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

From: Fake Songs ; Year: 2002; Genre: Punk Rock/Comedy It's been 19 years now and am finally getting around to picking something from Liam Lynch; should've some time ago, eh?  This is probably his best-known song as far as I am aware; he is much more prevalent in television and other film media and apparently does the majority of his work there. The whole funny "attitude song" is really wot makes it as great as it is, but it can get old quite fast if played too much.   Hear United States of Whatever on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire feat. The Emotions - Boogie Wonderland     My song pick 2 years ago today: Nina Simone - Pirate Jenny (The Black Freighter)     My song pick 3 years ago today: Smash Mouth - Walkin' On the Sun   My song pick 4 years ago today: Fairport Convention - No Man's Land   My song pick 5 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Goin' Through the Motions   My song pic...

From: Poodle Hat ; Year: 2003; Genre: Folk Rock/Comedy Noticed that today's pick number, 6886, is, of course a numerical palindrome , so I decided I should choose something appropriate. This "Weird Al" song is an "in the style of" type of his music; this time it was the titular "Bob" Dylan in the mid-'60s, although he does reference a couple of his songs in particular. Every lyric line is in the form of a palindrome throughout, and, of course Al, being the maven he is, does his best both lyrically and musically.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Four Tops - 7 Rooms of Gloom     My song pick 3 years ago today: Spacehog - Zeroes   My song pick 4 years ago today: Carmen - Retirando   My song pick 5 years ago today: George Clinton - Last Dance My song pick 6 years ago today: Marillion - Cover My Eyes (Pain in Heaven)   My...

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: Ooh, That's Corny ; Year: 1963; Genre: Country/Comedy Was listening to Homer & Jethro yesterday, which is something I don't do too much unless I'm in the mood for something silly, which, for me at least, is normal for most comedy/parody artists. Anyway, this is one of their songs that I heard a lot over the years that, I believe, features the late-great Boots Randolph on saxophone, but if it's not him it is someone who was doing a good job of copying him.   Hear She Made Toothpicks of the Timbers of My Heart on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rob Zombie - House of 1000 Corpses     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mike Pinder - Among the Stars   My song pick 3 years ago today: War - All Day Music   My song pick 4 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Side By Side   My song pick 5 years ago today: Sly & The Family Stone - Shine It On   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - We Hold On   My son...

From: A Night at the Opera ; Year: 1999 (1939); Genre: Comedy In a weird mood today and had the Marx Brothers film At the Circus , or rather music from it playing in my mind incessantly. Wot the Marx Brothers did musically is seemingly timeless and is enjoyable to people born more than a century after release. I still laugh and cannot turn away from this scene in particular, it is just so entertaining and hilarious. Even though Groucho sings the lead and is the primary focus and does an amazing acting job, his brother Harpo doing his physical comedy in the background is my favourite aspect; he all but steals the show during this number. It took me a while to find the soundtrack, but luckily was able to find this album of one of their most popular film's namesake. It also includes three other film soundtracks, including At the Circus , of which this one came.   Watch the number performed from the film on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Marvin Gaye...

From: Ponderous ; Year: 1991; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Funk Trying to think of a different song to pick today, but this one that I have not heard in ages just keeps playing in my brain, so, what the heck? Right? I remember hearing this one a lot back then on the radio; I really think it is the overall weirdness and genre defying sound that really made this one, and others from the group, as popular as it was. Well, that and the hilarity of the narrator's inner monologue.   Hear Spaz Attack on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Winery Dogs - Gaslight     My song pick 2 years ago today: Herbie Hancock - Palm Grease   My song pick 3 years ago today: Wayne Shorter - Blues a la Carte   My song pick 4 years ago today: Sam & Dave - Soul Man   My song pick 5 years ago today: Hawkwind - The Phenomenon of Luminosity   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Cure - A Forest   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Temptations - ...

From: White Trash Christmas ; Year: 2002; Genre: Metal/Comedy/Christmas Music Back to some upbeat Seasonal song picks. A heavy metal rendition of this classic Christmas carol, which really gets your blood moving and is definitely spirit raising.   Hear Not So Silent Night on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Temptations - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bob Rivers Comedy Corp - I'm Dressin' Up Like Santa (When I Get Out on Parole)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Drifters - White Christmas   My song pick 4 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Today in Bethlehem   My song pick 5 years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - La Rossa   My song pick 6 years ago today: Binky Griptite - Stone Soul Christmas   My song pick 7 years ago today: Bachman & Turner - Find Some Love My song pick 8 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Another Harry's Bar My song pick 9 years ago today: R...

