March Fadness
March 17, 2017 11:32 AM Subscribe
From the team that brought you March Sadness (previously), March Fadness "features one-hit wonders of the 1990s pitted against each other in ridiculous and possibly pointless games, all in search of understanding the 1990s and its culture as well as the uses and failures of memory."
See the bracket here, and enjoy such past matches as "Don't Want to Fall in Love" by Jane Child vs. "No Myth" by Michael Penn or "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot vs. "Life Is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane.
See the bracket here, and enjoy such past matches as "Don't Want to Fall in Love" by Jane Child vs. "No Myth" by Michael Penn or "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot vs. "Life Is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane.
You can tell how white the voting audience is. "Return of the Mack" is currently losing 2:1 against "What's Up"
posted by JoeBlubaugh at 11:47 AM on March 17, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by JoeBlubaugh at 11:47 AM on March 17, 2017 [10 favorites]
Yeah, I'm sorry but IS there a Spotify Playlist? Because I am lazy but also nostalgic.
posted by redsparkler at 11:52 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by redsparkler at 11:52 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
If this voting pool got any whiter, it'd be clear.
posted by jonp72 at 12:04 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by jonp72 at 12:04 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Tom Cochrane's Life Is a Highway beats Sir Mix-a-Lot's Baby Got Back. I blame Becky.
posted by jonp72 at 12:04 PM on March 17, 2017 [11 favorites]
posted by jonp72 at 12:04 PM on March 17, 2017 [11 favorites]
Yes, I remember WLIR.
posted by lagomorphius at 12:07 PM on March 17, 2017
posted by lagomorphius at 12:07 PM on March 17, 2017
I appreciate the thoughtfulness of not including artists who had solid popular careers even though they may have only had one US Top 40 hit.
posted by bleep at 12:09 PM on March 17, 2017
posted by bleep at 12:09 PM on March 17, 2017
I participated in a brief argument with Mark McGrath on Twitter as a result of this tourney, so there is that.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:12 PM on March 17, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 12:12 PM on March 17, 2017 [9 favorites]
I'm not sure if it was because mainstream American radio still had regional variation in the 90s, but there's a few (shakespear sisters - stay; michael penn - no myth; jane child) of these songs/artist that this Cleveland-born kid actually haven't even heard of before . Others, even with low seeds (walking in memphis; barely breathing; i touch myself; white town; humpty dance) were ubiquitous on the radio and continue to be in pop culture presently like hearing them at the bar every once in a great while.
Anyone else have this experience with a few of the songs?
posted by fizzix at 12:17 PM on March 17, 2017
I participated in a brief argument with Mark McGrath on Twitter as a result of this tourney, so there is that.
[citation needed]
[[please]]
posted by Etrigan at 12:17 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
[citation needed]
[[please]]
posted by Etrigan at 12:17 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
"Don't Want to Fall in Love" by Jane Child vs. "No Myth" by Michael Penn.
Oh, man, can't we all just get along?!? I bought both those CDs and still regret neither.
That said, I'm not in the least surprised that it takes almost exactly twice as long to talk about the Michael Penn song. And this was his big top 40 hit! Try unpacking the lyrics from something off MP4 (Days Since a Lost Time Accident) sometime. I dare you.
Or Bunker HIll:
My baby sees every sentence with an underline
never uses turpentine
Put out a fleece and build a kite
A siren's going off tonight
Lay your head down
Do you call this chance?
Found the exit
this entrance
Now's the time
(and it is still)
I'm sorry that I kept you waiting here until
Hey, Luanda
do you want a thrill?
We can watch the lights shine up from Bunker Hill
I ask you...
posted by Naberius at 12:22 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Oh, man, can't we all just get along?!? I bought both those CDs and still regret neither.
That said, I'm not in the least surprised that it takes almost exactly twice as long to talk about the Michael Penn song. And this was his big top 40 hit! Try unpacking the lyrics from something off MP4 (Days Since a Lost Time Accident) sometime. I dare you.
Or Bunker HIll:
My baby sees every sentence with an underline
never uses turpentine
Put out a fleece and build a kite
A siren's going off tonight
Lay your head down
Do you call this chance?
Found the exit
this entrance
Now's the time
(and it is still)
I'm sorry that I kept you waiting here until
Hey, Luanda
do you want a thrill?
