So I just watched the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics (on my TiVo, so the delay didn’t bother me — but taking a commercial break during the pre-recorded lowering of the Olympic flag is inexcusable), which always pushes my buttons like nothing else. Earlier today, I said goodbye to my parents as they began their third cross-country drive (they will be spending the next two years in San Diego, where my mother’s company is relocating). And after the recording cut out (a few minutes early, natch), I hit “play” on the music player and was treated to this rather somber sequence:

• Scars on 45, “Insecurity” (from the self-titled album)
• Mark Knopfler, “Go, Love” (from Privateering)
• Peter Gabriel, “Solsbury Hill” (one of only two really uptempo songs in this sequence, from Hit, originally released as a vinyl single and on his self-titled album)
• Roxette, “Cry” (from Look Sharp)
• Indigo Girls, “Become You” (upbeat, but listen to those lyrics! — from the album of the same name)
• Catie Curtis, “Sugar Cane” (from My Shirt Looks Good on You)
• Natalie Merchant, “Just Can’t Last” (from Motherland)
• Corey Hart, “I Am by Your Side” (from Fields of Fire)

This was followed by a Kashtin song, “Tshinuau”, and since I don’t have the liner notes I have no idea what it’s about — but it’s substantially happier sounding, to me at least. (Thanks to the VLC team for making a playlist shuffle function that doesn’t forget the sequence when you use the next and previous track buttons.)