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

From: Starless and Bible Black ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock One of my favourite tracks from Starless and Bible Black , which, once more, I erroneously believed I had already chosen. As you could, or mayhap could not surmise, is a song referencing Satan himself and those, (like in organized religion), listen to him, his lies and deceptions. Although I believe that many in positions of power willfully follow or give blame to some supernatural force, when, in fact, they are the ones perpetrating said deceptions without any input from such a being. Anyway, as with all the King Crimson music from the 1970s, this one is very technical with tonnes of changing time signatures and interesting melodies overlapping.    Hear The Great Deceiver on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Geddy Lee - Gone     My song pick 2 years ago today: Tommy Roe - Dizzy   My song pick 3 years ago today: Funkadelic - Super Stupid   My song pick 4...

From: Neruda ; Year: 1983; Genre: Rock Had Red Rider's music on the brain today, thought I would pick one of their songs today. I really like that early 1980s heavy rock sound on this track.   Hear Power (Strength in Numbers) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Billy Squier - The Stroke     My song pick 2 years ago today: Marcus Miller - Be My Love   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)   My song pick 4 years ago today: Toad The Wet Sprocket - Something's Always Wrong   My song pick 5 years ago today: Uriah Heep - Love or Nothing   My song pick 6 years ago today: Waylander - Twin Fires of Beltíne   My song pick 7 years ago today: Rush - Tai Shan My song pick 8 years ago today: Jaco Pastorius - Vampira My song pick 9 years ago today: Talking Heads - Psycho Killer My song pick 10 years ago today: Asia - Open Your Eyes My song pick 11 years a...

From: Darkness on the Edge of Town ; Year: 1978; Genre: Rock I would have to say that Bruce Springsteen is one of the most eloquent singer/songwriters in the last half century or more. I just love how in songs like this his words so vividly describe a scene like thumbing through a photo album with many memories. From wot I understand he was inspired by a road trip through Utah and Nevada and the sights and experiences therein; sometimes, personally, I feel so connected like you are riding in the car with him.     Hear The Promised Land on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Klaatu - Anus of Uranus     My song pick 2 years ago today: Rockwell - Obscene Phone Caller   My song pick 3 years ago today: Zebrahead - Playmate of the Year   My song pick 4 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Mideast Vacation   My song pick 5 years ago today: Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy   My song pick 6 years ago today: Drea...

From: Lonely and Blue ; Year: 1961; Genre: Rock 'n Roll This is one of the few songs that would not quit playing in my mind since yesterday. Whilst being a very schmaltzy teenage love song, the music and vocals are something to behold. I always find something new about his recording when I listen back to them; his vocal control and pitch were superhuman without a doubt. Just listening to his voice and realizing that the record industry was just over a decade into multitrack recording with everything analogue is one of those marvels. The talent pool back then was so deep and broad, but you had to be good to make a record; no post-processing or modern day audio trickery here.   Hear Blue Angel on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Praxis - After Shock (The Chaos Never Died)     My song pick 2 years ago today: Journey - Next   My song pick 3 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Jupiter   My song pick 4 years ago today: Steve ...

From: Life ; Year: 1968; Genre: Psychedelic Soul/Funk The year has just blown by, or at least as far as I can tell; just seemed like we were having summer and now it's the final Friday before October. Guess I will just end this week on a very high note with another wonderful song from the one and only Sly and the Family Stone. Into My Own Thing is just one of their tracks where each member of the band does wot they do best at their very best.   Hear Into My Own Thing on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Brenton Wood - Best Thing I Ever Had     My song pick 2 years ago today: Edgar Winter's White Trash - Keep Playin' That Rock 'n' Roll   My song pick 3 years ago today: Explorers Club - Impact 1 – Fate Speaks   My song pick 4 years ago today: Frank Zappa - No Not Now   My song pick 5 years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - Our Wasted Days   My song pick 6 years ago today: Soundgarden - Room a Thousand Years Wide   My ...

From: Midnight Wind ; Year: 1977; Genre: Southern Rock Every now and then I will sit back and partake in music from the late-great Charlie Daniels and his band. I have so many good memories connected to his sound and playing.     Hear Midnight Wind on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Luther Davis Group - You     My song pick 2 years ago today: Steve Vai - The X-Equilibrium Dance   My song pick 3 years ago today: Willie Nelson & Ray Price - Crazy Arms   My song pick 4 years ago today: Marvin Gaye - What's Going On   My song pick 5 years ago today: Funkadelic - Some Fresh Delic   My song pick 6 years ago today: Badfinger - Name of the Game   My song pick 7 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - Mykonos My song pick 8 years ago today: Wild Turkey - Butterfly My song pick 9 years ago today: Waylander - Lámh Dearg My song pick 10 years ago today: Bob James - Main Theme From Star Trek: The Motion Picture My s...

