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

From: Hot Heat And Sweet Groove ; Year: 1968; Genre: Soul/Funk Was really enjoying some music from Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band this morning and decided that I should choose another one of their songs. Kinda strange, but while I absolutely love their music, I never really looked into the specifics of the band. I discovered, to my amazement, that this band has gone through a few name changes and thus, makes "connecting the dots" so to speak, a little more challenging. Charles Wright was originally in a number of Doo-Wop groups early on, but this band apparently started out as "Charles Wright and the Wright Sounds," which began in 1962; around '66 and '67 they seemingly went by the name "The Soul Runners." At some point in '67 to '68 they became this incarnation that recorded today's pick and album and by 1970 became the most successful incarnation that was the verbose "Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd ...

From: Feedback ; Year: 2004; Genre: Blues Rock/Hard Rock I cannot even begin to count the amount of times I have said "I thought for sure I picked this song already" or something similar, but I am stating that once again and probably will many more times.... Had this album of cover songs from Rush on my mind and had another track in mind, however, when I noticed this one was not chosen as of yet, I jumped at it. This is of course a cover of pure piece of Americana music as deep into the very soul of it as it gets. Originally written and recorded by the great musical titan Robert Johnson back in the 1930s and played, recorded, inspired and loved by Bluesmen, Blueswomen, and every musician who plays music even slightly related to that foundational genre. Rush's cover though, is a direct cover of the classic hard blues rock rendition by Cream. Whilst it is a great cover and the musicianship and overall ability is out-of-this-world by Peart, Lifeson, and Lee, in my personal ...

From: Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds ; Year: 1978; Genre: Progressive Rock/Space Rock Had this album on my mind last night once again; thought I'd go with another one, or in this case two from this epic retelling of the H.G. Wells classic set to music. The Red Weed  is split into two parts and actually "sandwiches" another track: The Spirit of Man . The second part is especially cool in that you get to hear the late-great Phil Lynott as the character Parsons Nathaniel, which is pure awesomeness! The music and the dialogue work absolutely perfect together to keep the listener engaged.   Hear The Red Weed (Part 1)  on YouTube.   Hear The Red Weed (Part 2) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Explorers Club - Impact 4 – Time Enough     My song pick 2 years ago today: Marcus Miller - Keep 'Em Running   My song pick 3 years ago today: Iain Matthews - Darkness, Darkness   My song pick 4 years ago tod...

From: Days of Future Passed ; Year: 1967; Genre: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock Whilst driving around this morning I had this song come on and it has stuck in my brain ever since, which is certainly not expected from genres such as from this record. I believe that I have stated before that the 'Moodies were my "gateway drug" into all music progressive and I've never wavered in my love of the band. It is kind of superficial to say with all of the amazing and beautiful songs on the record, but this is one of the prettiest, especially with the orchestral accompaniment, which I believe was actually Mike Pinder overdubbing all of the "instruments" played on the Mellotron , but there was a proper orchestra on the record as well, mostly in the interludes. Pinder's Mellotron was one of the main cornerstones for the band's emerging sound and those contributions really show why Days of Future Passed and their subsequent songs are such landmarks in studio reco...

From: The Best of The Animals ; Year: 1966; Genre: Hard Rock Had this great tune on my mind on and off for the last few days; one of my favourites from the Animals, so I'm certainly choosing it. It's My Life was originally recorded and released as a single the year prior, but made it on their Best Of album later as well as some EPs apparently. As with their contemporaries like The Kinks and Paul Revere & the Raiders, they were one of the hardest-hitting almost proto-metal bands in the mid 1960s. Sure, there were others that played even louder and heavier from that era, but Eric Burdon just had that "punk" sensibility and could deliver a devastating soulful vocal is such a way that still resonates with people of all ages all these years later.   Hear It's My Life on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Kalimba Story     My song pick 2 years ago today: IQ - Promises (As the Years Go By)   My song pick 3 ye...

