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

From: Raise! ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/R&B/Disco I remember growing up hearing a lot of Earth, Wind & Fire; especially the music from this album. They've always been a great influence on both my personal tastes in music as well as my playing and the lines I have composed. I guess I just like going back over the Raise! record every now and then to not only immerse myself in some nostalgia, but to behold the great music from this one-of-a-kind original band.   Hear I've Had Enough on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser   My song pick 2 years ago today: Yes - Wonderous Stories   My song pick 3 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Shots My song pick 4 years ago today: Pallas - New Life My song pick 5 years ago today: Ultravox - Hymn My song pick 6 years ago today: Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You My song pick 7 years ago today: Leonard Nimoy - Highly Illogical My song pick 8 years ago today: ...

From: War ; Year: 1983; Genre: Rock Here's another absolutely perfect track that ended a record; it's another song with a heavy, and powerful construction both musically and lyrically. It's quite a feat that U2 pulled off extremely well with the overall high-emotional state of the album from beginning to end; I guess it also helps that the song was based on the 40th Psalm .   Hear 40 (How Long) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Phil Collins - I Don't Care Anymore   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Flying Burrito Brothers - Dark End of the Street   My song pick 3 years ago today: Talk Talk - Living In Another World My song pick 4 years ago today: The Kinks - In a Foreign Land My song pick 5 years ago today: Rare Earth - Hey Big Brother My song pick 6 years ago today: The Drifters - Up On The Roof My song pick 7 years ago today: Lou Rawls - Long 'Bout Midnight My song pick 8 years ago today: The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to B...

From: Stormwatch ; Year: 1979; Genre: Progressive Rock Was listening to this amazing record once again, enjoying every note; still in my opinion one of the most underrated albums, and not just from 'Tull's work. Anyway, Elegy is the song that closed out the original album; if there ever was a perfect song to end an album with it would be this one. It's an emotion-filled instrumental not written by Ian Anderson, but instead by Dee (David) Palmer, which was written within an hour in response to Palmer's father's passing. Beyond that poignant genesis of the piece, it was also the last time you would be able to hear a studio recording from this storied, classic lineup with the band essentially all but breaking up shortly after as well as bassist John Glascock dying shortly thereafter. My favourite aspect of this track is actually Martin Barre's wailing guitar when he takes the lead; it adds that final "push" over the limit emotionally to bring it to a cre...

From: Dance Your Troubles Away ; Year: 1975; Genre: Disco/Funk/Soul Most of the time I find listening to funky soul music as a great remedy for times of stress; and this one's a perfect track for such an occasion. The Soul City Walk is very danceable track with its fusion of disco, soul, and funk; it's sure to get you up on your feet and out of any blue funk into a happy funky disco mood.   Hear The Soul City Walk on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Xerath - I Hold Dominion   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steve Miller Band - Going to the Country   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - Sweet Obsession My song pick 4 years ago today: Yes - The Prophet My song pick 5 years ago today: Genesis - The Cinema Show My song pick 6 years ago today: Skid Row - Monkey Business My song pick 7 years ago today: ZZ Top - Tush My song pick 8 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - In Thee My song pick 9 years ago today: Rush - La Villa Strangi...

From: It's Time ; Year: 1966; Genre: Rock I was thinking about this album, which is essentially kind of the "pivot," if you will, in The Guess Who's direction as a band. This song in particular I find very fitting being at the end of the original record and has the group's soon-to-be former lead singer Chad Allen on lead vocals and their future lead singer, Burton Cummings, on backing vocals. After this The Guess Who would go from moderate success, mostly in their native Canada, on to huge international success. Guess I'll Find a Place has real beautiful guitar picking backed by a Latin beat, which kind of gives it a somewhat of an exotic sound.   Hear Guess I'll Find a Place on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Klaatu - Maybe I'll Move to Mars   My song pick 2 years ago today: Journey - Just the Same Way   My song pick 3 years ago today: Graham Central Station - Mirror My song pick 4 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Litt...

