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

From: Piano Man ; Year: 2973; Genre: Rock Bringing February to a close with today's song pick; I'm really looking forward to March and the warmer weather that usually comes with it. Anyway, the other night whilst cleaning up one of my co-workers was playing some music; this was obviously one of the songs that was played. For as long as I can remember I've been a big fan of Billy Joel and his music, which is mostly due to both of my parents liking his music and playing it whilst I was young. Personally I've always loved the touch of melancholy, angst, and anger that he puts into his music. This one, which is one of his hallmark songs, oozes with those emotions; it was written about his time he spent as a lounge piano player trying to make a living while he fought to get out of a bad record contract. He paints a vivid picture of the bar scene and of some of its patrons that he met. Watch the music video to Piano Man on YouTube. My song pick a year ago to...

From: Not Fragile ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock It's been a crazy morning, so I'm making a quick pick today. I've been listening to a lot of BTO lately, so they've been on my mind as well. This is one of their bigger hits off of one of their most popular albums. Hear Roll On Down the Highway on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pallas - Ark of Infinity My song pick two years ago today: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey My song pick three years ago today: Steve Miller Band - Rock'n Me My song pick four years ago today: Three Dog Night - Try A Little Tenderness My song pick five years ago today: Steve Winwood - Roll With It

From: Hawkwind ; Year: 1970; Genre: Space Rock/Psychedelic Rock I had no song in mind for my pick today, so I am picking one from my queue. This was a song I was thinking about picking a while ago and I guess now is as a good time as any; it is one of my favoutites from early Hawkwind. As you can probably tell by the title this one is somewhat of a kinky track about a dominatrix. Hear Kiss of the Velvet Whip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Doobie Brothers - It Keeps You Runnin' My song pick two years ago today: Steeleye Span - The Mooncoin Jig My song pick three years ago today: Queen - I'm Going Slightly Mad My song pick four years ago today: Jerry Reed - Lightning Rod My song pick five years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Changes

From: Hemispheres ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock The other day I bought a new t-shirt that has the Hemispheres album cover on it. Of course it got me listening to the album again; afterwards I was wondering which of the four songs on this album I had chosen on my blog. I truly thought for sure that I had at some time picked this one; but after checking my master list and doing a Google search of my blog, (yes I was that sure that I had picked it), I realized I hadn't. Wow, over 2000 song picks in and apparently I haven't picked my absolute favourite of their instrumental pieces. Anyway, this is a progressive rock lover/musician's dream to listen to; hell, that goes for the entire album, which is arguably Rush's most ambitious. This is Rush at their best. Hear La Villa Strangiato on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Cheap Trick - Don't Be Cruel My song pick two years ago today: Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good...

From: Don't Look Back ; Year: 1978; Genre: Rock Last night I caught this rather upbeat song from Boston on the radio and thought it would be an excellent pick to start a new week with. Hear Feelin' Satisfied on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Cybotron - Arrakis My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Entre Nous My song pick three years ago today: Black Sabbath - War Pigs My song pick four years ago today: Pink Floyd - One Of These Days My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Rare and Precious Chain

From: Even Worse ; Year: 1988; Genre: Comedy/Pop I'm closing out my theme week with one of my favourites from "Weird Al," which is another parody of a Michael Jackson hit Bad ; it can be found here on YouTube . If I remember right, this was the first music video by "Weird Al" that I'd ever seen. Of course I had heard his music prior, but not a video clip; to say the least I was laughing so much I could hardly hear the song. Watch the hilarious music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Kreeps - Bad Voodoo My song pick two years ago today: David Bowie - Up the Hill Backwards My song pick three years ago today: Fairport Convention - Who Knows Where The Time Goes My song pick four years ago today: Savatage - Sleep My song pick five years ago today: The Beatles - Across The Universe

From: Alapalooza ; Year: 1993; Genre: Comedy/Rock Today is day six of my "Weird Al" theme week. I was actually thinking about this one the other day, so I thought it would make an excellent addition. This is a rather funny one about rotting food in a person's refrigerator coming to life is set to Aerosmith's Livin' on the Edge , which can be found on YouTube . Here is the song in an amv on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Duran Duran - (Reach Up for the) Sunrise My song pick two years ago today: The Offspring - Gone Away My song pick three years ago today: Converge - Cruel Bloom My song pick four years ago today: Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids - She's So Fine My song pick five years ago today: Lobo - A Big Red Kite

