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

From: What Cha Need/I'll Take You There (single); Year: 1972; Genre: Soul/Funk Here is a deeper cut for this Friday; an instrumental cover of the Staple Singer's classic written by Al Bell.   Hear I'll Take You There on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Midnight Oil - Nobody's Child     My song pick 2 years ago today: Dr. John - Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive   My song pick 3 years ago today: Herman's Hermits - End of the World   My song pick 4 years ago today: Alice in Chains - The One You Know   My song pick 5 years ago today: Yes - Going for the One   My song pick 6 years ago today: Dayton Sidewinders - Phoenix   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Police - Synchronicity I My song pick 8 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Dogs My song pick 9 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - See You on the Other Side My song pick 10 years ago today: Queensrÿche - If I Could Change it All My song pick 11 years ago today: Kl...

From: Electric Ladyland ; Year: 1968; Genre: Psychedelic Rock Wanted to pick something "out there" from Jimi Hendrix; this short, (less-than-a-minute), piece with only odd sounds just seemed perfect for the bill.   Hear Moon, Turn the Tides....Gently Gently Away on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Chicken Shack - Daughter on the Hillside     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jerry Reed - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright   My song pick 3 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - Innocent Son   My song pick 4 years ago today: Aphrodite's Child - The Four Horsemen   My song pick 5 years ago today: Gap Band - You Dropped a Bomb on Me   My song pick 6 years ago today: Barenaked Ladies - Shoe Box   My song pick 7 years ago today: Jigsaw - Mystic Harmony My song pick 8 years ago today: Chet Atkins - The Girl Friend of the Whirling Dervish My song pick 9 years ago today: Alice in Chains - What The Hell Have I My song pick 10...

From: George Thorogood and the Destroyers ; Year: 1977; Genre: Blues Rock Wot the heck, I'm picking the George Thorogood cover after picking the John Lee Hooker version yesterday; seems like a great idea! Yeah. Anyway, as I wrote in my last post, this is a cover of two songs from the legend of a Bluesman: House Rent Boogie and One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer . He used the first song to tell the tale as to why the guy is in the bar drowning his blues in the iconic second piece. I have to say that he and his Destroyers did the songs great and probably turned a lot of new listeners on the original John Lee Hooker tracks; I know it did with me.   Hear One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Shocking Blue - Roll Engine Roll     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pat Benatar - My Clone Sleeps Alone   My song pick 3 years ago today: The B-52's - Love Shack   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bootsy's Ru...

From: The Real Folk Blues ; Year: 1966; Genre: Blues I do not know why, but it just felt like a perfect time for a John Lee Hooker blues; why not this great track. Probably many my age and younger were introduced to this track by George Thorogood and the Destroyers who fused it with another John Lee Hooker tune House Rent Boogie , which preceded it in the medley. Apparently George Thorogood asked him for his bless in doing it and John Lee Hooker was all for it. Anyway, this blues is actually a cover, (depending on whom you ask apparently). The authorship and who recorded it first is not in question, (Rusy Toombs and Amos Milburn), just how much Hooker added to it to make it one of his signature songs. It appears that there are some music historians out there that state that Hooker's version is different enough that it is an original. Frankly I do not really care, I just enjoy listening to it; whoever it is performing it.   Hear One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer on YouTube.   ...

From: Sloppy Seconds ; Year: 1972; Genre: Country Rock/Comedy Yesterday I heard of Dennis Locorriere's passing; he was the lead vocalist and whilst played the lead guitar primarily, he basically at one time or another played almost every instrument with Dr. Hook. This rather fun comical track with its old timey sound really opens up the record beautifully. As with all the material on Sloppy Seconds , it was written by noted song-smith  Shel Silverstein , who earlier the same year recorded it as the title track to his own album.    Hear Freakin' at the Freaker's Ball on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Soundgarden - Searching WIth My Good Eye Closed     My song pick 2 years ago today: John Cougar Mellencamp - R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)   My song pick 3 years ago today: ABBA - Bang-A-Boomerang   My song pick 4 years ago today: Faster Pussycat - Nonstop to Nowhere   My song pick 5 years ago t...

From: Nobody Wants to be Alone ; Year: 1985; Genre: Pop/Country If I remember correctly, this album was right at the tail-end of the whole country/pop/rock crossover era that permeated the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not that there's anything wrong with that blend of genres; I for one actually like quite a few of them and believe that it was better "country" than a lot of the exaggerated nasally singing pushed out today. I would actually categorize this track in particular way more in the pop/rock or power pop genre than country. Anyway, I have heard this one a lot over the years; it really has the ability to get stuck in your head, and a fun one all the same.    Hear Touch and Go on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Savatage - Forever After     My song pick 2 years ago today: Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised   My song pick 3 years ago today: Les Paul & Mary Ford - Bye Bye Blues   My song pick 4 ...

