¤ milky moon ¤

FINAL
Sawdust & Diamonds

CONSOLATION FINAL
1. Emily
2. Cosmia
3. In California

FINAL
Only Skin

CONSOLATION FINAL

1. Emily
2. Cosmia
3. ---
4. In California

For me the blank line indicates that there are many other HOOM songs that I prefer over In California that did not make it to the final consolation round. I'm kind of surprised that In California made it so far. Was it this highly ranked in previous competitions?

Not that I in any way dislike In California btw. There are many fantastic dimensions to this song, but it just doesn't quite cohere for me the way that Go Long and some others do.

FINAL:
Sawdust & Diamonds

CONSOLATION FINAL:
1. In California
2. Emily
3. Cosmia

Wow, it was runner up!? I guess it has been more successful than I thought. I must have been remembering its lower position in last year's competition. I prefer the ranking of the HOOM songs from last year. The title track especially deserves to be higher in my opinion.

To me, In California is the best song on HOOM. I wouldn't even rank the title track in the top five!

In California really gives me chills, one of the best from hoom I think but then for me that list extends to at least a third the album.. IC is stronger for me than most of Ys.

While I'm not voting this year I thought I'd chime in on the discussion. Of the album recordings, I've listened to In California most and Kingfisher second most. But I've listened to the Sydney Opera House recording of Have One On Me more than both of them put together. The album version lacks the punch I've heard in it when it's performed live - it's slower, a bit more languorous. I feel like Have One On Me should have a kind of frantic, chaotic quality to it, considering the subject matter - especially the whole bit after "I threw my bouquet and I knocked 'em dead", since it's all about getting drunk and fleeing Bavaria and stuff.

I find that there is no direct correlation between how much I love a song and how often I listen to it.. for instance most of the time I listen to Esme, Autumn and Ribbon Bows far more than the rest of HOOM for some reason but they're not necessarily my favourites (though the latter certainly is). Some songs (like Go Long) I'm a bit scared to listen to a lot of the time and I need to be more in the right kind of mental setting.
I'm also a big fan of some live recordings of the title track, but I can't say I have a distinct favourite. Though I agree about the chaotic nature of the song I feel like much of the album has a sort of subdued "held back" quality to it (compared to some live versions at least) which I think fits well with the whole impression of the album.

And so it ends, not with a bang but a whimper! With hindsight, there was no purpose in prolonging the agony for a further week, as all the votes were in long before that, and even the organiser forgot to come back last night and post the results.

Thank you to claire, Alex_Ysoltsev, under a CPell, ragtag, Headless_Caboose, and solfatara for voting in this final round, and for the interesting comments at the end including from Jordan~ (good to know you're keeping an eye on us!)

It was, in a way, a relief that no-one else voted in the final days, as we could easily have been left with a tie for first place, which would have been a bit unsatisfactory. However, that didn't happen, and so I can reveal ("ta-daa") that Only Skin remains this messageboard's favourite Joanna newsom song. Here are the full ...



FINAL ROUND

4 ... Only Skin
3 ... Sawdust & Diamonds

FINAL CONSOLATION ROUND (to decide 3rd to 5th places)

34·42 ... Emily
26·65 ... In California
24·92 ... Cosmia
(This was very slightly unsatisfactory, as - without the bonus points - Cosmia would have been ahead of In California. But they were there for a reason, and Cosmia had not performed quite as well as In California in the earlier rounds, and was in fact eliminated, so I suppose the bonus points system did its job, by only allowing those earlier results to be overturned if there was a very significant voting swing. With only seven of us casting votes, I suppose that was always going to be unlikely. Four of the seven preferred Cosmia, which garnered 19 votes against In California's 18).

OVERALL RESULT
Here is a listing of all 124 songs entered, in descending order. They are divided into groups indicating how far each survived in JNST4, with Consolation Rounds making positions 1-34 directly voted for. A tie-breaker system, based on number of votes received, has been used to order the songs from 35 downwards.

1 ........ Only Skin
2 ........ Sawdust & Diamonds

3 ........ Emily
4 ........ In California
5 ........ Cosmia

6 ........ Have One On Me
7 ........ Go Long
8 ........ Baby Birch
9 ........ Kingfisher
10 ...... Sadie

11 ...... Monkey & Bear
12 ...... Swansea
13 ...... Look And Despair
14 ...... Easy
15 ...... Soft As Chalk
16 ...... Good Intentions Paving Company
17 ...... Colleen

18 ....... Peach, Plum, Pear
19 ....... Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie
20 ....... Bridges And Balloons
21 ....... No Provenance
22 ....... On A Good Day
23 ....... Autumn
24 ....... "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
25 ....... ’81
26 ....... Ribbon Bows
27 ....... Does Not Suffice
28 ....... Esme
29 ....... You And Me, Bess
30 ....... Jackrabbits
31 ....... The Diver’s Wife (aka Diver)
32 ....... Occident
33 ....... Ca’ The Yowes To The Knowes
34 ....... Flying A Kite