From; Off the Deep End ; Year: 1992; Genre: Comedy/Grunge Day five of my "Weird Al" theme week. I'm having a busy day, so I'm having to be somewhat brief with this one. However, I think this parody to Nirvana's "grunge" hit Smells Like Teen Spirit kind of speaks for itself as to why it fits into this particular theme week. Watch the music video on YouTube. Here is the original video to Smells Like Teen Spirit on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Closer to the Heart My song pick two years ago today: Johannes Brahms - Op. #45 - (A German Requiem, To Words of the Holy Scriptures) My song pick three years ago today: Heart - Love Alive My song pick four years ago today: Gregg Allman - I'm No Angel My song pick five years ago today: Yes - Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (schindleria praematurus)

From: "Weird Al" Yankovic ; Year: 1983; Genre: Comedy/Rock Today is the fourth day of my "Weird Al" theme week. Yes, even when I hear the Queen classic that this song is a parody of, ( Another One Bites the Dust , which can be heard here on YouTube ), at some point this song comes to mind. Hear Another One Rides the Bus on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Genesis - The Knife My song pick two years ago today: Spaghetti Western Orchestra - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly My song pick three years ago today: Jerry Reed - Wabash Cannonball My song pick four years ago today: Ray Stevens - Gitarzan My song pick five years ago today: REO Speedwagon - Back on the Road Again

From: Running with Scissors ; Year: 1999; Genre: Comedy/Swing Jazz It's day three of my "Weird Al" changed this song for me theme week. For those unaware, this one is a parody of The Cherry Poppin' Daddies' retro swing jazz hit " Zoot Suit Riot ," which can be found here on YouTube . I actually like the original version, but due to my dad playing "Weird Al's" version so much, I can't help but think of his parody lyrics every time I hear it. As with a great deal of his parodies, this one has to do with gastronomic subject matter; specifically an overweight man having to go on a diet to lose weight. Since listening to a lot of his music lately, one thing has struck me, I never realized how much "Weird Al" can manipulate his voice to sound like so many different singers. Hear Grapefruit Diet on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Soundgarden - I Awake My song pick two years ago today: Dream Theater - The ...

From: "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D ; Year: 1983; Genre: Parody/Pop 'Tis the second day of my "Weird Al" theme week. This one is one of his most famous and is, of course, a parody of Michael Jackson's hit song Beat It , which can be found here on YouTube . While Michael Jackson's song and lyrics are very memorable, I can't help but think of "Weird Al's" parody every time I hear it. Watch the music video to Eat It on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Queensrÿche - Jet City Woman My song pick two years ago today: Frank Zappa - Mudd Club My song pick three years ago today: U2 - I Will Follow My song pick four years ago today: The Delgados - Keep On Breathing My song pick five years ago today: Yoko Kanno (The Seat Belts) - Tank!

From: Headline News (single); Year: 1994; Genre: Parody/Alternative Rock Okay, it's theme week time! I've been wanting to do this one for a long time now and finally I'm getting around to it. For this theme week I am featuring songs that "Weird Al" has either changed or some could say perhaps ruined for me. In other words, when I hear the original all I can think of is his parody lyrics. I'm starting this one out with one that I've been hearing on the radio a lot lately, the original, that is. For those not acquainted with this song, it is a parody to The Crash Test Dummy's hit Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm , which can be found here on YouTube. Anyway, when the original came on the radio I started to sing along with, but, as with most of his parody lyrics, "Weird Al's" lyrics are quite sticky and thus it was easier to remember his version instead. As the title of the song suggests he based it on popular news stories at the time: Michael Fa...

From: Double Vision ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock When I saw today's pick number, (2020), this was the first song to pop into my head, so I'm picking it. It is definitely not my favourite song from the band, added with the fact of it being used so much in advertising, I've grown to like it even less. That being said, however, it is still one of the band's more recognizable hits. Hear Double Vision on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Porcupine Tree - Dark Matter My song pick two years ago today: Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs My song pick three years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil My song pick four years ago today: The Moody Blues - OM My song pick five years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Guardian Of Forever

From: Relayer ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock For some reason I just felt like listening to something from Yes today. I have yet to pick one from their album Relayer , so why not just pick the "magnum opus?" This 21 minute track is based on Leo Tolstoy's epic War and Peace . Yeah a '70's prog/rock band known for lengthy songs basing a song on one of the most infamously lengthy books in existence; it seems like a match made in Heaven, well... except for those who are into mainstream popular music. Muahahahahahaha! Hear the full version of Gates of Delirium on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dire Straits - Money for Nothing My song pick two years ago today: ABBA - S.O.S. My song pick three years ago today: Bobby Bare - The Winner My song pick four years ago today: Pearl Jam - Even Flow My song pick five years ago today: Bon Jovi - It's My Life

