Well, they do clean up nice.
Welcome to the final four songs of the People’s Choice Tournament! The finals hold two great battles. The first is a pair of powerhouse songs out of the early-to-mid 1970s from completely different genres. Second are a pair of songs from two years ago, both falling within the bumbershoot that is modern “indie-rock.”
This tourney really shook out in a rather spectacular fashion, with lots of huge upsets and fantastically close calls (e.g. Dire Straights’ Romeo & Juliet losing by .35 last round to Midnight Train to Georgia). Let’s see how this penultimate round racks up!
Will Little Lion Man be King of the Jungle?
The songs are here. And the votes are due by 8 pm EST on Wednesday, August 31.
Is it hard to stop a moving train?
It’s been a long, and odd road to reach this stage, and what we’ve got left are a few odd ducks as well. Freddy Mercury & Queen take a live version of Someone to Love (the lesser-known but powerful lead single off of 1976’s A Day at the Races) and pits it off against Gladys Knight & the Pips‘ soulful but obviously well-humored 1973 hit single Midnight Train to Georgia.
Falling right into the final round?
On the other side of the bracket, Florence & The Machines fights for their indie-rock cred against the well-known Mumford & Sons. Florence et al released their debut album in 2009, with Dog Days as the first track and first single. Also from 2009, Mumford & Sons released Little Lion Man as their hit single in September. They’re both young bands- maybe a show together should be in order? (While Florence Mumford sounds like an antebellum midwife, Machine Sons sound like they could probably rock pretty hard- perhaps a joinder is necessary?)
Anyway- below is the list- it’s been real!
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) =
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) =
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) =
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) =
Living the Dream 
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 6
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 10
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 9.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.5
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 10
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 7
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 10
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7
A little nervous…
Somebody to love 7.3
Midnight train 8.7
Little Lion Man 10
Dog days 6.4
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 9.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9.95
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 9.25
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7.8125
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 9
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 7
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 8.5
I think Gladys needs to win this one – I mean, she’s the only American left in this tournament…don’t get me wrong, I’m all for us Brits and The Freddie but I think Midnight Train is everything a classic should be: iconic, powerful, melodic and covered a million times. Covering Queen and managing to maintain any degree of dignity has got to be near-impossible though, to be fair.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 9.5
I love both of these songs – both managed to inch their merry little way towards the final four in the face of 250+ much better-known songs which might mean they’re set to become modern classics in their own right. Florence takes the edge for me though, because I can’t remember a time when a song I heard for the first time blew me away so completely. More details on the podcast but, Florence, you and your Machine still make me very happy whenever I hear this song. That clapping, the fake ending (sneaky Florence) and the energy it all culminates in is – I think – enough to match Mumford’s bubbling undercurrent of confession plus just a little bit more.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 6
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 8
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 3
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 6
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.5
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 3
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 10
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 9.5
A 3? Seriously?
He had the baby to himself that day…probably got pooped on during that song.
Liz is french canadian. He was probably mad at her, and took it out on the song live in montreal…
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 4.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 10
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 2
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7.8
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 9.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 6.5
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 4
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 8.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 6.5
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6
well this is pretty hard for me…
this is like glee vs 30 rock. so of course 30 rock’s gotta win out. “it was an 1145 and i was misinformed about… the time.”
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 9.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 10
LLM is TOO SELF INDULGENT. no staying power, i’m sorry. and even though they had to rob the innocence from my dog days and shove it in all of those eat pray love commercials, it was all totally redeemed when some fool on facebook referred to it as “eat prey love,” and i got a full day to imagine a dino version of julia roberts.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 9.5
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) =7
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6.5
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7.9
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9.3
After all this Pips hate (well maybe just Pips discussion), I gotta say- this song wouldn’t work without them in the background- and Gladys’ “I got-ta go, I got-ta go” at the end are kinda perfect. I said this last round I think, or the round before, but STL at this point just seems too into itself to appreciate on repeat listens.
Fun fact I just found on Google: this song was originally written to be Midnight Plane To Houston. I’m pretty happy with the change.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.8
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 8.1
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 7.8
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8.75
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 9.2
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 6
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.5
Assuming there is a next tournament, have you decided on its format?
So the preliminary plans are to have a brief, less intense, slower moving and smaller tournament in the Fall, probably not starting until October 1st. Nos has a major trial to prep for in the coming months, I’m in the process of moving into DC from Maryland, and I think in general everyone posting needs a break now that September is just around the corner.
