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 It's a notable sentiment and one that I feel music can address really well, but the music here feels outdated and for that reason probably doesn't reach me as well.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.