From: Good Trouble ; Year: 1982; Genre: Rock Nothing like something from R.E.O. Speedwagon to get you through that midweek strain.     Hear Keep the Fire Burning on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Dead Friends Play     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - For a Thousand Mothers   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rare Earth - Smiling Faces Sometimes   My song pick 4 years ago today: Rhythm Machine - Thought My Love Was Fine   My song pick 5 years ago today: Devo - Uncontrollable Urge   My song pick 6 years ago today: Pallas - Nightmare My song pick 7 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Just Trying to Be My song pick 8 years ago today: Pitchshifter - Genius My song pick 9 years ago today: Styx - Born For Adventure My song pick 10 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Heavy Metals My song pick 11 years ago today: Yes - The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun) My song pick 12 years ago today:...

Hob. VIIe/1 ; Year: 1796; Genre: Classical Had this fantastic piece of music on my mind after researching some on the great trumpet virtuoso Rafael Mendez . I absolutely love his rendition, so today I am picking the piece originally written by Maestro Joseph Haydn. This is another instance where you will instantly recognize the melody, which has been used just about everywhere for the last couple of centuries. Today, this is one of Haydn's more famous works, although "the father of the symphony" has an immense catalogue of work with many other famous compositions.   Watch a spectacular performance of the piece by the late virtuoso Rafael Mendez on YouTube.  (piece itself begins at about the 3:20 mark.)       My song pick 1 year ago today: Gloryhammer - Legendary Enchanted Jetpack     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Animal   My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - [You're a Fish & I'm a] Water Sign   My song pick 4 years ...

From: Jerry Reed Rides Again ; Year: 1977; Genre: Blues/Jazz This track with the cute reference to the 1910 book by Gaston Leroux and its subsequent films and musicals, is a shout-out to many of the legends of music that made their way to Nashville's Grand Ole Opry . The Grand Ole Opry has been a live broadcast music/entertainment programme that has been going on for a century now come the 28th of November this year. Kind of interesting how Jerry Reed narrates the song as "the spirit country music" aka, The Nashville Phantom, but the song itself is a mostly a very bluesy jazz with a tinge of classical guitar in the solos, but you get the picture. That was something Jerry Reed excelled at; he could mix and switch between genres and styles and make it work for any song.   Hear The Phantom Of The Opry on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Luther Ingram - (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right     My song pick 2 years ago today: ...

From: Mange Tout ; Year: 1984; Genre: Synthpop Whilst driving yesterday was enjoying my my new/old stereo I recently installed in my car; one of Blancmange's tracks came one and it sounded very good. I thought that I would choose another from this often overlooked synthpop band from the '80s. This is a cover of a single released two years prior by the popular group ABBA.    Hear The Day Before You Came on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Anne Murray - Snowbird     My song pick 2 years ago today: Simon & Garfunkel - Homeward Bound   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Question   My song pick 4 years ago today: Les Paul - Goofus   My song pick 5 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Back on the Borderline   My song pick 6 years ago today: Quasar - Fire in the Sky   My song pick 7 years ago today: Curved Air - Elfin Boy My song pick 8 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Goblin King of the Darkstorm G...

From: Motörhead ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock/Metal I was talking with someone last night about Lemmy and his band Motörhead and it got me to thinking about picking another song. Both he and musician/journalist/author Mick Ferren wrote the song, which was originally recorded by Hawkwind whilst Lemmy was in the band a few years prior. This version is, as expected, much heavier, chunkier and a less psychedelic version of Lost Johnny.   Hear Lost Johnny on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Funkadelic - Wars of Armageddon     My song pick 2 years ago today: Black 47 - Fanatic Heart   My song pick 3 years ago today: Motörhead - Hellraiser   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - Reflections   My song pick 5 years ago today: Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot   My song pick 6 years ago today: Victor Wooten - Keep it Low   My song pick 7 years ago today: Klaatu - Calling O...

From: School Days ; Year: 1976; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Funk/Rock Life is Just a Game is the final track from Stanley Clarke's landmark School Days record, and wot a great way to bring the disc to a close. Every single musician does an exquisite job; I especially love the guitar playing, which in my opinion is absolutely perfect for this piece of music.     Hear Life is Just a Game on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blancmange - Don't Tell Me     My song pick 2 years ago today: Huey Lewis & The News - If This Is It   My song pick 3 years ago today: Lenny Kravitz - Rock And Roll Is Dead   My song pick 4 years ago today: Marillion - The Space...   My song pick 5 years ago today: Hawkwind - Last Man on Earth   My song pick 6 years ago today: Janis Joplin - Kosmic Blues My song pick 7 years ago today: Van Morrison - Wild Nights My song pick 8 years ago today: Van Halen - Best of Both Worlds My song pick ...