We can watch the lights shine up from Bunker Hill
I ask you...
posted by Naberius at 12:22 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Michael Penn is a god-damned National Treasure, if you ask me. Every one of his albums is full of polished, opaque gems.
posted by papercake at 12:31 PM on March 17, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by papercake at 12:31 PM on March 17, 2017 [7 favorites]
I'm honestly concerned that this is the third mention of Tubthumping I've seen in the last 24 hours. First was me reminiscing about World Cup 98 late last night, then Seth Meyers mentioned in on a joke about encores and now this.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:33 PM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by lmfsilva at 12:33 PM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
[citation needed]
Well, I've oversold it a bit, but he was complaining about Candlebox and someone else being classed as One Hit Wonders and I said something about how 99% of musicians are No Hit Wonders, and it doesn't seem like such a negative thing, to me. He actually replied, agreeing and pointing out that it is even harder to be a Two Hit Wonder, and then we became best friends and met up for brewskis and Lazer Tag. I may have made that last part up.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:35 PM on March 17, 2017 [8 favorites]
Well, I've oversold it a bit, but he was complaining about Candlebox and someone else being classed as One Hit Wonders and I said something about how 99% of musicians are No Hit Wonders, and it doesn't seem like such a negative thing, to me. He actually replied, agreeing and pointing out that it is even harder to be a Two Hit Wonder, and then we became best friends and met up for brewskis and Lazer Tag. I may have made that last part up.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:35 PM on March 17, 2017 [8 favorites]
polished, opaque gems
Exactly! It's not like Penn is just throwing together random syllables and playing guitar or something. (as much as it might sound that way on first listen) You get the distinct sense that he's worked and worked every word of these songs, pruned and revised, until they perfectly encapsulate some incredibly precise emotion, and also until he's literally the only person on Earth who understands what the hell the song's supposed to be about.
I love his stuff and am frustrated by it in equal measure.
posted by Naberius at 12:35 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Exactly! It's not like Penn is just throwing together random syllables and playing guitar or something. (as much as it might sound that way on first listen) You get the distinct sense that he's worked and worked every word of these songs, pruned and revised, until they perfectly encapsulate some incredibly precise emotion, and also until he's literally the only person on Earth who understands what the hell the song's supposed to be about.
I love his stuff and am frustrated by it in equal measure.
posted by Naberius at 12:35 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also, I am prone to occasionally breaking out into the chorus of Life Is a Highway using the words: I've got a thyroid. I wanna ride it all night long. I have no explanation for this.
posted by Naberius at 12:38 PM on March 17, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Naberius at 12:38 PM on March 17, 2017 [6 favorites]
Crazy, I've never even heard of Michael Penn or that song. I played it on youtube, certain I would at least recognize it when I heard it, but nope.
Then I looked at when it was released: 1989. Deep in my NKOTB era - I was in fifth grade and I didn't really start listening to the radio until the next year. So not really surprising that I didn't hear it at the time, but I'm struck by 1. How much it sounds like "adult alternative" stuff that became really popular a few years later and yet 2. How quickly it must have disappeared from the pop landscape.
posted by lunasol at 12:46 PM on March 17, 2017
Then I looked at when it was released: 1989. Deep in my NKOTB era - I was in fifth grade and I didn't really start listening to the radio until the next year. So not really surprising that I didn't hear it at the time, but I'm struck by 1. How much it sounds like "adult alternative" stuff that became really popular a few years later and yet 2. How quickly it must have disappeared from the pop landscape.
posted by lunasol at 12:46 PM on March 17, 2017
Also, any bracket where "Life is a Highway" beats "Baby Got Back" is deeply suspect.
posted by lunasol at 12:47 PM on March 17, 2017 [25 favorites]
posted by lunasol at 12:47 PM on March 17, 2017 [25 favorites]
Because some of you poor benighted souls appear not to have heard of him, Michael Penn is the older brother of Sean and Chris Penn, which may explain a lot.
