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

From: Who Do We Think We Are : Year: 1973; Genre: Hard Rock Yesterday and some of this morning I had this song on my mind and thought I would make it my pick today; a real nice straight-up rocker to get through the day. Hear My Woman From Tokyo on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man My song pick two years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Pioneers Over c. My song pick three years ago today: Al Di Meola - Race With Devil on Spanish Highway My song pick four years ago today: Falco - Titanic My song pick five years ago today: The Guess Who - Undun My song pick six years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - The Ballad of Curtis Loew

From: Black Sea ; Year: 1980; Genre: New Wave I was thinking about picking one from XTC and I decided I would go ahead and choose one of their songs; this is probably one of my favourites from the band. Hear Travels in Nihilon on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Kinks - Long Tall Sally My song pick two years ago today: The Beatles - And I Love Her My song pick three years ago today: Al Di Meola - Alien Chase on Arabian Desert My song pick four years ago today: Alice Cooper - Go To Hell My song pick five years ago today: Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond My song pick six years ago today: The Doors - Riders On The Storm

From: Airborne ; Year: 1975; Genre: Progressive Rock I'm having an extremely busy day and am making a quick pick. This track comes off of the Curved Air's last studio album prior to them disbanding, however, they did eventually get back together in '08 and made another one, which was released this year oddly enough. Hear Heaven (Never Seemed So Far Away) on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alestorm - Rum My song pick two years ago today: Bachman & Turner - Slave to the Rhythm My song pick three years ago today: Pink Floyd - San Tropez My song pick four years ago today: Janis Joplin - Mercedes Benz My song pick five years ago today: Pink Floyd - Pigs On The Wing Parts 1 and 2 My song pick six years ago today: Charlie Parker - Blues For Alice

From: Dark Lady ; Year: 1974; Genre: Rock/Pop I woke up this morning with this track running through my mind and, like I normally do, I am making it my pick today. This is probably one of my favourites from Cher; it's got great music and tells a short tale to boot about love, betrayal, murder, and of course a gypsy fortune teller. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Curved Air - U.H.F. My song pick two years ago today: Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons My song pick three years ago today: The Four Tops - Reach Out (I'll Be There) My song pick four years ago today: The Hep Stars - Cadillac My song pick five years ago today: Hallo Venray - Orange My song pick six years ago today: Flatt & Scruggs - Foggy Mountain Breakdown

From: Appetizers ; Year: 1977; Genre: Rock/Pop I've been drawing a complete blank so far on what song to pick today, so I finally gave up and decided to just pick one from my queue. This is a track I grew up hearing quite a bit; it was quite popular through the late '70s and early '80s and I think that my Dad had it on one of his 'super hit' records. From what I've discovered about Alan O'Day, who sadly passed away a year ago in May, was also pretty big in writing songs for television shows, many of which I have heard before. Hear Undercover Angel on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Mudhoney - Something So Clear My song pick two years ago today: Sylvia - The Matador My song pick three years ago today: Rush - By-Tor & the Snow Dog My song pick four years ago today: Uriah Heep - Stealin' My song pick five years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way My song pick six years ago today: Ludwig van Beethoven - WoO59 - Fur ...

From: Left of Cool ; Year: 1998; Genre: Funk/Jazz Fusion/Folk/Pop My Funky Friday picks now stand at 32 consecutively with this one. This one's kind of a jumble of musical styles, (just like most of the music from The Flecktones), but comes out incredibly well despite the varying and contrasting styles, which is also the product you always get from the band. Hear Let Me Be the One on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Finntroll - Ett Norrskensdåd My song pick two years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV Anh. 117a, 117b - Polonause in F Major (from Anna Magdalena Notebook II ) My song pick three years ago today: Exist†Trace - Requiem My song pick four years ago today: Meat Loaf - Two out of Three Ain't Bad My song pick five years ago today: Christian Pezold - BWV Anh. 115 - Minuet in G Minor (Anna Magdalena Notebook II) My song pick six years ago today: Raymond Scott - Powerhouse

From: Weather Report ; Year: 1971; Genre: Jazz Fusion The other day Woordenaar picked a Weather Report song: A Remark You Made , and it got me back in the mood to listen to some of their music again. As far as I know, I don't believe that I have chosen on off of their debut album yet, so I'll remedy that today. This is a kind of an ambient track that's quite pretty; you can definitely hear Miles Davis' influence on the band. Hear Orange Lady on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Wild Spirit My song pick two years ago today: Wings - Jet My song pick three years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Welcome Home My song pick four years ago today: Puhdys - Alt Wie Ein Baum My song pick five years ago today: Christian Pezold - Minuet in G Major (Anna Magdalena Notebook II), BWV Anh. 114 My song pick six years ago today: Berlin - The Metro

