Welcome to Games 17 and 18 of the Ultimate Pop Song Tournament!
These games are CLOSED.  (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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Welcome to the Rock Warrior division. In this corner, we’ve got a hell of a lot of swagger, and over here, we’ve got even more (albeit swagger from the last two years).
Game 17 (Rock Warrior Division)
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” (Guns N’ Roses) v. “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” (Smashing Pumpkins)
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1. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (Guns N’ Roses)
There are so many ways that Guns N’ Roses implanted themselves on popular culture, from temperamental behavior to interminably delayed comeback projects to bombastic rock ballads. And while “November Rain” was the one that got performed on a double-ended piano with Elton John at the Video Music Awards, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is the true essence of GnR at its best. Axl Rose’s insanely slender hips shimmying around while his otherworldly scream of a voice blended so thrillingly with Slash’s solo-happy guitar stylings was enough to cross the wires of almost any adolescent, much less the, shall we say, orientationally confused ones? But it’s not all about who had the regrettable pre-teen crush on Axl Rose or why. The “where do we go?” crescendo stands up all on its own and rivals anything 80s metal produced. – Joe
16. “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” (Smashing Pumpkins)
It would have been impossible for any double album in the alterna/grunge era not to seem bloated and indulgent, and that’s before you factor in that it’s titled Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. But that hulking behemoth of whatever we called “emo” before some jerkoff invented “emo” has more high points than you’d think. As a lead single, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” was practically perfect, starting with that sinister poke on your shoulder of an opening lyric: “The world is a vampire…” Well, notorious head case Billy Corgan says so, so it must be true! The song is kind of a dividing line between early 90s grunge, which was principled if low-key about it, and the second half of the decade, when the alternative bands crawled up inside themselves and left the field wide open for Fred Durst and Kid Rock. But despite the portent, “Bullet” is an expertly constructed people-pleaser, from that sinewy, thumping guitar line, to the beat dropping out after the bridge, to those explosive returns of the chorus. Rattling at cage doors has rarely been this satisfying. –Joe
23 responses so far ↓
1 Merediddy // Jul 27, 2011 at 11:58 am
This is just cruel. Adele vs. Florence. I need to seriously mull this over. So hard to choose.
2 Maggie // Jul 27, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Even as an angsty pre-teen who thought Billy Corgan was kinda hot (yeah, I don’t know) I thought “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” was just…too much. GNR was an easy choice here.
The second one was way harder than I expected. Ultimately I had to go with Adele because all the elements in that song combine to make something that’s just a bit more special. Even though I wish this song and I could go on a break, just for a month or two.
3 Chris // Jul 27, 2011 at 12:25 pm
GnR was easy. Adele v. Florence was impossible. I’ll admit it, I flipped a coin. I just couldn’t choose because they are both awesome for many reasons.
4 Kristen // Jul 27, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Maggie is so right about needing a break from the Adele song. I really enjoy it, but every radio station plays it ALL THE TIME (I feel very old admitting I still listen to the radio). Nonetheless, if it weren’t so overplayed, I know I would be able to appreciate it better (so it got my vote).
As for the first match-up, when I saw GnR, I thought CHEERLEADER BUS. As a member of the marching band, you didn’t want to sit on the band overflow bus with the cheerleaders, as they would BLAST this music and just be all Joisey cheerleader-y (no offense Joisey cheerleaders!). However, I cannot stand Billy Corgan’s voice (this song is also on my immediately-change-the-dial list), so Axl gets my vote. (This is so much fun!)
5 Emily // Jul 27, 2011 at 12:47 pm
God DAMN it! How am I supposed to pick between two of my favorite songs this year?! After much torture, I’m going with Adele, BUT I’M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. (shakes angry fist at computer)
As for the other match-up, Sweet Child makes me want to jam a sharp stick in my ear, so Billy gets my vote.
6 Amy // Jul 27, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I cannot choose between Adele and Florence. I just can’t. I’m going to think about it for a while and see if maybe – MAYBE – I can bring myself to come back and vote later today, but I make no promises…
7 Dan Turner // Jul 27, 2011 at 2:17 pm
I love D’arcy and appreciate anyone likening themselves to empty godliness highlighted with a distorted guitar hook, but as Joe (surprisingly) left out, when Axl’s “shah” makes room for the emotive force of Slash’s amazing solo, them squnched punkins just look like sad kids in make-up.
And in the race of two lilly white English ladies, I give it to the fat girl. After hearing these jams in every remix and live option available, it’s Adele who finishes the foot race ahead. Go on, girlie! Wallow in that deep!
8 Guy Lodge // Jul 27, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Another easy pair of calls for me — but unlike my previous nobly knowing defeat in the name(s) of Kate and Dusty, here I find myself comfortably siding with the majority.
Had you picked “1979″ from the Pumpkins’ oeuvre, I might at least have respectfully pretended to pause for thought, but I just can’t see (or, rather, hear) “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” as any kind of match for “Sweet Child of Mine”, either in terms of songcraft or pop value.
