The two hundred and twenty-ninth song: White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
So far, I don't think we've heard many female rock singers on the list, especially with psychedelic rock. It works really well, as it creates a different atmosphere, possibly giving the ethereal effect they were shooting for. It's about the effects of psychedelic drugs and the vision that come - indeed using a lot of Lewis Carroll imagery. It's heavy in places, short and powerful, properly creating that imagery.
The two hundred and thirtieth song: Purple Haze - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
A bit more normal rock, this sounds like a Jimi Hendrix song from the beginning. There are again strong drugs references, but what stands out here isn't the lyrics, but the aggressively pushy guitars, a volume that at times seems to strain the recording equipment, distorting the sound and the hard and suggestive vocals. It's something that we're used to these days, but thinking about it, this was new at the time, and created its own controversy with it. It makes it works still, even if it's not revolutionary - it's more a great example of it.
The two hundred and thirty-first song: I’m a Man - The Spencer Davis Group
I swear there's some video game music at the start there - a sinister chord that sounds vaguely familiar. The music, with its sudden outbursts, creates a sense of urgency that comes through everywhere. It's not necessarily fast, but everything sounds a bit hurried - not in the way it was composed, but in the way it comes across. It also includes some R&B, mixing it with rock in a way that creates an interesting mix of genres that makes things even more open. A great slice of sound, to paraphrase the book.
The two hundred and thirty-second song: Venus in Furs - The Velvet Underground
We're moving between a lot of underground areas that we would have seen at the time, and now The Velvet Underground takes us to a world of sex instead. The music sounds distinctly Middle Eastern, creating this exotic aspect, and references to leather point you further in that direction. It's sexual and charged all the way through, slow and deliberate vocals added to that experience.
The two hundred and thirty-third song: Fire - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
We don't usually get two songs by the same artist in these batches. It still has a signature sound in the guitar chords, but sounds clearer. Certainly on fire, but also less with that druggy haze. It has a sexual tension (even if that wasn't where the idea came from) that comes through in more of his songs, but is very clear here and yet it has fun with it. It doesn't take itself seriously with the request, just enjoys it instead.
The two hundred and thirty-fourth song: Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
A rocky ballad about life in London and walking along the Thames, it strikes a chord from having done similar walks. Sure, times have changed, but there's this enjoyment of life that's present in the song and sounds quite happy. It's such a happy and optimistic song about something very simple, which is very enticing and what makes this pleasant to listen to.
The two hundred and thirty-fifth song: Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry
As we're going back into country, lyrics start to matter far more than sound. The melody is very simple, although the guitar and violin are used effectively to create the mood and atmosphere here. It mixes this dark story about Billie Joe commiting suicide with the mundane chatter at dinner time - pass the black eyed peas. It makes for really effective story telling even when, in places, it sounds bizarre. There are a lot of open questions by the narrow bridge - why did he jump and what did he and the narrator throw off the bridge the day before? Not knowing adds to this, creating this unsettling atmosphere around the song.
The two hundred and thirty-sixth song: The Dark End of the Street - James Carr
The title of this song already says a lot, and as a soul song, you know this isn't going to be such a simple distraction either. So much of it is about the worries of the singer as he cheats on his wife, hiding at the dark side of the street. It's sad and haunting, setting up the scene so well throughout that most of your emotions about this come into play.
The two hundred and thirty-seventh song: Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
We go back to folk now - almost as if we go back in time. It makes for a sweet song about a platonic relationship, one that I'm more familiar with from the Dutch cover made a few years later. It's a subdued happiness - as you tend to get with folk - one that suits this type of relationship. It's thankful and wistful, in a really sweet way.
The two hundred and thirty-eighth song: Respect - Aretha Franklin
Peter asked just now if we even needed to play this - but you really need to be in all of this to really get into it. There's a lot of energy in this song, as well happiness and excitement. It sounds upbeat and excited, not demanding, but deserving of respect. It's strong, it's a great statement, and there's a reason it became the main anthem for civil rights movements.