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

From: Surrealistic Pillow ; Year: 1967; Genre: Psychedelic Rock I felt like some Jefferson Airplane this morning, so I'm picking one. This is one of the lesser known tracks from the record, but one I still like quite a bit. Hear 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Metallica - Orion My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - No Lullaby My song pick three years ago today: Cyndi Lauper - The Goonies 'R' Good Enough My song pick four years ago today: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Into The Great Wide Open My song pick five years ago today: The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps My song pick six years ago today: Jethro Tull - Man of Principle

From: Life and Times ; Year: 1973; Genre: Folk Rock The other day when I was out and about this song came on and being that I am a big fan of his music I thought I would pick it. I've always have liked this song about one of the baddest men around finding out he's not as bad as he and others think and gets himself beat up. That's probably one of the biggest draws to his music: singing about things that are commonly experienced and of course his music is incredible too. Hear Bad, Bad Leroy Brown on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones - Life in Eleven My song pick two years ago today: Red Rider - White Hot My song pick three years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Melissa My song pick four years ago today: Queen - Play The Game My song pick five years ago today: Jerry Reed - Guitar Man My song pick six years ago today: Blind Faith - Can't Find My Way Home

From: 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) ; Year: 1969; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock I'd be lying if I said I didn't have this song picked for this pick number a long time ago, because I did. This is such a classic space rock tune with an ominous, cautionary tale about mankind's seemingly dark future that awaits. As with some other space rock songs their use of acoustic instruments along with the progression between major and minor chords was almost perfect to build this great musical atmosphere. Hear In the Year 2525 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Homer & Jethro - The Battle of Camp Kookamonga My song pick two years ago today: Karussell - Entweder Oder My song pick three years ago today: Nightwish - Last of the Wilds (Erämaan viimeinen) My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Caravan My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - This Old Guitar My song pick six years ago today: Rammstein - Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Bef...

From: Cold Blooded ; Year: 1983; Genre: Funk Friday has come again and hence it's another Funky Friday . I had a couple of other tracks in mind, but for no reason whatsoever felt like picking something from Rick James, so here it is. Hear Cold Blooded on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Primus - Amos Moses My song pick two years ago today: Pink Floyd - Speak to Me/Breathe/On the Run My song pick three years ago today: Aerosmith - Rag Doll My song pick four years ago today: John Lennon - Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) My song pick five years ago today: Fuel - Million Miles My song pick six years ago today: Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream

From: So Long Bannatyne ; Year: 1971; Genre: Rock I felt like listening to something from The Guess Who this morning; I noticed that I hadn't picked one from their So Long Bannatyne album yet, so I figured it would be a good time to do so. This is an album that I picked up in a second hand store; to my knowledge I had not heard a song from it, but they are a band I like and I liked the cover, so I bought it sight unheard. While not their best album by a long shot, it's got some buried gems on it; this is one of them. Kind of an odd song, but definitely catches your attention. Hear Rain Dance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Primus - The Devil Went Down to Georgia My song pick two years ago today: Soundgarden - Rusty Cage My song pick three years ago today: Lou Reed - I'm So Free My song pick four years ago today: Traffic - The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys My song pick five years ago today: Hawkwind - Silver Machine My song pick six year...

From: Crazy World ; Year: 1990; Genre: Hard Rock I heard this song last night after not listening to it for some time; to say the least this hard rock ballad about the drastic geopolitical landscape sure does take you back. Hear Wind of Change on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Megadeth - The Right to Go Insane My song pick two years ago today: Earthless - Lost in the Cold Sun My song pick three years ago today: Hawkwind - Star Cannibal My song pick four years ago today: Jigsaw - Sky High My song pick five years ago today: Steeleye Span - Thomas The Rhymer My song pick six years ago today: Donovan - Mellow Yellow

