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All right, with a rare off day, let’s turn our attention to one of the running distractions we here at DRB have tried to provide the readers with over the past two seasons. Walk-up music!
We posted our first-round matchups a few weeks ago, and the readers made their voices heard. We started with a pool of 32, and luckily there were no ties, so no shenanigans had to come into play. Sixteen walk-up songs were declared victors in their one-on-one match ups, and they will now attempt to do the same in the round of 16. Onward and upward.
Ryan Yarbrough: Ladies and Gentlemen - Saliva
Jose Alvarado: Cali Aji - Grupo Niche
I damned “Ladies and Gentlemen” with faint praise in our first round, and now that it has a worthy opponent, I’d love to see the Grupo Niche fans out there lead it to victory. Only part of my “Cali Aji” love comes from the fact that Jose Alvarado appears to be one of the most lovable humans to ever grace the earth. Jose, Cali, and Grupo for the win.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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58%
Ryan Yarbrough: Ladies and Gentlemen - Saliva
(28 votes) -
41%
Jose Alvarado: Cali Aji - Grupo Niche
(20 votes)
Joey Wendle: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
Jake Bauers: What the Price - Migos
“Whole Lotta Love” won the first-round battle of the Zeppelin songs, as Wendle’s “Love” topped Matt Andriese’s “Dazed and Confused” rather handily in a decision I fully supported. Now it faces a far different monster. THE YOUTH! Migos is a good fit for Bauers, as both represent the arrival of the future, be that the arrival of the future of Rays baseball, or the future of rap artists as crossover moguls in all industries. I’d be fine with either song moving on here, despite still preferring Zeppelin to Migos from a solely musical standpoint.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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82%
Joey Wendle: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
(48 votes) -
17%
Jake Bauers: What the Price - Migos
(10 votes)
Ryne Stanek: Still Dre - Dr. Dre
Brandon Snyder: Thunder - Imagine Dragons
These were two of the best margin of victory victors from Round 1. The “Still Dre” love I can get behind; the “Thunder” love I think (hope?) was simply the result of a weak opponent. “Still Dre” seems like a legitimate contender for a run in this bracket, but I’m a little scared that this match up is going to be closer than I’d like to imagine. Do the right thing, folks.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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69%
Ryne Stanek: Still Dre - Dr. Dre
(41 votes) -
30%
Brandon Snyder: Thunder - Imagine Dragons
(18 votes)
C.J. Cron: That’s What I Like - Bruno Mars
Mallex Smith: Swing My Way - K.P. & Envyi
The exact opposite of our last match up, these two were among the tightest two first-round match ups, Smith winning by just two paltry votes. I don’t see either of these songs making an extended run, especially with a pending match up with the Dr. Dre/Imagine Dragons behemoth awaiting the winner, so just vote with your heart here and (likely) enjoy the song’s last W.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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64%
C.J. Cron: That’s What I Like - Bruno Mars
(34 votes) -
35%
Mallex Smith: Swing My Way - K.P. & Envyi
(19 votes)
Nathan Eovaldi: Come Together - Gary Clark Jr.
Jake Faria: Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
Our first song here was my first real disappointment from the first round. “Come Together” (the metal cover of The Beatles classic) knocked out an underrated Sir Sly song that I thought could have made a run. I will never support a trash cover of a middle-tier Beatles song… That’s right, come for the bracket, stay for the flaming hot music takes.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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23%
Nathan Eovaldi: Come Together - Gary Clark Jr.
(14 votes) -
76%
Jake Faria: Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
(45 votes)
Chaz Roe: Hail to the King - Avenged Sevenfold
Carlos Gomez: Spongebob Squarepants Theme - Painty the Pirate and Kids
Either: A) People saw my strong opinion against Avenged Sevenfold and thought, let’s hop on the petty bandwagon to ride this song for a couple rounds, or B) People actually like Avenged Sevenfold. I can live with “A,” I cannot live with “B.” Send them to a second-round grave, PLEASE, Painty the Pirate and Kids.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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41%
Chaz Roe: Hail to the King - Avenged Sevenfold
(25 votes) -
58%
Carlos Gomez: Spongebob Squarepants Theme - Painty the Pirate and Kids
(35 votes)
Adeiny Hechavarria: Walk It, Talk It - Migos
Wilson Ramos: Wilson, Phish
Wilson rode his namesake to the second-largest margin of victory in the first round. Opposing him is one of two Migos songs that won their first round match ups, proving that we have at least a few millennial readers here at DRB. This match up should be very telling as to whether are readership skews closer to under-25, or over-45.
Poll
Walk-up second round
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30%
Adeiny Hechavarria: Walk It, Talk It - Migos
(17 votes) -
69%
Wilson Ramos: Wilson - Phish
(39 votes)
Kevin Kiermaier: Hustlin’ - Rick Ross
Andrew Kittredge: Tom Sawyer - Rush
The KK “Hustlin” stans showed out in the first round, but they will draw a tough test in the second round. “Tom Sawyer” is my personal choice for best walk-up song, and it dispatched a worthy opponent (“Breed” by Nirvana) in the opening round by a relatively handy margin (63-37). Honestly, this seems like a semi-final match up come two rounds too early.
Poll
Walk-up second round
This poll is closed
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34%
Kevin Kiermaier: Hustlin’ - Rick Ross
(20 votes) -
65%
Andrew Kittredge: Tom Sawyer - Rush
(38 votes)
That’s it for Round 2, check back soon for future rounds.