Alright kids- we are sliding into third base here and just about 75% done with this tournament. The time is flying! Without further adieu, the last sets of match-ups for this second round of CoversFall11! Playlist here except for Norah, votes are due by Saturday at 11 pm EST. Good luck!
I Fought The Law (The Clash): Paging Astrid
vs.
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams): The original Wonderwall was dominating the airwaves at just about the same time I started developing my own musical tastes. It’s a great song in its own right, but somehow Ryan Adams’ version turns the knob to 11. The stripped down version conveys the absolute loneliness and raw vulnerability perfectly. Notice how it starts off with a just a guitar, and ends with a piano as a subtle reminder that these two people are all each other has. I thought that it has a pretty broad appeal, despite being a bit of a downer. Good luck, and I’d like to see it on the wall of 10s. (Chris B)
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season): Van Morrison is an amazing musician and songwriter. Into the Mystic is one of my all time favorite songs – beautiful lyrics and beautiful sound. My best friend from college and I had a radio show all four years, and played this as our last song on our last broadcast (cute, right?). Anyways, I love the way that Swell Season plays this song. They are also amazingly talented and their voices really complement each other. I also LOVE the way that Glen Hansard just belts out ‘I don’t have to fear it and I want to rock your gypsy soul’ … Um, yes please. (Maureen)
vs.
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers): “I’m Looking Through You”, originally by the Beatles, is covered here by the Wallflowers on the “I Am Sam” Soundtrack. The song is about a good relationship gone bad because of people’s inevitable changes over time. Both the original and this version are surprisingly upbeat soundings songs with decidedly less-than-upbeat lyrics. (Adam S)
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones): I’ll admit I first heard Joey Ramone’s cover because I had a 10 year old sister when Freaky Friday came out in 2003, not because I knew this album was posthumously released after he passed away from cancer. I’ve always loved the original for its old-fashioned dream quality, but Ramone’s cover really captures the pure joy and hopeful feeling of the music and lyrics in a sincere way. It’s the kind of song that’s the soundtrack for a good day or could turn a bad day around. Disclaimer: When played loud, may cause uncontrollable dance-like movements. (Anne S)
vs.
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston): Paging Dinah.
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love): Paging Natalie.
vs.
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones): Paging Meghan.
Pasteable:
I Fought The Law (The Clash)
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams)
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season)
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers)
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones)
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love)
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones)
Living the Dream 
totally forgot to do this earlier, so here’s my 50 ways blurb:
G Love is mostly known as the frontman of G Love & Special Sauce and their sillier hits like “Baby’s Got Sauce” and “Cold Beverages”. In early 2011, he summoned his rootsier southern bluesy side for an album produced by and featuring the Avett Brothers. I think it’s a brilliant collaboration and a great album, including this super fun Paul Simon cover. It’s a feel-good, soulful rendition, complete with tight vocal harmonies in the chorus, and a sick harmonica breakdown toward the end. I can’t listen to it without bobbing my head & belting out “don’t need to discuss muuuuuuch.”
The track that you have on the grooveshark link for 50 Ways is actually the Paul Simon version – not the cover. Here’s the real link:
http://grooveshark.com/#/s/50+Ways+To+Leave+Your+Lover/3TJbPa?src=5
I Fought The Law (The Clash) – 9
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) – 4
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) – 3.5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) – 9
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) – 6
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) – 1
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 9
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 3
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 7
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 5
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 4
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 7
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 8
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 4
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 5
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 5
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 5.5
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 9
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 7.5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 6
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 4
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 6
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 7.5
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 8
I Fought The Law (The Clash) – 5.9
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) – 9
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) – 10
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) – 6.2
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) – 7
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) – 5.2
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) – 7.4
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) – 8.4
I Fought The Law (The Clash) – 8
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) – 4.5
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) – 5.5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) – 6
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) – 7.5
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) – 3
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) – 6.5
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) – 5.5
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 7.5
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 5.0
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 7.6 Try the Marc Cohn version. I know this group isn’t a big fan but it’s less of a ripoff of Van M.
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 7.5
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 7.5
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 6.75
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 7.5
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 8.0
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 7.0
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 5.0
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 8.5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 7.5
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 7.5
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 6.5
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 8.0
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 9.0
What a great group of covers!
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 6
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 7.5
Completely in a Ryan Adams mood today.
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 7
What A Wonderful World (Joey Ramone) 9.2
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 6.8
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 7
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 8.9
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 9
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 7
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 4.5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 6.5
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 10
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 6
I would be okay with Wonderful World winning this whole thing.
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 7.8
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 5.5
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 10
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 7.5
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 5.5 [something about the keyboard sound keeps reminding me of Smashmouth….]
What A Wonderful World (Joey Ramone) 8.3 [fantastic- but I’m getting a little sick of the original at this point, after all the tournaments.]
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 5
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 5.6
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 3.8
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 7
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 5
I’m sorry Ryan Adams, give me an acoustic Firecracker. I downloaded this in college thinking it would be awesome, and I’ve consistently skipped it in the 8 years since.
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 6.2
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 6
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 5
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 10
This particular Saturday I feel really lonely. Also, when I was a kid I used to swim a lot. So much that my swim club had this particular “if you get a certain set of qualifying times in your events you get to join the mysterious Dolphins Elite” that included like the top 40 kids of our 500 kid club. So I got that when I was 10, and we had a sleep over at the pool where the teens all took us out on top of this hill and there were lanterns and us screaming about how we would Dream The Impossible Dream and never stop swimming and most importantly, never give up. And on the way to that, I remember this girl Blair Jacobs that was driving me had I Will Always Love You blasting in her car. I was blindfolded but I remember that. So there you go.
Also, I’m drunk.
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 7
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 8.5
I Fought The Law (The Clash) 7.5
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) 6
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) 5.5
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) 6.5
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) 7
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) 10
No apologizing, I love singing along to that song. Plus my mom joined in with me on singing so that gave it extra points 🙂
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) 7
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) 9.5
I like 50 ways, but i really like cold cold heart
I got 3 guest voters with me, so votes are from ChrisB, Carolyn, Alicia and Katie, respectively.
I Fought The Law (The Clash) = 6, 5, 5, 4
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams) = 10, 8 , 8, 9
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season) = 8 , 8.5 , 9 , 7
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers) = 3, 4 , 2 , 3
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones) = 10, 9.5 , 10 , 9
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) = 3, 9, 9, 10
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love) = 8, 8, 9.5, 8
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones) = 7, 8.5, 9, 9
I Fought The Law (The Clash)
Wonderwall (Ryan Adams)
Me 9.1 : 2.3
C 9 : 5
Al 9 : 2
Pete 9.35 : 1.6
Gina: 9 : 2
I’m sorry, if Ryan Adams wins, I’m done with this tournament.
Into The Mystic (The Swell Season)
I’m Looking Through You (The Wallflowers)
Me 5.7 : 8.3
Al 4 : 7
Pete 4.8 : 7.9
What A Wonderful World (The Ramones)
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)
Me: 10 : 6
Pete 7.1 : 5.9
Al 9.5 : 5
Cris 8 : 9.5
Gina 8 : 7.5
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (G Love)
Cold Cold Heart (Norah Jones)
Pete: 8.5 : 4.5
Al 8 : 3
Gina 7 : 6
Me 7 : 5