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

From: August And Everything After (single) ; Year: 2019; Genre: Alternative Rock It is rather amazing just how many songs are written about this month and its ending; a lot of emotion around summer's ebbing. It's also amazing to think that tomorrow will mark the 16th anniversary of me starting this song-a-day blog, it is a lot to take in indeed. Anyway, next month will also mark the 30th anniversary of Counting Crows' debut record of this song's namesake, which for some 26 years existed in only lyrics written on that album's artwork. Back a few years ago they remedied that with the release of the track as a single; worth the wait?   Hear August And Everything After on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: 3rd Secret - Last Day of August   My song pick 2 years ago today: Van Morrison - Cold Wind in August   My song pick 3 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tiger in a Spotlight   My song pick 4 years ago today: Max Roach - Blues Wal...

From: It Is Time For A Love Revolution ; Year: 2008; Genre: Rock This is fast becoming my favourite Lenny Kravitz album; the powerful, heavy and overall melancholy feel and lyrics are all just perfect for me. The production value is awesome on this one; I love the addition of the added strings especially. He really also shows of his chops of the guitar; not just trying to play maximum velocity, but making every note just cry and sing to the point that guitar would overshadow some vocalists. To be honest I'd love to hear/find an instrumental version of this one with the guitar taking the main melody throughout.   Hear A Long and Sad Goodbye on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Winery Dogs - Moonage Daydream   My song pick 2 years ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Straight From The Heart   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Who - I Can't Explain   My song pick 4 years ago today: Journey - Kohoutek My song pick 5 years ago today: The Chakacha...

From: Touch Me in the Morning ; Year: 1973; Genre: Soul/R&B/Motown This is one of those songs that for me has always sat just beyond consciousness and will surface from time to time. It's weird, but for some reason my mind had compartmentalized each of the sections, or so it would seem, so the different lines, melodies and tempos almost seemed like separate tracks. Anyway, as I have stated many times, I've always been a huge fan of both Diana Ross and the Supremes, (with or without her, but prefer them with her); back in the day I loved sitting and listening to her on my Dad's many 45 rpm records, I believe he had this one. Touch Me in the Morning is a truly beautiful and impressive song; well written, arranged, and performed across the board, certainly a track more than worthy of its status.   Hear Touch Me in the Morning on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Nazareth - Love Hurts   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Nice - Hang on to a Dream...

From: The Window of Life ; Year: 1993; Genre: Progressive Rock Pendragon is one of those bands which I like that is somewhat difficult to find their music online, but it is there if you look hard enough. This is still one of my favourite records of theirs, which must have been kind of seen as an anomaly back in the early 1990s being that it was one of those points where big, epic productions were not as popular. However, it was probably par for the course with them being one of the handful of wot is known as "Neo-Progressive Rock"; essentially the second wave of the form of music that thrived during the late '70s into the '80s when popular opinion amongst critics were not favourable towards all things progressive. Anyway, The Last Man on Earth is indeed the most "epic" song on the album thematically, musically, and sheer length. This one is all over the place musically; Pendragon really opened up their entire toolshed of musical tools on this track and put ...

From: Operation: Mindcrime ; Year: 1988; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock Here are a couple of shorties that open the Queensrÿche's epic rock opera or concept album Operation: Mindcrime , together I Remember Now and Anarchy X clock in at just over 2 and 1/2 minutes and act as an "opening scene" and "overture" of the piece respectively. They work excellently for setting the stage for the track Revolution Calling , which is one of the best-known from the record. This is one of the better concept albums in that the story within is quite riveting, especially if you like dystopian science fiction. To be honest, I am a bit surprised that no one has made a film based on it, but I am sure some have been at least inspired by it.   Hear I Remember Now on YouTube. Hear Anarchy X on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Steeleye Span - Bach Goes To Limerick   My song pick 2 years ago today: Funk Factory - Rien Ne Va Plus   My song pick 3 years ago today:...

