Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

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BleuPanda
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Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by BleuPanda »

The rules are simple: vote for your favorite in each match below. The winner will move to the next round. The deadline to vote is Thursday, June 16th at 8 P.M. CST. Please listen to these tracks again before voting!

Bracket:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=463761
You can make predictions until sometime on Wednesday if you want!

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
Sade - Smooth Operator

Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger


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BleuPanda
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by BleuPanda »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
Henry Mancini - Moon River
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

Play by Play is my favorite of the week. Something about the rhythm in that song just gets to me. Moon River and Wanna Be Startin' Something are also really fun. The only song I don't care much for is In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Sweepstakes Ron »

BleuPanda wrote:Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll!
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by whuntva »

Hurt

"Play by Play" is good, but not quite good enough. Even though I like the Johnny Cash version more, Reznor's still stands as a good song on its own.

I Want to Know what Love Is

Neither song moved me, but Foreigner did just enough for me to call it "good".

Master of Puppets

One of the greatest metal songs of all time. Kinda bummed it missed the last all-time list after placing fairly high in 2012.

Wanna Be Startin' Something

"Moonlight Serenade" is a pretty good jazz piece, but it had to do a lot more to compete with one of the best tracks from Thriller.

Sweet Thing

Not even close. My favorite Van Morrison song wins by a country mile!

Inna-Gadda-da-Vida

In spite of its length, is one of the catchiest and rockingest songs ever. One live version goes on for more than an hour, and it is awesome!

Moon River

Regardless of version, I give it the win here.

Beautiful Stranger

Good production.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by DaveC »

Sweepstakes Ron wrote:
BleuPanda wrote:Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll!
Great clip.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by bootsy »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Sade - Smooth Operator

Autre ne Veut - Play by Play

Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by babydoll »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt vs. Les Rita Mitsuko - Marcia Baila
Johnny Cash ruined the original version of "Hurt" for me. Plus I never really cared too much for Trent Reznor's vocals in this version.

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is vs. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Foreigner's song just reminds me of the bad '80s music that gets replayed over and over at sporting events and whatnot.

Metallica - Master of Puppets vs. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides, Now
"Master of Puppets" is too long despite some good music by the band and features some of the worst vocals I've heard. I honestly never got how Metallica was praised to the skies.

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade vs. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Now don't get me wrong. I love "Moonlight Serenade" but, damn, "Wanna Be Startin' Something" is something special.

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing vs. Sade - Smooth Operator
"Smooth Operator" is a really good song, but it got gypped by the fact that it went up against Van Morrison. However, I still maintain that "Cypress Avenue" still should've been on here instead of "Sweet Thing".

Autre ne Veut - Play by Play vs. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Both are pretty weak, but there's something memorable about Iron Butterfly's song.

Henry Mancini - Moon River vs. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Brian Eno's song is so good, but I love Henry Mancini's "Moon River". It's such a classic.

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) vs. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
Both were my nominations and it hurts not being able to choose Madonna's song, but it all boils down to the song which is #18 on my all-time favorite songs list as opposed to a song only #203. Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer wrote such a perfect song about that feeling of utter desolation and the unfulfilled need of a friend or companion; there is a reason why this is a standard. Frank Sinatra's vocals give just the right note to make that desolation so utterly painful. Plus the piano. How can you vote against that piano?!
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by luney6 »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

The Nine Inch Nails version of Hurt is better for me, although as a standalone song out of The Downward Spiral's sequence, it sounds a lot weaker. Marcia Baila starts well, but then goes back into the generic repetitive territory.

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

Neither is a very good song. But Cyprus HIll does edge this one.

Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Both songs are strong. But Metallica, on their way to the greatness they would go on to achieve with later albums, wings it.

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Tough competition, as both are almost equals, but Michael Jackson edges it out, despite the irritating repetitiveness.

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
Sade - Smooth Operator

Once again, both songs are fairly good, but Van Morrison reigns superior.

Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Play by Play is a weak song, and it stands no chance here. In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida is one of handful of rock songs that can even try to match the complexity of classical music, especially with the instrumental parts in the middle. The drum solo is one of the few coherent ones that I've heard, and the sublime organ solo after is one of the greatest rock solos ever.

Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

Both are alright

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

One for my baby is a really bland song.
Last edited by luney6 on Fri Jun 10, 2016 10:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Henrik »

luney6 wrote:But Metallica, on their way to the greatness they would go on to achieve with later albums wings it.
That's a comment I didn't expect (at least not the plural) from you. Do you prefer the black album?

Also, "Master of Puppets" was my nomination, but as metal isn't very popular around here I predicted that Joni would win this match-up. Stupid, it seems.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Gillingham »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Bang Jan »

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by luney6 »

Henrik wrote:
luney6 wrote:But Metallica, on their way to the greatness they would go on to achieve with later albums wings it.
That's a comment I didn't expect (at least not the plural) from you. Do you prefer the black album?

Also, "Master of Puppets" was my nomination, but as metal isn't very popular around here I predicted that Joni would win this match-up. Stupid, it seems.
The Black album is also good, but all there progress until then shows on the underrated Load and Reload, which are more intricate and coherent than their earlier albums. I don't understand why those albums are considered so dissappointing. :music-guitarred:
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Henrik »

luney6 wrote:
Henrik wrote:
luney6 wrote:But Metallica, on their way to the greatness they would go on to achieve with later albums wings it.
That's a comment I didn't expect (at least not the plural) from you. Do you prefer the black album?

Also, "Master of Puppets" was my nomination, but as metal isn't very popular around here I predicted that Joni would win this match-up. Stupid, it seems.
The Black album is also good, but all there progress until then shows on the underrated Load and Reload, which are more intricate and coherent than their earlier albums. I don't understand why those albums are considered so dissappointing. :music-guitarred:
Now you reached a whole new level of unexpectation... :D
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by luney6 »

Henrik wrote:
luney6 wrote:
Henrik wrote: That's a comment I didn't expect (at least not the plural) from you. Do you prefer the black album?

Also, "Master of Puppets" was my nomination, but as metal isn't very popular around here I predicted that Joni would win this match-up. Stupid, it seems.
The Black album is also good, but all there progress until then shows on the underrated Load and Reload, which are more intricate and coherent than their earlier albums. I don't understand why those albums are considered so dissappointing. :music-guitarred:
Now you reached a whole new level of unexpectation... :D
Hahaha....well, just calling em as I hear em. :mrgreen:
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Bruno »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Sade - Smooth Operator
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Henry Mancini - Moon River
Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by EmilienDelRey »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by spiritualized »

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila
Ouch, this hurts (excuse the pun) - but I want the first Rita Mitsouko single to get my vote, even though it is a lost cause, probably because NIN is so much more well known through the Downward Spiral. Nonetheless, this is a gem of a wacky 80s hit in France. Les Rita Mitsouko were the French equivalent of Sparks - who they made a collaboration later on with, I think. I disagree with Luney (une fois n'est pas coutume) - the variety of each movement was a bit of a UFO in the 80s pop scene, used to the bone to 3-min standard verse-chorus-verse construction. This song is my youth - and still brings a lot of nostalgia !


Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
Although I particularly like Cypress Hill, this is not one of their best cut. Foreigner's song is a huge guilty pleasure.

Metallica - Master of Puppets
Bored with Joni. Rock on, Lars.

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Both good songs, albeit in a very different style. The sheer energy of Wanna Be Startin Something wins it for MJ.

Sade - Smooth Operator
Another 80s classic, kind memories of slow dancing in school parties...and I am not a fan of the Irish Bard.

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Not hugely impressed by either. I actually dislike Play by Play, so Iron Butterfly squeezes through.

Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Speaking in terms of pure catchiness, Eno's track is up there.

Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
Again, a boring track vs a super-catchy tune.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by deadpacifist »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Henrik »

11. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
6. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

9. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
16. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

1. Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
8. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

2. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
10. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

7. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
3. Sade - Smooth Operator

15. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
14. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

4. Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
13. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

5. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
12. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Romain »

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila
Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
Sade - Smooth Operator
Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)

Except for the second match, I don't have to make a difficult choice. I happy to see some old classics with more recent songs.

