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

From: A Day At The Races ; Year: 1976; Genre: Progressive Rock This track, which closes out this classic record, is from the pen of Brian May is another one of Queen's songs that is a little bit out of the ordinary. Quite operatic with a lot going on throughout, plus you get to hear Freddy sing two of the choruses in Japanese. It was actually released as a single in Japan and did pretty well.   Hear Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Snakecharmer   My song pick 2 years ago today: Billy Joel - She's Right On Time     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Say Leroy (The Creature From The Black Lagoon Is Your Father)   My song pick 4 years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - You Got That Right   My song pick 5 years ago today: Iron Maiden - Running Free   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Festival My song pick 7 yea...

From: Outrageous ; Year: 1984; Genre: Funk I absolutely love Lakeside; always puts a big smile on my face and a bounce in my step.     Hear Make My Day on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Deep Purple - Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming     My song pick 2 years ago today: Audren - The Darkstone Will Shine     My song pick 3 years ago today: David Bowie - Soul Love   My song pick 4 years ago today: Band of Horses - Lights   My song pick 5 years ago today: Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Connections & Disconnections My song pick 7 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Ashes in the Fall My song pick 8 years ago today: The Thermals - Power Doesn't Run on Nothing My song pick 9 years ago today: Sandy Denny - Solo My song pick 10 years ago today: Blondie - Call Me My song pick 11 years ago today: Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting My...

From: One Foot In Hell ; Year: 1986; Genre: Power Metal/Doom Metal Been exceptionally busy the last couple of days and haven't gotten a lot of sleep, so I am making somewhat of an abbreviated song pick today. Not that I am slighting this song or band; I love the song, band and album. Just needed to heavier fantastical metal to get through the day as it is.    Hear Doomed Planet on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Joan Baez - Silent Running     My song pick 2 years ago today: Primus - Mr. Knowitall     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - The Stake   My song pick 4 years ago today: John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom   My song pick 5 years ago today: Parliament - Presence of a Brain   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - The Clasp My song pick 7 years ago today: Stuart Hamm - Quahogs Anyone? (119, 120 Whatever It Takes) My song pick 8 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Tatto...

From: Legends From Beyond the Galactic Terrorvortex ; Year: 2016; Genre: Power Metal There's always something about the utter unabashed "epicness" of the music of Gloryhammer that always gets me in a better mood. Definitely gives me the feeling that I can get up and slay the evil beasties throughout the day.    Hear Battle for Eternity on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Cars - Good Times Roll     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Guess Who - Talisman     My song pick 3 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Midnight Blue   My song pick 4 years ago today: Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Who - 5.15   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Delfonics - Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) My song pick 7 years ago today: Foghat - Fool for the City My song pick 8 years ago today: Asia - Daylight My song pick 9 years ago today: Steeleye Sp...

From: Guitar Man ; Year: 1972; Genre: Soft Rock Used to listen to this record a lot back when I was in my early teens; still love it quite a bit. It's one of those album oriented rock discs that each track just leads from one to another perfectly as to not break the vibe and flow of the listener. In my opinion Guitar Man was Bread's best record by a country mile; even though they might've had bigger hits elsewhere, the sum of its parts just blows their other studio album away. Anyway, this piece that features strings and acoustic guitar is quite mellow musically on the surface, but the emotion conveyed in the chord choices and melody along with David Gates' vocal performance make it deep and heavy all the same.   Hear Aubrey on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bryan Adams - Summer of '69     My song pick 2 years ago today: For Squirrels - Plymouth     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Undisputed Truth - Atomic Funk   ...

From: Fuck Everyone And Run (F E A R) ; Year: 2016; Genre: Progressive Rock I must be in a solemn or melancholy mood lately; been listening to a lot of heavy downer, but powerful music. I suppose this whole record is more so with the overall current subject matter of how humankind has devolved to the point of seeing an impending global catastrophe, be it economic, humanitarian, etc... and the overall reaction, especially those who have the ability to make a difference, to just greedily acquire all the money and resources whilst charging head-first into the annihilation. Kind of a "the winner is the one who dies with the most" type of thinking. Anyhoo, this is the opening track/mini concept piece that consists of five songs within. Quite a pretty and uplifting suite of music that works in such a way that the listener's attention is kept throughout its entirety.      Watch a full live performance on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rammste...

