The six hundred forty-third song: Under Mi Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
As a reggae song with a more digital band, it mostly feels like it just drags the genre into the eighties with its sound. It doesn't really hit much more than that - it's okay as a reggae track, but it feels like its history is more important than the track itself appeals to me.
The six hundred forty-fourth song: Cruiser’s Creek - The Fall
As a deceptively dark punk track, there's a darkness in both lyrics and music that only vaguely shines through, overtaken by the party atmosphere it tries to reference. It still keeps you off base, and the punk vibe makes place for something deeper - pulling in two directions as one, in a way that creates a surprisingly layered sound.
The six hundred forty-fifth song: Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy
As much as the dreamy vocals of the song evoke a specific atmosphere, reminiscing on a past world, it's the chorus that really makes it shine and put those same lyrics in a context of travel and exploration. The African-style chorus creates a power and energy that creates a dreamy atmosphere that really makes me wonder what Life in the Northern Town would be like - it's certainly more than the dreary place it's sometimes portrayed as.
The six hundred forty-sixth song: The Whole of the Moon - The Waterboys
Aside from a strong new wave sound, The Whole of the Moon also creates an inspiring tribute in its lyrics. A lot of comparisons stand up to show someone who's ahead and doing better. I can follow the point of this track reflecting many people. Anyone who strives - and even sometimes fails - feels like they are covered here. And the music supports that - it swoops up and builds itself in a way that really suits it.
The six hundred forty-seventh song: Marlene on the Wall - Suzanne Vega
Although I've covered this album fairly recently, hearing this track separately makes it stand out more, a dedication of its own, it feels similarly inspirational as The Whole of the Moon, but this time with a specific person (or poster of her) in mind. It still creates this build and encouragement that hits that beat pretty well.
The six hundred forty-eighth song: How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
There's a joy in this song that's well portrayed by Whitney Houston, while she manages to also infuse it with some wistfulness and questioning that adds a layer to the track that may not have worked as well in here without her. It's a real joy of a track throughout.
The six hundred forty-ninth song: Manic Monday - Bangles
Manic Monday's lyrics are simple enough - just a bad Monday morning that most of us commuting know so well. I think it's that familiarity that makes it shine first of all - so much of it feels that familiar. Add to that some really good music that cheers you up enough and takes a bit of the edge out of that Monday - some empathy and a bit of help to get you through that.
The six hundred fiftieth song: Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid
As one of the major supergroup songs, Sun City hasn't had the longevity of some of the other charity ones, but its message is as strong. The group of people involved is large, varied, and brings in an infectious energy that works so much better. It's an amazing track, whether you want to focus on the message or not.