The nomination rewards from voting in the PCT won’t apply to that one, that’ll apply to the larger one. I think for the Covers tournament (yes it will be a Covers tournament) we will take one nomination per person per week until we have 64 songs (like I said, very small.) We will do another big tournament which will follow the nominations rule (ie, rewarding you for participating by giving you more nominations) starting in early December
and here’s the requisite preview of my nomination:
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 10
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 6
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 9
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 7.3
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.6
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6.8
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 8.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9.3
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.0
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.0
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 10.0
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 6.0
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 9.0
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 5.0
Somebody To Love–10
Midnight Train To Georgia–7.5
Little Lion Man–8
Dog Days Are Over–5
Me and Cristina
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 10 / 10
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 6.7 / 5.7
Janos: Both songs have great vocals, but only one has great music too.
Cristina: Her vocals aren’t even innovative. Somebody to Love has everything you can ask for in a rock song.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 6.4 / 4.9
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6.9 / 8.6
oops i missed it by 4 hours, it’s somehow harder when not myself in EST..
It’s not due yet! You have until the end of the 31st.
yea! balls! harder even when my computer is in a different time zone too… PHEW
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 5
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.8
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 10
I am rooting for Florence. Also considering school starts in two days, the dog days are indeed over.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 6.8
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 5
I kinda wanted somebody to love to end today…weird. However, they are superior to the Pips without a doubt.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 6
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 10
I just love Dog Days.
Long time no see….
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 9.9
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 7
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 9.9
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7.5
On first listen of both (probably a year ago plus), Florence and the Machine wins out. But in terms of staying power, Mumford and Sons is just amazing and has only gotten better while I’ve lost interest in Dog Days.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 3.5
[God, they just beat this song to death, don’t they? You know how I know this isn’t a great song? When you hear the first seconds of Under Pressure at the end of it and realize how much you’d rather hear Under Pressure.]
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 8
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7.8
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 8.3
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 5.1
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9.5 (Go Pips!)
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.5
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 10
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 4.5
That picture of Queen alone should seal the deal!
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 3.5
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 6
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 5
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 10
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 8
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9.8
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7.9
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 8.3
and it’s still wednesday!
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 5
still feel completely neutral about this song. it’s really just a generic rock song that drags on a bit too long for me.
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 3
meh. i wanna give this song credit for… something, but i really just don’t enjoy it. at least it’s better than a song about a plane to houston would have been!!
oof, this next one’s gonna be tough. this is the battle of songs that WEQX introduced me to, after which they quickly became current favorites, and then they were mercilessly overplayed, yet i barely got sick of them. in the end, i think LLM has more staying power (DDAO too many times can get a bit annoying), but we’ll see how they fare today…
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 10
ok, i’ve been teasing around the 10 for this song all tournament long. today’s the day i go all the way.
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6
it doesn’t have a banjo, what can i say. independently, it’s great, but it doesn’t hold up to LLM. and today it annoyed me a bit.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 9.5
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 7.5
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 7
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 7.7
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 9.5
I still love Freddie, but I don’t love this song as much as I did a round or two ago.
Something about Gladys keeps growing on me every time I listen to this song. Great defense of it in the podcast (thanks for that!) – and it really is just a great song. And to weigh in on the Pips discussion, welp….I like ’em. They are a nice balancing to Gladys’ sound. Rounds it out.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 8.4
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 9.8
Everything about Florence felt SO right today. Dog Days starts and those first few notes just jump out and get me. And I am calm and smiling. Also, after hearing/reading about the fake-out ending I paid attention to it…and you guys are right, it DOES kick ass.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 10
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 2
I’ve listened really hard to MTtG, and I just don’t understand the love. There is nothing that stands out, nothing truly innovative, and nothing that screams “YOU’RE WINNER” (that’s not a typo). In my mind, it should have been done a long time ago. STL, on the other hand, is probably the only song in the tournament that I have not gotten sick of hearing. To do a song with that kind of vocal range, live, so perfectly is what music should be. Head to head, Queen absolutely destroys Gladys. If they are not in the finals, I’m calling shenanigans.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 7
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 6
I have no strong opinions on either song. I like them both for different reasons. But ties are for little league. No one gets a trophy just for playing. I guess I’m just less sick of LLM than I am of DDAO, so they get the point.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) 6
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) 7.5
I have to admit, I’m not a huge lover of live songs. Queen’s is ok, but I do agree with the previous comment that I get excited to hear Under Pressure at the end.
Midnight Train has some silly lyrics, but It’s more enjoyable to listen to than Queen, so it gets the nod here.
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) 10
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) 8.5
I wish both of these songs could go on. I really like them both, but Little Lion Man a little more.
Somebody To Love (Live In Montreal) (Queen) = 8
Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) = 8.5
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons) = 9
Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) = 10
All good songs. Dog days has the most passion, and really works for this time of summer. I like that its 50/50 male/female vocalists, one set of classics one of contemporary badasses. Good show on the people’s choice, even if all my hip hop, reggae, and surf-rock got slaughtered early on.
Good to have you back!
Having a newborn doesn’t leave lots of time for internet. He doesn’t take kindly to being in my lap while I’m doing other stuff, or being put down. And work’s been hectic. But yeah, its good to be back.