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

From: Stand Up ; Year: 1969; Genre: Progressive Rock/Folk Rock I remember the first time I actually heard this song was when I purchased the record, along with box of countless others from a used music store back in the day. Reasons For Waiting was one that immediately caught my attention; it was kind of unique in comparison to the other tracks on the album with the others generally being more raucous whilst this one had a much gentler sound, if you will, being all acoustic. However, their is still a lot of heaviness and power throughout this one and is quite a gem, especially with Martin Barre performing a second flute on it.   Hear Reasons For Waiting on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - I've Had Enough   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser   My song pick 3 years ago today: Yes - Wonderous Stories   My song pick 4 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Shots My song pick 5 year...

From: Heart & Soul ; Year: 1981; Genre: Rock/Pop After a mondo busy and tiring weekend I had some material from Exile come on the way home and thought I would revisit them. Most would probably remember the cover of this track from Huey Lewis & The News a couple years later, but it was also a minor hit for Exile as well just prior to their move into a more country/western sound musically. For this song and record, as with the Huey Lewis version, it is a blend of smooth rock and pop with some pretty good guitar playing throughout.   Hear Heart & Soul on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: U2 - 40 (How Long)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Phil Collins - I Don't Care Anymore   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Flying Burrito Brothers - Dark End of the Street   My song pick 4 years ago today: Talk Talk - Living In Another World My song pick 5 years ago today: The Kinks - In a Foreign Land My song pick 6 years ago today: Rare...

From: Meet The Temptations ; Year: 1964; Genre: Soul/Doo-Wop/Motown There's not much I can add by saying anything about any aspect of this song, it's just out-of-this-world on so many levels; almost a perfect song in my opinion across the board.   Hear The Way You Do The Things You Do on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Elegy   My song pick 2 years ago today: KC and the Sunshine Band - Sho-Nuff   My song pick 3 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Sign of the Southern Cross   My song pick 4 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Family of Man My song pick 5 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Steal Away (The Night) My song pick 6 years ago today: Twelfth Night - C.R.A.B. My song pick 7 years ago today: George Clinton - Man's Best Friend/Loopzilla My song pick 8 years ago today: Marillion - Slàinte Mhath My song pick 9 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 24 - Ein Ungerärbt Gemüte My song pick 10 years ago today: ...

From: re·ac·tor ; Year: 1981; Genre: Hard Rock Took a drive around in our old stomping grounds where we used to live over a decade ago and was enjoying some tunes as well; this album was one of the highlights for me personally. Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze is one of the better examples of Neil Young doing the whole grunge thing way before it got popular with a kind of blend of hard rock, punk, and blues rock.   Hear Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Archie Bell & The Drells - The Soul City Walk   My song pick 2 years ago today: Xerath - I Hold Dominion   My song pick 3 years ago today: Steve Miller Band - Going to the Country   My song pick 4 years ago today: Hawkwind - Sweet Obsession My song pick 5 years ago today: Yes - The Prophet My song pick 6 years ago today: Genesis - The Cinema Show My song pick 7 years ago today: Skid Row - Monkey Business My song pick 8 years ago today: ZZ Top - ...

From: Movements Vol. 11 ; Year: 2018 (1978); Genre: Funk/Soul Another Funky Friday pick, the rather rare track is this time apparently from a short-lived band out of New York State: Reunion, which had this b-side added to the 11th volume of Tobias Kirmayer's funky compilation series: Movements .   Hear A Brighter Day on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Guess Who? - Guess I'll Find a Place   My song pick 2 years ago today: Klaatu - Maybe I'll Move to Mars   My song pick 3 years ago today: Journey - Just the Same Way   My song pick 4 years ago today: Graham Central Station - Mirror My song pick 5 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Little Wing My song pick 6 years ago today: The Cosmic Sound Orchestra - Movin' Groovin' My song pick 7 years ago today: Tommy James and the Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion My song pick 8 years ago today: B. Bumble & the Stingers - Bumble Boogie My song pick 9 years ago today: ...

From: Go For Broke ; Year: 1976; Genre: Blues Rock/Country Rock Heard this one the other day and knew I had to choose it. Kind of a country/blues take on the original from The Youngbloods ; there's just something haunting and atmospheric about how Iain Matthews approached this one, a delight to listen to.   Hear Darkness, Darkness on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Laura Branigan - Forever Young   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rhythm Machine - Lil's Place   My song pick 3 years ago today: Van Der Graaf Generator - Afterwards   My song pick 4 years ago today: Huey Lewis & The News - Workin' for a Livin' My song pick 5 years ago today: Melvins - Eye Flys My song pick 6 years ago today: Pallas - Shadow of the Sun My song pick 7 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Radio My song pick 8 years ago today: Genesis - Harlequin My song pick 9 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Deadwing My song pick 10 years ago today:...

