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

From: Resident Alien ; Year: 1995; Genre: Glam Rock Another day of choosing a track that was on my mind; at least I am not picking one in memorandum of a recently deceased artist. (Knock on wood) Here's the song of the band's namesake from their debut studio album. I can only think of a couple of bands that wrote a song named after themselves....     Hear Spacehog on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bruce Springsteen - The Promised Land     My song pick 2 years ago today: Klaatu - Anus of Uranus     My song pick 3 years ago today: Rockwell - Obscene Phone Caller   My song pick 4 years ago today: Zebrahead - Playmate of the Year   My song pick 5 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Mideast Vacation   My song pick 6 years ago today: Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy   My song pick 7 years ago today: Dream Theater - Falls Into the Light   My song pick 8 years ago today: Quarterflash - Nig...

From: Mack Daddy ; Year: 1992; Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap This is one of those songs that seems to get just about everyone up and shakin' their thang even some 34 years on. Not surprising that Baby Got Back hasn't gotten the static that many songs of a similar subject have; so many people love it and it is actually empowering to individuals that were maligned, (shamed), for not being like the cultural ideal of, more or less, a skeleton with skin stretched around it. Plus it's really well done and infectiously dance-inducing with a great lyrical delivery.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Into My Own Thing     My song pick 2 years ago today: Brenton Wood - Best Thing I Ever Had     My song pick 3 years ago today: Edgar Winter's White Trash - Keep Playin' That Rock 'n' Roll   My song pick 4 years ago today: Explorers Club - Impact 1 – Fate Speaks   My song pick 5 years ago t...

From: Tribal Voice ; Year: 1991; Genre: Indigenous Australian Rock/New Wave It is always a bit perplexing when a song is playing in your head and you cannot identify the song or the artist. It took a little bit of sleuthing, but I was able to track it down after I realized that I had heard a version of it in the 1990s comedy movie Encino Man . It is quite a unique and truly awesome song; actually the same can be said for the band too. Being a blended group of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians makes the term "unique" kind of an understatement; have never heard a group that sounds even close. Of course, as always, I love being exposed to something different, so they are one I immediately liked. Anyway, whilst the radio edit of Treaty put the band in the spotlight, I actually like the original album version a bit more, but either one is great.    Hear Treaty on YouTube.   Hear the radio edit on YouTube.         My song p...

From: In Utero ; Year: 1993; Genre: Alternative Rock/Grunge Yet another day in which I had music from a band looping in my brain for wotever reason. Hear-Shaped Box was the lead single and I believe the highest charting single from their final, "swansong," studio album.    Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Lou Rawls - When the Night Comes     My song pick 2 years ago today: Muse - Will of the People     My song pick 3 years ago today: Kenny Loggins - Whenever I Call You "Friend"   My song pick 4 years ago today: R.E.O. Speedwagon - Don't Let Him Go   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - Hand Over Fist   My song pick 6 years ago today: Wild Turkey - Gentle Rain My song pick 7 years ago today: Eddie Money - Walk on Water My song pick 8 years ago today: Dayton Sidewinders - Go Ahead On My song pick 9 years ago today: Victor Wooten - I Saw God My song pick 10 years ago ...

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: Recycler ; Year: 1990; Genre: Blues Rock Yesterday I saw that ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard passed away. Recently I saw that they had to cancel some shows and I wondered if someone was not doing well; sadly, my suspicions ended up being correct. I knew that I should choose another one from the group today. Whilst they are not one of my top favourites, I have always liked their music and enjoy it every time I hear it. Their adherence to the southern blues that you can really dance to and is quite technical to boot really made ZZ Top a relevant act for so many decades to this day.   Hear My Head's in Mississippi on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Late Night Street Fight     My song pick 2 years ago today: Hawklords (Hawkwind) - The Age of the Micro Man     My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Sossity; You're a Woman   My song pick 4 years ago today: Roger - Do It Roger   My song pick 5 ...

From: Year ; Year: 1993; Genre: Folk Rock It just now hit me that I needed to choose another one of Maddy Prior's songs. Her Year album has always been a personal favourite, mostly due to her emotive vocal performance throughout the record. There's a spectacularly beautiful forlorn, far off and beckoning quality here that is truly unique.   Hear Somewhere Along the Road on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Focus - Why Dream?     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Beatles - We Can Work It Out   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Band - The Weight   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Four Tops - Reflections   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rare Earth - Hum Along and Dance   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rammstein - Radio   My song pick 7 years ago today: Matthews' Southern Comfort - Tell Me Why My song pick 8 years ago today: Sam & Dave - Hold On, I'm Coming My song pick 9 years ago today: Glen Camp...

From: The Window of Life ; Year: 1993; Genre: Progressive Rock Just an amazing record, this one; all of the music is both beautiful and contemplative, if that makes sense. I guess that's wot you get from one of the main bands of the second wave of prog rock.   Hear Nostradamus (Stargazing) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Kinks - Mr. Songbird     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Lost in a Fantasy     My song pick 3 years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - People   My song pick 4 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan   My song pick 5 years ago today: Blind Melon - Tones of Home   My song pick 6 years ago today: Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike   My song pick 7 years ago today: David Bowie - Cygnet Committee My song pick 8 years ago today: Genesis - Dodo/Lurker My song pick 9 years ago today: War - Slippin' Into Darkness My song pick...