From: Rage Against the Machine ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap Metal I've had this rousing track on my mind for most of the morning and thought I'd make it my pick for today. Great song from a great band, nothing else really to say about it. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jethro Tull - Inside My song pick two years ago today: Nightwish - The Crow, the Owl and the Dove My song pick three years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Mr. Magic Man My song pick four years ago today: PAIN featuring Anette Olzon - Follow Me My song pick five years ago today: Nightwish - Phantom of the Opera My song pick six years ago today: Rush - Natural Science

From: Never Surrender ; Year: 1983; Genre: Hard Rock I've been wanting to pick another one from Triumph for a bit now and it feels like a great day for it. This is a pretty good track, which is more or less straight-up rock with a bit of neat add-ons and musical ideas that make it what it is. Hear Battle Cry on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Porcupine Tree - On the Sunday Of Life My song pick two years ago today: Asia - Sole Survivor My song pick three years ago today: Ray Stevens - I Need Your Help Barry Manilow My song pick four years ago today: The Who - Rael (1 and 2) My song pick five years ago today: The Clifford Brown & Max Roach Quintet - Joy Spring My song pick six years ago today: Eric Burdon & the Animals - San Franciscan Nights

From: A Dramatic Turn of Events ; Year: 2011; Genre: Progressive Metal I felt like picking a song from Dream Theater this morning, no other real reason; not like I need one after all. One of their epic tracks from one of their more recent albums. Hear Breaking All Illusions on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Tom Petty - You Don't Know It Feels My song pick two years ago today: Booker T. & the MGs - Melting Pot My song pick three years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Don't Get Yourself In Trouble My song pick four years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue My song pick five years ago today: White Zombie - More Human Than Human My song pick six years ago today: Marc Cohen - Walking In Memphis

From: Tormato ; Year: 1978; Genre: Progressive Rock I've been listening to a lot of Yes for the last little bit and I figured it would be a great idea to pick another of their songs too. This is a rather pretty track that prominently features keyboardist extraordinaire Rick Wakeman on the harpsichord playing in a Baroqueish style along to Jon Anderson's vocals with very little other accompaniment. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rammstein - Vergiss Uns Nicht My song pick two years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - End of our Rope My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Velvet Green My song pick four years ago today: Rammstein - Das Alte Leid My song pick five years ago today: Savatage - The Piper Rap My song pick six years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Take The Money And Run

From: Saturday Night Fever (The Original Movie Sound Track) ; Year: 1977; Genre: Disco Okay, I know this one's technically just disco, but it is a funky track nevertheless, so I'm making it my 40th consecutive Funky Friday pick in a row. For those not aware, this is a funky disco interpretation of the great composer Modest Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain . Hear Night on Disco Mountain on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man My song pick two years ago today: Rush - BU2B My song pick three years ago today: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Born to Run My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Moths My song pick five years ago today: Steely Dan - Dirty Work My song pick six years ago today: John Denver - Opposite Tables

From: Mama Said ; Year: 1991; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Hard Rock For some reason I was in the mood to listen to something from Lenny Kravitz this morning and this, the lead track on his Mama Said album seemed to fit my mood really well. Hear Fields of Joy on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Here Comes My Girl My song pick two years ago today: Jaco Pastorius - Amerika My song pick three years ago today: Waylander - Born to the Fight My song pick four years ago today: Dizzy Gillespie - Night In Tunisia My song pick five years ago today: Tommy James - Draggin' The Line My song pick six years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - The Road To Nowhere

From: Splendido Hotel ; Year: 1980; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Latin With nothing in mind to pick or feeling like listening to anything today, I turned to one of my personal standby musical forms that I love to listen to: guitar music. This is a very beautiful piece that features guitar maestro Al Di Meola, but another incomparable guitar maestro and inventor: Les Paul. It's a truly beautiful piece of music that definitely makes a good fusion of Latin and light Jazz styles. Hear Spanish Eyes on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Of Monsters and Men - Dirty Paws My song pick two years ago today: Three Dog Night - It's For You My song pick three years ago today: Warrant - Uncle Tom's Cabin My song pick four years ago today: Bon Jovi - Keep The Faith My song pick five years ago today: Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World My song pick six years ago today: Savatage - Skull Session

