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

From: Vampires, Cowboys, Spacemen, & Spooks: The Very Best of Joe Meek's Instrumentals ; Year: (1962); Genre: Surf Rock For the last week or so I've been enjoying the incredible collection of instrumental music from legendary producer Joe Meek's recordings of various bands he worked with. I can't help but get a smile on my face when I hear this surf rock re-imagining of Jacques Offenbach's Infernal Gallop from his opera Orpheus in the Underworld . In more recent years this piece has been associated with the chorus line Can-Can dance. Hear Peter Jay & The Jaywalker's Can-Can on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jethro Tull - Home My song pick two years ago today: Steve Vai - Details at 10 My song pick three years ago today: England Dan & John Ford Coley - Westward Wind My song pick four years ago today: Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale My song pick five years ago today: Louis Armstrong - Hello Dolly

From: Days of Future Passed ; Year: 1967; Genre: Progressive Rock/Psychedelic Rock Lately I've been taking time out to watch the sunsets and this apropos medley kept coming to mind. These tracks come on during " The Evening " part of the song cycle. I remember back when I first bought this great album on cassette; I actually purchased it for Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?) , but I fell in love with many other songs that I was introduced to. The Sunset was one of those I really liked; the simplistic percussive rhythm combined with the very light instrumental accompaniment make this track as great as it is. Of course being that it's combined with Twilight Time in " The Evening " section, it is one of those times where you come for one song and stay for the second one, which is a pretty good track as well in its own right. Hear The Sunset/Twilight Time on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Hawkwind - Damnation Alley My song pick two years a...

From: Fragile ; Year: 1971-72; Genre: Progressive Rock I've been meaning to pick this song for a while now; I actually thought I'd picked it at some point in the last few years, but I realized I hadn't. Anyway, this is one of my absolute favourites off of their Fragile album; quite a complex and very musical track. Hear South Side of the Sky on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pallas - Eastwest My song pick two years ago today: Finntroll - Ursvamp My song pick three years ago today: Eric Burdon & the Animals - Sky Pilot My song pick four years ago today: The Rogue Traders - Voodoo Child My song pick five years ago today: The Cranberries - Zombie

From: The New Sound ; Year: 1950, (1948 Single Release); Genre: Rock 'N Roll/Rockabilly About a week or so ago I happened to hear this track once again from guitarist and inventor extraordinaire Les Paul. Interestingly enough by trying to come up with music never heard before Les Paul created what has been used ever since in music: multi-track recording. On this song in particular he recorded and re-recorded his guitar playing to the point his guitar alone made the music of an entire band. Today that is no big deal, but you have to remember this was the first time it had ever been done. Also the main solo was recorded an octave lower than you actually hear; it was sped up so it could go higher in pitch than a normal guitar was capable of. Hear Hip-Billy Boogie on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season) My song pick two years ago today: Muse - Uprising My song pick three years ago today: Guns N...

From: Thick As A Brick 2 ; Year: 2012; Genre: Progressive Rock During my day yesterday I happened to hear part of this track on some media, and it got stuck in my mind; this caused me to want to listen to the entire album again. Old School Song comes from the "Gerald as a Soldier" part of the concept album; I have to say this, and a couple of other songs on TAAB2 , are ones that I absolutely love and am drawn to it primarily because of the music. This is also one of songs that is somewhat based on the original Thick as a Brick musically. Hear Old School Song on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alice in Chains - Them Bones My song pick two years ago today: America - Lonely People My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Weißes Fleisch My song pick four years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Space Into/Fly Like An Eagle My song pick five years ago today: The Delgados - The Light Before We Land

From: Heroes Are Hard to Find ; Year: 1974; Genre: Rock The other day I was listening to a lot of music from Fleetwood Mac's Heroes Are Hard to Find album; this track in particular got a lot of replay. The music and the arrangements are excellent and Christine McVie's vocals just add to that excellence. One of my favourite aspects of this track was the addition of "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow's pedal steel guitar. Hear Come a Little Bit Closer on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli (Quintette du Hot Club de France) featuring Freddy Taylor - I Can't Give You Anything But Love My song pick two years ago today: Rin' - Fuhen My song pick three years ago today: Cream - Badge My song pick four years ago today: Steeleye Span - Seven Hundred Elves My song pick five years ago today: Billy Joel - Prelude/Angry Young Man

From: Sailor ; Year: 1968; Genre: Blues Rock Here's another one from Boz Scaggs' pen, which he also sung lead vocals on during his tenure with The Steve Miller Band. This would also be his final album with the band before moving on to other things. Hear Overdrive on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Doors - Light My Fire My song pick two years ago today: Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Grace My song pick four years ago today: John Denver - Season Suite: Summer My song pick five years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - The Window

