Grace Potter says Happy 4th of July
Votes due on the FOURTH OF JULY AT 8 PM: I can not think of a more perfect octet of songs to be due right before the fireworks start. Listening to these songs in succession is like literally taking a tour to every corner of this great country, from dark, smoky 70s dance halls in New York City to the always bustling honky tonk bars on Lower Broadway in Nashville to the House of Blues in New Orleans to a bluegrass festival in rural West Virginia.
I hope everyone has some time to sit outside over the holiday weekend, crack some cold ones with friends/loved ones, and do these match-ups; you won’t regret the soundtrack. Grooveshark link is here, and best of luck to all!
Lou Reed returns to the tournament arena once again, this time with a more romantic selection off his acclaimed 1972 Transformer album. To make it a “Perfect Day,” 
he’ll have to get by Joe Cocker’s cover of “Chain Of Fools,” the second nomination from his 2004 album Heart and Soul (of which it would seem the Adrocks are very big fans…that’s actually tied with Rumours and The Suburbs for most songs from one album with two.
I don’t know if there are kids out there that still “hate country no matter what” but you’re going to have to get over it fast- genre super star Randy Travis makes his first appearance here. We’ll see if using No Hands is a good strategy against Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, who bring their own definite country sound. And a lot of patriotism (see above picture.)
In what I can only describe as a musical version of that machine in the movie The Fly, Iron Horse takes Modest Mouse’s “Dramamine” and turns it into a total mountain bluegrass jam. Cowboy Mouth’s name is taken from a line in Bob Dylan’s “Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands,” and “How Do You Tell Someone” is a total festival jam. Jam vs. jam.
The four Springsteen songs in this tournament were off his four best albums that pop culture probably wouldn’t know about (i.e. not BTR or BITUSA,) so we hope you are enjoying them and expanding your Boss familiarity repertoire. “Hungry Heart” comes from The River, and was originally written for Joey Ramone as a favor. At the last second his manager advised him to keep it (Springsteen had a bad string of giving away hits just because he felt like it- “Because The Night” to Patti Smith and “Fire” to The Pointer Sisters.) Bruce is up 
against our third Pixies track, “Bone Machine,” track one from Surfer Nova, the same album that asked Where Is My Mind (the three Pixies songs are also from three different Pixies albums. Look how much we’re learning!)
Short list:
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed)
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker)
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis)
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse)
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth)
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen)
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies)
Living the Dream 
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) – 7
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) – 5
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) – 5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) – 6
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) – 8
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) – 6.5
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) – 5.5
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) – 6
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 6
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 7
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 6.5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 7.25
There’s not nearly enough country in this tourney
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 6.5
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 7
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 5.75
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 4.75
Tonight I vote from Boysen State Park in Wyoming. It is gorgeous, but people are pretty much allowed to do whatever they want here. Turns out when that’s the case, they pretty much act like assholes. So I figured I’d do this until people stop tooling around in their ATVs and I can go to bed.
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 9
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 4
Perfect Day is such a sweet song… I think. I mean, that whole, “You’re going to reap just what you sow” part at the end is a little ambiguous. I don’t get Joe Cocker. Is this a cover?
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 8
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 4.5
Randy Travis is smooth like butter. Almost as a rule I prefer female country singers, but tonight I was wasn’t feeling rock-country. Grace Potter sure does look good in an American flag, though.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 8
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 7
I don’t think you could appreciate that cover if you don’t know the original and also have some feelings about Modesst Mouse. I also happen to have a soft spot for bluegrass. I enjoyed it a lot but; I’m not sure it’ll stand up to repeats. It kind of pains me to hear Cowboy Mouth but I can’t say it’s not kind a good sort of pain.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 7
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 5
Live from OC: Round 2
G / Blake/ Dan Tech/ Andy Aranda / Orce /TIM spellman
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 10 / 3 / 4 / 2 / 9 / –
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 3 / 5 / 6 / 4 / 6.5 / –
G: Cocker’s cover is derivative of a genre I’m not a fan of to start with.
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 2 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 2 / –
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 3 / 2 / 4 / 2 / 2 / –
We’re on America’s beach today and the amount of country on the boardwalk gives
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 6 / 5 / 6 / 1 / 5 / TIM 3
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 1 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 0-bravo- tried and failed / 1
Iron Horse: a bluegrass Modest Mouse cover? This got everyone psyched, then got jeers when he started singing, and then climbed back up as people got used to the
Cowboy Mouth: that sounds like a condition– they were not know for dental hygiene.
TIM: Stilted fro-throated show-tune meets boy band
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 5.5 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 7
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 7.5 / 1 / 5 / 1 / 4 / 2 / 7
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 5.5
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 4
I like everything about Perfect Day except the vocals. Lou Reed’s voice always sounds a little off-key to me. A song like that deserves some soaring, lovely vocals. And Joe Cocker: I know Aretha Franklin, and you sir, are no Aretha Franklin.
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 6.8
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 7
Randy Travis has such a great voice.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 8
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 4
I like bluegrass and I never got into Cowboy Mouth.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 7
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 5
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed): 7.5
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker): 5.5
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis): 6.5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals): 4
Grace potter is not for me. Quite liked Randy.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse): 4.5
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth): 2
Eurgh: HDYTS makes me cringe so bad.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen): 7.5
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies): 3.5
No contest.
