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

From: Rain Dances ; Year: 1977; Genre: Symphonic Rock You know, for a progressive symphonic rock record, the music within can really "earworm" you. I suppose that is a good thing with all of the pretty and intricate music on it. Hard to believe that: 1. there are only three musicians present on this track, and: 2. that the song is just under a radio-friendly three minutes in length; seems longer with all the layered lines playing. It is weird though that they chose Rain Dances as the title-track with it being buried at the end of side 2 as well as it being by far the briefest song on the album.   Hear Rain Dances on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Stone Temple Pilots - Bi-Polar Bear     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Seal Driver   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Delgados - Primary Alternative   My song pick 4 years ago today: Toto - Make Believe   My song pick 5 years ago today: Badfinger - Take It A...

From: Rain Dances ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock Once again, sitting down to make today's pick and had an album playing in my mind; guess which one. Initially when this track came on I was bemused by the wordplay of using the name of the ubiquitous device that keeps a musician in time whilst giving one the image of a savvy-dressed garden ornament with a stylish pointy hat and professionally groomed hair and beard. You know a "metro-sexual" garden gnome, even though the term "metro-sexual" did not exist in the late 70s to my knowledge. Perhaps it is referring to a garden gnome that lives in a bustling downtown. Anyway, enough silliness.... This one is quite an interesting one in how it starts with the tic-toc of the fore-mentioned metronome with a very "Beatlesque" first verse which quickly becomes big and epic when the entire band kicks in. The Beatlelike sound continues through the second verse, but this time with more instrument...

From: Music Inspired by The Snow Goose ; Year: 1975; Genre: Progressive Rock Getting to pick another song from a band I have been lately meaning to pick. This is a neat instrumental track that features a good blend of synth and regular rock sounds. From wot I understand, this record kind of went through a few concepts and eventually settled on it being based on the novella of the same name written by Paul Gallico . Originally the music on the record was supposed to contain lyrics from the story, however, the author did not take kindly to it and they settled on instrumentals instead. What is rather neat is how this one is broken up into more "bite sized" tracks with most being under three minutes in length, which contrasts with most prog rock of the time. I suppose it is a matter of opinion because the songs could just as easily be grouped together in a sub-pieces or such.   Hear Flight of the Snow Goose on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Ramblers...

From: The Single Factor ; Year: 1982; Genre: Progressive Rock Here's some definite 80's sounding progressive rock from one of the originators of the prog/rock. As expected from a band like Camel, the music, instrumentation, and vocals are excellent.   Hear Manic on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Tom Rapp - The Swimmer (for Kurt Cobain)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rare Earth - Born to Wander My song pick 3 years ago today: The Byrds - I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better My song pick 4 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - I'm On the Lamb, But Ain't No Sheep My song pick 5 years ago today: Fates Warning - Stranger (With a Familiar Face) My song pick 6 years ago today: Herbie Hancock - Oh! Oh! Here He Comes My song pick 7 years ago today: Lobo - Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend My song pick 8 years ago today: Rush - Different Strings My song pick 9 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song My song pick 10 years ago today: Béla ...

From: Nude ; Year: 1981; Genre: Progressive Rock A very mellow and jazzy piece from the band Camel, which is part of this concept album about a Japanese soldier and his "adventures" that leads back into civilian life in the Post War period; it's an interesting album to say the least. On this song in particular I really like how they used the organ and other keyboards.   Hear Lies on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Hawkwind - 65 Million Years Ago   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Police - Don't Stand Too Close To Me My song pick 3 years ago today: Mastodon - The Wolf is Loose My song pick 4 years ago today: Steely Dan - Don't Take Me Alive My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Black Mamba My song pick 6 years ago today: Michael Martin Murphey - Medicine Man My song pick 7 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun My song pick 8 years ago today: Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear My song pick 9 ...

From: Rain Dances ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock I really like the driving rhythm section throughout this one, of course the keyboards are another draw for me. Hear Highways of the Sun on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Guess Who - Three More Days My song pick 2 years ago today: Heart - White Lightning & Wine My song pick 3 years ago today: Audioslave - Nothing Left to Say But Goodbye My song pick 4 years ago today: Eric Burdon & The Animals - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood My song pick 5 years ago today: The Who - 905 My song pick 6 years ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You My song pick 7 years ago today: Rush - 2112 My song pick 8 years ago today: Elvis Presley - Hound Dog My song pick 9 years ago today: Tesla - I Wanna Live My song pick 10 years ago today: Rammstein - Eifersucht My song pick 11 years ago today: Duran Duran - Lay Lady Lay My song pick 12 years ago today: Genesis - Mam...

From: Camel ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock Yesterday I realized that I had yet to pick a song from the epic progressive rock band Camel; I have to at once remedy that oversight. While I've never been a massive fan of the band, they've been on my periphery of music for a bit now and I absolutely like Camel. Anyway, this is one of their early singles off of their debut studio album; it has a lot for almost every listener in my opinion. Hear Never Let Go on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Jerry Reed - The Legend My song pick two years ago today: Curved Air - Heaven (Never Seemed So Far Away) My song pick three years ago today: Alestorm - Rum My song pick four years ago today: Bachman & Turner - Slave to the Rhythm My song pick five years ago today: Pink Floyd - San Tropez My song pick six years ago today: Janis Joplin - Mercedes Benz My song pick seven years ago today: Pink Floyd - Pigs On The Wing Parts 1 and 2 My song pick ei...