The ninth classical recording: #190 Ludwig von Beethoven - Violin Sonata in A major, op. 47, "Kreutzer"

The opening here worried me a bit, as I needed (and expected) a more energetic song. It takes a little while to get into the fury of the opening, which sounds aggressive in its speed and ferocity. There are points where it teases a more gentle sound, but it doesn't quite let up from all of this. The second is calmer, making a counterpoint to the first movement, in a way that's calming while still somewhat uplifting - a restful tune. The music plays with that, building on it and varying it where it can. It focuses on the contrasts, which seems to come together at the end, which mixes between the manic early parts and quieter second movement, tying it together quite nicely to create a more uplifting sound.

The thirtieth album: #30 Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard

A live album from apparently one of the best jazz trios, this is still the smooth, at times inconsequential jazz that has plagued me before. There's nothing that bad about it, but it doesn't quite inspire me - and certainly does nothing for me on a gray day, where it can feel like a bit of a downer. I got noticeably bored partway through, never a good thing.

Time for the second part of 1965!

The one hundred and seventy-sixth song: Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan

Another big name comes in - and how timely, with the supposed Nobel prize snub. This is, of course, a famous and familiar song, especially as Bob Dylan seems to have his own sound that stands out in the era - part of the singer-songwriter thing, the distinct sound works even with how biting it gets. There's a protest in this, and as the opposite of a love song, it works to capture a mood more than anything else.

The one hundred and seventy-seventh song: People Get Ready - The Impressions

From there, we smoothly slide into this soul song, a gospel-influenced song with socially concious imagery, religion delivering them from a bad fate (there are slavery images in there). It mostly sounds good and smooth, with nice sounding harmonies and some interesting imagery in the lyrics.

The one hundred and seventy-eighth song: Who Do You Love - The Preachers

What is a song like this doing on the list? The Preachers don't come across as the most polished musicians, this sounding raw and harsh. It's early punk, garage rock from the US that came up around the same time as (for example) the Rolling Stones, but from that a trend that didn't take quite as well in part because it just wants to go loud. That makes it difficult to get into, and makes this a song that isn't here because it's amongst the best, but because it's a representation of an early strand of music that was different. Here it's certainly taken in a direction I feel would be interesting with more polish, but falls flat here.

The one hundred and seventy-ninth song: The Carnival Is Over - The Seekers

Time to go to something more middle of the road then. This is a simpler pop song, slow and sad but also a bit inoffensive. That's not really a bad thing here, the group sounds really good together as well as sounding evocative. It draws you in into the melancholy. You can see why this would have been popular, but for me it never quite soared and lifted itself up far enough.

The one hundred and eightieth song: Psycho - The Sonics

This is more polished garage rock, a raw sound that doesn't just go for volume (even if there's plenty of that in here) sounding really good. It's pretty simple, lyrics and music, but that works for them here to create a song that is a bit easier to tap along to. It's an improvement on The Preachers for me, while still having an edge to it.

The one hundred and eighty-first song: I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (to Stop Now) - Otis Redding

This is a simple R&B ballad. The music is very simple, relying more on Otis Redding's vocals to portray emotion and to take you through the song. It helps, as it builds loneliness and a slight sad challenge. It brings out the more primal emotions, which is what makes this work well.

The one hundred and eighty-second song: Stop! In The Name of Love - The Supremes

Now for one of those songs that is probably as famous for its signature dance move as it is for the song itself. It's a supremely well produced song, a catchy refrain that sticks with you with simple, but effective lyrics. It has its hooks and despite its not quite as upbeat of a message, is danceable and fun nevertheless.

The one hundred and eighty-third song: Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan

Again, Bob Dylan leads off with his characteristic sound that I feel we haven't really come across in this year. It's a clear protest song that, in that sense, belongs in the sixties, but one that has appeal even today. Both socially and musically, it feels like it's trying to push things forward, and while not everything is kept there, the latter certainly partially seems to have happened after this song.

The one hundred and eighty-fourth song: The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

The first line, with its guitar line, sounds so familiar. Simon & Garfunkel is another duo that I wasn't expecting yet, but made a big impact during their career, especially when together. It sounds simple and sweet, but that's part of what works. It's about the silence, and has a hint of loneliness, the desire for it and appreciation. I think it resonates because of that even now, as it's about an isolation that can be difficult to find these days.

The one hundred and eighty-fifth song: My Generation - The Who

And here's another big rock song. It's loud and aggressive, an anthem fighting against the establishment, and probably partially still known because every younger generation feels this way (rightfully so or not), similar to how the older generation always complains about the "kids these days" (something that dates back to at least Roman times). The stuttering helps here, not really masking rude words that would have gotten it bleeped or banned on the radio. Here it gets away with just implying. There's still more polish to it than the earlier garage rock, which means the volume doesn't overwhelm the message - instead it strenghtens it in an amazing way.

