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

From: Get Ready ; Year: 1969; Genre: Blues Rock Kind of felt like going for one of Rare Earth's extended tracks, of which I have already picked a lot. This is, of course, the modern classic standard originally written by John D. Loudermilk and has been covered and recorded many times. I'll always love this heavy blues version that I heard a lot over the years; all the instruments are incredible, but especially that organwork; and those guitars are spectacular.   Hear Tobacco Road on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Devo - Jocko Homo     My song pick 2 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Pieces of April   My song pick 3 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Hate to Feel   My song pick 4 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Sell My Soul   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster   My song pick 6 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Expletive Delighted   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Holli...

From: Das Letzte Einhorn "The Last Unicorn" Original Soundtrack ; Year: 1982; Genre: Soft Rock/Soundtrack Was talking about America's songs from this classic movie soundtrack and just a little later it came on while driving; quite a coincidence, right? Just seemed like a sign that it should be chosen today. Anyway, this was one of three tracks recorded by the band America for The Last Unicorn , but from wot I understand they also had a hand in the orchestral pieces as well. Gerry Beckley performs the lead vocals on this one and the title-track and, even though all pieces of music were written/arranged/produced by Jimmy Webb, this track and their others on the soundtrack sit perfectly with any compilation of songs from the band, which are actually included on some of their Greatest Hits albums.   Hear In the Sea on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - City's Still Growing     My song pick 2 years ago today: ...

From: Potlatch ; Year: 1970; Genre: Funk Rock/Traditional For about a week now I have had Redbone on my mind after watching some classic live performances; no better time than the present to pick one more. Been interested in some of their earlier work; I haven't yet listened to their self-titles debut album, but I really like this, their sophomore release. Chant: 13th Hour starts with about two minutes of traditional Native music that involves heavy drums, singing and a droning chorus in behind; very interesting. After that it goes into some awesome funky rock that, if you like their sound, you should very much appreciate.   Hear Chant: 13th Hour on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Desmond Dekker & The Aces - It Mek     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bob James - Nautilus   My song pick 3 years ago today: War - War Drums   My song pick 4 years ago today: Sam & Dave - You Don't Know Like I Know   My song pick 5 ...

From: Ooh, That's Corny ; Year: 1963; Genre: Country/Comedy Was listening to Homer & Jethro yesterday, which is something I don't do too much unless I'm in the mood for something silly, which, for me at least, is normal for most comedy/parody artists. Anyway, this is one of their songs that I heard a lot over the years that, I believe, features the late-great Boots Randolph on saxophone, but if it's not him it is someone who was doing a good job of copying him.   Hear She Made Toothpicks of the Timbers of My Heart on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rob Zombie - House of 1000 Corpses     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mike Pinder - Among the Stars   My song pick 3 years ago today: War - All Day Music   My song pick 4 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Side By Side   My song pick 5 years ago today: Sly & The Family Stone - Shine It On   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - We Hold On   My son...

From: Apple ; Year: 1990; Genre: Alternative Rock I often try to find some of the earlier bands and artists that started wot would become the iconic grunge movement; Mother Love Bone is of course one of them. Whilst they only lasted a few years, their one and only album has been sited by many in the grunge scene as highly influential. After the untimely death of bandleader and vocalist Andrew Wood they broke up and have done a few partial reunions, but the members also founded other big name acts of the 1990s, most notably Pearl Jam and Temple of the Dog. Anyway, on this track in particular, you can still hear some production and mixing holdovers from the '80s hard rock sound, but, as expected, you can definitely hear the emerging sound to come.    Hear Stargazer on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Len Barry - 1-2-3     My song pick 2 years ago today: Dr. John - Mama Roux   My song pick 3 years ago today: Accept - Bulletproof...

From: Live!-Live!-Live! ; Year: 1986; Genre: Hard Rock Totally forgot about this cover of the Mountain classic until had it come on random whilst driving. Without a doubt, Turner's vocals are the best part of it; he just blows you away with those powerful pipes. Of course, the entire band played this one live like a well-oiled machine, showing off their chops and then some.   Hear Mississippi Queen on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Tippa My Tongue     My song pick 2 years ago today: Wednesday - Last Kiss   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jigsaw - Prizefighter   My song pick 4 years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Boogie No More   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Hollies - The Air That I Breathe   My song pick 6 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Masters of the Galaxy   My song pick 7 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Legend of the Astral Hammer My song pick 8 years ago today: John Fogerty -...

From: 1980 ; Year: 1980; Genre: Disco/Funk After sampling this record I couldn't pass up this awesome song with an all-that-more awesome title for this Funky Friday . To be honest, I do not believe that I have run into one of B.T. Express' songs I dislike as of yet, but I still have a lot of material to collect and listen to.   Hear Funk Theory on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Freda Payne - Band of Gold     My song pick 2 years ago today: Finntroll - Ett folk förbannat   My song pick 3 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Dance, Dance, Dance   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Offspring - Bad Habit   My song pick 5 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Antarctica   My song pick 6 years ago today: Steely Dan - Black Cow   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Stop! My song pick 8 years ago today: The New Riders of the Purple Sage - Panama Red My song pick 9 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - The...