Good game BleuPAnda...good game !

P.S. : and Marcia Baila is a pure Gem, it's not one of my choices, but it's a good one.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Nassim »

16 songs I like, though In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida would be a great 4 minute song but doesn't have quite enough ideas to last that long. The finale in particular is disappoiting and doesn't pay off the wait.

2. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
9. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

15. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
7. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

I mostly see Cypress Hill as a party band (with songs like ( Insane in the Brain, When the Shit Goes Down, Throw Your Set in the Air or Dr Green Thumb), so "serious" Cypress is not my favorite, but this is still quite fun !

3. Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
6. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
Like Henrik, I find it unexpected to read someone say Metallica will get better after that, especially when talking about Load and Reload ! Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets are peak Metallica (and peak metal for that matter) for me.

12. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
5. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

4. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
14. Sade - Smooth Operator

1. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
16. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

10. Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
13. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

8. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
11. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by andyd1010 »

I love this site and have been visiting it for years. Finally decided to participate for the first time.

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Not as good as Cash's amazing version, but set the stage for it.

Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Foreigner is such a cheesy '80s band. That style of music gets way too much credit in my opinion. How I Could Just Kill a Man is solid.

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides, Now
Both Sides, Now is beautiful and possibly my favorite Joni Mitchell song. Surprised it's not in the top 1000. Tough matchup. I'm actually a lot more into metal than most people on this site, so Master of Puppets is my favorite song I'm not picking this round

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
One of the best songs of its era. I think Michael Jackson has many better songs than Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Love Van Morrison. Wild Night would have been my first choice of his songs to nominate for this competition, but I'll still take Sweet Thing.

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Great Simpsons reference. I agree that 17 minutes is overkill, but there is plenty of good stuff in there, especially the main riff.

Henry Mancini - Moon River
Beautiful song. One of my favorite instrumentals ever.

Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
I'm nowhere near as big of a Madonna fan as most people on this forum, but this is one of my favorites.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by babydoll »

luney6 wrote:One for my baby is a really bland song.
I'm sorry that you and Spiritualized think that. I feel "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" features plenty of layers of depths. The way he sings, "So set them up, Joe", it's sung with weak confidence, accepting the fact that he's alone and his only friend is alcohol and the bartender that serve them. In fact, the way the song plays out, like Frank wants a friend and tries to keep talking, trying to capture the bartender's attention, and with it, his love. It's painfully aware with the line "Buddy, did you know I'm a sort of poet?" It sounds like a lie only sputtered to strangers all because the sayer wants to feel some worth. At the end, with the "The long...it's all so very long...the long road...it's so long..." (forgive me if I got it messed up), it's like an acceptance that he is now by himself. I think this song probably best captures his feelings about the split from Ava Gardner better than his great album, In the Wee Small Hours, does. With her out of his life, now he has to think about finding a new, albeit temporary, love that will make him forget about her. It was clear he never got over her and he tapped into those feelings on his recording for Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's standard.

The song certainly isn't less bland than "A Day in the Life". But I'm letting my dislike for that song enter a discussion where it has no worth. I think maybe I tend to these old jazz songs which are considered bland by many younger people today because my mother made me watch old movies which featured them. Once you tend to get exposed to them, it probably makes a three-hour listen of Ella Fitzgerald singing the George and Ira Gershwin songbook a lot easier to get to. Maybe you even tend to feel an affection for those recordings like Frank Sinatra's version of this standard due to the content of the lyrics and music themselves. Haha. Look at me rambling.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by acroamor »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

People like to hold up Johnny Cash's cover (for obvious reasons) but they ignore how downright eerie the original is.

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is

I thought this song was a new discovery, until that chorus hit. Oh! This song!

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Perfection, no offense to Metallica

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade

Favorite discovery thus far.

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing

It seems almost unfair to have this song in competition, but then, I suppose I have to see how it fares. The Sade song was a nice discovery though.

