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

From: Never Surrender ; Year: 1983; Genre: Hard Rock I've been in a mood for something from the other famous power trio from Canada: Triumph. This is yet another great hard power rock track like you'd expect from this awesome band. Hear A World of Fantasy on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fats Waller - Jitterbug Waltz My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Pibroch (Cap in Hand) My song pick three years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Civilize the Universe My song pick four years ago today: Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - The Eagle and the Hawk My song pick six years ago today: Three Dog Night - Liar

From: Tales ; Year: 1995; Genre: Funk/Jazz Fusion I'm now at my eleventh straight Funky Friday pick and thought I would pick one from another amazing funkmaster on the bass: Marcus Miller. This is most likely one of the most funky versions of the Beatles classic that you'll ever hear; he certainly breathes a whole new form of life into that old pop/rock standard. I absolutely love it! Hear Marcus Miller's version of Come Together on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Journey - Don't Stop Believing My song pick two years ago today: Black Sabbath - The Mob Rules My song pick three years ago today: Roger Waters - It's a Miracle My song pick four years ago today: Eric Idle - F--- Christmas My song pick five years ago today: Otis Redding - ( Sittin' On ) The Dock of the Bay My song pick six years ago today: The Kinks - Celluloid Heroes

From: Straight Outta Lynwood ; Year: 2006; Genre: Comedy I felt like listening to some "Weird Al" on this Thanksgiving Holiday. I thought I would also give a nod to "Weird Al's" loony made up holiday where you crush weasels. While it's kind of a disturbing track on so many levels his delivery of it always brings a smile to my face. See the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Take a Pebble My song pick two years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus My song pick three years ago today: Supertramp - Just a Normal Day My song pick four years ago today: Northern Kings - Hello My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Fallen On Hard Times My song pick six years ago today: Mr. Big - Wild World

From: The Xenon Codex ; Year: 1988; Genre: Progressive Rock/Space Rock I am in a nostalgic mood and need to listen to some Hawkwind; from the 1980s in particular. I really wanted to pick Lost Chronicles ; it is such an amazing and beautiful track, but to pick Lost Chronicles without also picking Neon Skyline would not be proper. The way Dave Brock and company arranged The Xenon Codex album Neon Skyway leads into Lost Chronicles and then about 3/4 of the way through it plays the last part of Neon Skyline . In this way they made a medley with Lost Chronicles acting as a pretty instrumental interlude to the much heavier and punk influenced Neon Skyline . So, I thought it best to just go ahead and made it a double for today. Hear Neon Skyline on YouTube. Hear Lost Chronicles on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Louis Armstrong - When the Saints Go Marching In My song pick two years ago today: John Denver - Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning) My song pic...

From: Darkness in a Different Light ; Year: 2013; Genre: Progressive Metal I was checking out Fates Warning's new album the other day and was pleasantly surprised immediately by this song, which starts off the album. It's great to hear a band such as Fates Warning still kicking butt and playing their amazing music. Hear One Thousand Fires on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dick Dale - Bandito My song pick two years ago today: Dream Theater - A Nightmare to Remember My song pick three years ago today: Bob Marley & the Wailers - Jamming My song pick four years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Crossfire My song pick five years ago today: 4 Non Blondes - What's Up? My song pick six years ago today: Jethro Tull - ...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps

From: Rosenrot ; Year: 2005; Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte/Industrial Metal I've been wanting to pick another track from Rammstein for a while now and today I'm finally getting around to it. I was surprised to not see this one in my already picked section, since I've pick so many song from Rammstein already with this being one that I like a bit. I've heard people describe Rosenrot, (both the song and the album), as an unremarkable song on their most mediocre album, but I've always liked it. From what I understand this song itself was inspired by The Poem Heidenröslen by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the Brothers Grimm fairytale Snow White and Rose Red . This song's music video is also one of the ones to portray Till Lindemann's character being kill, which is somewhat of a theme that happened in more than a couple of their videos; all of the times he was killed was later played on in their Haifisch music video. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. ...

