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

From: Undead ; Year: 1968; Genre: Blues Rock/Jazz Rock Found another cover of this favourite of mine; this one comes from the first live album from Ten Years After. It's a very interesting take on the Gershwin classic, which is used as an introduction/overture for drummer Ric Lee's  Shantung Cabbage  drum solo.    Hear Summertime/Shantung Cabbage on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: War - Slowly We Walk Together     My song pick 2 years ago today: Normaal - Val Kapot     My song pick 3 years ago today: Brass Construction - Screwed (Conditions)   My song pick 4 years ago today: Procol Harum - Song for a Dreamer   My song pick 5 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Watching Over You   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down To Georgia   My song pick 7 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Givin' It All Away My song pick 8 years ago t...

From: The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ; Year: 1994; Genre: Alternative Metal Last night was going over my "Music" app on my computer; man, I miss iTunes.... I know "owning music" is so passé and out of fashion and I should just be streaming, but that's just not for me. Anyway, I noticed quite a few of my songs greyed out, apparently missing the file that goes with it. I have absolutely no idea how I "lost" the songs, so had to go searching around for the original copies. Long story short, I got most of them recovered and backed up in multiple places. As you probably surmised, this was among the missing songs; I was really glad to have The Crow soundtrack complete once more digitally. I really wish more of the recent films had such a great soundtrack; all big hit songs that actually could serve as an early 1990s rock music soundtrack as well as a film's. This is one of those albums that you can put on and just enjoy from alpha to zed, ...

From: Mr. Gone ; Year: 1978; Genre: Jazz Fusion Don't know why I have not been listening to as much Weather Report as I used to. At that, the last time I chose one of their songs was over three years ago, and it was one off of this record to boot. For the last couple of decades I consumed a lot of the Weather Report material as well as associated acts and artists; Wayne Shorter and, of course Jaco in particular. I'm thinking that it might have to do with delving into other Fusion bands and players that've taken up my attention. Like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock and his Head Hunters, as well as all of their related bands and solo artists, which is extensive if you think about it. It is a real treat every time one of Joe Zawinul and Weather Report's music pops on my playlist; still enjoy it a lot. Anyway, this is one of Jaco Pastorius' songs, and whilst being a tour d'force in bass guitar virtuosity, all of the other band members get to ...

From: A Man of Value ; Year: 1972; Genre: Soul Had this rather profound song come on whilst driving the other day; it has been on my mind ever since. The Politician is one written by the ever-eloquent and productive songwriter/musician/singer Mac Davis, who I have come to admire the more I have delved into the breadth of his work. Mac never recorded this one as far I know, but really, I do not think you could get any better of a delivery and performance than that of the legendary Lou Rawls; this one just makes the hairs on your arms stand up and gives goose bumps/chills as the song progresses.   Hear The Politician on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: James Brown - Living in America     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pearls Before Swine - Ballad to an Amber Lady     My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - The Last Messiah   My song pick 4 years ago today: Traffic - Heaven is in Your Mind   My song pick 5 years a...

From: School Days ; Year: 1976; Genre: Jazz-Funk/Jazz Fusion Had a few in mind for today, but went with this beautiful piece of music from his album of renown: School Days .     Hear Quiet Afternoon on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - The Colour of Right     My song pick 2 years ago today: Paul Revere & The Raiders - Steppin' Out     My song pick 3 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Tainted Blood   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bob Welch - Church   My song pick 5 years ago today: Hawkwind - Starshine   My song pick 6 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Milky Way   My song pick 7 years ago today: Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - Tracks Of My Tears My song pick 8 years ago today: Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling My song pick 9 years ago today: Dick Dale and his Del Tones - The Wedge My song pick 10 years ago today: Gin Blossoms - Found Out About You My song pic...

From: Western Union/Sound of Love ; Year: 1967; Genre: Rock/Pop It still fascinates me just how songs enter my conscious mind that I've not heard in ages or have been on my mind for just about as long. This one from a band that I might at some point in the past heard about just started playing in my mind whilst feeding the animals and I decided I should look it up and make it today's pick. Kind of a straight-up pop rocker, but with a subject of a lover sending a Telegram of all things to break up the relationship. Heck, even by the late '60s it was kind of obsolete form of communication, but perhaps in using a Telegram, it shows just how cold and impersonal the person breaking up is being. I suppose you could liken it to breaking up over a text message or something similar today.Apparently they went with the whole Western Union Telegram theme because they thought the riff and sound their guitarist Mike Rabon had discovered reminded them of an old telegraph key sound and we...