From: Close to the Edge ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock Been meaning to pick this "opus" off the Close to the Edge album for a bit now. As one of the three songs originally released on the record, even at over ten minutes in length, it is still not the longest. It is a-typical progressive rock from the time in every sense of the definition and is split into four parts: I. Chord of Life , II. Eclipse , III. The Preacher, The Teacher , and IV. Apocalypse .   Hear And You and I on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli (Quintette du Hot Club de France) - Blue Drag   My song pick 2 years ago today: Warren Zevon - Nighttime in the Switching Yard   My song pick 3 years ago today: April Wine - Silver Dollar   My song pick 4 years ago today: Smokehouse - Polar Funk My song pick 5 years ago today: Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall My song pick 6 years ago today: Audioslave - Like a Stone My son...

From: Lookin' Through the Windows ; Year: 1972; Genre: Rock/Pop/Soul I really, really like wot they did with this classic song from Jackson Browne, which was released just a couple of months after his. As I've said before, in my opinion the best covers have two things in common: 1. They tribute to the original, and 2. They go out of their way take the piece beyond that original and really make it their own, which the Jackson 5 do very well in this instance, especially with that co-lead vocal.    Hear Doctor, My Eyes on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Pearls Before Swine - I Saw the World   My song pick 2 years ago today: Primus - Pudding Time   My song pick 3 years ago today: Stanley Clarke - Play the Bass 10^3   My song pick 4 years ago today: Steve Miller Band - True Fine Love My song pick 5 years ago today: Twelfth Night - We Are Sane My song pick 6 years ago today: Paul & Linda McCartney - Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey ...

From: Hope ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock Was meaning to choose one from another band, but just so happened to have the music of the band Klaatu on my mind, so I'm going with it instead. This is kind of a bombastic sounding track, especially in the pre-chorus and choruses; to me this song almost sounds like a mix between Electric Light Orchestra and Queen in their most extreme states musically. Whatever the case, I thoroughly enjoy hearing the music from this band.   Hear The Loneliest of Creatures on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Chet Atkins and Merle Travis - Nine Pound Hammer   My song pick 3 years ago today: Blondie - One Way or Another   My song pick 4 years ago today: Faith No More - The Real Thing My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Doctor To My Disease My song pick 6 years ago today: Dire Straits - Private In...

From: The Zealot Gene ; Year: 2022; Genre: Progressive Rock Really looking forward to the new 'Tull record RökFlöte , due to be released on April 21st. Whilst not expecting it to be their best album, I am quite delighted to have new material from one of my top-favourite bands to consume, and it will be rather nice if it is like Ian Anderson's more recent offerings, including last years. Anyway, when I first heard it, this one especially caught my attention hearing him once again playing the harmonica and adding a noted blues flavour to this folkish prog/rock tune.   Hear Jacob's Tales on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Black 47 - Black 47   My song pick 2 years ago today: Sly & The Family Stone - Dance to the Music   My song pick 3 years ago today: Primus - Prelude to a Crawl/Hennepin Crawler   My song pick 4 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Old Aces Die Hard My song pick 5 years ago today: Harlequin - Sweet Things in Life My song...

From: Help! ; Year: 1965; Genre: Folk Rock This " Dylanesque " piece from the pen of John Lennon just happened to be on my mind most of yesterday and it has persisted in my head ever since, so as I always do, I am taking it as a sign I should choose it. It has always bewildered me how The Beatles, (Lennon in particular), were/was able to cram so many interesting musical concepts into songs that are so short in length; this one being just a smidge over 2 minutes. I have always really liked this track across the board, although, I normally have to play it at least twice to get my fill so to speak.   Hear You Got to Hide Your Love Away on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Funkadelic - What is Soul?   My song pick 2 years ago today: Visage - Fade to Grey   My song pick 3 years ago today: Dream Theater - Paralyzed   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Clifford Brown & Max Roach Quintet - Parisian Thoroughfare My song pick 5 years ago tod...

From: Luther Vandross ; Year: 2001; Genre: R&B/Funk/Soul Didn't really have a reason to choose this one except that I really wanted to hear some more from Luther Vandross; like any other reason is ever needed. 😜   Hear Grown Thangs on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Fleet Foxes - Sunblind   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steven Wilson - Count of Unease   My song pick 3 years ago today: Huey Lewis and the News - I Am There For You   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Breaking Point My song pick 5 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Waiting (Phase One and Phase Two) My song pick 6 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Bad Tune My song pick 7 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave My song pick 8 years ago today: Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me My song pick 9 years ago today: Gerry Rafferty - Get it Right Next Time My song pick 10 years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Headline News My song p...

From: No Smoke Without Fire ; Year: 1978; Genre: Rock/Hard Rock Had this band on my brain once again; their No Smoke Without Fire album in particular. For more or less a "straight-up rocker," this one has a lot musically going for it and is definitely a fun one to hear.   Hear Anger in Harmony on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Eurythmics - Missionary Man   My song pick 2 years ago today: Green River - Together We'll Never   My song pick 3 years ago today: Chris Squire - Safe (Canon Song)   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Chi-lites - Have You Seen Her? My song pick 5 years ago today: Roy Ayers - Funk in the Hole My song pick 6 years ago today: Hawkwind - Steppenwolf My song pick 7 years ago today: Ian Anderson - What-Ifs, Maybes And Might-Have-Beens My song pick 8 years ago today: Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water My song pick 9 years ago today: Rare Earth - Under God's Light My song pick 10 years ago today: Foreigner -...