35 ....... new piano song ["...space of half a day"]
=36 ..... Erin
=36 ..... Sprout And The Bean
38 ....... The Book Of Right-On
=39 ..... Inflammatory Writ
=39 ..... new harp song ["Hay and a clean stall"]
=39 ..... This Side Of The Blue
42 ....... Cassiopeia
43 ....... What We Have Known
44 ....... The Fray
45 ....... Instrumental 1999
46 ....... Three Little Babes
47 ....... The North Star Grassman And The Ravens
48 ....... Yarn And Glue
=49 ..... Little Wing
=49 ..... Rock Bottom Riser [S]
=51 ..... Another Day [RH/JN]
=51 ..... The Man Who Ran The Town [HS/JN]
53 ....... Ring The Living Bell [JN/S/WW]
=54 ..... If You Can Afford It [P]
=54 ..... Man’s Road
=56 ..... Against The Sky [VB]
=56 ..... If I Were [VB]
=56 ..... River Guard [BC]
59 ....... Exit (aka Orderly Manor) [P]
60 ....... The Honey, The Power, The Light [GS]
=61 ..... Prepared Harp Improv.
=61 ..... Sycamore [BC]
=63 ..... About Me [P]
=63 ..... Tom Bombadil
65 ....... I'm Already Gone (aka Already Gone) [P]
=66 ..... Don't Make Things [P]
=66 ..... Good Heart, Money And Rain [MB]
=68 ..... Amour Fou [V]
=68 ..... Angel
=70 ..... Do You Know Who You Are? [GS]
=70 ..... Kindness Be Conceived [TG]
=70 ..... Lifetime [RF/LM]
=70 ..... Never Come Home [P]
=70 ..... No Style [P]
=70 ..... Our Anniversary [S]
=76 ..... Bring Me Down [GS]
=76 ..... Intermission (aka I The Province) [P]
=76 ..... Little Picture Of You [KB]
=76 ..... Oh Canada [P]
=76 ..... Secret [P]
=76 ..... Swift Nude [P]
=76 ..... Sympathy [GS]
=76 ..... Through The Trees [RF/LM]
=76 ..... We Are The Doctor [P]

85 ....... Another Disaster [P]
=86 ..... Amerilie [V]
=86 ..... Mountain & Bear [KB]
=86 ..... You & Me [KB]
=89 ..... Eleven Continents [RF/LM]
=89 ..... Let Go [P]
=89 ..... Mountain [GS]
=89 ..... One Horse [P]
=89 ..... untitled (from One Piece From The Middle) [P]
=89 ..... Wake Up Instead [P]
95 ....... The Conversation [P]
=96 ..... new Americana-style piano song
=96 ..... Orange Peter [P]
=96 ..... Picture [RP/JN]
99 ....... Hear Me Marching [P]
=100 ... Dreams [DB/JN/V]
=100 ... Franks Vs Frank [NC]
=100 ... Ras Trent [LI]
=100 ... Same Old Man [KB/JN]
104 ..... Shame [DB/V/JN+friends]
105 ..... The Wheel [BC]
=106 ... Colorchains Of Inner Space [NC]
=106 ... Life's A Happy Song Finale [M]
=106 ... R.U. In [P]
=106 ... This Is Just To Say
=110 ... 7 Minutes In Heaven [MOB/JN]
=110 ... France [PG/JN/TF]
=110 ... Get Wolf Boy And Get In Context [NC]
=110 ... Hawk Feeds You To Feed Itself [NC]
=110 ... Ill Pearls [NC]
=110 ... Nonrum Nonproblem [NC]
=110 ... Nuflesh, Old Thirst [NC]
=110 ... Pow Strikes Pow Implosion [NC]
=110 ... Rice Precipitation [NC]
=110 ... Roots [DB/V/JN/E/SN]
=110 ... Setting The Bushes On Fire [NC]
=110 ... The French Lieutenant Dreams [JN/TF]
=110 ... The Muppet Show Theme [M]
=110 ... The Orchard [PG/JN/TF]
=110 ... We Are A Crowd [LI]

