I’ve been boosting music tournaments since 1994, but even earlier than that I was a big fan of the Weather Channel. It’s part of waking up, Folgers in your cup and all. That’s why I was delighted to see that the Weather Channel is hosting its own weather-themed March Madness Music Tournament!
Voting’s been light at LBS over the last few days, so get your peeps involved as head into the mid-week hump. Listen to the next set of matches here, and vote by commenting below by 10pm EST on Thursday.
Results
The River (Bruce Springsteen) def. Straight to Hell (Clash), 77-73.5. Bruce now leads the series 2-1. Check out this fantastic letter from Joe Strummer about why he loves Bruce Springsteen’s music. The respect level is clearly mutual.
The Ocean (Led Zeppelin) def. Hang on to Yourself (David Bowie), 71-61. Thematically, the water and desperation invoked by the song titles in these first two match-ups is uncanny. Led Zeppelin now leads 2-1.
Late in the Evening (Paul Simon) def. You Make Loving Fun (live) (Fleetwood Mac), 72-65.5. Paul Simon takes a decisive 3-1 series lead, requiring Mark B. to summon Landslide.
Everlong (acoustic) (Foo Fighters) def. Pastime Paradise (Stevie Wonder), 92-76.5. I’d venture that most people were unaware of the origin for Coolio’s mid 90s anthem, but the FFs still prevailed and live to see another day. Stevie Wonder leads the series 3-1.
Semifinals, Game 4
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)*
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie)
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder)
Also, folks, we are one coach from a full slate for the third wave. Thanks to Peter, Joe and Jenn for stepping up so far.
* I find this match-up fascinating because I’ve long maintained that Charlie Don’t Surf predicts a 9/11-like event, and My City of Ruins is offered here on a 9/11 tribute album.
Living the Dream 
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)* 6.5 – 5
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie) 8 – 5
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 6 – 7
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 6.5 – 6
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) 4
vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 5
Isn’t this just Inoculated City with a slightly different chorus?
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) 7
vs. Move On (David Bowie) 4
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) 7
vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 6
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) X
vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) X
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) 8
Charlie Don’t Surf (The Clash) 6
I love this Bruce song for all of the obvious reasons. I dig this Clash song too; silly throwaway chords over great lyrics. Bruce wins though.
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) 7.5
Move On (David Bowie) 4
Not my favorite Zeppelin song, but a decent one. David Bowie as Ziggy, not much I can love on this one.
Undercard
Gumboots (Paul Simon) 2
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 9
I’m going to be a guitar snob here and say if I have to here one more electric guitar that has it’s tone towards the treble end of the audible spectrum, I may puncture my eardrums by jabbing a pencil in my ear. It was typical of the 80’s, and it makes me kinda nutty when I hear this “sound”.
Which is not what I hear when I hear Landslide.
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) 8
Don’t Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 7
Stevie may be singing to a girl I’ll never meet, I don’t really care, on this beautiful spring day I’m smiling. Though I do love a song about resilience, especially if at some point the lyrics are screamed at me.
thin white duke.
Semifinals, Game 4
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) #
Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)* #
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) 6.5
Move On (David Bowie) 7.5
Some person actually went through the trouble of transcribing all of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Thanks Google, I knew they mentioned Houses Of The Holy.
Ted: …470 BC. A time when much of the world looked like the cover of the Led Zeppelin album ‘Houses of the Holy’.
Bill: We were there. There were many steps and columns, it was most tranquil. (gives a thumbs up.)
Ted: He is sometimes known as the father of modern thought. He was the teacher of Plato, who was in turn the teacher of Aristotle. And like Ozzy Osborne, was repeatedly accused of corruption of the young.
(Mr. Ryan watches them with interest.)
Bill: And since he doesn’t speak English, my friend Ted here, is going to interpret for him. (Ted shrugs his consent.) So please welcome, to tell us what he thinks of San Dimas, the most bodacious philosophizer in Ancient Greece…
Both: Socrates!
(The spotlight hits Socrates and he looks a little stumped.)
