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

From: On the Threshold of a Dream ; Year: 1969; Genre: Country Rock Was fully intending on choosing another song today, but ever since getting ready to write this blog post Send Me No Wine has been incessantly playing in my mind. It's really difficult for me to pick favourites from this record, or really a favourite of their first ten albums to be honest. At least for this record, and most of their others of the period, it is mostly due to how they arranged and wrote the songs to segue perfectly into each other as to make the listener keep playing the disc without skipping around or putting an entire other album on. Anyway, this is quite a catchy tune with a lot of interesting aspects within, one in particular is how they use the Mellotron to imitate a pedal steel guitar to some degree, which helps give it that signature country "boing" if you will.    Hear Send Me No Wine on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Spanky and Our Gang - ...

From: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones ; Year: 1990; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Bluegrass Apparently I have not chosen one of their songs in quite some time; in around six years to be exact. Strange, with them being a favourite of mine, I guess I should rectify that today. It's kinda odd how Béla Fleck & the Flecktones have not released a new album, as far as I am aware, for almost 15 years. At least they are still together and performing, again, as far as I am aware. Anyway, here's one from their debut album, which came out in 1990. Doesn't seem that long ago to me, but that was actually 35 years ago... wow.    Hear Frontiers on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Spaced Cowboy     My song pick 2 years ago today: Wings - Again and Again and Again   My song pick 3 years ago today: Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills   My song pick 4 years ago today: Paco De Lucía - De Madruga (Seguiriyas)   My song pic...

From: Funky Christmas; Year : 1976; Genre: Soul/Funk/Christmas Music Thought I would continue picking something seasonal on this first Friday in December. It is simply astonishing just how many Christmas and related songs there are performed by soul, funk, and R&B artists over the years and still counting. Being how much I love those genres, I highly doubt that I'll run out of new and different Christmas music at all, which is awesome!   Hear Feeling Like Christmas on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - The Betrayal of Joshua Kynde     My song pick 2 years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Never My Love   My song pick 3 years ago today: Europe - Prisoners in Paradise   My song pick 4 years ago today: Cab Calloway - The Birth of the Blues   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Tightrope   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Thermals - Here's Your Future   My song pick ...

From: In the Christmas Spirit ; Year: 1966; Genre: Soul/R&B/Christmas Music Yesterday I learned of the passing of legendary writer and guitarist Steve Cropper. Even if you do not know him by name, you have heard his music without a doubt. He has to be right up there with the most recorded musicians, especially guitarists, in the last century. Booker T. & The M.G.'s were Stax Records in-house band and played behind most of the soul and rock acts out of the 1960s and 1970s. The band was most notably made up of Booker T. Jones on keys, Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums. They were the most famous of the few "house bands" and were known outside the studio by name; their biggest hit is probably Green Onions . Anyway, I suppose I could have gone with one of the many, many artists that he played with, but it just seemed right to pick one from the original band. Because it is also the Christmas season I thought I...

From: Legend ; Year: 1978; Genre: Country Rock On and off for many years now I've been meaning to choose a track from Poco; even to the point that I believed I already had. For those who don't know about Poco, they were one of the bands formed out of the dissolution of the storied band  Buffalo Springfield ; although by the release of Legend and Poco's major successes, both members of Buffalo Springfield, Jim Messina and Ritchie Furay, had moved on. In fact the only founding member to appear on this record, and every other release for that matter, was Rusty Young, whose death a few years ago brought the band to an end. However, Rusty Young did make an appearance of Buffalo Springfield's final album, Last Time Around , as a guest musician on a track playing pedal steel guitar, so arguably there always was one member of the former band. Anyway, if you have indulged in mainstream music from the late '70s and early '80s, you probably have heard this one at some tim...

From: High and Mighty ; Year: 1976; Genre: Hard Rock Just another great, dynamic track from Uriah Heep. Plus, it's quite apropos with the first real snowfall this season coming down here.      Hear Footprints in the Snow on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jim Reeves - The Blizzard     My song pick 2 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - That I Never Had   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Four Tops - Right On Brother   My song pick 4 years ago today: Jim Croce - Steel Rail Blues   My song pick 5 years ago today: Kansas - The Wall   My song pick 6 years ago today: Trio of Doom - Are You The One? Are You The One?   My song pick 7 years ago today: IQ - Fascination My song pick 8 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Winter My song pick 9 years ago today: Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up My song pick 10 years ago today: Yes - Cinema My song pick 11 years ago today: Heart - Sing Child My ...