From: Larks' Tongues in Aspic ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock Was listening to a bunch of music from, I guess you could call it the " John Wetton " era of the band; Larks' Tongues in Aspic was, of course, his first record as a member of King Crimson playing primarily bass and lead vocals. This is kind of an odd instrumental piece with some interesting characteristics, chiefly being how it starts out very quiet and gets very loud as the song progresses. Add to that the weird rhythms and meters and the different modalities throughout and you got something quite unique for the ears.   Hear The Talking Drum on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Association - Never My Love   My song pick 2 years ago today: Boston - Walk On   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - Heresy   My song pick 4 years ago today: Sister Sledge - Do the Funk Do My song pick 5 years ago today: The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 My song pick 6 years ago today: The G...

From: Dedicated To You ; Year: 1957; Genre: Doo-Wop/R&B Normally for myself I've never been big on what is the more modern concept of St. Valentines Day; to me it was just a made up holiday to make those without a "significant other" feel miserable and to get some sort of credibility to prop it up they made it in the name of a historical person who was brutally martyred that had absolutely nothing to do with wot and how this "holiday" is celebrated. (Okay, off my soapbox now.) Anyway, today I'm less jaded as it would seem and decided to try and be festive, if you will. So, with that I am picking one of my favoured song with the subject matter. Whilst also a hit song for many other subsequent acts, most famously by The Shirelles and The Mamas and the Papas, this original recorded has some great charm to it, especially that lead guitar and the noted doo-wop stylings.   Hear Dedicated to the One I Love on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Tesl...

From: Great Dirty World ; Year: 1987; Genre: Rock Been quite a busy day and am a bit late on today's pick, but I am getting it done one way or another! I've really become a fan of Lawrence Gowan, especially his material from the mid-late 1980s through the early-mid 1990s with this album being one of my top favourites. I just love the writing, arrangements, production and the overall performance throughout this one.   Hear One Brief Shining Moment on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Foreigner - Tramontane   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rush - Neurotica   My song pick 3 years ago today: Harlequin - Thinking of You   My song pick 4 years ago today: Band of Horses - Part One My song pick 5 years ago today: Maddy Prior - Deep in the Darkest Night My song pick 6 years ago today: April Wine - I Like to Rock My song pick 7 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - 19th Nervous Breakdown My song pick 8 years ago today: Luther - Funky Musi...

From: Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (single); Year: 1955; Genre: R&B/Blues I completely forgot that this amazing gem was in my library of songs, but it just happened to come on yesterday whilst on my way home; it made the trip infinitely more enjoyable. Some might not know this, but Big Maybelle's recording, (which was also produced by Quincy Jones), was the first for this track even though most probably associate it with Jerry Lee Lewis, which was a bigger hit I do believe. Whatever the case, all I can say is that, in my opinion, this one is now the definitive version for me personally. That amazing, vocal leaves you speechless with your proverbial jaw on the floor so to speak; she's just that amazing. From wot I understand that's where she got the moniker "Big," a reference to the power of her larger than life voice; what a set of pipes.   Hear Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Coasters - Run ...

From: Burning Bridges ; Year: 1983; Genre: New Wave/Synthpop Very surprised to see that this track had not graced my blog yet, but today is a good time to choose it with the death of the legend that was Burt Bacharach. This rather large hit by Naked Eyes was originally written by very prolific songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David for one of the main artists they collaborated with: Dionne Warwick , which was all the way back in 1963 . However, it was initially not released and Lou Johnson would end up recording it and released it a year later ; a couple more covers of note would also come out during the '60s as well. All of those earlier version were incredible in their own right, but you got to hand it to Naked Eyes to reinterpret these soulful original recordings in the early 1980s electronic synth heavy style and make it a hit even bigger than before.   Hear Always Something There to Remind Me on YouTube. Hear the extended 12-inch version on YouTube.   ...

From: Salt of the Earth ; Year: 1974; Genre: Funk/Soul This was among the songs I had in mind for today's pick, which is very much overdue in my opinion. A funky soul piece with some jazz thrown in for good measure, this instrumental is a great song to have playing whilst going about your day.   Hear Ashley's Roachclip on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Frank Mackey & The Keltic Cowboys - Promise of a Better Life   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love   My song pick 3 years ago today: Yes - Harold Land   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach - Drums My song pick 5 years ago today: Neil Young - Sugar Mountain My song pick 6 years ago today: Return to Forever - Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant (Parts 1+2) My song pick 7 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Plant Music My song pick 8 years ago today: Luther Vandross - Never Too Much My song pick 9 years ago today:...