From: Electric Ladyland ; Year: 1968; Genre: Hard Rock/Psychedelic Rock After hearing one of his songs last night I felt like picking one. While this is actually a cover originally written by Bob Dylan everyone would probably agree that Hendrix's famous version is the iconic one that everybody thinks of. Hear All Along the Watchtower on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Billie Holiday - Summertime My song pick two years ago today: David Bowie - Young Americans My song pick three years ago today: Eric Robertson - "Spooked" on Classics My song pick four years ago today: Antonio Salieri - Requiem in C-Minor ( Piccolo Requiem ) My song pick five years ago today: Marmalade - Reflections of My Life My song pick six years ago today: .38 Special - Same Old Feeling

From: The Cross & the Crucible ; Year: 2001; Genre: Progressive Rock Well, another hundred picks passed and I'm now and I'm at another "rollover pick" with now 2300 songs behind me. I wanted to pick something very appropriate, but I couldn't think about a song pertaining to the number 2300, so, as I normally do, I decided to go with an 'epic' song that I liked instead. While the music is truly amazing and are the main draw for me, I've never really cared for the lyrics or this song. With such an interesting and intense subject matter concerning the fight between faith and science it would have been nice if the lyrics could match the grandiosity of the music. Hear The Cross and the Crucible on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Nirvana - Come As You Are My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Space Chase My song pick three years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Four Wheel Drive My song pick four years ago toda...

From: Star Walk ; Year: 1979; Genre: Funk I almost forgot it was Friday again and picked something not funky; I really don't want to snap my string of Funky Friday picks, with this being my tenth. You can never go wrong picking something from the Funkmaster himself Larry Graham; over seven minutes of some amazingly funky music with this fun track. Hear Scream on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - Stomping Grounds My song pick two years ago today: Mahavishnu Orchestra - You Know You Know My song pick three years ago today: The Kinks - Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Manhattan Project My song pick five years ago today: Andy Taylor - When the Rain Comes Down My song pick six years ago today: Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant Massacree

From: Paranoid ; Year: 1970; Genre: Metal/Hard Rock Sometimes there are obvious songs that I don't know why it has taken me so many years to pick; songs like this one. Anyway, this has always been one of my favourites from Black Sabbath and is also most likely a favourite of many other people as well. I've always loved the raw grunt of this track, which still works as well as it did some 43 years ago; it must have been amazing to hear this song back then when no one had really ever heard anything like it before. Of course with the fact of it being written around an original science fiction horror story in my opinion makes it all that more incredible. Watch a music video clip of Iron Man on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Ella Fitzgerald - Stormy Weather My song pick two years ago today: Dead Meadow - Greensky Greenlake My song pick three years ago today: Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart My song pick four years ago today: Duran Duran - Serious My song ...

From: Night Owl ; Year: 1979; Genre: Rock I've had this one running through my mind for most of the morning, so as I normally do, I am taking it as a sign I need to pick it. Night Owl has much of a similar feel to his other popular songs of the time, but still is its own song. One of the neat aspect of this track is Raphael Ravenscroft, (the saxophonist who played on the song Baker Street), plays solos on a lyricon. Hear Night Owl on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Duke Ellington - It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) My song pick two years ago today: Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to Love My song pick three years ago today: John Denver - In My Life My song pick four years ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - Legend of Wooley Swamp My song pick five years ago today: The Doors - Strange Days My song pick six years ago today: Argent - Hold Your Head Up

From: Fairport Convention ; Year: 1968; Genre: Folk Rock This is one of those cases where the cover of a popular song came out prior to the original, although it was not the first cover of the song. About a month or two before Fairport's version Judy Collins released her version of it, however, Fairport's version treats the song with much more of the heavier rock side of folk rock than either Collins' or Joni Mitchell's. Chelsea Morning is one of many that Joni Mitchell wrote with existential imagery; this time her subject matter was about living in her apartment in Chelsea, New York. Both Judy Byble and Iain Matthews share lead vocals for their version of the song with Judy Byble taking the verses and Iain Matthews taking the chorus. The debut album would be the only time Judy Byble would appear with the band being replaced by Sandy Denny on later album also Iain Matthews would leave the band a little later as well in the metamorphic lineup of the band. He...