From: Sehnsucht ; Year: 1997; Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte It feels as if I haven't listened to earlier Rammstein in quite a while; I could be wrong of course. Sehnsucht was the first album I ever heard from the band, I believe it was the song Engle if memory serves. Anyhoo, this is, obviously, the title track, which predated Rammstein. It was originally by one of guitarist Richard Kruspe's previous band Orgasm Death Gimmick, which didn't really did not see too much success, but fit quite nicely into Rammstein's repertoire.   Hear Sehnsucht on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Prepositions - (Do) Whatever Turns You On Pt.1 & 2   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice   My song pick 3 years ago today: Blondie - The Hardest Part   My song pick 4 years ago today: Finntroll - Midvinterdraken My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Night in the Wilderness My song pick 6 years ago today: Rodrigo - Conci...

From: Brick ; Year: 1977; Genre: Funk/Disco/Soul Happened to be reminded of the band today and thought a song from them would be perfect for this Friday. Very much in the style of pop/soul/disco bands who were emerging into a new sound in the late '70s, this one kind of reminds me a bit of a jazzier sounding Earth, Wind and Fire of the same time period. Overall it's got an infectious beat with a bumping bass line that is sure to get you out on the floor with some great brass and woodwinds as well as some synth filling it out.   Hear Dusic on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Just For You   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Beautiful World   My song pick 4 years ago today: ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man My song pick 5 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Put Down That Weapon My song pick 6 years ago today: Dayton Sid...

From: Turnstiles ; Year: 1976; Genre: Rock Such a beautiful track from The Piano Man, just about everything is perfectly played, arranged, mixed, and produced; one of my favourites off of Turnstiles . I happened to be born right at the time that Billy Joel was ascending as a huge musical icon and my mom and dad loved his music a lot, so I was exposed a whole lot to his songs growing up. Even though his subsequent albums The Stranger and Glass Houses are my first and second favourite of his respectively, the music from this record is special as well, especially this one.   Hear Summer, Highland Falls on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street   My song pick 2 years ago today: Robin Trower - Same Rain Falls   My song pick 3 years ago today: Classics IV - Spooky   My song pick 4 years ago today: Black Sabbath - E5150 My song pick 5 years ago today: Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay My song pick 6 years ago today: ZZ ...

From: Cultösaurus Erectus ; Year: 1980; Genre: Hard Rock Was enjoying much of the music from this record lately and decided on picking one from it. I really like the chorus in how they bring it down and give it a lighter, almost ethereal or mystical feeling that contrasts with the riff-based verses and interludes. Hear Deadline on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rufus and Chaka Khan - Fool's Paradise   My song pick 2 years ago today: Coleman Hawkins - Night Hawk   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jigsaw - My Summer Song   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bootsy's Rubber Band - Rubber Duckie My song pick 5 years ago today: Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya My song pick 6 years ago today: Curved Air - Back Street Luv My song pick 7 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Fotheringay My song pick 8 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Van Diemen's Land My song pick 9 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Kelpie My song pick 10 years ago today: Wild Turkey - Ba...

From: Roll the Bones ; Year: 1991; Genre: Hard Rock Part of me will always have a soft spot for Roll the Bones ; when I first got the album it was one of my most disliked from their catalogue. However, it grew on me and since the band's breakup and Neil Peart's far too young passing I am clinging onto what I have left of their music I suppose. For me personally it will always mark the end of their '80s period musically that frankly I grew up with and have fond memories thereof. Anyway, this is one of the deeper cuts from it, and whilst not as good as the more popular songs, there's a lot of great rush musicianship to make up for any shortcomings. Now, I just wish they would've had more unreleased tracks from their catalogue, but alas that was not the way they operated apparently.   Hear Face Up on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jigsaw - Baby Don't Do It   My song pick 2 years ago today: Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Sandu   My song pick 3 ...

