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

1475 Chet Atkins - Drive In From: Solo Flights , Year: 1968 Genre: Instrumental, Jazz, Blues For a variety of reasons today I have this song running through my mind and really needed to make it my pick. This is an amazing piece of guitar work from one of the greatest modern guitarists. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Letzte Instanz - Für Immer Und Ewig My song pick two years ago today: Ian Anderson - A Raft of Penguins My song pick three years ago today: John Denver - Jimmy Newman +

1474 Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Yours Truly, 2095 From: Time , Year: 1981 Genre: Progressive Rock/Electronic I was thinking about this album, which is my favourite from ELO, again this morning. The first time I played the first three tracks on this rock opera I was hooked on every aspect of it. I absolutely love the awesome music and its arrangements throughout the album; I especially love the time travel subject matter. Even though the entire album tells a story, each track holds its own by itself and the listener does not get lost. Anyway, this is song is about the man who was abducted from the year 1981 and taken to the year 2095 sending a message to his girlfriend in the past. He mostly tells her about life in the future and his robot companion who look a lot like her. May be a bit too nerdy for most, but I love it! Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is an awesome anime music video with Prologue , Twilight , and Yours Truly, 2095 set to the anime Metr...

1473 Buckethead - Final Wars From: The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock , Year 2006 Genre: Instrumental/Rock/Metal I've been listening to a lot of Buckethead's music recently and I thought I should pick one of his songs. This is one of my favourites off of his '06 The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock . Hear Final Wars on YouTube. Watch a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Megaherz - Heuchler My song pick two years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Funky Broadway My song pick three years ago today: Oasis - Wonderwall +

1472 Hawkwind - We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago From: X In Search of Space , Year: 1971 Genre: Space Rock, Psychedelic Rock Been having troubles with my internet today, in fact this is the first time I've really been able to be online all day; I've been at this for almost four years and came somewhat close to missing a pick today. Anyway, here is an awesome track from early in the band's catalogue; I absolutely love the ominous lyrics in this song. This is mostly an acoustic track with odd sound effects and builds as it goes along; it reminds me a lot of The Moody Blues. Hear We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Oomph! - Das Weiße Licht My song pick two years ago today: Trio of Doom - Dark Prince My song pick three years ago today: Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun +

1471 Modest Petrovitch Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition Years: 1874, 1886 Genre: Romantic Period, classical I've been meaning to pick this suite from Modest Mussorgsky for a bit now. Mussorgsky was supposedly inspired to write this 10 part suite of music after attending an exhibition of artwork from by his recently deceased close friend Viktor Hartmann in 1874; from what I've read about it, he wrote the entire piece in less than two months. However, it was apparently published posthumously in 1886 by his friend and fellow composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, who was also a member of The Mighty Handful . Here are the first two movements of the piece performed by Johnathan Plowright on YouTube. Here are movements 3 and 4 of the piece performed by Johnathan Plowright on YouTube. Here are movements 5 and 6 of the piece performed by Johnathan Plowright on YouTube. Here are movements 7 and 8 of the piece performed by Johnathan Plowright on YouTube. Here are ...

1470 The Rolling Stones - 100 Years Ago From: Goats Head Soup , Year: 1973 Genre: Rock For some reason I just felt like listening to some 'Stones this morning; this is one of my favourite tracks off of their '73 Goats Head Soup album. This song is one of those where in my opinion everything came together quite well; I especially love the musicianship and the arrangements throughout the song. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Eisbrecher - Mein Blut My song pick two years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Lookin' Out For #1 My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Sonne +

1469 3 Doors Down - Kryptonite From: The Better Life , Year: 2000 Genre: Alternative Rock/Hard Rock For some reason I was thinking about this song today and I also realized that I have not picked a 3 Doors Down song yet. When people think of the band this is probably one of the main songs that comes to mind. I've always liked this track ever since it first came out, but I'd have to say that the music video featuring the geriatric super hero made it especially memorable. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Joachim Witt - Krieger Des Licht My song pick two years ago today: Jimi Hendrix - Angel My song pick three years ago today: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones - Sunset Road +

1468 Homer & Jethro - The Billboard Song From: The Worst of Homer & Jethro , Year: 1957 Genre: Comedy This was another song that my grandfather used to play for everyone. For many years the only version of this song I'd ever heard was his rendition just singing and playing the guitar; I sure do miss hearing him play. Anyway, this cute song from the legendary musical comedy duo of Homer & Jethro is about a powerful storm blowing through a town during the night and stripping away parts the many layers of advertizements on some billboards and thus accidentally causing funny messages to appear on them. Some of the lyrics in the song are quite funny: "Smoke Coca-Cola cigarettes/Drink Wrigley's Spearmint Beer/Kennel Ration Dog Food keeps your wife's complexion clear." Hear the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Thursday - I1100 My song pick two years ago today: Wings - Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five My song p...

