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

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: Street Action ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock Just happened to be thinking about this short, but not so sweet, period of the band and decided that I would choose one from one of the two records. I have to admit, I am and will most likely be a huge fan of BTO, but honestly, I have only listened to Street Action and Rock n' Roll Nights less than five times in total. These two were essentially what was left of the band fulfilling their contractual obligations after the departure of Randy Bachman. They apparently were not allowed to use the full Bachman-Turner Overdrive name and instead used the abbreviated B.T.O. moniker. April Wine's Jim Clench joined on vocals and bass guitar, whilst C.F. Turner moved over to rhythm guitar and vocals, leaving only Blair Thornton as the lead guitarist. I am not alone in my indifference and/or dislike for the two albums, which kind of have the "stepchild" status from most fans, myself included. They're by no means bad or un-li...

From: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1984) ; Year: 1984; Genre: Hard Rock Ever since discovering this record it has seen a lot of play from me; it was so great to hear the original group, sans Robbie Bachman on drums, who was replace by The Guess Who drummer Garry Peterson at this point. There is just some magic that happens when you get Randy Bachman and C.F. Turner together; that wailing guitar, thundering bass and those unique and amazing vocals just make it one-of-a-kind.   Hear City's Still Growin on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes   My song pick 2 years ago today: Seals & Crofts - Hummingbird   My song pick 3 years ago today: Zapp - Computer Love   My song pick 4 years ago today: Primus - The Ol' Diamondback Sturgeon (Fisherman Chronicles, Part 3)   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Tubes - Talk To Ya Later   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Kinks - Good Day My song pick 7 years ago ...

From: Brave Belt II ; Year: 1972; Genre: Rock Here's a fun track with some good 'ol riff driven Canadian rock.   Hear Put It In a Song on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Blancmange - God's Kitchen   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rick & The Entire World - No No No Momerto   My song pick 3 years ago today: Faith No More - Stripsearch   My song pick 4 years ago today: Depeche Mode - World in my Eyes   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Firing Line   My song pick 6 years ago today: Gerry Rafferty - Island My song pick 7 years ago today: White Zombie - Black Sunshine My song pick 8 years ago today: The Headhunters - Actual Proof My song pick 9 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Old Ghosts My song pick 10 years ago today: Rush - The Wreckers My song pick 11 years ago today: Ian Anderson - After These Wars My song pick 12 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal My song pick 13 yea...

From: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1984) ; Year: 1984; Genre: Hard Rock Been trying to get myself back into the swing of things as a musician so to speak; figured going to one of my earliest influences would be a good starting point. Their second self-titled record is by no means their best effort, it is, for me at least, without a doubt an album I enjoy; always love to have more material from some of my favourites. This track in particular has a noted sound that reminds me of the bands Big Country and Slade from the same time; both are also bands I like a lot, so it's a win no matter how you look at it.   Hear Lost in a Fantasy on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - People   My song pick 2 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan   My song pick 3 years ago today: Blind Melon - Tones of Home   My song pick 4 years ago today: Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike   My song pick 5 years ago ...

From: Four Wheel Drive ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock For me, the Four Wheel Drive album is always the one that seems to not get as much attention from the band's most famous "superstar" era; I honestly don't know why except possibly the sheer volume of excellent music they were putting out at that point. That being said, this is yet another shining example of "album oriented rock" that just works playing it straight through and thus you wont notice the weak material as much. She's a Devil is another one of their tracks that uses the more mellow and melodic verses and then launches into the much harder driving riff-based choruses; and of course C.F. Turner's vocals are as good as ever.   Hear She's a Devil on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Lively Ones - Crying Guitar (Surfer's Lament)   My song pick 2 years ago today: George Clinton - One Fun At a Time   My song pick 3 years ago today: Band of Horses - Window Blues   My...

From: Bachman-Turner Overdrive ; Year: 1973; Genre: Hard Rock It would seem as if the steady stream of musical artists passing away continues; this time it's the drummer of BTO and Brave Belt: Rob Bachman . The younger brother of ex-bandmate musician/singer/songwriter Randy Bachman and guitarist Tim Bachman , he died at the young age of 69. Anyway, this was one of the song he co-wrote with the band from their first record after they changed their name from Brave Belt to the famous Bachman-Turner Overdrive. As with the rest of the album, this one is "album oriented rock" with every one of the tracks, including this one, firmly in the Canadian Hard Rock genre.   Hear Hold Back the Water on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Golden Earring - Long Blond Animal   My song pick 2 years ago today: Lakeside - Strung Out   My song pick 3 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Long-a-Growing   My song pick 4 years ago today: Neil Young - Old Man My son...

