Welcome to Games 11 and 12 of the Ultimate Pop Song Tournament!
These games are  CLOSED. (HERE ARE THE OPEN GAMES)
To see the complete bracket, just go here. For info on how we chose the songs and everything else Tournament-related, go here.
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Prepare ye: British rockers shall face an American who seems kind of British, and the standard bearer of contemporary American folk-rock shall face off with mouthy chicks.
Game 11 (Deep Feelings Division)
“Viva La Vida” (Coldplay) v. “Voices Carry” (‘Til Tuesday)
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5. “Viva La Vida” (Coldplay)
Coldplay often dances on the line between stately and boring, but here, where they build a song around strings and strings and more strings, they get it just right. The track is elegant and exciting, and because it fully commits to the Ren-Faire grandeur of layered harmonies and crashing drums, bursting forth with sincerity instead of the ironic remove that often tarnishes the beauty of alt-rock, it provokes a uniquely emotional reaction. No hit song before or since sounds exactly like it, which further clarifies its achievement. – Mark
12. “Voices Carry” (‘Til Tuesday)
Whenever the world seems so insane that you think it’s time to build a condo on Mars, remember that Aimee Mann—awesome, awesome Aimee Mann—had a top ten single. The lead singer of ‘Til Tuesday, she wrote the band’s specific, engrossing songs and quickly identified herself as one of the smartest cookies on the radio. In “Voices Carry,” listen to her descriptions of a verbally abusive relationship, how it makes her feel belittled and foolish, and you’ll feel like you’re listening to a real person. The story is echoed by the structure of the song, which begins quietly then builds to a shouted-out final section. She will NOT keep it down, damn you! She will be heard! And she will sing in a crowded theater, even if it embarrasses you! – Mark
Game 12 (Deep Feelings Division)
“Fast Car” (Tracy Chapman) v. “Not Ready to Make Nice” (Dixie Chicks)
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4. “Fast Car” (Tracy Chapman)
Few moments in pop music are more satisfying than the first chorus of “Fast Car.” T-Chap’s been detailing the sad facts of her life and her relationship, and musically, the gentle guitar and percussion have been as melancholy as her tale. But when her boyfriend drives her around, the tempo increases, her voice hits high notes… the song breaks free. Then, of course, her dead-end life comes back into focus for another sad verse. Every time the chorus returns thereafter, it’s bittersweet: a reminder that escape for this narrator is only temporary, but the dream of escape is perpetual. – Mark
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13. “Not Ready to Make Nice” (Dixie Chicks)
I named this the very best song of the Aughts, and I stand by my choice, as it’s the only hit song from the decade that doubles as a political action. The Chicks rebuke the small-minded fools who threatened them for dissing the president, even though they know it means losing fans and revenue, and even better, they do it with brilliantly written, sonically thrilling material. The high point is the bridge, which piercingly expresses anger and vulnerability. – Mark
25 responses so far ↓
1 Chris // Jul 26, 2011 at 12:23 pm
That is one of the Chicks best songs. Too bad the whole bruhaha destroyed the band. They had such talent.
2 Maggie // Jul 26, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Ok, here are some match-ups that will let me sleep tonight. I have loved the Dixie Chicks for 13 years, and I am so proud of “Not Ready to Make Nice.” (Even though I had nothing to do with it.) I will vote with the Dixie Chicks all the way.
And I’m not sure whether I voted for “Voices Carry” as much as I voted against Coldplay, but it is a great song.
3 jessica // Jul 26, 2011 at 12:32 pm
I love the Chicks, and this is probably the best song they’ve ever written (out of many, many unbelievably good, clever songs). It won’t win against Fast Car, I bet, but it gets my vote now and forever.
4 InfoMofo // Jul 26, 2011 at 12:34 pm
I’ve never been that big a fan of Voices Carry, but I’ve never HATED it, so it gets my vote I guess.
5 Hebby // Jul 26, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Fast Car vs Not Ready To Make is just pitting an old love against a new love, and they’re both songs-of-my-heart. I’m picking Not Ready To make Nice, not because I love it more, but because right now, I need that song to be in heart more than Fast Car.
6 Emily // Jul 26, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Wow. So *that’s* something I never thought would happen. I just voted for a song I heard for the first time today over a song from one of my favorite albums of my teenage years. Nicely played, Dixie Chicks.
7 Mark Blankenship // Jul 26, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Whoa, Emily! That’s wild. Part of my hope for this tournament was that it would introduce people to new songs. Score one for Dixie Chicks!
8 Mark Blankenship // Jul 26, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Jessica and Maggie — Chicks/Chapman is a super-tough call for me. I still haven’t decided whom to vote for. Glad we share the “NRTMN” love, though.
Chris — But they’re getting back together, RIGHT? RIGHT?!?! I have to believe that to get through the day.
