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

From: Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles ; Year: 1966; Genre: Rock/Pop Records like this is among the reasons I love and respect Chet Atkins as a musician and shredding picker on the guitar. He recorded a few of these "Chet Atkins Pick on X" albums. And whilst he is mostly synonymous with Nashville and country and western, he actually delved into a wide spectrum of music, be it country, folk, bluegrass, blues, jazz, classical, R&B, soul, Spanish/Mexican/Flamenco, rock, pop and basically everything in between. He definitely was without a doubt a musician's musician. What I like most about this one is how his unmistakable picking and sound are in the forefront and ever-present, he keep The Beatles' spirit of their pop rock composition totally intact.  I really wonder though, what John, Paul, George, and Ringo thought of his covers?   Hear Chet's cover of Hard Day's Night on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: R.E.M. - Bang and Blame   ...

From: Mister Sandman/Set A Spell (single); Year: 1954; Genre: Pop/Rock 'n Roll Heard Chet Atkins' rendition of this modern classic on the television the other day and have had its mind-burrowing melody in my mind ever since. From wot I understand this was Chet's first charting song on Billboard and was, and still is played a lot.   Watch a live performance on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Michael Jackson - Thriller     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Moody Blues - The Morning: Another Morning   My song pick 3 years ago today: Marillion - Blind Curve   My song pick 4 years ago today: Franz Ferdinand - Always Ascending   My song pick 5 years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Time to Die   My song pick 6 years ago today: Guns N' Roses - November Rain   My song pick 7 years ago today: Jethro Tull - War Child My song pick 8 years ago today: Geddy Lee - Runaway Train My song pick 9 years ago today: Yes - Step ...

From: It's a Guitar World ; Year: 1967; Genre: West Coast Jazz/Cool Jazz This is without a doubt one of my favourite Vince Guaraldi compositions, which has luckily been covered an immense amount over the years by many artists, so I'm always hearing a new take on such an excellent track. As always, Chet approaches the song from his virtuoso guitar perspective and really gives it his all in his unique rendition.   Hear Cast Your Fate to the Wind on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - Roll Me Away   My song pick 2 years ago today: Little Richard - I Don't Know What You've Got But It's Got Me (Parts 1+2)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Stranglers - Peaches   My song pick 4 years ago today: Marillion - Power   My song pick 5 years ago today: John Oliva's Pain - Looking for Nothing   My song pick 6 years ago today: Pallas - Arrive Alive My song pick 7 years ago today: Devo - Are U X-per...

From: The Atkins-Travis Traveling Show ; Year: 1974; Genre: Country I'm having Chet Atkins' music on my mind today, so I'm picking another one of his songs; this one features the incomparable Merle Travis as well. On this recording of the song you hear the guitars playing the tune with both Chet and Merle talking about their influences.   Hear Nine Pound Hammer on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Blondie - One Way or Another   My song pick 2 years ago today: Faith No More - The Real Thing My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Doctor To My Disease My song pick 4 years ago today: Dire Straits - Private Investigations My song pick 5 years ago today: Deep Purple - Hallelujah My song pick 6 years ago today: The Rhythm Machine - Put a Smile on Time My song pick 7 years ago today: Dream Theater - Pull Me Under My song pick 8 years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Another One Rides the Bus My song pick 9 years ago today: Genesis - Th...

From: Sneakin' Around ; Year: 1992; Genre: Jazz/Blues/Country Here's some more beautiful music from the masters of the guitar: Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed. It's an interesting take on the classic song and is just amazing how they pull it off. Hear their rendition of Summertime on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Still Burnin' My song pick 2 years ago today: Brave Belt - Scarecrow My song pick 3 years ago today: Roman Holliday - Don't Try to Stop It My song pick 4 years ago today: Grateful Dead - Dark Star My song pick 5 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Rock it My song pick 6 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - In the Stone My song pick 7 years ago today: America - You Can Do Magic My song pick 8 years ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K. 1a - Andante in C My song pick 9 years ago today: The Grateful Dead - Help is on the Way/Slipknot! My song pick 10 years ago today: Louis Armstrong - Nobody Kn...

From: Down Home ; Year: 1962; Genre: Jazz Here's a song that's been on my mind for a bit, it's also one that my grandfather used to play regularly on his guitar that I have a lot of memories tied to. Both Chet and Boots Randolph do a great job playing off one another throughout the song. Hear The Girl Friend of the Whirling Dervish on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Alice in Chains - What The Hell Have I My song pick two years ago today: Iain Matthews - Shake It My song pick three years ago today: The Kinks - Moving Pictures My song pick four years ago today: Stahlhammer - Fiend Hört Mit My song pick five years ago today: The Doors - Soul Kitchen My song pick six years ago today: Megaherz - Hurra – Wir Leben Noch My song pick seven years ago today: Skid Row - Youth Gone Wild My song pick eight years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - The Bertha Butt Boogie My song pick nine years ago today: Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen My song pick ten y...