JOANNA NEWSOM SONG TOURNAMENTS I-IV (2011-2014)
CUMULATIVE POSITIONS

Ordered using the same method as last year

2014 Title
0001 Only Skin
0002 Sawdust & Diamonds
0003 Emily
0004 In California
0005 Cosmia
0006 Have One On Me
0007 Go Long
0008 Baby Birch
0011 Monkey & Bear
0009 Kingfisher
0013 Look And Despair
0012 Swansea
0017 Colleen
0010 Sadie
0014 Easy
0019 Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie
0016 Good Intentions Paving Company
0015 Soft As Chalk
0024 "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
0018 Peach, Plum, Pear
0020 Bridges And Balloons
0027 Does Not Suffice
0034 Flying A Kite
=036 Sprout And The Bean
0022 On A Good Day
0025 ’81
0038 The Book Of Right-On
0029 You And Me, Bess
0021 No Provenance
0028 Esme
0043 What We Have Known
=039 This Side Of The Blue
0023 Autumn
0032 Occident
0031 The Diver’s Wife (aka Diver)
0033 Ca’ The Yowes To The Knowes
=036 Erin
0035 new piano song ["...space of half a day"]
=039 new harp song ["Hay and a clean stall"]
=039 Inflammatory Writ
0042 Cassiopeia
0026 Ribbon Bows
0030 Jackrabbits
0048 Yarn And Glue
0044 The Fray
0045 Instrumental 1999
=049 Rock Bottom Riser [S]
=049 Little Wing
0047 The North Star Grassman And The Ravens
=051 The Man Who Ran The Town [HS/JN]
=051 Another Day [RH/JN]
0046 Three Little Babes
=056 If I Were [VB]
0053 Ring The Living Bell [JN/S/WW]
=054 Man’s Road
=063 Tom Bombadil
=070 Our Anniversary [S]
=070 Kindness Be Conceived [TG]
=070 Do You Know Who You Are? [GS]
=061 Prepared Harp Improv.
=056 Against The Sky [VB]
=061 Sycamore [BC]
=066 Good Heart, Money And Rain [MB]
=056 River Guard [BC]
=076 Sympathy [GS]
=070 Lifetime [RF/LM]
=076 Bring Me Down [GS]
0060 The Honey, The Power, The Light [GS]
=070 Never Come Home [P]
0059 Exit (aka Orderly Manor) [P]
=068 Angel
=068 Amour Fou [V]
=076 Through The Trees [RF/LM]
=100 Franks Vs Frank [NC]
=086 You & Me [KB]
=096 Picture [RP/JN]
=076 Oh Canada [P]
=076 We Are The Doctor [P]
=089 Eleven Continents [RF/LM]
=054 If You Can Afford It [P]
=089 Mountain [GS]
=086 Mountain & Bear [KB]
0104 Shame [DB/V/JN+friends]
=086 Amerilie [V]
=076 Intermission (aka I The Province) [P]
=066 Don't Make Things [P]
=070 No Style [P]
0085 Another Disaster [P]
=076 Swift Nude [P]
=063 About Me [P]
=076 Secret [P]
0105 The Wheel [BC]
=110 The Muppet Show Theme [M]
=106 Life's A Happy Song Finale [M]
0065 I'm Already Gone (aka Already Gone) [P]
=089 Let Go [P]
=100 Dreams [DB/JN/V]
=096 new Americana-style piano song
=096 Orange Peter [P]
=089 untitled (from One Piece From The Middle) [P]
0095 The Conversation [P]
=100 Same Old Man [KB/JN]
0099 Hear Me Marching [P]
=110 Roots [DB/V/JN/E/SN]
=089 Wake Up Instead [P]
=106 This Is Just To Say
=089 One Horse [P]
=076 Little Picture Of You [KB]
=100 Ras Trent [LI]
=110 Hawk Feeds You To Feed Itself [NC]
=106 Colorchains Of Inner Space [NC]
=110 Ill Pearls [NC]
=110 Pow Strikes Pow Implosion [NC]
=110 The Orchard [PG/JN/TF]
=106 R.U. In [P]
=110 Nuflesh, Old Thirst [NC]
=110 Rice Precipitation [NC]
=110 Get Wolf Boy And Get In Context [NC]
=110 Nonrum Nonproblem [NC]
=110 Setting The Bushes On Fire [NC]
=110 France [PG/JN/TF]
=110 The French Lieutenant Dreams [JN/TF]
=110 7 Minutes In Heaven [MOB/JN]
=110 We Are A Crowd [LI]

Thank you, Steve, that you don't give up on the idea of this annual tournament. And I really truly hope that next year we'll have a lot of new songs to discuss and vote for.

Thank you, Alex for your kind words. I hope so too. And I am sure that more people will take an interest if we do.

PS I should have mentioned, in the long listing of all the songs in their "combined" order, that there are a few ties right at the bottom, as you can see from the fact that several songs have identical placings year by year:

=116th: Nuflesh, Old Thirst [NC] AND Rice Precipitation [NC]
=118th: Get Wolf Boy And Get In Context [NC] AND Nonrum Nonproblem [NC] AND Setting The Bushes On Fire [NC]
=121st: France [PG/JN/TF] AND The French Lieutenant Dreams [JN/TF]

When I get some spare time, I intend to do a more complete analysis of all the votes over the last 4 years, as an alternative way of working out a 'combined' order, and also to try to avoid the same songs being paired together too frequently year-on-year.

Also, I had an idea for another "tournament" on a very frivolous level, which I might put up as an open-ended thing on another thread quite soon.