1467 Puhdys - Hier Oben From: Abenteuer , Year: 2009 Genre: Rock I've been really enjoying this album a lot the last couple of days; Dieter Birr and Puhdys are only sounding better with age in my opinion. Anyway, I liked this track the first time I heard it and have replayed it quite a bit. It's one my favourite songs off of the album. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance circa '09 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Circumstances My song pick two years ago today: Rammstein - Du Hast My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Sunshine Day +

1466 Deep Purple - Pictures of Home From: Machine Head , Year: 1972 Genre: Hard Rock/Metal I had this song running through my mind this morning; it is my favourite track off of Deep Purple's legendary Machine Head album. I love the way this track was written and arranged with all of the exquisite instrumental breaks/solos. It's truly an awesome piece of music in many aspects. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance circa '06 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Heart - If Looks Could Kill My song pick two years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man My song pick three years ago today: The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun +

1465 Weezer - Buddy Holly From: Weezer (The Blue Album), Year: 1994 Genre: Alternative Rock I've had this song incessantly running through my mind this morning. Since I haven't chosen a Weezer song yet, I thought I should take it as a sign to make it today's pick. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rammstein - Ich Will My song pick two years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Mad Hatter My song pick three years ago today: Ludwig van Beethoven - Op. 27, No.2 - Moonlight Sonata +

1464 Maurice Ravel - M.19 - Pavane for a Dead Princess M.19, Years: 1899, 1910 Genre: Romantic Period, classical I still feel like picking another classical piece, so I guess I'll make at least one more classical pick in a row. To say this piece is beautiful and evoking is an understatement of great magnitude; this is a piece that you could easily get lost in. This one was originally composed in 1899 for the piano, but was re-composed and published again in 1910 for orchestral arrangement. Here is a recording of the orchestral version on YouTube. Here is the piece played on piano by Elena Kuschnerova on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Black Label Society - Stillborn My song pick two years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - I Never Dreamed My song pick three years ago today: Duran Duran - New Moon On Monday +

1463 Émile Waldteufel - Op. 232 - Rococo-Polka Op. 232, Year: 1888 Genre: Romantic Period/classical I remember I first started listening to Émile Waldteufel's compositions after his last name caught my attention and, of course, I ended up liking his music upon hearing it. I would really like to know how his family came to have such an awesome surname. Anyway, this is one of my favourite of his compositions. Apparentlythe song has been removed from YouTube, sorry. My song pick a year ago today: Sky - Sarabande My song pick two years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - On The Hunt My song pick three years ago today: Ian Anderson - A Better Moon +

1462 Paul Abraham Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice Year: 1897 Genre: Romantic Period/classical/Program Music I have no clue as to why this piece of music is running through my head this morning; perhaps it's due to it being Romantic Period music and thus is inherently sticky to the brain. Anyway, this piece of music was written in the late 1800s and was based on a poem of the same name written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe a hundred years earlier. I believe that this piece was used in the Disney film Fantasia ; just checked, yep it was used in the section with Mickey Mouse playing the part of a mischievous sorcerer's apprentice who borrows his master's magical hat. Here is a recording on YouTube. Here is the part in Disney's Fantasia featuring the piece on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jigsaw - Jesu, the Joy of Man's Desiring My song pick two years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Second Hand My song pick three...

1461 Tesla - Forever More From: Forever More , Year: 2009 Genre: Hard Rock I been really enjoying Tesla's Forever More album and was listening to it again last night, so I'm picking a song off of it this morning. This is, of course, the title track off of the album and one of the best tracks in my opinion. I really love that Tesla has not completely abandoned their original sound like so many other '80s bands have. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick My song pick two years ago today: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds My song pick three years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Bad Moon Rising +

1460 Muse - Supermassive Black Hole From: Black Holes and Revelations , Year: 2006 Genre: Space/Alternative Rock I've had Muse running through my mind most of the morning, so I'm picking one of their songs. I've come to like most of the songs off of their Black Holes and Revelations album, and this one happens to fit my mood. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Eddie Lang - Eddie's Twister My song pick two years ago today: The Goo Goo Dolls - Black Balloon My song pick three years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Bark at the Moon +

