The two hundred and third TV show: #63 Mister Ed

For better or worse, by now I'm at the point where I know what to expect from certain shows. I remember watching Mister Ed as a kid, so I had a decent idea of where it went, but it is mostly a standard comedy from the sixties, with a lot of the jokes and tropes you expect. It does play them off well - the jokes hit a bit betterthan others. Mister Ed, the titular horse, does stand out - he's well trained and you can see how much affection the remainder of the cast treats him with. Considering how some of these must have been quite tricky to pull off, the show feels surprisingly natural. It might not be a show to seek out, but considering what it sets out to do, for its age it's still quite remarkable.

The five hundred and sixty-second album: #562 Simply Red - Picturebook

Through its tracks, Picturebook floats between funk and blues, the music gaining and losing energy depending on the mood of the song. It works well, the lyrics of the tracks being well served by it, and there's some real feeling and emotion in the songs that feels like it would have gotten lost in the production in a lot of other cases. Hucknall's voice is quite specific, but it's well suited to these tracks. It might not feel like as much of a powerhouse album, but tracks like Holding Back The Years hit as much as a lot of other singer-songwriters accomplish.

The six hundred nineteenth song: The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen

Aside from being a decent rock song, the lyrics of this song hit the most. They are evocative and expansive, with a lot of analogies that hit quite well. It just works so well giving you that darker experience, as contemplative as it can be.

The six hundred twentieth song: You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) - Dead or Alive

And then there's the joy of You Spin Me Round. It's upbeat, fun and just as synthy as you'd expect at this point. It just sells it all so well, it's delightful.

The six hundred twenty-first song: The Boys of Summer - Don Henley

I think there are some sounds that I've come to associate with a previous generation, and The Boys of Summer is that. Not too hard rock, synthy, sound effects, this is so emblematically eighties that it's hard to hear much else in it. It's incredibly expressive, even as I'm not sure how much would have actually reached the audience.

The six hundred twenty-second song: Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions

Rock You Like a Hurricane is a strong metal anthem. It positions itself well, it makes its statement and bowls you over with its force. It's strong, wild, and all you need from it.

The six hundred twenty-third song: Plateau - Meat Puppets

Plateau is a shorter, simpler rock song. It feels like it hits its beats, still a sad track, but the contemplation works.

The six hundred twenty-fourth song: Tenderness - General Public

There's something sweet in the lyrics of this. It shows a softer side in a world where that still felt rare, a need for tenderness that may not have lasted. It's an incredibly sweet and loving new wave track that worked better than I thought for me.

The six hundred twenty-fifth song: Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) - Scritti Politti

There's a lot mixed into this track here. There's a feel of Michael Jackson in here, with some Beach Boys harmonies, a funky track that has poppy lyrics to go along with it. It jumps and stays difficult to pin down. It works for me, but I'm not entirely sure how.

The six hundred twenty-sixth song: I Will Dare - The Replacements

There's a simplicity to a lot of this song that works well. The pop rock sound is nice and accessible and does the trick, while giving me more to go with. It's simple, but it works.

The five hundred and sixty-first album: #561 New Order - Low Life

There's just nothing to suggest that out of the ashes of Joy Division we got New Order, going from dark gothic rock to a synth-heavy pop album. The bass still features prominently enough to stand out, but it's not all depressing either at this point. There are exceptions - the second side opener Elegia is a lot darker - but even that has a synthier backing that keeps the brighter tone of the album. Fundamentally, though, it sticks to the more upbeat sound even when there's that bit of darkness.

The two hundred and first classical recording: #559 Claude Debussy - La Mer

It's been a while since I've been in a position to listen to a classical piece. It's one that gives feeling of water, calmer at first, more animated in the second movement and a bit darker later. It plays with that gentler feeling though, with a stormy crescendo that doesn't last as long as most. It's lovingly constrained, with that right build up at the end that doesn't overdo it, but limits itself really nicely.

