ROCK WARS 16 (70's Songs): Round 1, Match 41

[DTM]

Okay boys and girls, here we have 128 of our favorite songs from the 70's, from some of our favorite artists, which will be pitted against one another, Match by Match, Round by Round, weeding them all out until they get to the FINAL MATCH, which will have our two favorite showtunes face against one another to see which one emerges as Grand Champion of our latest Rock Wars!

As always, this TOC should be voted using a very simple criteria, which song do YOU like more, which do YOU feel you would rather listen to, and which would YOU say is ultimately more deserving to move on. Easy.

Pretty basic really. Songs are matched up, you all vote on the one you like more, the winner goes to the Next Round, and we do this over and over again until the Rounds are Over. I do ask that you all give objective opinions and votes here, listening to all songs and arguments here within this TOC with an open mind, beginning to end, and base your honest votes from that.

You know the drill by now, as always I ask that you please listen to each song again with each new match before voting. Thanks all.

So without further adieu, let’s get started with the Next match of many matches to come, in HCRs latest Rock Wars, Favorite 70's Song!

I now give you:


LIVING FOR THE CITY
(Stevie Wonder) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc0XEw4m-3w)

vs.

LIKE A HURRICANE
(Neil Young) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MOQw2G6zUo)


So what say you all - which of these songs will move onto the Next Round, and which will be as dead as disco?


Previous Match Results:

ROUND 1

Cat's In The Cradle (Harry Chapin) vs. Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd):
Cat's In The Cradle (Harry Chapin) (12 - 7)
Oh What A Night! (December 1963) (Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons) vs. Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie):
Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie) (11 - 9)
Killer Queen (Queen) vs. Dancing Queen (ABBA):
Killer Queen (Queen) (10 - 8)
YMCA (The Village People) vs. Maggie May (Rod Stewart):
Maggie May (Rod Stewart) (12 - 4)
Bat Out Of Hell (Meat Loaf) vs. Blinded By The Light (Manfred Mann):
Blinded By The Light (Manfred Mann) (11 - 8)
Highway To Hell (AC/DC) vs. Fire And Rain (James Taylor):
Fire And Rain (James Taylor (10 - 10) - Winner Randomly Chosen
Surrender (Cheap Trick) vs. The Joker (The Steve Miller Band):
Surrender (Cheap Trick) (10 - 9)
Takin' Care Of Business (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) vs. Somebody To Love (Queen):
Somebody To Love (Queen) (15 - 3)
Folk Song (Jack Bruce) vs. Night Moves (Bob Seger):
Night Moves (Bob Seger) (16 - 3)
I'm Not In Love (10cc) vs. Annie's Song (John Denver):
I'm Not In Love (10cc) (10 - 8)
Passenger (Iggy Pop) vs. Without You (Harry Nilsson):
Without You (Harry Nilsson) (9 - 8)
Chiquitita (ABBA) vs. Heart Of Glass (Blondie):
Heart Of Glass (Blondie) (13 - 3)
Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty) vs. If I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman):
Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty) (12 - 6)
If You Want To Sing Out (Cat Stevens) vs. Mandy (Barry Manilow):
Mandy (Barry Manilow) (12 - 6)
American Pie (Don McLean) vs. Cool For Cats (Squeeze):
American Pie (Don McLean) (17 - 2)
The Logical Song (Supertramp) vs. Old Time Rock And Roll (Bob Seger):
The Logical Song (Supertramp) (11 - 8)
(Don't Fear) The Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult) vs. Pretty Vacant (The Sex Pistols):
(Don't Fear) The Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult) (16 - 4)
Sails Of Charon (The Scorpions) vs. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin):
Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) (15 - 3)
Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton) va. It's A Long Way To The Top (AC/DC):
It's A Long Way To The Top (AC/DC) (10 - 9)
Great White Buffalo (Ted Nugent) vs. Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas):
Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas) (18 - 2)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John) vs. Nothing From Nothing (Billy Preston):
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John) (16 - 5)
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who) vs. Tuesday's Gone (Lynyrd Skynyrd):
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who) (14 - 7)
Excitable Boy (Warren Zevon) vs. Just When I Needed You Most (Randy Van Warmer):
Excitable Boy (Warren Zevon) (13 - 8)
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me (Linda Ronstadt) vs. Ma Baker (Boney M):
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me (Linda Ronstadt) (16 - 5)
Joy To The World (Three Dog Night) vs. Take It To The Limit (The Eagles):
Joy To The World (Three Dog Night) (15 - 5)
Radar Love (Golden Earring) vs. Dream/Joey (Pretty Things):
Radar Love (Golden Earring) (16 - 4)
Such A Night (Dr. John) vs. Jealous Guy (John Lennon):
Jealous Guy (John Lennon) (10 - 9)
Train In Vain (The Clash) vs. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac):
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) (10 - 10) - Winner Randomly Chosen
You're So Vain (Carly Simon) vs. I Wanna Be Sedated (The Ramones):
You're So Vain (Carly Simon) (12 - 10)
Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel) vs. Knock On Wood (Ammi Stewart):
Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel) (12 - 8)
Dream On (Aerosmith) vs. You're No Good (Linda Rondstadt):
Dream On (Aerosmith) (16 - 5)
Thick As A Brick (Jethro Tull) vs. A Little More Love (Olivia Newton-John):
Thick As A Brick (Jethro Tull) (10 - 9)
Country Roads (John Denver) vs. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor):
Country Roads (John Denver) (15 - 5)
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad (Meat Loaf) vs. Message In A Bottle (The Police):
Message In A Bottle (The Police) (10 - 10) - Winner Randomly Chosen
Name Of The Game (ABBA) vs. Back In The Saddle (Aerosmith):
Name Of The Game (ABBA) (12 - 6)
Paranoid (Black Sabbath) vs. My Clone Sleeps Alone (Pat Benatar):
Paranoid (Black Sabbath) (11 - 6)
Jolene (Dolly Parton) vs. Bad Girls (Donna Summer):
Jolene (Dolly Parton) (15 - 5)
Search And Destroy (The Stooges) vs. Macho Man (The Village People):
Search And Destroy (The Stooges) (12 - 10)
Firth Of Fifth (Genesis) vs. Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground):
Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground) (13 - 9)
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Billy Joel) vs. I Feel Love (Donna Summer):
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Billy Joel) (11 - 9)
Living For The City (Stevie Wonder) vs. Like A Hurricane (Neil Young):
??????????