The one hundred and eighty-sixth song: Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

I'm sorry, but ending on this for the year feels like a bit of a letdown. Vanilla as it is a sweet love song that oculd have been recorded ten years earlier. It's inoffensive, mainstream, and so, so slow in comparison. It's well sung, don't get me wrong, but it misses the hints of counter culture that so clearly defined the great songs of this year. The Wall of Sound included here doesn't help, as it makes it sound showy and threatens at times to overshadow great vocals. Bobby Hatfield sounds good, introducing some melancholy into a song that wants to be a production, but isn't quite allowed to get there.

The twenty-third book: #23 Love in Excess - Eliza Fowler Haywood

I've been spending the last week reading this. It took some time, mostly because the copy I found (free as it's out of copyright) was quite old, still featuring long s's, which made it a bit more of an ordeal to read. I managed, though, although it probably impacted my enjoyment slightly.

What bothered me more is that this was a romance, and one that felt vaguely predictable, and not that interesting - they're love stories that feel like they have been done better. Again, the period setting won't have helped here, but I didn't feel interested in reading the lengthy, flowery letters. A bit of a bore at times, that I felt I had to move through more slowly than I wanted to.

The twenty-ninth album: #29 Muddy Waters - Muddy Waters at Newport

Another live album, a blues album, and Muddy Waters is a single artist, not a band as (for some reason) I first thought. It sounds better than most live albums so far, as techniques obviously developed, It sounds good from the start - jazzy but drawing me in further, at a nice speed.

Lyrically, and stylistically, while this is (it says) classified as Chicago blues, it's interesting how there are several references to gypsies and voodoo magic and the like - it's difficult not to try to hear some assocation with New Orleans in this. It's an interesting thing to see in here, showing that at least some of them are linked. Got My Mojo Working for example has these references, while also placing a lot of it in a more normal context. This is also the song where it's clear it's live, in the loud crowd reaction as well as the energy that is present in this performance.

The one hundred and sixty-fifth song: La paloma - Caterina Valente

Most notable here is the song itself, apparently one of the most recorded songs in the world. A classic folk song, this version makes use of a large orchestra, sounded gentle and possibly slightly sultry. It's an attractive, enticing sound here, one that feels massive while still showing the underlying simpler song. The flourishes are nice, but sometimes a bit over the top.

The one hundred and sixty-sixth song: Sinnerman - Nina Simone

An exciting, enticing gospel song, there's fire in the building crescendo of this song. The loud, almost shouted lyrics feel, on some level, triumphant and even from the mixed call and response in here, you can see how good this would sound in a live setting. As a swooping finale to a set, this would work really well, swept up in the music. There are some different parts of the song it moves through after that, all with the same excitement that would be amazing live and sounds good here too (though at times feeling a bit empty compared to a live performance). It always builds up to this bigger explosion of sound, which is what sounds as good about it.

The one hundred and sixty-seventh song: The Irish Rover - The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem

This song really starts off as what you'd expect when you say 'Irish jig'. Happy guitar, there's the accent and it feels like this should be a happy singalong. It sounds good, happy, even when there's the darker sections of the song. It's fun to listen to, even if slightly odd. It's just fun to listen to.

The one hundred and sixty-eighth song: Needle of Death - Bert Jansch

Back to folk, now something slow and sad. Written about the death of a friend through death, the sorrow really comes through in this song. It's specific, accusing and wonders why. The guitar playing adds to this, a single guitar accompanying the song that sounds well, creative and different, never overpowering the song but enhancing it a lot.

The one hundred and sixty-ninth song: Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown

And then we continue to the upbeat swing of James Brown, as if nothing happened. The loud horns and excited vocals strike you at first, challenging you to get into it, and it takes a few seconds to really take it. After that it swings on though, bringing in the funk sound he made big.

The one hundred and seventieth song: La boheme - Charles Aznavour

French chansons always hit a particular note for me, often somewhere between longing and happiness, nothing big but never quiet. Through sound and lyrics, it establishes the framework of a past life that make you feel the same. It's a good voice balanced well with piano and violins, that inspires a look back on the past without ever getting too sad.

The one hundred and seventy-first song: California Dreamin’ - The Mamas & The Papas

Speaking of this sort of longing, California Dreamin' was written as some of the band members missed the weather and life in California while they lived in New York. It's clear how their life their went, with a hint of sadness but also celebration in there. It's not regret about decisions made, but it's about how it's a part that now missing from their lives, sadly so. It sounds good here, the group's vocals nicely complementing the feeling of it.