From: Are You Ready ; Year: 1982; Genre: Pop Had not heard this song in ages, but just happened to hear it the other day and thought it would make an excellent pick. To my ears on this track, they remind me a great deal of ABBA, which considering the era of its writing and recording is not a surprise. Wot is of interest though is that this very upbeat poppy tune is actually a political protest song. Either way you look at it/listen to it you should still enjoy it in some regard.   Hear The Land of Make Believe on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Tesla - All the Young Dudes     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Underdog   My song pick 3 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Morning Rain   My song pick 4 years ago today: Faith No More - Naked in Front of the Computer   My song pick 5 years ago today: The B-52's - Deadbeat Club   My song pick 6 years ago today: Pallas - Crown of Thorns   My son...

From: Shuffle and Go ; Year: 2020; Genre: Folk Rock Where did November go? Just seemed like we finished Halloween and October... although being that I was down sick for most of the month didn't help me savour it if at all. I guess with December starting tomorrow we'll be going full-throttle into the Holiday season; might as well get a pick for the season ready, right? Anyway, here's a Christmas folk dance song in the reel form off of Fairport's most recent studio album. I have to say, this one is quite enjoyable and fun to listen and dance along with, even if you do not know the traditional reel dance form.    Hear Good Time for a Fiddle and Bow / The Christmas Eve Reel on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Grand Funk Railroad - We Gotta Get Out of This Place     My song pick 2 years ago today: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Don't Do Me Like That   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rhapsody of Fire - Glory for Salvation  ...

From: Love in Motion (single); Year: 1981; Genre: New Wave Having music from the band Icehouse on the brain thus far today and took it once again as a sign I needed to revisit the group. Whilst Icehouse had already been known by that name abroad, but, their first album, Icehouse , in their native Australia and related area the band was still named Flowers, so technically Love in Motion was Icehouse's debut single, at least at home. This song would, however, eventually be included on future releases of both the original Icehouse album and their second Primitive Man .     Hear Love in Motion on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: War - Seven Tin Soldiers     My song pick 2 years ago today: Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Nightwatchman - Which Side Are You On?   My song pick 4 years ago today: Manfred Mann - Fox on the Run   My song pick 5 years ago today: Foreigner - Inside I...

From: Shot of Love ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk/Soul/Jazz As always, Lakeside puts a smile on my face, which is in actuality true of most funk bands. This is a fun, funky track that contains a lot of neat musical ideas and concepts from jazz to disco and everything in between. I especially love the arrangements, but that bass is just monstrous, those instrumental breaks in particular. I can hear a great deal of Stevie Wonder's influence in spades.   Hear One Minute After Midnight on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Re-Assuring Tune     My song pick 2 years ago today: Supertramp - Child of Vision   My song pick 3 years ago today: Aphrodite's Child - The System/Babylon   My song pick 4 years ago today: Arlo Guthrie - Coming Into Los Angeles   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Who - Success Story   My song pick 6 years ago today: Booker T. & The MG's - My Sweet Potato   My song pick 7 years ago to...

From: The Revenge of Alice Cooper ; Year: 2025; Genre: Hard Rock This is actually the first full studio album by the band Alice Cooper since 1973, which can be confusing since "Alice Cooper" is also the persona that Vincent Furnier has recorded and performed as before and since the band broke up. This entire record features Cooper and the three surviving members, plus three tracks with previously recorded material of the departed lead guitarist Glen Buxton. Even though they have recorded a few songs together in the last 15 years or so, it has been a hoot hearing them again in that loud bluesy sound reminiscent of their early days.      Hear Intergalactic Vagabond Blues on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Johnny Preston - Running Bear     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Horse-Hoeing Husbandry   My song pick 3 years ago today: Irene Cara - Flashdance... What a Feeling   My song pick 4 years ago tod...

From: KC and the Sunshine Band ; Year: 1975; Genre: Disco/Funk/Soul/R&B Most people, even those born after 1990 have probably heard it at some point. Be it in a film, TV show, video clip, commercial, sampled for another track, etc....   Hear Get Down Tonight on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Cheers - Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jim Ed Brown - Sunday Morning We'll Be Singing   My song pick 3 years ago today: Frank Mills - Music Box Dancer   My song pick 4 years ago today: Kool & The Gang - Let the Music Take Your Mind   My song pick 5 years ago today: Eric Clapton - Pilgrim   My song pick 6 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult -  Let Go   My song pick 7 years ago today: Head East - Since You've Been Gone My song pick 8 years ago today: Bill Haley and his Comets - Shake, Rattle and Roll My song pick 9 years ago today: Kansas - Fight Fire With F...

