The five hundred tenth song: Gloria - Umberto Tozzi
While there's room for Italian disco on this list, I feel like this is missing something. It's fine as a love song, there's an okay riff underneath, but is it that it doesn't connect? For disco, it's missing some volume, for pop it lacks a bit of a connection, and on the whole listening to this it's a song that wants to be lifted up a notch. It's a godo base for a song, and while it made a splash, I would wonder if a well produced cover would be more my thing.
The five hundred eleventh song: Black Eyed Dog - Nick Drake
There's a simple sadness to this song, one of the last Nick Drake recorded before his death. The guitar riff is simple, the whole song a blues where you hear the depression through the song, through the guitar, through the tiredness in his voice. There isn't more, it seems, that he can push out. It hits you completely and it feels a sadness there that warns of what will come.
The five hundred twelfth song: Are “Friends” Electric? - Gary Numan & Tubeway Army
Taking synth rock away from Kraftwerk (in the best way possible) the electronic sound that's in this song underlies the lonely message and the isolation. He's trying to get on top of the music in his vocals, a melodic drone that varies a fair amount - a repetition that doesn't jar but stays interesting. It's taken on a lot of influences from elsewhere, but it creates its own sound, gentler than Kraftwerk but more electronic than prog rock and the like. There's a new stream here, the lack of a personal touch being intentional, and in a way that I hope we can to see explored further. It's influential, but I'm not quite sure how.
The five hundred thirteenth song: Boys Don’t Cry - The Cure
Boys Don't Cry feels like a fairly straight forward poppy rock song, with a bit of post punk, but while it's a break up song, it has a little bit of depth to it. Is it amazing? No, but it feels like a good entry for a band where I might enjoy the deeper cuts.
The five hundred fourteenth song: Good Times - Chic
An eight minute disco song? I'm not sure how much they want to push me to hate disco, when you know you'll have the long dance break, a repeating riff that they spend too much on early on and something that works as a sample that's extended. Not to mention that singing about how you want to dance to this song feels a bit overdone and after several songs with depth, there's not much here that I want. (It does hide the lyrics, which are about how it's not the best idea to go out and party when they were going through a major depression - and perhaps it should be a part of the current Covid-19 soundtrack. It just doesn't come through here)
The five hundred fifteenth song: Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
Considering the love affair this list has with some artists, it feels odd that Michael Jackson only gets two entries - ignoring his private life, musically it feels like he's been incredibly influential and a genius. It draws on all the disco we've heard before, but somehow it avoids the tropes - it doesn't repeat itself to the point where it gets old and the dance break feels more engaging and varied, with enough going on to keep you engaged as a listener.
The five hundred sixteenth song: Lost in Music - Sister Sledge
Another disco classic, produced by Chic, this feels like it works better - aside from being a bit shorter, again it includes more variation and stays more engaging for it. Lyrically it's still no better - there's not that much going on - but it feels less like it's the same parts repeated over and over. It still doesn't beat Jackson's number, but for the first half of the song, it works.
The five hundred seventeenth song: Brass in Pocket - Pretenders
Brass in Pocket is a decent poppy rock song (or new wave, as it's described here) - a decent, simple melody with some powerful focus, Chrissie Hynde is in charge throughout as she prepares for whatever she's doing and how she's ready. It's a catchy chorus, a good hook, and making lists always works in this sort of set up. It's enjoyable end, and a good upbeat disco antidote.