The one hundred and eighty-seventh song: Et moi, et moi, et moi - Jacques Dutronc
A nice poppy French song - a bit of a departure of most others coming from the country before. I'm not sure if the revolution had finally reached France, or took a while to take notable hold. Still, it means this makes for a nice, swingy pop song that I really fun to bob along to.
The one hundred and eighty-eighth song: Stay with Me - Lorraine Ellison
A song that came about - at least with this orchestral setting - almost by accident, it's quite powerful from fairly early on, a long, loud shout drawing out the emotion between relatively calmer, more contained verses. It works best when the emotional outbursts comes in, when Ellison goes all in, but the quiet buildups are required to work and make the effect work just as much.
The one hundred and eighty-ninth song: Al-atlal - Umm Kulthum
A ten minute song in Arabic, apparently recording the vocals from six feet away because of the power of her voice. It sounds traditional, but after a while becomes more clearly aimed at dancing, rather than any ritual focus. As a recording of a concert (it seems, based on the applause that interrupts the song a few times) the sound quality can be a bit uneven. It feels like a music genre, however, that we never really learned to appreciate.
The one hundred and ninetieth song: You’re Gonna Miss Me - The Thirteenth Floor Elevators
It's weird when garage rock become a palate cleanser before moving on to other known songs. It's pretty standard punk, aggressive, shouty, working up to its crescendos but not doing anything that really stood out. It's a good example of where the genre was at the time, and how it could even feel a bit mainstream. Then the harmonica comes in and it feels like these guys almost just want to do something weird.
The one hundred and ninety-first song: Substitute - The Who
This song is less aggressive than my generation - more Beatles-like in nature, a more poppy song than you'd expect from them. The vocal style is still there, and the protest is their in the lyrics, the guitars are just played less aggressively. It's not quite clear to me what underlies it, but it's an interesting evolution.
The one hundred and ninety-second song: Eight Miles High -The Byrds
Psychedelic rock comes in here. Good harmonies and good guitar work, it sounds very Californian, very polished. But what makes it special is how it drifts off, not aimlessly, but leading you away from where you are. It sounds slightly distant and otherworldly, exploring this different venue, which is what makes it interesting to listen to and sets it apart at this point.
The one hundred and ninety-third song: Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks
My first feeling? "We've become such wealthy musicians, but now we have to pay tax!". I'm not sure it's quite that intentional, as they seem happy with their life here. The some is relaxed, playing it cool, making everything feel good while a bunch of bad things have happened to the singer. It's still a simple, lazy day.
The one hundred and ninety-fourth song: Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
This always gives me images of the Vietnam war, based on its use in the TV series Tour of Duty. It's a mysterious sound, partially from the sitar that dominates a lot of the song. Beyond it it's raw and emotive, aggressive and loud without being overpowering. Despite its oddities, it draws me in, in a way that sympathises with a certain depression and a way to try to dispel it.
The one hundred and ninety-fifth song: Summer in the City - The Lovin’ Spoonful
It took me a few seconds to recognise it - but once the lyrics start, you know. It's another poppier song, summery and relaxed - there doesn't seem to be much more to the lyrics, but it certainly sets a mood. It mostly just puts me in a good mood, in a way that keeps its own sound as well. It probably helps that there is a folksy bend to the music, in a way that doesn't get to me as much as it has in other songs. It works well here.
The one hundred and ninety-sixth song: God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
It's been a while since I've watched an episode of Big Love. That doesn't matter much at the moment, but that's the reason I've heard this song quite often. While a sweet love song, there are some creepy elements to it as well, in what feels like a weird dependence. The harmonies work really well and make a nice, smooth song - the Californian roots are there, while pushing it along as well to become its own thing.