I heard you guys liked ukeleles. I have one of those.
Votes due by Thursday, October 13th at 11 pm EST: After we finish these matches we will be 50% of the way through the round- and 25% of the way through the whole tournament (hooray math!) I don’t have an overarching theme on these matches, but as always, we try to make them compelling. And we’re trying not to make powerhouses play each other early (for reference, our highest scoring first round loser to date was “Romeo And Juliet,” which averaged 6.56 and would have been good for 9th out of the winners so far, so I think we’ve been doing ok.) It’s getting tricky, but we’ve still got some great ones left to listen to. Grooveshark link is here– let’s get going with the descriptions:
To get us started, two funky numbers match off- one more of an interpretation than the other, but I like both of their chances. Pomplamoose’s version of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “September” squares up against KC Brooks and the Uptown Sound’s take on Wilco’s “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” a past tournament participant. That sounds a lot like one of Jack Black’s band names in High Fidelity, yes? Somewhere between Sonic Death Monkey and Kathleen Turner Overdrive? Do I know that movie too well?
Moving on, we’ll have the two remaining I Am Sam soundtrack reps face off (three tracks from that movie are involved, which puts it in high competition with The Big Chill for greatest movie soundtrack tournament representation. And it would have been four if I’d pulled the trigger on the Sarah McLachlan “Blackbird.”) Eddie Vedder barely has time to breathe after his play-off victory, because “Hide Your Love Away” is going up against The Wallflowers’ “I’m Looking Through You.”
Louis Armstrong has been historically strong, but let’s see what sort of Armstrong cover goes on- the traditional or the Hawaiian. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” harmony versus Billie Holiday’s “Blue Moon.”
Just let me know when I'm up. I'm going to stay at this crazy party until then.
Love me, love me, say that you love me. No, not that song- 90s Swedish band The Cardigans goes a little grittier than their R+J hit with a take on Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.” They go up against Russian native and now East Village-repping Regina Spektor singing Leonard Cohen singing about Janis Joplin in “Chelsea Hotel #2.”
Grooveshark link one more time, and pasteables:
“September” by Pomplamoose
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans
“Chelsea Hotel #2” by Regina Spektor
Living the Dream 
“September” by Pomplamoose = 8.2 Full Disclosure: This was my third pick. Not my favorite, but I didn’t know if their version of “Favorite Things” would fit under Showtunes or covers so I went with this.
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound = 7.6 I just turned to Moe and said that I might lose this one. I won’t feel bad though. That was pretty good.
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder = 5.6
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers = 4.1
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz = 6
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday = 4
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans = 4.2
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor = 7.2
“September” by Pomplamoose – 7
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 7
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 6.5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 9
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 7.5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 7
Solid set of songs this evening!
“September” by Pomplamoose = 6.7
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound = 6.0
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder = 7.9
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers = 6.0
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz = 8.2
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday = 7.8
—- i’ll be honest, that trumpet in blue moon almost pushed it over
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans = 7.5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor = 7.1
“September” by Pomplamoose 5
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound 6
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 7.5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 9.5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 8
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 6.5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 3
“September” by Pomplamoose
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 4/6.5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 2/4
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 7/5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 3.5/5
“September” by Pomplamoose 5 The staccato delivery kind of reminds me of the cover of Money from earlier in the tournament. Whatever, it’s a good tune.
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound 6 I like the funky ghost is born interlude. Wilco should have done that.
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 4 Eddie, eat some prunes. You sound really, really constipated.
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 6
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 6
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 6
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 6 This song is good, but it would be better if it wasn’t Iron Man.
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 3 The original is great because Leonard Cohen alternates between sounding vulnerable and detached. Regina Spektor just sounds childish. Janis never would have given her head on an unmade bed.
“September” by Pomplamoose 7.75
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound 8
September is great — I really like her voice.
