[cochise]

I cannot believe gus is going out. It's the best thing on that album by a comfortable margin. It might actually be their best song of this millennium. You people suck.

To each his own, I’ve never been a big fan of Gus. Absolutely love the intro and starts off great, but usually turns into a skipper shortly there after. Saying that, it didn’t get my vote this round, but is my 2nd least favourite among the remaining.

Gus is a tough one, I love the dirty, gritty sound to it, but its lyrics just don't "fit". I wonder what could have been if a different theme or lyrics were chosen to go with the music.

[Chris Tanz]

How I feel right now about this round of voting.

ct

[Killer Whale Tank]

Yep. Craziest. Poll. Ever. I find myself tipping over from outrage to amused bemusement - sort of like what's happened to me as a Montreal Canadiens fan, going from anger at the idiotic PK Subban trade then gradually treating the whole thing as a comedic sideshow. :lol:

To my ear there is NOTHING wrong with Gus. Te only thing I can see is people wincing at the slightly off-pitch singing in the first line ('what's troubling GuuuUUUssss'). I don't understand the claim that "the lyrics don't fit." They're classic Downie lyrics about predation (in this case a failed predator) and the subject matter perfectly suits the stomping menace of the music. Like "Mean Streak" this seems a prototypical "Tragically Hip" song, the sort of thing they do so much better than anyone else. So, nope, I'm a kid who don't get it.

[direwolf74]

How I feel right now about this round of voting.

ct

Lol, no kidding. Are We Family making it into the final four is pure insanity. I just don't get it.

[emperor penguin]

Yep. Craziest. Poll. Ever. I find myself tipping over from outrage to amused bemusement - sort of like what's happened to me as a Montreal Canadiens fan, going from anger at the idiotic PK Subban trade then gradually treating the whole thing as a comedic sideshow. :lol:

One of the first things I've found myself agreeing with you on :lol: It's been a very tough few years as a Habs fan. Although, I am also a fan of this album, and have agreed with most of your takes about it....

To my ear there is NOTHING wrong with Gus. Te only thing I can see is people wincing at the slightly off-pitch singing in the first line ('what's troubling GuuuUUUssss'). I don't understand the claim that "the lyrics don't fit." They're classic Downie lyrics about predation (in this case a failed predator) and the subject matter perfectly suits the stomping menace of the music. Like "Mean Streak" this seems a prototypical "Tragically Hip" song, the sort of thing they do so much better than anyone else. So, nope, I'm a kid who don't get it.

except when it comes to Gus. It is the singing, as you point out, that I don't like.

[Scotty12]

Lol, no kidding. Are We Family making it into the final four is pure insanity. I just don't get it.

0 votes round 1, 1 vote round 2, 5 votes round 3

The only explanation I can think of is that none of people who love the Facebook fam forum would dare vote for it, they wouldn't be "getting friendship right" if they did.

(Nothing against the FB forum, I've enjoyed chatting quite a bit with a handful collectors from there - but some of the "thank Gord" "that's Gordgeous" "are we family?" Can be a bit overdone sometimes)

A just winner in this poll without the support of that silent majority would be similar to trying to win an election in Canada without having the unions behind you. Possible, Yes, but a tremendously uphill battle.

I'd have thought Gus/New Orleans is beat could easily outlast Family, but won't be holding my breath on that now or be surprised when it doesn't happen.

I think KWT summed it up well with this post in round 2

The cries of outrage over the rejection of Yer Everywhere are well-founded. It is baffling to watch a MAJOR Hip composition being cavalierly dismissed.
...
Meanwhile, the good-but-not-great "Vaccination Scar" is practically untouched in this poll - which leads me to wonder (since it was the single) whether some respondents are replying to the poll based on their memories of a barely-listened-to album from years ago rather than really putting this thing on and listening to it with fresh ears. The album was largely dismissed and maligned at the time and the poll may be reflecting that, unfortunately.

Vaccination has 1, 0, 1, 3 votes thru 4 rounds ... With numbers like that youd think it belongs in the rafters with some of the other hall of famers

Yet many who I would consider hall of famer fans/posters likely wouldn't put this as their top song on IBE, maybe wouldn't even give it a spot on the podium. KWT theory is holding up if you ask me

[Escape@Hand]

I'm thinking Josephine has to be the champ, especially since Everywhere didn't make the cut (somehow). It's far and away the best of the remaining songs, although I love both Vaccination Scar and Nashville. I don't understand the lack of love for those tunes; Scar has great driving hard rock music and stream of conscience lyrics, which I love, while Nashville is just a great rocker, imo.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really wish I heard these IBE songs more often live.

[kieffer]

Vaccination has 1, 0, 1, 3 votes thru 4 rounds ... With numbers like that youd think it belongs in the rafters with some of the other hall of famers

Yet many who I would consider hall of famer fans/posters likely wouldn't put this as their top song on IBE, maybe wouldn't even give it a spot on the podium. KWT theory is holding up if you ask me

I think you're framing this wrong. By definition of this exercise, I think you can say something to the extent that Vaccination Scar is the least likely to be voted as the weakest link through four rounds, which is different than saying it is the strongest/best. If these polls were flipped and each round you voted on the songs you think are the strongest you could infer that, however, the progression of the rounds likely wouldn't work.

Again, I think you can look at the trends through the rounds, but need to be careful when summarizing. An example of this is when song makes it through a round and ends up getting more votes in the next round (or a higher %) than one of the songs did in the previous round that was eliminated, that doesn't mean it is a weaker song than the song , just that there is a larger number of people who feel it is the weakest of the remaining songs.

I always find it interesting to see where the votes for songs that have been eliminated are redistributed in the next round. I thought Makeshift would have been safe for another round, but I was way off.

My prediction prior to this album poll starting, would have been that the final four would see:

Vaccination
Josephine
Family
Gus

This is much different than my four favs

Makeshift
Vaccination
Heart
Meanstreak