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

From: Angel Dust ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap Metal You can definitely hear some of Mike Patton's influence from his other band, Mr. Bungle , on this one. I just love the way they mix so many types of music and sounds and come up with more or less a brand new sub-genre, which is something that Faith No More excels at in spades.    Hear As the Worm Turns on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Clarence Carter - Slip Away     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bloodrock - D.O.A.   My song pick 3 years ago today: King Crimson - The Talking Drum   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Association - Never My Love   My song pick 5 years ago today: Boston - Walk On   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Heresy   My song pick 7 years ago today: Sister Sledge - Do the Funk Do My song pick 8 years ago today: The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 My song pick 9 years ago today: The Guess Who - Share the Land My s...

From: Modern Times ; Year: 2006; Genre: Rock 'n Roll/Rockabilly I wanted to pick something related to Valentine's Day, and this track in fact does have a major connection to the holiday, so bear with me. Okay, so, in the past I really wasn't one that cared for Valentine's Day; just seemed too commercial and felt like one of those occasions where society seemingly punishes the lonely people who hadn't a "sweetheart." Make them feel like outcasts and unloved, etc. Well, a few years ago I discovered that this holiday on which the martyrdom of  Saint Valentine  is marked, happened on the Roman festival of Lupercalia , which contained some rites of fertility and such. Of course the Feast of St. Valentine has been observed for many, many centuries since. However, I happened to discover the genesis of wot you could call the more secular aspects, which began with Geoffrey Chaucer , who is known as both the Father of English Literature and Poetry, in his 14th Centu...

From: Family Reunion ; Year: 1975; Genre: Soul/Funk/Disco There are a few bands that can easily put a smile on my face the second the groove and positive vocals drop. Away from their very serious tracks, which there are quite a few great ones, their songs that just take you, as Maurice White so perfectly coined, a "boogie wonderland" where you forget about all of the nastiness in the world and immerse yourself in a lovely aural cacophony and infectious groove.     Hear I Love Music on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Stampeders - Sweet City Woman     My song pick 2 years ago today: Red Rider - Cowboys in Hong Kong (As Far as Siam)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Lawrence Gowan - One Brief Shining Moment   My song pick 4 years ago today: Foreigner - Tramontane   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - Neurotica   My song pick 6 years ago today: Harlequin - Thinking of You   My song pick 7 years ago...

From: It's a Shame About Ray ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Rock/Folk Rock It's another one of those times that a song that I haven't heard in decades, (about 30 years I'd wager), popped into my mind and started playing. At least this time I knew the name of the band that recorded it, so that really expedited the process of finding it again. This is actually a cover of a song that appeared in the landmark musical production Hair , which is something I did not know about this one, but now I do.    Hear Frank Mills on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Melvins - Revulsion/We Reach     My song pick 2 years ago today: Joe Satriani - Driving at Night   My song pick 3 years ago today: Big Maybelle - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Coasters - Run Red Run   My song pick 5 years ago today: Return to Forever - After the Cosmic Rain   My song pick 6 years ago today: Nazareth - This Fligh...

From: Irene & Mavis ; Year: 1980; Genre: Synthpop/Electronic Rock Just recently discovered this early EP from Blancmange that predates their debut album Happy Families by a couple of years. It is really neat hearing the duo in a more embryonic state musically, this instrumental track is one of my favourite thus far.   Hear Holiday Camp on YouTube.        My song pick 1 year ago today: Golden Earring - Future     My song pick 2 years ago today: ABBA - The Name of the Game   My song pick 3 years ago today: Naked Eyes - Always Something There to Remind Me   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Cosmic Sound Orchestra - Fight   My song pick 5 years ago today: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - If You Leave   My song pick 6 years ago today: Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth   My song pick 7 years ago today: Midnight Oil - King of the Mountain My song pick 8 years ago today: The Wootens - Do I Do My song pick 9 year...

From: Aerie ; Year: 1971; Genre: Folk Aerie is one of my top favourite John Denver records; it contains many of his songs that I like a great deal. Tools is a short, but sweet acoustic track that really acts like a "cooldown" to bring the album to a close, especially after the previous epic and energetic song The Eagle and the Hawk . Apparently it is an ode to a childhood pet rabbit he had for a short span.   Hear Tools on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Lovin' Spoonful - Daydream     My song pick 2 years ago today: Hawkwind - Lost Johnny   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Soul Searchers - Ashley's Roachclip   My song pick 4 years ago today: Frank Mackey & The Keltic Cowboys - Promise of a Better Life   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love   My song pick 6 years ago today: Yes - Harold Land   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach - Dr...

