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

From: 3rd Secret ; Year: 2021; Genre: Alternative Rock The first time I perused this album from the supergroup 3rd Secret I noticed this track's title and knew I had to choose it on this perfect day for it. For those of us who grew up with or lived through the early to mid 1990s grunge movement, Last Day of August will give you a very familiar and probably welcoming sound to your ears. It is so nice to have new music being made that's not only consumable, but worth the money to purchase it.   Hear Last Day of August on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Van Morrison - Cold Wind in August   My song pick 2 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tiger in a Spotlight   My song pick 3 years ago today: Max Roach - Blues Waltz My song pick 4 years ago today: David Bowie - After All My song pick 5 years ago today: Asia - Never in a Million Years My song pick 6 years ago today: Duran Duran - My Own Way My song pick 7 years ago today: Th...

From: Dog Years (EP) ; Year: 2017; Genre: Hard Rock/Glam Rock Going back over some of the material from The Winery Dogs; thought I'd choose this 'Bowie cover for my pick today. I really like what they did on this one, especially Ritchie Kotzen's vocals; he really knocked it out of the park. Overall, with the amazing musical talent and virtuosity by the trio, I was really amazed how they pulled their version off and not just make it about maximum notes, velocity, and such.   Hear Moonage Daydream on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Straight From The Heart   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Who - I Can't Explain   My song pick 3 years ago today: Journey - Kohoutek My song pick 4 years ago today: The Chakachas - Yo Soy Cubano My song pick 5 years ago today: George Gershwin - An American in Paris My song pick 6 years ago today: War - Summer My song pick 7 years ago today: The Mamas & the Papas - Go Where You Wanna Go...

From: Hair of the Dog ; Year: 1975; Genre: Rock/Blues Rock Nazareth's version of Love Hurts is one of those songs that most alive today who listen to mainstream music, (and/or have spent time slow dancing), have probably at some point been exposed to this track. Originally recorded by The Everly Brothers and later by Roy Orbison, which both are excellent, however, when the Scottish band Nazareth did their cover it more of less became the definitive version. They blended their great musicianship with a liberal helping of schmaltz to transform it into a monster power ballad.   Hear Love Hurts on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Nice - Hang on to a Dream   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Grass Roots - The River Is Wide   My song pick 3 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Perfect Water My song pick 4 years ago today: Cinderella - Gypsy Road My song pick 5 years ago today: April Wine - Just Between You and Me My song pick 6 years a...

From: Rest in P ; Year: 1994 (1975/6); Genre: Jazz Fusion/Psychedelic Rock Was thinking about master guitarist Eddie Hazel today and thought I'd choose something from him. From wot I understand, this posthumous release was assembled from unfinished songs Eddie Hazel recorded in the mid 1970s and then finished by P-Funk members in the years after his passing. This beautiful, ethereal piece opens this disc and is definitely something to behold; he immediately blows you away with his amazing virtuosity, not with maximum notes per second, but he makes each and every note cry out and sing in the most purposeful manner. It still confounds me to this day how this master of his instrument is not spoken about in the same breath as those who are considered "guitar gods" and such; it's downright criminal.   Hear Until It Rains on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: April Wine - Say Hello   My song pick 2 years ago today: Funkadelic - Free Your Mind... and Your ...

From: Commoners Crown ; Year: 1975; Genre: Classical/Progressive Rock/Folk Rock As the title of the song would suggest, this is a mix of Bachian style and traditional Irish Celtic folk style with a good helping of rock on the side. I believe this is also the only track on the album that was penned by the band and not based on a traditional piece.   Hear Bach Goes To Limerick on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Funk Factory - Rien Ne Va Plus   My song pick 2 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Isn't It Midnight   My song pick 3 years ago today: Primus - Mr. Krinkle My song pick 4 years ago today: Queen - Friends Will Be Friends My song pick 5 years ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K. 361/370a - Serenade no. 10 for winds in B-flat major, "Gran Partita" My song pick 6 years ago today: Pat Benatar - You Better Run My song pick 7 years ago today: Soundgarden - The Day I Tried to Live My song pick 8 years ago today: Rush - Halo Effect ...

From: Movements ; Year: 2005; Genre: Funk/Soul Been enjoying this compilation of deep funky cuts since discovering it; here's another of my favourites from it. In this track those drums and bass are just perfect with every other part really being just the cherry on top; just a fun song personified.   Hear (Do) Whatever Turns You On Pt. 1 & 2 on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice   My song pick 2 years ago today: Blondie - The Hardest Part   My song pick 3 years ago today: Finntroll - Midvinterdraken My song pick 4 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Night in the Wilderness My song pick 5 years ago today: Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez My song pick 6 years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Entrow My song pick 7 years ago today: Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance My song pick 8 years ago today: Genesis - Duchess My song pick 9 years ago today: ABBA - Arrival My song pi...

