene are missing in that clip, I’m posting this one as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-wVrW_Xog0
All right, since I didn’t squeak in under the wire last time, I’m pulling in my roommate Alithea to vote with me this round. She’s voted with me before (I’m pretty sure it was when “Me Gustas Tu” was still in the running, so she’s getting a new view of this tourney), so does that mean I get an 11? If so….
(Aiko/Alithea)
Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield) 11 / 10
For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield) 7 / 7.5
Thanks for the concern, Guillermo, but I have no problem dumping a bunch of boys in favor of Dusty, who, in this round, transcends perfection. (Actually, just kidding, it’s kind of wrenching to do this because I think FWIW practically climbs into your chest and beats your heart for you, but that doesn’t spread to your lower bits, if you catch my drift. And actually I was going to give them a 6 but I just couldn’t).
(PS If I don’t get an 11 then you can change that to a 10).
Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) 6.5 / 7.5
Hey Jude (The Beatles) 4.5 / 8.5
Fanny, I’m gonna prove your rule by complaining that Hey Jude is a little too long. I just find it a rather plodding in parts.
Stand By Me (Ben E. King) 9.5/9.5
Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty) 6/7
When Free Fallin’ comes on, Alithea says, “I like this song a WHOLE lot.” When I tell her it’s matched up against Stand by Me, she says, “Oh. I like Free Fallin’, but I don’t like it THAT much.” I think that may be the sentiment that runs throughout this match up.
The Weight (The Band) 9 / 7
The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) 8 / 8
Alithea’s comment about this one: “Well. This is probably my favorite song that uses the word ‘fanny.'”
definitely 11. And pretty rock solid Springfield commentary at that.
Son Of A Preacherman 8.5 [the bass player on this record “Dusty in Memphis” needs a big fucking gold star]
For What It’s Worth 6
Ring Of Fire 6.5
Hey Jude 8.5 [my rankings for this have been all over the place this tournament, which means, I think, that it completely depends how it compares directly against the song it’s up against. Today, this quality of the sound just stepped over Cash’s amazing ode’s sentimentality.
also…
[I’m doing vinyl for all of these (I picked up a Stand by Me single the other day) and it makes a world of difference in hearing the stereo cuts [yes- I’m aware that makes me sound like a cock] of these songs instead of mp3s or youtube-terrible sound [i.e. Twist and Shout]. Both of these songs, but especially Hey Jude, needs CD (.wav) files or vinyl to really pop and do the song justice.].
Stand By Me 10 [bank it. it’s a ten tonight.]
Free Fallin’ 7
The Weight 10 [and another]
Sound Of Silence 7
Son Of A Preacherman 5
For What It’s Worth 7.5
SOAP (weird abbreviation) has been losing steam for me each round. The song from the Forrest Gump soundtrack takes it, but if it makes it past this round I don’t think it’s got any more legs.
Ring Of Fire 8
Hey Jude 10
Some days when I listen to Hey Jude I’m with it until the never-ending na na na nananana bit, at which point I scream to the heavens “SWEET JESUS LET IT STOP”. Alas, today is not one of those days. Sorry Johnny.
Stand By Me 7.5
Free Fallin’ 9
I’m with Adrock on this one. Although I don’t think I bashed Petty previously, I needed a good rocker to get me through my homework tonight. Again, if Petty advances, I don’t think this one makes it any further than the elite 8.
The Weight 5.5
Sound Of Silence 8
Grew up with a lot of S&G playing at home. Just wasn’t feeling the weight tonight.
Son Of A Preacher Man 9
For What It’s Worth 5
Ring Of Fire 5
Hey Jude 10
Stand By Me 6
Free Fallin’ 9
The Weight 9
Sound Of Silence 7.5
this is definitely the superior side of the bracket. (votes natalie / sudeshna)
son of a preacherman – 9.5 / 9
for what it’s worth – 7.5 / 8
ring of fire – 9 / 8
hey jude – 5 / 7
stand by me – 8.5 / 9
free fallin – 8.9 / 8.5
the weight – 10 / 7
the sound of silence – 9 / 8
note: i am actually only voting because janos did us all a favor and posted the pulp fiction clip. thanks, janos.
son of a preacherman – 9.5
for what it’s worth – 7..0
(hey jude, macca back in the US tour 2002. recommended for everyone).
ring of fire – 8
hey jude – 9.5
(tp another time, sure. not this time.)
stand by me – 8.0
free fallin – 7.5
abstaining on the last one.