(Also, my ex-spouse once asked me "What's that '70s song made in the '80s that was big in the '90s?" and I immediately said "'No Myth'?", and yep, that was it.)
posted by Etrigan at 12:58 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
(Also, my ex-spouse once asked me "What's that '70s song made in the '80s that was big in the '90s?" and I immediately said "'No Myth'?", and yep, that was it.)
posted by Etrigan at 12:58 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Oh good lord, in this timeline, Right Said Fred is better than Digital Underground. I miss the other timeline.
posted by Ruki at 12:59 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Ruki at 12:59 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
Because some of you poor benighted souls appear not to have heard of him, Michael Penn is the older brother of Sean and Chris Penn, which may explain a lot.
It does! But I had also not heard of Chris Penn. So benighted.
posted by lunasol at 1:03 PM on March 17, 2017
It does! But I had also not heard of Chris Penn. So benighted.
posted by lunasol at 1:03 PM on March 17, 2017
I like Life is a Highway! But I admit I like Baby Got Back, better.
posted by jonmc at 1:10 PM on March 17, 2017
posted by jonmc at 1:10 PM on March 17, 2017
Man, I didn't know that Michael Penn did that song. I always forget how long he's been around.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:13 PM on March 17, 2017
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:13 PM on March 17, 2017
Wait, Jump Around beat Touch Myself? This is some bullshit. Call me when Groove is in the Heart wins everything.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:16 PM on March 17, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:16 PM on March 17, 2017 [9 favorites]
And my ex-wife insisted that the chorus of No Myth went: what if I were Romeo in black jeans, what if I was Heathcliff in snow mitts.
I was like, it's no myth. Come on, it's the name of the goddamn song! But she would not budge.
Holy shit, I had no idea I had this many pointless, meandering thoughts about Michael Penn. I'm going to be such a great embarrassing dad when my daughter gets older!
posted by Naberius at 1:17 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was like, it's no myth. Come on, it's the name of the goddamn song! But she would not budge.
Holy shit, I had no idea I had this many pointless, meandering thoughts about Michael Penn. I'm going to be such a great embarrassing dad when my daughter gets older!
posted by Naberius at 1:17 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Maybe it's just that I've never liked reading about music, but:
playlist — 10
essays — 0
posted by billjings at 1:25 PM on March 17, 2017
playlist — 10
essays — 0
posted by billjings at 1:25 PM on March 17, 2017
"Life Is A Highway": worst song, or worst song ever?
posted by thelonius at 1:28 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by thelonius at 1:28 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
> 1. How much it sounds like "adult alternative" stuff that became really popular a few years later and yet 2. How quickly it must have disappeared from the pop landscape.
Disappeared? Oh heavens no, I hear it in random places constantly.
posted by desuetude at 1:40 PM on March 17, 2017
Disappeared? Oh heavens no, I hear it in random places constantly.
posted by desuetude at 1:40 PM on March 17, 2017
I have never heard of, much less heard Return of the Mack but I would vote for Please Set Me On Fire Immediately over What's Up.
posted by delfin at 1:46 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by delfin at 1:46 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
"Life Is A Highway": worst song, or worst song ever?
Come on, dude, Train still exists.
posted by codacorolla at 1:56 PM on March 17, 2017 [8 favorites]
Come on, dude, Train still exists.
posted by codacorolla at 1:56 PM on March 17, 2017 [8 favorites]
"Life Is A Highway": worst song, or worst song ever?
Some lucky bastard has apparently never encountered "My Humps."
posted by Naberius at 2:01 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
Some lucky bastard has apparently never encountered "My Humps."
posted by Naberius at 2:01 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
I saw Micheal Penn on the tour for that album.....it was really very good. Same venue where I saw Animal Logic.
*dies of 90s memories*
posted by thelonius at 2:12 PM on March 17, 2017
*dies of 90s memories*
posted by thelonius at 2:12 PM on March 17, 2017
Baby's Got Back is out, my team has been eliminated and I no longer care.
posted by Foam Pants at 2:52 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Foam Pants at 2:52 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Chris Isaak was a one hit wonder in the US? How did Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing not crack the top 40?
Seeing the Divinyls listed as a one hit wonder is odd to me as an Australian, but at least it makes sense if based on the US charts. I guess that single on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie soundtrack didn't do as well over there as they hoped.
posted by Kris10_b at 3:06 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Seeing the Divinyls listed as a one hit wonder is odd to me as an Australian, but at least it makes sense if based on the US charts. I guess that single on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie soundtrack didn't do as well over there as they hoped.
posted by Kris10_b at 3:06 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Jesus H. Christ. Not only was "Baby Got Back" upset by "Life is a Highway", Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" lost out to Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game"? C'mon, man. I call shenanigans.
posted by mhum at 3:07 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by mhum at 3:07 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
I was always annoyed that the 4 Non Blondes song was titled "What's Up?" instead of "What's Going On?" but I just this second realized that the songwriter probably named it that so it wouldn't get confused with the Marvin Gaye song. Checked Wikipedia to confirm, and sure enough, that was exactly the reason.
