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

From: Here's to the People ; Year: 1991; Genre: Cool Jazz/Jazz Fusion Most into jazz and associated genres are most likely aware of the passing of jazz giant Sonny Rollins a couple of days ago. It is just so mind-blowing to think of all the music, musicians, and history he experienced in his 95 years on this Earth, let alone all of the decades he was active. To think, that he took a large part in and saw all the new forms of jazz and the people he played with. It is a rarity to see an active musician touring for so many years, especially in jazz live so long. He definitely will be missed and then some. Anyway, I had a lot of music from many eras to choose from for this song pick. My thoughts went to the '60s or '70s, but then I have noticed that jazz, overall, at least here in the U.S. was kind of in the background by the 1990s, so I checked out one of his albums from the early part of the decade. I have to say, I am overjoyed that I did so. This one in particular I found a...

From: Snakes & Arrows ; Year: 2007; Genre: Folk Rock After watching some recent interviews with the two surviving members of the band I thought that I would revisit Snakes & Arrows once again. Still, it is difficult for me to comprehend that Neil Peart is gone... but a least Alex and Geddy are about to embark on a tour with Anika Nilles filling in on drums. Anyway, this is one of the three instrumental songs on this record and, if I remember correctly, when I saw them live for their tour promoting it, it was one of a handful of tracks they'd play whilst Neil rested after one of his epic drum solos. Whilst being a brief piece, Alex Lifeson, on his 12-string guitar really plays his heart out on it.   Hear Hope on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Grateful Dead - Shakedown Street     My song pick 2 years ago today: Boston - To Be a Man   My song pick 3 years ago today: George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars - T.A.P.O.A....

From: Blue Sky - Night Thunder ; Year: 1975; Genre: Progressive Country Been reading a lot about a musical movement that happened in the tail end of the '60s and early 1970s that is called progressive country . Whilst admittedly was unaware of the sub-genre, I do know about the music and I generally like it quite a bit more than the mainstream country; always assumed wot I heard was part of outlaw country , but more of a close cousin to it so to speak genre wise. A lot of the rebellious nature of outlaw was indeed a part of it, and many artists wrote and recorded songs in both. However in the case of progressive country, like progressive rock it was all about expanding, (progressing), music into something new and/or fusing other forms of music with country. It's not a surprise at all then that I just happened to like many of the songs under the genre before I knew it existed. Anyway, as you probably surmised, Michael Martin Murphey was one of the founders of prog-country and ha...

From: Ride Blue Divide ; Year: 1982; Genre: Rock I really like it when I find a diamond in the rough so to speak from a band that is considered a one hit wonder. This one was one of the last singles prior to them taking a decade off. They reformed in the early 1990s after their main hit Drivers Seat became popular once more, although with only two member from this lineup returning; they apparently took another decade off again and reformed in 2001. It was with their resurgence in the early 1990s that I became aware of Sniff 'n' The Tears, which again I say: better late than never. I like this track a bit; don't know why it didn't go somewhere, but more than likely it was non-interest and lack of advertisement. Wotever the case, it might not be their best, but it's definitely a nice one to listen to every now and then.    Hear Like Wildfire on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Hank Williams - Alone and Forsaken   My song pick 2 years ago...

From: Starfish ; Year: 1989; Genre: Alternative Rock Again, I will file this one under "I thought that I had already chosen it, but was wrong and now I have" song picks.  Under the Milky Way is one of those that has a timeless quality about it and is also exquisitely sparse in the way it was produced. The lack of tightly-packed "big" sound really sells the wide open feel on the track's subject matter.     Hear Under the Milky Way on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: B.T. Express - Discotizer     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?   My song pick 3 years ago today: Savatage - Taunting Cobras   My song pick 4 years ago today: Gloryhammer - On the Wings of a Rainbow   My song pick 5 years ago today: Wishbone Ash - Drive   My song pick 6 years ago today: Queensrÿche - The Mission   My song pick 7 years ago today: C.W. McCall - Four Wheel Drive My song pick 8...

From: What Cha Need/I'll Take You There (single); Year: 1972; Genre: Soul/Funk Here is a deeper cut for this Friday; an instrumental cover of the Staple Singer's classic written by Al Bell.   Hear I'll Take You There on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Midnight Oil - Nobody's Child     My song pick 2 years ago today: Dr. John - Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive   My song pick 3 years ago today: Herman's Hermits - End of the World   My song pick 4 years ago today: Alice in Chains - The One You Know   My song pick 5 years ago today: Yes - Going for the One   My song pick 6 years ago today: Dayton Sidewinders - Phoenix   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Police - Synchronicity I My song pick 8 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Dogs My song pick 9 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - See You on the Other Side My song pick 10 years ago today: Queensrÿche - If I Could Change it All My song pick 11 years ago today: Kl...