From: Theme From "A Summer Place" ; Year: 1959; Genre: 20th Century classical Re-watching the new series based on Stephen King's novel It ;  It: Welcome to Derry . I'm really enjoying seeing wot I have missed the first time through; there is a great deal going on throughout. Anyway, I have heard this song in a few of the Stephen King miniseries/films and it almost always is the prelude to a disturbing scene. Kind of a "bait and switch" where this light and pretty piece puts the viewer at ease just to "pull the rug out" and leave you reeling. Its to the point that when I happen to hear this one outside of a King film I expect something bad to happen; I guess I watch too much of those. Anyway, this may be the most popular version of it, but is not the original and, funny enough, was never the actual theme to the 1959 movie , but rather a tune played in the background sporadically throughout the picture. I guess this is a case of the song staying fam...

From: Educated Horses ; Year: 2006; Genre: Alternative Metal Since I've been watching a lot of Rob Zombie movies lately I thought I would pick one more of his songs. This one is the namesake and seems to be about the film he released one year prior. Describing each of the main three of the Firefly family with a great grinding groove that is both unnerving and gives you the urge to dance; such a great tune.   Hear The Devil's Rejects on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Stray Cats - Rock This Town     My song pick 2 years ago today: UB40 - Please Don't Make Me Cry   My song pick 3 years ago today: Debbie Harry - Chrome   My song pick 4 years ago today: Funkadelic - Maggot Brain   My song pick 5 years ago today: Jim Steinman - Left in the Dark   My song pick 6 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Flat Broke Love   My song pick 7 years ago today: 4 Non Blondes - Spaceman My song pick 8 years ago tod...

From: Dreamboat Annie ; Year: 1975; Genre: Rock I believe that I've said it prior, but Dreamboat Annie almost plays like a Greatest Hits album with only a few exceptions. And even then, the two songs that don't get a lot, if any, radio play aren't bad; of course this is one of them. With all of that said, this track is by no means bad and is better than many other acts' best recordings in my opinion, just it got out-shown by the greatness of the others on the record.     Hear (Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Brave Belt - Put It In a Song     My song pick 2 years ago today: Blancmange - God's Kitchen   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rick & The Entire World - No No No Momerto   My song pick 4 years ago today: Faith No More - Stripsearch   My song pick 5 years ago today: Depeche Mode - World in my Eyes   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band ...

From: Rockin' Roll Baby ; Year: 1973; Genre: Soul There is something ethereal about the Philadelphia sound, especially when the late-great Thom Bell was involved. Wot I have always loved about The Stylistics is their enormous and sweeping sound that is present in all its glory on this song. I really cannot say that I have one aspect that jumps out at me. For me, this is a gestalt situation where every piece is placed perfectly with the mastery of every single person involved. This is one of those tracks that I can just keep restarting over and over and not get tired of it for quite a while.    Hear Rockin' Roll Baby on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Black 47 - Sleep Tight In New York City / Her Dear Old Donegal     My song pick 2 years ago today: Dickey Betts - Highway Call   My song pick 3 years ago today: Robin Trower - Too Rolling Stoned   My song pick 4 years ago today: Skid Row - Riot Act   My song pick 5 ye...

From: Nebraska ; Year: 1982; Genre: Folk This, the lead and title track off of his Nebraska album, just happened to be on my mind today. It reminds me a lot of the old time folk singers from way back in how they wrote song about actual happenings, mostly gruesome tales and such. In this one he tells the tale of the serial killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate and their eight-day spree in 1958 killing 11 people. Although, he also was inspired by the writings of Flannery O'Connor , of which he took some artistic liberties with the tale. The best aspect of this song in my opinion is how he stripped it back to essentially just him and his guitar as well as him overdubbing a few other instruments. It comes off quite to my ears as Pete Seeger meets the acoustic music of Neil Young; very emotional and profound.   Hear Nebraska on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Wolfmother - City Lights     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mac Davis...

From: Struttin' My Stuff ; Year: 1975; Genre: Southern Rock Kind of surprised that I had not yet chosen something from Elvin Bishop yet; especially this song, which is probably one of his most famous. Basically, if you have a movie or TV show depicting the 1970s this is one of the "go-to" tracks to play in the background, as such has been used for just that on many occasions.     Hear Fooled Around and Fell In Love on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Funkadelic - I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody's Got a Thing     My song pick 2 years ago today: Boyz II Men - In the Still of the Night (I'll Remember)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - One Rainy Wish   My song pick 4 years ago today: April Wine - Cat's Claw   My song pick 5 years ago today: Alphaville - Big In Japan   My song pick 6 years ago today: Primus - Mary the Ice Cube   My song pick 7 years ago today: Masto...