The Florence-Adele pairing is an appropriate one and, I think, a fairer fight — though my vote goes to “Rolling in the Deep” because I just believe it that much more. Both girls are big-voiced hams to some extent, but there’s something arch and self-admiring about Florence’s delivery that keeps me from loving even her most terrific songs, whereas Adele, acting or not, really does seem to be clawing her guts out here.
9 Joslyn // Jul 27, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Adele vs. Florence is SO tough, as they’re both relatively new additions to the “classic pop song canon” and they’re both great, if overplayed. I’m still in the honeymoon phase with “Rolling” where it’s hard to ever imagine a time when I won’t love that song, so it gets my vote.
10 Mark Blankenship // Jul 27, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Hi everyone! I went to a meeting, so I got behind on the conversation. (Stupid work! You go squish now!)
I would just like to say that I also had a crush on Billy Corgan when he still had hair. So… there’s that. And while I certainly appreciate that “Bullet” is not everyone’s thing—it was one of my byes in this tournament—I must stand behind, beside, and beneath it. To me, it just epitomizes the raw, screaming power of rock and roll, and it always gets me pumped.
It’s a toss up between Adele and Florence for me. I may also need to flip a coin.
11 Jeff C // Jul 27, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Adele and Florence are “not really raging, man.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg4D94YDKqI
You left out “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Jump” (Van Halen) out of this category for those two?
Sweet Child O’Mine for the win, and Adele, because someone has to win.
12 Mark Blankenship // Jul 27, 2011 at 4:37 pm
@ Jeff C — Hahaha! That commercial was hilarious. And what can I say? The nominating committee loves a British lady with a drum beat behind her.
13 Matt // Jul 27, 2011 at 8:17 pm
I think Sweet Child is easily better, but there is no way I can choose between Adele and Florence. Ultimately I voted for Dog Days simply because I like the music video more. But I was definitely not expecting this tournament to be so difficult
14 Kitty // Jul 27, 2011 at 10:53 pm
The Appetite For Destruction album came out when I was in highschool and pretty much defined my junior year. It reminds me of my best friend and of new driver licenses and cruising around town blasting this cassette over and over on the stereo. When I think of any song from Destruction, I think of it in the context of its placement on the album. “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” is 6 minutes of sweet bliss nestled between two songs that I loathe (“Think About You” and “You’re Crazy”). I ruined many a tape from fast forwarding/rewinding over the crap songs too much, just to listen to Sweet Child again. An iconic song. And yes, even though I was way more attracted to Duff and Slash, there’s something about Axl Rose in that video that is intoxicating and it’s not just the hypnotic swaying of those hips.
My other vote went to “Dog Days Are Over” because unlike the Adele song, which I like fine, I can’t help but belt out along with Florence any time I hear this 2010 track.
15 Maggie // Jul 27, 2011 at 11:33 pm
I have to admit that since I voted for Adele, I’ve been listening to “Dog Days are Over” all day and I’m starting to really love it.
Also, it reminds me of the kid in “A Visit from the Goon Squad” who was obsessed with songs with pauses in them.
16 Nathaniel R // Jul 28, 2011 at 11:30 am
How is BULLET WITH BUTTERFLY WINGS losing to this extent? It’s one of my all time fav rock songs and it stand to reason that all of my favorites should win by substantial margins
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Perhaps people don’t recognize the song from the title?
17 Mark Blankenship // Jul 28, 2011 at 12:01 pm
THANK YOU, Nathaniel! After “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” finishes getting its ass kicked, we’ll take it out for drinks and screaming.
18 Molly // Jul 28, 2011 at 12:04 pm
The match-ups this round are actually causing me anxiety. Sweet Child ‘O Mine versus Bullet with Butterfly Wings? Difficult, but I made that decision easily compared to the toiling I did over Dog Days & Rolling. Those are my songs. In the end, I voted for Adele just because it’s unavoidable. And because it’s not my favorite Florence song.
19 Richard // Jul 28, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Put GnR up against Adele, then we got a match.
20 robot // Jul 28, 2011 at 12:50 pm
GnR was an anthem
Smashing Pumpkins and that song specifically made me say fuck this shit, and I got into Rave / Techno music
Voted GnR
Adele despite being overplayed and pseudo retro throwback bullshit is still better than the over produced Florence crap, I get it she’s trying to be Bjork or Karin Drejir Andersson (the knife) but it comes off as stupid and trite
voted Adele
21 LaLa // Jul 28, 2011 at 1:12 pm
I had to go with Bullet, just Sweet Child O Mine is what I hear every time I step within 12 feet of a karaoke bar and it just seems overblown and cliche to me now.
Bullet on the other hand pretty much defined the latter half of my high school years. Although I hope everyone has burned their Zero TShirts by now.
22 Tyliag // Jul 28, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Smashing Pumpkins was my first adolescent concert going experience in the summer of 93 or 94 (damn it i don’t remember now) and so it pains that I sided with Axl on this one. I feel like I’m cheating on SP somehow, But really and truly, I didn’t pay this song much attention when I retread through this album, why would I pay it much attention in this match up. Sorry Billy. I’ll make it up to you some other way.
23 InfoMofo // Jul 28, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I had to go with the SP on this one, even though it’s not my favorite of their songs.
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