From: Signals ; Year: 1982; Genre: Progressive Rock Since yesterday I picked a proper Dream Theater song after picking a symphonic version the day before I thought I would pick a proper Rush song after about a week ago picking a symphonic cover of one of their songs as well. This is a very interesting song in many ways; the lyrics in particular seem straight-forward, but has a much deeper meaning that probably speaks to many of the song's listeners. It does in fact feel nice sometimes to sit alone and dream while the rest of the world scurries about. Hear The Analog Kid on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - The Tell-Tale Heart My song pick two years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Ethiopia My song pick three years ago today: Bass Extremes - Glorious Pastorius My song pick four years ago today: Alexander Courage - Where No Man Has Gone Before (Theme From Star Trek ) My song pick five years ago today: The Temptations - Get...

From: Octavarium ; Year: 2006; Genre: Progressive Metal As you can see above I'm trying out using larger images of the album art; thus far I like it and I'll probably keep it up. Anyway, after my pick yesterday I thought I should pick a song from the actual band. This is one that a friend of mine thought I should listen to; while I don't have the album Octavarium , I have heard some of the songs on it. I don't know if I heard this one in the past, but it was a good time to hear it again if I had. As part of this concept album's song cycle based on an octave, since this is the third song, it is written in the key of A after the previous song on the album, which was written in the key of G and so on. Like my friend told me this one has a very good message and has a lot of meaning to those who have a barrier they must overcome to fit into society. Hear These Walls on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Stick it Out My song pick two years...

From: A Symphonic Tribute to Dream Theater ; Year: 2013; Genre: Classical The other day Max let me know about this album's existence; I finally got a chance to check it out, and I have to say that it's pretty good. This is my favourite track on the album thus far, but that's only after the first listen. Like with Rush earlier , it's nice to see another great progressive band get the symphonic treatment. Hear their symphonic version of The Ministry of Lost Souls on YouTube. Hear the original song on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: R.E.M. - What's the Frequency, Kenneth? My song pick two years ago today: Steely Dan - Bodhisattva My song pick three years ago today: UFO - Rock Bottom My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Baker St. Muse My song pick five years ago today: Toto - Hold the Line My song pick six years ago today: Jethro Tull - Kissing Willie

From: Live-Evil ; Year: 1971; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Funk Wow, I just noticed that, according to Google, my song a day blog just passed 100,000 page views. Actually that's only since April 2009 when I migrated this blog from my old MySpace account where I posted for the first two years; I guess that's kind of cool, eh. Anyway, back to song blogging; here's my ninth Funky Friday pick in a row, and I thought I'd pick something a bit more off the wall. I'd really love to know what was going on in the mind of Miles Davis' head. Every time I listen to his recording I wonder how he could've conceptualized this kind of music let alone bring it into reality; whatever the case, the man was a utter genius. Anyway, if you decide to listen to this one get ready for almost 24 minutes of being deluged in Miles' avant-garde mixture of Jazz, Bop, Funk, Rock, and whatever else you can pick out. Like I said before, he was one of those greats that pushed the very ...

From: In the Heat of the Night ; Year: 1979; Genre: Hard Rock Earlier this morning I happened to hear this song, which is one I hadn't heard for a very long time. Although, I can't count the amount of times I have heard it or this album before; my Mom listened to it a lot. While it definitely has its hits, I have always thought of this as album oriented rock just due to how great the deeper cuts are. Anyway, this actually a cover that was originally from Nick Gilder who is known for the song Hot Child in the City ; his original can be heard here on YouTube . It's interesting that I've never heard the original, but now knowing this I can definitely hear his influence on this song in spades. It definitely has some different subject matter that of being about the life of a porn star, but Pat Benatar's delivery is just amazing as always and makes it great song. Hear Rated X on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Cab Calloway - Learnin' the Blue...