PREVIOUS ROCK WARS WINNERS:

Favourite Band/Group – The Beatles
Favourite Solo Artist – David Bowie
Favourite Song – Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite Movie Song – Don’t You Forget About Me
Favourite Album – Led Zeppelin IV
Favourite Christmas Song – White Christmas
Favourite James Bond Theme – Goldfinger
Favourite Cover Song - Piece Of My Heart
Favourite One Hit Wonder - Mickey
Favourite TV Theme - Danger Man
Favourite Across The Universe Song - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Favourite Michael Jackson Song - Billie Jean
Favourite Duet - Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Favourite Glee (TV Show) – My Life Would Suck Without You
Favourite Showtunes - Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In
Favourite 50s / 60s - Fortunate Son
Favourite 70s - ??????????

[Surfer13]

Go ahead and mark me down for Like a Hurricane.

This one is pretty close for me. Neither a huge favorite, but both pretty good.

[readyeddy?]

Living For the City is a great Stevie Wonder song, but I have to stick with my favorite Neil Young song:

Like A Hurricane

[flyingicarus]

I'd almost call this one a tie for me, pressed for one I've gotten into Stevie Wonder's 70s stuff lately so "Living For the City" earns my vote.

[DTM]

Im going with Living For The City, as I do like me some Stevie, and Im not a fan of Neil Young really.

[phantalien]

I have to go with Stevie Wonder on this one.

[Gargantua]

I think I'll join the Living for the City crowd here.

[incredible]

LIKE A HURRICANE
(Neil Young)

[songwriterz]

To me this is a definitive 70s song. I was growing up in Memphis at the time and my parents moved twice to stop the city from busing me and my sister deeper and deeper into the city. I felt for the black community, I really did, but there was just sooooo much tension that some days it overrode everything else. Those who lived through it can appreciate it. Those who came afterwards just really can't. This song, IMO, really sums alot of that tension and emotion up for me. That is why I nominated "Living For the City" and hope that it advances.

[VelvetGuru9]

Stevie Wonder's Innervisions as a whole is a work of incredible proportions, and maybe Neil Young himself would concede that. BUT, this is song vs song and Like a Hurricane is such a visual song.

There are introspective and thought provoking lyrics, but I love when someone paints a picture through words. Like when Neil writes this:

Once I thought I saw you
in a crowded hazy bar,
Dancing on the light
from star to star.

That's so damned good, but Neil gives you thought provoking too:

I am just a dreamer,
but you are just a dream

Then the guitar solo comes in and bangs you over the head. I love Stevie and I love Neil, but this one has to go to Neil. I think I'll have a good day just because my morning started with this and it's message gives me hope.

[AlienFlanders]

LIKE A HURRICANE gets my vote.

[soxolas]

There are introspective and thought provoking lyrics, but I love when someone paints a picture through words. Like when Neil writes this:

Once I thought I saw you
in a crowded hazy bar,
Dancing on the light
from star to star.

That's so damned good, but Neil gives you thought provoking too:

I am just a dreamer,
but you are just a dream

Then the guitar solo comes in and bangs you over the head. I love Stevie and I love Neil, but this one has to go to Neil. I think I'll have a good day just because my morning started with this and it's message gives me hope.

I have a friend who operates on his ID -- i.e., Impossible Dilemmas -- forever asking others to make hypothetical choices that are always difficult and almost as often uncomfortable ("You're in a lifeboat with Lennon and McCartney, and you're the one who has to decide how to lighten the load or you'll all perish. Which of the two goes overboard?").