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

The drum solo alone could have taken it.

Henry Mancini - Moon River

Lovely, lovely. Between this and the Glenn Miller track, I feel like I need to delve into earlier traditional pop music more.

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)

I must say, I was very surprised to find a song from the second Austin Powers movie in this tourney. It's fine, I guess, but Blue Eyes takes this one.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Bruno »

andyd1010 wrote:I love this site and have been visiting it for years. Finally decided to participate for the first time.
Welcome!
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by luney6 »

babydoll wrote:
luney6 wrote:One for my baby is a really bland song.
I'm sorry that you and Spiritualized think that. I feel "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" features plenty of layers of depths. The way he sings, "So set them up, Joe", it's sung with weak confidence, accepting the fact that he's alone and his only friend is alcohol and the bartender that serve them. In fact, the way the song plays out, like Frank wants a friend and tries to keep talking, trying to capture the bartender's attention, and with it, his love. It's painfully aware with the line "Buddy, did you know I'm a sort of poet?" It sounds like a lie only sputtered to strangers all because the sayer wants to feel some worth. At the end, with the "The long...it's all so very long...the long road...it's so long..." (forgive me if I got it messed up), it's like an acceptance that he is now by himself. I think this song probably best captures his feelings about the split from Ava Gardner better than his great album, In the Wee Small Hours, does. With her out of his life, now he has to think about finding a new, albeit temporary, love that will make him forget about her. It was clear he never got over her and he tapped into those feelings on his recording for Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's standard.

The song certainly isn't less bland than "A Day in the Life". But I'm letting my dislike for that song enter a discussion where it has no worth. I think maybe I tend to these old jazz songs which are considered bland by many younger people today because my mother made me watch old movies which featured them. Once you tend to get exposed to them, it probably makes a three-hour listen of Ella Fitzgerald singing the George and Ira Gershwin songbook a lot easier to get to. Maybe you even tend to feel an affection for those recordings like Frank Sinatra's version of this standard due to the content of the lyrics and music themselves. Haha. Look at me rambling.
It's always nice to read well articluated defences of songs that people like. Upon revisiting the song, I tried to reconsider my original approximation, so here's what I think; To begin with, I am sure it is obvious that there isn't a lot in the way of complex harmonics and melodies hidden within this song, so in that sense at least, it surely is bland. But upon relistening, I paid more attention to the lines you highlighted, and the lyrics (which I generally tend to disregard, unless they specifically stick out well), and I still don't think much of the song. The lyrics aren't great, but they aren't terrible either; in fact, they're probably well above average. Unfortunately, Sinatra's singing is far too monotonous. You mention Ella Fitzergerald in your response, but she displays a range and a voice that Sinatra cannot even begin to match. In that aspect at least, her recordings are much better. As for Sinatra singing with conviction; even that doesn't seem to be the case to me. The video does a better job of giving of that impression, but the song itself doesn't work well enough. I do enjoy the song a little for its structure and melody, but inthe end, there just doesn't seem to be all that much to glean. I do, then, prefer In the Wee small hours of the morning to this. But still, appreciate your response babydoll.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by DaveC »

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Pass

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade

Sade - Smooth Operator

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye
Andy Williams would have won easily.

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
Sinatra usually sounds bored, disinterested and only in the studio on sufferance. At least here he does display a soupcon of emotion. babydoll probably pushed this over the line, although this Madonna song offers little.