From: Seventeen Days ; Year: 2005; Genre: Alternative Rock It has been a weird year thus far; many deaths occurring from music's past. However, whilst I've never really followed the band closely, this one has had a unique impact on myself with having someone so close to my age pass away.  Enough about that now; as you probably surmised and already know, Brad Arnold, singer/songwriter for 3 Doors Down lost his battle with cancer. I thought I'd pick one of the band's songs that I remember from back in the day.   Hear Let Me Go on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - The Tipu House     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mr. Bungle - Stub (A Dub)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Lou Rawls - See You When I Git There   My song pick 4 years ago today: Barenaked Ladies - Internal Dynamo   My song pick 5 years ago today: Herbie Hancock - Vein Melter   My song pick 6 years ago today: Steve Vai - The Blood & ...

From: Portrait ; Year: 1970; Genre: Soft Rock/Soul/Pop Yesterday I discovered that founding member of The Fifth Dimension, Lamonte McLemore passed away. He had a lot of credits as an artists, photographer and actor, besides being a singer/musician/composer; definitely a great person who left a mark on multiple places.   Hear One Less Bell to Answer on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jackyl - My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine's Ass     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sylvia - Cry Just a Little Bit   My song pick 3 years ago today: John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu - Mitch Match   My song pick 4 years ago today: George Harrison - This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)   My song pick 5 years ago today: Slade - Let the Good Times Roll/Feel So Fine   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Kinks - Nothing Lasts Forever   My song pick 7 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Getaway My song pick 8 years ago today: Crowde...

From: XXV ; Year: 2011; Genre: Progressive Rock This has to be the most ominous and foreboding songs on this concept album, which is the successor to their classic   Sentinel album. At this point in the story a person is trying to explain the feeling of dread and doom coming to the present-day Earth and a judgment by those in that first allegorical story who warned mankind to not repeat their failures, which they did despite the many warnings.   Hear  Monster on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - High, Y'all     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Who - The Kids Are Alright   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Circle of Love   My song pick 4 years ago today: Tesla - Heaven's Trail (No Way Out )   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Madman   My song pick 6 years ago today: Lakeside - Shine On (Lift Your Spirit Higher)   My song pick 7 years ago...

From: Pleasure ; Year: 1972; Genre: Funk/Soul Here's a short and sweet piece of soulful funk that will certainly help to usher in the weekend.    Hear I Walked Away From You on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Tesla - I've Got a Feeling     My song pick 2 years ago today: Triumph - Street Fighter   My song pick 3 years ago today: Argent - Thunder and Lightning   My song pick 4 years ago today: Hawkwind - Living on Earth   My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Fylingdale Flyer   My song pick 6 years ago today: Genesis - Time Table   My song pick 7 years ago today: Geddy Lee - Grace to Grace My song pick 8 years ago today: Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) My song pick 9 years ago today: Phantom Blue - A Little Evil My song pick 10 years ago today: Cheap Trick - Dream Police My song pick 11 years ago today: Rick James - Give it to Me Baby My song pick 12 years ago today: Wea...

From: Tales From the Lush Attic ; Year: 1983; Genre: Progressive Rock Had a hankering for some second-wave prog rock, aka "neo-progressive rock." IQ is one of the bands from this era that I haven't gotten as heavy into, like I have with ones such as:  Pallas or Marillion . IQ though is one of the vanguard of the second prog wave and were only, as far as I am aware beaten to professional published studio release by Marillion's Script for a Jester's Tear ; their debut as well. Even at that it was just latter that same year, but who is counting, right? Anyway, this album is much more like the original prog rockers' released in that it has very few songs, but those songs are quite lengthy, taking up a good share of a side of a record. In fact, Tales From the Lush Attic originally had just five with The Enemy Smacks is just under fourteen minutes and takes up the lion's share of side 2. Musically you can without a doubt hear the influences of a lot of the pr...

From: Naturally ; Year: 1970; Genre: Rock As many probably already know, one of Three Dog Night's three-part lead vocals Chuck Negron passed away a couple of days ago at the age of 83. He was noted as the higher pitched of the three vocalists and could really belt it out. While he sung the main lead and co-leads on many of their hit songs during the band's career, I would wager to guess that this is/was his signature track and one of the most memorable. From wot I understand, the rest of the band really didn't dig this one that was being shown by Hoyt Axton, who later also mad his own recording of it. However, Chuck Negron liked the nonsensical nature of the "fun" lyrics and thought they needed something not so serious on their record. He ended up being very correct and became one of their biggest hits. Heck, even children today will get into it the second they hear the opening lyrics: "Jeremiah was a bullfrog!"   Hear Joy to the World on YouTube.     ...