From: Moments ; Year: 1971; Genre: Rock/Soul I've been meaning to pick another track from Boz Scaggs for a while now; this rather pretty instrumental seemed like an excellent one. Hear Can I Make It Last (Or Will It Just Be Over) on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Supertramp - It's Raining Again My song pick two years ago today: King Crimson - Sleepless My song pick three years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 703 - Fughetta: Gottes-Sohn ist Kommen My song pick four years ago today: What Made Milwaukee Famous - Sultan My song pick five years ago today: Arlo - Runaround

From: All I Ever Meant To Do Was Sing ; Year: 1973; Genre: Country While visiting my Grandmother the other day this song happened to come on the television. It had been a while since I head this great 70's classic country track that I grew up hearing; it was quite welcome and I thought I would add it to my list today. Hear Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Op.49 - 1812 Overture My song pick two years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Down, Down My song pick three years ago today: Savatage - The Ocean My song pick four years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Serenade My song pick five years ago today: Ben E. King - Spanish Harlem

From: The Breakfast Club (Soundtrack); Year: 1985; Genre: New Wave The other day while I was at work this track kept running through my mind; it just so happens that it came on the radio today, so I figured it would be a good pick. I've heard this one a lot over the years; boy, it does bring up some memories every time I hear it play. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Beatles - I've Got a Feeling My song pick two years ago today: Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien My song pick three years ago today: The Moody Blues - The Dream My song pick four years ago today: Azteca - What'cha Gonna Do? My song pick five years ago today: Slaughter - Fly to the Angels

From: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap ; Year: 1976; Genre: Hard Rock Okay, yes I know, there was one huge band from Australia that I did not pick a song from during my theme last week . No, I did not forget them; I just thought I would use them for an eighth pick in my theme week. This is one of my absolute favourites from "The Thunder from Down Under," aka AC/DC. Hear Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Frédéric Chopin - Op.19 - " Bolero " My song pick two years ago today: Missing Link - Filled Up My song pick three years ago today: Hawkwind - The Church My song pick four years ago today: Quincy Jones - Walking in Space My song pick five years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Dreamer

From: Diamantina Cocktail ; Year: 197 6 ; Genre: Rock Today day seven of my Australian music theme week . I grew up hearing a lot of the Little River Band and they've always been a band I've liked. This is one of their earlier hits, which many would probably recognize. Hear Help Is On Its Way on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Joseph Haydn - Symphony No.45 in F Sharp Minor - " Farewell Symphony " My song pick two years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - I Think I'm a Clone Now My song pick three years ago today: Primus - Pork Chop's Little Ditty My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me My song pick five years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Shooting Shark

From: Business as Usual ; Year: 1981; Genre: Rock 'Tis day six of my Australian music theme week . I thought I might've picked this track at some point in the past, but evidently I had not; I figured I would take this opportunity to add this most aptly titled and extremely popular track from Men at Work for my pick today. Watch the video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pantera - Walk My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Chronoglide Skyway My song pick three years ago today: Yes - Five Per Cent for Nothing My song pick four years ago today: Megumi Hayashibara - Fly Me to the Moon My song pick five years ago today: Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Pedal Up

From: Earth and Sun and Moon ; Year: 1993; Genre: Alternative Rock It's day five of my Australian theme week . I don't think I could do this theme week without picking something from Midnight Oil. There has always something about this band that has just "clicked" with me, even before I considered myself a proper fan; an amazing act all around. Anyway, this is one of their more popular tracks; an excellent mix of great music and message. Hear Truganini on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Nightwatchman - I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night My song pick two years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Childlike Faith In Childhood's End My song pick three years ago today: Billie Holiday - Gloomy Sunday My song pick four years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra - Ticket To The Moon My song pick five years ago today: ABBA - So Long

From: Post Momentary Affliction ; Year: 1993; Genre: Thrash Metal/Death Metal I'm having issues posting today, but I finally got it to go. Anyway, this is day four of my Australian theme week . I figured it would be apropos to pick something heavy to add some different forms of music to the theme week. Mortification is one of favourite extreme metal acts from down under; definitely an excellent band to listen to, especially if you're a metal head. Hear Overseer on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Deep Purple - Highway Star My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Not Fade Away My song pick three years ago today: Steeleye Span - Shaking of the Sheets My song pick four years ago today: Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face My song pick five years ago today: Taj Mahal - Fishin' Blues