From: Freeways ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock I hadn't heard this song in quite some time, (over 20 some-odd years I guess), and it was a welcomed sound even though it's not even close to the bands mediocre material in my opinion. As with the rest of the Freeways album, with the exception of two or three songs, you could tell it was a half-hearted effort and a rushed job without much polish. That being said, those "diamonds-in-the-rough" so to speak, are pretty good and are worth skipping around the disc for to hear them every now and then. It's kind of sad though, all of the record, (definitely this track included), has the hallmarks that made BTO's sound so good, but again you can hear the lack of effort in almost every facet and stage of production.   Hear Just For You on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Beautiful World   My song pick 3 year...

From: Positively 4th Street (single) ; Year: 1965; Genre: Folk Rock Bob Dylan is one who's music been off and on my mind for about the last week or so. It still amazes me just how many hit singles he wrote and performed over the years; he's essentially a one-man music factory. Anyway, I was once again surprised that I had not chosen this track as of yet, so I'll take this opportunity to remedy that. For me the music and the poetry intertwine to boost each other and make for an amazing exhibition of a personal reflection from a situation he was quite passionate about.   Hear Positively 4th Street on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Robin Trower - Same Rain Falls   My song pick 2 years ago today: Classics IV - Spooky   My song pick 3 years ago today: Black Sabbath - E5150 My song pick 4 years ago today: Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay My song pick 5 years ago today: ZZ Top - I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide My song pick 6 years ago today: Spooky Tooth - ...

From: Rufus featuring Chaka Khan ; Year: 1975; Genre: Soul/R&B Was thinking about another song for today's pick, but music from Rufus and Chaka Khan kept playing in my mind, so I just went with it since I like the group and their material. This is a great soulful track with an amazing Latin rhythm complete with horns and strings.   Hear Fool's Paradise on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Coleman Hawkins - Night Hawk   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jigsaw - My Summer Song   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bootsy's Rubber Band - Rubber Duckie My song pick 4 years ago today: Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya My song pick 5 years ago today: Curved Air - Back Street Luv My song pick 6 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Fotheringay My song pick 7 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Van Diemen's Land My song pick 8 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Kelpie My song pick 9 years ago today: Wild Turkey - Battle Hymn My song pick 10 years ago today:...

From: Sky High ; Year: 1975; Genre: Rock/Pop Once again, I had a band on my mind, today it was of course Jigsaw. This is one of their more "poppy" sounding singles that rode the wave from their monster hit Sky High . Whilst not on the same level as that song, it's still a rather fun track to listen to when you just need something on the "light" side.   Hear Baby Don't Do It on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Sandu   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rush - Between Sun & Moon   My song pick 3 years ago today: Styx - Superstars My song pick 4 years ago today: Kajagoogoo - Too Shy My song pick 5 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Summer and Lightning My song pick 6 years ago today: Cheap Trick - Surrender My song pick 7 years ago today: The Kinks - Autumn Almanac My song pick 8 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Skeletons My song pick 9 years ago today: The Grass Roots - Sooner or Later ...

From: The Wedge ; Year: 1986; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock Whilst being of the stylistic sounds from the mid-1980s prog/rock scene, this one's hard-edge, changing rhythms, and guitar heavy emphasis really gives it a unique sound that sets it apart. Pallas also really mastered the ability to compress all of the amazing musical ideas sound in a compact space of under 5 minutes.   Hear A Million Miles Away (Imagination) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Louis Armstrong - Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Funkadelic - Good to Your Earhole   My song pick 3 years ago today: Harlequin - Turn Around My song pick 4 years ago today: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Fist of Fire My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Rhythm In Gold My song pick 6 years ago today: The Eagles - Already Gone My song pick 7 years ago today: Cameo - Back and Forth My song pick 8 years ago today: Michael Kiwan...

