253. Corduroy vs Hail Hail

[stip]

Battle of the mid tempo titans!

[stip]

Hail hail has always lacked something that keeps it from my upper echelons. An emotional connection or lack of immediacy. Felt more intellectual than passionate, and that’s generally not what I really want from Pearl Jam. Corduroy has something to say, says it with urgency, and has a lot more going on in the song. This is an easy vote

[wease]

Neither of these matches is an easy vote.

[Anders]

Love Hail, Hail

Corduroy is the second best song left in the tournament, after Hail, Hail.

[Thurman Murman]

Corduroy...best of the remaining songs in the tournament.

[epilogue]

Hail Hail

[liebzz]

It could just be the tenor of the posts being made throughout but it feels like the winner of this battle is destined to be the bridesmaid to the Go/Last Exit battle.

[Strat]

Hmm.

I may actually agree with Stip here. Corduroy is cathartic whereas Hail, Hail is just a really really badass song and the type of rocker that set pearl jam apart from its peers at the time.

[Strat]

But i dont know.

[Brett]

It could just be the tenor of the posts being made throughout but it feels like the winner of this battle is destined to be the bridesmaid to the Go/Last Exit battle.

It certainly does feel like whichever song wins here is destined to fall to the winner of the other match. A bit unfortunate that, and it's a little strange to see how much RM has rallied behind those two songs the last few years, especially "Go." Probably something to do with how small and insular the board has become.

This match is almost a toss-up for me. After years of having "Hail, Hail" in my amorphous top twenty of Pearl Jam songs, I'm finding my attachment to it drifting away as time passes. As I said before, "Corduroy" is emblematic of the band at their best although I'm not very invested in the song on an emotional level. I definitely would have preferred having their prior opponents in this match. Right now I'm leaning "Hail, Hail" just because it's closer to the sweet spot in Pearl Jam music for me.

[tragabigzanda]

Hail Hail has one of the best rock chord progressions I’ve ever heard

[Strat]

Hail Hail has one of the best rock chord progressions I’ve ever heard

Its absolutely magnificent. The voicing he uses instead of basic power chords is everything I love about Stone and Pearl Jam.

[liebzz]

Very even but I am going with Corduroy. I love the way the song builds at the beginning and breaks down at the end, as noted in prior rounds. At the same time, the riff in the center of this is phenomenal and well it’s fun watching Stone play if and look like he’s almost jumping away from a bee or something when he hits that last note on each repetition. Mike also does a good job jumping into spaces on this song. It’s a Pearl Jam woven tapestry of guitars that has always suited me, and is a top tier live moment at every show.

Hail Hail is also phenomenal for all the reasons noted in the other comments.

Also I would love an all Vitalogy finale

[VinylGuy]

Corduroy might be better one but its Hail Hail for me. Amazing lyrics, full of rich lines and such a cool garage vibe....and the studio version is fucking great.

[Kevin Davis]

Hail Hail has one of the best rock chord progressions I’ve ever heard

Its absolutely magnificent. The voicing he uses instead of basic power chords is everything I love about Stone and Pearl Jam.

110% agree

[Farmer John]

Hail, Hail

[mkay0]

Would be totally cool with either. These are v good songs.

[Bammer]

Hmm.

I may actually agree with Stip here. Corduroy is cathartic whereas Hail, Hail is just a really really badass song and the type of rocker that set pearl jam apart from its peers at the time.

Think of the call & response, then change your vote to Hail, Hail

[digster]

Going with Hail, Hail; this is the less difficult of the two choices this round for me.

[B]

Hail Hail my ass!