1459 Rammstein - Seemann From: Herzeleid , Year: 1995 Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte This is one of the more beautiful and mellow Rammstein songs and is usually one of the few songs from the band that I can play in mixed company and actually have everyone like it. The song is mostly driven by Ollie Riedel's arpeggiated bass line. It was actually the first Rammstein song I learned from beginning to end. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance from Live Aus Berlin on YouTube. You've got to love seeing Flake crowd-surfing in a rubber dingy. My song pick a year ago today: Jon Bon Jovi - Blaze of Glory My song pick two years ago today: The Who - The Seeker My song pick three years ago today: The Beatles - Mr. Moonlight +

1458 Victor Wooten - Norwegian Wood From: What Did He Say? , Year: 1997 Genre: Jazz Fusion Getting my Sunday pick in this evening with this nice gem: Victor Wooten's cover of the popular Beatles' song. What's neat about this one is that he played the lead and the accompaniment at the same time using both harmonics and tapping technique. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Hawkwind - Love in Space My song pick two years ago today: Les Paul & Mary Ford - The World is Waiting for the Sunrise My song pick three years ago today: Aerosmith - Cryin' +

1457 Warrant - Heaven From: Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich , Year: 1989 Genre: Rock/Glam Rock Yesterday I found out that Warrant's former lead singer and songwriter Jani Lane passed away. I've had this track stuck in my mind off and on most of the morning, so I figured that I should take it as a sign and make it my pick for this Saturday. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance circa '90 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Wind Cries Mary My song pick two years ago today: Savatage - Damien My song pick three years ago today: Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy +

1456 Mahavishnu Orchestra - Can't Stand Your Funk From: Visions of the Emerald Beyond , Year: 1975 Genre: Jazz Fusion/Funk I haven't done a " Funky Friday " for a while now, so I thought I would get one in today with this song from John McLaughlin's Jazz Fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra. Even though it's only two minutes in length, it's still an awesome piece of funky Jazz. Hear Can't Stand Your Funk on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Styx - Suite Madame Blue My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Malignant Narcissism My song pick three years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' With Disaster +

1455 U2 - The Unforgettable Fire From: The Unforgettable Fire , Year: 1984 Genre: Rock I heard this one the other day on the radio and had it on my mind again today. The arrangements throughout this song are quite good. In my opinion this is one of U2's more distinct sounding tracks; there is so much going on in the background. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance circa '87 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World My song pick two years ago today: Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now My song pick three years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Gimme Your Money Please +

1454 Jethro Tull - Dun Ringill From: Stormwatch , Year: 1979 Genre: Progressive Rock/Folk Rock Off and on over the last few day I've had this tune running through my mind; I had no song particularly in mind, so I'm making it my pick. This is one of the songs that is a favourite among many 'Tull fans; it's a rather mellow acoustic track with a lot of traditional Folk influence. This is one of the two tracks on the album where television weatherman Francis Wilson appears; he performs the spoken word section at the beginning of the song. Dun Ringill is actually an ancient historical site on the Isle of Skye, Scotland nearby where Ian Anderson used to live. Here is a fan video with the studio version on YouTube. Watch the music video on YouTube. Here is a live medley of songs from the Stormwatch album circa '80 on YouTube. Dun Ringill starts at the 7:00 mark. My song pick a year ago today: Ian Anderson - Fly By Night My song pick two years ag...

1453 Stuart Hamm - Simple Dreams From: Radio Free Albemuth , Year: 1988 Genre: Rock I recently checked out a bunch of stories written by Phillip K. Dick at the library and have been in the midst of reading them. Anyway, I had really no song in mind for my pick today and then I happened to remember this Stuart Hamm album, which contains a lot of music inspired by Phillip K. Dick's work. Only a couple of the songs off of this album appear to be on YouTube at this moment and one of those I already picked , so, I'm choosing the other one. This is rather pretty song, it mostly features him using tapping techniques on his bass to create neat chords and melodies. Hear Simple Dreams on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Albert Hammond - It Never Rains In Southern California My song pick two years ago today: Band of Horses - Islands on the Coast My song pick three years ago today: Jim Croce - Roller Derby Queen +

1452 Megadeth - Endgame From: Endgame :, Year: 2009 Genre: Thrash Metal I felt like listening to some Megadeth this morning; this is the title track off of their most recent release. This is another one of their songs with extreme sociopolitical subject matter, which is one of the things I've always loved about the band. Supposedly, this song was based off of a '07 documentary of the song and album's namesake . Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Sirenia - The Other Side My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Spiral My song pick three years ago today: Outerstar - You Love It When It Rains +