From: Bachman-Turner Overdrive ; Year: 1984; Genre: Hard Rock For some reason this studio album keeps slipping my mind; probably due to the fact that the band's previous three records were, I suppose you could say, not up to par. You could kind of call BTO a supergroup at this point with two members from BTO: (C.F. Turner and Tim Bachman), one from The Guess Who: (Garry Peterson), and, of course, Randy Bachman who was in both bands. Every time it seems when I put this record on it's a real treat to hear a few more studio recordings from one of my favourite bands and to hear Turner's powerful vocals.   Hear Just Look At Me Now on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Kinks - Money Talks   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Humboldt Currant   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bob Dylan - All Along the Watchtower   My song pick 4 years ago today: The O'Jays - Time To Get Down My song pick 5 years ago today: Dazz Band - Let it...

From: Freeways ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock I hadn't heard this song in quite some time, (over 20 some-odd years I guess), and it was a welcomed sound even though it's not even close to the bands mediocre material in my opinion. As with the rest of the Freeways album, with the exception of two or three songs, you could tell it was a half-hearted effort and a rushed job without much polish. That being said, those "diamonds-in-the-rough" so to speak, are pretty good and are worth skipping around the disc for to hear them every now and then. It's kind of sad though, all of the record, (definitely this track included), has the hallmarks that made BTO's sound so good, but again you can hear the lack of effort in almost every facet and stage of production.   Hear Just For You on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Beautiful World   My song pick 3 year...

From: Freeways ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock Had BTO on my mind today and wanted to pick another one from them. Freeways has always been one that is in some limbo with me; I don't hate it, but I don't really like it either. I guess it just never had that one or couple of special songs, or maybe it's that it's no longer "album oriented rock" like it predecessors. Whatever the case, this is one of the song that I do kind of like off it for no other reason than to hear C.F. Turner's vocals.   Hear Freeways on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Yes - Lightning Strikes My song pick 3 years ago today: Queensrÿche - For What It's Worth My song pick 4 years ago today: Marillion - The New Kings My song pick 5 years ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K.619 - Die ihr des Unermeßlichen Weltalls My song pick 6 years ago today: Billy Joel - She...

From: Brave Belt II ; Year: 1972; Genre: Rock I find the band Brave Belt kind of a neat "bridge" between Randy Bachman's time with The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. This song features The Guess Who alumni Chad Allen on vocals, which gives it more of a 60s/70s mainstream feel to it.    Hear Dunrobin's Gone on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Hawkwind - The Watcher   My song pick 2 years ago today: Styx - Can't Find My Way Home My song pick 3 years ago today: Return to Forever - Theme to the Mothership My song pick 4 years ago today: Amnesty - Free Your Mind My song pick 5 years ago today: Ennio Morricone & Joan Baez - The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti (Here's To You) My song pick 6 years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky is Crying My song pick 7 years ago today: Maddy Prior - Gutter Geese My song pick 8 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Hey You My song pick 9 years ago today: Return to Forever - Dayride My son...

From: Head On ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock As with a lot of their songs, this one is best heard while playing the entire album, but is still a pretty good track on its own, just not the best on the record in my opinion. I really love the bass and the guitar work throughout this one. Hear Average Man on YouTube.   My song pick 1 year ago today: Reverend Horton Heat - Psychobilly Freakout My song pick 2 years ago today: Fates Warning - Anarchy Divine My song pick 3 years ago today: Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal My song pick 4 years ago today: Triumph - A Minor Prelude/All The Way My song pick 5 years ago today: Collective Soul - December My song pick 6 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Hard Times of Old England My song pick 7 years ago today: The Kinks - This Time Tomorrow My song pick 8 years ago today: Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge My song pick 9 years ago today: Heart - How Deep It Goes My song pick 10 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Flying High Agai...

From: Bachman-Turner Overdrive ; Year: 1973; Genre: Hard Rock I had no song in mind for today, so I "spun the wheel" again so to speak and came up with this one from BTO. It's by no means my favourite on the album, but one that goes pretty good when you listen to the entire album. Hear Little Gandy Dancer on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - War Paint My song pick 2 years ago today: Crispian St. Peters - The Pied Piper My song pick 3 years ago today: Dream Theater - When Your Time Has Come My song pick 4 years ago today: Zapp - A Touch of Jazz (Playing Kind of Ruff, Part 2) My song pick 5 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Livin' Thing My song pick 6 years ago today: Pink Floyd - When the Tigers Broke Free My song pick 7 years ago today: The Black Crowes - She Talks to Angels My song pick 8 years ago today: Rush - Headlong Flight My song pick 9 years ago today: Frank Zappa - I'm the Slime My song pick 10 ye...

From: Four Wheel Drive ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock Man, I love the bass and guitars on this track, they really sit on that riff and make it drive the song; C.F. Turner's vocals are and soulful and powerful as ever too. This is one of two BTO albums that influenced me a lot when I was younger, the other being Not Fragile . I like most of their material, but those albums for some reason really spoke to me. And of course C.F. Turner is one of my bigger influences on the bass guitar and a main reason I learned the instrument in the first place. Hear Flat Broke Love on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: 4 Non Blondes - Spaceman My song pick 2 years ago today: Black 47 - I Got Laid On James Joyce's Grave My song pick 3 years ago today: Queen - Keep Yourself Alive My song pick 4 years ago today: Brass Construction - Changin' My song pick 5 years ago today: Stealers Wheel - Right or Wrong My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Before and After My so...