From: Primitive Man ; Year: 1982; Genre: Rock/New Wave This is day three of my Australian music theme week . I wanted to choose a song from Icehouse at some point this week; they are another great bands that I had yet to pick a song from. I hadn't heard this track in a quite a while, but it's always been one that I really liked. Hear Great Southern Land on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Genesis - Many Too Many My song pick two years ago today: Iron Maiden - Where Eagles Dare My song pick three years ago today: Yes - Yours Is No Disgrace My song pick four years ago today: Herbie Hancock - Sly My song pick five years ago today: Foreigner - Long, Long Way From Home

From: Kick ; Year: 1988; Genre: Rock It is day 2 of my Australian music theme week and I thought I would pick one from INXS. While I've never been huge on the band, they have a few songs that I like quite a bit; this is one of their more popular songs to make it over here in The States. Hear Devil Inside on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Boston - Rock and Roll Band My song pick two years ago today: Mr. Big - Undertow My song pick three years ago today: Rush - In The End My song pick four years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Kashmir My song pick five years ago today: The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

From: Cybotron ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock/Electronic Rock I'm overdue for a new theme week , so I'm starting one today on this Sunday. For this time I've decided that I will be picking songs from Australian bands. I'll start this theme week off with an off-the-wall pick from the band Cybotron, that is, obviously the original band from Australia, not the later, unrelated one from America. This is a rather lengthy piece of electronic rock that makes for an interesting wall of ever-changing sound. Hear Sonic Overdrive on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pearl Jam - Jeremy My song pick two years ago today: Banchee - Iceberg My song pick three years ago today: ZZ Top - Manic Mechanic My song pick four years ago today: Santo & Johnny - Sleepwalk My song pick five years ago today: Phil Collins - I Wish It Would Rain Down

From: Rupi's Dance ; Year: 2003; Genre: Progressive Rock The few who read my blog regularly most likely have noticed the brevity of some of my recent picks. Well, as of late much of my free time has been taken up by me tasked with scanning in thousands of old family photos onto the computer, some of which are at least fifty years older than I am. Even with this monumental task I've been trying to keep up with my blog. Anyway, off and on since I've been scanning them in this song is one that has been running through my mind. While a goodly amount of the photos are from times I remember, many, as I said before are quite old; at times I don't recognize these people or the events in it. It definitely makes me feel like the "Man in the photo shop" mentioned in the song. Hear Photo Shop on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Over the Mountain My song pick two years ago today: Ome Henk - Neem Een Ander In De Maling ( Barbie Girl...

From: Sky ; Year: 1979; Genre: Progressive Rock/Electronic Rock After listening to a couple of their songs the other day I thought I would pick another from the great band that was Sky. If you've heard the band before you should know what to expect from this track, which comes off of their debut album. It's a real nice mix of progressive rock with a lot of classical influence. Hear Cannonball on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Muse - United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage) My song pick two years ago today: Alice in Chains - Would? My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Jeder lacht My song pick four years ago today: Rammstein - Ein Leid My song pick five years ago today: Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes

From: A Trick of the Tail ; Year: 1976; Genre: Progressive Rock This is another one among the many interesting songs from Genesis. This one, of course, is from the first album after Peter Gabriel left the band, and is still in their full-on prog/rock styling. Hear Squonk on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bob Dylan - Hurricane My song pick two years ago today: Bad Company - Silver, Blue & Gold My song pick three years ago today: Louis Armstrong - We Have All The Time In The World My song pick four years ago today: The Yardbirds - Smokestack Lightning My song pick five years ago today: Eric Clapton - Pretending

From: Woman In The Wings ; Year:1978; Genre: Progressive Rock/Folk Rock This is yet another great track that I believed I had already picked. This is a rather pretty and emotional piece that really showcases the beautiful voice of Maddy Prior. The first time I had ever heard it was from a recording that featured only Rick Kemp's bass and her singing. It was early on in hearing music from or associated with Steeleye Span; to say the least it got my attention. Hear an excellent live performance featuring Rick Kemp on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Ludwig Van Beethoven - Op.13 - Piano Sonata No.8 " Pathétique " My song pick two years ago today: Chet Atkins - Tears My song pick three years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Tusk My song pick four years ago today: Fairport Convention - Tam Lin My song pick five years ago today: Cream - Tales of Brave Ulysses

From: End of the World ; Year: 1968; Genre: Progressive Rock/Psychedelic Rock I am in a weird mood today, so I needed a weird song to pick; this one definitely fills the bill. Hear End of the World on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Triumph - I Can Survive My song pick two years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Otherside My song pick three years ago today: Cruachan - The Gael My song pick four years ago today: Jim Croce - Alabama Rain My song pick five years ago today: Derek and the Dominos (Eric Clapton) - Bell Bottom Blues