From: Hold Me ; Year: 1984; Genre: Rock/Pop I don't know for sure why, but I felt compelled to revisit Laura Branigan's music today for this song pick on my blog. This is a really good cover of the song originally written and recorded by the German band Alphaville a year prior, sadly this cover apparently did not do as well in the charts or gain as much fanfare as the original. Whilst not as good in my opinion as the original Alphaville version, she did an excellent job with it and with her superb vocal talent bringing the full emotion out for the very heavy subject matter.   Hear Forever Young on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rhythm Machine - Lil's Place   My song pick 2 years ago today: Van Der Graaf Generator - Afterwards   My song pick 3 years ago today: Huey Lewis & The News - Workin' for a Livin' My song pick 4 years ago today: Melvins - Eye Flys My song pick 5 years ago today: Pallas - Shadow of the Sun My song pick 6 year...

From: Swanee River/Blue Drag ; Year: 1935; Genre: Gypsy Jazz I had this song come on yesterday whilst driving, and as I could not immediately remember the last time I chose a song performed by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, I thought this take on the jazz standard Blue Drag would be an excellent pick. I believe that I have already chosen the version by Freddy Taylor and His Swing Men From Harlem quite a while ago, which shares some of the musical ideas with this version; it is not too far of a stretch since Freddy Taylor and his bunch worked with Django and company during the same time.  Anyway, this Gypsy Jazz rendition of the jazz classic has something very welcoming about the overall sound and feel throughout; so much soul and beauty played by the master musicians.   Hear Blue Drag on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Warren Zevon - Nighttime in the Switching Yard   My song pick 2 years ago today: April Wine - Silver Dollar ...

From: Balaklava ; Year: 1968; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Folk Rock This is a real interesting song off of Pearls Before Swine's second album, which in my opinion has a more mature sound compared to their first outing. To say the sound of this track is eclectic I think fits quite well; the overall light, yet moody sound really blends quite well with the rather heavy lyrics.   Hear I Saw the World on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Primus - Pudding Time   My song pick 2 years ago today: Stanley Clarke - Play the Bass 10^3   My song pick 3 years ago today: Steve Miller Band - True Fine Love My song pick 4 years ago today: Twelfth Night - We Are Sane My song pick 5 years ago today: Paul & Linda McCartney - Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey My song pick 6 years ago today: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Carry On My song pick 7 years ago today: Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion My song pick 8 years ago today: Larry Graham and Graham Central Stat...

From: Electric Ladyland ; Year: 1968; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Hard Rock/Blues Rock Had Jimi Hendrix and his band of renown on my mind yesterday and today; this song in particular was on my mind, so I decided that I should choose it. This is, of course, very much a legendary song that was based on the track Voodoo Chile , which was also on this record and caused some confusion do to the similar title.    Hear Voodoo Child (Slight Return) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Chet Atkins and Merle Travis - Nine Pound Hammer   My song pick 2 years ago today: Blondie - One Way or Another   My song pick 3 years ago today: Faith No More - The Real Thing My song pick 4 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Doctor To My Disease My song pick 5 years ago today: Dire Straits - Private Investigations My song pick 6 years ago today: Deep Purple - Hallelujah My song pick 7 years ago today: The Rhythm Machine - Put a Smile on Time My song pick 8 years...

From: Fire of Freedom ; Year: 1993; Genre: Alternative Rock/Celtic Rock Thought I would choose another one from Black 47, which is a band I have come to like quite a lot over the years. This is the song that is a reference to where the band derived its namesake that was the Great Hunger , (also known as The Great Potato Famine), which peaked at its worst in the year 1847. Whilst the lyrics are definitely ubiquitous in political and protest message concerning the horrific event and the struggles prior and since in the Irish nation, the music in particular is purely amazing in how it is written and arranged to aid and bring all the raw emotion to the surface of the piece.   Hear Black 47 on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Sly & The Family Stone - Dance to the Music   My song pick 2 years ago today: Primus - Prelude to a Crawl/Hennepin Crawler   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Old Aces Die Hard My song pick 4 years ago today...

From: Funkadelic ; Year: 1970; Genre: Psychedelic Funk/Soul Had some early Parliament-Funkadelic on my mind on this Funky Friday , so it was kind of easy picking a song for today. This one is a deep mix of different and experimental music styles with a huge influence of psychedelia and soul throughout; quite an interesting sound.   Hear What is Soul? on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Visage - Fade to Grey   My song pick 2 years ago today: Dream Theater - Paralyzed   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Clifford Brown & Max Roach Quintet - Parisian Thoroughfare My song pick 4 years ago today: Laura Branigan - Solitaire My song pick 5 years ago today: Simon & Garfunkle - Scarborough Fair/Canticle My song pick 6 years ago today: Uriah Heep - Easy Livin' My song pick 7 years ago today: Motörhead - Overkill My song pick 8 years ago today: The Guess Who - 6 A.M. or Nearer My song pick 9 years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Ea...

