Welcome to the Round of 32! From here things will move pretty quickly. The whole round will take about a week, and then we’ll be in the Sweet 16. Listen to today’s match-ups at the bottom of this playlist, see the brackets here, and vote by commenting below before 11:59pm on Wednesday. Enjoy!
#3 We Can Work It Out (Stevie Wonder) vs. #6 Jolene (White Stripes)
#2 Mr. Tamburine Man (Byrds) vs. #7 Everlasting Love (U2). The winner of these first two match-ups will play each other in the Sweet 16. All did well last round, but the Byrds looked the sharpest. Their version is the only one of these four that was a bigger hit than the original song.
#4 Sloop John B (Beach Boys) vs. #12 Atlantic City (Band)
#1 Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin) vs. #8 Lady is a Tramp (Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett). Just saw an incredibly bumpy interview between Janis and Dick Cavett. It’s amazing how at home she looks in her music and how uncomfortable she seemed on a talk show. The winner of these match-ups will also go head to head. The Band and Beach Boys both lost their other representatives last week.
Living the Dream 
work – 8 (great song. stevie’s great. prefer the beatles version but this is great)
jolene – 9
tambourine – 6 (passable. inoffensive. nothing great or interesting here, tho)
everlasting – 7 (not sure what i gave it last time. pretty interesting cover. gets going at aroun 1m30s)
sloop – 8 (shit. this is the version i think of when i think of this song. fantastic pipes on everyone. emotional song.)
atlantic – 5.5 (meh.)
bobby – 9.5 (joplin’s fucking incredible. maybe positive childhood associations give this an edge, but jesus.)
tramp – 7 (chatty bullshit is just grating but again… talent)
work 6
jolene 6.5
tambourine 5
everlasting 2
sloop 6
atlantic 6.5
bobby 7
tramp 5
#3 We Can Work It Out (Stevie Wonder) vs. #6 Jolene (White Stripes)
Me 9 : 8.6
Anna 8 : 10
Alex 8.8 : 8.6
#2 Mr. Tamburine Man (Byrds) vs. #7 Everlasting Love (U2).
Me 8.7 : 7.7
Anna 7.8 : 4.8
Alex 8.5 : 7.2
#4 Sloop John B (Beach Boys) vs. #12 Atlantic City (Band)
Me: 8 : 7
Anna 7.25 : 8.25
Alex 7.5 : 8.5
#1 Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin) vs. #8 Lady is a Tramp (Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett).
Me 8.9 : 7.2
Anna 7 : 6.5
Alex 9 : 7.2
We Can Work it Out – 6.5
Jolene – 5.0
Mr. Tambourine Man – 7.5
Everlasting Love – 5.0
Sloop John B. – 7.0
Atlantic City – 5.0
Me and Bobby McGee – 8.5
Lady is a Tramp – 6.5