The one hundred and seventy-second song: Ticket to Ride - The Beatles

And here the first song of the big bands from the 60s comes in - we have a bunch of releases like that in this year, and who is bigger than the Beatles, in that way? Incredibly prolific, this song feels like an odd pick for them. Based on the book, this is because it is the first song in their more psychedelic oeuvre, creating some stranger sounds and rhythms than you heard in their pop before. Paying attention to that - rather than the simpler love song lyrics - makes it stand out as being something special. Certainly an interesting song of theirs, now I know to focus on that.

The one hundred and seventy-third song: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stone

And then we get to the band I've seen described as the counter part to the Beatles. The Stones are more raw, rockier and harder. Still with a pop edge, but clearly intended to feel more dangerous. Here, especially, the song sounds quite sexual and provocative in that sense. It's simpler, but catchier, rockier and fun. This is certainly the sound of a loud rebel, as opposed to the more subdued counter culture of the Beatles.

The one hundred and seventy-fourth song: The Tracks of My Tears - The Miracles

After these different strands of rock, we go to some R&B. A few years ago this would be accompanied with just backing vocals, but here more instrumentation comes in, more production is applied. It sounds sweet, a slick sound that seems to belong in Motown's wheel house. There are times where this just sounds inoffensive, but it works so well that this seems like an understatement as well.

The one hundred and seventy-fifth song: Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds

Reading about this, this version of the song starts off the folk rock boom, not creating it but making it big. Based on a Bob Dylan song written a bit earlier, it was adapted here for the group making it a bit rockier. As rock it's gentler, though with the stylings still there. You can still hear the mellow sounds in there, but the music sweeps in to make it bigger, more danceable. It's a pioneering sound and it sounds good here.

The twenty-eighth album: #28 Jimmy Smith - Back at the Chicken Shack

Back to instrumental jazz once more, this time using an electronic organ. I'm not sure this really has the desired effect on me - this list hasn't really made me love jazz. Again, there's nothing drawing me into the music, this is just background music that starts to bore me after a little while. The rhythm gets you in - my foot was tapping at some points - but there's not much that feels special. Competently done, sure, but that feels like it's about it.

The twenty-seventh album: #27 The Everly Brothers - A Date With The Everly Brothers

Despite the image that rock and roll would have conveyed, these brothers sound like sweet guys, singing country love songs that are sounding quite poppy. There are parts that are more like a ballad, some that are more rocky, but it overall works out like a good collection of love songs. And I mean, that's most of it, it's good, inoffensive music, something that's a lot of fun to listen to.

The twenty-sixth album: #26 Miriam Makeba - Miriam Makeba

And so we get to one of the rare non-American albums in the earlier parts of the list - and one that's only partially in English. Miriam Makeba is a South African singer, singing folk songs from around the world. We've heard her in the Click Song for the songs list, and now hear more of her music. It's lovely to listen to, a variety of styles with a lullaby that really was working but also several sweeping, exciting songs. It's all accompanied by the guitar and a male choir, the simplicity adding to this nature of the songs. Overall, there's a lot of happiness in the songs.

There's one exception, One More Dance has Charles Colman, her duet partner for this episode, laughing through the entire song. I don't know why it wasn't rerecorded or was included like this, but it's distracting and annoying. Such a shame - and it feels so unnecessary.

The eighth classical recording: #266 Frederic Chopin - Etudes

My frequent lamentation here has been that I don't necessarily have the vocabulary to talk about classical music, and cannot give as indepth a commentary on them - in fact, that's part of the reason we're taking on the list in the first place. I am starting to develop a further understanding, though, and these suit better. Solo piano pieces (which I'm learning is what etudes are) lead to some challenging and complex pieces, with some immediate musicality that sounds good and puts in different moods - some calming, some enticing, but most are really pleasing. The skill in them, the attention to detail, it all comes together really nicely.

The twenty-second book: #22 Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Dufoe

Reading this book now, rather than one of its numerous adaptations, is putting an interesting spin on the story. The introduction of the novel, before the shipwreck, actually takes up a fairly large section of it, and goes into Robinson's travels, being captured by Moors, getting a plantation in Brazil and, well, getting involved in the slave trade (which in part leads up to his shipwreck). At the end, he becomes governor of the island he's shipwrecked on, with the others following him. He's a natural leader, but there are tendencies of the British aristocrat in there.

The real meat of the book is, in a way, the most interesting. Once it's about survival, how he sets up his place to survive for the 28 years he's there, there's a lot of details, things he thought about and had to prepare for. It's full of small touches and it does feel like the character grows in that. It's at its best when it's just him, having to fend for himself, and becomes a bit weirder for modern readers once the preconceptions about his good friend and servant Friday come in. A lot of it is realistic, but it feels a bit uncomfortable at that point. Even so, as it has 28 years, it can take the time to explore things and give him a month of bad illnesses as he learns how to survive. It's a fascinating story at least, even if coloured by the ages - but could you get lost for that long nowadays anyway?