1451 Bon Jovi - Runaway From: Bon Jovi , Year: 1984 Genre: Hard Rock I haven't been listening to Bon Jovi as much as of late, mostly due the cover band I play in, (which played a lot of music from the band), breaking up, reforming and only playing original material. Anyway, the other day this track happened to come on the radio and it got me in the mood to listen to their music. I realized that I hadn't chosen this track yet, so I decided to make it my Sunday pick. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance circa '84 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Missing Link - Spoiled Love My song pick two years ago today: Grace Slick - Angel of the Night My song pick three years ago today: Don Williams - Yellow Moon +

1450 Rush - Afterimage From: Grace Under Pressure , Year: 1984 Genre: Progressive Rock Ugh, bringing another Saturday to a close; this one went by far too quickly. Anyway, this track popped on my iPod at some point today and I thought it would make an excellent choice. While many other fans of the band seem to despise it, p/g is still one of my favourite Rush albums. This track embodies a lot of what I like about their music: awesome musicianship, deep and interesting lyrics, and the use of neat rhythmic devices. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance circa '84 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice - The Last Supper (From Jesus Christ Superstar ) My song pick two years ago today: Megadeth - Sleepwalker My song pick three years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - The Whipping Post +

1449 Seven Mary Three - Cumbersome From: American Standard , Year: 1995 Genre: Alternative Rock Last night whilst dealing with a bout of insomnia this song started playing in my mind; I hadn't heard it in a while. This is a rather nice piece of mid-90s Alternative Rock. I remember I was first introduced to the song by a bandmate who wanted to add it to the band's playlist. Since I'd never heard it before and we didn't have the song available to play he vocalized the bass line to me and I was able to play it back to him. Here is the music video on YouTube. Watch a live performance circa '96 from the David Letterman Show on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Let It Ride My song pick two years ago today: Queen - Flash My song pick three years ago today: Joe Cocker - When The Night Comes +

1448 Stormwarrior - Heading Northe From: Heading Northe , Year: 2008 Genre: Metal I found out about this German Metal band a while ago and I realized that I had not picked one of their songs yet. This is one of my favourites and the title track from their 2008 Heading Northe album. For the most part, Stormwarrior's sound reminds me a lot of bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Hear Heading Northe on YouTube. Here is a live performance of the song circa '07 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Cab Calloway - The Jumpin' Jive (Hep-Hep!) My song pick two years ago today: The Police - Synchronicity II My song pick three years ago today: Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight +

1447 Charlie Parker - Summertime From: Charlie Parker with Strings , Year: 1949 Genre: Jazz I had Bird on my brain this morning, so I'm picking one of his songs today. This is a Jazz standard originally written by George Gershwin for the opera Porgy and Bess . It has been covered by many across different genres, but mostly in Jazz. This is a very beautiful version of the song having the legendary saxophonist being backed by string accompaniment. Hear Summertime on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Tarot - Gone My song pick two years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black My song pick three years ago today: The Enemys - Sinner Man +

1446 Queensrÿche - Revolution Calling From: Operation: Mindcrime , Year: 1988 Genre: Progressive Metal I've had Operation: Mindcrime playing almost constantly this morning. This track comes in early in the story that makes up the album; at the point in the story Nikki, (the protagonist), wakes up in a hospital bed remembering what has happened to him. He had become disenfranchised with the corruptness of society and joined a revolutionist group headed by Dr. X. What's neat about this song, along with most of the songs on the album, is that it can be played all by itself outside the greater concept album without really losing anything. Here is the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Puhdys - Große Herzen My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Digital Man My song pick three years ago today: Balance - Breaking Away +

1445 U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name From: The Joshua Tree , Year: 1987 Genre: Rock Over the weekend the cable television channel VH1 Classic has been celebrating the 30th anniversary of MTV . I find it kind of odd that they would be celebrating it on VH1 Classic instead of, I don't know, MTV ? I guess that they would rather run marathons of their normal crap that has nothing to do with music on there instead; it begs the question as to why they still call it "Music Television" when there is hardly anything musical about it. I don't think that I have actually tuned into MTV in well over 10 years now and I wouldn't have it except for the fact that it's a basic cable channel. Since they've been doing this 30th anniversary thing it's been a crap shoot every time you tune into VH1 Classic that something good is going to be on. Anyway, I'm picking a song here eh? Yesterday I happened upon a classic U2 concert from the mid eighties and...