From: King Animal ; Year: 2012; Genre: Alternative Metal After watching a Soundgarden concert on the television last night it got me in the mood to listen to more of their music. This one of course comes off of their most recent album and is one of the later singles, but is one of my favourites; it's simply in my opinion one of the best songs on the album. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jim Croce - Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels) My song pick two years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Last Train to London My song pick three years ago today: Jaco Pastorius - Kuru/Speak Like a Child My song pick four years ago today: The Grass Roots - Let's Live For Today My song pick five years ago today: The Ventures - Walk-Don't Run My song pick six years ago today: Ten Years After - I'd Love To Change The World

From: Rocket Cottage ; Year: 1976; Genre: Electric Folk Rock I felt like some Steeleye Span this morning and I decided to add another of their songs to ye olde blog. Orfeo is another one of their heavier songs with a very strong rhythm section; a pretty good mix of their folk interpretation of traditional music with driving British rock. Nathan's Reel acts as a much less raucous extended instrumental outro featuring Peter Night's violin playing in the traditional folk sound. Hear Orfeo/Nathan's Reel on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alestorm - Flower of Scotland My song pick two years ago today: Cybotron - Colossus My song pick three years ago today: AC/DC - Let There Be Rock My song pick four years ago today: Steeleye Span - Black Jack Davy My song pick five years ago today: Heart - These Dreams My song pick six years ago today: The Police - Message in a Bottle

From: The Wall ; Year: 1979; Genre: Progressive Rock I had these two songs running through my mind today and thought I'd pick them. These two are almost always played together with Empty Spaces , which is a great track by itself ends up setting the mood in a seamless transition for Young Lust . This definitely Pink Floyd at one of their best times. Hear Empty Spaces/Young Lust on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Quasar - As You Fall Asleep My song pick two years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Troglodyte (Cave Man) My song pick three years ago today: Stahlhammer - Eisbär My song pick four years ago today: The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Wond'ring Again My song pick six years ago today: Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over

From: Petula ; Year: 1968; Genre: Pop I happened to hear this song last night and it certainly brought back some memories; my mom in particular listens to this album and much of Petula Clark's music, so I was surrounded by it when I was growing up. This is one song in particular that sticks in my memory a lot; I love the way it was constructed with the use of pentatonic melodies and interesting beats and rhythms as well as her beautiful singing. Hear Kiss Me Goodbye on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Walter Murphy Band - Toccata and Funk in D Minor My song pick two years ago today: Eddie Rabbitt - I Love a Rainy Night My song pick three years ago today: Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out My song pick four years ago today: Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John My song pick five years ago today: Savatage - If I Go Away My song pick six years ago today: Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

From: Marcus Miller ; Year: 1984; Genre: Funk/Jazz Rock Today is my 39 consecutive Funky Friday pick and I was feeling like something from Marcus Miller's early solo days, so this one came to mind. While this is still a great track it hasn't aged very well with its signature 1980s muted electronic drum beats and synth, but like I said it's still a great track in many, many ways; it's still among my favourites from Marcus Miller. Hear Juice on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning My song pick two years ago today: Ludwig van Beethoven - Op. 67 - Symphony No.5 in C My song pick three years ago today: Al Di Meola - Bianca's Midnight Lullaby My song pick four years ago today: Ray Stevens - Mr. Businessman My song pick five years ago today: Elton John - Tiny Dancer My song pick six years ago today: Queen - A Kind of Magic

From: Superunknown ; Year: 1994; Genre: Alternative Metal It's hard to believe that Superunknown was released twenty years ago; I know it's cliché to say as much, but it doesn't seem that long to be perfectly honest. This was one of the singles from the album, which seemed like a great pick for today. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Midnight Oil - The Stars of Warburton My song pick two years ago today: Rush - The Garden My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Wicked Windows My song pick four years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Take Me Away My song pick five years ago today: Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies My song pick six years ago today: Fastball - The Way

