¤ milky moon ¤

Hi Julia - Thank you for your votes. I am glad you are enjoying the JNST.
There's no need to worry too much about the mathematics of it all: I put it all in the thread for two reasons - ONE because it's the easiest place for me to refer to it when it comes to adding up the points; and TWO in case anyone really wants to follow along themselves and make sure I haven't made any mistakes: that way it's transparent from the outset. Although the methods might be a bit (overly?) complicated, the theory is that it's intended to convert people's preferences into some sort of ordered list without undue weighting - an unachievable task really, but it's fun to work out ways of doing it, too.

My votes for Round Three are

Group 1
1_ Go Long
2_ Anecdotes
3_ Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie

Group 2
1_ Kingfisher
2_ Sadie
3_ A Pin-Light Bent*

Group 3
1_ Emily
2_ '81
3_ Time, As a Symptom

Group 4
1_ En Gallop! / “En Gallop”
2_ Have One On Me
3_ Autumn

Group 5
1_ Ribbon Bows*
2_ Sapokanikan
3_ On A Good Day

Group 6
1_ Only Skin
2_ Easy
3_ Leaving the City

Group 7
1_ Soft As Chalk
2_ Goose Eggs
3_ Peach, Plum, Pear

Group 8
1_ Divers
2_ In California
3_ Monkey & Bear

Group 9
1_ Sawdust & Diamonds
2_ Swansea
3_ Good Intentions Paving Company

Group 10
1_ Baby Birch
2_ Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
3_ Jackrabbits

Group 11
1_ Cosmia
2_ Esme
3_ You Will Not Take My Heart Alive

Bonus pts: Divers Anecdotes

Group 1
1. Go Long
2. Anecdotes
3. Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie

Group 2
1. Kingfisher
2. Sadie
3. A Pin-Light Bent*

Group 3
1. Emily
2. Time, As a Symptom
3. '81

Group 4
1. Have One On Me
2. Autumn
3. En Gallop! / “En Gallop”

Group 5
1. Ribbon Bows*
2. Sapokanikan
3. On A Good Day

Group 6
1. Only Skin
2. Easy
3. Leaving the City

Group 7
1. Soft As Chalk
2. Peach, Plum, Pear
3. Goose Eggs

Group 8
1. In California
2. Divers
3. Monkey & Bear

Group 9
1. Sawdust & Diamonds
2. Good Intentions Paving Company
3. Swansea

Group 10
1. Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
2. Baby Birch
3. Jackrabbits

Group 11
=1 Cosmia
=1 Esme
3. You Will Not Take My Heart Alive

Bonus points:
Ribbon Bows
In California

Simply couldn't differentiate between Esme & Cosmia. They are so lovely in such different ways!
Anyway, had fun this round, and found it surprisingly straight forward to choose! I expect next round will be harder.

Group 1
1 Anecdotes
2 Go Long
3 Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie


Group 2
1 Sadie
2 A Pin-Light Bent*
3 Kingfisher


Group 3
1 Emily
2 '81
3 Time, As a Symptom


Group 4
1 Have One On Me
2 Autumn
3 En Gallop! / “En Gallop”

Group 5
1 Sapokanikan
2 On A Good Day
3 Ribbon Bows*

Group 6
1 Only Skin
2 Easy
3 Leaving the City


Group 7
1 Peach, Plum, Pear
2 Soft As Chalk
3 Goose Eggs

Group 8
1 In California
2 Monkey & Bear
3 Divers

Group 9
1 Swansea
2 Sawdust & Diamonds
3 Good Intentions Paving Company

Group 10
1 Baby Birch
2 Jackrabbits
3 Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne


Group 11
1 Cosmia
2 Esme
3 You Will Not Take My Heart Alive


Bonus Points: Swansea, Sadie

Group 1
1 Anecdotes
2 Go Long
3 Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie

Group 2
1 Kingfisher
2 Sadie
3 A Pin-Light Bent*

Group 3
1 Emily
2 '81
3 Time, As a Symptom

Group 4
1 Have One On Me
2 Autumn
3 En Gallop! / “En Gallop”