From: The Atkins-Travis Traveling Show ; Year: 1974; Genre: Jazz This is a rather pretty and intricate waltz with amazing guitar picking; I just wish it was at least twice as long.... Hear Dance of the Golden Rod on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Gary Numan - Cars My song pick two years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - 7 Screaming Diz-Busters My song pick three years ago today: John Denver - Wooden Indian My song pick four years ago today: Barenaked Ladies - One Week My song pick five years ago today: Paul Abraham Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice My song pick six years ago today: Jigsaw - Jesu, the Joy of Man's Desiring My song pick seven years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Second Hand My song pick eight years ago today: Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade

From: After the Riot at Newport ; Year: 1960; Genre: Jazz Even though it's not exactly in the "funk" genre, this very jazzy piece has "funk" in the title, so I'm making it my Funky Friday pick this week anyway. As the album's title states, this music featuring some of the greatest Nashville artists of the time, it was performed and recorded at an impromptu concert held after the cancellation of their performance at the Newport Jazz Festival due to a "major disturbance" occurring that year's events. This concert was held actually on the back porch of a rented manor house at the last minute. What resulted was an amazing classic and historic jazz album featuring the likes of Floyd Cramer, Chet Atkins, Boots Randolph, and Hank Garland among others. Hear Opus de Funk on YouTube. It starts at the 14:30 mark. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Freeze (Part IV of 'Fear') My song pick two years ago today: Chris Isaak - Wic...

From: Chet Atkins Picks on the Hits ; Year: 1972; Genre: Instrumental Pop/Rock I was in the mood for something a bit more mellow and this rather beautiful cover of the Don McLean classic seemed to fit my mood the best. In actuality this is probably my favourite version of the song even over the original. Hear Chet Atkins' version of Vincent on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bob Dylan - Forever Young My song pick two years ago today: Les Paul & Mary Ford - How High the Moon My song pick three years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Rain is Falling My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Red Lenses My song pick five years ago today: The Kinks - A Rock & Roll Fantasy My song pick six years ago today: Quincy Jones - Soul Bossa Nova My song pick seven years ago today: Jethro Tull - My Sunday Feeling

From: Chet Atkins Picks on Jerry Reed ; Year: 1974; Genre: Country/Funk Today marks my 45th consecutive Funky Friday and when thinking about what to pick I decided on something way out in left field from what's expected. As a crossover between country pickin' and funk this one does pretty good. As with the rest of the music on the album, this is a cover by Chet Atkins of songs Jerry Reed wrote. It starts out with his normal style country/blues picking with a slight hint of ragtime, but slowly gains the funky beat and each time the tune comes around the music gets funkier and then eventually brings it back down. Hear Funky Junk on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Overdrive My song pick two years ago today: The Doors - Light My Fire My song pick three years ago today: Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Grace My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - Season Suite: Summer My ...

From: The Atkins - Travis Traveling Show ; Year: 1974; Genre: Gypsy Jazz/Country I had another song in mind to pick today, but this rather beautiful song kept my mind occupied, so (as I normally do), I am taking it as a sign I should pick it. Wow, this song certainly does stir up the memories and emotions; my grandfather used to play this song a lot, I mean A LOT over the years. He was so good at playing this one and much of Chet Atkins' catalogue most couldn't tell if it was him playing or the record. Anyway, this is a great cover of the often-recorded jazz standard originally written in the mid-1920s by Isham Jones and Gus Khan. Hear I'll See You In My Dreams on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - O.D.'d on Life Itself My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago My song pick three years ago today: Oomph! - Das Weiße Licht My song pick four years ago today: Trio of Doom - Dark Prince ...

From: Workshop ; Year: 2010; Genre: Jazz/Pop This song happened to first be published in the year 1920, which is also today's pick number; it was written by Melvin and John Schonberger. Most of my memories concerning this song are from hearing my grandfather play Chet's rendition countless times. So even though there are many other good versions out there, there was really no other version that I really wanted to pick other than Chet Atkins'. Hear Chet Atkins' version on Whispering on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall, Parts 1-3 My song pick two years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - X-Ray Eyes My song pick three years ago today: Alton Ellis - Sunday Coming My song pick four years ago today: Pat Benatar - Treat Me Right My song pick five years ago today: Ronnie Milsap - Smokey Mountain Rain