From: It Ain't Sanitary ; Year: 1972; Genre: R&B/Doo-Wop/Comedy The Coasters are just one of those positive "feel good" bands that fuse the power of comedy into their act in a way that always makes them a favourite. Apparently It Ain't Sanitary was more or less a compilation album of unreleased tracks from the early 1960s; about '62 or '63 to be more precise. The Deodorant Song is one that sits right in line with most of the music they are known for.   Hear The Deodorant Song on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Barrabás - Wild Safari   My song pick 2 years ago today: The First Class - Beach Baby   My song pick 3 years ago today: Weather Report - Five Short Stories   My song pick 4 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Death Valley Nights   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ray Stevens - The Streak My song pick 6 years ago today: Faith No More - Sunny Side Up My song pick 7 years ago today: Parliament - Do That Stuff My song ...

From: It Only Hurts When I Laugh/The Rockin' Teenage Mummies ; Year: 1965; Genre: Rock 'n Roll/Comedy I really do not believe there are many out there with such an extensive catalogue of original novelty comedy songs than Ray Stevens; he sure did write a lot of classics over the years. This one was the B-Side of a single release that, whilst is original, it contains a lot of musical ideas from his other songs of the time. If you are at all familiar with his hits from this time, you'll surely pick up on them.   Hear The Rockin' Teenage Mummies on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Hollies - Carrie Anne   My song pick 2 years ago today: Europe - Stormwind   My song pick 3 years ago today: Dazz Band - Let It All Blow   My song pick 4 years ago today: Faith No More - Epic   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Too Shy To Say My song pick 6 years ago today: The Postal Service - Brand New Colony My song pick 7 years ago ...

From: H.M.S. Pinafore ; Year: 1878; Genre: Opera/Romance Period/classical Yesterday afternoon whilst passing time on the "Saturday Sloth" if you will I was enjoying listening and watching some of Gilbert and Sullivan's fun and comedic operas. Of course H.M.S. Pinafore was one of the chief ones, so I decided that I'd choose a song from it. When I Was a Lad is one of those songs that you most likely have heard, or at least a part of at some point in your life; it's still that pervasive across most cultures even 145 years after it premiered. As with most of G&S's work, it is very, very catchy and will undoubtedly get lodged in your mind just by hearing it once.   Hear When I Was a Lad on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Honey Cone - Want Ads   My song pick 2 years ago today: Max Roach - Little Folks   My song pick 3 years ago today: War - Groovin'   My song pick 4 years ago today: Cab Calloway - The Ghost of Smokey Joe   My song...

From: Running with Scissors ; Year: 1999; Genre: Comedy/Parody/Alternative Rock Needed something light and happier today, and I knew I couldn't go wrong with one of "Weird Al's" epic parodies. This one is, of course, his reworking of the hit song by The Barenaked Ladies: One Week . Al's subject matter is/was the over-the-top and brain destroying talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, which was strangely quite popular back in the late '90s; I guess it was another one of the cases of "entertainment for the lowest common denominator." I suppose that reality television and social media have since taken its place as an all-consuming place for such ilk to waste their lives.   Hear Jerry Springer on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Helloween - From Out of Nowhere   My song pick 2 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Lord of This World   My song pick 3 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cowgirl in the Sand   My song pick 4 years ago toda...

From: Twisted Christmas ; Year: 1988; Genre: Christmas Music/Comedy/Country Trying to get more into wot you would refer to as a "Christmas Mood," but it has been difficult; thinking that some of Bob Rivers' Holiday funnies might help. This one from his first Christmas album is done in an older country and western swing style with lyrics about a man looking forward to freedom around Christmas, when he is supposedly to be released.   Hear I'm Dressin' Up Like Santa (When I Get Out on Parole) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Drifters - White Christmas   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Today in Bethlehem   My song pick 3 years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - La Rossa   My song pick 4 years ago today: Binky Griptite - Stone Soul Christmas   My song pick 5 years ago today: Bachman & Turner - Find Some Love My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Another Harry's Bar My song pick 7 years ago today:...

From: Jim Stafford ; Year: 1974; Genre: Comedy/Parody/Country I had this rather funny song that was inspired by track made famous by The Carter Family's , which is a classic: Wildwood Flower . Written and recorded ten years prior by Don Bowman, this was the version was the one that became the most famous. Anyway, this one is basically talk-singing a tale of a couple of brothers on a farm encountering a plant that has psychedelic properties, (most likely cannabis), and the fun and hi-jinx that ensues with some country/western music in behind.   Hear Wildwood Weed on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Cure - The 13th   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - Carnies My song pick 4 years ago today: Bootsy's Rubber Band - Another Point of View My song pick 5 years ago today: America - Watership Down My song pick 6 years ago today: Hawkwind - Angels of Death My song...