From: Hawaii ; Year: 1961; Genre: Instrumental/Hawaiian For some reason I was thinking about this rather pretty song this morning and thought I should also pick it. It's a very fun to play a track that is so expressive on the steel guitar, which is one of the reasons I play the instrument. Hear Adventures in Paradise on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Megadeth - Blackmail the Universe My song pick two years ago today: Black 47 - Fire of Freedom My song pick three years ago today: Aerosmith - Amazing My song pick four years ago today: Banchee - Beautifully Day My song pick five years ago today: The Cure - Burn My song pick six years ago today: Fire Bomber (Hummingbird) - Dynamite Explosion

From: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays the Music Of Rush ; Year: 2012; Genre: Classical I was introduced to this album the other day by a fellow Rush fanatic; to say the least I was very interested and bemused to hear their classical interpretation Rush's music. While I'd rather just listen to Rush's original recordings, it's really good and a treat to hear; long overdue with how many other acts getting the "classical" treatment. Hear The Royal Philharmonic's cover of Limelight on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue My song pick two years ago today: Rammstein - Mein Land My song pick three years ago today: Karussell - Tanzen My song pick four years ago today: Pearls Before Swine - Tell Me Why My song pick five years ago today: Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe My song pick six years ago today: Steve Winwood & Traffic - Dear Mr. Fantasy

From: A Trick of the Tail ; Year: 1976; Genre: Progressive Rock I've been listening to a lot of Genesis lately; the music from albums such as " A Trick of the Tail " is excellent music to have playing whilst you get some writing done. Not that it's 'wallpaper music' by any means, but for me having the more complex arrangement and it being just unobtrusive enough to keep you from being distracted makes it perfect work music for myself. Hear Ripple on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Joachim Witt - Goldener Reiter My song pick two years ago today: Savatage - Memory My song pick three years ago today: Billy Joel - Goodnight Saigon My song pick four years ago today: S Sgt Barry Sadler - Ballad of the Green Berets My song pick five years ago today: Pink Floyd - On the Turning Away My song pick six years ago today: ABBA - Soldiers

From: Down on the Upside ; Year: 1996; Genre: Alternative Rock/Grunge I felt like some Soundgarden this morning; I haven't picked that many off of their Down on the Upside album yet, so I thought I would give it a bit of love this morning. This is one of the main singles taken from the disc, and is a pretty good track; it has a definite Beatles influence, but their grunge sound is there as well in spades. Hear Blow Up the Outside World on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Genesis - For Absent Friends My song pick two years ago today: Santo & Johnny - Teardrop My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Bück Dich My song pick four years ago today: Lulu - To Sir With Love My song pick five years ago today: Primus - Nature Boy My song pick six years ago today: Deep Purple - Space Truckin'

From: Everything All the Time ; Year: 2006; Genre: Indie Rock I have nothing ready to pick today, so I'm just going to pick a song that I like. This is actually one of my favourites off of Band of Horses' debut album and was surprised to see that I hadn't chosen it yet. Hear The Great Salt Lake on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stahlhammer - Eisenherz My song pick two years ago today: Exist†Trace - RESONANCE My song pick three years ago today: Three Dog Night - One Man Band My song pick four years ago today: The Eagles - Outlaw Man My song pick five years ago today: Def Leppard - Lets Get Rocked My song pick six years ago today: Alabama - Roll On ( Eighteen Wheeler )

From: Jaco Pastorius ; Year: 1976; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Funk I'm continuing my streak of making Funky Friday picks with this being my eighth consecutive. Last week I picked one from a bassist that is among the greatest alive, but this week I decided I should pick one from one of the past greats who was a pioneer that the best today were inspired by: Jaco Pastorius. Anyway, this song is definitely a darn good blending of Jazz and Funk that is excellent by itself if it was an instrumental, but Sam & Dave's vocals push this song to be one of the best on the album. Hear Come Over, Come Over on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Chet Atkins - Whispering My song pick two years ago today: Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall, Parts 1-3 My song pick three years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - X-Ray Eyes My song pick four years ago today: Alton Ellis - Sunday Coming My song pick five years ago today: Pat Benatar - Treat Me Right My song pick six years ...