From: Cookin' on the Roof ; Year: 1983; Genre: Pop/Rock/Swing This often overlooked and underappreciated '80s swing/rock/new wave group happens to be on my mind since yesterday, so I'm picking another one of their songs. This one will make you feel like dancing without a doubt.   Hear Furs 'n High Heels on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Dio - Hide in the Rainbow     My song pick 2 years ago today: Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way   My song pick 3 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Love City   My song pick 4 years ago today: Billy Joel - Don't Ask Me Why   My song pick 5 years ago today: R.E.M. - Man on the Moon   My song pick 6 years ago today: Brook Benton - Rainy Night in Georgia My song pick 7 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Way Out of Here My song pick 8 years ago today: Cyndi Lauper - All Through The Night My song pick 9 years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central...

From: Electric Jewels ; Year: 1973; Genre: Hard Rock Here is a hard rocker from the Canadian band April Wine. It's one of those songs that really gets the blood moving on a cold Monday morning.   Hear Weeping Widow on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Blue on Black     My song pick 2 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - They Don't See You   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bon Jovi - Hardest Part is the Night   My song pick 4 years ago today: Rainbow - Fire Dance   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Marvelettes - Beechwood 4-5789 My song pick 6 years ago today: The Who - Don't Let Go The Coat My song pick 7 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Turn Up the Night My song pick 8 years ago today: Billy Joel - Big Shot My song pick 9 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Statesboro Blues My song pick 10 years ago today: The Scorpions - The Zoo My song pick 11 years ago today: Hawkwind...

From: The Spirit of Hank Williams ; Year: 1961 (1947); Genre: Blues/Folk/Rockabilly I have always liked wot I have heard of Hank Williams, but over the last few years of delving into his music and such, I have developed a much greater respect and admiration for him and his work. In my opinion, looking at the lyrics and mournful melodies that he wrote plus the life he lead and came from, I would say he would not be out of place amongst many of the tortured artists that seemingly come once in a generation; and he even made it past the cursed age of 27, just barely. Writing songs that pierced through the bravado to go right to the heart of the regular "everyman" and expose his soul by saying and emoting hurt, sadness, loneliness, heartbreak and the overall pain of living in the lower-echelon of society. Heck, even the Grand Ole Opry didn't want him, his band, and his "lesser" music on their stage. However, when people heard this new sound they were hooked and his m...

From: Aldo Nova ; Year: 1982; Genre: Hard Rock Wow, January's final pick this year; movin' on to February. Anyway, this is another instance of having a track running through my mind and decided on choosing it. Considered to be Aldo Nova's biggest hit and, even though he has other charting songs, is labeled as a "one-hit wonder." Suffice it to say, if you have been around since the '80s or '90s chances are that you've probably heard this hard Canadian rocker at some point.   Hear Fantasy on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Bullet in the Head     My song pick 2 years ago today: Santana - Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation   My song pick 3 years ago today: Weather Report - River People   My song pick 4 years ago today: Audioslave - Until We Fall   My song pick 5 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Power of the Laser Dragon Fire   My song pick 6 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Cold Dead Reckoning (20...

From: Word Up! ; Year: 1986; Genre: Funk Been listening to Cameo's Word Up! album a lot lately; as always, it's a great pick for a Friday such as this. This one, as with most of their songs from this era, has an excellent danceable groove and beat, which makes for a fun song to have on. However, this one has very heavy lyrical content concerning finance and money, but if all you want is fun and something to boogie to, then you can just pay attention to only the musical aspects.   Hear Fast, Fierce & Funny on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Johnny Winter And - Let the Music Play     My song pick 2 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Live For Me   My song pick 3 years ago today: 10,000 Maniacs - Trouble Me   My song pick 4 years ago today: Roxette - It Must Have Been Love   My song pick 5 years ago today: Dream Theater - The Best of Times   My song pick 6 years ago today: Seals & Crofts - We May Never Pass T...

From: Mean Business ; Year: 1986; Genre: Rock For wotever reason I was drawing a total blank for the song I wanted to choose today. So, I just randomly picked a letter and went with one from a band that I'd only picked one from thus far. Here's wot I went with: one of the lead singles off of famed supergroup The Firm's second and final album. All the King's Horses really doesn't stand out all that much from the upper echelon of mainstream rock of the time period. That said, it is a great track and shows the talent of the four larger-than-life musical legends that made up The Firm.   Hear All the King's Horses on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Midnight Oil - Bullroarer     My song pick 2 years ago today: R.E.M. - Drive   My song pick 3 years ago today: Spacehog - Carry On   My song pick 4 years ago today: Robin Trower - Bluebird   My song pick 5 years ago today: Pleasure - Glide   My song pick 6 years ago today: ...