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) 6
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 8
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) 5.6
Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 6.2
Great memory GMo. Alas, the song is not on the album of the same name (I’ve never understood how that happened). It was on Physical Graffiti.
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)*
6 : 9.2
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie)
6.5 : 6.5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
6.8 : 9
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder)
8 : 7
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)
I love my Bruce, but I’m willing to concede this slow burn (though I do like the gospel chorus) did not quite do it for me against a Clash track I was pleasantly surprised by.
5.1 : 7.2
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie)
A tough choice here. I love the Houses of the Holy, but maybe it sounds a little stale adjacent to old-but-new-to-me Bowie (which sounds oddly prescient of the Feelies).
7.5 : 8
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
Honestly, give me Sarah or Angel any day over Landslide (song has been done to death and the Nicks catalogue is DEEP), but I concede to it on nostalgia principle. While I like Gumboots, I can list on a hand the tracks on that album I’d pick ahead of it.
5 : 7
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder)
No contest.
3 : 7
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)*
7 : 4
really like bruce’s voice on this one, not the strained, gruff howl, more like Tunnel of Love Bruce.
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie)
8.3 : 5.2
Haha Bowie loved drugs.
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
7.7 : 9.1
two great albums.
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder)
7 : 7.4
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) 5
vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 4
Taking nothing away from Bruce’s message or sentiment here, I’m just not convinced it’s that good a song. Charlie Don’t Surf is just kind of a nothing song for me…I find it repetitive and wishy-washy.
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) 6.5
vs. Move On (David Bowie) 5.5
WTF is the big DB on here?? Haha. Wow.
Gumboots (Paul Simon) #
vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) #
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) 8.5
vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 6.5
It’s so hard to judge Foos and Stevie side by side! So wildly different. I do love Times Like These though – definitely my favourite of this round (apart from Landslide)
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)*
5/5.1
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie)
6.5/7.24
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
8.75/7.5
I like Landslide and all, but my favorite version is the live version from The Dance, where Stevie Nicks says “This is for you, Daddy” at the beginning. Gumboots just made me happy today.
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder)
7/6
I like the idea of DYWBAT, but every time I listen to it, it is too much. I don’t know what it is.
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) 6.5
vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 5
I was surprisingly touched by Bruce’s song
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) 5.5
vs. Move On (David Bowie) 7
Gumboots (Paul Simon) XX
vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) XX
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) 6
vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 5
Charlie Don’t Surf – 5 vs. City of Ruin – 7
House of the Holy – 5 vs. Move On – 4.5
Landslide – 9 vs. Gumboots – 6
Times Like These – 6 vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing – 4.5
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 6.0 to 7.5
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie) 5.5 to 4.5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 3.5 to 10.0 Enough Simon already. You heard one song you’ve heard most of the rest.
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 7.5 to 6.0
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash)* 9 : 7.5
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie) 8 : 5.5
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 5 : 9
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 6.0 to 7.0
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie) 6.0 to 5.0
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 7.0 to 9.0
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 7.6 to 8.5
Scores are for me and Meghan
Semifinals, Game 4
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) 4 / 6.5
Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 6.5 / 6
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) * / 7
Move On (David Bowie) * / 6
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) 4.5 / 5.5
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 7.5 / 8.5
Having grooveshark issues and will post the other matchup shortly
Problems sorted out… here’sthelastone
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) 6.3 / 5
Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 8 / 6
I am bummed I missed that last round because a couple of really great songs lost (Pastime Paradise, Straight to Hell). But teaching is a brutal mistress sometimes and I just haven’t had the time or access to a computer with grooveshark to vote for a minute. Anyway, here’s to a mental health day giving me the time to come back.
My City of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen) vs. Charlie Don’t Surf (Clash) 8.5 to 7
This is the kind of Springsteen I’ve been wanting to hear. Lovely.
Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin) vs. Move On (David Bowie) 3 to 7.8
Undercard, Game 5
Gumboots (Paul Simon) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) 2.5 to 8
Sometimes you can pull polka off. Sometimes you can’t.
Times Like These (Foo Fighters) vs. Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 5 to 4.5