From: Doctor Hook ; Year: 1972; Genre: Country Rock/Folk Rock Every now and then I go back and listen Dr. Hook, and as usual I thoroughly enjoy it. This is kind of a neat little country/folk/rock waltz that is very existential both musically and lyrically.    Hear Sing Me a Rainbow on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Faith No More - The Morning After     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - The Lantern   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bernard Wright - We're Just the Band   My song pick 4 years ago today: Scandal featuring Patty Smyth - The Warrior   My song pick 5 years ago today: Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight My song pick 6 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - My Own Space   My song pick 7 years ago today: Foreigner - Hot Blooded My song pick 8 years ago today: Jon Hendricks - No More My song pick 9 years ago today: Bootsy's New Rubber Band - Funk Express Card My song pick 10 ye...

From: Roots to Branches ; Year: 1995; Genre: Progressive Rock Those who have visited by song-a-day blog more that a few times already know that 'Tull is among my top favourite bands and probably always will be. Was thinking back the other day how this album came out about the same time I started getting into the band, but was never one of my favourites, and really not much since has got my attention. Although, some of Ian Anderson's solo albums have, but really Rock Island and Catfish Rising are really the last couple of records that I really like that are under the Jethro Tull name. Don't really know why, but also, don't get me wrong, there are good songs on subsequent releases, but I happen to jump around from song to song more and avoid certain tracks all together.  With Roots to Branches there are four that I go out of my way to listen to; the rest are take it or leave it in my opinion. At Last, Forever is one of them; it just has all of the classic 'Tull so...

From: Jupiter's Darling ; Year: 2004; Genre: Hard Rock/Alternative Rock Been another busy day, so am making a quick pick. Really love this song and album, which is among my top favourites from the band.     Hear The Perfect Goodbye on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Wolfmother - Ego     My song pick 2 years ago today: Vince Guaraldi - Little Birdie   My song pick 3 years ago today: Elvis Presley - Kentucky Rain   My song pick 4 years ago today: Charlie Parker - Yardbird Suite   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Nicks - Nightbird   My song pick 6 years ago today: Twelfth Night - Fact and Fiction   My song pick 7 years ago today: Karussell - Verrückter Vormittag My song pick 8 years ago today: Wild Turkey - Eternal Mother - The Return My song pick 9 years ago today: Warren Zevon - Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song) My song pick 10 years ago today: Danzig - Twist of Cain My song pick 11 years ...

From: The Miracles doin' Mickey's Monkey ; Year: 1963; Genre: Motown/Soul/R&B Here's one that will sure get you dancin' with that catchy Bo Diddley rhythm. Most probably have heard Mickey's Monkey at some point; it actually was written about the popular dance, The Monkey , and helped to propel it to a national level for a time. They reference legendary songwriter William "Mickey" Stevenson in the lyrics even though I do not believe he was involved with the song or dance; this song was written by another legendary team: Holland-Dozier-Holland. Wot's very interesting about this song is just how many Motown superstars performed for the backing vocals: The Temptations, Mary Wilson (of the Supremes), Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, The Marvelettes, and the renowned disc jockey and radio personality "Jockey Jack" Gibson , and of course the incomparable Funk Brothers.    Hear Mickey's Monkey on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago tod...

From: Science Class: Heavy + Raw Disco Soul ; Year: 2007; Genre: Soul/Funk Ever have a song instantly make a connection to you in the first few seconds you initially hear it? Well, this is one for me, so many great musical idea combine with this track. Do not actually know much of Ernie and The Top Notes, but I found out about their existence from this cherished compilation album that contains many deep soul, funk, and other related genres cuts. Been trying to find the exact year of its release, which I believe I've narrowed down to early 1970s though not much else. However, I do know that I like it a lot. That groove that blends funk and reggae with odd meters at times combined with the exceptional musicianship and amazing vocals; something to be heard.   Hear Tweedie Pie on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: INXS - Listen Like Thieves     My song pick 2 years ago today: Diana Ross - Upside Down   My song pick 3 years ago today: Fl...

From: Tomorrow Never Comes ; Year: 1966; Genre: Pop/Rock Here's another case of having a song pop into my mind even though I have not heard it in decades, almost 40 years I'd wager. My Dad had this one on one of his records, but I cannot remember exactly which one. He didn't play it a whole lot, but I do remember it quite well. Plain Jane , I guess, could be categorized in with the other teenage tragedy songs of the 50s and 60s, but it would have to be towards the end of their prominence. It was one of B.J. Thomas' earlier singles and despite the upbeat, pop music it is quite a heavy song. He tells the tale of an unpopular high school girl who is a great and loving person, but being that she's "plain" the other students make fun of her and generally make her life difficult. Not to go too much into it, essentially one really cruel prank was too much for her and pushes her over the edge and ends it all. The overall abruptness of the song's ending really ...