Group 5
1 Sapokanikan
2 On A Good Day
3 Ribbon Bows*

Group 6
1 Only Skin
2 Easy
3 Leaving the City

Group 7
1 Soft As Chalk
2 Peach, Plum, Pear = Goose Eggs

Group 8
1 Monkey & Bear
2 In California
3 Divers

Group 9
1 Sawdust & Diamonds
2 Good Intentions Paving Company
3 Swansea

Group 10
1 Baby Birch
2 Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
3 Jackrabbits

Group 11
1 Cosmia
2 Esme
3 You Will Not Take My Heart Alive

Bonus Points: Autumn and Easy

It's too bad Colleen didn't make it to this round. I don't think it's due to it slipping in esteem, but rather that it came up against heavy-hitter Anecdotes early in the competition. My dream is for Autumn to rise up and finally take its proper place in the top 11! Maybe not this year, but eventually it will happen!

Thank you for your votes, solfatara, madpawn, and Headless_Caboose.
If anyone else is intending to vote in this round, please note that you now have just under 2½ days from the time of this message before the polling booths close.

Thank you to everyone who voted in Round Three.
Voting is now closed for this round.



Group 1
33 __ Anecdotes
20 __ Go Long
4 __ Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie

Group 2
25 __ Kingfisher
25 __ Sadie
7 __ A Pin-Light Bent*

Group 3
33⅔ __ Emily
14⅔ __ Time, As a Symptom
9⅔ __ '81

Group 4
32 __ Have One On Me
14 __ En Gallop! / “En Gallop”
11 __ Autumn

Group 5
32 __ Sapokanikan
19 __ Ribbon Bows*
6 __ On A Good Day

Group 6
39 __ Only Skin
13 __ Easy
6 __ Leaving the City

Group 7
22 __ Soft As Chalk
21 __ Peach, Plum, Pear
14 __ Goose Eggs

Group 8
21 __ In California
19 __ Divers
18 __ Monkey & Bear

Group 9
29 __ Sawdust & Diamonds
18 __ Good Intentions Paving Company
10 __ Swansea

Group 10
29 __ Baby Birch
20 __ Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
9 __ Jackrabbits

Group 11
34 __ Cosmia
15 __ Esme
7 __ You Will Not Take My Heart Alive

The eleven group winners + the best runner-up qualify for the First Division of the Fourth (Final) Round.
- This is easy to determine! Group 2 was tied, so both Sadie and Kingfisher make the First Division.
The remaining ten runners-up plus the best two third-placed songs qualify for the Second Division.
- Monkey & Bear (18 points) and Goose Eggs (14) were the top-scoring songs finishing 3rd in their groups.
The remaining nine third-placed songs plus the best three non-qualified songs from Round Two will form the Third Division.
- As previously mentioned in my Commentary to the Round 2 results, the three best performing songs not in Round 3 were Bridges And Balloons, Inflammatory Writ, and No Provenance, so these three will be added to Division 3.

I will post the first selection of pairings in about 12 hours from now.

Am inordinately pleased that my bonus point for Sadie contributed it to tying first in its group!

See! Every vote counts.
Sorry for the delay to the final stage... I'll be back to it asap!

After that short delay, here are the opening two sets of pairings for each of the three divisions of the Final stage of this year's Joanna Newsom Song Tournament. Please pick and post your favourite from each pair. I intend to close the voting at one minute to midnight on Saturday 29th October 2016, UK time, giving you about 10 days for these set, and thereafter sets should be open for a week each. All being well, that will mean

Sets 1 & 2 - end 23:59 on 29.10.2016 (UK time)
Sets 3 & 4 - end 23:59 on 5.11.2016 (UK time)
Sets 5 & 6 - end 23:59 on 12.11.2016 (UK time)
Sets 7 & 8 - end 23:59 on 19.11.2016 (UK time)
Sets 9 & 10 - end 23:59 on 26.11.2016 (UK time)
Set 11 - ends 23:59 on 3.12.2016 (UK time)
BUT if I am late by more than a couple of hours in closing any rounds (and that is quite likely as I work Saturdays), then all subsequent deadlines will also go back, so that you'll never get significantly less than a week to ponder your choices.