From: Chet Atkins Picks the Best ; Year: 1967; Genre: Patriotic/Traditional One of the songs published in the year 1862, which is also my song pick number today, was the popular patriotic hymn Battle Hymn of the Republic. It is one of my favourites of its ilk; I have always loved the feeling I get when I hear this song played. The lyrics were originally written by Julia Ward Howe, but the song's tune predates them a bit. It was originally from another song, which many may also know: John Brown's Body , however, I believe that the tune has become much more famous as The Battle Hymn of the Republic . Anyway, out of all of the many, many versions played in existence I've found Chet Atkins' really interesting. He starts playing it the first time around in the traditional way and then each time around he changes it up and plays it in different styles complete with tempo and time changes; he eventually finishes by jazzing it up quite nicely. To say the least it's ...

1475 Chet Atkins - Drive In From: Solo Flights , Year: 1968 Genre: Instrumental, Jazz, Blues For a variety of reasons today I have this song running through my mind and really needed to make it my pick. This is an amazing piece of guitar work from one of the greatest modern guitarists. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Letzte Instanz - Für Immer Und Ewig My song pick two years ago today: Ian Anderson - A Raft of Penguins My song pick three years ago today: John Denver - Jimmy Newman +

1443 Chet Atkins - I Wish I Knew From: Chet Atkins Picks the Best , Year: 1967 Genre: Jazz/Pop I've been learning to play this rather catchy Latin flavoured tune on my nylon-stringed guitar over the last little bit and I thought it would make a nice pick for this Saturday. As with anything played by guitar maestro Chet Atkins, this track is exquisitely done. Hear I Wish I Knew on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Sergei Prokofiev - Op. 67 - Peter and the Wolf My song pick two years ago today: Lalo Schifrin - Scorpio's Theme My song pick three years ago today: Rush - Dreamline +

1423 Chet Atkins - Tears From: Chet Atkins Picks the Best , Year: 1967 Genre: Gypsy Jazz Actually getting my Sunday pick in at a decent hour for a change this evening. I can remember my grandfather playing this tune a lot throughout my life, so much that it is probably permanently embedded in my brain; he could play this one note-for-note. Anyway, this one is Chet Atkins' cover of the old Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli tune; he does an excellent job with it. Hear the studio version on YouTube. Here is a newer recording of the song featuring both Chet and Mark Knopfler on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Tusk My song pick two years ago today: Fairport Convention - Tam Lin My song pick three years ago today: Cream - Tales of Brave Ulysses +

1289 Chet Atkins - Windy and Warm After about a week of freezing temperatures I was greeted this morning with a nice Chinook Wind coming out of the south-west; it's been a welcome relief. Anyway, ever since I stepped out the door this morning this aptly-titled Chet Atkins track kept running through my mind and it seems like an excellent song to close out February. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Watch a classic live television performance on YouTube. Here is another live television performance on YouTube, the song starts at the 1:15 mark. My song pick a year ago today: David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World My song pick two years ago today: Dire Straits - Industrial Disease My song pick three years ago today: Blues Image - Ride Captain Ride My leap year pick 2.29.08: ABBA - The Visitors +

1273 Chet Atkins - Trambone Today is a bit of a sad day being the five-year anniversary of my Grandfather's passing away. As I've probably stated before on other posts he was a master musician on almost any instrument with strings on it; he also was one of the biggest Chet Atkins fans in existence and probably had most of his songs memorized. This is one of the many songs that my Grandpa played that I most associate with him; I can to still to this day hear him playing this song on that old Gibson Melody Maker. Hear Trambone on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: John Denver - Wildflower in a Mason Jar My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Spieluhr +

842 ( Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed - Something ) This is an instrumental cover of The Beatles song composed by George Harrison. To say that their rendition of the song is beautiful does not give it justice. Two masters of the guitar let loose collaborating on a cover of a great well-written song; simply how could it not be amazing? This album, Me & Jerry is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Buddy Holly & the Crickets - Well... All Right My song pick two years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Dreams +

759 ( Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed - Cannonball Rag ) This is one of the better guitar picking songs in existence. This song was originally written by master guitarist and songwriter Merle Travis , who is one of the pioneers of Thumb Style guitar picking. This style of guitar playing is characterized by the playing of a bass line on the guitar's lower strings with the thumb while playing the melody on the higher strings with the fingers. He might not have invented it, but he did definitely make it famous and was an inspiration to many other pickers, Chet Atkins being one of them. Both Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins do an amazing job in their rendition of this one! Here is a studio recording on YouTube. I believe that Jerry is in the left speaker and Chet is in the right. My song pick a year ago today: The Moody Blues - The Voice My song pick two years ago today: W. A. Mozart - The Magic Flute (Queen of the Night Aria) K.620 +