William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: George Thorogood and the Destroyers ; Year: 1977; Genre: Blues Rock Wot the heck, I'm picking the George Thorogood cover after picking the John Lee Hooker version yesterday; seems like a great idea! Yeah. Anyway, as I wrote in my last post, this is a cover of two songs from the legend of a Bluesman: House Rent Boogie and One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer . He used the first song to tell the tale as to why the guy is in the bar drowning his blues in the iconic second piece. I have to say that he and his Destroyers did the songs great and probably turned a lot of new listeners on the original John Lee Hooker tracks; I know it did with me.   Hear One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Shocking Blue - Roll Engine Roll     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pat Benatar - My Clone Sleeps Alone   My song pick 3 years ago today: The B-52's - Love Shack   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bootsy's Ru...

From: The Real Folk Blues ; Year: 1966; Genre: Blues I do not know why, but it just felt like a perfect time for a John Lee Hooker blues; why not this great track. Probably many my age and younger were introduced to this track by George Thorogood and the Destroyers who fused it with another John Lee Hooker tune House Rent Boogie , which preceded it in the medley. Apparently George Thorogood asked him for his bless in doing it and John Lee Hooker was all for it. Anyway, this blues is actually a cover, (depending on whom you ask apparently). The authorship and who recorded it first is not in question, (Rusy Toombs and Amos Milburn), just how much Hooker added to it to make it one of his signature songs. It appears that there are some music historians out there that state that Hooker's version is different enough that it is an original. Frankly I do not really care, I just enjoy listening to it; whoever it is performing it.   Hear One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer on YouTube.   ...

From: Sloppy Seconds ; Year: 1972; Genre: Country Rock/Comedy Yesterday I heard of Dennis Locorriere's passing; he was the lead vocalist and whilst played the lead guitar primarily, he basically at one time or another played almost every instrument with Dr. Hook. This rather fun comical track with its old timey sound really opens up the record beautifully. As with all the material on Sloppy Seconds , it was written by noted song-smith  Shel Silverstein , who earlier the same year recorded it as the title track to his own album.    Hear Freakin' at the Freaker's Ball on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Soundgarden - Searching WIth My Good Eye Closed     My song pick 2 years ago today: John Cougar Mellencamp - R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)   My song pick 3 years ago today: ABBA - Bang-A-Boomerang   My song pick 4 years ago today: Faster Pussycat - Nonstop to Nowhere   My song pick 5 years ago t...

From: Nobody Wants to be Alone ; Year: 1985; Genre: Pop/Country If I remember correctly, this album was right at the tail-end of the whole country/pop/rock crossover era that permeated the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not that there's anything wrong with that blend of genres; I for one actually like quite a few of them and believe that it was better "country" than a lot of the exaggerated nasally singing pushed out today. I would actually categorize this track in particular way more in the pop/rock or power pop genre than country. Anyway, I have heard this one a lot over the years; it really has the ability to get stuck in your head, and a fun one all the same.    Hear Touch and Go on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Savatage - Forever After     My song pick 2 years ago today: Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised   My song pick 3 years ago today: Les Paul & Mary Ford - Bye Bye Blues   My song pick 4 ...

From: Nightcap ; Year: 1993 (1982); Genre: Progressive Rock This album has had heavy rotation ever since importing it from the U.K. back in the mid 1990s, so I seemingly have songs from it in my mind semi-frequently. I believe that this track was from their early '80s  Broadsword & The Beast recording sessions, but did not make the final cut for the record. Whilst I agree with Ian Anderson that these are/were very low polished songs compared to most, but I am still 100% happy and "over the moon" that he did make them available as I really enjoy them.    Hear No Step on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Lou Garno Trio - Muy Sabroso (Very Tasty)     My song pick 2 years ago today: Ray Charles - Unchain My Heart   My song pick 3 years ago today: Elvis Presley - I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Mamas & the Papas - Monday Monday   My song pick 5 years ago today: ...

From: Zapp II ; Year: 1982; Genre: Funk/R&B This week, like last, just seemed to blow by... probably it's just me. Anyway, for this Friday I knew I wanted to pick something from Roger Troutman; wot a better pick than something from his band Zapp. This one is a non-charting single, but still one of the highlights off of their second album.     Hear Do You Really Want an Answer? on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bruce Springsteen - My City of Ruins     My song pick 2 years ago today: Al Di Meola - Traces (Of A Tear)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The J. Geils Band - Freeze-Frame   My song pick 4 years ago today: Ray Charles - You'll Never Walk Alone   My song pick 5 years ago today: Fates Warning - Firefly   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jigsaw - Journey Into Space   My song pick 7 years ago today: Kiss - Heaven's on Fire My song pick 8 years ago today: The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of ...