1665 Jim Croce - Workin' at the Car Wash Blues

1665 Jim Croce - Workin' at the Car Wash Blues

From: I Got A Name, Year: 1974
Genre: Folk Rock

It would seem as if most of my weekend will now be taken up working on my car, so I figured I would pick a fitting song today. Although this excellent one from Jim Croce isn't about working on cars, it happened to get stuck in my mind and it also had 'work' and 'car' in the title.

Here is the studio version on YouTube.
Here is a live performance on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Flaming Telepaths

My song pick two years ago today: AC/DC - Carry Me Home

My song pick three years ago today: The Eagles - Get Over It

My song pick four years ago today: Mily Balakirev - Islamey: an Oriental Fantasy

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1664 Wilson Pickett - Funk Factory

1664 Wilson Pickett - Funk Factory

From: A Man and a Half, Year: 2008 (1972)
Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B

I was in the mood for some Wilson Pickett and since it's a Friday and all I figured I'd make it a Funky Friday pick. I've always been a huge fan of Wilson Pickett and this song is one of his best in my opinion. I believe that this funky soul track was released as a single with the song "One Step Away" in '72, but lucky enough it was added to one of his Greatest Hits albums.

Hear Funk Factory on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Life Still Goes On (I'm Lonely)

My song pick two years ago today: Nirvana - In Bloom

My song pick three years ago today: Static X - I'm With Stupid

My song pick four years ago today: Ian Anderson - Eurology

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1663 The Monkees - Daydream Believer

1663 The Monkees - Daydream Believer

From: The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees, Year: 1968
Genre: Pop Rock

Davy Jones passed away yesterday from an unexpected heart attack. While I've never considered myself a fan of "the prefab four," there is some of their music I do like and I figured I should pick one of their songs.
I wasn't around when they were the corporate pop band de jour and by the time I was old enough to really listen to them all that was really left was their music; I just looked at them as any other '60's pop band. While they didn't actually write most of their music and didn't even play on their earlier work, which is, other than the fact they were an industry construct, where they got most of their knocking from, that was actually, for the most part what was normal in the music industry at the time.
Anyway, this is one of their songs that they recorded to feature Davy Jones on lead vocals that I've always liked, mostly for the chords and their progression through the verses. The song's main monster hook however, is the tried and true method of launching into major chords for the chorus.

Here is a fan video with the studio version on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Muse - Resistance

My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - From A Deadbeat To An Old Greaser

My song pick three years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Oh Well

My song pick four years ago today: Aerosmith - Janie's Got A Gun

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1662 Cheech & Chong - Cheborneck

1662 Cheech & Chong - Cheborneck

From: Los Cochinos, Year: 1973
Genre: Comedy

Looks like we're getting an extra day this February; quite frankly with how much snow we've gotten March can't come quick enough.
Anyway, last night we got gifted with almost another foot of snow, and it's still coming down. This morning when I was out shoveling the snow this rather hilarious Cheech & Chong skit started running through my mind. So, as I always do, I took it as a sign it should be my pick; yeah, I know it's not a song, but I'm picking it anyway.

Hear the skit on YouTube. (NSFW)



My leap year pick on 2.29.08: ABBA - The Visitors

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1661 Pallas - Heart Attack

1661 Pallas - Heart Attack

From: The Sentinel, Year: 1984
Genre: Progressive Rock

It has been a very busy day and just now am finally getting around to making my pick.
Anyway, I've been listening to this album a lot lately and thought I would pick a second song off of it back-to-back, which is something I normally don't do.
This is one of the songs that wasn't originally released on the album, but was resurrected for the album's re-release as a proper concept album as intended. As with any good eight minute prog piece, this one goes all over the place musically complete with signature changes and complex melodies and counter lines; this song in particular reminds me a wee bit of the music from Rush just prior the Moving Pictures period.
In the overall concept album's story this one takes place long after the fall of Atlantis and is about the spirits of the long-dead nation looking on present day man and seeing him make the same mistakes that led to their demise.

