Welcome to the big time, Aimee and Michael!
Once you get to this stage of the tournament, a song’s re-listenability becomes key, as rounds come at you with increasing speed. Fortunately, we have sixteen quality tunes stepping up to the plate.
Given that the Round of 64 seedings were based on statistics, it’s remarkable how these match-ups shook out, with some nice intra-genre action. Listen here and vote by Tuesday at 11pm EST. Then get ready to pivot, because the quarter-finals begin later this week!
First, top seeded Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) meets another sentimental acoustic ode in #16 Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana).
Next, the much ballyhooed showdown between #8 Killing Me Softly (Fugees) and #41 Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) pits one of the early tournament favorites against its cinderella story.
Tina Turner has been the recipient of much love this tourney, but she faces her biggest challenge yet in the equally talented Staples fam, as #29 The Weight (Staples Singers) takes on #13 Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner).
And then there were two. Beatles covers, that is. The Fab Four guarantee that their impressive run will carry at least one of their songs into the quarter-finals as #5 With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) battles #12 Two Of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn).
Pastables:
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana)
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks)
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner)
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn)
Living the Dream 
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 5 / 6 – I think my score for Somewhere Over The Rainbow has dropped each round.
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 6 / 4
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 6.5 / 7
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7 / 8
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) = 9:6
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) = 10:4
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) = 7:8
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) = 7:6 (impossible not to think of ‘The Wonder Years’)
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 5.5
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 6.5
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 8.5
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 6.5
The Weight (Staples Singers) 6
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 6.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 8
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) [6.25]
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) [5.75]
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) [7.5]
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) [8]
The Weight (Staples Singers) [5.75]
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) [7.25]
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) [8.5]
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) [9]
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 5
vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 10
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 8
vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 4
The Weight (Staples Singers) 10
vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 6
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 5
vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 8
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 7.5
vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 1
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 3
vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 10
The Weight (Staples Singers) 8
vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 4
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 9
vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 8
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) – 10
vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) – 3
A song that makes me feel awesome versus a song that makes me want to blow my brains out with a shotgun. No brainer (sorry Kurt).
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) – 9
vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) – 2
No contest. I may prefer the Dixie Chicks’ personality and politics to Lauren Hill, but thats not what this is about.
The Weight (Staples Singers) – 7.8
vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) – 5
Both solid, Proud Mary was a bit too uneven.
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) – 8.7
vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) – 2
Me / C
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana)
Me 6.5 / 9.8
C 9.4 / 10
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks)
Me: 6.5 / 7
C : 8 / 5
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner)
Me: 7.2 / 6
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn)
Me: 6.8 / 7.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 6/9
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 7.8/7
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 7.8/6.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 6/6.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 8
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 6
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 5
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 6.5
The Weight (Staples Singers) 6
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 4.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 6
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) – 5
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) – 7
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) – 5
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) – 7
The Weight (Staples Singers) – 7
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) – 8
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) – 8
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) – 6.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 5.25 [I think if I had a week long vacation in Hawaii and this guy played this the first night I would be completely amazed. Then as the week wore on, and he was just the usual dinner entertainment, it’s like… OK. Nice gimmick. But what else you got? This is why I don’t rent weeklong island bungaloos.]
vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 8.5
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 6.8
vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks)5.6
The Weight (Staples Singers) 8
vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 8 [These were BOTH Great, and while Weight starts strong and mellows out, Tina mellows in and ends strong. I’ll let someone else make the call here.]
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 9 [Sometimes order matters. Tina completely Teed this one up]
vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 4 [The Sounds of the 70s collection completely forgot to add in better tunes. I’m with Catholic Nick on this one—it’s far too cheesy.]
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) –6.5
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) – 7
This matchup might have gone differently 8 times out of 10, but I was totally feeling Nirvana tonight.
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) – 9.8
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) – 7
Love both.
The Weight (Staples Singers) – 6.5
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) – 6
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) –6.5
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) – 8.8
Somewhere Over The Rainbow – 10 because I rate on the ratio of man to instrument size.
Nirvana – 6, sorry but Nirvana just doesn’t do it for me.
Fugees – 6.5 because it makes me want to just listen to Ms. Roberta Flack.
Dixie Chicks – 9 because sometimes you’re just in the mood.
The Weight – 6.5. I like this song…but not as much as the original.
Proud Mary – 6 Karaoke has ruined this a lot for me.
With A Little Help – 8.5. Is this a kissing book? (Bam! Double-layered reference)
Two of Us – 10. I pretty much love this song.
Thanks for voting Flannery! Haha thanks for the shout out 🙂
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 8.5/4 Ugh, Kurt Cobain.
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 5/8.5
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 3/3 Hate ’em both. Someone else can pick.
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7/5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole)
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana)
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 7.5
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 9.5
The Weight (Staples Singers) 6
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 8.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 6
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 5.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 5
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 10
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 7
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 3
The Weight (Staples Singers) 7
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 7
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 6.5
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 9.2 to 4.0
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 5.0 to 8.0
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 6.5 to 9.0
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7.5 to 6.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 9.5 to 3.0
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 4.0 to 9.0
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 4.5 to 9.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7.8 to 5.5
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 4.6
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 8
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 8.7
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 4.6
The Weight (Staples Singers) 10+
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 4.2
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 9.2
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 6.7
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) – 4.5
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) – 6.5
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) – 10
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) – 3
The Weight (Staples Singers) – 8.5
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) – 7.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) – 6
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) – 7
Rainbow 7
Last Night 7.2
Fugees 7.5
Dixie Chicks 9
Weight 6.2
Proud Mary 7.7
(didn’t get to the last one at work)
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) vs. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana): 8.3 / 2.5
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) vs. Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks): 7.3 / 7.8
The Weight (Staples Singers) vs. Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner): 8.6 / 9.5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) vs. Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn): 8 / 7
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) = 4 I still haven’t come around to this song.
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) = 9 As Kurt wails, so does Maureen. Personally, I don’t know any musician that does it better.
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) = 8. I need real speakers. The bass line on this song is sick, and I’m getting nothing.
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) = 4 Meh.
The Weight (Staples Singers) = 8.5 Just a good song. There isn’t much more to it.
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) = 5
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) = 10
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) =6
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole) 3.5
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Nirvana) 7.3
Killing Me Softly (Fugees) 8.5
Travelin’ Soldier (Dixie Chicks) 6.5
The Weight (Staples Singers) 6.7
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner) 9
With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker) 7.5
Two of Us (Aimee Mann and Michael Penn) 7