From: Shore ; Year: 2020; Genre: Indie Rock/Folk Rock I've had the indie rock band Fleet Foxes on my mind for a bit now and I guess I should pick one of their songs. This track, which comes off of their most recent album, is one of my favourites off the record. It has a great, laid-back sound that's easy on the ears; one of those songs perfect for listening to whilst looking out at a sunny day.   Hear Sunblind on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Steven Wilson - Count of Unease   My song pick 2 years ago today: Huey Lewis and the News - I Am There For You   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Breaking Point My song pick 4 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Waiting (Phase One and Phase Two) My song pick 5 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Bad Tune My song pick 6 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave My song pick 7 years ago today: Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me My song pick 8 years ago today: Gerry R...

From: Revenge ; Year: 1986; Genre: New Wave/Blues Rock/Soul Had this song come on yesterday whilst driving and thought that I should pick another track from the Eurythmics; lo and behold I discovered that Missionary Man had not graced my blog as of yet, so yeah, I am definitely choosing it today. What I find the most interesting about this song is how they mix genres that don't usually go together to make a very unique song, which is a key aspect of the Eurythmics' sound. The fusion of blues rock, soul, and new wave is just incredible and gives the track an amazing feeling that keeps it sounding like something new over 30 years on.   Hear Missionary Man on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Green River - Together We'll Never   My song pick 2 years ago today: Chris Squire - Safe (Canon Song)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Chi-lites - Have You Seen Her? My song pick 4 years ago today: Roy Ayers - Funk in the Hole My song pick 5 years ...

From: Insight Out ; Year: 1967; Genre: Pop/Rock When making today's pick for my blog I intended on choosing a song from another band, but I just wasn't feeling the vibe so to speak. As it happened, this song kept playing in my mind for a while, and since The Association has yet to be on my list yet and I like the song, I decided I would go with it instead. Never My Love is one amongst many big-time hits from the band and should be one that is instantly recognizable to most. From what I understand, on the studio version the legendary Wrecking Crew provided the music whilst the band performed the vocals.   Hear Never My Love on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Boston - Walk On   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rush - Heresy   My song pick 3 years ago today: Sister Sledge - Do the Funk Do My song pick 4 years ago today: The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 My song pick 5 years ago today: The Guess Who - Share the Land My song pick 6 years ago tod...

From: The Great Radio Controversy ; Year: 1989; Genre: Hard Rock/Glam Metal Well, it is Valentine's Day once again; even though I recently chose a song from Tesla and this album in particular I knew this was the perfect song for today. Of all the songs out there with the title Love Song , this one is one that is always the one that first comes to mind for me. Probably one of the band's most recognizable and most popular tracks to most people of my generation, and our kids I guess, who we expose the songs of our youth to in their formative years.  Anyway, while playing the bass guitar covering this one is for me kind of repetitive making the slightest mistake on the bass line is extremely noticeable from the way the song is written, so it does require a lot of concentration. Even though it, and by extension the band, got the "glam metal/power ballad" label affixed to it this one is quite interesting in how it was written and arranged; it does not really have the verse-...

From: Double Vision ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock The other day I learned of Ian McDonald's passing after a long bout with cancer. He is probably best known as a founding member of both King Crimson and Foreigner, but had also played in other bands and with various other artists as well playing a wide variety of instruments and vocals as well as composing of songs. Anyway, this track off of Foreigner's second album is, to my knowledge, the only studio recorded instrumental in the band's catalogue; it has a great, almost overture feel to it and I wouldn't be surprised if they opened live shows with it.   Hear Tramontane on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - Neurotica   My song pick 2 years ago today: Harlequin - Thinking of You   My song pick 3 years ago today: Band of Horses - Part One My song pick 4 years ago today: Maddy Prior - Deep in the Darkest Night My song pick 5 years ago today: April Wine - I Like to Rock My song pick 6 ...

