Match CJ: Crazy Mary vs. Given to Fly

[stip]

CJ

[CopperTom]

Arms wide.

[Sgt. Crackpot]

Another tough one, but for me GTF just comes out in front.

[@SkitchP]

Studio Crazy Mary is so bad

[Strat]

Both are PJ studio perfection but Given to Fly is one of the greats.

Shut up Skitch

[chewm]

Crazy Mary is their best cover
Still Given to Fly

[Lament]

Where do the GTF hand gestures rank among the best Pearl Jam hand gestures?

[Norah]

Where do the GTF hand gestures rank among the best Pearl Jam hand gestures?

Animal wins on hand gestures.

[Birds in Hell]

Studio Crazy Mary is so bad

I'm not a fan at all of the way they play it now, the studio version is great.

[Iholdthepain]

It's almost like Cover vs. Cover... Kim da tired of GTF, but at least the band kinda sorta wrote it.

[Lament]

1. Animal
2. Jeremy
3. Given to Fly
4. Lightning Bolt
5. Yellow Ledbetter

?

[Simple Torture]

I feel like my standards are quite different for the different matches in this tournament. Sometimes I'm voting for my most recent impressions of the songs (like the Porch vs. Light Years match) and sometimes, like in this match, I am comparing my favorite versions of the songs and seeing which stands out. My favorite version of GTF is the SVT performance, which is what made me fall in love with that song...but nowadays, I don't care for it live too much (although SVT and the album version are still lovely). Crazy Mary wins this one, though, b/c my favorite version (Chicago 2000) is one of my favorite all-time PJ performances ever (trivia: so is the version of Black from the same boot), and even though it runs too long when it's played live these days, it's that performance that's been burned in my memory as the "standard" version.

[BurtReynolds]

Two songs I could probably go the rest of my life without hearing again, but at one point they were ok.

[knee tunes]

what you fear the most might meet you half way

[Simple Torture]

I'm not a Boom-hater, but I think it's fair to say that they overuse him on this song. I'm going to find it and listen to it tomorrow to make sure, but I seem to remember enjoying the subtle Keyboards in the Australia 2003 versions. But I still wish they went full electric like they did in 2000.

[digster]

Given To Fly. I think it's one of the band's finest moments.

[Kevin Davis]

Given To Fly. I think it's one of the band's finest moments.

Me too. I know a lot of people think it's too bombastic and overly cheesy, but all told I think it's probably my favorite song of all-time, by any artist.

[digster]

It's definitely bombastic, I'd say; that's whole point and pleasure of it, at least to me. It's everything positive that comes to mind when I hear the word 'anthem' without any of the negative connotations.

[brisjam]

Given to Fly is easily in top ten all time, studio or live. Crazy Mary is a just brilliant as well but not quite at GTF level.

[stip]

It's definitely bombastic, I'd say; that's whole point and pleasure of it, at least to me. It's everything positive that comes to mind when I hear the word 'anthem' without any of the negative connotations.

While given to fly is not my favorite pearl jam song, or probably even close to it anymore, it is nevertheless a great example of what I love best about them