From: Cold Spring Harbor ; Year: 1971; Genre: Rock Picking this song primarily for the fact that "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow played pedal steel guitar on it because I had him on my mind for some reason today. In addition to that, I like the song quite a bit as well and I fully believe that this record does not get the attention it rightly deserves; a lot of great music to be heard here.   Hear Turn Around on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Bertha Butt Encounters Vadar   My song pick 2 years ago today: Waylander - A Path Well Trodden   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Grateful Dead - Born Crosseyed My song pick 4 years ago today: Iron Maiden - Purgatory My song pick 5 years ago today: Vicki Sue Robinson - Turn the Beat Around My song pick 6 years ago today: Judas Priest - Battle Hymn/One Shot at Glory My song pick 7 years ago today: Yes - Tempus Fugit My song pick 8 years ago today: Louis Armstrong and His Ho...

From: The Many Facets Of Roger ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/Soul/Electronica Celebrating another Funky Friday this time with this kicky tune from Roger Troutman , who was also among the founders and bandleader of the funk band Zapp . This is another song in a long list of the genre that is just all around fun and amazing to experience   Hear Do It Roger on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Serenade to a Cuckoo   My song pick 2 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Beatles - Act Naturally My song pick 4 years ago today: Asia - Cutting it Fine My song pick 5 years ago today: Steve Vai - An Earth Dweller's Return/Here & Now My song pick 6 years ago today: KC and the Sunshine Band - (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty My song pick 7 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Tramp My song pick 8 years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Darkness ...

From: Waiting for the Sun ; Year: 1968; Genre: Psychedelic Rock For the last few days for some reason I've had a bunch of The Doors' music on my mind; Love Street is among my favourites from the band that I've always had a soft spot for. It is a love song in the psychedelic style of music and poetry that Jim Morrison and the band is most noted for. Other than the lyrics, my favourite aspect of the piece would have to be that "shuffling" or "tap-dancing" rhythm throughout; it really makes it a joy to sit back and listen to.   Hear Love Street on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Benny Carter - Cotton Tail   My song pick 2 years ago today: Mr. Big - Defying Gravity   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - Double Agent My song pick 4 years ago today: Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs - Sugar Shack My song pick 5 years ago today: Ohio Players - Pleasure My song pick 6 years ago today: Chet Atkins and Merle Travis - Dance of the Golden Rod...

From: Crash of the Crown ; Year: 2021; Genre: Progressive Rock This is a very interesting song from Styx's most recent record; it reminds me, (of course), a lot of the band's classic material, but in some areas in my opinion they have sounds similar to Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes with some harmony vocals reminiscent to Crosby, Stills & Nash to my ears.    Hear Common Ground on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Relaxin' With Lee   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - I'm Alright   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - Night of the Hawks My song pick 4 years ago today: Aretha Franklin - Freeway of Love My song pick 5 years ago today: Queen - She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) My song pick 6 years ago today: The Doors - The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) My song pick 7 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Busy Bee My song pick 8 years ago today: The Ventures - H...

From: Mahogany (Soundtrack) ; Year: 1975; Genre: Soul/Funk/Motown Even essentially without any lyrics, this track from the Motown film Mahogany is really a standout among some excellent music. I really like a lot about this one: the orchestration, the nice guitar solos, the Latin beat, and the overall quality of the music Motown is/was known for.   Hear You Don't Ever Have to Be Alone on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: John Coltrane - Moment's Notice   My song pick 2 years ago today: James & Bobby Purify - I'm Your Puppet   My song pick 3 years ago today: The (Detroit) Spinners - Four Hands In The Fire My song pick 4 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Can't Deny Me My song pick 5 years ago today: Helloween - Hocus Pocus My song pick 6 years ago today: Foreigner - Juke Box Hero My song pick 7 years ago today: AC/DC - Touch Too Much My song pick 8 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Find Out About Love My song pick 9...

From: Vixen ; Year: 1988; Genre: Glam Metal Happened to hear some from the band yesterday and thought I would revisit their first album once again. This is one of the main singles off of the record, which has a sound more or less indicative of the time it was released.   Hear Cryin' on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Weather Report - Surucucú   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Summer Lady   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bobby Freeman - Do You Want To Dance? My song pick 4 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - If This Room Could Talk My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - Grand Designs My song pick 6 years ago today: The Trammps - Rubber Band My song pick 7 years ago today: Johannes Tapissler - Credo My song pick 8 years ago today: The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing My song pick 9 years ago today: Bass Extremes - Portrait of Tracy My song pick 10 years ago today: ZZ Top - La Grange My song pick 11 yea...

