Again, can I say how much I love this idea/thread
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In 8th place, scoring 8 points (+1 bonus point), Johnny Truant with Ćguas de MarƧo by Elis Regina & AntĆ“nio Carlos Jobim
Iāve heard this before (not sure whether this version or not) and gather itās a very popular song in Brazil. I donāt really feel qualified to judge this as I donāt listen to Latin music at all. Itās pleasant to listen to but didnāt do a lot for me beyond that.
Johnny also gave me this story to share:
Back StoryāI was in an outpatient support group for depression in my mid-20s. One of the other members was a woman in her 80s who was the last remaining of the very tight-knit 4 couple group of friends she had grown up with. They had done some amazing things, partied with the rat-pack and traveled the world together. A lot of living. She missed them and was ready to die. The advice she kept getting was to try to make new friends in the home she was in, but she straight up didnāt want to. She and I connected and became friends. There was a finite time for being in the group, and the tradition on the day you left was you were to share a song that you liked. This was one I had just been exposed to, and it felt happy to me so I listened to it a lot. I played it for the group and the old woman got up and asked me to dance with her. She told me she was happy to have met me and if she was younger she would have a lot of fun with me. It was very Harold and Maude. It was a rule that we were not to socialize with anyone from the group outside of the group, so that was the last time I saw her. I honestly donāt remember her name at this point, but I can still see the look in her eyes whenever I listen to this song.
Such a awesome story imo, very poignant. Almost feel like I was there. Big thanks to Johnny for sharing that 
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In 7th place, scoring 9 points, Lawnmower_Man with Stay Close To Me (Acoustic Version) by Tommy Emmanuel
Lawnmower_Man had to give me this as a Dropbox file (here) because it doesnāt seem to be on YouTube or Spotify.
Pretty little piece, quite enjoyed it, not life changing or anything. Tommy is Australian, in fact he was given the Order of Australia in 2010. However, he has deserted us for Murica. He mentioned in July this year that he had recently received US citizenship.
Thatās fine. Heās not the first Australian to be seduced by the glitz and glamour, the excitement and romance ofā¦ checks Wikipediaā¦ KENTUCKY?! Fuck you, Tommy Emmanuel.
While weāre on an antipodean tipā¦
In 6th place, scoring 10 points, Louis Cyphre with The Chariot by Cat Empire
Not a huge Cat Empire fan in general, not really my style (and I find āHelloā pretty obnoxious, itās quite overplayed here) but I think this is my favourite track of theirs. Great chorus and I like the breakdown halfway through.
Man what a great story.
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Iāll take it.
In 5th place, scoring 11 points, jalfrezi with Neat Neat Neat by The Damned
Getting a little nudge upwards for bravery in submission, since I had punk as a dubious genre. Heard this one before once or twice. Great bassline, good guitar work, really kinetic, propelled vibe to it. Just a good time.
TFF was my first choice for this category because I fell asleep after working a late night shift to Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Came out unscathed but I could have easily died. I hate that song.
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Pretty sure he still lives in Nashville. Dude plays like 300 shows a year around the world though so itās not like he really lives anywhere. This isnāt his best song but itās the one that always reminds me of someone Iām regrettably no longer in touch with.
I love all the top four submissions. This is the one that just missed out.
In 4th place, scoring 12 points, Pauwl with The Greatest by Cat Power
Beautiful song. Iād heard it before, but not for a while, and it was better than it was in my memory. Soulful, slinky, I donāt use the word āgorgeousā often but itās appropriate here. Basically got pushed off the podium by things that were new to me.
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We are getting there :)
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Podium incoming
Hereās an anecdote that may restore your faith. I was at a Tommy show a year or two ago and he was talking about writing songs for solo acoustic guitar, and the key being to deliver memorable melodies in absence of lyrics. The point was about taking style and delivery cues from great singers but also āgreat speakersā¦like Obama.ā Dead silence. In an opera house. In Kentucky.
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mothers talk, working hour and pale shelter
the sax melody when they return to it late in Working Hour Goat
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In 3rd place, scoring 13 points, Twist with Now Westlin Winds by Dick Gaughan
Look at this, what a fine specimen of Scottish manhood:
Looks like a Beto OāRourke shoot.
Probably some are going to be mystified by this, I think itās captivating. Great vocal control. Timing, intonation and tune all dead on the whole way through. Beautiful guitar line. Thereās something so compelling about Celtic folk when it hits the spot. Really enjoyed this.
In 2nd place, scoring 14 points, pyatnitski with Spiritual (Live at the Village Vanguard) by John Coltrane Quartet
pyatnitski writes:
A favourite song and danced to it with my wife at my wedding after everyone else had gone. Incredibly cliched, but what can you do? Itās prob too long, but Iād happily just submit the first minute or so, which is sublime.
Hell yes. Such a tight performance. Evokes noir-ish scenes of smoky rooms and rain outside. What gets me is the drums, they swing so hard by themselves that you donāt even need the other instruments. Itās long, but I didnāt mind. Classic stuff.
On to the winner. Clear eyes, full hearts, canāt lose.
In 1st place, scoring 15 points, hokie with Your Hand In Mine by Explosions in the Sky
hokie writes:
Instantly takes me back to high school football (a transformative time in my lifeānot sure if it will translate well to Oz) since this song was in the movie Friday Night Lights, which we used to watch on road trips
Hereās what I havenāt been able to figure out: am I the last person in the universe to hear this song? It has a fearsome number of likes on Spotify for an 8 minute instrumental. I gather it got some mainstream popularity due to Friday Night Lights, which as you might imagine is less of a thing here (I havenāt seen it). I donāt listen to post-rock at all, so I havenāt crossed paths with this before. WesleyC claims he tried to play it for me on a road trip we did down to a folk festival and I told him it sucked, which sounds likely as that is my default reaction to things he tries to show me. Iāve asked around here and nobody else has known it. So I canāt figure out where it sits in the US cultural milieu and have no idea if the reaction is going to be āThat old thing? How passeā or what.
Anyway, itās new to me and I was quite taken with it. The band have referred to their compositions as ācathartic mini-symphoniesā, which I think is on point. The sort of wistful build-up gives way to the joyful crescendos in a way that remains exciting for me even after a bunch of listens (and Iāve heard this 10+ times at this point). Itās quite pop in its sensibilities, really, but itās beautiful.
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This has been your reveal. I hope you enjoyed it. I had a good time with this category.
Category playlist is here.
hokieās positions to date: First, Last, First.
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Explosions in the Sky are mint. The Earth is not a Cold Dead Place is a real pleasant album full of that kind of sweet riff.
Didnāt realise Iād forgot to tell my backstory. Dick was my granās favourite artist and this was her favourite song. For her 90th I got us tickets to drive up and see him on the Isle of Skye. We went for a curry at the same time he did so she got a kiss and an autograph and then he made a point of playing if for her at the gig.
I too love his spectral whine.
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My next submission is my oddest by far, and I have no idea where Chris is going to place it. Like, absolutely none.
The next one was my easiest pick by far. I might get points for the rarity of it, but i also might get dinged on length. Iām also afraid itās not in ChrisVās genre wheelhouse, but I could be wrong.
I was not strategic in my choicesā¦next time through Iām going to treat this like a game of Lodden Thinks.
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