From: The Turn of a Friendly Card ; Year: 1980; Genre: Rock This morning I've been having some music from Alan Parsons Project incessantly running through my head, so as I always do, I take it as a sign I should pick one of their songs. This one's a little more radio friendly than their usual material, but is still an excellent track all the same. Hear Games People Play on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 My song pick two years ago today: Rush - A Farewell to Kings My song pick three years ago today: Steeleye Span - Robbery With Violins My song pick four year ago today: Jethro Tull - Dark Ages My song pick five years ago today: The Blind Boys of Alabama - Amazing Grace   My song pick six years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - From The Beginning

From: Rush ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock I felt like listening to something from Rush's early years, so this was the logically one of the albums that I went for first. Before and After is one of the "lesser" tracks on the album, but is one of my favourites. The title describes this song the best; it starts out really light and pretty, but about half-way through it kicks in with their raucous hard rock led by Geddy's powerful vocals. Hear Before and After on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stratovarius - Atlantis My song pick two years ago today: Alestorm - Pirate Song My song pick three years ago today: Steve Vai - The Attitude Song My song pick four year ago today: Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley (from The Rocky Horror Picture Show) - Science Fiction/Double Feature My song pick five years ago today: Puhdys - Bas Buch My song pick six years ago today: The Pretenders - Back on the Chain Gang

From: Homo Erraticus ; Year: 2014; Genre: Progressive Rock Just a few days ago this new album was released and whilst I wait for my copy I've been able to check a few of the songs out on the YouTube. So far, out of the few songs I have heard thus far, this one is my favourite. Hear After These Wars on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal My song pick two years ago today: Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died My song pick three years ago today: Muse - Starlight My song pick four years ago today: Styx - Lorelei My song pick five years ago today: Three Dog Night - Never Been To Spain My song pick six years ago today: Concrete Blonde - Joey

From: Dancing on a Cold Wind ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock/Flamenco Rock I had some music from Carmen on my mind this morning, so I'm going ahead and picking another one from the band. This one's a rather pretty and at the same time a heavy piece the flamenco structure certainly does make it quite unique sounding. Hear I've Been Crying on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Banchee - 38 My song pick two years ago today: Xerath - Unite to Defy My song pick three years ago today: John Fogerty - Centerfield My song pick four years ago today: The Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Road My song pick six years ago today: Nirvana - Lithium

From: Mutter ; Year: 2001; Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte Mutter has been an album that I've been studying as of late; mostly coming up to my own renditions of the tracks. Anyway, in the past I have picked quite a few of my favourites from the album, so I'm now starting to pick ones from my 2nd tier. For a song called "Mist" or "Fog" it's actually quite an epic piece with a blend of both the heavy and light sounds. Hear Nebel on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - The Necromancer My song pick two years ago today: Les Elgart - Bandstand Boogie My song pick three years ago today: Oomph! featuring Nina Hagen - Feiber My song pick four years ago today: The Guess Who - Minstrel Boy My song pick five years ago today: Metallica - Nothing Else Matters My song pick six years ago today: Steely Day - Rikki Don't Lose That Number

From: Release Yourself ; Year: 1974; Genre: Funk/Soul I have now done a total of 31 Funky Fridays in a row and I felt like for #31 I'd pick another from one of my favourite funkmasters: Larry Graham and his band of renown. This one has a definite feel on his funky soul, but also has a definite gospel flavouring as well. Hear G.C.S. on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Big Money My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Lifebeats/Prelude/The Silver Cord/Re-Assuring Tune My song pick three years ago today: The Doors - When the Music's Over My song pick four years ago today: Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Tank My song pick five years ago today: Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Karn Evil 9 My song pick six years ago today: Kenny Rogers & the First Edition - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

From: Vampires, Cowboys, Spacemen, & Spooks: The Very Best of Joe Meek 's Instrumentals; Year: 2007 (1965); Genre: Surf Rock I was listening to some stuff that was produced by Joe Meek and felt like adding another one today; this is some great vintage instrumental surf rock. Hear Saxon War Cry on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Queen - Princes of the Universe My song pick two years ago today: Supertramp - Rudy My song pick three years ago today: Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra - Alexander's Ragtime Band My song pick four years ago today: Tears For Fears - Break It Down Again My song pick five years ago today: Dream Theater - 6:00   My song pick six years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Street Fighting Man

From: Over-Nite Sensation : 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock/Comedy I had this rather goofy song on my mind this morning and, as I normally do, I decided to make it today's pick. While, like with a lot of Frank Zappa's music, the lyrics and subject matter can be a bit strange, I've always been blown away by the music and especially its extremely complex arrangements; this is definitely Frank Zappa at his normal great level. Hear Montana on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Boston - Don't Look Back My song pick two years ago today: Beat Crusaders - Hit in the USA My song pick three years ago today: ABBA - Thank You for the Music My song pick four years ago today: Genesis - Home By The Sea My song pick five years ago today: Alannah Myles - Black Velvet My song pick six years ago today: Alice Cooper - Poison