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sadie || Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-2 - In California || Cosmia
Pairing A-3 - Sapokanikan || Soft As Chalk
Pairing A-4 - Anecdotes || Only Skin
Pairing A-5 - Have One On Me || Baby Birch
Pairing A-6 - Emily || Kingfisher
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Esme || Divers
Pairing B-2 - "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!) || Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-3 - Peach, Plum, Pear || Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-4 - Time, As A Symptom || Go Long [see note at foot of this post]
Pairing B-5 - Easy || Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-6 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne || Goose Eggs
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Bridges And Balloons || Leaving The City
Pairing C-2 - A Pin-Light Bent || Swansea
Pairing C-3 - ’81 || Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-4 - Jackrabbits || Autumn
Pairing C-5 - On A Good Day || Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-6 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive || No Provenance



Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Anecdotes || Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-8 - Sadie || Sapokanikan
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me || In California
Pairing A-10 - Emily || Soft As Chalk
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin || Baby Birch
Pairing A-12 - Cosmia || Kingfisher
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - Time, As A Symptom || Divers [see note at foot of this post]
Pairing B-8 - Esme || Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-9 - Easy || "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
Pairing B-10 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne || Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-11 - Go Long || Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-12 - Good Intentions Paving Co. || Goose Eggs
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Jackrabbits || Leaving The City
Pairing C-8 - Bridges And Balloons || ’81
Pairing C-9 - On A Good Day || A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-10 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive || Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-11 - Autumn || Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-12 - Swansea || No Provenance

PLEASE NOTE: I have edited this post, as I made an error in the pairings, whereby '81 was included in Divisions 2 and 3. It was given as the first-named song in pairings B4 and B7, but this has now been corrected to read Time, As A Symptom.

At the time of this edit, the following five people have already voted and to them I extend my apologies and invite them to revisit those two pairing and advise me of their choice. If you are able to do this before I have closed the votes for these pairings at the weekend, please feel free to either make a new post OR to edit your existing one (and - if your choices remain unchanged, just let me know). I will do the same. If you don't get back here before the weekend, I will leave voting open on these two pairings to the above named members only, and correct the results as we go along.

And just for a change, I will start off by posting my votes:

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-2 - Cosmia
Pairing A-3 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing A-4 - Only Skin
Pairing A-5 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-6 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Divers
Pairing B-2 - "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
Pairing B-3 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-4 - Go Long [no change]
Pairing B-5 - Easy
Pairing B-6 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Bridges And Balloons
Pairing C-2 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-3 - Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-4 - Autumn
Pairing C-5 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-6 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive

Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Sawdust & Diamonds (that was a tough choice to start off with!)
Pairing A-8 - Sadie
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-10 - Emily
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin
Pairing A-12 - Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - Divers [no change]
Pairing B-8 - Esme
Pairing B-9 - "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
Pairing B-10 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-11 - Go Long
Pairing B-12 - Goose Eggs
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-8 - Bridges And Balloons
Pairing C-9 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-10 - Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-11 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-12 - Swansea

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sadie
Pairing A-2 - In California
Pairing A-3 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-4 - Only Skin
Pairing A-5 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-6 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Esme
Pairing B-2 - "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
Pairing B-3 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-4 - '81
Pairing B-5 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-6 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-2 - Swansea
Pairing C-3 - ’81
Pairing C-4 - Autumn
Pairing C-5 - On A Good Day
Pairing C-6 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive



Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-8 - Sadie
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-10 - Emily
Pairing A-11 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-12 - Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - '81
Pairing B-8 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-9 - "En Gallop" (aka En Gallop!)
Pairing B-10 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-11 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-12 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Jackrabbits
Pairing C-8 - ’81
Pairing C-9 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-10 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing C-11 - Autumn
Pairing C-12 - Swansea

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6

FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-2 - In California
Pairing A-3 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-4 - Only Skin
Pairing A-5 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-6 - Emily || Kingfisher (tie)

SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Divers
Pairing B-2 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-3 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-4 - Go Long
Pairing B-5 - Easy
Pairing B-6 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne

THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-2 - Swansea
Pairing C-3 - ’81
Pairing C-4 - Autumn
Pairing C-5 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-6 - No Provenance

Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-8 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me || In California (tie)
Pairing A-10 - Emily
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin
Pairing A-12 - Kingfisher
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - Divers
Pairing B-8 - Esme
Pairing B-9 - Easy
Pairing B-10 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-11 - Go Long
Pairing B-12 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-8 - Bridges And Balloons || ’81 (tie)
Pairing C-9 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-10 - Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-11 - Autumn
Pairing C-12 - No Provenance

EDIT: Just realised this is my 100th post!!
And so I become a Seahorse on Divers' one year birthday!