From: Weezer (Red Album) ; Year: 2008; Genre: Rock/Pop This is kind of a nice, short but sweet, whilst not "profound" in my opinion, it's definitely a fun one.    Hear Troublemaker on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Pallas - A Million Miles Away (Imagination)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Louis Armstrong - Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Funkadelic - Good to Your Earhole   My song pick 4 years ago today: Harlequin - Turn Around My song pick 5 years ago today: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Fist of Fire My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Rhythm In Gold My song pick 7 years ago today: The Eagles - Already Gone My song pick 8 years ago today: Cameo - Back and Forth My song pick 9 years ago today: Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me a Tale My song pick 10 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Monkey Man My song pick 11 years ago today: Boston - Peace of Mind My song ...

From: When You're Hot , You're Hot; Year: 1971; Genre: Country/Rock/Funk When I decided on choosing another one of the late-great Jerry Reed's songs the issue is always just picking one... there is so much of his music that I simply love. As with the vast majority of the tracks he wrote and/or performed, the second you hear that funky guitar pickin' and the rest of the band kicking in with Jerry letting out a big "yeah"until the fade-out you just cannot help but be glued with the amusing tale he regales us with and his excellent delivery.   Hear When You're Hot, You're Hot on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Billy Joel - Turn Around   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Bertha Butt Encounters Vadar   My song pick 3 years ago today: Waylander - A Path Well Trodden   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Grateful Dead - Born Crosseyed My song pick 5 years ago today: Iron Maiden - Purgatory My song pick 6 years ago to...

From: Benefit ; Year: 1970; Genre: Progressive Rock Had this one playing in my head the last day or so; this is, in my opinion, one of the best songs to close out an album. It is such a heavy song with such a wide and deeper dynamic in the way it was mixed and produced. Throughout the verses it consists of only vocals and acoustic guitars; in the choruses and musical interludes they add some light percussion, sparse organ, as well as some flute. Sossity; You're a Woman is quite a pretty piece that you can hear almost every nuance.   Hear Sossity; You're a Woman on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Roger - Do It Roger   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Serenade to a Cuckoo   My song pick 3 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Beatles - Act Naturally My song pick 5 years ago today: Asia - Cutting it Fine My song pick 6 years ago today: Steve Vai - An Earth Dw...

From: Movements, Vol. 5 ; Year: 2013 (1977); Genre: Funk/Soul The Movements series of deep cuts of funk, soul, R&B and jazz has been a gold mine; it seems as if there is a never-ending stream of amazing songs and artists that are completely new to me. Pat's Rubber Band is a cool example of '70s funky soul, which I absolutely love; perfect music to get work done to or to just boogie.   Hear Pat's Rubber Band on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Doors - Love Street   My song pick 2 years ago today: Benny Carter - Cotton Tail   My song pick 3 years ago today: Mr. Big - Defying Gravity   My song pick 4 years ago today: Rush - Double Agent My song pick 5 years ago today: Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs - Sugar Shack My song pick 6 years ago today: Ohio Players - Pleasure My song pick 7 years ago today: Chet Atkins and Merle Travis - Dance of the Golden Rod My song pick 8 years ago today: Gary Numan - Cars My song pick 9 y...

From: Caribou ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock Had this track from Sir Elton John and company that apparently he says it is his "theme song." You gotta love the hard-hitting music and the fun lyrics throughout this classic track.   Hear The Bitch Is Back on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Styx - Common Ground   My song pick 2 years ago today: Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Relaxin' With Lee   My song pick 3 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - I'm Alright   My song pick 4 years ago today: Hawkwind - Night of the Hawks My song pick 5 years ago today: Aretha Franklin - Freeway of Love My song pick 6 years ago today: Queen - She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) My song pick 7 years ago today: The Doors - The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) My song pick 8 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Busy Bee My song pick 9 years ago today: The Ventures - Hawaií 5-0 My song pick 10 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Third...