From: Truth ; Year: 1968; Genre: Hard Rock/Blues Rock This is the second song that I am aware of that was inspired by the late 1950s novel and film On The Beach ; the other being Dancing With Tears In My Eyes by Ultravox. While being the very dark and heavy subject matter of the omnipresent threat of nuclear holocaust experienced by those who lived Post War into the 1990s, it is quite thought-provoking. It was originally written in the early '60s by singer/songwriter Bonnie Dobson and subsequently covered many times since. I really like the overall arrangement and direction on this cover. All of the music is absolutely great as is Rod Stewart's vocals.   Hear Morning Dew on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Carmen - Sailor Song     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Isley Brothers - Hope You Feel Better Love (Part 1+2)     My song pick 3 years ago today: Gary Wright - Dream Weaver   My song pick 4 years ago today: Glass...

From: Fake Songs ; Year: 2002; Genre: Punk Rock/Comedy It's been 19 years now and am finally getting around to picking something from Liam Lynch; should've some time ago, eh?  This is probably his best-known song as far as I am aware; he is much more prevalent in television and other film media and apparently does the majority of his work there. The whole funny "attitude song" is really wot makes it as great as it is, but it can get old quite fast if played too much.   Hear United States of Whatever on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire feat. The Emotions - Boogie Wonderland     My song pick 2 years ago today: Nina Simone - Pirate Jenny (The Black Freighter)     My song pick 3 years ago today: Smash Mouth - Walkin' On the Sun   My song pick 4 years ago today: Fairport Convention - No Man's Land   My song pick 5 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Goin' Through the Motions   My song pic...

From: Movements Vol.11 ; Year: 2022; Genre: Bossa Nova Jazz/Soul/Funk As with a great deal of the artists featured on this compilation series, there is not a lot I know of this band other than I love that funky flavoured Latin Bossa Nova jazz. Certainly a bouncy tune with an infectious groove.   Hear Sidewinder on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Be Ever Wonderful     My song pick 2 years ago today: Cyndi Lauper - Money Changes Everything     My song pick 3 years ago today: Jimmy Buffett - Come Monday   My song pick 4 years ago today: Cab Calloway and His Orchestra - Minnie the Moocher   My song pick 5 years ago today: G.C. Cameron - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop My song pick 7 years ago today: The Psychedelic Furs - The Ghost in You My song pick 8 years ago today: Bon Jovi - If I Was Your Mother My song p...

From: Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles ; Year: 1966; Genre: Rock/Pop Records like this is among the reasons I love and respect Chet Atkins as a musician and shredding picker on the guitar. He recorded a few of these "Chet Atkins Pick on X" albums. And whilst he is mostly synonymous with Nashville and country and western, he actually delved into a wide spectrum of music, be it country, folk, bluegrass, blues, jazz, classical, R&B, soul, Spanish/Mexican/Flamenco, rock, pop and basically everything in between. He definitely was without a doubt a musician's musician. What I like most about this one is how his unmistakable picking and sound are in the forefront and ever-present, he keep The Beatles' spirit of their pop rock composition totally intact.  I really wonder though, what John, Paul, George, and Ringo thought of his covers?   Hear Chet's cover of Hard Day's Night on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: R.E.M. - Bang and Blame   ...

From: Higher and Higher ; Year: 1967; Genre: Soul This rather positive and "uplifting" song just kept playing in my brain since yesterday evening; actually surprised I have not picked it yet. Higher and Higher is one of those big hit standards from the last century you just immediately recognize and will at least have you tapping your foot; putting you in a good mood to boot. If the music sounds familiar, that is because some of the Funk Brothers from Motown Records were moonlighting on the weekends as session musicians in Chicago to make extra money. Both Richard "Pistol" Allen's drumming and James Jamerson's bass are really the driving force to lay such a perfect groove for the rest of the band and Jackie Wilson to have an amazing platform for such a memorable song.   Hear (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Glass Hammer - Roll For Initiative     My song pick 2 years ago today: Creedenc...