From: Centerfield ; Year: 1985; Genre: Rock Last night I heard this song come on the radio; I hadn't heard it in a few years and seemed like a nice song to pick. I don't know why, but I've always loved John Fogerty's straight-ahead blues influenced rock, like this track. Hear Rock and Roll Girls on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dream Theater - On the Backs of Angels My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Right to Decide My song pick three years ago today: Survivor - The Eye of the Tiger My song pick four years ago today: The Black Crowes - Remedy My song pick five years ago today: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Fire (I am the god of Hellfire)

From: The Wall ; Year: 1979; Genre: Progressive Rock It has turned out to be a very, very busy day; one of those days where you hit the ground running. So I am choosing this aptly titled classic from Pink Floyd for a quick pick. Hear Run Like Hell on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Hot Fun in the Summertime My song pick two years ago today: Glenn Miller - In The Mood My song pick three years ago today: Tarot - Ashes To The Stars My song pick four years ago today: Goo Goo Dolls - Broadway My song pick five years ago today: The Offspring - Come Out And Play

From: Comes a Time ; Year: 1978; Genre: Folk About a month ago the owner of the One Sweet Song blog brought it to a close. While recent posts have been few and far between, it is still sad to see another song a day blog go silent; so many have and it was one of the more intricately designed and informative I had seen. It's interesting that another blog would go silent at the point I reached my 2000th pick; with the way things have been lately I haven't had the time to think much about how long I've been at this. I really don't know how long I will keep this blog going, but as long as I am having fun and I have my handful of regular visitors and, of course, the multitude of Google and Microsoft bots, (God bless their traffic), to come around I'll probably keep going. Anyway, I figured it would be fitting to pick the "tombstone pick," as it is, of the One Sweet Song blog today. While I had heard many versions of this song, I hadn't heard Neil Y...

From: Head On ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock I felt like listening to some BTO this morning; I hadn't listened to their Head On album in a while, so that was the one I chose. While it was not really that commercially successful as their others, this is one of my top favourite albums from BTO. As with most of their other albums it was designed really well; the songs are arranged so well that it is best to play the disc through from beginning to end; each song seems to compliment its predecessor as well as its successor. Anyway, this has always been among the highlights from the record; I believe it was also the first single from it. As always Randy Bachman and the others are excellent, but I especially like Rob Bachman's drumming in particular on this song. An interesting fact about this track is that Little Richard played the piano throughout the song. Hear Take it Like a Man on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stratovarius - Wings of Tomorrow My song ...

From: It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous ; Year: 1993; Genre: Space Rock/Progressive Rock Today is the first day in quite some time that I have not picked a song based on the year coinciding with my pick number. For obvious reasons at this moment it would be impossible to pick a song released next year, so unless I gain access to a time machine or something similar that loose theme has come to an end. Anyway, since I am talking about the future and with the plethora of science fiction related songs from Hawkwind I couldn't help but pick one of their songs with related subject matter. This one is the title track from their album released in '93. As with much of their music it can best be described as rock that is very weird sounding, but fun nevertheless. While the song essentially has no lyrics, the title itself was apparently taken from a quote by philosopher and mathematician Alfred Whitehead . Hear It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous on...

From: Target Earth ; Year: 2013; Genre: Thrash Metal/Progressive Metal Because my pick number has reached 2013 today will be the final time my song pick number will coincide with the year a song was released. Tomorrow I guess I can go back to picking random stuff, although I might have a theme week just around the corner. Anyway, I wasn't sure if I was going to find a song that I liked and wanted to pick that was released within the five or so weeks in this rather young year. However I came across this brand new album from the Canadian Progressive/Thrash Metal band Voivod . To be honest I hadn't heard about them before today, but I am glad I looked into their music; very much worth a listen and then some. Hear Mechanical Mind on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Quasar - Fanfare/Seeing Stars My song pick two years ago today: Waylander - A Hero's Lament My song pick three years ago today: Queen - Seaside Rendezvous My song pick four years ago toda...

From: Clockwork Angels ; Year: 2012; Genre: Hard Rock Well, this is my 2012th song picked, and, as I've been doing lately, I am picking a song from the year that coincides with my pick number. I'm still not too sure if I am picking one from this rather young year tomorrow; we'll have to see. Anyway, when I say there was a lot of good music released last year that is an understatement. It seemed as if half of my favourite bands and solo artists decided to put out new material; to say the least my library of music had expanded in the extreme. Because of this it made picking one song from last year a bit of a chore. After a bit of thought, for no reason whatsoever, I decided on one from Rush's newest one Clockwork Angels . While it's definitely not the best song on the disc, this was one of the first "deeper cuts" to catch my attention the first time I listened to it. Hear Wish Them Well on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Beatles - ...

