Music Madness Brackets
Arcade Fire, Ilsey, Kenny Loggins, and Goose Madness
But some kind of madness is swallowing me whole, yeah
—Muse
March Madness sparks all kinds of campaigns that have nothing to do with basketball. One such campaign is the classic March Madness best bands simulation where music fans vote for their favorite band to be crowned as the greatest of a particular genre or decade. There’s even a bracket for songs about Texas going on this year.
In the spirit of music and March Madness, our very own Adam Tait has created a bracket to determine the greatest cover song performed by one of his favorite bands, Goose. Check it out in this week’s Bonus Track. Jonathan, Mat, and Kody join the fun by selecting one of the original songs from the field of Adam’s cover bracket.
Jonathan’s Pick: Wake Up by Arcade Fire
From Adam’s list of Goose covers, I would take Wake Up against anyone. One of the greatest NFL commercials ever is only that, because of the perfect placement of this track. I know it’s March Madness, but when does football season start?! Check it out:
Mat’s Pick: No California by Ilsey
I had never heard this track before I heard the Goose cover, but my wife and I have fallen in love with it. It’s as catchy as can be and has a beautifully romantic edge to it. Enjoy this bracket buster of a tune—both the original and Goose’s take!
Kody’s Pick: Highway To The Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins
I had the pleasure of hearing Goose cover this song live in Indianapolis with some good friends. You can read more about that show here. Juli (my wife) was there. She isn’t a big fan of live music when she doesn’t know the artist, and she definitely doesn’t know Goose. But that didn’t stop her from boppin’ around with all the Goose fans when this familiar tune found its way onto the setlist. I think it was the only time she stood up that night.
Bonus Track: Goose Cover(s) Madness by Adam Tait
In the spirit of March Madness I have scoured the internet to determine which cover song performed by Goose is the greatest of all time. While my initial list is not exhaustive, it does include 40 cover songs that Goose or their acoustic side project, Orebolo, have performed live. The art of covering songs has been a mainstay in the jam band scene for as long as there was a jam band scene. The Grateful Dead covered many songs and at times seemed to cover them better than the original. Goose is no different and today we will discover, in my humble opinion, which cover song reigns supreme.
To make the bracket system work, 2 songs were instantly eliminated to give us 8 top songs per region. Our 4 regions were: The Heavy Rotation Region, The American Classics Region, The Dead Region, and The New Age Region. Let’s turn it up some and get into it.
The Heavy Rotation Region
This region consists of covers that I deem to be in a somewhat heavy rotation. This region is highlighted by songs like Fish in the Sea, Atlas, Shama Lama Ding Dong, and Rock the Casbah. Of these songs, I have only heard Shama Lama Ding Dong and A Fifth of Beethoven live. The “A Fifth of Beethoven” from 6/22/23 was from my first show in Louisville and it was unreal. Shama Lama Ding Dong is a highly coveted song for those of us chasing a setlist from show to show. It’s no shocker who fought their way out of this region.
WINNER: Shama Lama Ding Dong by Otis Day and the Knights
As I said before this is a coveted cover. If you get to hear this live you are living right. This tune is a staple in the catalog and will be a mainstay for a long time.
The American Classics Region
This region consists of covers that I would classify as canonically American. This region is highlighted by songs like I Would Die for You, Electric Avenue, and Highway to the Danger Zone. I attended a Goose show last summer with some non-Goose fans. Most of the music didn’t get them going, but when Highway to the Danger Zone fired up so did they!
WINNER: Hollywood Nights by Bob Seger
Goose blends “Drive” into “Hollywood Nights” for a seamless medley that feels like a perfect musical marriage. The jam that is birthed from this cover is always of epic proportions.
The Dead Region
The name of this region should speak for itself. It’s comprised of Grateful Dead covers as well as bands that I would categorize as adjacent to the Dead. We’ve got some Bruce Hornsby, The Beatles, and The Boss to name a few. These covers are not played too often and they each carry a huge weight. When Rick and the boys start ripping into these the audience is sure to explode with excitement.
WINNER: Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen
This is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen but is famously covered by the Band. This is your favorite cover’s favorite cover.
The New Age Region
This region was a favorite of mine. It has some of my all time favorite covers from Goose. Tunes like No California, Bloodbuzz Ohio, True Love Waits, and AUATC really get me excited when I see them on the setlist. These covers have introduced or reintroduced me to many artists. One song from the region that deserves its flowers is Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National. Goose’s version rivals the original and it’s sneakily one of my all time favorites.
WINNER: Wake Up by Arcade Fire
If you haven’t heard a live rendition from Arcade Fire it is worth a quick search on Youtube. It’s a set closer and brings out all the stops. I love the passion you see from Arcade Fire when they perform this tune.
Final Four
The Final Four is a real glimpse into my taste in Goose jams. Shama Lama Ding Dong, Hollywood Nights, Atlantic City, and Wake Up are truly my four favorite covers by Goose. To name a winner among these four was extremely difficult. As I thought through these songs going head to head I gave each a listen. Through random selection, Shama Lama Ding Dong faced Hollywood Nights and Atlantic City faced Wake Up. The final two songs were Shama Lama Ding Dong and Atlantic City. The more I listened to those two, the more I kept coming back to the vibe of Shama Lama Ding Dong. That’s what did it for me—and that’s why it’s the winner. I was able to hear this tune live last summer and I remember being audibly excited. I hope you have enjoyed this exercise and be sure to comment with your favorite song from this list or a song I missed (because I did). Happy March Madness and happy jamming to you all.
Adam Tait is a regular contributor to the Music Swap. He lives in Louisville but will drive just about anywhere to see Goose with you. He also has the best playlist for any occasion.
Let us know if you see any good music March Madness brackets out there. Thank you for letting us soundtrack your inbox.
-TheMusicSwap