From: Green Naugahyde ; Year: 2011; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock Another weird and unique song that I like without a doubt from Primus; perfect track for a "hump day."   Hear Jilly's On Smack on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Michael Masser - You Don't Ever Have to Be Alone   My song pick 2 years ago today: John Coltrane - Moment's Notice   My song pick 3 years ago today: James & Bobby Purify - I'm Your Puppet   My song pick 4 years ago today: The (Detroit) Spinners - Four Hands In The Fire My song pick 5 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Can't Deny Me My song pick 6 years ago today: Helloween - Hocus Pocus My song pick 7 years ago today: Foreigner - Juke Box Hero My song pick 8 years ago today: AC/DC - Touch Too Much My song pick 9 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Find Out About Love My song pick 10 years ago today: Hawkwind - Orgone Accumulator My song pick 11 years ago today: Robert Schumann - O...

From: Enlightened Rogues ; Year: 1979; Genre: Southern Rock/Blues Rock I have no idea as to why this song has not appeared yet on my blog, but it definitely is one of my favourite Dickey Betts' instrumentals. Pegasus really "cooks" throughout with the amazing playing by all on the track; just excellence personified.   Hear Pegasus on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Vixen - Cryin'   My song pick 2 years ago today: Weather Report - Surucucú   My song pick 3 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Summer Lady   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bobby Freeman - Do You Want To Dance? My song pick 5 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - If This Room Could Talk My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Grand Designs My song pick 7 years ago today: The Trammps - Rubber Band My song pick 8 years ago today: Johannes Tapissler - Credo My song pick 9 years ago today: The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing My song pick 10 years ago today: Bass...

From: The Zealot Gene ; Year: 2022; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock This one, which opens the record, reminds me a lot of the mid '80s 'Tull songs in energy and the blend of darker, sinister sounds with very upbeat moods; considering the subject matter, it definitely fits. The titular character, Mrs. Tibbets or Enola Gay Tibbets, is of course the mother of Brigadier General Paul Tibbets who piloted the (in)famous B-29 Superfortress that he named in honour of her, that dropped the atom bomb Little Boy on the city of Hiroshima at the end of the Japanese theater of World War II. Again, I really like the the choice of sounds and their colours as well as Ian's lyrics, which go deeper into it than most.   Hear Mrs. Tibbets on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Savatage - Awaken   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rush - Cut to the Chase   My song pick 3 years ago today: Funkadelic - Tales of Kidd Funkadelic (Opusdelite Years)   My song pick 4 ye...

From: Sky's the Limit ; Year: 1971; Genre: Psychedelic Soul This one has been recorded a number of times by some big names and, although not the group that made a huge hit out of it, none are bigger than The Temptations. Most would without a doubt remember the perfectly performed and executed version by The Undisputed Truth , but this was the first. I have to say though, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards' lead vocals are, as always, something glorious to behold along with the rest of the group providing backing vocals, and the instrumentation by The Funk Brothers makes you wonder why it didn't become a hit. The 12+ minute LP version is almost like hearing a film's soundtrack; at times it would seem as if you could just drop the needle and get lost in the expanse of music.   Hear Smiling Faces Sometime on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Occasional Demons   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Dramatics - Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get ...

From: Gaucho ; Year: 1980; Genre: Jazz Rock/Jazz Fusion At 5900 songs picked now; I wanted to choose something apropos, but I had Steely Dan on my mind for the last little bit, so I figured it'd work anyway. This is, (of course), the title track from essentially the "swansong" of the classic era of the dynamic duo Fagen and Becker plus some amazing guest musicians. They wouldn't release another official studio record for 20 years, so it's kind of a big one, this album.   Hear Gaucho on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Doc Oliver - Soul Popcorn   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Romantics - Talking In Your Sleep   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Kinks - Picture Book   My song pick 4 years ago today: Golden Earring - Radar Love My song pick 5 years ago today: Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run My song pick 6 years ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - Smiling Phases My song pick 7 years ago today: Rage Against the Machi...