I am Trying to Break your Heart is one of my absolute favorite Wilco songs and was one of my nominations to the People’s Choice Tournament (much to my chagrin, you guys killed it in the first round). I was very skeptical of this cover — who does this guy think he is, anyway? And I actually really enjoy the cover. Slight edge to I am Trying, for maintaining that weird, creepy Wilco-ish stuff at the very end. These are both wonderful. Thank you, nominators.
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 7
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 8
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 7
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 8.5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 8
This is so much more pleasant to listen to than the original version of Iron Man. Chelsea Hotel is also very pretty.
September” by Pomplamoose-5.5
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound:8
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder-7.5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers-9.5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz-7.5
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday-5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans-6
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor-8
“September” by Pomplamoose – 4
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 7.3
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 6.9
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 7.8
The Wallflowers made me happy.
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 10
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 6.5
This was the song played at my wedding. One of my all time faves.
Love Billie, was a letdown after Iz.
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 5.2
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 5
These off genre covers can be lots of fun, but it just didn’t do much for me.
Chelsea was also a bit underwhelming.
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 6.8
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 6.5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 10
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 4.5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 7.9
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 6.8
September” by Pomplamoose – 3.5
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound 6.0
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 4.0
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 6.5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 8.0
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 6.5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 4.0
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 6.5
September” by Pomplamoose 4.0
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound 5.0
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 5.0
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 6.5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 8.5
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 7.0
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 4.0
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 6.0
Scores are Guillermo/Carrie/Aileen:
September: 6/5/3
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart: 6.1/6.5/7
Hide Your Love Away: 5.5/6/6.5
I’m Looking Through You: 5.5/7/6
Somewhere Over The Rainbow: 8.2/8.5/8
Blue Moon: 8.6/8/8
Iron Man: 3/5/5.5
Chelsea Hotel #2: 10/9/6.5
“September” by Pomplamoose – 7
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 6
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 6
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 8.5
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 5.5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 8.5
“September” by Pomplamoose – 5
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 5.5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 4
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers –7.8
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz –7
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 6
No matter how many tv shows/movies use it to highlight a life-changing moment or real people use it at weddings, memorial services, slideshows etc., it still pretty much holds up.
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans –7.5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 8.5
Iron Man really impressed me because I wouldn’t recognize it as a cover if it came on (and in a good way), but it had tough competition.
“September” by Pomplamoose – 7.5
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 4.5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 4.5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 4
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 9
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 7.8
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 5.5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 9
Regina Spektor has a heartrending voice.
“September” by Pomplamoose – 3.8
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 6.5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 7.5 [got better as it progressed]
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 4 [dropped]
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 7
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 6
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 5.5
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 9.3
Great songs today!!
“September” by Pomplamoose- 7.5
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound- 9.3
Trying to Break Your Heart is one of the first songs in this tournament that I enjoy significantly more than the original. Nice nomination.
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder 7.3
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers 8.7 – I literally laughed out loud at the concept of the Wallflowers covering the Beatles, but it’s really grown on me.
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz 6.8
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday 7.4
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans 8.2
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor 7
September” by Pomplamoose-7
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound: 5.9
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder- 6
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers- 6
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz- 9
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday- 4
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans- 2
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor- 6
September” by Pomplamoose-6.0
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound: 6.1
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder- 7.5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers- 8.3
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz- 8.5
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday- 8.6
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans- 2
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor- 4.5
“September” by Pomplamoose – 6
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 6
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 3
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 7
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 6
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday – 9.5
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 8
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 6
“September” by Pomplamoose
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound
6-5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers
I’m equally nonplussed by both of these.
5-5
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday
Yikes. Billie’s version is like the only version of that song I like. But that Rainbow cover makes things a little dusty in Penny the Mustang whenever it comes on.
9.5-7
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor
4-8
“September” by Pomplamoose – 4
“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound – 6.5
“Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder – 9.5
“I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers – 4
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Iz – 9.5
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday –6
“Iron Man” by The Cardigans – 3
“Chelsea Hotel #2″ by Regina Spektor – 9