REALLY CLOSE RESULTS THIS ROUND:
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) def. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band), 118.7-92.9. Tiny Dancer with today’s high score. It’ll be heavily favored next round.
“Paradise” (John Prine) def. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens), 102.5-98.7.
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) def. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show), 117-116. The nostalgia songs ending up splitting 1-1 after this brutally close match-up. I think this is the deepest a Clash song has gone in a major tournament.
“In My Life” (The Beatles) def. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson), 110.7-110.1. This was perhaps the closest match of the tournament so far! Don’t let anyone tell you that every vote doesn’t count. I’ll admit I’m bummed, was a big Valerie fan! Also no more women left in the tournament.
This grouping of songs will wrap up the Round of 32, with Divisions G and H. Post your votes by Wednesday at Midnight. You can vote by giving your scores in the comment section below the post. The playlist is here
:
And the songs:
Division G
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
Division H
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
Living the Dream 
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band) 7 – 7.5
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens) 3 – 4
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show) 6.5 – 7.5
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson) 9.5 – 6
9 – “Tiny Dancer” (Elton John)
7.5 – “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
My mom always liked to point out how stupid SMB lyrics are haha.
7 – “Paradise” (John Prine)
6.5 – “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
Paradise wins for HOUSA nostalgia.
8.5 – “Train in Vain” (The Clash)
9 – “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
Wagon Wheel wins for HOUSA nostalgia too.
7 – “In My Life” (The Beatles)
9 – “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
Not terribly in love with this Beatles song. Terribly in love with Valerie.
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
J 8 : 6
A 6 : 6
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
J: 7 : 8
A: 7 : 8. Allison always likes Sufjan Stevens, but I was atypically feeling it today. I think my nostalgia vote was in round 1. Let’s see how that applies to Wagon Wheel…
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
J: 8 : 7.5
A: 7 : 7
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
J 6.5 : 8
A. 7 : 7.5
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band) 7 – 7.5
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
2 v 8.5
listening to chicago again made me remember how nice it is
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
9.5 v 8
The clash got my 6 month old dancing on her diaper changer during our evening listening – she has great taste obviously
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
7 v 5
Sorry clicked too fast – i wanted 9.5 for ej and 6 for smb
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
ryan: 8 / 7
natalie: 7 / 5
tiny dancer loses .5 for simply repeating the whole song
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
r: 6.5 / 4.5
n: 7.5 / 6.5
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
r: 5 / 5.5
n: 7 / 8.5
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
r: 6.5 / 6
n: 6 / 6.5
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John): 7
“The Joker” (Steve Miller Band): 4
“Paradise” (John Prine): 6
“Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens): 5
“Train in Vain” (The Clash): 8.4
“Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show): 7
“In My Life” (The Beatles): 6.2
“Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson): 7.2
Division G
8.5 – “Tiny Dancer” (Elton John)
1 – “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
Jim’s mom is correct.
9.8 – “Paradise” (John Prine)
6.5 – “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
Well this match up ended up being all about personal connection to these songs. Though I can defend “Paradise” as an objectively solid folk song, about 2 points of my score is nostalgia and memories that involve turn-of-the-century mixed tapes (on actual cassettes, so ye old timey description of the year 2000 seems apt); zines; pen pals; the USPS; anarchist crust punks; a polydachtyl tom cat with massive balls; and those sublime choices you make as an 18 year old that will either kill you or indelibly form you. It’s tied to such specific memories of exactly 2001 for me that it’s interesting to pair with a song that strongly and generally evokes Seattle in the mid aughts. But Prine wins, hands down.
Division H
7 – “Train in Vain” (The Clash)
10 – “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
It doesn’t matter what else I’m doing, Wagon Wheel *always* gets me.
5.5 – “In My Life” (The Beatles)
9 – “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) 7 v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band) 5
“Paradise” (John Prine) 7 v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens) 6
Division H
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) 8 v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show) 5
“In My Life” (The Beatles) 7 v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson) 7
Division G
9.2 – “Tiny Dancer” (Elton John)
7.3 – “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band) How can you not laugh a little when this comes on? It’s basically an 70s version of an obnoxious SoCal hangout song– you know, like Sublime, but with peaches.
9.6 – “Paradise” (John Prine)
8.2 – “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens) Power chorus sections felt a little forced and dated tonight, but a great song.
Division H
10 – “Train in Vain” (The Clash) I would listen to this 3x ina row right now
8 – “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show) OCMS version has never been my favorite version, but that said, I don’t know a better recorded one.
6.2 – “In My Life” (The Beatles)
8.9 – “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson) This really is a good song.
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
Bob: 7.5/8.5
Brynna: 8.5/8.3
Patti: 8/7.8
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens)
Bob: 7/6
Brynna: 7/6.8
Patti: 6.8/6.5
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show)
Bob: 9/8
Brynna: 7.5/8.3
Patti: 8/7.7
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson)
Bob: 9/6
Brynna: 8.8/8
Patti: 9/8
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John) v. “The Joker” (Steve Miller Band) 8.5-6
“Paradise” (John Prine) v. “Chicago” (Sufjan Stevens) 9.3-7.7
“Train in Vain” (The Clash) v. “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show) 7.7-9
“In My Life” (The Beatles) v. “Valerie” (Amy Winehouse w/ Mark Ronson) 9.5-8