Great goal from Dimitri Payet
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spiritualized
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by spiritualized »

DaveC wrote:
Great goal from Dimitri Payet
Hahaha brilliant comment, and I agree :)
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spiritualized
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by spiritualized »

babydoll wrote:
luney6 wrote:One for my baby is a really bland song.
I'm sorry that you and Spiritualized think that. I feel "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" features plenty of layers of depths. The way he sings, "So set them up, Joe", it's sung with weak confidence, accepting the fact that he's alone and his only friend is alcohol and the bartender that serve them. In fact, the way the song plays out, like Frank wants a friend and tries to keep talking, trying to capture the bartender's attention, and with it, his love. It's painfully aware with the line "Buddy, did you know I'm a sort of poet?" It sounds like a lie only sputtered to strangers all because the sayer wants to feel some worth. At the end, with the "The long...it's all so very long...the long road...it's so long..." (forgive me if I got it messed up), it's like an acceptance that he is now by himself. I think this song probably best captures his feelings about the split from Ava Gardner better than his great album, In the Wee Small Hours, does. With her out of his life, now he has to think about finding a new, albeit temporary, love that will make him forget about her. It was clear he never got over her and he tapped into those feelings on his recording for Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's standard.

The song certainly isn't less bland than "A Day in the Life". But I'm letting my dislike for that song enter a discussion where it has no worth. I think maybe I tend to these old jazz songs which are considered bland by many younger people today because my mother made me watch old movies which featured them. Once you tend to get exposed to them, it probably makes a three-hour listen of Ella Fitzgerald singing the George and Ira Gershwin songbook a lot easier to get to. Maybe you even tend to feel an affection for those recordings like Frank Sinatra's version of this standard due to the content of the lyrics and music themselves. Haha. Look at me rambling.
I guess I like my Sinatra more provocative rather than this lounge crooner track. I can easily picture a smoky bar with a solo pianist playing these notes and singing sadly. I am writing this whilst listening to it again...thanks for making me do this babydoll, I love it when someone fights for the music they love. But I happened to be recently listening to a Sinatra track whilst driving to work, much to the despair of my children (not THAT Young, then :)). It was Witchcraft. Now there's a witty, big band-ish tune...and more Sinatra than Frank. It stuck, and sadly this song doesn't really compare :)
Nonetheless, your comments are very interesting, thanks for them, and may our love for these pieces of music last long :)
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by GucciLittlePiggy »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
Sade - Smooth Operator

"Smooth Operator" is a fantastic discovery but it drew a difficult matchup, as "Sweet Thing" is just a gorgeous song.

Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Another incredible matchup, but the new discovery can't hold a candle to an all-time favorite.

Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
I just wanted to be one of those ghosts
You thought that you could forget
And then I haunt you via the rear view mirror
On a long drive from the back seat...
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Jackson »

My favorite thing about this tournament is the randomness of the matchups. Metallica vs. Joni Mitchell? Foreigner vs. Cypress Hill? Autre Ne Veut vs. Iron Butterfly??? This should be fun.

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
Brian Eno - Needles in the Camel's Eye
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger


Sweet Thing and Needles in the Camel's Eye are both in my top 100 all-time, and my two favorites out of this bunch (though I didn't nominate either one). Needles drew a tough matchup in Moon River; if it pulls through here I think it will go another several rounds. I am shocked at the number of people voting for Foreigner!
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by slick »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
--- I've seen NIN in concert 7 times (3 before Spiral) and when they end the show with this it is one of those goosebump type moments you take with you. Brilliant!

Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
--- At the height of 'The Golden Age' this song just took things up a notch... I took over a Hip-Hop show for a semester back in my college radio days and this was always a go-to song to start the show...

Metallica - Master of Puppets
--- If you are ever in a car when this song comes on, immediately the volume goes way up and so does the gas pedal. The rush of adrenaline in genuine!!!

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
--- Tough choice between this or P.Y.T. for favorite song off 'Thriller', bought this on vinyl when I was about 10 years old and wore it out...

Sade - Smooth Operator
--- Sleek, sexy and stands the test of time...

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
--- Pre-metal gem. Amazing riff that sucks you right in. Always prefer the radio edit on playlists because the 17 minute version gets a bit redundant...

Henry Mancini - Moon River
--- To me, weakest matchup of the group...