Of course, she could have chosen any number of other titles from "And I Said" to "Hiy Yah Yah Yah" to "Big Stupid Hat". I still submit that "What's Up?" is a stupid, stupid name for this song.
posted by Atom Eyes at 3:31 PM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
Of course, she could have chosen any number of other titles from "And I Said" to "Hiy Yah Yah Yah" to "Big Stupid Hat". I still submit that "What's Up?" is a stupid, stupid name for this song.
posted by Atom Eyes at 3:31 PM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
OK, so IS there a spotify playlist? Despite my snarking, I really want this spotify playlist.
posted by lunasol at 4:17 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lunasol at 4:17 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Come on, dude, Train still exists.
Endless, forever, slow clap.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:49 PM on March 17, 2017
Endless, forever, slow clap.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:49 PM on March 17, 2017
My Final 4 is Tubthumping, One of Us, What is Love and 500 miles. Time will tell.
(But Sir Mix-a-Lot was 100% robbed. BBB should have taken the whole thing.)
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:51 PM on March 17, 2017
(But Sir Mix-a-Lot was 100% robbed. BBB should have taken the whole thing.)
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:51 PM on March 17, 2017
Life is a Highway, Groove Is In The Heart, Wicked Game, Jump Around.
who the fuck am I kidding, fuckin' Duke will win
posted by delfin at 4:56 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
who the fuck am I kidding, fuckin' Duke will win
posted by delfin at 4:56 PM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
If you search Spotify for March Fadness, you should find the playlist.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:59 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 4:59 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm still not sure how "Breakfast At Tiffany's" beats out "Bitch."
And I said,
"What about 'Breakfast at Tiffany's?'"
She said
"I think I
Remember the film
And as I recall
I think,
We both found it racist"
And I said, "Well that's
One thing we got."
"Closing Time" to take it all. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:38 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
And I said,
"What about 'Breakfast at Tiffany's?'"
She said
"I think I
Remember the film
And as I recall
I think,
We both found it racist"
And I said, "Well that's
One thing we got."
"Closing Time" to take it all. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:38 PM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you search Spotify for March Fadness, you should find the playlist.
Here it is!
posted by lunasol at 10:34 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Here it is!
posted by lunasol at 10:34 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
I seriously can't believe the Macarena went down in the first round. Some people lived a very different 90s from the one I lived, tell you what.
posted by potrzebie at 12:26 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by potrzebie at 12:26 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's probably for the best that Tubthumping and 500 Miles are on the same side of the bracket. That side's pretty easy to work out.
500 Miles takes down Life is a Highway (which has to be kind of the Cinderella song of the tournament).
How Bizarre takes down Flagpole Sitta, which is already happening. Voting is open and OMC is up like 2:1
Then 500 Miles takes out How Bizarre to reach the Final Four.
Meanwhile, Tubthumping easily takes out Groove is in the Heart, and steamrolls right over whoever wins the Breakfast at Tiffanys/Don't Wanna Fall in Love matchup, so it's Tubthumping vs. 500 Miles to get into the final. If either was on the other side of the bracket, that would probably BE the final, and I don't think we want that. They're both songs that scratch the same itch: drunken bar karaoke chants. So one of those goes into the final
Other side's harder to call. Have to think One of Us has a real good shot at the final. If I have to call it, I'd say the final two on that side are One of Us and Jump Around and god knows who wins that matchup.
posted by Naberius at 8:21 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
500 Miles takes down Life is a Highway (which has to be kind of the Cinderella song of the tournament).
How Bizarre takes down Flagpole Sitta, which is already happening. Voting is open and OMC is up like 2:1
Then 500 Miles takes out How Bizarre to reach the Final Four.
