The uber-upset of the day goes to #11 Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty), which just thrashed #3 Layla (Derek and the Dominoes), 123.5-108.5. Perhaps Guillermo shouldn’t have gotten people fixated on that long piano finish. It seems we have seen the last of the one-time guitar god, Eric Clapton, to say nothing of the Dominoes. (Artist #213)
Another routine win for #1 Tangled Up In Blue (Bob Dylan), which defeated #8 Another Brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd), 114.5-105. Earlier when I announced Pink Floyd’s demise Guillermo had to correct me, but now I can say with some assurance that they have been eliminated. (Artist #214)
#4 A Day in the Life (Beatles) def. #5 Thriller (Michael Jackson), 129-111.5. A Day in the Life makes the Wall of 10s courtesy of Jacob and Mike, and takes the high score for the round. Will face Tangled Up In Blue next. Jackson seems to be sagging a little bit. This result does not bode well for the upcoming Billie Jean.
#2 I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Marvin Gaye) def. #10 Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen), 110.8-107.45. Unimpressive win for Marvin. For Bruce, may have been good to cut this song loose and reduce Bruce fatigue for Born to Run and Thunder Road.
Stories of Divsion I: Well, first off, story of why I’m still posting- Nos is swamped (apparently being a lawyer is a lot of work) so one more day until he’s back in the author’s seat. In the meantime, I don’t mind doing this division, some of my favorites are sandwiched here. In our featured match-up, lone surviving Pink Floyd song “Another Brick In The Wall” tries to claim the third 1 seed upset of the tourney against Blood On The Tracks lead-off tune, “Tangled Up In Blue.” Bob Dylan is sitting at 1-2; this is his last song of the Round of 128 and only post-Highway 61 Revisited track to make it this far.
Other stories: The Beatles and Michael Jackson may be forever linked to those of us annoyed by our inability last decade to download any of the former on iTunes due to the latter’s ownership of publishing rights (MJ actually left those to McCartney in his will, which is why we can buy them now.) They can duke out any bad blood here: A Day In The Life faces off against Thriller. The always polarizing Bruce Springsteen claimed the only Division I Round of 256 upset last round, and will try to continue to do so versus The Prince of Soul himself. And finally, Eric Clapton is still alive with 3 seed ode to Pattie Boyd (awwwwwkward) up against Petty’s story of driving aimlessly around Los Angeles County- I have a feeling piano patience is going to play a big part in this pairing, this deep into the tourney.
Still alive! After Division F’s “Streets” loss and in the face of elimination, U2 puts together a respectable “With or Without You” performance and knocks The Shins and “New Slang” out of the tournament, 136.85-112.15. Bono and the boys move onto the Round of 64. They’ll be facing off against Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along The Watchtower,” which in turn defeated Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android,” 143.8-107.9. In victory, Watchtower will join the Wall of 10’s with nods from Adrock, Astrid, Colin, Dr J, and The Catholic. In defeat, Android will as well, with nods from Danno as well as new voter Ursula.
Then again, sometimes songs grow on people over the course of a tournament (Example: my S&G “America” score in the 512 was a 3, and in the 256 it was a 9.4.) This morning, “Roll Away Your Stone” had the lead but the balance shifted back to “Thunder Road” through the course of the day- The Boss eliminates Mumford & Sons from the tournament, 120.4-113.2. Springsteen goes to 2-0 this round on songs as well as on appearances on the Wall of 10’s (Nods from Mark O, Janos, and myself. In case no one knew, Mark O is from New Jersey. Just like Bruce Springsteen. They’re both very much from New Jersey.)
Stories of Division H: And his name was Marshall Mathers. Much like Superstition’s 8 seed in Division B, ever since we went to division seedings Lose Yourself hasn’t been acting like it knows it’s an 11 seed. After posting a ridonkulous 8.26 average in the Round of 256 (tops for Division H, 8th highest of all 256 songs) Eminem seeks continuing giant-slayer success. Paul, John, George, and Ringo will try their best to Work It Out, if “it” refers to putting a halt to the real Slim Shady.
Other stories: 1 seed “Baba O’Riley” tries to lay down a teenage wasteland of trouble to Sam Cooke’s insistant stance that love makes it ok to ignore one’s studies. Tom Petty lines up against The Cars in a battle of late 70s sound that blazed a new direction for rock. And finally, Paul Simon wants to call Green Day his bodyguard, but Billy Joe and the boys really just want someone to listen to them whine. 
Take a load off, Fanny! Also, did you guys know that the Nazareth that they are singing about is where the C.F. Martin Guitar company is based. I just stumbled upon 
Division G stories: If this tournament was happening in some theoretical Rock & Roll Heaven concert hall that still-alive contenders got a day pass to visit, I could totally see Jimi Hendrix standing up in the Green Room as the last chords of “Jack and Diane” in Division F finish up in the distance, slinging his guitar over his shoulder, and saying to no one in particular: “Ready to see some shit?” 1 seed “All Along The Watchtower” is coming off of a division-leading 7.91 average in the last round, and lines up against Radiohead’s 8 seed “Paranoid Android.” Radiohead is 1-0 and this is their last Round of 128 song.
Green Day premiers in its first of three appearances with 2 seed hard-rocking “Longview,” but first it will have to get past Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band’s 7 seed classic “Night Moves,” the song that took the boys from local Michigan faves to the national stage. And last, the only song from the last 12 months still alive is Mumford & Sons Macbeth-inspired “Roll Away Your Stone” at an 11 seed. It faces off against Springsteen, who is coming off the biggest and most exciting upset in the tourney so far, and 3 seed “Thunder Road.”
All four of the match-ups in Division E ran very, very close- however, in the end all four top seeds held off their formidable competitors (very formidable, as no song won their match by more than 8 points.) High score went to Bohemian Rhapsody, racking up 123.1 points to 117.35 and defeating In My Life.
Living the Dream 