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
--- Top 5 Sinatra song for me... as soon as you hear it you instantly want a highball in a fancy rocks glass!!!
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Rob »

Question regarding Moon River: which version are we talking about? I see the playlist has the one sung by Audrey Hepburn, but the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany's contains another track with the same title that mostly instrumental and doesn't feature Hepburn. To me the difference is significant as I love the instrumental track and consider it one of the best songs in this competition, while the Hepburn take does very little for me and would struggle to get past even the Eno track. Of course the original AM list doesn't state a version, so I guess we could be free to choose our favorite, but we might all end up voting for a different song.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by BleuPanda »

Hm, I honestly have no idea about Moon River.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by EmilienDelRey »

Honorio has nominated the version without Hepburn' vocals:
Honorio wrote:24 hours more, so...

Henry Mancini "Moon River" (#1208)

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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Honorio »

Well, "Moon River" is my nomination and, to make things even more complicated, in fact there are three versions on the movie, one instrumental and two vocals:
a) The only one originally released in 1961 as a single and opening the soundtrack album of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" can be labelled as the "choral version" as it's instrumental until 1:16 but then joined by a choir that sings the lyrics. In the movie the final part of this version (with a more overblown backing) appears in the last scene of the movie.
b) The instrumental version is THE SAME that the choral version but with the choir not singing the lyrics but a wordless melody. In the movie it appears during the opening credits. Not released officially until 2011, opening the 50th Anniversary Special Edition.
c) The vocal version sung by Audrey Hepburn was not released officially until 1993 as part of the album "Music from the films of Audrey Hepburn."

The versions in the movie:
Opening scene
Window scene
Closing scene

And on Spotify:

Choral version (originally released in 1961):


Vocal version (originally released in 1993):


Instrumental version (originally released in 2011):


(Note: even if these songs were not discographically released they can't be considered unrealeased because there were known to the audience as there were shown in the movie, obviously)

So the original is the choral version (and the one that probably appears on AM) but it's the one I like the least. My favourite would be the Audrey Hepburn vocal version but I also love the haunting instrumental version. But probably you can vote for whatever version you like, as long as you prefer it to the Brian Eno song…
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by sonofsamiam »

5. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
13. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

15. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
14. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

1. Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
8. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

9. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
6. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

10. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
12. Sade - Smooth Operator

11. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
16. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

4. Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
2. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

3. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
7. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

"Moon River" really got a tough draw...
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by antonius »

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida
Henry Mancini - Moon River
pass
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by babydoll »

DaveC wrote: Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
Sinatra usually sounds bored, disinterested and only in the studio on sufferance. At least here he does display a soupcon of emotion. babydoll probably pushed this over the line, although this Madonna song offers little.
I actually don't feel I pushed the song far enough. Anyway, I also disagree with the fact that you said the Madonna song offers little. I think it's one of the most important songs in her career and of the '90s. We all know about the critical success she had working with William Orbit on her now classic Ray of Light, so she decided to work with him again on the song "Beautiful Stranger". What is offered here is one of the brightest songs of pop ever. William Orbit's electronic production works majestically with Madonna's vocals on her. In fact, I'd like to call this song a sort of cross between her three biggest peaks, "Like a Virgin", "Into the Groove", and "Ray of Light". The "Ray of Light" part is clearly audible in the vocals and the production while the production is clearly inspired by the dancemania known as "Into the Groove", and maybe Love's "She Comes in Colors" but that's a different story. The lyrics are simple and sing about an otherworldly love like "Like a Virgin" does. The way the song builds up to its majestic chorus comprising of only "da-da-dum-da-da/beautiful stranger/da-da-dum-da-da/beautiful stranger" is quite magical especially when Madonna flirts and earnestly dreams about love in the lines, "To know him is to love him" and "To love him is to be a part of him", exposing a naiveté opposite to what we obviously know about Madonna. In this sense, the song is a twist on Madonna's public persona, just like the Ray of Light album had been. Oh, but that is not to say that this song is a naïve Madge. She clearly also flirts with the beautiful stranger, maybe treating him as a temporary Adonis in her life, adding him to the long string of lovers she already has. Ray of Light featured themes of maternity, "Beautiful Stranger" returns to the likes of "Into the Groove" and Erotica, tossing aside the stigma of being a mother, and be willing to live life dancing along to the rhythm of the music the DJ happens to be playing and ending up in bed with whoever. However she exposes her vulnerability inside, by revealing to be willing to devote her body to the beautiful stranger, and believes she'll uncompromisingly love him for an entire night. In this sense, we return to the theme of "Like a Virgin" where she sings of feeling "like a virgin/touched for the first time" with a certain man in a certain time in a certain position. Essentially, what the song is looking forward to her upcoming album, Music, but also reflecting on the present where she's in touch with her feelings (Ray of Light), and looking back to her sexual and clubbing past ("Like a Virgin", "Into the Groove").
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Henry »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now (close call)