From: Avengers Assemble (Soundtrack); Year: 2012; Genre: Alternative Metal After hearing this song today I checked if I had already chosen it, and of course, since you are reading this post I obliviously hadn't. This was one of the first studio songs to be released by the band since coming back together and is one of my favourites since their reunion. As far as I know it can only be found on the Avengers Assemble movie soundtrack, however, in my opinion it is easily good enough to have been included on their newest album King Animal . Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Shocking Blue - Venus My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Countdown My song pick three years ago today: Mungo Jerry - In the Summertime My song pick four years ago today: The Kinks - A Well Respected Man My song pick five years ago today: Eric Clapton - Bad Love

From: Just Another Band From L.A. ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock/Comedy When I first heard this song I was a bit off-put by the rather whimsical/nonsensical lyrics, but I definitely kept listening because of the real good music that seems to take you all over the place and to different genres. To say the least it's a very interesting and awesome track even if you don't care about vegetables, but it helps.  Hear Call Any Vegetable on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Queensrÿche - Sign of the Times My song pick two years ago today: Don McLean - Vincent My song pick three years ago today: Eric Burdon and War - Spill the Wine My song pick four years ago today: Supertramp - School My song pick five years ago today: Steely Dan - Do It Again

From: Permanent Waves ; Year: 1980; Genre: Progressive Rock I was thinking about Rush again today and thought I would pick another one of their songs. I have to say that Permanent Waves is probably within my top three favourite Rush albums; I like every song on it. This song is one of the more melodic tracks on the album and is a bit unique with Geddy Lee being the author of the lyrics rather than Neil Peart. Hear Different Strings on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song My song pick two years ago today: Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - Big Country My song pick three years ago today: ABBA - When All is Said and Done My song pick four years ago today: Hawkwind - Motorhead My song pick five years ago today: Savatage - Can You Hear Me Now

From: Falco 3 ; Year: 1985; Genre: Neue Deutsche Welle Last night I had this song incessantly running through my mind without end; as I usually do I took it as a sign that I should pick it. This is one of those weird songs for me personally; part of me has always liked this song, and another part of me really doesn't; however I do like a lot of Falco's other material. I guess the reason I'm more of a mixed opinion about this one could be due the fact that it got played ad nauseam, at least here in the United States, while most of the rest of his music didn't make it across the pond. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. Hear the extended " Salieri" version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stratovarius - Elysium My song pick two years ago today: Johnny Rivers - Muddy River My song pick three years ago today: Steeleye Span - Padstow My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Lakeside Park My song pick five years ago today: B...

From: Operation: Mindcrime ; Year: 1988; Genre: Progressive Metal I felt like listening to some Queensrÿche today; of course Operation: Mindcrime is one of my favourites, so I gravitated more to it than some of the others. While it's not the best track on the album, in my opinion it is one of the more pivotal song in the story told throughout Operation: Mindcrime . Hear Spreading the Disease on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fates Warning - Monument My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Alien Shore My song pick three years ago today: Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town My song pick four years ago today: Bon Jovi - My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms My song pick five years ago today: Three Dog Night - An Old Fashioned Love Song

From: Dirt ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Grunge I had an incline to listen to some Alice in Chains today. For the most part I just put on their Dirt album and just let it play; it's another one of those albums where there are no really bad or weak tracks. Anyway, this is one from the pen of Layne Staley is of my favourites on the disc. Hear Angry Chair on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alestorm - Shipwrecked My song pick two years ago today: Steeleye Span - Dark-Eyed Sailor My song pick three years ago today: The Police - The King of Pain My song pick four years ago today: Chet Atkins - Yakety Axe My song pick five years ago today: Benjamin Britten - War Requiem

From: Crack in the Skye ; Year: 2009; Genre: Progressive Metal I felt like some Mastodon today; plus I hadn't picked one of their songs in a while, so I decided I would pick a track of theirs as well. Even though this is one of the more "commercially acceptable" tracks on the disc, it is still an excellent song musically. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K.626 - Requiem Mass in D Minor My song pick two years ago today: Banchee - The Night is Calling My song pick three years ago today: Band of Horses - Cigarettes, Wedding Bands My song pick four years ago today: Bread - Guitar Man My song pick five years ago today: America - A Horse With No Name

From: Killer Instinkt ; Year: 1995; Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte I'm making a quick pick for this first day of July. For a while now I've been wanting to pick another song from the Austrian Metal band Stahlhammer; this one comes off of their first album. Hear Nur Ein Tier on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Mr. Big - Fool Us Today My song pick two years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - E-Man Groovin' My song pick three years ago today: Led Zeppelin - D'yer Mak'er My song pick four years ago today: Arthur Smith - Guitar Boogie My song pick five years ago today: Band of Horses - Ode To LRC