Well, whaddya know – we’re reaching the end of the Round of 128. I’m still trying to catch up on what’s happened in this round, as I’ve spent the better part of the last couple weeks at bluegrass festivals (and recovering from/preparing for them). But let’s end this round strong! You’ve got until 8 pm EDT on Thursday, July 28th to make a difference.
All the tunes can be enjoyed via this playlist, this Adele video, and this Van video… or try the embedded widgety thingamabobs in this post. Leave your scores by commenting below.
Thom Yorke claims he “wrote [the] words [of ‘Fake Plastic Trees’] and laughed”, but the song’s 7.81 average in the Round of 256 was no laughing matter. Parliament is going to be hard-pressed to beat that, even if their song inspired the sale of thousands of “Flash Light”s.
Adele proved herself against Americana/rock music, when “Make You Feel My Love” defeated Wilco’s “I am Trying to Break Your Heart” (I guess it’s hard not to choose love over heartbreak.) Let’s see how she fares against old school hip-hop, represented by the delighted rappers The Sugarhill Gang.
Van Morrison went 1 for 3 in the first round. He’ll need a lot of “Warm Love” from the voting community if he’s going to stay alive, battling some hard-rockin’ teen angst from The Violent Femmes.
Otis Redding already has 2 songs progressing to the Round of 64. Will he go for the hat trick with “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”? I mean, really, can he take down Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone, Flesh-N-Bone, Layzie Bone, AND Bizzy Bone?? “The Crossroads” was a Grammy-winner, after all.
Ctrl-C / Ctrl-V:
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
#8 Parliament – Flash Light
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads
Living the Dream 
Hi! This Adele was my nomination.
That video that was used in the first round isn’t the right version – it’s really odd and slowed down. Can you please change it to this instead – this is the original recording on the album. Thanks!
done. sorry about that!
awesome – thanks
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees – 10
#8 Parliament – Flash Light – 2
Fake Plastic Trees is my favourite song. I never know whether to repeat my thoughts on songs from previous rounds or save the good stuff for later but, with this being my #1, I feel like I need to help people understand why I love it so much. I love the fact that the lyrics leave it open to interpretation, I love that it so perfectly captures that feeling of unrequited love “it wears me out, it wears me out…and if I could be who you wanted…all the time…all the time” and the voice-crack at 3:54 just kills me every time I hear it. I am pretty sure you can’t fake emotion like that on a record…(I think) it is perfect. I don’t get Flash Light at all, completely independently of it being up against this song.
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love – 10
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache – 3
This Adele cover sits side-by-side for me with Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah as the best cover version of a song that I know. Crushingly beautiful. Apache is possibly the opposite.
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love – 6
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up – 4
Rock that flute, Van The Man!
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – 5.5
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads – 5
Otis, you old crooner – undoubtedly nice but not especially memorable I don’t think. I don’t dislike Crossroads but I do find it really difficult to take seriously. Too much going on.
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees – 8
#8 Parliament – Flash Light – 3.5
Gave FPT a relisten after MarkB’s explanation…extra .5!
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love – 7
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache – 5
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love – 5
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up – 4
Something is going on with the Violent Femmes Groovesharkwidget not loading (at least on my computer). Here’s another link to it: http://grooveshark.com/s/Add+It+Up/1Owz5U?src=5
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – 4
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads – 3
Think I prefer the other Grooveshark playlist style that puts them all in one list. Not sure about anyone else, but I tend to hit play and walk away from the computer.
thanks for the feedback. there’s still a link to the full playlist for those that prefer that. i tend to do one match at a time so i can deliberate after each one without trying to pay attention to the next songs, but maybe that’s just me!
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 5.0
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 3.0
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 9.5
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 6.0
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 8.0
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 2.0
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 8.2
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 9.0
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 4.0
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 3.0
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 5.5 Great song, but not such a great cover.
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 4.0 Cute the first time only.
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love – 8.0
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up – 2.0
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 8.0
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 7.5
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 6
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 7
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 3
Welcome to your official Adele backlash headquarters: Ten bucks says that within a year that song is going to be used to pawn diamonds in a Kay Jewelers commercial.
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 10
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 6
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 8
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 6
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 7
With the exception of a few songs, this is a pretty great saturday night dance mix. Seems based on the votes so far though that people don’t like the jams. All I can say that Adele is not who I want playing at my parties.
every kiss begins with Kay!