From: Nightcap ; Year: 1993 (1982); Genre: Progressive Rock This album has had heavy rotation ever since importing it from the U.K. back in the mid 1990s, so I seemingly have songs from it in my mind semi-frequently. I believe that this track was from their early '80s  Broadsword & The Beast recording sessions, but did not make the final cut for the record. Whilst I agree with Ian Anderson that these are/were very low polished songs compared to most, but I am still 100% happy and "over the moon" that he did make them available as I really enjoy them.    Hear No Step on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Lou Garno Trio - Muy Sabroso (Very Tasty)     My song pick 2 years ago today: Ray Charles - Unchain My Heart   My song pick 3 years ago today: Elvis Presley - I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Mamas & the Papas - Monday Monday   My song pick 5 years ago today: ...

From: Zapp II ; Year: 1982; Genre: Funk/R&B This week, like last, just seemed to blow by... probably it's just me. Anyway, for this Friday I knew I wanted to pick something from Roger Troutman; wot a better pick than something from his band Zapp. This one is a non-charting single, but still one of the highlights off of their second album.     Hear Do You Really Want an Answer? on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bruce Springsteen - My City of Ruins     My song pick 2 years ago today: Al Di Meola - Traces (Of A Tear)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The J. Geils Band - Freeze-Frame   My song pick 4 years ago today: Ray Charles - You'll Never Walk Alone   My song pick 5 years ago today: Fates Warning - Firefly   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jigsaw - Journey Into Space   My song pick 7 years ago today: Kiss - Heaven's on Fire My song pick 8 years ago today: The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of ...

From: Rage Against the Machine ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap This is one of those records that has continued to reverberate almost 35 years since its release and counting; will probably still be totally relevant for another century or two. I absolutely love how their music is not stuck as a signpost from the 1990s, but feels and sounds as new as when released. The only real sad part about their music is that the same BS they were raging against is still happening and in some cases has gotten a lot worse. C'est la vie .   Hear Township Rebellion on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Cameo - Slyde     My song pick 2 years ago today: Savatage - Miles Away   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Eagles - New Kid in Town   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)   My song pick 5 years ago today: Positive Force - We Got The Funk   My song pick 6 years ago today:...

From: The 2nd 3rd Secret ; Year: 2023; Genre: Alternative Rock Happened to be thinking about this "grunge" supergroup once again and found their second album. I know it has been about 3 1/2-4 years since I looked them up, but better late than never. Climb Aboard was without a doubt the first track to really catch my attention; it has everything you want to hear from such a group and really not a lot to detract either.   Hear Climb Aboard on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Who - When I Was a Boy     My song pick 2 years ago today: Big Country - Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Pallas - Reds Under the Beds   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Future Place   My song pick 5 years ago today: Paris - Janie   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - The Stars Look Down   My song pick 7 years ago today: Bob Welch - Outskirts My song pick 8 years ago today: ...

From: Hercules/Going Home (single) ; Year: 1973; Genre: Soul/Funk Don't know why I have not chosen a track from Aaron Neville until now; have never been a huge fan of his, but still like his music. This song has an amazing funky groove, which make for a great "bed" or foundation for Aaron Neville's smooth, jazzy vocals.   Hear Hercules on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Crowded House - World Where You Live     My song pick 2 years ago today: Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun   My song pick 3 years ago today: Marcus Miller - Tales   My song pick 4 years ago today: AC/DC - Shot Down In Flames   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Cult - Rain   My song pick 6 years ago today: Ian Hunter - All-American Alien Boy   My song pick 7 years ago today: Duran Duran - Hold Back the Rain My song pick 8 years ago today: Rush - Ghost of a Chance My song pick 9 years ago today: Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage My song pick 10...

From: Universal Audio ; Year: 2004; Genre: Indie Rock Songs from the defunct Scottish indie rock band the Delgados happened to randomly come on over the last week or so, you know wot that means. Anyway, this is one I thought I had already chosen, but evidentially not. I Fought the Angels has always been one of my to favourites from their final record. It has a low-fidelity sound and I have read where people compare this track to the general sound of The Pixies, which I can hear, but there is a lot more to it in my opinion.   Hear I Fought the Angels on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Five Stairsteps - World of Fantasy     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Here She Comes   My song pick 3 years ago today: Kajagoogoo - Hang on Now   My song pick 4 years ago today: Link Wray - I Got To Ramble (Dedicated to the Memory of Duane Allman)   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Thermals - Back to the Sea   My so...