From: Poets and Madmen ; Year: 2001; Genre: Power Metal/Progressive Metal I had Savatage's Poets and Madmen on my mind today, you know the rest.... Unless I'm mistaken, this was the "swansong" for the band, and they really went out on a high note with it. Although, technically the band did continue as both Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Jon Oliva's Pain, but there was something special about Savatage. This track comes towards the end of the story told throughout the album and is definitely a highlight; the verses in particular with Johnny Lee Middleton's bass and Jeff Plate's drums really sets the mood especially when they launch into the chorus.   Hear Awaken on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - Cut to the Chase   My song pick 2 years ago today: Funkadelic - Tales of Kidd Funkadelic (Opusdelite Years)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Moody Blues - No More Lies My song pick 4 years ago today: 3 Inches of Blood - Wykydtron My so...

From: Catfish Rising ; Year: 1991; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock Catfish Rising is an album that really takes me back, not to when it was released, but when I bought it and first hit play on the CD player. That would be somewhere around '99-'00 when I was working at a fast food restaurant and started purchasing music that I liked. If memory serves me correctly, I got this one along with the other 'Tull CDs Rock Island and Roots To Branches at the same time online from a website that I do not know if it still exists; for me it was a brand new thing to buy online at the time. Anyway, this is one of their albums that I like about half the songs on it; definitely not "album oriented rock." Occasional Demons was one of the top ones I really liked, it had a lot of wot I liked about the band at the time: the light and spacious sections of the song with Martin Barre's solos and the heavy rhythm section, and of course Ian Anderson still had a lot of power in hi...

From: Movements ; Year: 2005; Genre: Soul/Funk Recently discovered this record and have immediately fell in love with it. Apparently it's kind of a "mixtape" of some very rare, deep cuts of funk, soul, and R&B among other genres compiled by a man named Tobias Kirmayer . I do not know who he is or a good portion of the artists on the album for that matter, but all I know is that I'm thoroughly enjoying it in the extreme. I'm just overjoyed that Mr. Kirmayer made this compilation and introduced myself and others to these rare tracks.   Hear Soul Popcorn on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Romantics - Talking In Your Sleep   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Kinks - Picture Book   My song pick 3 years ago today: Golden Earring - Radar Love My song pick 4 years ago today: Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run My song pick 5 years ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - Smiling Phases My song pick 6 years ago today: Rage Against ...

From: The Falcon and the Snowman (soundtrack) ; Year: 1985; Genre: Rock/Pop I have no idea why, but I've been having music from David Bowie running through my mind a lot lately. This one hails from the soundtrack of the 1985 film The Falcon and the Snowman written by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays performed by their group; and for this track David Bowie came in and helped write the lyrics and sung lead vocals. For Bowie This Is Not America became part of a string of hit songs from films he was a part of during the mid '80s.   Hear This Is Not America on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Corey Hart - Sunglasses At Night   My song pick 2 years ago today: Chicago - Feelin' Stronger Every Day   My song pick 3 years ago today: Lobo - Pee-Ro Juan Valdez Sam Quixote My song pick 4 years ago today: AC/DC - Are You Ready My song pick 5 years ago today: Bootsy's Rubber Band - Jam Fan (Hot) My song pick 6 years ago today: Van Halen - The Dream is Over...

From: Still Waters Run Deep ; Year: 1970; Genre: Soul/R&B/Motown Yesterday marked yet another passing of a larger-than-life member of the music community, this time it was songwriter/arranger/producer extraordinaire Lamont Dozier of the Holland - Dozier - Holland songwriting and production team which penned some of the most important and famous songs to come out of Motown. The real sad part about it is that with so many legendary people involved with music are heading into their 80s and older I expect this to be a trend of sorts, but at least we get to keep their great work. Anyway, I felt like picking something from the Four Tops today anyway, so I went with this song that was written by Holland - Dozier - Holland and originally recorded by Diana Ross & the Supremes a few years prior, which is of course is the de-facto version of it. I absolutely love Levi Stubbs' vocals on this one; he, as always does an amazing job with his ultra powerful voice. Not to take away from A...

From: Physical ; Year: 1981; Genre: Pop/Rock Yesterday I woke up to find that Olivia Newton-John passed away, which for me was kind of like a "wow" moment. While I've not been a huge fan of her music and don't normally seek her music, there are times her music and other art comes into my mind and I have to hear it again. It's most likely due to hearing her so much back in the day when I was quite young; she was very famous and could be seen/heard almost in all forms of media back throughout the 1970s-1980s. Anyway, I had a couple of her songs come to mind for today's pick, but I just happened to remember this rather risqué song of hers and absolutely had to choose it. Throughout the '80s Physical seemed to be among her most played songs, which was actually banned in certain parts of the country. Interestingly enough, it was apparently written for Rod Stewart to perform, but her turned it down. Eventually it came to Olivia Newton-John and the rest is histo...