And don't you forget it, sheriff.
Everyone’s doing a great job nominating so far. For games 3-5 the nominating and listening order (“home field advantage”) reverse.
Listen to Game 3 here and vote by commenting before close of business (10pm EST) on Monday.
Game 2 Results
Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen) def. Dazed and Confused (Led Zeppelin), 130-117. The series is even at 1. Coach Adrock declared, “Time to go for it,” nominating When the Levee Breaks. Unfazed, Gmo threw back an anthem of his own…
Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder) def. Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard (Paul Simon), 122-107. Stevie is in control of the series right now, up 2-0, and Ilya calls on one of the classics.
If You Want Blood (AC DC) def. Going Mobile (Who), 116-106. AC DC ties the series at 1-1. Game 3 looks promising.
Waiting for the Man (Velvet Underground) def. Atmosphere (Joy Division), 98-83. Most voters aren’t warming to this match-up yet, and things are about to get weirder.
Game 3
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin)
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon)
Undercards
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC)
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order)
Living the Dream 
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 7/9
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon) 4/3
Undercards
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 7/5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) 5/3
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 7.5/5
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon) 6.6/8.5
I went back and forth on Big Brother, but I like how it demonstrates Stevie’s versatility. I don’t love it, but I’m glad I heard it, you know? I wasn’t even preparing to like Graceland that much when the oompas started in, but it’s such an effortlessly lovely song.
Undercards
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 6/4.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) 4/6.5
I can appreciate the impulse behind experimental music without appreciating the music itself…Murder Mystery feels like a modern art installation, but not one I’d linger in. I think Jenn made a good move to take the opportunity with this match-up to dig deeper into the New Order catalog. I actually don’t know 5-8-6, but you can definitely hear that they’re early in the process of figuring out their electronic sound.
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 8
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 8.5
Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 6
Graceland (Paul Simon) 5.5
Undercards
My Generation (The Who) XX
What’s Next to the Moon (AC/DC) XX
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 2
5-8-6 (New Order) 6
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 7.5
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 5.5
While Born is unquestionably iconic, I’m not convinced it’s a GREAT song. I find Levee more exhausting than enjoyable.
Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 4.5
Graceland (Paul Simon) 4
Undercards
My Generation (The Who) 7.5
What’s Next to the Moon (AC/DC) 6.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 2
5-8-6 (New Order) 3.5
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 6.0 to 6.5
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon) 5.0 to 7.0
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 5.0 to 6.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) 3.0 to 3.5
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 4.0 to 7.0
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon) 5.0 to 7.5
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 5.0 to 6.0
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) 3.0 to 5.0
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 8.5 – 6.5
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon) 5.5 – 7
Undercards
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) N/A
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) 1 – 3
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) x
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) x
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 5.5
Graceland (Paul Simon) 7.9
Graceland is elegantly simple, hit the spot this AM.
My Generation (Who) 6
What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 7.8
AC/DC is gaining momentum for me.
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 3.5
5-8-6 (New Order) 4.9
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 7
vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 8
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder)
vs. Graceland (Paul Simon)
My Generation (Who) 6
vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 7
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 6 I find this song kind of hypnotic, and the “dumb and ready pig meat” coda is kind of catchy in a car accident-y sort of way..
vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) 3 That song was just Blue Monday without the hook.
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin)
6 : 6.5
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon)
5.5 : 9.5
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC)
7 : 6.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order)
8.5 : 4
Even as a longtime Velvet fan I had never really heard this song before. Once you accept that it is not going to morph into a conventional pop song and just roll with it, it’s something of a delight.
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 8
vs.
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 5
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 3
vs.
Graceland (Paul Simon) 4.5
Undercards
My Generation (Who) 6.5
vs.
What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 7.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 4
vs.
5-8-6 (New Order) 3.5
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) = 9 to 6.5
‘usa’ is a crazy song. I would assume it continues to illicit a number of very different emotions from different people, and he straight up shouts the entire goddamn thing.
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) vs. Graceland (Paul Simon) = 5 to 5.5
Undercards
My Generation (Who) vs. What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) = 9 to 5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) vs. 5-8-6 (New Order) = 6 to 6.5
I really dig the guitar in the Velvet Underground tune at the beginning and during the ‘chorus’ but other than that its a little meandering for me. The ending bit was nice, particularly the dueling spoken word components.
This New Order stuff is equally as nutty. Did people dance at these shows back in the day? Live, were they louder and nuttier, or was everything pretty subdued and did everyone just sort of groove and relax? I wish I knew what electronic music sounded like back when electronic music was ‘new’ because I’m thinking it sounded downright CRAZY. Props to this song as I could picture ol’ whatshisname singing it, and I like that it’s a song with jammy longform instrumental parts using all their electronics.
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 7
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 5
Contenders
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 7
Graceland (Paul Simon) 8
Undercards
My Generation (The Who) 6.75
What’s Next to the Moon (AC/DC) 7.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 6
5-8-6 (New Order) 6.5
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 3
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 7
Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 4
Graceland (Paul Simon) 6
Undercards
My Generation (The Who) 6.5
What’s Next to the Moon (AC/DC) 4.5
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 1.000001
5-8-6 (New Order) 4
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen): 8
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin): 9.5
As terrible as it might be I have a really soft spot for the Born In The USA album. Good old childhood memories of waking up on Sunday and listening to music with my old man while eating pancakes. It might be one of the last LP’s he ever bought. But damn if When The Levee Breaks isn’t dizzyingly beautiful. It’s easily one of my favorite tracks by Zeppelin. The spacey guitar, the great blues-rock drum, the distorted vocals it all just comes together into one great homogenous masterpiece.
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder): 9
Graceland (Paul Simon): 8.5
I have no words on how great Stevie is, that man didn’t stumble musically for nearly 20 years, then the 80’s happened. There’s not a whole lot of great R&B/funk that came out in that era. Synthesizers were the precursor to Auto-tune, used sparingly it can be done well other wise it’s just a gimmick. Off topic. This is a tough one for me. Paul Simon just understands how music is supposed to be and how make it sound beautiful to the ear. His harmonizing is one of a kind and can send chills down the coldest of spines.
My Generation (The Who): 6
What’s Next to the Moon (AC/DC): 8
The Who hasn’t held back any punches, another big song from them. My Generation was a poignant song when it came out, it still holds even some weight today. Maybe not as much as other songs that dealt with the strife of the times, but can still keeps it’s head held high. But, then Bon Scott chimes in and I go all crazy ready to kick doors down.
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground): 4.5
5-8-6 (New Order): 3
I hope the idea behind Murder Mystery was to sound like a kid with ADD off his medication all hopped up on Pixie Stix, because I sure could not keep up with the song. Maybe I haven’t smoked enough drugs this evening. I think you really need to be in the right mood for some Psychedelic rock. I don’t know enough about 80’s British New Wave I just know that it’s completely hit and miss for me, so… uhhh…. yeah.
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 7.5
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 8.5
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 6
Graceland (Paul Simon) 7
My Generation (Who) 8.25
What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 8.75
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 2
5-8-6 (New Order) 4
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) *
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) *
#1 Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 6.5
Graceland (Paul Simon) 8.3
Undercards
My Generation (Who) 6
What’s Next To The Moon (AC DC) 9
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 3
5-8-6 (New Order) 5
Championship
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 8.7
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 8.9
Contender
Big Brother (Stevie Wonder) 6.3
Graceland (Paul Simon) 5.2
Undercards
My Generation (The Who) 8.1
What’s Next to the Moon (AC/DC) 8.8
Murder Mystery (Velvet Underground) 1.1
5-8-6 (New Order) 4.5