Ok, so it has been a hectic day. FYI The UG is having crazy protests against the rising cost of fuel and food prices right now. Bad shortcut and four hours of traffic later- Yikes. Ok, so I am posting from a friend’s computer, after dying Easter Eggs with my nephew. So you are missing the rest of the office crew, but I brought you a guest voter. 🙂
Preacherman: Still makes me tap my feet and wiggle my hips, EVERY time. This song has REPEATABILITY.
Kate: 9.5
Jamesdon: 5
We had an argument about this…but moving on…
What It’s Worth.
Jamesdon 7.5
Kate: 6
Free Fallin’
Jamesdon 7
Kate 5 Getting tired of this song….
Ring of Fire
Jamesdon 9.5
Kate 10 Again this song does not wear out…even more intriguing that June wrote it…whoa
The Weight:
Jamesdon 6
Kate 9.5 This surprised me, probably contextual, I feel 1/2 past dead this week
Sounds of Silence
Jamesdon 2
Kate 4
Hey Jude
Jamesdon 10
Kate 5
Stand by Me
Jamesdon 9.5
Kate 10
Alright signing out….See you in the elite eight…
Son Of A Preacher Man 8
For What It’s Worth 6
Ring Of Fire 9
Hey Jude 4
Ring of Fire made me dance in my chair at the carrel I’m stuck in for the next week teaching myself Evidence. Hey Jude made me think I should get back to studying.
Stand By Me 7
Free Fallin’ 8.5
The Weight 8
Sound Of Silence 7
My picks:
For What It’s Worth
Ring Of Fire
Stand By Me
The Weight
Am I a philistine for thinking that none of these was a terribly close contest?
Porter! Haha not at all, just a man with an opinion….although if you don’t give the songs scores, we just count it as 7 for the one you vote for, 5 for the one you didn’t.
For What It’s Worth 9.5 vs. Son of a Preacherman 9.25
Ring of Fire 8.5 vs. Hey Jude 6.5
Free Fallin’ 9 vs. Stand by Me 8.25
Sound of Silence 10 vs. The Weight 9
Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield): 10
For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield): 7.5
Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash): 7.5
Hey Jude (The Beatles): 7
Stand By Me (Ben E. King): 7.5
Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty): 5.5
The Weight (The Band): 6
The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel): 7.5
Only if possible, please downgrade The Weight to 5.5. I voted before the end of the song, and if started getting on my nerves. Thx.
Son of a Preacherman (7.5)
For What it’s Worth (8)
Ring of Fire (7)
Hey Jude (7.5)
Stand By Me (8.5)
Free Fallin (7)
The Weight (8.5)
Sound of Silence (5)
Son of a Preacherman: 5
For What It’s Worth: 7
I’m feeling the “these times, they are a-changing” vibe I’m getting from Buffalo Springfield.
Ring of Fire: 5.5
Hey Jude: 6
Ring of Fire just seemed a little lackluster tonight. So did Hey Jude. But the Beatles get a half-point on this song because I think it’s the best one they have left.
Stand By Me: 8
Free Falling: 9
Point to Free Falling, a quintessential rock song, who barely edges out Stand By Me.
The Weight: 8
Sound of Silence: 8
Must I choose? They both appeal, for different reasons. And here I thought Simon & Garfunkel weren’t going to hold their own, based on previous listens.
Son Of A Preacherman (Dusty Springfield): 9.1
For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield): 7
Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash): 10
Hey Jude (The Beatles): 8.2
Stand By Me (Ben E. King): 9.1
Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty): 7.2
The Weight (The Band): 6.2
The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel): 8.9