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 6
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 4.5
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 6
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 5.5
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 8.5
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 6.5
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 7
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 8
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees: 9.5
#8 Parliament – Flash Light: 7
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love: 5
i think i don’t like her anunciation
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache: 4
too much noise in my headphones, not enough music
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love: 4
not for me
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up: 6.8
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long: 6
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads: 4
Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 5
Parliament – Flash Light 7
Adele – Make You Feel My Love 8
Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 5.5
Van Morrison – Warm Love 6.5
Violent Femmes – Add It Up 5.5
Last two:
Otis 8.6
Bone Thugs 7
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 6
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 5
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 9
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 7
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 5
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 7
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 9
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 4
I’ll probably catch flak for this, but this was by far my least favorite round so far. If it weren’t for Add It Up, I’d suggest we just forget this ever happened.
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 1
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 1.01
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 1
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 3 (Can’t listen to this song without thinking of the Fresh Prince dance, so it gets a couple extra points)
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 2
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 9
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 1
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 5
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees-4
#8 Parliament – Flash Light-7.5
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love-5
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache-10
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love-4
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up-1
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long-6
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads-6.5
I love the original Tommy Seebach Apache video (wish I could embed video, but trust me, you want to watch this). The level of comedy from this is amazing.
Holy crap, that video was good. That Tommy Seebach has everything: a killer smile, a monster ‘stache, and the bounciest junk in rock and roll.
holy crap that was fantastic
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees: 8.0
#8 Parliament – Flash Light: 6.0
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love: 7.0
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache: 8.0
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love: 6.5
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up: 6.0
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long: 9
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads: 9.1
back to ninth grade here…
Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 2
Parliament – Flash Light 10
Adele – Make You Feel My Love 2
Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 10
Van Morrison – Warm Love 1
Violent Femmes – Add It Up 9
Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 5
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 5
I think officially all my songs have been eliminated. Screw you guys, I’m going home.
I feel you Catholic. This tournament hasn’t been kind to the picks of us old timers. Thanks for the ten on Apache though. I’m glad someone else can see through Adele’s jewelry commercial-to-be and give an actual classic some love.
Holy crap, that video was great. That Tommy Seebach has everything: a killer smile, a monster ‘stache, and the bounciest junk in rock and roll.
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees = 5
#8 Parliament – Flash Light = 3
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love = 6.5
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache = 3.5
Adele – this is a cover, right? Who did the original?
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love = 3
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up = 5
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long = 5
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads = 5
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees = 7
#8 Parliament – Flash Light = 8
Of RS’s Top 500 songs, FPT is 376 and Flash Light is 199. Give up the funk!
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love = 5
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache = 7
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1291082/make_you_feel_my_love_bob_dylan_song_tribute_clip/
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love = 9
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up = 8
Add It Up won a road trip tournament for me last summer. Warm Love wasn’t in it though. Good bye, Femmes, happy to have nominated you.
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long = 7
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads = 6
Has Otis lost yet?
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees: 9.5 What’s going on with the voters upstairs? This is one of the most beautiful songs of the 90s, with haunting lyrics. Many memories to wandering around Central Park as a high schooler with this song and love strategies floating through my head. I can’t quite give it a 10, though I’m highly tempted to, given the egregious 1s and 2s to make up for.
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 4.2 This song really ran out of gas for me.
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love: 4.5
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache: 7.2 Wildly entertaining, though slightly unwieldy.
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love: 5 These tournaments have been good for expanding my Van views, but this song didn’t do it for me.
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up: 7.7 This has always felt like a B+ Femmes song to me- very solid, but not epic like American Music.
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long: 6
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads: 6.2 Very surprised Crossroads has held up after all these years. Well, sort of held up.
I hear you on 1s, 2s and 4s for this Radiohead track…….I’m amazed that it doesn’t get through to some people…hauntingly beautiful
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees: 8
#8 Parliament – Flash Light: 6
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 4.6
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 3.8
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 3
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 9
No one does it like the Violent Femmes. How good is that interaction between the bass and drums? So good.
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 5.6
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 4.8
I think I’m not a huge Otis Redding fan? In Crossroads I liked how they sounded like their words were bouncing. Neither of these songs went anywhere, but Otis is less dated sounded, and it’s older, so he wins.
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 9.1
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 6.0
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 5.0 [like dylan’s version much better. The tempo] on this is about 10-15 beats too slow
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 5.0
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love – 6.5
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up – 9
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 6
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 6
#1 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees 5 – meh. ups and downs, average seems right.
#8 Parliament – Flash Light 8.5 Pure funk. I love funk. Especially on Tuesdays.
#4 Adele – Make You Feel My Love 2.5 Well that ruined the feeling of funk.
#5 Sugar Hill Gang – Apache 7.5 The Seebach version would be a 10. Holy shit that was an awesome video.
#2 Van Morrison – Warm Love 5.8 better than meh, but not by much
#7 Violent Femmes – Add It Up 4 No angst. Bad angst.
#3 Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 6.3 Not nearly his best.
#6 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Crossroads 5 Does this cut off before the end? If not, must’ve been a shitty grammy year.