EDIT2: Omitted votes have been included

Thank you for your votes madpawn - and for yours Seahorse solfatara! (PS - don't forget Set 2, pairings A7-C12)

PS: I've just listened to the new song, Make Hay, released 23.10.2016 via download on the Drag City website. Unfortunately it's too late to include it in this year's JNST.

Is it correct that '81 is both in the Second and Third Division?

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sadie
Pairing A-2 - Cosmia
Pairing A-3 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-4 - Anecdotes/Only Skin tied
Pairing A-5 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-6 - Kingfisher
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Divers
Pairing B-2 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-3 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-4 - Go Long
Pairing B-5 - Easy
Pairing B-6 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-2 - A Pin-Light Bent/Swansea tied
Pairing C-3 - ’81
Pairing C-4 - Autumn
Pairing C-5 - On A Good Day
Pairing C-6 - No Provenance



Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Anecdotes
Pairing A-8 - Sadie
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-10 - Emily/Soft As Chalk tied
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin
Pairing A-12 - Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - Divers
Pairing B-8 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-9 - Easy
Pairing B-10 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-11 - Go Long
Pairing B-12 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-8 - ’81
Pairing C-9 - On A Good Day/A Pin-Light Bent tied
Pairing C-10 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing C-11 - Autumn
Pairing C-12 - No Provenance

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-2 - Cosmia
Pairing A-3 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-4 - Only Skin
Pairing A-5 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-6 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Esme
Pairing B-2 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-3 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-4 - Go Long
Pairing B-5 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-6 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-2 - Swansea
Pairing C-3 - ’81
Pairing C-4 - Autumn
Pairing C-5 - On A Good Day
Pairing C-6 - No Provenance

I think in last year's competition I would have voted Goose Eggs above Waltz as it was my more immediate favourite. But now I appreciate the layers of Waltz more deeply. I found the choices hard in the 3rd division. Jackrabbits and Autumn share a dark melancholy tone and its hard to favour one over the other. In other contests the songs are so different its hard to know what basis of comparison is possible - like Pin-Light and Swansea. I love them for such different reasons.

Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-8 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-10 - Emily
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin
Pairing A-12 - Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - '81
Pairing B-8 - Esme
Pairing B-9 - Easy
Pairing B-10 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne = Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-11 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-12 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Jackrabbits
Pairing C-8 - ’81
Pairing C-9 - On A Good Day
Pairing C-10 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing C-11 - Autumn
Pairing C-12 - No Provenance

Hey, yeah. why is '81 in both the 2nd and 3rd division?

Some impossible choices! Here are my - somewhat impulsive - votes:

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-1 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-2 - In California
Pairing A-3 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-4 - Anecdotes
Pairing A-5 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-6 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-1 - Divers
Pairing B-2 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-3 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-4 - '81
Pairing B-5 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-6 - Goose Eggs
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-1 - Leaving The City
Pairing C-2 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-3 - Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-4 - Jackrabbits
Pairing C-5 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-6 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive



Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-7 - Anecdotes
Pairing A-8 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-9 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-10 - Emily
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin
Pairing A-12 - Kingfisher
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - 'Divers
Pairing B-8 - Esme
Pairing B-9 - Easy
Pairing B-10 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing B-11 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing B-12 - Goose Eggs
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-7 - Jackrabbits
Pairing C-8 - ’81
Pairing C-9 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing C-10 - Inflammatory Writ
Pairing C-11 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-12 - No Provenance

Thank you for your votes, under a CPell, Headless_Caboose, and Julia.

Oh dear - I messed up big time! Excel always behaves differently with '81 to how it does with the other songs, because I have to convince it that it's text and no a number. But I am guilty of not checking it closely, resulting in '81 being inadvertently included in Time, As A Symptom's place in Division 2.

If those who have voted would like to cast votes for the these two corrected pairs, I would be most grateful. If they are not received by this weekend's cut-off point, I will leave the option open to them, as this was entirely my error.

CORRECTED PAIRS

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-4 - Time, As A Symptom || Go Long
Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - Time, As A Symptom || Divers

In the meantime, I will correct the original draw above so as not to mislead any new voters.

My apologies.

My votes for the
CORRECTED PAIRS:

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-4 - Time, As A Symptom
Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-7 - Time, As A Symptom