From: The Chronicle of the Black Sword ; Year: 1985; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock/Hard Rock Here is another epic song from one of Hawkwind's even more epic album The Chronicle of the Black Sword . This track is one based on Michael Moorcock's work concerning one of his "Eternal Champions:" Elric of Melniboné and his black sword Stormbringer. Song of the Swords is a perfect track to start of the record with the heavy driving, slightly punkish sound combined with the fantasy lyrics.   Hear Song of the Swords on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Roman Holliday - Stand By     My song pick 2 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Destination Unknown   My song pick 3 years ago today: Charlie Ryan - Hot Rod Lincoln   My song pick 4 years ago today: Sweeney Todd - Short Distance, Long Journey   My song pick 5 years ago today: Funkadelic - Foot Soldiers (Star Spangled Funky) My song pick 6 years ago...

From: Street Action ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock Just happened to be thinking about this short, but not so sweet, period of the band and decided that I would choose one from one of the two records. I have to admit, I am and will most likely be a huge fan of BTO, but honestly, I have only listened to Street Action and Rock n' Roll Nights less than five times in total. These two were essentially what was left of the band fulfilling their contractual obligations after the departure of Randy Bachman. They apparently were not allowed to use the full Bachman-Turner Overdrive name and instead used the abbreviated B.T.O. moniker. April Wine's Jim Clench joined on vocals and bass guitar, whilst C.F. Turner moved over to rhythm guitar and vocals, leaving only Blair Thornton as the lead guitarist. I am not alone in my indifference and/or dislike for the two albums, which kind of have the "stepchild" status from most fans, myself included. They're by no means bad or un-li...

From: Return to the Kingdom of Fife ; Year: 2023; Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal Time for another epic tale of adventure, heroes, and villainous wizards from the one and only Gloryhammer!    Hear Maleficus Geminus (Colossus Matrix 38B - Ultimate Invocation Of The Binary Thaumaturge) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Gentle Giant - Memories of Old Days     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Winery Dogs - Lorelei   My song pick 3 years ago today: Primus - Conspiranoia   My song pick 4 years ago today: Depeche Mode - New Life My song pick 5 years ago today: Yes - Time and a Word My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Commercial Traveler My song pick 7 years ago today: Jefferson Starship - No Way Out My song pick 8 years ago today: Cybotron - Parameters of Consciousness My song pick 9 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - You Better Be Good (Or the Devil Gon' Getcha) My song pick 10 years...

From: Rock'n'Roll Baby ; Year: 2019; Genre: Metal/Hard Rock Dang, September is halfway over... just seemed like it started, oh well. Anyway, I just felt like listening to something from the Aussie heavy metal band Wolfmother again. Don't know why, but I do not know why I have not given this album a listen prior. Glad I did though; I really like this single from it in all its retro metal glory.      Hear Higher on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Hawkwind - The Iron Dream     My song pick 2 years ago today: LaBelle - Lady Marmalade   My song pick 3 years ago today: Foreigner - The Damage Is Done   My song pick 4 years ago today: Blancmange - Waves   My song pick 5 years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Bedrock Anthem My song pick 6 years ago today: Jerry Reed - Miller's Cave My song pick 7 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Yum Yum Tree My song pick 8 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Yo...

From: When the Night Comes ; Year: 1983; Genre: Soul For me, no matter wot it is, if Lou Rawls sung it chances are I will enjoy it. The legend had such an amazing voice that is so comforting; he was one-of-a-kind that's for sure. This title track from his 1983 album is a song that is musically written, arranged and played incredibly well makes for an incredible place for his awesome vocal presence. The only detractor I have is that at just under three minutes long it leaves me wanting more; it could've used another verse and extended last chorus in my opinion.   Hear When the Night Comes on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Muse - Will of the People     My song pick 2 years ago today: Kenny Loggins - Whenever I Call You "Friend"   My song pick 3 years ago today: R.E.O. Speedwagon - Don't Let Him Go   My song pick 4 years ago today: Rush - Hand Over Fist   My song pick 5 years ago today: Wild Turkey - Gentle Rain ...

From: Piece of Mind ; Year: 1983; Genre: Metal I absolutely cannot believe that I have yet to pick this classic, must-hear landmark metal piece. This is one of those songs that clicks every box; hard, galloping rhythm, insane musicianship, unforgettable melodies, vocals for the ages, and a historical lesson. Who ever said heavy metal was not educational, only the ignorant, that's who.   Hear The Trooper on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rockwell - T.V. Psychology     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jim Stafford - Wildwood Weed   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Cure - The 13th   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - Carnies My song pick 6 years ago today: Bootsy's Rubber Band - Another Point of View My song pick 7 years ago today: America - Watership Down My song pick 8 years ago today: Hawkwind - Angels of Death My song pick 9 year ag...