Meanwhile, Tubthumping easily takes out Groove is in the Heart, and steamrolls right over whoever wins the Breakfast at Tiffanys/Don't Wanna Fall in Love matchup, so it's Tubthumping vs. 500 Miles to get into the final. If either was on the other side of the bracket, that would probably BE the final, and I don't think we want that. They're both songs that scratch the same itch: drunken bar karaoke chants. So one of those goes into the final
Other side's harder to call. Have to think One of Us has a real good shot at the final. If I have to call it, I'd say the final two on that side are One of Us and Jump Around and god knows who wins that matchup.
posted by Naberius at 8:21 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Years ago I randomly stumbled upon a similar thing to determine the best band ever, called "Band Madness" appropriately enough. It was a lot of fun, neat idea, lively discussion boards, etc.
Then a bunch of rabid John Mellencamp fans (I believe they called themselves "Mellenheads") ruined it by stuffing the ballot box, causing him to beat the White Stripes with like 20x more votes than any other matchup got.
I don't even remember who ended up winning it all, but it wasn't They Might Be Giants, so it was all an exercise in futility anyway.
posted by key lime guy at 8:33 AM on March 18, 2017
Then a bunch of rabid John Mellencamp fans (I believe they called themselves "Mellenheads") ruined it by stuffing the ballot box, causing him to beat the White Stripes with like 20x more votes than any other matchup got.
I don't even remember who ended up winning it all, but it wasn't They Might Be Giants, so it was all an exercise in futility anyway.
posted by key lime guy at 8:33 AM on March 18, 2017
Oh, god, Rebirth of Slick against I'll Be (500 Miles)? Oh god, I couldn't vote for that one. Too hard. I mean, I know everyone else is going to vote I'll Be... but man. I really love both those songs. I hate Flagpole Sitta, though, how did that get up there? And wow, I know all but 4 of these songs. 90s, man. I can play this game through the 2000s, but 2012 is where I'd need to bow out. Oh, well.
Starts humming Dionne Farris' I Know.
posted by droplet at 8:34 AM on March 18, 2017
Starts humming Dionne Farris' I Know.
posted by droplet at 8:34 AM on March 18, 2017
Then a bunch of rabid John Mellencamp fans (I believe they called themselves "Mellenheads") ruined it by stuffing the ballot box, causing him to beat the White Stripes with like 20x more votes than any other matchup got.
Ain't that America
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:01 AM on March 18, 2017 [4 favorites]
Ain't that America
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:01 AM on March 18, 2017 [4 favorites]
Some people lived a very different 90s from the one I lived, tell you what.
While I probably could recognize the tune of a lot of those records, by name I'm unable to recall even a snippet from 40 or so of these entries.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:07 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
While I probably could recognize the tune of a lot of those records, by name I'm unable to recall even a snippet from 40 or so of these entries.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:07 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
That Flagpole Sitta essay was quite the journey, but the 24 hour Return of the Mack video essay won my heart forever.
posted by merriment at 10:28 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by merriment at 10:28 AM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
I feel an obligation to report that Tom Cochrane is far from a one-hit wonder in Canada. I do not know the source of my resentment at the surprising amount of snark being levelled against "Life is a Highway". (Usually you just leave us Canadians alone!) It's certainly not his best pop song, though, having a lumbering quality. Dude has lots of recognisable tunes. To rattle things off from Wikipedia: Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Order of Canada, Canadian Walk of Fame. To name just some of his songs.
Now for similar reasons I can't quite buy the Proclaimers being involved in this, other than the American cultural myopia that necessarily sneaks into the proceedings.
(When I saw "Closing Time" mentioned without an artist, I thought of the Leonard Cohen song, which actually was played to death (in Canada) in the early 90s.)
posted by sylvanshine at 1:47 PM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Now for similar reasons I can't quite buy the Proclaimers being involved in this, other than the American cultural myopia that necessarily sneaks into the proceedings.
(When I saw "Closing Time" mentioned without an artist, I thought of the Leonard Cohen song, which actually was played to death (in Canada) in the early 90s.)
posted by sylvanshine at 1:47 PM on March 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Tom Cochrane is far from a one-hit wonder in Canada.
States too if you include Red Rider.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:35 AM on March 19, 2017
States too if you include Red Rider.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:35 AM on March 19, 2017
« Older the white moon’s filaments wane | Dana Crawford, urban preservation pioneer Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Etrigan at 11:37 AM on March 17, 2017 [6 favorites]