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed)- 6.7
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker)-5
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis)-6.5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)-7.8
Randy’s classic, but I’ve been really loving Grace lately.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) -7.5
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) -3.5 something just missed…
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) -6
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies)-5
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) – 6.5 Good, but tiresome.
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) – 10.0 No, he’s not Aretha. That’s the point!
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) – 8.0 Great song! Great voice! (Something not generally heard around here). And not too much twang.
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) – 4.0 Country noise.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) – 3.5 – Not a huge bg fan but the title is appropriate. The opening was like having taken dramamine and after the vocal entry you wanted to take it or something stronger.
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) – 9.3 Do like this group and this is not my favorite.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) – 7.5 Good song, Boss.
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) – 2.0 Album title is most appropriate. Can’t believe this group is the PCT more than once. They are terrible and this was the worst so far.
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) – 7.0
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) – 10.0
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) – 7.5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) – 4.0
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) – 4.0
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) – 8.0
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) – 8.5
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) – 2.0
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 7
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 6
Joe sounds like he’s trying too hard. Lou sounds honest and I like that a perfect day involves the zoo.
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 7.2
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 6.1
AMURRRRICA
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 3.0
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 3.8
Jesus. I was really excited about the bluegrass, but the OC guys are right about the vocals- this would be better if they just kept it as an instrumental, and it’s not even really that entertaining. This gives a bad name to the genre, I wish Lester Flatt would come back from the grave and beat these guys up. That got me into a bad mood for Cowboy Mouth. This whole match-up is a big fail.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 7.6
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 4
No chance, Pixie people.
Greetings from Brighton, NY, where I’m holed up at a holiday inn after a day of biking along the Erie Canal. Unfortunately the ancient computer in the “business center” doesn’t accomodate grooveshark, but I need to get my ten in for Hungry Heart. This is my favorite song. Period. I think it says all you need to know about people and what makes us tick. I would have nominated it myself, but I figured someone else might and waited to submit my nominations. Whoever takes credit for putting this in the tournament, thank you, not only for putting in a great song but for freeing up one of my picks.
Since I can’t listen to the songs I’ve never heard before, I’m just going to give them fives.
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 8
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 5 (I’d probably give Joe Cocker a five even if I had heard this tune. John Belushi did a serious number on his credibility as an artist).
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 5
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 5
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 5
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 10
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 6 I know I gave bone machine and eight when it was posted by accident earlier and I love the Pixies, but nothing sounds as good to mewhen it’s matched up with Hungry Heart.
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) vs. #16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker): 4/6
Lou Reed, I thought you were somebody else. Joe Cocker, that was the first time I heard a man sing Chain of Fools…and I liked it.
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) vs. #9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals): 5/5
Randy Travis can sing, and really, it’s a nice song…just…I’m not looking for a dance at the prom…in Oklahoma. Here’s to the Meantime sounds like it could be used for the intro to a failed ABC Thursday/Sunday night pilot.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) vs. #13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth): 6.5/7.5
I’m a sucker for a banjo…really. It’s almost as cool as a ukulele. How do you Tell Someone is kind of jaunty…good times.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) vs. #12 Bone Machine (Pixies):7/5
I don’t think Hungry Heart is even “true” Springsteen…it’s too 80s, kind of like Glory Days. I like the older stuff better. Bone machine…huh?
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 5.5
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 8.3
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 3
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 5.8
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 5.8
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 9
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 6
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 7.5
Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 5
Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 7.5
Sorry Lou Reed, I like you but you’re too sleepy for the fourth.
Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 5.5
Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 7
Dramamine (Iron Horse) 7
How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 9
Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 8
Bone Machine (Pixies) 6
Perfect Day (Lou Reed) v. Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) = 5 to 2
Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) v. Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) = 6.5 to 3
For the first time in my life I’ve been listening to country music. I’ve started w/ Randy and some Dwight Yoakam – really good stuff.
Dramamine (Iron Horse) v. How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) = 3 to 3
Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) v. Bone Machine (Pixies) = 7 to 4
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) [6]
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) [6.75]
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) [6.5]
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) [4]
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) [4]
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) [3]
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) [8.25]
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) [4.75]
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) [4]
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) [7]
maybe it’s the fireworks but i wanted something with some kick.
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) [4]
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) [8]
duh.
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) [10
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) [1]
everybody voting down dramamine clearly needs a eleventybillion more listens. as far as CM goes, i saw them in another lifetime and this selection gets full demerits for NOT instead being “joe strummer” — clearly the best song in the CM catalog.
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) [5]
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) [6]
not my fave pixies song but HH seems like a tired choice for me. probably still just bitterbearz because the piano bar i went to the other night would only take requests from yonder dbag fratbasement, overlooking my votes for eve 6’s inside out and mj’s will you be there in favor of anything springsteen/journey/billyjoel. MEH.
#1 Perfect Day (Lou Reed) 6
#16 Chain Of Fools (Joe Cocker) 7.2
#8 Look Heart No Hands (Randy Travis) 6.5
#9 Here’s To The Meantime (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) 6
#4 Dramamine (Iron Horse) 8.2
#13 How Do You Tell Someone (Cowboy Mouth) 4
#5 Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) 4.5
#12 Bone Machine (Pixies) 4