The Ultimate Women's Album - Side 1 Track 5 Vote - Round 2

[Dr. Medulla]

The people continue to speak and it warms my heart. Now make it burn by winnowing this group of four.

[matedog]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

[Heston]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

[Silent Majority]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

[Heston]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

America never really caught on to reggae. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

[Flex]

Uptown Top Ranking for me. Great song. This was a tough round, I'd be okay with any of these nominations getting it (and a fair few from the first heat as well).

[revbob]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

America never really caught on to reggae. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Reggae?
Yeah there was that Eric Clapton song right?

[Kory]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

America never really caught on to reggae. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

It's always been seen as novelty music around here, which is as nuts as nuts gets. Not as many Jamaican immigrants I suppose.

My vote is also for Uptown, as it was going to be my nomination before Olaf did it before me.

[Wolter]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

America never really caught on to reggae. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

It's always been seen as novelty music around here, which is as nuts as nuts gets. Not as many Jamaican immigrants I suppose.

My vote is also for Uptown, as it was going to be my nomination before Olaf did it before me.

Yeah, reggae didn’t really make chart impact here in the 60s/early 70s because there really wasn’t a large immigrant population from the Caribbean to champion and import it. Like, there are millions of reggae fans in America now, but that’s down to the law of large numbers. Per capita, it’s a niche genre.

[revbob]

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

America never really caught on to reggae. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

It's always been seen as novelty music around here, which is as nuts as nuts gets. Not as many Jamaican immigrants I suppose.

My vote is also for Uptown, as it was going to be my nomination before Olaf did it before me.

Yeah, reggae didn’t really make chart impact here in the 60s/early 70s because there really wasn’t a large immigrant population from the Caribbean to champion and import it. Like, there are millions of reggae fans in America now, but that’s down to the law of large numbers. Per capita, it’s a niche genre.

Yes and many of those fans...

So there's the people that enjoy the music and there's the people who like to promote it as part of their Deadhead, Phish stoner vibe. Which is to say if there were no connection to pot in reggae, these people would have no connection to reggae, except maybe some token Bob Marley songs.

[Marky Dread]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

I wouldn't say it pales in comparison. I voted for it because I think it's the best song there.

Same. It's a definite grower, as well, I think the impact builds over the years.

America never really caught on to reggae. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

It's always been seen as novelty music around here, which is as nuts as nuts gets. Not as many Jamaican immigrants I suppose.

My vote is also for Uptown, as it was going to be my nomination before Olaf did it before me.

Olaf is great an all but he's no Marky Dread.

I hadn't noticed Olaf had picked it. But it's great love it.

[Marky Dread]

This Althea and Donna track is interesting. I have never heard of it before (seems like it was a big hit in UK only) and the backstory is quite unique. It's good but certainly pales in comparison to pretty much every nominated track. Looks like it's going to win regardless, which is fine, since it's nice to have some reggae on a playlist.

The Clash were huge fans. Had it on the jukebox in Rehearsal Rehearsals. As big an influence as Junior Muffin for contemporary sound.

[101Walterton]

Uptown Town for me easy choice.

[matedog]

Just listened to it like three times in a row and I just don't get it. Like I said, it's fine, the music is great and there is some charm to the vocals, but the melody isn't particularly strong and they aren't very good singers. I guess that's part of the charm, but this running away with this competition is baffling. Back to Black is seriously 10 times the song Uptown Top Ranking is in melody and performance. Lyrics are like the tenth thing I look at in a song and I'm just starting to look at UTR's. They do have a nice swagger and seem to be a strong feature. It's also hard to compare songs that are so lyrically different.

[Heston]

Just listened to it like three times in a row and I just don't get it. Like I said, it's fine, the music is great and there is some charm to the vocals, but the melody isn't particularly strong and they aren't very good singers. I guess that's part of the charm, but this running away with this competition is baffling. Back to Black is seriously 10 times the song Uptown Top Ranking is in melody and performance. Lyrics are like the tenth thing I look at in a song and I'm just starting to look at UTR's. They do have a nice swagger and seem to be a strong feature. It's also hard to compare songs that are so lyrically different.

Does a song just rest on melody and lyrics though? Or is the whole vibe the thing that counts? That imperceptible thing which marks out a great record. There's thousands of songs with pretty, well-constructed melodies which I despise. Then there's songs which rant away on one note which are superb.