From: Dedicated to Chaos ; Year: 2011; Genre: Progressive Metal I only have a couple of more days until my song pick number goes past coinciding with past years; I am unsure if I am going to be picking a song released in 2013 since the year is only just over a month in and thus not much music has been released. We'll have to see. Anyway, here's my pick for 2011 from Queensrÿche's most recent album: Dedicated to Chaos . I have to say I was definitely interested is hearing the album once I knew of its existence, but after hearing a bit of it I am unsure. To be frank, other than Geoff Tate's vocals, it really does not sound like the Queensrÿche I remember. Unless it grows on me this will remain my least favourite of their albums, but this is one of the better songs on the album, and a pretty good one. Hear At The Edge on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song My song pick two years ago...

From: Infinite Arms ; Year: 2010; Genre: Rock/Indie Rock Again, I am picking songs that were released the year that coincides with my song pick number. Actually there were quite a few great albums released in 2010, but this one happened to be one that disappointed. After their first two great albums, ( Everything All The Time , and Cease to Begin ), I had high expectations, perhaps too high. However, in time I've grown to like some of the material on Infinite Arms , but in my opinion it's still my least favourite. Anyway, this song was, I believe, the first single off the album. Here Laredo on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fairport Convention - Dawn My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Alive and Well and Living In My song pick three years ago today: .38 Special - Chain Lightnin' My song pick four years ago today: Cream - Swlabr My song pick five years ago today: Three Dog Night - Celebrate

From: The Resistance ; Year: 2009; Genre: Progressive Rock For those unaware, I since my song pick numbers have coincided with years I have been picking song from the year that is the same as my song pick number. Anyway, here's one from my favourite Muse album, which was released in 2009. I have, of course, already picked many songs off of this album and am choosing some deeper cuts now. Not to say that this is a "lesser song" by any means; far from that, it is an excellent track. Hear Unnatural Selection on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Drifters - Under the Boardwalk My song pick two years ago today: Yoko Takahashi - Zankoku na Tenshi no These ( A Cruel Angel's Thesis ) My song pick three years ago today: Aphrodite's Child - Hic et Nunc My song pick four years ago today: Elton John - All The Girls Love Alice My song pick five years ago today: Rush - The Body Electric

From: Nude With Boots ; Year: 2008; Genre: Metal I had a few other songs from 2008, (also today's song pick number), I was wanting to pick today. However, I noticed that this rather fun track was also released that year and combine that with the fact that I have yet to pick a song from The Melvins this one got picked instead. To me there's really no other way to describe this track other than just pure fun. Hear Nude with Boots on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Animals - House of the Rising Sun My song pick two years ago today: Wild Turkey - Sentinel My song pick three years ago today: KISS - She My song pick four years ago today: Hawkwind - Assault and Battery/The Golden Void My song pick five years ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart

From: Black Rain ; Year: 2007; Genre: Metal I'm having another rather busy day, so I'm having to be a bit brief with this pick. Anyway, again I am picking a song where the release date coincides with the song pick number: today's is, of course, 2007. This is one of Ozzy's newest songs to still get regular rotation an play on the radio. Zakk Wylde is as excellent as always and his guitar is definitely my favourite part of this song. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Primus - Here Come the Bastards My song pick two years ago today: Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy My song pick three years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Fall of the Peacemakers My song pick four years ago today: Don Mclean - American Pie My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Later, That Same Evening

From: Triumph or Agony ; Year: 2006; Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal 2006, (which is also today's pick number), was another year that contains a lot of good music; I had a real hard time picking just one song. However, I noticed that I have only picked one other song from this great Italian metal band, so I decided on picking one off of their '06 release Triumph or Agony . Some bands whose music is progressive in nature make concept albums, however, Rhapsody of Fire take it to levels well beyond that. Their narratives span multiple albums Triumph or Agony is part of the second of their epic tales called " The Dark Secret Saga ," which spans five albums. Their music throughout this song is all over the place, going from folkish metal to straight-up or progressive metal to even sections where there is no music and only character actors speaking lines. To say the least it's an interesting track. This song is broken up into five pieces: I. A New Saga Begi...

From: Take Me to Your Leader; Year: 2005; Genre: Space Rock/Progressive Rock Today is my 2005th song picked and I felt like listening to something odd from Hawkwind as well. Lo and behold to my luck they actually released an album in 2005, so I could stick with my theme of picking songs released the year that coincides with my song pick number. Anyway, I had a couple in mind off of this album to pick, but I couldn't find a video with the song on YouTube, but eventually I found one! This one, like with most of their work in the genre of space rock, is more than a bit off the wall. To put it bluntly it is about the melding of man and machine, if you get the drift. Even with the somewhat vulgar subject matter of a man's relationship his love android they actually pull it off quite well in about as classy of a way that you can get. For the most part it is more or less a straight-ahead song musically until about halfway through it starts getting quite a bit more interesti...