From: Greatest Hits ; Year: 1975 (1976); Genre: Pop/Rock Yet another case of a song playing in my head.... I cannot count the amount of times I have heard this track; my Dad owned everyone of ABBA's records and for the most part played them all the way through. For some reason this track in particular is one that just catches your attention even more that usual from the Swedish superstars. Originally Benny and Bjorn along with their manager Stig Anderson wrote this one for Anni-Frid's solo album in '75 and later recorded it as a single for the band as well; the original was sung in Swedish and the entire story/lyrics were different as well. With the Swedish version the titular Fernando, (whose name was taken from a bartender at one of the band's favourite clubs in Stockholm), is being consoled after the loss of a love. In the English version Bjorn wrote the lyrics in the form of two old veterans of the Mexican Revolution reminiscing about their tour of duty as freedom ...

From: Back Home Again ; Year: 1970; Genre: Rock/Folk Rock I guess I am finally picking this tune, which is definitely not my favourite from Norman Greenbaum, but it has its place and I do listen to it every now and then. From my experience Canned Ham is probably the only other song from Mr. Greenbaum that most people acquainted with his music after his epic Spirit in the Sky . Actually, when I do think about it, I would have to say that most of his material either borders on or is of a whimsical nature, which this one definitely is whimsical, if not bordering on novelty/comedy. I still cannot, for the life of me, why someone would want to fry a canned ham nice and brown and put it in one's pocket and carry it around? The only logical conclusion I can make, other than it just being whimsical and nonsensical, is that "Canned Ham" must've been a slang/code for something else, but who knows, right?   Hear Canned Ham on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago toda...

From: Tasty Jam ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/R&B Another Funky Friday makes an appearance... this Friday it is this fun funky track from the one and only Fatback!     Hear Kool Whip on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Powerful Stuff     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sniff 'n' The Tears - New Lines on Love   My song pick 3 years ago today: Sky - Tuba Smarties   My song pick 4 years ago today: Focus - Focus 11   My song pick 5 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - Can I Believe You   My song pick 6 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Retrograde   My song pick 7 years ago today: King Crimson - Epitaph My song pick 8 years ago today: Heart - Bad Animals My song pick 9 years ago today: Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence My song pick 10 years ago today: Lawrence Gowan - (You're a) Strange Animal My song pick 11 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Frisky My ...

From: Waking and Dreaming ; Year: 1976; Genre: Rock/Pop Happened to have this one playing in my brain just before getting ready to make this post, you know the rest. Probably individuals around my age and old remember this slice of 1970s pop; those younger might remember some of the song used in commercials and such. Still quite enjoyable and the twin lead guitars are definitely one of the best parts.     Hear Still the One on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Mac Davis - Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bob Marley and The Wailers - Freedom Time   My song pick 3 years ago today: Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Nothing Ever Happens   My song pick 4 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Living in These Hard Times   My song pick 5 years ago today: Parliament - Livin' the Life   My song pick 6 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Rainier Fog   My song pick 7 years ago today: Savatage - S...

From: The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia ; Year: 1973; Genre: Country/Pop/Rock I've always loved songs that tell engaging tales, of which this one. I heard this one a lot over the years and always listen until it ends. While Vicki Lawrence is considered a "one hit wonder," her acting career is far greater; I saw her in many roles on different shows. In fact, did not connect the dots for many years that she was the artist that recorded this song. I guess she saw a job in acting as better and/or just liked the lifestyle better. Anyway, as with the best tales, this one is about some fictional murders and judicial injustice that leads to the execution of an innocent man; in this case it was the brother of the person telling the story, who in a twist is the actual killer.    Hear The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Before the Kiss, A Redcap     My song pick 2 years ago to...

From: Seminar ; Year: 1989; Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop Been working on my car for a solid three days getting a worn out, super stubborn ball joint out and putting in a replacement. It always seems that I have these "little" maintenance chores that need done, but something always goes wrong and ends up a giant mess. Anyway, whilst getting ready to pick today's song I had this classic track pop into my mind and, under the circumstances, I knew there was no other track to choose. Sir Mix-a-Lot is one that immediately puts a huge grin on my face when one of his tracks plays. This one in particular I identify all to well with; I have owned quite a few vehicles that perfectly match his description, especially when I was younger. Rolling in a vehicle that is not road worthy or probably legal, but is yours is something that makes some incredible memories.   Hear My Hooptie on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ritchie Valens - La Bamba     My song pick 2...

From: Freeze Frame ; Year: 1981; Genre: Rock/New Wave For the last couple of weeks I've had some of J. Geils Band's music on the brain; this track is one in particular. Inside this rather catchy and fun song is an interesting tale that on the surface seems a bit racy, but it is really about the ruining of static memories from your past. In this case the man is regaling the listener about a dream girl from high school he had a serious crush on; in his mind she was still the innocent schoolgirl. However, after seeing her in the centerfold of an adult magazine, she is no longer that innocent girl from his memories, but has continued her life and is now a woman. Much of the song is about him coming to terms with it and accepting this new reality about someone special from his past.   Hear Centerfold on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Michael Jackson - Ben   My song pick 2 years ago today: John Williams - The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) ...