From: Counterparts ; Year: 1993; Genre: Hard Rock With this I will have picked every track from Counterparts ; not a surprise though in any sense.   Hear The Speed of Love on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - For What It's Worth     My song pick 2 years ago today: Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way     My song pick 3 years ago today: Glass Hammer - The Conflict   My song pick 4 years ago today: Van Der Graaf Generator - Scorched Earth   My song pick 5 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - I Can Feel It In My Bones   My song pick 6 years ago today: Return to Forever - Interplay   My song pick 7 years ago today: Hawkwind - Arioch My song pick 8 years ago today: Elvis Presley - All Shook Up My song pick 9 years ago today: Deep Purple - Never Before My song pick 10 years ago today: Ex Deo - Cruor Nostri Abbas My song pick 11 years ago today: Hawkwind - Be Yourself My song pick 12 years ago toda...

From: The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ; Year: 1994; Genre: Alternative Metal Last night was going over my "Music" app on my computer; man, I miss iTunes.... I know "owning music" is so passé and out of fashion and I should just be streaming, but that's just not for me. Anyway, I noticed quite a few of my songs greyed out, apparently missing the file that goes with it. I have absolutely no idea how I "lost" the songs, so had to go searching around for the original copies. Long story short, I got most of them recovered and backed up in multiple places. As you probably surmised, this was among the missing songs; I was really glad to have The Crow soundtrack complete once more digitally. I really wish more of the recent films had such a great soundtrack; all big hit songs that actually could serve as an early 1990s rock music soundtrack as well as a film's. This is one of those albums that you can put on and just enjoy from alpha to zed, ...

From: Edge of Excess ; Year: 1992; Genre: Hard Rock This one comes from the, sadly, most recent studio album from the band. On the record they were minus original vocalist/guitarists Rik Emmett and instead featured  Phil X on guitar whilst drummer Gil Moore performed lead vocals. I've always liked most of Triumph's material, but have never been huge into the band, or anything past the mid 1980s-ish that they put out. However, never really looked into wot they were up to since, and as it turns out, not too much. Recently though, I learned of their most recent reunion and North American tour, which got me curious.  Anyway, this was one of the lead singles from Edge of Excess, and while not close to the band's best, it's still more than good enough to quench ones' thirst for their brand of arena-rock.   Hear Child of the City on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady     My song pick 2 years ago today: D...

From: Human Clay ; Year: 1999; Genre: Alternative Rock I don't know why, but was thinking about the band Creed today, not really their music per se, but about back when they were everywhere about two and a half decades ago. I personally remember their music and music videos being everywhere; heck, even to this day I cannot stand With Arms Wide Open . Not that there is a problem with the song, but it just got way overplayed and shoved down my throat to the point I made a rather dirty parody to it.... Whilst I have never claimed or had my "thumb on the pulse" of music news or wot is going on therein, I do remember the band seemingly imploding somewhere around '03. I believe that substance abuse by the front man and perhaps one other member led to their disbanding. From wot I've read, it seems that they reunited a couple of times since and recorded an album back in '09, but, again I have not checked them out; I hope they're doing well in their endeavours. Any...

From: Badmotorfinger ; Year: 1991; Genre: Alternative Metal For me it is very difficult to say one of Soundgarden's albums is "my favourite," I just love them all and can listen from front to back, everyone of them. I will say though, there is something special about Badmotorfinger ; truthfully I cannot say I dislike a single track on it. Maybe it's because I was becoming a teen when it dropped and thus hit me a the perfect moment; who knows, right? The dynamics are amazing on this one with both hard-hitting de-tuned riffs shaking the Earth, and somewhat quieter and intricate, but just as heavy sections. Of course the musicianship and writing are near perfect, and Chris Cornell showing off his unmatched vocals throughout.   Hear Holy Water on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) - Ball and Chain     My song pick 2 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - That's the Way of the World   ...

From: In the Face of Funk ; Year: 1994; Genre: Funk/Hip-Hop Dang, I ain't kiddin', this Friday really did some sneaking up on me this week. Instantly when I saw it was time to make my song pick for today there was no other band on my mind but Cameo; like I need a reason to go with one of their tracks.   Hear In the Face of Funk on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Tag Team - Whoomp! (There It Is)     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Nightwatchman - A Wall Against the Wind     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Grateful Dead - When Push Comes to Shove   My song pick 4 years ago today: Depeche Mode - A Question of Time   My song pick 5 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Veins   My song pick 6 years ago today: Weather Report - The Moors   My song pick 7 years ago today: Stratovarius - S.O.S. My song pick 8 years ago today: Asia - Without You My song pick 9 years ago today: Bob Weir (The Grateful Dead) ...

From: Here's to the People ; Year: 1991; Genre: Cool Jazz/Jazz Fusion Most into jazz and associated genres are most likely aware of the passing of jazz giant Sonny Rollins a couple of days ago. It is just so mind-blowing to think of all the music, musicians, and history he experienced in his 95 years on this Earth, let alone all of the decades he was active. To think, that he took a large part in and saw all the new forms of jazz and the people he played with. It is a rarity to see an active musician touring for so many years, especially in jazz live so long. He definitely will be missed and then some. Anyway, I had a lot of music from many eras to choose from for this song pick. My thoughts went to the '60s or '70s, but then I have noticed that jazz, overall, at least here in the U.S. was kind of in the background by the 1990s, so I checked out one of his albums from the early part of the decade. I have to say, I am overjoyed that I did so. This one in particular I found a...

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: 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...