The six hundred twenty-seventh song: How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
The darkness that The Smiths bring to their music is present here, a wailing guitar occasionally piercing through the dark bass line. It's evocative and mood setting, encapsulating your emotions completely. It's still a powerful piece, the full version's slow descent adding to that feeling.
The six hundred twenty-eighth song: Rattlesnakes - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
Rattlesnakes is a throwback rock record, more evocative of the sixties than the eighties. It's a nice rock song like that, but it feels out of place compared to what surrounds it and misses that bit of punch that could really elevate it. The lyrics are intelligent, but not quite easy enough for me to follow along to.
The six hundred twenty-ninth song: Im Nin’ Alu - Ofra Haza
Based on a traditional poem, Im Nin' Alu opens with a sober sound. The pop music kicks in, reminiscent of other sounds from the region, but there's something quite hypnotic about the poppier traditional sound that isn't far off from a Bollywood arrangement. With the lyrics in Hebrew, the text isn't easily accessible to me, but it makes the sounds even more hypnotic, building on that feeling that lures you in.
The six hundred thirtieth song: Purple Rain - Prince & The Revolution
And then there's the better known, more accessible purple rain, the weirdly evocative title invoking its own thoughts and images. It's strong in its repetition, with the lyrics and music merging well. It's long, and not the most intense, but it's powerful enough in what it does.
The six hundred thirty-first song: State of Shock - The Jacksons featuring Mick Jagger
As a collaboration of some music greats, this seems to be missing something for me. There's something missing in how the songs build and a connection that's missing - the back and forth doesn't feel as magical as you'd hope from this. I was hoping for something better.
The six hundred thirty-second song: Private Dancer - Tina Turner
I mentioned how good Tina Turner sounded on the album by the same name, and this song is still one of the highlights, a soulful ballad that feels like it has a an edge and the wisdom of age in it that is otherwise missing. It's still as good to listen to here.
The six hundred thirty-third song: Freedom - Wham!
Freedom is a poppy love song that's uncomplicated in its sound, not looking for a deeper meaning but just staying what it is. It's happy and fun and just a good song.
The six hundred thirty-fourth song: I Want You Back - Hoodoo Gurus
I don't think this is the strongest rock song - a garage throwback that does the pop rock genre quite well, but doesn't have a track here that I really managed to connect with.