From: Night Owl ; Year: 1979; Genre: Rock For some I just felt like picking something from Gerry Rafferty this morning. This one takes a bit to get going, but after it does the song shines up quite nicely. Watch a music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Tommy James - Mirage My song pick two years ago today: The Rolling Stones - In Another Land My song pick three years ago today: Iron Maiden - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier My song pick four years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Hold on Tight / Epilogue My song pick five years ago today: C.W. McCall - Wolf Creek Pass My song pick six years ago today: Eddie Rabbitt - I'm Driving My Life Away

From: All Summer Long ; Year: 1964; Genre: Pop Rock After hearing this song the other day I've had it running through my mind off and on ever since; I thought I'd go ahead and pick it. While it is one of their many hits, it still stands out in many ways. The chorus is definitely what this track gets all of its power from; actually it's essentially one long chorus broken up with small verses. Hear I Get Around on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dick Dale - Nitro My song pick two years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Astronomy My song pick three years ago today: Yoshiki Fukuyama - Angel's Voice My song pick four years ago today: The Kinks - (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman My song pick five years ago today: The Allman Brother's Band - Ain't Waistin' Time No More My song pick six years ago today: Red Sovine - Phantom 309

From: Leviathan ; Year: 2004; Genre: Progressive Metal I felt like listening to some Mastodon this morning and thought I'd pick one of their songs too. This was one of the singles off of their concept record Leviathan and it's a nice heavy track with some great music. Hear Iron Tusk on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rammstein - Rammlied My song pick two years ago today: Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400 My song pick three years ago today: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Ko-Ko My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Bastille Day My song pick five years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Brave New World My song pick six years ago today: C.W. McCall - Convoy

From: A Passion Play ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock For the last couple of days I've had this song on my mind; I thought it would make a good pick for today. This song, of course, comes from Jethro Tull's epic A Passion Play ; it is part vii on the record and appears halfway through the second act: The Memory Bank where the protagonist Ronnie Pilgrim gets shown all of his lifetime's misdeeds in a theatre in the afterlife. It is by far the heaviest song on the album, and as with the rest of the album John Evans' playing on the Hammond Organ is the main driving force along with the thundering bass. Probably the aspect of the song that I've always liked the most is the feeling that not only the song, but the entirety of act 2 gives; that of being put on display and being out of control and accused from all directions. This was also one of the tracks that survived from "the album that didn't happen" and actually survived and was put on the ...

From: Fugazi ; Year: 1984; Genre: Progressive Rock The other day Woordenaar picked a song from Marillion , and I thought I would pick one from the band as well. I know many others might disagree, but especially with Fish on lead vocals to me Marillion sound like what I imagine Genesis would've sounded like in the '80s if Peter Gabriel had stayed with them. Anyway, this is definitely an 80's prog rock track in the extreme with synth being pushed to the forefront, but still has all of that prog rock goodness. Hear Assassing on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Ian Anderson - Kismet in Suburbia My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Fable of a Failed Race My song pick three years ago today: Billy Joel - It's Still Rock and Roll to Me My song pick four years ago today: Daft Punk - One More Time My song pick five years ago today: Al Stewart - Time Passages My song pick six years ago today: Stealer's Wheel - Star

From: Ozark Mountain Daredevils ; Year: 1973; Genre: Southern Rock I had this song running through my mind last night and thought I'd pick it. Most would probably remember the Ozark Mountain Daredevils for their hit Jackie Blue, which can be heard here on YouTube . This track also a hit, but for some reason it just hasn't remained as popular over the years; it's a nice blend of blues, rock, and country Hear If You Wanna Get to Heaven on YouTube. Watch a classic live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dream Theater - Lie My song pick two years ago today: Aerosmith - Home Tonight My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Overseer Overture / Flight from Lucifer My song pick four years ago today: The Beatles - Think for Yourself My song pick five years ago today: Queen feat. David Bowie - Under Pressure My song pick six years ago today: The Grateful Dead - Touch of Grey

Non Album Track; Genre: Funk It's not only the start of a brand new month but it's also my seventh Funky Friday pick in a row. This is a rather cute one from another master of the bass guitar who is one of greatest players alive today. I actually don't know much about this song, but I absolutely love it; it's one of my favourites. "Funky like an open hamper/funky like a dirty pamper" Hear When I Want to Get Funky on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Curved Air - What Happens When You Blow Yourself Up? My song pick two years ago today: Megadeth - We The People My song pick three years ago today: Rush - Red Barchetta My song pick four years ago today: Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue My song pick five years ago today: Supertramp - Take the Long Way Home My song pick six years ago today: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones - Vix 9