Okay folks. This is the last time I have to post 128 YouTube-embeds in a single post. After this, things get a bit easier on old Lou.

Takeaways from Round 1:

The biggest blowout was courtesy of Ms. Tina Turner, whose “Proud Mary” beat Tricky’s “Black Steel” like a Bob Ross paintbrush, 56 to 3.

The closest rounds were 4 ties which I had to break. Here they are and my thoughts:

“Smooth Criminal” by Alien Ant Farm over “Creep” by Prince. I don’t particularly like AAF’s cover, but something about Prince’s cover of Radiohead changing the lyrics to the second person annoyed me. “You wish you were special…” etc. Like maybe the Purple one thought it would be disingenuous to sing that line in first person? I don’t know.

“Ne Me Quitte Pas” by Nina Simone over “Blinded by the Light” by Manfred Mann. No regrets. I love Nina Simone, even if her cover of “Suzanne” beat the Cantonese “Dreams” I adore.

“12XU” by Minor Thread over “Dancing in the Street” by Mick Jagger and David Bowie. I didn’t like either of the options, honestly. I guess I dinged “Dancing” because I didn’t feel like it added anything to the original and therefore bothered me.

“Yesterday” by Boyz II Men over “Iron Man” by The Cardigans. I just like this cover by Boyz II Men. It’s good stuff.

Lastly, were there any upsets? It’s hard to say in Round 1 when seeding is an inexact thing, but well… “Ne Me Quitte Pas” from above was way back at seed #203 to Manfred Mann at 54, so that’s something. Other than that, Bill Shatner’s “Rocket Man” may have been over-seeded at 63, because seed #194, Annie Lennox’s “Don’t Let it Bring You Down” beat it 26 to 17.

Okay, now onto Round 2! This round will stay open until 8PM Eastern on Wednesday, 3/27. Have fun!