The eleventh song: Mal Hombre - Lydia Mendoza
Song writing credit entirely to her apparently, based on lyrics found on a candy wrapper. Lydia Mendoza has a clear voice, which comes through even on the less than perfect recording. The sadness comes through the sound, the slightly upbeat sound that comes up from time to time interrupted frequently by the sadder sounds of the songs.
The twelth song: Hula Girl - Sol Hoopii
Apparently the first 'world music craze', you can see where its popularity would have come from, even if it sounds cheesy now. The hula girls would have been remarkable anyway, but the upbeat, happy sounds help put you in a good mood and make this a song that's out there for the joy of it, rather than some greater artistic purpose (not saying it isn't there though).
The thirteenth song: Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By) - The Carter Family
Although this song doesn't sound as happy as our previous song, it is apparently more influential in starting country music (Hula Girl's guitar tuning frequently being used in it now). It's a folksy, sad song about loss, about the singer's mother who has passed away. It touches you even now, the loss can really be felt.
The fourteenth song: Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson
A blues song, it's a shame the recording quality seems to have dropped a bit again - it was about to not be a problem anymore, but the vocals especially sound muted because of it.It drags you away from the emotion a bit here, the shrill guitars sounding a bit off where they'd otherwise add to your blues. Still, an impressive voice, but maybe we can say more after the next song.
The fifteenth song: Hellhound on my Trail - Robert Johnson
Recorded later, this song seems to display the emotion far better. Hellhounds on his tail, the idea that the devil is going to get him, shows through in this song, panic spurring on the song while also incorporating sadness. With these two songs, you can see how Robert Johnson would have been a power in blues.
The sixteenth song: Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
What a horrible story. You can't help but listen to Billie Holiday's voice, slowly singing about the lynched black men hanging from a tree. A horrible sight it must be, and fully evoked by the lyrics and the sad, slow music that talks about it. Even now often ignored, the song shows how music can be used to strike deeper and tell more of a story than it otherwise would.
The seventeenth song: Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland
An antidote to the previous song, a completely different one. Full of hope, it brings the movie to mind, but also feel like they can apply to anyone's life. The music follows this, pushing up in range and taking you up with. Encouraging in its desire.
The eighteenth song: The Gallis Pole - Lead Belly
Although there is a melody and song here, I'm not sure they go together here - it feels like they could be from two separate songs. It feels repetitive and while this is meant to be based on an older folks song, it just doesn't seem to come across right here.
The nineteenth song: Mbube - Solomon Linda & The Evening Birds
Ignoring a troubled history of the song (The Lion Sleeps Tonight from the Lion King comes from here, although with royalties only paid in 2006), the song doesn't feel quite as composed, instead rougher call and response in a way that feel more pure. There's no chorus here either, but the composition more speaks for itself in an attractive way. It's an enjoyable song.
The twentieth song: The Java Jive - The Ink Spots
It's a song about coffee! That is one of the odder subjects for a song (straight out of Thrilling Adventure Hour if you ask me), but it's a nice confident song anyway. It's mostly about just nice coffee, and other simple pleasures (such as tea). You can't fault it for that though, as the song sounds good and is quite catchy. Here's a song we'll remember for sure.
What an amazingly varied run of ten again...