dandy*

TWENTY (Hmmmmm I wonder where his 12 points could go?) Yep Rollo's maximum goes to Fish and lifts WoW73 over the 20 point barrier. Rollo's votes help form the entirety of the current top 7 with Scott Walker, Exuma and Laura Nyro all leaping up to new highs! AH Gold will be calling next...

NINETEEN You wait a long time and then two people vote for Iris! She'll be top 10 before we know it... but in order to do that she'll need to get past most of the songs that are in PCF's votes as they are heavily quite concentrated towards tracks in the top part, our top 3 are all seemingly heading towards the 100 point mark. Buffy Saint-Marie bags a second 12 pointer so is in the slightly odd position of having two people give her nearly all the points. Rollo up next!

EIGHTEEN Herbs 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

SEVENTEEN The 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!

SIXTEEN 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!

(ps not mentioning Chez's own entry eeeek 🫣)

FIFTEEN I was most amused when Jade and Chez's votes came through at almost the same time... and almost the same votes! 😂 The only notable difference being that Chez gave Jade his 12 points, meaning we've got another first time recipient! Laura Nyro accordingly moves up to the top 10, more in line with where people were predicting in the voting thread. The combined weight of Jade and Chez sees Sibylle Baier and Scott Walker knocking on the door of the top 5. Next up we're off to see what Severin sent

FOURTEEN Another new maximum point scorer in the form of Sibylle Baier and it helps push her into the top 10 at this stage. Good points for Dory Previn as well who jumps out of single figures. More points for the top 3 although no big score so the gaps remain similar.

THIRTEEN A change at the top! Leonard Cohen leaps back up after gaining a 10 here, Alanis Morissette also pulls level with Melanie. Djordje Balasevic in the top 5 as well! But it's another new maximum scorer for DaTilt as Buffy Saine-Marie bags his and it must be very welcome too as it boosts her score significantly. We also have the other reason for Addy to side eye here as it transpired that PJ Harvey was actually a band when this was released - I'll take the hit for this as I thought I knew PJ Harvey so well that I didn't research that aspect for this song at all. Mango can rest a little easier too as Aimee Mann moves up into the top 15. We're off to our post listen through voting pair next in the shape of Jade and then Chez!

TWELVE Matto's votes provide a welcome boost for many of the songs who were towards the bottom of the scoreboard so far, Laura Nyro and Scott Walker being the biggest beneficiaries and Ani DiFranco also scoring well here... but it's Alanis Morissette who not only takes the top score, but leaps up to second after everything else in the top 10 fails to score! Doing some tilting next...

ELEVEN Eleven votes in and we're starting to see the pack being separated a bit more but, as I've said before, a good score can rocket you skywards - and that's the case this time for Tom Waits who becomes the latest entrant to gain a maximum. Jewel has been quietly receiving points now and creeps into the top 10 as well. Matto next!

TEN I've been suspiciously quiet about Dolly Parton up to this point but a maximum here pushes her up into the top 3 - will the predictions come true as we get into the later voters after her sad passing this week? </3 At the other end of the table Stina Nordenstam gets off the mark leaving just one track yet to score, will our next voter rectify that? Over to Scene...

NINE So it was Rich who was behind Youssou N'Dour and currently finds himself in the top 10 with an entry that definitely stood out from the pack... sadly we didn't spot the BJSC Spin Off recycle until a keen eyed/eared Jade did in the listen through - the first of two things that poor Addy will be side eyeing at following a veto! (more on that later!) - and Rich has to be happy enough with the current scores as the top 2 mirror his own (thank you btw!)... a few entries that I haven't focused on yet that are doing well score here again in the shape of Đorđe Balašević and Noriyuki Makihara - loving seeing our foreign language entries doing well at this stage. Addy is up next...

EIGHT So it's Jim who is behind the previous leader Leonard Cohen... and sadly his votes push two votes past his own entry with Alanis Morissette taking the lead for the first time! A maximum for Elvis Costello pushes I Want You into the top 10 - things are so tight that a big score for anyone sees them leap up a lot! Next we find out who gooddelta sent...

SEVEN 12 | Rufus Wainwright 10 | Laura Nyro 08 | Sibylle Baier 07 | Exuma 06 | Scott Walker 05 | Aimee Mann 04 | Đorđe Balašević 03 | Leonard Cohen 02 | Buffy Saine-Marie 01 | Alanis Morissette About 5 tracks appeared in this contest that I had on my shortlist to send but in the end I decided this was a theme where I could send something older... my parents used to listen to singer/songwriter tracks all the time so I went with something I can remember from my childhood in the form of Melanie. My dad used to play it in the car all the time and I loved this version where it starts off quiet and builds towards the choir, the single initially released was much more immediate with the choir and I think it loses some of the subtlety as a result. One of those songs I was contemplating sending was indeed April Fools so it gains a maximum from me, Rufus really is quite a special singer/songwriter and this showcases his fun side brilliantly. Somewhat frustratingly I shot myself in the foot by pushing Leonard Cohen above Melanie! A strong showing from Laura Nyro and Sibylle Baier for me as well pushed both those tracks up into the top 20. Time next to find out what Jim sent!

SIX Alanis Morissette becomes the first act to gain two maximums as Jaz was also a huge fan of That I Would be Good... his votes also get Fish off the mark. 10 points to Youssou N'Dour rockets The Lion into the top 10 at this stage. So with both Aimee Mann and Rufus Wainwright revealed not to have been my entry... let's go to my own votes next to find out who I did send!

FIVE Dobbo was up next and sent one of our two tracks from the 60s in the form of Scott Walker. His votes push Leonard Cohen to within one point of the lead but more points for all of the current top 3. As he hinted in the voting thread, it wan't quite his favourite but he did love Exuma who rockets up to 11th after the silver medal here - things are very tight towards the bottom and it's unusual that 10 points is enough for a slot in the top 10 after five voters. Ani DiFranco gets off the mark at the foot of the table, leaving just 4 tracks yet to score. We're off to visit Jaz next...

This post made me HOWL!!!

I must admit it was very amusing watching people enter artists who I knew full well were largely associated with someone else!

FOUR Next up we have our first guest voter in the shape of Lee_J11. After having a couple of Suzanne Vega tracks vetoed he sadly didn't have time to find something else to send himself, but I'm delighted to say he still voted - thank you!.. and he must be happy enough with the table at this stage as he gave points to our current top 5 songs... a last minute alteration after being reminded Kate Bush wasn't on the playlists resulted in him finding his eventual favourite song in the contest!

THREE WoW was next to vote and opts for Alanis Morissette to receive their 12 points. Their own entry coming as quite a surprise as people discover it is in fact not King Rollo!!! Sadly it is yet to score but it's early days...

TWO Vibe is up next and gives his 12 points to Melanie, catapulting her into the lead at this early stage above his own entry. Strong points from both so far for Dolly Parton and Leonard Cohen as they join Melanie in the top 3. A couple of others that have been touted to do well also gain points with Kate Bush and Alanis Morissette rising to 8 each.

I know! I do love Aimee Mann but most of my favourites of hers are from the 00s onwards so I decided not to enter her...

URGH that looks so cobbled together. I will do most of this with my eyes closed 🫣😂

VOTE ONE So we start with the votes from Mango who was very quick out of the blocks in this contest... he gives his maximum points to the biggest chart hit in the contest, Gabrielle! Will this be a sign of things to come? Also <3 at you Mango for entering my beloved Aimee Mann!