From: The Jimmy Castor Bunch ; Year: 1979; Genre: Funk For this Funky Friday I wanted to choose another one from the late-great Jimmy Castor and his band. In this song that is funky soul with a splash of jazz, he seems to be singing about a "beast" whose description sounds a lot like Godzilla, or some similar Kaiju monster, which actually works perfect with such a danceable and funky groove.   Hear Don't Do That! on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Space Cowboy     My song pick 2 years ago today: Nena - Jung Wie Du   My song pick 3 years ago today: Klaatu - The Loneliest of Creatures   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)   My song pick 5 years ago today: Chet Atkins and Merle Travis - Nine Pound Hammer   My song pick 6 years ago today: Blondie - One Way or Another   My song pick 7 years ago today: Faith No More - The Real Thing ...

From: Let There Be Music ; Year: 1975; Genre: Soft Rock Just had this track pop into my mind today, and since I have yet to choose one from Orleans, as I normally do, I took it as a sign to pick it. I've never really looked into the band Orleans much, but have heard their more popular hits a lot over the years. It is one of those cases of me knowing the music but not the artist. This hit single was actually released on two consecutive studio albums, because their record company did not "see and hits" on it, so the 1974 Orleans II was only released in Europe and some Asian markets. After signing with another label they apparently re-recorded a couple of the songs, this being one of them, and released a brand new album with those two tracks being successful hits.   Hear Dance With Me on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Youngbloods - Darkness, Darkness     My song pick 2 years ago today: Deep Purple - Flight of the Rat   My song...

From: Shakin' All Over ; Year: 1965; Genre: Rock 'n Roll Just hit me today that I wanted to pick something from the early Guess Who. How earlier could you get than choosing something from the band that would become The Guess Who? Or more specifically wot the record company advertised them as a means to gain attention by leading people to believe they were an English beat group in anonymity: Guess Who? Long story short, it did bring them fame and they just stuck with that moniker. Anyway, this is one from the pen of band leader Chad Allan and is more rock 'n roll than rock, and extremely different from their biggest hits like American Woman , No Time , and such.    Hear Turn Around and Walk Away on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Pallas - XXV Part 2: The Unmakers Awake     My song pick 2 years ago today: Ray Peterson - Tell Laura I Love Her   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Beatles - You Got to Hide Your Love Away  ...

From: Hall of the Mountain Grill ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock/Space Rock For no particular reason just felt like putting Hawkwind's Hall of the Mountain Grill on whilst working today. This is the opening song on the record, which I erroneously believed I had already picked. It's one of their signature psychedelic tracks that, whilst quite progressive and boundary pushing musically, it contains such a great trancelike groove throughout that will let you lose your mind dancing; that is, if that is wot you wish to do.     Hear Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear in Smoke) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Working Man – A Tribute to Rush - YYZ     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Meters - Liar   My song pick 3 years ago today: Luther Vandross - Grown Thangs   My song pick 4 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - Sunblind   My song pick 5 years ago today: Steven Wilson - Count of Unease   My song pick 6 yea...

From: Märchenblau ; Year: 1983; Genre: Neue Deutsche Welle Had a hankering to hear something from Joachim Witt this morning. It has been quite some time since I picked one of his songs, so here's another one. Love the mix of the funky rhythm with the German new wave sound; extremely interesting in its own right, but kind of unique from something more mainstream.   Hear Rhythmus im Blut on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Hawkwind - Blue Shift     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sho Nuff - Monster Monster   My song pick 3 years ago today: Wishbone Ash - Anger in Harmony   My song pick 4 years ago today: Eurythmics - Missionary Man   My song pick 5 years ago today: Green River - Together We'll Never   My song pick 6 years ago today: Chris Squire - Safe (Canon Song)   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Chi-lites - Have You Seen Her? My song pick 8 years ago today: Roy Ayers - Funk in the Hole My song pick 9 y...

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 & ...