From: Greatest Hits, Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline ; Year: 1982 (1961); Genre: Country For some reason I had this song running through my mind, so as usual I went ahead and picked it. This is kind of an interesting one in that both artists had not recorded the song in the studio and had been dead for nearly 20 years when it was made and released. Actually both had recorded their own separate versions of the venerable standard in the early 1960s, but through recording wizardry they were able to mash the two versions together to make a duet out of it, which is still, I believe, one of the most famous versions. Hear a the song on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Soundgarden - Worse Dreams My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Quark, Strangeness and Charm My song pick three years ago today: Steve Vai - Call it Sleep My song pick four years ago today: John Denver - Calypso My song pick five years ago today: What Made Milwaukee Famous - Idecide My song pick ...

From: Battle Hymn ; Year: 1971; Genre: Folk Rock Last night I had a few songs from Wild Turkey running through my mind and I took it as a sign I should pick one of them. This is one of the prettier and more mellow tracks on the album done in a folkish, acoustic style. Hear Dulwich Fox on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Asia - Don't Cry My song pick two years ago today: Queen - Somebody to Love My song pick three years ago today: Rush (Neil Peart) - O Baterista (Drum Solo) My song pick four years ago today: Hawkwind - Zarozinia My song pick five years ago today: Ghostland Observatory - Sad Sad City My song pick six years ago today: The Wallflowers - One Headlight

From: Labyrinth ; Year: 1986; Genre: Synthpop/Rock Yesterday I was watching the film that this album shares its title with and also serves as the movie's soundtrack. Anyway, it was a real nostalgic trip watching again and with it being on Blu-ray it made it all that much better. I absolutely love David Bowie's acting and especially his singing throughout the picture; this was one of my favourites from the movie. Hear Magic Dance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: ZZ Top - Sleeping Bag My song pick two years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Hypnotized My song pick three years ago today: Les Paul and Mary Ford - Whispering My song pick four years ago today: Rush - The Pass My song pick five years ago today: Days of the New - The Down Town My song pick six years ago today: Billy Joel - Tell Her About It

From: Festival ; Year: 2010; Genre: Progressive Metal Last night while out and about I had some of the music from John Oliva's Pain come on and it got me in the mood for some more. This is a great track that goes all over the place; it's just such an amazing song in so many ways. It shows that Jon Oliva does still create great music in the vein of Savatage. Hear Afterglow on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: B.J. Thomas - The Eyes of a New York Woman My song pick two years ago today: Fleetwood Mac (Bob Welch) - Sentimental Lady My song pick three years ago today: Hawkwind - Fall of Earth City My song pick four years ago today: The Moody Blues - I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) My song pick five years ago today: Queen - One Vision My song pick six years ago today: Megadeth - Captive Honour

From: PXR5 ; Year: 1979; Genre: Space Rock I was in the mood for some Hawkwind this morning, so I'm picking one of their songs today. While not the best or my personal favourite off the album, it's a great track with a bit of a punk-meets-prog rock feel to it. Hear PXR5 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jethro Tull - Summerday Sands My song pick two years ago today: Typhoon24 feat. Tatsuzo of YKZ - Spice of Life My song pick three years ago today: Tarot - Veteran of Psychic Wars My song pick four years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Hey Hey What Can I Do My song pick five years ago today: Marty Simon - Jerhume Brunnen G My song pick six years ago today: Focus - Hocus Pocus

From: Pleasure ; Year: 1972; Genre: Funk Today marks my 38th Funky Friday pick in a row and I thought I would pick one from an artist/act I hadn't before. This is a rather popular track that amongst other things features Moog synthesizer solos, which have been sampled over and over again in other genres. Hear Funky Worm on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - City of Lagoons My song pick three years ago today: Savatage - Surrender My song pick four years ago today: Jim Croce - Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Brighter Day My song pick five years ago today: The Doors - Crystal Ship My song pick six years ago today: Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden

From: This Was ; Year: 1968; Genre: Blues Rock The other day I watched a documentary on the band, which was great and way overdue in my opinion; it's been great that a lot of these bands have been doing these "life stories," which has been eye opening even for and ardent fan. Anyway, this was one of the songs featured from the band's early days and was one of their earlier hits. This song written for Ian Anderson's friend, who would latter join the band: Jeffrey Hammond, is from their first album where they were more of a British blues band than in the progressive/hard rock style they're better known for. Hear A Song for Jeffrey on YouTube. Watch the performance from The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus on YouTube. <=Featuring Tony Iommi on guitar. My song pick a year ago today: Foreigner - Head Games My song pick two years ago today: Pearl Jam - Alive My song pick three years ago today: White Zombie - Thunder Kiss '65 My song p...

From: Op.130 ; Year: 1825; Genre: Romantic Period/classical Today is another "odometer rollover pick" and I was feeling like picking another one from Beethoven and I thought it would also be great to celebrate my 2500th song picked. Cavatina is the 5th movement of String Quartet No.13 and is another one of his more popular compositions, which was also one of the songs included on the Voyager space probe's Golden Record . Hear a performance by the Kodály Quartet of " Cavatina " on YouTube. Anyway, it was interesting today when I realized that if this was still a "Top 10,000 Songs," like I originally had intended, instead of a "Song a Day" blog like it is now I would be 1/4 of the way to that goal of 10,000 songs. I'm actually glad that I dropped that limitation about a year after I started this endevour. I didn't like the idea of having a definite "end" to my list and I didn't want to feel like I had to ke...

From: The Wall: Music From the Film ; Year: 1982; Genre: Progresive Rock Last night I had a bunch of music from The Wall going through my mind and I figured it would be a great time to pick another one from the film/album. This track never actually appeared on the album version of The Wall apparently because of its personal nature to Roger Waters, but did appear on the film and its soundtrack. This one is actually about Waters' father and how he was killed in WWII at Operation Shingle . Hear When the Tigers Broke Free on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Black Crowes - She Talks to Angels My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Headlong Flight My song pick three years ago today: Frank Zappa - I'm the Slime My song pick four years ago today: Joachim Witt - Und... Ich Lauf My song pick five years ago today: Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al My song pick six years ago today: Every Mother's Son - Come On Down To My Boat

From: The Gypsies ; Year: 1976; Genre: Flamenco Rock/Progressive Rock I had another incline to listen to some of the avant-garde flamenco offerings from the unique band that is Carmen. This is a great one in their normal way of mixing traditional flamenco with hard rock; I love how the intro lulls you with the quiet and beautiful music and then kicks in. A truly great some from a great band. Hear Siren of the Sea on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf My song pick two years ago today: Argent - Music from the Spheres My song pick three years ago today: Heart - Who Will You Run To My song pick four years ago today: Benny Carter - All That Jazz My song pick five years ago today: David Bowie - Rebel Rebel My song pick six years ago today: U2 - Sunday, Bloody Sunday

From: Fire of Unknown Origin ; Year: 1981; Genre: Hard Rock I was drawing a blank thus far for today's pick. After a bit of thought this track came to mind; I absolutely love the fast-paced, high energy through out and the simple yet effective bass line that carries it quite well. Hear After Dark on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Triumph - Allied Forces My song pick two years ago today: Asia - The Heat Goes On My song pick three years ago today: Dream Theater - In the Presence of Enemies Parts I and II My song pick four years ago today: Hiroko Moriguchi - Samurai Heart My song pick five years ago today: England Dan & John Ford Coley - Simone My song pick six years ago today: Rush - The Way the Wind Blows