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We're to the third 16-song bracket of my favorite music that I own, and Contemporary Christian Rock of the 80s and early 90s makes a large entry here. I don't follow Christian rock much anymore, so there aren't too many very new songs here. One song I wish that had made the list would be Third Day's King of Glory, which I think is one of the best produced tracks (of any genre) I have ever heard. It would have made the top 10 for sure. 

Anyway, you don't have to be a Christian or sing Christian songs to make this bracket. Other songs here represent spirituality, faith, matters of the soul. It's inspirational music, if nothing else. Songs you listen to when you are hurting and need a little lift to your spirit. 

Bracket one, Singers and Songwriters is here. http://davidwclary.com/-the-best-music-i-own-the-singerssongwriters-bracket.aspx

Bracket two, Rock and Roll is here. http://davidwclary.com/the-best-music-i-own-the-rock-and-roll-bracket.aspx

Over the next week, these sixteen songs will go head to head against each other, until I'm down to just 4. Then they'll get pooled back into the top 16 songs I own, and weeded one more time to the top ten. But first, the bracket:

Let's see where this heads:

Magnificent Obsession by Steven Curtis Chapman vs. Underground by Windham Hill

Our number one seed was a powerhouse of contemporary gospel for over a decade, and this is perhaps his most moving, enduring classic. It is pitted against an instrumental piece that I love but had no other bracket to place into. Bad seeding, Windham Hill, sorry. 

Winner: Magnificent Obsession

Moonshadow by Cat Stevens vs. Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood

Even before he became a devout Muslim, Cat Stevens music had a soulful, spiritual quality about it. Moonshadow and Peace Train are great examples, but there are so many more. This is my favorite song of his, and up until about five years ago or so, it would have won this matchup. But Carrie Underwood's Jesus Take the Wheel is one of the best "Country Music is all about Jesus sometimes" songs ever written, and performed by just a fantastic vocalist at the top of her game. This song helped catapult Carrie to the top of the Country charts, and for good reason. Jesus Take the Wheel takes the winner's circle lap.

Winner: Jesus Take the Wheel

I Cry by Russ Taff vs. Into the West by Annie Lennox

Here are two songs that I love too much to want to lose either of them. I Cry is a heartfelt ballad by one of the best, most enduring male Christian artists in history, and speaks to comfort that Christ can bring someone who is so agonized by something that all there is left to do is cry. Into the West is the dirge sung at the end of the Lord of the Rings movies. It breaks my heart to pick on of these, but I have to, and so I'm going to go with the song I always stop for: Into the West. Annie Lennox pulls it out in a nailbiter. 

Winner: Into the West

Alpha Overture by Michael W. Smith vs. Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks

I have to be honest: I put Alpha Overture in my top 64 because I want it to be the theme to a science fiction movie I wrote in the 80s. It has an 80s sound and feel, and is just a nice instrumental track. It's pitted against Standing Outside a Fire, a bold (some would say controversial) effort by Garth Brooks, who at the height of his career stepped inside the fire himself to sing a song about the end of bigotry, racism, and homophobia. He found that Country music's listeners are still, for the most part, very much into racism, bigotry, and homophobia. But this song rocks, has a great message, and showed a courage that most country artists can only pose. Strong win for Garth here. 

Winner: Standing Outside the Fire

Defining Moment by Newsong vs. Universal Daddy  by Alphaville

Defining Moment is a great song about how making the leap of faith is the existential point to being. By the way, if you've noticed a lot upsets in this round, it's because I seeded the Christian artists higher than the secular artists. As it turns out, though, while these are the best Christian music songs I have, secular music tends to be better produced and of more memorable bent a lot of time. It's this way here, too, where the very catchy, very danceable Universal Daddy blowing kisses to the world walks away with the win. 

Winner: Universal Daddy

Falling Down by David Meece vs. Fragile by Sting

Falling Down exemplifies, for me, the music of piano-player-turned-singer David Meece, amazing keyboards, great melody, energetic, and David's high-pitched little Honda CRV-engine of a voice. I love this song, but he was never the strongest singer. What gives the edge here to Sting, is that on 9/11 he was scheduled to do a live concert on Yahoo.com from Tuscany. When the time for the show came, he came to the stage and announced that due to the events of the day, there was no way they could perform a show. Instead, they did a soft, soulful version of this song, that cemented it in my mind as one of the saddest, most soulful songs ever. 

Winner: Fragile

The Finish Line by Steve Taylor vs. All About Soul by Billy Joel

This is another matchup of songs that not only are some of my most favorites, but also lyrics that I would rue having to give up, as both are as deep and meaningful as any ever penned. The Finish Line tells the story of a young man running the race of life, striving for the prize of heaven, and the true, sometimes ugly truths of how difficult this is. It's brutal and painful, and for Taylor, whose reputation as a musical critic of modern religion proceeds him, it's one of his most accessible songs. In so many of his songs I see me, and this one is no different. At the same time, though, I have to pit it against my most favorite Billy Joel song ever and, in my opinion, the most important song he's ever written. All About Soul represents a man who has looked deep within his, and realized the truths of what make insight, what creates strength, how you find love. It is an amazing song, and I have to give up the truly great The Finish Line to let All About Soul move on. 

Winner: All About Soul

Perfect Timing by Sweet Comfort Band  vs. Shaking the Tree by Peter Gabriel

I don't care what you say. Perfect Timing is one of the best rock songs of all time, "Christian" label or no. If I'd not had a Christian/Spiritual bracket, it would have stood its ground and contended against any song in my Rock bracket. Great guitar riff, sweet lyrics, the song flat out rocks. Winner in a landslide.

Winner: Perfect Timing 

That's it. The third bracket is complete. Sixteen songs narrowed down to eight. Tomorrow we'll finish round one, with the Love Songs/Sad Songs bracket. Then next week, all the brackets go through round two, where each 8-song group will be further narrowed down to four. 

If you like this, follow me on Twitter @GawaintheStout. Or check me out on Facebook. Also, check out my "Best Music I Own" page, which is a quick list of all the blog entries on this competition! It's here:

http://davidwclary.com/best-music-i-own.aspx