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something (another tough call)

Sade - Smooth Operator

Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Henry Mancini - Moon River

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Honorio »

9. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
11. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

16. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
13. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

12. Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
8. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

2. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
3. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

4. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
7. Sade - Smooth Operator

15. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
14. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

1. Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
5. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

6. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
10. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
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Rob
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Rob »

Honorio wrote:Well, "Moon River" is my nomination and, to make things even more complicated, in fact there are three versions on the movie, one instrumental and two vocals:
a) The only one originally released in 1961 as a single and opening the soundtrack album of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" can be labelled as the "choral version" as it's instrumental until 1:16 but then joined by a choir that sings the lyrics. In the movie the final part of this version (with a more overblown backing) appears in the last scene of the movie.
b) The instrumental version is THE SAME that the choral version but with the choir not singing the lyrics but a wordless melody. In the movie it appears during the opening credits. Not released officially until 2011, opening the 50th Anniversary Special Edition.
c) The vocal version sung by Audrey Hepburn was not released officially until 1993 as part of the album "Music from the films of Audrey Hepburn."
Thanks for the clarification. The choral one is the version I'm most familiar with. It's some time ago since I last seen Breakfast at Tiffany's, but even before that I knew Moon River from a CD I own with 100 collected movie tunes. That's were I fell in love with Moon River and it was the choral version that was included. It's the one that would decide my vote in this game from now on. Both the choral and the instrumental would win from Eno at the moment, with ease. Hepburn still wouldn't. The song works very well in the movie because of its use en the mood it sets, but without the film context I think it is far less powerful. I notice more that Hepburn isn't the greatest of singers. Strangely, I also prefer the big orchestration of the instrumental versions. That's not usually my taste, but here it befits the big romanticism of the song. It's done very, very well.

But I'll vote later. I want to hear all the songs one more time, probably Tuesday.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by jamieW »

3. Nine Inch Nails – Hurt 8
vs.
10. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila 7

8. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is 8
vs.
15. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man 7
I think I have more musical guilty pleasures than normal pleasures (especially from my youth). Foreigner is another one of these, and this isn’t even one of my favorite songs by them.

4. Metallica - Master of Puppets 8
vs.
7. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now 8

1. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade 10
vs.
16. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something 6
I’m sad to see “Moonlight Serenade” getting crushed by MJ here. I don’t dislike “WBSS” by any means, but it’s still third from last off “Thriller” for me, behind only “The Lady In My Life” (which is still okay) and “The Girl Is Mine” (which I’d best not comment on). Conversely, “Moonlight Serenade” is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. It always makes me feel nostalgic for a time over 30 years before my birth.

12. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing 7
vs.
9. Sade - Smooth Operator 8

11. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play 7
vs.
6. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida 8

2. Henry Mancini - Moon River 9
vs.
13. Brian Eno – Needle’s in the Camel's Eye 7

5. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road) 8
vs.
14. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger 7

What a tremendous lists of nominees to start this game! (Only one song I give below a 7.) When comparing these to the lower-ranked songs on AM that we’re going through right now, it shows once again why I look to the AM forum for recommendations before the critics!
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by DaveC »

babydoll wrote: I also disagree with the fact that you said the Madonna song offers little.
It is always good when someone comes to the spirited defence of a song. If I had the gift for writing, In-a-gadda-da-vida - verily the mitochondrial DNA of heavy-metal - would get the treatment. I find that with novels & films, head & heart each contribute to overall appreciation, whilst with music the heart tends to dominate. If the song fails to elicit a positive emotional response, then other virtues don't really help. So, I can dislike songs by my favourite artists (rare with novels), and also understand why others dislike In-a-gadda-da-vida despite it's influence in music history. The good news is that it is always worth giving songs & albums another chance because reactions do change. Over the years, Moonlight Serenade has changed from boring background music for oldies to a piece of music I greatly enjoy (#17 in my evolving <1950 list), so "Beautiful Stranger" is not written off, just not yet properly appreciated.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Toni »

4. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
7. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

16. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
6. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

14. Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
9. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

10. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
2. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

3. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
1. Sade - Smooth Operator

11. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
13. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

12. Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
5. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

8. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
15. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

It promises to be a great game. In fact, for this first week, there's no really bad song among the sixteen.
Dificult to vote against Marcia Baila and, specially, Sweet Thing.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Rob »

12. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
11. Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

Don't be fooled by the low rankings for this week by this pair: these are solid songs. The competition is just much higher. I think Hurt accomplishes a lot, but never quite keeps my attention through the whole running. Marcia Baila is less unique, but always fun.

10. Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
9. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

Two very catchy songs, in a different way. I Want to Know What Love Is is glorious power pop, but Cypress Hill come with something more unexpected.

3. Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
4. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

The toughest match-up of the week. Both songs work on such different levels that a choosing between them seems like an exercise in silliness. I'm very much in a rock mood the past few weeks, so that might be why Metallica wins.

6. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
13. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Finally, not a close match-up. Wanna Be Startin' Something is a good dance song and after Billie Jean my favorite track from Thriller. But I don't care for Thriller at all. I do, however, find myself appreciating the sounds of big band like the one by Glenn Miller more and more. Moonlight Serenade is just lovely and it would be nice to see a song of this type advance in a game every once in a while.

7. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
5. Sade - Smooth Operator

I feel guilty of letting an artist I admire as much as Van Morrison down in the first round, especially for a type of song that at first sight doesn't seem my cup of tea. But me and Smooth Operator go back a long way and old love dies hard. It also holds up beautifully and it retains a sort of noir mood, even underneath all the polish.

16. Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
1. Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

As easy a match-up as they come. I shouldn't have been surprised to read that some people might think 17 minutes of In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida is a bit much, but I still was. Personally, I'm enthralled through its whole running time. There is actually enough variation to keep it fresh. Play by Play on the other hand is completely forgettable for me.

2. Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
15. Brian Eno - Needle in the Camel's Eye

In the end I think I would have even voted for the Hepburn version of Moon River over Needle in the Camel's Eye. I'm rather big on Eno, but mostly his period starting from Another Green World. This song just never really comes to life for me, whereas Moon River is magic, especially in the choral version.

8. Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
14. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

Madonna is one of my least favorite acclaimed artists. Beautiful Stranger is an okay song though. Still no match for Sinatra's melancholy.
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Sweepstakes Ron »

Hurt
How I Could Just Kill a Man
Master of Puppets (why must I betray Joni like this?)
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Sweet Thing (this one was incredibly close)
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Needles in the Camel's Eye
Beautiful Stranger
Splish splash, I was raking in the cash
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by BleuPanda »

last day to vote
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by Krurze »

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
vs.
Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
vs.
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man

This was as close as it gets. Before listening to these, I thought I'd vote for Cypress Hill because of my memories attached to playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but as far as cheesy power ballads go, I Want to Know What Love Is is definitely among the top of the bunch.

Metallica - Master of Puppets
vs.
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade
vs.
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Something

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
vs.
Sade - Smooth Operator

Autre ne Veut - Play by Play
vs.
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida

Henry Mancini - Moon River
vs.
Brian Eno - Needles in the Camel's Eye

Frank Sinatra - One for My Baby (And One for the Road)
vs.
Madonna - Beautiful Stranger
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Re: Overlooked Songs: Round 1 Week 1

Post by BleuPanda »

Wow, 29 votes! I believe that's more than any week of Best of the B-Sides.
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