If I didn't know better, I'd think he devised this match.

As it is, "Living for the City" becomes my anthem on those occasions when I find myself navigating Eighth Avenue, walking to/from Penn Station in NYC.

But there are reasons why, if I could be just one person who is/was a recording artist and possess their gifts, that person would be Neil Young --- same today as he's always been.

"Like a Hurricane" is just one of those reasons and I couldn't explain it any better than VG9.

Like a Hurricane to advance, please.:cool:

[lensnart]

Even though the Neil Young song is the longer of the two, Stevie's song felt a lot longer to me. Obviously both have their merits, but Neil is more my style.

And I have to agree about the guitar solo. With a lot of 70's and 80's rock it feels like a solo is just tacked on to fit the recipe and I almost dread it, but the solo's in this song are the song to the point where more is expressed with the guitar than the lyrics.

Like A Hurricane

[MSU]

Like a hurricane for me

[DTM]

LIKE A HURRICANE
(Neil Young) - 8 votes

LIVING FOR THE CITY
(Stevie Wonder) - 5 votes

[KiwiGirl]

Going with Living For The City here.

[EmperorNorton]

Like a Hurricane gets my vote.

[hail_eris]

Like a Hurricane to advance!

[drfate98]

To me this is a definitive 70s song. I was growing up in Memphis at the time and my parents moved twice to stop the city from busing me and my sister deeper and deeper into the city. I felt for the black community, I really did, but there was just sooooo much tension that some days it overrode everything else. Those who lived through it can appreciate it. Those who came afterwards just really can't. This song, IMO, really sums alot of that tension and emotion up for me. That is why I nominated "Living For the City" and hope that it advances.

Hometown boy! I went to Trezevant High in Frazier for the 10th grade, living there from 4 years old through 10th grade. Was there when Dr. King was shot, which was neither the beginning nor the end of the tensions. My first vague awareness of racism came when I was 5 years old and saw black kids turned away from the zoo because it wasn't the one day of the week when blacks were allowed in. I guess the small beginning of my intolerance for intolerance, and why I eventually went to a Quaker college. Anyway, I understand your vote and understand a little of the experiences.

On to the songs. There are Stevie Wonder songs that I like better than Neil Young's performance here. But this is one of the best songs that Neil Young has done, and I have to go with it. Love the guitar solos, and (irrelevant but gorgeous) pictures of Zooey Deschanel in the video. Sorry, I would have voted for Neil Young anyway, but Zooey didn't hurt.

Like a Hurricane to advance, please.

[drfate98]

I have a friend who operates on his ID -- i.e., Impossible Dilemmas -- forever asking others to make hypothetical choices that are always difficult and almost as often uncomfortable ("You're in a lifeboat with Lennon and McCartney, and you're the one who has to decide how to lighten the load or you'll all perish. Which of the two goes overboard?")........

The correct answer is "Coward, you jump out yourself for the good of music and humanity".
.
.
.
Then you realize how cold it is, and swim back to pull Paul overboard.

[soxolas]

The correct answer is "Coward, you jump out yourself for the good of music and humanity".
.
.
.
Then you realize how cold it is, and swim back to pull Paul overboard.

I forgot to add that he reserves the right to yell "COP OUT!" for precisely that kind of answer.

Well, the first part of it, anyway...:cool:

[lurker]

Like a Hurricane gets my vote

[DTM]

OK, our currently Still Open matches are as follows:

41. Like A Hurricane leads Living For The City by 6 votes (12 - 6)
42. Free Electric Band leads Boogie Wonderland by 5 votes (11 - 6)
43. Dark Lady leads The End Of The World by 4 votes (11 - 7)
44. Transmission leads The Ripper by 1 vote (8 - 7)

So as always I ask Anyone who has yet to vote on Any of these matches to please do so:

41. Grinner, Magnito, JKLantern
42. Grinner, hail eris, Magnito, JKLantern
43. phantalien, Grinner, JKLantern
44. Gargantua, Grinner, lurker, Magnito, JKLantern, soxolas

Thanks.

[JKLantern]

Living for the City. Neil Young's voice irritates me for some reason.

[Grinner]

OK, our currently Still Open matches are as follows:

41. Like A Hurricane leads Living For The City by 6 votes (12 - 6)
42. Free Electric Band leads Boogie Wonderland by 5 votes (11 - 6)
43. Dark Lady leads The End Of The World by 4 votes (11 - 7)
44. Transmission leads The Ripper by 1 vote (8 - 7)

So as always I ask Anyone who has yet to vote on Any of these matches to please do so:

41. Grinner, Magnito, JKLantern
42. Grinner, hail eris, Magnito, JKLantern
43. phantalien, Grinner, JKLantern
44. Gargantua, Grinner, lurker, Magnito, JKLantern, soxolas

Thanks.

Okay, now THAT looks more like it :grin:

[Grinner]

Living for the City. Neil Young's voice irritates me for some reason.

Gotta agree here.

Living for the City to advance