21 hours ago21 hr Wow @Chez Wombat those votes are indeed spookily similar to mine - excellent taste, especially that 12 😎 thank you, so pleased you loved it! ❤️2 minutes ago, matto said:Jade! Laura Nyro was such an artist ❤️ Have you heard anything else by her?I have indeed, I saw you mention 'Eli's Comin' and that was my second choice *.*
21 hours ago21 hr Thanks Jade and Chez for points - both of yours were just outside my top 10 as noted. Iris to get some points pronto!
21 hours ago21 hr Author SIXTEENOn 29/08/2026 at 17:02, Severin said:HiSorry for the late arrival here but these are my votes and comments -12 - Leonard Cohen (An easy winner here as this was a big fave of mine back in the day and a personal chart #1)10 - Dolly Parton (This will no doubt win due to recent events but it's still clearly among the best in this compettion)08 - Melanie (Haven't heard this for years and enjoyed it a lot more because of it)07 - Kate Bush (Kate's Comic Strip homage to Ken Livingstone hasn't dated well and she has many, many far better songs but it's Kate and one of the few later examples of her really letting rip vocally. Always kind of liked this)06 - Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs were great and this is fine)05 - Dory Previn (A new discovery for me this one. Simple but delightful)04 - Scott Walker (Again, he has much better in his armoury but his voice never disappoints)03 - Buffy Saint-Marie (She may be a con artist extraordinaire and has rightfully been vilified for it but she did write some great stuff. I nearly entered Donovan's cover of her song Universal Soldier before I remembered she wrote it)02 - Aimee Mann (This I didn't know and I found it pleasant enough but Til Tuesday's Voices carry remains her standout work)01 - PJ Harvey (I actually really like this but have issues with its inclusion as PJ Harvey was a three piece band at the time this was released so I felt I had to deduct it marks. It'll do really well anyway I expect)My Entry - Tom Waits has been around since forever and it took a while for his vocal affectations to really click with me. His more traditionally sung debut album is a Dylanesque minor Folk classic and he has produced a truly remarkable body of work since. Never afraid to experiment and push boundaries he released this low key ballad of mournful yearning back in 1985 on his classic Rain Dogs album. Rod Stewart went on to maul it in his own inimitable way (Tom Traubert's Blues is another Waits original too). I actually thought it would be vetoed becaue of Rod but glad it got in. I hope a few of you liked it.As we enter the second half of the votes the top 4 songs are really starting to pull clear of the others, will they be able to keep it up? Severin give Cohen his 12 and we see Jim open up a little bit of breathing space as a result. Kate Bush scores for the first time in a while, pushing it back into the top 10 after the earlier strong start.Next it's dwhe!
21 hours ago21 hr 1 minute ago, Jade said:I have indeed, I saw you mention 'Eli's Comin' and that was my second choice *.*Ohh, you replied to that - I edited the question out as I saw you'd just posted about her more. 'Eli's Comin' is so good, I was actually considering sending it to BJSC before as kind of a good old-timey entry haha
21 hours ago21 hr Wow the top 2 pulling away. I am loving both doing so well, as I had thought it'd be a Kate Bush vs Dolly Parton battle
21 hours ago21 hr Catching up, having just got home. Some great songs separating themselves out at the top, and my favourite, Alanis, still in with a chance of the win. Thanks so much @dandy* for your 12 points, obviously I already knew you liked Rufus and that particular song but that is my first ever maximum points in a BJ competition!
21 hours ago21 hr Yeah, Cohen was a no brainer for me as soon as I saw it in there.Clearly mine wasn't the best choice this time as it's proving popular with very few. Thanks though for anyone who has dropped points on it.
21 hours ago21 hr Oh my, am I about to join Jester in the 0 Points club? This is quite an against type entry from me, I discovered it through being the theme song to The Leftovers (a show I was really enjoying, but sadly haven't been able to continue it because I don't have access to Sky anymore, maybe one day!) and I really liked the simple, string-laden composition and the lyrics, while fitting the show very well, also have a great faith-based theme of just letting some mysteries stay hidden and enjoy the time you have.Saying that, I can't say I'm that surprised it's not doing that well, it's more of a grower than an instant standout and this was a very crowded field with some big names, I hope at least one person kind of liked it...!Anyway, a wonderful entry from Jade, that was a great example of 60s experimental pop. That's also a great top 3 of which I voted for all of them (and Dolly was lovely too, Iit may have hit me a bit more than expected had I waited a few more days to vote!)