From: Not Fragile ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock/Blues Rock Looks like I'm "retiring" another album today: with this pick I have chosen every song off this album. Oh well, they still have plenty more albums to choose from. Anyway, this is a nice piece of bluesy hard rock that fits well with the other tracks on the album. Hear Blue Moanin' on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Steely Dan - Fire In The Hole My song pick 2 years ago today: The Police - Can't Stand Losing You My song pick 3 years ago today: Benny Carter - Pick Yourself Up My song pick 4 years ago today: Rush - Best I Can My song pick 5 years ago today: Waylon Jennings - I'm a Ramblin' Man My song pick 6 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade My song pick 7 years ago today: Gentle Giant - The House, The Street, The Room My song pick 8 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Something to Believe In My song pick 9 years ago today: Dizzy Gil...

From: Four Wheel Drive ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock Here's some hard-hitting riff based rock for ya; good "headphone music" as well. Hear Quick Change Artist on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Spock's Beard - All on a Sunday My song pick 2 years ago today: Van Der Graaf Generator - White Hammer My song pick 3 years ago today: Bernard Wright - Master Rocker My song pick 4 years ago today: Max Roach - Mr. X My song pick 5 years ago today: Styx - Queen of Spades My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Nobody's Hero My song pick 7 years ago today: Waylander - Echoes of the Sidhe My song pick 8 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Macho City My song pick 9 years ago today: Bad English - When I See You Smile My song pick 10 years ago today: The Beatles - Love Me Do My song pick 11 years ago today: Mr. Big - Green-Tinted Sixties Mind My song pick 12 years ago today: ABBA - Our Last Summer

From: Not Fragile ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock I love this heavy riff-based rock, especially from BTO; this one puts the foot down and doesn't let it back up so to speak. Rob Bachman's drums is the machine that really drives the song. Hear Givin' It All Away on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - Summertime Blues My song pick 2 years ago today: The Fatback Band - Yum Yum (Gimme Some) My song pick 3 years ago today: The Stylistics - I'm Stoned In Love With You My song pick 4 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Heart Like a Wheel My song pick 5 years ago today: Hawkwind - Space Dust My song pick 6 years ago today: Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - Call Any Vegetable My song pick 7 years ago today: Queensrÿche - Sign of the Times My song pick 8 years ago today: Don McLean - Vincent My song pick 9 years ago today: Eric Burdon and War - Spill the Wine My song pick 10 years ago today: Supertramp - School My son...

From: Head On ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock Man, I forgot how good this album was; this song in particular has everything I love about BTO's music: from Turner's powerful, gravely vocals to the blazing double guitar solo. Hear Away From Home on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: King Crimson - The Night Watch My song pick 2 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Trains My song pick 3 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Feelin' Alright My song pick 4 years ago today: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - Like a Rock My song pick 5 years ago today: The Coasters- Poison Ivy My song pick 6 years ago today: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - Earthling Parade My song pick 7 years ago today: Stuart Hamm - Kings of Sleep My song pick 8 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Lovely on the Water My song pick 9 years ago today: Crosby, Stills & Nash - Just a Song Before I Go My song pick 10 years ago today: Robert Mitchum - Ballad of Thunder Road My son...

From: Four Wheel Drive ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock Very, very busy today and making an abbreviated pick. This track is an excellent piece of thumping Canadian hard rock. Hear Don't Let the Blues Get You Down on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Commodores - Easy My song pick two years ago today: Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) My song pick three years ago today: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - Eat That Question My song pick four years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - Ring of Steel My song pick five years ago today: The Moody Blues - The Sunset/Twilight Time My song pick six years ago today: Hawkwind - Damnation Alley My song pick seven years ago today: Chet Atkins - I Wish I Knew My song pick eight years ago today: Sergei Prokofiev - Op. 67 - Peter and the Wolf My song pick nine years ago today: Lalo Schifrin - Scorpio's Theme My song pick ten years ago today: Rush - Dreamline

From: Brave Belt II ; Year: 1972; Genre: Hard Rock Needed to pick something with a hard-driving sound; one of the first bands to come into my mind was BTO and then on to listening to some more of the band's first incarnation, which is Brave Belt. This is one of those songs that you just cannot figure out why it did not do better than it should've. Hear Can You Feel It on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Soundgarden - Rowing My song pick two years ago today: Carmen - Joy My song pick three years ago today: Alice Mudgarden (Alice in Chains) - Right Turn My song pick four years ago today: Midnight Oil - The Dead Heart My song pick five years ago today: Johnny Rodriguez - Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico My song pick six years ago today: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Op.49 - 1812 Overture My song pick seven years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Down, Down My song pick eight years ago today: Savatage - The Ocean My song pick nine years a...