From: Sky 2 ; Year: 1980; Genre: Progressive Rock/classical Here's quite a comical piece that features legendary bassist Herbie Flowers playing a lively tune on the tuba with drummer Tristan Frye on trumpet with some sparse accompaniment. I guess songs like this one is wot you get when you get a group of nerdy and accomplished musicians together; I guess it got played quite a bit live as an encore.   Hear Tuba Smarties on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Focus - Focus 11   My song pick 2 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - Can I Believe You   My song pick 3 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Retrograde   My song pick 4 years ago today: King Crimson - Epitaph My song pick 5 years ago today: Heart - Bad Animals My song pick 6 years ago today: Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence My song pick 7 years ago today: Lawrence Gowan - (You're a) Strange Animal My song pick 8 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Frisky My song pic...

From: White Trash Christmas ; Year: 2002; Genre: Parody/Comedy/Christmas Music/Country Less than a week left until Christmas, and it just wouldn't be right to not have some of Bob Rivers' exquisite comedy music for the season to kick off this week.  This is yet another case in which I was absolutely sure that I had already chosen this song, but surprisingly enough I did not. This is, as you could easily guess, his hilarious parody of the Holiday mainstay White Christmas , which was written by Irving Berlin and made famous in more recent times by the likes of Bing Crosby. The use of contemporary country and western music combined with lyrics that plays on the stereotypes of the song's subject, and you get a Christmas comedy classic.   Hear White Trash Christmas on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Ben Keith, Neil Young, Pegi Young - Les Trois Cloches   My song pick 2 years ago today: Primus - The Thing That Should Not Be   My song pick 3 y...

From: Black Bear Road ; Year: 1975; Genre: Country I just discovered that C.W. McCall had passed away back on the 1st of April at the young age of 93 from cancer apparently. Back when I was really young my Dad had, I believe, his first three or four albums on vinyl; it been quite a while since I've seen them, so my memory is a tad bit fuzzy. Anyway, as with many young children growing up I was infatuated with trucks, cars, etc... and since a goodly portion of C.W. McCall's music had to do with such I listened to a lot of his music early on, so it's kind of a melancholy day for me. Black Bear Road was one of his signature "country raps" I guess you could say, way before the term existed; I've always been amazed at this song being about 2 minutes in length and yet tells an entire relatable story to anyone who has traversed such a "goat trail" of a road.   Hear Black Bear Road on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Pink Floyd - Sheep   My s...

From: Even Worse ; Year: 1988; Genre: Comedy/Pop/Rock I cannot even begin to count the times I've listened to this song over the years; it's classic "Weird Al." Melanie is one of his original songs, I believe it's one of two on the record with the others being parodies or songs done in the style of an artist/band. On the surface it is one of those love songs that is very happy and upbeat, but if you listen to the lyrics it tells the story of a dangerous stalker that does nefarious deeds to supposedly gain the attention and affection of the titular character Melanie.   Hear Melanie on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Winery Dogs - Time Machine   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - Time   My song pick 3 years ago today: Roxette - Joyride My song pick 4 years ago today: Jerry Reed - The Devil Went Down to Georgia My song pick 5 years ago today: Johnny Winter - Funky Music My song pick 6 years ago today: Marillio...

From: They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! ; Year: 1966; Genre: Comedy A song about craziness just seemed perfect for today's pick and wot better artist to go with than Jerry Samuels, aka Napoleon XIV. Most would know his popular song They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa! , but most probably did not know that he made an entire record as well; this is another one of the tracks from it. Like the fore-mentioned song, this one is mostly drums/percussion/vocalized percussion with syncopated lyrics and odd sound effects/recording techniques as to convey a feeling of utter madness to a marching beat.   Hear Marching Off To Bedlam on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Beatles - Within You Without You   My song pick 2 years ago today: Savatage - Labyrinths   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - To Cry You a Song My song pick 4 years ago today: Gentle Giant - All Through the Night My song pick 5 years ago today: Duran Duran - Save ...

From: Monsters' Holiday (single) ; Year: 1962; Genre: Rock/Pop/Christmas/Comedy Well, it's Christmas again; been fighting the holiday blues somewhat, so I decided that I should focus on the more uplifting comedy selections to bring up the mood. After going over a bunch of Christmas comedy classics I remembered this one, which sadly does not get enough play anymore in my opinion. While most people today think of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas when combining the spooky Halloween aspects with Christmas, this one did it many years prior and if you've heard their hit Monster Mash , you should know wot to expect from the song.   Hear Monsters' Holiday on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steve Winwood - Christmas Is Now Drawing Near At Hand   My song pick 3 years ago today: Louis Armstrong and the Commanders - Cool Yule My song pick 4 years ago today:...