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The three hundred and thirty-seventh song: Tired of Being Alone - Al Green

I must admit I'm not quite sure where we ended up in the last eight, but I think the variation continues in the next eight. We're in the era where R&B has established itself and that's what we're getting here, a soul song that feels like it adds the rhythm - and that reminds me of the easy listening music from my days working at the supermarket. It's not bad for that, it just sticks to a very definite sound that works quite well but may not always suit the subject. It's upbeat and feel good and in the end I do appreciate that here.

The three hundred and thirty-eighth song: Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who

Whereas the previous song may have felt like a throwback, The Who bring a step forward. We're not quite at metal, we're moving towards punk and hard rock, but we're leaving psychedelia for a heavier guitar sound, possibly with some other influences, but in taking a step back to rock's origins, it drives the sound forward as well. It's not mashing the guitars, but it still fronts those instruments rather than making it sound 'weird'.

The three hundred and thirty-ninth song: Vincent - Don McLean

A quiet ballad, this tribute to Vincent van Gogh is quiet, simple and beautiful in that simplicity. It's parts lullaby, part exploration, soft and reassuring while exploring van Gogh's life and trouble. It's quite sweet, really, heartfelt without being sentimental - nothing fake about it.

The three hundred and fourtieth song: City of New Orleans - Steve Goodman

And then we get a happy folk song about a train ride to New Orleans. There's a violin and harmonica and the hay bales appear in front of me as I listen to it. And I mean, I like train travel, but here it feels a bit much. It makes me smile, it's fun, but at the same time, it feels a throwback to an earlier era and a song that doesn't necessarily stick with me.

The three hundred and fourty-first song: Peace Train - Cat Stevens

While a vaguely folksy song again (Wikipedia classifies this as soft rock, but there's folk and soul in here as well), here it's obviously all about peace. It's a notable sentiment and one that I feel music can address really well, but the music here feels outdated and for that reason probably doesn't reach me as well. It's trying to achieve peace by sounding happy, while it feels these days it's something to get angry for - something the rise of harder rock in this era will probably also show. At the same time, this is the sort of song that ended the Vietnam war, so perhaps more changed here.

The three hundred and fourty-second song: Superstar - The Carpenters

Dark and vaguely haunting, the mood of loneliness is set early on. There's something very real in the emotions and at times it feels raw, even where the instruments play over it, and it puts you in the right mindset just listening to it. It's orchestral, but aside from the refrain, not overly so. The refrain reinforces the themes far more, but it feels right when it goes down and focuses on the vocals, the story of desire and loneliness in the dedication to one person when they're not there.

The three hundred and fourty-third song: A Nickel and a Nail - O.V. Wright

Blues still exists - as I said, R&B seems like it's rising - but this isn't the blues you knew. There's soul influences, the production has increased, but it still comes down to a powerful voice, not upbeat, but full of energy. Sorrowful, the life of a poor man, but but it's how so much more comes out of it that makes this sound so good.

The three hundred and fourty-fourth song: Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye

A song about how we can't change our lives for the better, how the world is keeping us down, probably isn't one that I can identify much with, but Marvin Gaye puts the message across quite well, explaining how so many things are going wrong and troubling him, and how life in the inner city isn't easy. The haunting funk - keeping up a higher beat than vocals seem to follow - increase the tension of a move that forces you ever forward, even if you need a chance to catch your breath, and towards the end of the 'main' song, the tempo seems to increase.

The thirty-third classical recording: #200 Ludwig von Beethoven - Symphony no 6 "Pastoral"

A symphony inspirred by the feeling of being in and walking through nature, it immediately starts off on this note, filled with movement but with some of the serenity of being out in nature. There are places where bird songs are involved, others where the sounds of water flowing come up and rain storms. It's an active nature, loud and varied, wtih humans intruding, and evoking the feeling rather well.

The thirty-second classical recording: #486 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker

It can be hard to judge a ballet on its music alone. There are, of course, some very famous sequences in here, but the link to the visuals is lost. And with a piece as varied at this, the specific dances partway through the second act get lost. It still feels thematically consistent, though, even in places where it varies. It carries you through and creates its own arc, from big and warm to smaller and lighter, sometimes creepier, until its happier waltz at the end. It's a good piece, and I feel I really should seek it out for a live performance rather than just the music I could cover now.

The fifty-first book: #1007 The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

Meh.

Look, I know this is ont he list because it's the first English novel. But a religious allegory would never sit well with me, especially one as blunt as this. And I don't see many redeeming features in how it's creative. I guess some of its imagery is creative, but it's not very effective, especially with the names being as obvious as they are. When you put people in boxes and don't allow them out of it, you're not making your point well enough and there's little that feels redeeming.

The fiftieth book: #1006 Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit - John Lyly

I didn't get Euphues. I just never did. Some books on this list are written to show off how smart the author is, The edition I had was littered with footnotes to explain everything, and the book felt impenetrable because of that. It's mostly more letters and lengthy conversations, without much of a point that I can see. I felt bored and annoyed as nothing happened for most of it and I lost track if anything happened other than a visit to England from Greece. I just didn't see the point.

The thirty-first classical recording: #115 George Frideric Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks

The overture of this piece is one of the longest, in percentage, probably because it was leading up to the important main event. There's almost a bit of encouragement in there, getting people's excitement up while waiting. The main music, in comparisonm feels a bit tame, and that's probably because the fireworks bangs would punctuate and add aggression to the atmosphere. It's hard to blame it for not having as much oomph here. Instead it's a gentler piece, but one that doesn't emphasize it. I'd say it has confidence in its sound, if that makes sense.

The allegro La Réjouissance does speed up (even if that's relative), bringing in some more speed and support. The wind instruments add a different throughline that support some more exciting playing. It either follows or is followed by the menuet, which are more impressive, heavier pieces. They feel like they would go with fireworks better, but I can see how we'd have a build up here that works with the fireworks as they would be taking place. It would be impressive to see live, outdoors, given the chance.

The seventy-eighth TV show: #589 Black Books

It's freezing outside right now and I am working from home. My commute time? Let's finish another show.

We've watched Black Books before, but I have been looking forward to a rewatch, especially of the later seasons that we don't get to in a rewatch. Following Graham Lineham's work, this is as much if not (after the first season) more driven by Dylan Moran, who plays Bernard, one of the main characters and the owner of the titular book shop. He's a grumpy shopkeeper who's perpetually inebriated and unlikeable. Tamsin Greig plays Fran, the awkward neighbour, first as fellow shop owner, but later just hanging out. Manny, played by Bill Bailey, is hired in the first episode to help Bernard out in the shop, and tries to improve the shop and their life.

The show's comedy gets nihilistic, but veers towards the absurd rather than dark comedy, the latter initially following from what I've seen of other Graham Lineham show, but with its own feel. They're three friends encouraging their worst impulses, becoming shut ins and where that goes wrong. It's not moralizing, it just follows these bad people (especially Bernard) through their life. Mostly, it's hilarious and rewatchable, varied through its episodes.