21 hours ago21 hr Thank you Severin for the top score! 🖤 I'm fully expecting Dolly to surge upwards soon but can't complain with being top beyond halfway.
21 hours ago21 hr Lovely to see 2 of my faves out in front of - would be very happy with either winning ❤️ (If you’d have said to me a week ago that I’d be rooting for a Leonard Cohen song, I’d have probably asked you to shoot me 😂)
21 hours ago21 hr Author SEVENTEENOn 29/08/2026 at 21:21, dhwe said:+12: Stina Nordenstam – Little Star+10: Dolly Parton – Coat of Many Colours+8: Exuma – Dambala+7: Gabrielle – Forget About the World+6: Kate Bush - Ken+5: Aimee Mann – Stupid Thing+4: Rufus Wainwright – April Fools+3: Dory Previn – The Lady With the Braid+2: Ani DiFranco – Untouchable Face+1: Jewel – Foolish GamesCommisseration: Laurie Anderson – Sharkey's DayRe: my song, for full transparency, here's some background. Sibylle Baier is a German actress who recorded an album of little folk tunes and stashed it away to be forgotten for three decades until her son lent a tape to J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., who passed it on to a label to be released in 2006. So while not technically "released" in the 20th century, I felt it was still in the spirit of the contest and I'm glad the mods agreed, because it really is such a stunning album. I found out about it on a blog many years ago and it was crazy to me that such unassuming, quietly beautiful music could sit unheard for 30 years... like every time Sibylle opened her closet and saw the box of tapes she'd be like, "Oh those old things. 😒" And then you think about all the people sitting on recordings that may not see the light of day for a long time, if ever. It gives you hope in a way... like there's always something out there to be discoveredThe big result here is that of Stina Nordenstam who gains a maximum to boost her out of single figures <3 Just Iris to get there now, come on people! Nothing for the top three means Dolly Parton can take advantage and move up to third, Kate Bush is suddenly back in the top 5 as well. A bronze medal for Exuma pushes him into the top 10 and is currently tied with Gabrielle - not bad going for such an unknown track!Next we're getting a visit from the acoustic king himself... hi Herbs!
21 hours ago21 hr Just now, jimwatts said:Thank you Severin for the top score! 🖤 I'm fully expecting Dolly to surge upwards soon but can't complain with being top beyond halfway.Your entries always seem to be near to top of my votes, so I wasn't surprised to learn it was yours!
21 hours ago21 hr Thank you so much dhwe for introducing me to Sibylle Baier! I have been obsessed with your entry all week. 🥰
21 hours ago21 hr Author EIGHTEEN22 hours ago, Herbs said:Hey,Loved this contest. Singer/songwriters all the way!Here are my votes12pts Dolly Parton10pts Aimee Mann8pts Gabrielle7pts Rufus Wainwright6pts Melanie5pts Exuma4pts Leonard Cohen3pts Joan Osbourne2pts Elvis Costello1pt Iris DementHerbs definitely shoots himself in the foot a bit here as he votes for all of the songs currently above him... but his maximum for Dolly ties her alongside Melanie in second spot really. But who cares about all of that when we've got a point for Iris DeMent!!!!! Finally! Just one, but still.Herbs' own entry was one I was definitely expecting to see crop up and indeed do well, hopefully he's happy up there in fourth at the moment...Next we're off to one of our retro forum regulars, let's hear from Popchartfreak
21 hours ago21 hr 1 minute ago, Jade said:Thank you so much dhwe for introducing me to Sibylle Baier! I have been obsessed with your entry all week. 🥰And thank you for the 12!! Always happy to spread the gospel of sibylle 💕💕and thank you as well to chez, vibe, and dandy for the big points! highly recommend the album btw, so stunning and contemplative.
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