The two hundred and second TV show: #322 Police Squad

It's easy to understand why Police Squad didn't last - the humour feels so ahead of its time, it's dense even by today's standards, with the gags coming fast and hard. There are recurring gags - probably the best the 'freeze frame' at the end of each episodes, which has the actors stop mid-action regardless of what they're doing. There's a massive number of non sequiturs, some of which feel like they're a lot of effort for just a single joke. It's a delight to watch, but I also wondered if it was good this didn't last for ages - I can't see how you'd keep this pace going for this much longer. What's there, though, is its own perfection and absolutely worth a watch, one of the best comedies from the time.

The two hundred and first TV show: #504 The Day Today

It's been nice to get a short show in. I've been looking forward to The Day Today as a satirical news show, one that clearly stayed around for a short enough time to not wear out its welcome, even as Alan Partridge, in particular, stuck around. Some of the jokes are clearly referencing the time, but a lot of the satire managed to carry over really well. It's been a lot of fun to watch these shows even as we managed to race through it - out of enjoyment, mostly. It's been worth waiting for.

The five hundred and sixtieth album: #560 The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy

Avoiding use of the synthesizer and other excesses of their contemporaries, Psychocandy doesn't sound stripped down. It brings in the noise distortion that featured in the earliest rock albums, with songs that feel in the same vein, even if the lyrics aren't as innocent. Instead, it takes that punk edge and adds it in. The vocals feel a lot more classic though, a place where you'd expect some harmonies if they were a band to go there as well. Unfortunately it does wear out its welcome after a while, with the repeated distortion becoming obnoxious as often as it's welcome.

The six hundred eleventh song: Two Tribes - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Theme aside, the high energy of this song combines with the chaos of its explosions makes for an exciting run with a straightforward enough message, but a sound that makes you sit up and pay attention

The six hundred twelfth song: Runaway - Bon Jovi

Runaway is a pretty strong rock track. It doesn't give the depth that I think I fancy at the moment, or any of the extra things that could have helped elevate it, but it hits the beats it needs to.

The six hundred thirteenth song: Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen

As I think I addressed in the album writeup, this song is a deceptively strong piece of songwriting, an anthem that condemns rather than celebrates and helps build a feeling of contempt for the jingoistic types that would otherwise celebrate it. It's really been worth a listen again.

The six hundred fourteenth song: World Destruction - Time Zone

I don't think I ever heard of this song, but it hits so well. The rap and rock fusion feels a bit ahead of its time, but the rebellious spirit from both hits fits the time period, a counter balance to power that matches the lyrics of Born in the U.S.A. It's powerful and works so well here.

The six hundred fifteenth song: Immigres/Bitim Rew - Youssou N’Dour

The African sound heard here is joyful. While it feels like the list puts these on here to have diversity, it means that we get the best, and this is an incredibly strong and enjoyable song.

The six hundred sixteenth song: It’s My Life - Talk Talk

Another synthy anthem, It's My Life is an oddly feel good track with what feels like an ode to individualism that again suits the eighties. It's a nice dance track, even if the lyrics make it feel like it needs a little bit more of an edge.

The six hundred seventeenth song: Smooth Operator - Sade

I wasn't expecting some British bossa nova today, but the smooth jazz track works really well. It's a really good sound that feels like it fits with a fairly standard but strong love song.

The six hundred eighteenth song: I Feel for You - Chaka Khan

The funky R&B sound of I Feel for You is enhanced by the rap vocals, to the point where they really feel like the star of the show. As a song though, this works well, and the extended chorus helps a lot having it sound that good throughout.

The five hundred and fifty-ninth album: #558 Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

Tom Waits' folk music feels somewhat singular. Avoiding the production common of its time, it feels more hand crafted and deliberate, all supporting his gruff vocals. He feels like a great storyteller and creates a picture with the music. Even so, the music isn't accidental or purely supporting, there's a lot that builds here and works well. It's a touching album and you just can't avoid the sound.