Magical things happen at MTV Music Awards…in 1991.
Alright, Guillermo here back in the driver’s seat for the next two. Having fun yet? I actually really like the set up of this tournament- it’s the equivalent of having A sides and B sides to a record (no offense to the radio songs, but you know what I mean.)
When we do switches we may have to do separate results and new tourney posts so bear with us. Today’s set of songs is fun- Janos pre-determined a bit what we’d do for the weekend match-ups, but he knew what I was going to go to as the lead off when I had my turn (for those of you that know my taste, not rocket science.) Plus we’ve got the 16 seed-17 seed battle in this set and a battle of big deal rap icons. Great weekend music here, take advantage!
Update: Results From Day 2. Nothing close on the radio side- “Video Killed The Radio Star” trounces “Make Me Lose Control” 56.06-38.5, while “Spirit of the Radio” does a similar job on “Turn Up The Radio” 61.85-44.4. The Side Ones were a little closer, but no upsets to report. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” eliminates “Handle With Care” 66.5-62.4. Jay-Z almost pulls a sneaker on “Purple Haze” but falls short as Jimi Hendrix takes it 64.1-63.5.
For newcomers, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. Listen to the songs here and vote by Monday, February 25th at 8 PM EST.
Track Ones
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen- Born To Run) vs. My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder- My Cherie Amour)
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson- Thriller) vs. Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash- At Folsom Prison)
Radio Songs
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) vs. Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation)
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) vs. Radio (Eazy E)
Coming up soon: Battle of the B____ Boys, Regina Spektor explains how it works, and more…
Living the Dream 
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) – 7.5
My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder) – 6.5
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson) – 6.0
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) – 8.0
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) – 5.0
Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation) – 7.0
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) – 6.0
Radio (Eazy E) – 4.5
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) – 5.0
My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder) – 6.5
Not a big fan of Stevie but this isn’t much of a contest when he’s up against the Mumbles Menino of rock ‘n roll.
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson) – 6.0
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) – 7.5
Johnny is still great even when he is not at his best. Good pick me up on a Friday night.
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) – 4.0
Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation) – 6.0
Boring loses to reggae.
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) – 6.0
Radio (Eazy E) – 4.0
Cool is a better actor than singer but this wasn’t much of a challenge.
Track Ones
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen- Born To Run) 5
My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder- My Cherie Amour) 5.5
Not in a Bruce mood – such things happen. Sadly, Stevie was kind of bland this afternoon too. MJ should break me out of the starting funk…
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson- Thriller) 6.3
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash- At Folsom Prison) 8
Little jolt from Michael, then a big boost from JC. I don’t think Folsom has much potential to get over an 8 – just doesn’t produce that kind of anthemic vibe – but it also has a sseriously high floor, so it may go a long way in this thing.
Radio Songs
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) 5.5
Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation) 8.8
Ahh radio retaliation was fantastic. Just the right feel for a work weekend. Nice call guys.
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) 6.5
Radio (Eazy E) 6.5
LL is solid, no doubt. If only he rapped as well as he played a mercenary running back in Any Given Sunday. Best performance of his life. Easy E is fun, and like the drop in from Dre… just a little hard to rate highly with the cut-ins and phone calls, which fuck up the flow. Someone else can decide this, and i’ll enjoy whichever one advances.
Track Ones
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen- Born To Run) vs. My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder- My Cherie Amour): 8/7.9
Reminders of 5th grade chorus…Nostalgia score.
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson- Thriller) vs. Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash- At Folsom Prison): 7/8.5
Radio Songs
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) vs. Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation): 4/3
Buzz’s girlfriend! WOOF!
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) vs. Radio (Eazy E): 7/5
Voting with emglasser over the phone. Votes are me/her-
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) – 10 / 9
My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder) – 6.5 / 7.2
Guillermo: Thunder Road gets a 10. This is a song that is anthemic (which is not a word) and cuts to the soul of everything I believe about young love. In addition, it’s the Boss, who has historically been a divisive figure on this site but to me is nothing but uniform gold. Stevie Wonder- if this was Superstition, you’d still lose. But it’s Cherie Amour, which really only means you lose by more.
Emily: The problem is that I don’t know how I feel about this- I didn’t get to listen to it just me. I’m saying this, you don’t need to type that. Ummm hold on. I need to think about this for a moment. Thunder Road definitely 9, My Cherie Amour 7.2. I think My Cherie Amour is a little too weak as a Track One. I feel like Thunder Road sets the tone really well for Bruce’s album. In that sense Thunder Road is a really good first song, Track One. My Cherie Amour just isn’t that strong.
[We took a 45 minute break to listen to more Bruce Springsteen songs- I’m trying to convert here]
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson) – 8.4 / 8.9
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) – 7.1 / 7
Guillermo: Thriller, as everyone knows, was top of the charts when I was born. This song hits.
Emily: Michael Jackson: kills it. Every time I hear Johnny Cash I think of being sick in London. It’s not that I don’t like Johnny Cash. That’s just how my life has been. My voice got really low and I was sick because I had a cold. From mold. Right.
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) – 6 / 3.4
Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation) – 4 / 4
Guillermo: It is such a let down to get to the radio match-ups.
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) – 4.5 / 4
Radio (Eazy E) – 5.8 / 4.5
Emily: Did LL Cool J steal this from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air? Did Will Smith steal this song? I’m getting busy if you know what I mean.
Guillermo: I don’t care enough to even Google this.
Track Ones
8.5- Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen- Born To Run) vs.
9.5- My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder- My Cherie Amour)
Thunder Road is great, not my first choice to start that record, but it definitely announces tone. My case for Stevie Wonder? This is the best track on the record and he’s leading with it. Love that.
9- Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson- Thriller) vs.
9.5- Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash- At Folsom Prison)
Love both these tracks, can the whole Track Ones side advance?
Radio Songs
2- Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) vs.
3- Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation)
Nope.
4- I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) vs.
8- Radio (Eazy E)
I’ve never really dug much of LL’s stuff. This Eazy E track is brilliant though. Remember hearing this for the first time and thinking how brilliant it was.
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) – 7.5
My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder) – 5.5
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson) – 9
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) – 5
Wanna Be gets me going whatever else is happening. Might even be my favourite MJ. I really don’t like Folsom very much.
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) – 4
Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation) – 3
Not for me.
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) – 4
Radio (Eazy E) – 3.5
Ditto.
Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) – 9 Doesn’t get a 10 because the album should have started with Born to Run.
My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder) – 7
Wanna Be Startin’ Something (Michael Jackson) – 9 Perfect opener, even uses the word “startin”
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) – 6 Doesn’t do it for me as an opening song. Too disassociated from the album at this point, I guess.
Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers) – 9.5
Radio Retaliation (Thievery Corporation) – 6
Kind of lame that people don’t appreciate the Modern Lovers. These guys were considered by musicians at the time to be a major bridge between the Velvet Underground and the Punk Movement. It’s the kind of song I just want to keep turning up louder and louder to hear that crashing sound.
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J) – 6.5
Radio (Eazy E) – 8.8
I love Eazy’s off-kilter style.
Totally agree on Born to Run, Janos.