Hear Heart Attack on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Chet Atkins - Windy and Warm

My song pick two years ago today: David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World

My song pick three years ago today: Dire Straits - Industrial Disease

My song pick four years ago today: Blues Image - Ride Captain Ride

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1660 Pallas - Ark of Infinity

1660 Pallas - Ark of Infinity

From: The Sentinel, Year: 1984
Genre: Progressive Rock

I remember hearing and liking Pallas back in the day, but I had totally forgot about the band until I happened upon some of their material. It's a shame that they are not as widely known as many other progressive rock bands, but I guess that's what happens for most progressive acts that formed in the hostile musical environment after the '70s.
This album, The Sentinel, was originally supposed to be a full concept album based on the story of Atlantis, at least the band's take on it. However, as with a lot of times when the record company gets involved, it didn't get originally released as intended. What ended up was some 'radio friendly' tracks were added and songs from the concept were omitted and the remaining tracks were also placed out of order. Later, however, the band was able to re-release it as it was intended.
Anyway, this is the closing track for the story and features all of the hallmarks of an incredible progressive rock concept piece.

Hear Ark of Infinity on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey

My song pick two years ago today: Steve Miller Band - Rock'n Me

My song pick three years ago today: Three Dog Night - Try A Little Tenderness

My song pick four years ago today: Steve Winwood - Roll With It

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1659 The Doobie Brothers - It Keeps You Runnin'

1659 The Doobie Brothers - It Keeps You Runnin'

From: Takin' it to the Streets, Year: 1976
Genre: Rock

I've been wanting to pick this song for a long time now, but every time I was intending on picking it there wasn't a YouTube video available. The other day I happened to check once again and low and behold someone had put it up on YouTube.
Takin' it to the Streets was a .5¢ 8-Track cassette that I bought in a box full of tapes. This song in particular was a surprise for me when it came on the first time. The synth opening immediately will give you the feeling that you're playing an old school 8-bit video game; it sounds very similar to the music one would hear playing in the background. It doesn't take long for the rest of the band to kick in, however, the funky groove of the electronic music remains as the song's backbone all of the way through.

Hear It Keeps You Runnin' on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Steeleye Span - The Mooncoin Jig

My song pick two years ago today: Queen - I'm Going Slightly Mad

My song pick three years ago today: Jerry Reed - Lightning Rod

My song pick four years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Changes

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1658 Cheap Trick - Don't Be Cruel

1658 Cheap Trick - Don't Be Cruel

From: Lap of Luxury, Year: 1988
Genre: Rock/Rock 'N Roll

I heard this cover of the classic Elvis song a bit ago and it has been running through my head off and on ever since; I thought I would go ahead and make it my pick for this Saturday.

Here is the music video on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good

My song pick two years ago today: Freddie Taylor and His Swing Men from Harlem - Viper's Dream

My song pick three years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Pow

My song pick four years ago today - Ricky Nelson - Garden Party

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1657 Cybotron - Arrakis

1657 Cybotron - Arrakis

From: Cybotron, Year: 1976
Genre: Progressive Rock/Electronic Rock

I discovered this Australian experimental prog/rock band with heavy German electronic rock influence the other day and was pleasantly surprised by what I heard. However, I have to admit, I probably wouldn't have listened to it if wasn't for the interesting album artwork, (70s Progressive Rock bands have always had the most awesome artwork), but I'm certainly glad that I did.
Finding the particulars about this band has been slightly difficult due to there being another American Techno band that goes by the same name; they formed roughly five years after this band was, which was about the time they'd broken up. You can find out more about the original Cybotron here on Prog Archives.
They're very much a band that you wouldn't want to play in mixed company; I already know what I'd hear from other people: "What the Hell is this! You can't dance to it!" Yeah, that's probably true; I mean you could try to dance to it, but you'd risk injuring yourself.
Anyway, for the most part this music is excellent to put on in the background whilst you're working. I believe that this song's title is a reference to the planet in the novel Dune written by Frank Herbert; the Sci-Fi sound of the song fits quite well. It sounds very similar to what you'd expect to hear as part of a Science Fiction film's score with heavy synth and odd electronic sounds.

Hear Arrakis on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Entre Nous

My song pick two years ago today: Black Sabbath - War Pigs

My song pick three years ago today: Pink Floyd - One Of These Days

My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Rare and Precious Chain

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1656 Kreeps - Bad Voodoo

1656 Kreeps - Bad Voodoo

From: Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Original Soundtrack, Year: 2010
Genre: Surf Rock

I heard this song the other day and immediately liked it. Apparently it was recorded specifically for the Undead Nightmare game by a band called Kreeps. It has a vintage Surf Rock sound with an excellent creepy feel and horror subject matter; it plays as you are embarking on the game's final mission.

Hear Bad Voodoo on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: David Bowie - Up the Hill Backwards

My song pick two years ago today: Fairport Convention - Who Knows Where The Time Goes

My song pick three years ago today: Savatage - Sleep

My song pick four years ago today: The Beatles - Across The Universe

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