9 Roommate Joe // Jul 26, 2011 at 1:17 pm
I voted for “Viva La Vida” because I figured nobody else would. Hating Coldplay being an Olympic sport and all.
10 Maggie // Jul 26, 2011 at 1:17 pm
An “indefinite hiatus” is better than a break-up…
11 Dan Turner // Jul 26, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Gold Medalist in Hating Coldplay AND Avoiding Beiber, thank you! USA! USA! USA!
12 Chris // Jul 26, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Mark – Oh I’m sure they’ll get back together someday. Doesn’t everybody? After all, Courtyard Hounds didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Further proof that Emily and Marty can’t top the charts without Natalie. They couldn’t back in the early 90′s before her (when they were a bizarre, hard-core Western-bluegrass band) , and they won’t until she comes back.
13 Kitty // Jul 26, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Easiest set of match-ups yet for me. Thank god. I needed an easy decision after the torture of “Time After Time” vs. “Total Eclipse of the Heart”.
Viva La Vida and Fast Car easily.
14 Nathaniel R // Jul 26, 2011 at 4:10 pm
FAST CAR sure was a total moment when it arrived but i have to go with Dixie Chicks. That song just thrills me. it feels like someone congratulating themselves without bragging but with earned righteousness. just love it.
15 Jeff C // Jul 26, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Voices Carry is a tremendous song. Great songwriting with perfect 80′s atmospherics.
The Dixie Chicks are/were a country group. End of story – unless we’re going to include Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, and Carrie Underwood.
16 Mark Blankenship // Jul 26, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Hi Jeff — Ooh, gauntlet thrown! But yeah… Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood could definitely be considered. “Breathe” was the biggest hit of 2000, in terms of weeks in the top ten, and “Before He Cheats” crossed over to pop radio with a gusto. Similarly, “Not Ready To Make Nice” peaked at #4 on the Hot 100, won Grammys for Record and Song of the Year, and got more airplay from rock radio than it did from country radio (who has pretty much dropped the group forever, it seems.) So long as song fits the criteria for inclusion, then I’m happy to call it pop.
And don’t forget: “9 to 5: is in the tournament, too, and it hit #1 on the Hot 100 and the country chart.
17 adam807 // Jul 26, 2011 at 8:49 pm
I actually love “Vida La Vida.” Seriously. That insane orchestration? But it can’t hold a candle to “Voices Carry,” which has such an amazing theatrical build. And as we discussed perhaps too much on Twitter today, if sung by a man without changing any words, it instantly becomes about a gay man and his closeted/married lover. There are other songs in other matchups that I love more, but I’ll have a hard time voting against Aimee down the line.
18 Sadie // Jul 26, 2011 at 9:42 pm
“Voices Carryâ€. Wow, just watching that video again was awesome and empowering. Go Aimee!
“Fast Car†Maybe unpopular (based on comments so far) but this is a Great pop song. I’ve gone through times of my life where I had this on a loop. I eee I.
19 Jeff C // Jul 26, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Mark, I take it all back, if we get to keep 9 to 5.
20 Mark Blankenship // Jul 26, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Hi Sadie! Thanks so much for joining the conversation. I just looked, and “Fast Car” (which I love, by the way) is now officially kicking Dixie Chick butt. Somebody out there totally agrees with you. And I mean, I do, too. I want to send explanatory notes to all the songs I don’t vote for, telling them I still love them.
21 Jessica // Jul 27, 2011 at 12:29 am
I think I like ‘Voices Carry’ better as a song/video combo, rather than just the song. I went with ‘Viva La Vida.’
And ‘Fast Car’ is one of my favorite songs of all time. I’ll be sticking with that one for a few rounds at least, if it makes it that far.
22 Brett // Jul 27, 2011 at 11:31 am
I couldn’t decide between Tracy and the Dixie Chicks. So I voted for Tracy at home and the Chicks today at work.
23 Guy Lodge // Jul 27, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Has it become as mandatory to hate Coldplay in the US as it is in the UK? I always find myself sticking up for them as expert purveyors of clear-eyed, melodic heart-rock — which is why it pains me that you chose “Viva La Vida”, their one single that I do think is cynical, pompous tripe. I pretended it was “Yellow” or “In My Place” and threw them a vote anyway.
24 Sadie // Jul 28, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Yes, Guy, everyone I know hates Coldplay.
25 robot // Jul 28, 2011 at 1:08 pm
never heard the coldplay song before or even heard of aimee mann ?
aimee had a better song over all I guess, cold play’s arrangement was really boring and flat
I don’t care about either of these and they will probably loose in the next round
it’s the University of Minnesota vs Oklahoma City College of the NCAA tourney, no one cares…
tracy chapman is gaia the earth mother done right, and she plays bass! the dixie chicks song was boring, I guess their feelings were hurt because they were an anti war country group and apparently country fans like wars (and losing them)
voted Tracy
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