From: The Spice of Life ; Year: 1969; Genre: Soul/Funk This track always puts me in a better mood than I was in when I hear it. It is definitely not in a sugary pop track kind of way, a very soulful and uplifting kind of way. Recently discovered that Marlena Shaw's recording of this track is actually a cover that was recorded a few times prior and since; I always assumed it originated with her, but I was in error. California Soul was originally written by the legendary husband-and-wife writing duo Ashford & Simpson and recorded first by The Messengers. Wotever the case, I still love this rendition/recording; there's just more great versions out there to hear.   Hear California Soul on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Sands of Time     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sol Ho'opi'i - Fascinating Rhythm   My song pick 3 years ago today: Kenny Rogers & the First Edition - Something's Burning   My song pic...

From: Voulez-Vous ; Year: 1979; Genre: Pop/Rock Off and on for quite some time I have had music from this record on my mind and with enough regularity that I am picking another one from it. Musically, this is a great "sit back and enjoy" kind of track very much in the norm of the hit making machine that was ABBA. Lyrically, this one is slightly darker in that it deals with the " schadenfreude " that the jilted ex-lover is feeling after her ex-boyfriend gets unceremoniously dumped by the girl he left her for.    Hear The King Has Lost His Crown on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Los Lobos - The Mess We're In     My song pick 2 years ago today: Ultravox - Visions in Blue   My song pick 3 years ago today: Miami Sound Machine - Bad Boy   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Northern Pikes - She Ain't Pretty   My song pick 5 years ago today: Parliament - Wizard of Finance   My song pick 6 years ago today: ABBA - Sup...

From: Centerfield ; Year: 1985; Genre: Blues Rock/Country Rock/Rockabilly Had some of the great music from this album come on in a story I happened to be in; I thought I would revisit it. This song is one of the typical Fogerty tracks that crosses all the major Americana genres and seemingly can be played almost anywhere to a crowd.    Hear Big Train (From Memphis) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Humble Pie - 30 Days in the Hole     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Thermals - An Ear For Baby   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - Jack of Shadows   My song pick 4 years ago today: George Clinton - Maximumisness   My song pick 5 years ago today: Bruce Hornsby & The Range - Look Out Any Window   My song pick 6 years ago today: Marillion - This Strange Engine   My song pick 7 years ago today: 10cc - Good Morning Judge My song pick 8 years ago today: The Moody Blues - I Know You're Out There ...

From: The Thunderfist Chronicles ; Year: 2025; Genre: Pirate Metal/Power Metal Had them pop into my mind once again this morning; a good mix for doing your taxes to anyway. This is to date their lengthiest song at an epic 17+ minutes and filled with a great deal of big, astounding music and tales of boldness, adventure and legend.   Hear Mega-Supreme Treasure of the Eternal Thunderfist on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Boyz II Men - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday     My song pick 2 years ago today: Daniel Boone - Beautiful Sunday   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Hallucinations   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Kinks - Sleepwalker   My song pick 5 years ago today: Carmen - The Horseman   My song pick 6 years ago today: Daniel Lanois - That's The Way It Is   My song pick 7 years ago today: Raspberries - Go All The Way My song pick 8 years ago today: The Thermals - Test...

From: Nilsson Schmilsson ; Year: 1971; Genre: Pop/Rock Haven't chosen a Harry Nilsson song in a while and since his music has been on my mind off and on lately, I thought it'd be a good time for another. This rather laid-back track has a lot of Beatleness throughout, which is probably not a surprise with how much he liked and worked with them.     Hear The Moonbeam Song on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Queensrÿche - Last Time in Paris     My song pick 2 years ago today: Alive 'N Kickin' - Tighter, Tighter   My song pick 3 years ago today: Sweet - Call Me   My song pick 4 years ago today: Lou Rawls - Groovy People   My song pick 5 years ago today: Marillion - Dry Land   My song pick 6 years ago today: Ray Davies - The Getaway   My song pick 7 years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Keep On Chooglin' My song pick 8 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Luther the Anthropoid (Ape ...

From: There Is No Space For Us ; Year: 2025; Genre: Space Rock/Progressive Rock For the last decade or so I have loved that I can count on Hawkwind to seemingly release something new almost every year. This is one of the single releases off of their most recent album from last year and is a close-to-perfect song to bring the record to a close. It is essentially an instrumental with only the final seconds having any vocals. The arrangements are quite beautiful with some great contributions on both the guitar, piano, and synth in particular. It kind of has an overall melancholy feel throughout, but also some hopeful chords and melodies to give the feeling of trudging along; perhaps either on the long journey home, or continuing on the adventure to see wot's beyond the next horizon.   Hear A Long Long Way From Home on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Explorers Club - Impact 5 – Last Call    My song pick 2 years ago today: Wilson Pickett - ...