Welcome to Ladies Night. This tournament has more gender diversity than past ones, but it’s still not close to parity. That said, I’d venture that nearly half of the favorites to actually win the tournament are female vocalists, and a few of them are leading the Day 4 brigade. Listen at the bottom of the playlist here except America and vote by commenting below before 11:59pm on Sunday night. See you later, I’m out to protest the NYPD.
#1 Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin) vs. Don’t You Want Me (Bahamas). While everyone associates this song with Janis, it’s actually a Kris Kristofferson cover.
#2 Tide is High (Blondie) vs. #15 I Found a Reason (Cat Power). Blondie’s catchy tune is pretty damn ambitious when you hear the Paragons reggae classic. (From an album called “On the Beach”!) Cat Power got love last round, let’s see if she can keep up the momentum.
#3 Respect (Aretha Franklin) vs. #14 My Ride’s Here (Bruce Springsteen). This isn’t said often, but the Boss is a serious underdog here as he faces off against the Queen, who is covering an Otis Redding original. For those who missed the prelims, Bruce is covering Warren Zevon, who wrote this song as a farewell to earth.
#7 Love Never Felt So Good (Justin Timberlake) vs. #10 America (Sting). Like R. Kelly, Sting is hamstrung by my need to find a live Youtube clip of this S&G number Sting played during his fantastic recent tour with Paul Simon. Song starts a minute in, but the story is a nice one. Meanwhile, Love Never Felt So Good was Michael Jackson’s posthumous single, and probably his best work since the mid-90s. I found Timberlake’s remix intriguing, and wonder what you think.
#4 Blinded By the Light (Manfred Mann) vs. #13 100,000 Fireflies (Superchunk). Mann’s reinvention of an early Springsteen song turned into a big hit. Superchunk’s cover of the Magnetic Fields did not. Discuss.
Congrats to Me and Bobby McGee (Janis), Tide is High (Blondie), Respect (Aretha), America (Sting) and Blinded By the Light (Manfred Mann) for advancing to the Round of 32.
Living the Dream 
#1 Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin) vs. Don’t You Want Me (Bahamas). 2
6.5
#2 Tide is High (Blondie) vs. #15 I Found a Reason (Cat Power). 6 – 4
#3 Respect (Aretha Franklin) vs. #14 My Ride’s Here (Bruce Springsteen). 7 – 6
#7 Love Never Felt So Good (Justin Timberlake) vs. #10 America (Sting). 5-6
#4 Blinded By the Light (Manfred Mann) vs. #13 100,000 Fireflies (Superchunk). 7-5
Me and Bobby McGee – 8.5
Don’t You Want Me – No – 5.0
Tide is High – 7.0
I Found a Reason – 5.0
Respect – 7.5
My Ride’s Here – 5.0
Love Never Felt So Good – 5.0
America – 6.0
Blinded by the Light – 6.0
100,000 Fireflies – 4.0
Bobby McGee v. Bahamas
Brett 9 : 6
Janos 8.8 : 7
Blinded by the Light vs. 100,000 Fireflies
Brett 5 4.5
Janos 6.5 7.2
Respect Ride’s Here
Brett 6.5 3
Janos 6.5 7
Tide is High v. Found a Reason
Anna 8 10
Janos 9 8.5
Brett 6.5 7.5
Never Felt So Good v. America
Brett 6 6
Janos 8 8
Anna 7 8
#1 Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin) vs. Don’t You Want Me (Bahamas). = 7 to 3
#2 Tide is High (Blondie) vs. #15 I Found a Reason (Cat Power). = 5 to 8
#3 Respect (Aretha Franklin) vs. #14 My Ride’s Here (Bruce Springsteen). = 7 to 5
#7 Love Never Felt So Good (Justin Timberlake) vs. #10 America (Sting). = 3 to 5
#4 Blinded By the Light (Manfred Mann) vs. #13 100,000 Fireflies (Superchunk). = 9.5 to 9
Me & Bobby McGee–9
Don’t You Want Me –5
Tide Is High –7.5
I Found a Reason –4
Respect –9.5
My Ride Is Here –7
Love Never Felt So Good –8
America –7
Blinded By the Light –10
( I was going to nominate this one, someone already had..)
100,000 Fireflys –2