From: Coast Along With The Coasters ; Year: 1962 (1959); Genre: R&B/Soul/Pop Every time I listen to The Coasters I am amazed by not only how much fun their music is to listen to, but just how amazing the performance, the music, and the production is. In about 3 minutes in length you also get a full tale being told in song with great vocal harmonies and a saxophone solo; they are among the best groups to come out of the 1950s.   Hear Run Red Run on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Return to Forever - After the Cosmic Rain   My song pick 2 years ago today: Nazareth - This Flight Tonight   My song pick 3 years ago today: Sam Cooke - Wonderful World My song pick 4 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - For The Weekend My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Lights Out My song pick 6 years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Throw-N-Down the Funk My song pick 7 years ago today: Foreigner - At War Wit...

From: Fly Some Funk Up To The Moon ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk/Soul For some reason I have been coming back to this record, which is again a case where a short-lived band released apparently a single album. Anyway, I thought I'd choose another track for this Funky Friday ; this song has a great beat and rhythm in a funky soul style.   Hear Fight on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - If You Leave   My song pick 2 years ago today: Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth   My song pick 3 years ago today: Midnight Oil - King of the Mountain My song pick 4 years ago today: The Wootens - Do I Do My song pick 5 years ago today: Berlin - No More Words My song pick 6 years ago today: Yes - Sound Chaser My song pick 7 years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh) My song pick 8 years ago today: Journey - Look Into the Future My song pick 9 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - T...

From: Songs of Longing & Debauchery ; Year: 2007; Genre: Folk Rock/Celtic Rock This one's a bit more mellow than the other songs I've heard from this record, but very beautiful and heavy all the same. I happened to hear this band again the other day and I thought I would look more into the band and their music. Sadly, I cannot find out much about them other than this one album, but at least all the music from it can be easily found online.    Hear Promise of a Better Life on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love   My song pick 2 years ago today: Yes - Harold Land   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach - Drums My song pick 4 years ago today: Neil Young - Sugar Mountain My song pick 5 years ago today: Return to Forever - Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant (Parts 1+2) My song pick 6 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Plant Music My song pick 7 years ago today...

From: Detour De Force ; Year: 2021; Genre: Rock For the last couple of days or so I've had this band on my mind once again and thought I would see what they're up to these days; I kind of lost track of them a few years back. As usual, I gravitated towards the longer songs on their newest album and came across this one; I have to say, their sound has sure changed over the years, not bad, but different to say the least.   Hear Internal Dynamo on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Herbie Hancock - Vein Melter   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steve Vai - The Blood & Tears   My song pick 3 years ago today: Melvins - Don't Forget to Breathe My song pick 4 years ago today: Simple Minds - Sanctify Yourself My song pick 5 years ago today: Bob Dylan - If Not For You My song pick 6 years ago today: Garbage - Supervixen My song pick 7 years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Look at the World My song pick 8 years ago today: Foreigner - Blue Mor...

From: Extra Texture (Read All About It) ; Year: 1975; Genre: Rock I'm not sure why, but I felt like listening to some of George Harrison's post-Beatles music and picking something from that era as well. From what I can understand, this song is a sequel of sorts to his epic song he recorded with The Beatles that featured Eric Clapton: While Guitar Gently Weeps . It was also apparently written in response to critics who viciously panned his previous tour and record for seemingly nothing more than him not playing material from or music that sounded like The Beatles. This appears to have been a running theme all the former members of the group had to deal with as they went on their own way to other projects and solo work. Personally, whilst I like a goodly amount of The Beatles' music, I really like how they progressed afterwards and continued to evolve artistically. To me, this is another in many instances where music critics show their worthlessness and how their opinions are...

From: The Great Radio Controversy ; Year: 1989; Genre: Hard Rock Finally getting around to choosing another song from this great band; I've been wanting to for a while now. This is one of the lead singles off of this album and is a signature song they play live. It has a real nice bluesy sound to it along with their late-1980s hard rock.   Hear Heaven's Trail (No Way Out) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Madman   My song pick 2 years ago today: Lakeside - Shine On (Lift Your Spirit Higher)   My song pick 3 years ago today: David Bowie - When the Wind Blows My song pick 4 years ago today: Rush - Bravado My song pick 5 years ago today: Paul Simon - Slip Slidin' Away My song pick 6 years ago today: Kiss - Strutter My song pick 7 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze My song pick 8 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Fan the Fire My song pick 9 years ago today: Queensrÿche - At The ...