From: Us ; Year: 1992; Genre: Progressive Rock/Funk Rock I was kind of drawing a blank this morning, so I picked one off the top of my mind. I've been wanting to pick another one from Peter Gabriel, so now is as good a time as ever. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Phil Collins - Something Happened on the Way to Heaven My song pick two years ago today: Pallas - Rise and Fall, Part 2 My song pick three years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Black Blade My song pick four years ago today: Rammstein - Waidmanns Heil My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Rock Island My song pick six years ago today: Cheap Trick - Mighty Wings

From: Sky 2 ; Year: 1980; Genre: Progressive Rock I had music from the band Sky on my mind this morning. This is a four part suite of neoclassical/rock music from the pen of Francis Monkman: FIFO; Adagio; Scherzo; and Watching Areoplanes. It's a great nerdfest for those who like different music. Hear the full suite on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Faith No More - Easy My song pick two years ago today: Pallas - Rise and Fall, Part 1 My song pick three years ago today: Counting Crows - Mr. Jones My song pick four years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin Out My Back Door My song pick five years ago today: The Grass Roots - Midnight Confessions My song pick six years ago today: The Tornadoes - Telstar

From: Forever Young ; Year: 1984; Genre: New Wave/Synthpop The other day I happened to hear this song from the German band Alphaville; I hadn't heard it for some years now and definitely was a blast from the past. While it's sound is overall dated a bit, it's still a neat song to listen to. I might be showing my age, but, it does bring back memories hearing tracks from the original new wave and synthpop era. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls My song pick two years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) My song pick three years ago today: Iron Maiden - Flight of Icarus My song pick four years ago today: Looking Glass - Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) My song pick five years ago today: Rush - Spirit of the Radio My song pick six years ago today: Duke Ellington (Earle Hagen) - Harlem Nocturne

From: War Child ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock I had this song running through my mind this morning and, as I usually do, I thought I would pick it. This one's kind of a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek take on the on what happens in the afterlife. Ian is as cynical as always, but for me the music and its arrangement is the main draw; I love Ian's saxophone playing on this one as well as the thumping bass line. Interestingly enough, this one is a rewrite/re-imagining of a song titled Lick Your Fingers Clean , which was originally recorded for the Aqualung album three years prior, but was left off the final release for some reason. You can hear Lick Your Fingers Clean here on YouTube. Hear Two Fingers on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Paul Simon - Hobo's Blues My song pick two years ago today: Megadeth - Sweating Bullets My song pick three years ago today: Kristoph Klover - Fire in the Sky My song pick four years ago today: David Bowie - Th...

From: It's Just Begun ; Year: 1972; Genre: Funk I've made it 30 Funky Fridays straight and I couldn't think of a better funky artist to pick one from than the late-great Jimmy Castor and his Bunch. While he's mostly known for his comedy tracks featuring cave men , he had a lot of other great songs out there; this is some really great hard-hitting '70s Funk. Hear It's Just Begun on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear My song pick two years ago today: Carmen - Purple Flowers My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Keine Lust My song pick four years ago today: Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) - Piece Of My Heart My song pick five years ago today: Nightwish - The Kinslayer My song pick six years ago today: Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle

From: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ; Year: 1976; Genre: Rock Whilst on the road this morning a whole bunch of Tom Petty came on the radio, so, I thought that I would go ahead and pick one of the songs I liked the most that I heard. While it's not one of my absolute favourites from the band or Tom Petty as a solo act, it is a nice unobtrusive track. Plus it is interesting to hear an early track like this one and compare it to his later ones; this one in particular has actually aged quite well. Hear Breakdown on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Marillion - Garden Party My song pick two years ago today: Alestorm - Heavy Metal Pirates My song pick three years ago today: Guns N' Roses - Sympathy for the Devil My song pick four years ago today: Bon Jovi - Bounce My song pick five years ago today: The Platters - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes My song pick six years ago today: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - Tears of a Clown

From: Hemispheres ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock Wow, I guess this will be the last song I pick off of the amazing album Hemispheres due to the fact that I have now picked every other song off the album. But with there only being a grand total of four songs on the album the only surprising thing is that it took me nearly 2500 songs and almost seven years to do it. Anyway, Hemispheres is one of my top favourite albums from Rush and I love every song on this album, but I especially love The Trees ; it was one of the first songs I ever heard from the band. It was strange that the other night I realized that I had never sat down and learned to play the song, which I promptly remedied. Every time I hear this song and especially Geddy's bass I am taken aback at the sounds I hear, and I cannot for the life of me fathom why he abandoned the great sound of that Rickenbacker bass. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. Watch the live performance from Exit... Stage...