BWV 444 ; Year:~1735; Genre Baroque Period classical It's amazing to think that I made it another full year of writing this "vintage" mid-2000s song-a-day blog: 19 years today. As is my personal tradition, I am choosing one of Johann Sebastian Bach's works. This is one of the song or aria section from chapter 6 of the historic Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis ( Bach-Works-Catalogue ) , BWV number 444. I can say without a doubt that I am overjoyed that music works compendiums exist, especially Bach's even with its flaws it makes finding certain pieces of music simple to find and listen to.   Hear Brich entzwei, mein armes Herze , BWV 444 on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 1028 - Sonata No.2 in D-Major     My song pick 2 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 542 - Great Fantasia and Fugue in G-Minor     My song pick 3 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 566 - Prelude and Fugue in E-Major My son...

From: Bad to the Bone ; Year: 1982; Genre: Blues Rock Had a few other songs in mind as a possible pick today, but just kept having George Thorogood and the Destroyers' music on my mind; again, took it as a sign I should choose something from them. It used to be hard for me to seek out and listen to this band, mostly due to the sheer overplay they used to, and probably still, receive on radio airplay. Bad to the Bone had to be one of that frankly got played into the ground. Lately though, since I kind of quit listening to the radio, enough time has passed that I can enjoy it when I do hear them it's actually quite enjoyable.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: John Denver - The Game Is Over     My song pick 2 years ago today: Uriah Heep - Rainbow Demon     My song pick 3 years ago today: Counting Crows - August And Everything After   My song pick 4 years ago today: 3rd Secret - Last Day of August ...

From: Motel California ; Year: 1996; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap Rock I do not know why, just wanted to go with something from Ugly Kid Joe today. Also decided on going with one off of this album, which I have not picked one off of yet. Motel California was released just prior to the band breaking up and going their separate ways with other bands and such until reuniting back in 2010. You can really feel that they were getting burned out by this time and probably calling it quits was the best course of action. A great deal of the music on this one was essentially doing the same music and ideas the other popular metal bands were creating. Good thing though is that after getting back together that "spark" and originality they were known for has been ever-present.   Watch the music video on YouTube.          My song pick 1 year ago today: Loverboy - Working for the Weekend     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - I'm An Animal...

From: It's a Shame About Ray ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Rock/Punk I just had this one on the 'ol brain last night and felt like picking it today. I remember this song, and the rest of the album for that matter; my sister had it and listened to it a lot back then. It's a Shame About Ray is one of those records with a bunch of short tracks with a lot of energy, which was wot I remember the most of the Lemonheads.   Hear Bit Part on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Eric Burdon and War - Magic Mountain     My song pick 2 years ago today: Rare Earth - I Couldn't Believe What Happened Last Night     My song pick 3 years ago today: Diana Ross - Touch Me in the Morning   My song pick 4 years ago today: Nazareth - Love Hurts   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Nice - Hang on to a Dream   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Grass Roots - The River Is Wide   My song pick 7 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult -...

From: So Happy ; Year: 1989; Genre: Funk/New Jack Swing Thankfully I am not picking a song from someone who passed away today. Although yesterday Peter Cullin, who voiced many characters like Transformers ' Optimus Prime and Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh amongst many other credits, did sadly pass away. Back in the 1980s it seemed though that many famous movie and television stars recorded some music on the side; of course Eddie Murphy is one of them. Whilst this record didn't fare so well, it is one that I like the most; just the super deep list of huge talent he worked along side alone makes it very good.   Hear Let's Get With It on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Stan Bush - The Touch     My song pick 2 years ago today: Kansas - Icarus - Born On Wings of Steel     My song pick 3 years ago today: Pendragon - The Last Man on Earth   My song pick 4 years ago today: Eddie Hazel - Until It Rains   My song pick 5 years ...

From: Fearless ; Year: 1979; Genre: Glam Rock Damn, we lost another legend within a day of one another. Tim Curry is an actor and performer that I admire a lot. There are too many roles I loved over the years to list; but suffice it to say: the man was brilliant at his trade. Ever since 2012 he's been wheelchair bound due to a severe stroke and a variety of other maladies since, so it is probably a nice release for the suffering acting legend. He will be really missed even with his extensive film, stage, musical, and other endeavours he had worked on. Anyway, some might not have known that Tim Curry had an actual recording career outside of the film and stage musicals that he performed on. I believe he recorded a total of three records from 1978 to 1981 with Fearless being the one in the middle. This was one of the singles from it; I am not too sure of the overall success of the record and this track, but from wot I've read he did score his best single from this album, althoug...