From: Kill 'Em All ; Year: 1983; Genre: Thrash Metal I have never really been too much into Metallica, but I still love their music, especially their earlier material. Actually this track, which acts as a vehicle for a bad ass Cliff Burton bass solo, predates his tenure with the band and was written and performed with the previous band he played in. It is quite awesome to hear such a great musician so in tune with his instrument as this; a truly jaw-dropping song. Hear (Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Guns 'N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle My song pick two years ago today: Jerry Goldsmith - Star Trek: The Motion Picture Main Title/Klingon Battle My song pick three years ago today: Queensrÿche - Welcome to the Machine My song pick four years ago today: Sheena Easton - For Your Eyes Only My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - Season Suite: Spring My song pick six years ago today: Duran Duran - Ordinary World ...

From: Killers ; Year: 1981; Genre: Metal I heard this track the other day and it's been on my mind ever since, so I thought I might pick it. This is among the many, many great Iron Maiden songs out there; I absolutely love Steve Harris' bass throughout. Hear Wrathchild on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Guns N' Roses - Paradise City My song pick two years ago today: Ian Anderson - Shunt and Shuffle My song pick three years ago today: Def Leppard - Waterloo Sunset My song pick four years ago today: John Denver - Spirit My song pick five years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Everyday People My song pick six years ago today: David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust

From: The Miracle ; Year: 1989; Genre: Rock I heard this song the other day and I thought I would choose it. While the sound of this track is a bit dated with the 1980s sound, it still is a great track and that bass line and Freddy's vocals are quite nice. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Journey - Stone in Love My song pick two years ago today: Ian Anderson - Banker Bets, Banker Wins My song pick three years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Cat's in the Cradle My song pick four years ago today: Steeleye Span - Sails of Silver   My song pick five years ago today: Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella My song pick six years ago today: Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom

From: Bachman-Turner Overdrive II ; Year: 1973; Genre: Hard Rock The other day I discovered that this year Bachman-Turner Overdrive is getting inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. This three chord bar room classic is probably their most famous song and will probably be played for many, many years after we're all dead. Interestingly enough Takin' Care of Business was originally written by Randy Bachman when he was with The Guess Who under the working title White Collar Worker, but due to disagreements in the band among other reasons it never got recorded. Later when BTO was still in its infancy he happened to hear a disc jockey utter the idiom "Taking Care of Business" and circumstances happened that he decided to play it live for the first time with the new title. After some adjustments and tweaking the anthemic song we have today was born. Hear Takin' Care of Business on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Return to Forever - Jungle Wa...

From: Renegades ; Year: 2000; Genre: Funk/Metal Yet another Funky Friday pick; my 29th in a row to be exact. It feels like a perfect day to pick this cover by Rage Against the Machine of the classic track from Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force. Hear Renegades of Funk on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Triumph - Fight the Good Fight My song pick two years ago today: Rammstein - Dalai Lama My song pick three years ago today: Savatage - Day After Day My song pick four years ago today: ? and the Mysterians - 96 Tears My song pick five years ago today: Pink Floyd - Goodbye Blue Sky My song pick six years ago today: The Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster

From: Sailing the Seas of Cheese ; Year: 1991; Genre: Alternative Metal/Funk Metal Last night and this morning for that fact I've been binging on some of Primus' music, so I thought I would pick one too. This is one of their earlier singles, and a cute little track to boot. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer My song pick two years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Dragonfly My song pick three years ago today: Queen - Good Company My song pick four years ago today: Wolfsheim - Über's Jahr My song pick five years ago today: Alice in Chains - Man In The Box My song pick six years ago today: INXS - Disappear

From: Red ; Year: 1976; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock I felt like picking another track from King Crimson's Red album; I wish I would've heard this amazing album earlier. Anyway, this is the song that closes out side 1 of the LP and is one of my favourites. This one has all of the cool stuff you'd expect from a prog rock track complete with incredible music and cool time signature changes. This one's about a guy that whose afraid of flying dreaming about being on a plane plummeting to the ground; I love how they end the song abruptly to signify the end of the Nightmare. Hear One More Red Nightmare on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here My song pick two years ago today: Dudley Moore Trio - Yesterdays My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - With You There To Help Me My song pick four years ago today: Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra - Things to Come My song pick five years ago today: Simon & Ga...

From: Bitter Sweet ; Year: 1972; Genre: Soul/R&B Starting another month, and with this being the first of April, it's also April Fools' Day , so I wanted to pick one that was apropos. It's interesting how many songs about fools have to also do with love and how it makes a fool out of people. Anyway, this track is no different, but the overall upbeat message is nice and uplifting. That's probably why I adore soul music so much. Here Everybody Plays the Fool on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bee Gees - I Started a Joke My song pick two years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - Fools Never Die My song pick three years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Can You Handle It? My song pick four years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Fool in the Rain My song pick five years ago today: Styx - Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) My song pick six years ago today: The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again