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

From: Unknown Territory ; Year: 1994; Genre: Surf Rock Surf guitar rock is and will always be one of my favourite sub-genres; of course the late-great originator and master Dick Dale is always at the top. This is an amazing piece with more than just the dripping wet virtuoso guitar wrapped in a 12-bar blues, it is simply mindblowing musically.   Hear Take It Or Leave It on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: John Denver - Fire and Rain/The Box   My song pick 2 years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Testify   My song pick 3 years ago today: Nightwish - Harvest   My song pick 4 years ago today: Kool and the Gang - Funky Granny   My song pick 5 years ago today: Soundgarden - Blood on the Valley Floor   My song pick 6 years ago today: Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Away From Home My song pick 7 years ago today: King Crimson - The Night Watch My song pick 8 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Trains My song pi...

From: Mr. Eliminator ; Year: 1964; Genre: Surf Rock Still rocking out to the sounds of Mr. Dick Dale and his band today off the Mr. Eliminator record, so I'm choosing another track from it. The Victor is way more in the style that those who know his more popular music. He absolutely shreds that guitar using middle-eastern style scales and chords drenched is that sopping wet reverb with each note near perfect clarity and purpose; way passed excellent music.   Hear The Victor on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Shoshana Sleeping   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rammstein - Deutschland   My song pick 3 years ago today: Boston - Sail Away   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Coasters - Searchin' My song pick 5 years ago today: Wooten, Chambers, Franceschini - Funky D My song pick 6 years ago today: Elton John - Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding My song pick 7 years ago today: Paco de Lucía - La Barrosa (alegría...

From: Mr. Eliminator ; Year: 1964; Genre: Rock 'n Roll/Surf Rock Been feeling like listening to some more classics from the late-great legendary guitarist Dick Dale. There's just something different and quite interesting about this album in his early catalogue; probably somewhat due to the overall subject matter being that of the historic So-Cal car modding and racing scene of the time period. I'm not at all sure if this instrumental piece is about a truck you buy tacos for your lunch out of or perhaps a hotrod or racecar with that name bestowed upon it. Whatever the case, it's an excellent 2-minute exposition of Mr. Dale's virtuosity on the surf guitar.   Hear Taco Wagon on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Hot Butter - Slag Solution   My song pick 2 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Shakers and Movers   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Urban Apocalypse   My song pick 4 years ago today: Al Green - Guilty My song pick 5 years...

From: Mr. Eliminator ; Year: 1964; Genre: Surf Rock Here's another track that features the virtuosity of Mr. Dick Dale. I could listen to his music forever it seems like; just so much to hear.   Hear Mr. Eliminator on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jane's Addiction - Just Because   My song pick 2 years ago today: Journey - Remember Me My song pick 3 years ago today: The Cranberries - Linger My song pick 4 years ago today: Sammy Hagar - There's Only One Way to Rock My song pick 5 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Forgotten Years My song pick 6 years ago today: The Nashville Allstars - Opus de Funk My song pick 7 years ago today: Rush - Freeze (Part IV of 'Fear') My song pick 8 years ago today: Chris Isaak - Wicked Game My song pick 9 years ago today: Dion - Abraham, Martin and John My song pick 10 years ago today: Joachim Witt - Wem Gehört Das Sternenlicht My song pick 11 years ago today: Cab Calloway & The Harlemaniacs - The ...

From: Miserlou (single); Year: 1962; Genre: Surf Rock Without a doubt this is probably Mr. Dale's most famous song he ever recorded, especially since being used in the film Pulp Fiction . Actually it's a traditional tune from the Middle-East, which translated means "Egyptian Woman or Woman from Egypt." Hear Miserlou on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Lonnie Mack - Memphis My song pick 2 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Cemetery In My Mind My song pick 3 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - A Time and a Place My song pick 4 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Fire at Midnight My song pick 5 years ago today: Wolfmother - Woman My song pick 6 years ago today: Dick Dale - Banzai Washout My song pick 7 years ago today: Megadeth - 13 My song pick 8 years ago today: Warrant - Heaven My song pick 9 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Wind Cries Mary My song pick 10 years ago today: Savatage - Damien My song pick 11...

From: Tribal Thunder ; Year: 1993; Genre: Surf Rock For those who do not know, King of the Surf Guitar Dick Dale passed away at the ripe young age of 81, an obituary can be read here . He is best known for the song Miserlou , which appeared on the film Pulp Fiction and has since become famous. He was one of the musicians that hold in high esteem, made it into his 80s and was still playing just about as hard as he was all along throughout his career. The man will be very much missed, but I'll still enjoy the music he left behind. Anyway, this is a very beautiful track that is based around a tango beat with the heavy-hitting surf guitar ploughing right through with the melody. Hear Esperanza on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Kansas - Questions of my Childhood My song pick 2 years ago today: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Quartet My song pick 3 years ago today: Mahavishnu Orchestra - Radio-Activity My song pick 4 years ago today: Toto - Stranger in Town ...

From: Tribal Thunder ; Year: 1993; Genre: Surf Rock Got lost experimenting with some surf guitar sounds last night and have had the music style on the brain since. One of the main "go tos" when listening to surf guitar rock is of course the incomparable Dick Dale. I absolutely love the intro that leads into the thumping beat of the song. Hear Speardance on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Savatage - Dead Winter Dead My song pick 2 years ago today: Dee Clark - Raindrops My song pick 3 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Thankful N' Thoughtful My song pick 4 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Another Beer My song pick 5 years ago today: Hawkwind - Neon Skyline/Lost Chronicles My song pick 6 years ago today: Louis Armstrong - When the Saints Go Marching In My song pick 7 years ago today: John Denver - Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning) My song pick 8 years ago today: Del Shannon - Runaway My song pick 9 years ago today: Steely ...

From: Summer Surf ; Year: 1964; Genre: Surf Guitar Rock Well, the summer season has been making its presence known; it's hot as heck. Wanted to pick another song about this rather toasty time of year and looked no farther than the "King of the Surf Guitar," Dick Dale, for my choice. This is more of a mellower track, but filled with some amazingly beautiful music. Hear Summer Surf on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Neil Young - Computer Cowboy (aka Syscrusher) My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - The Foot of Our Stairs My song pick three years ago today: Peter Tosh - Rumors of War My song pick four years ago today: War - Low Rider My song pick five years ago today: Midnight Oil - Truganini My song pick six years ago today: The Nightwatchman - I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night My song pick seven years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Childlike Faith In Childhood's End My song pick eight years ago today: ...

From: Tribal Thunder ; Year: 1993; Genre: Surf Guitar Rock I think I need to be more creative with my writing; it's becoming a bit repetitive with each post lately. Oh well, same story: heard song, really like song, picking song. So, yep, another great one from the surf guitar legend. Hear Shredded Heat on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society My song pick two years ago today: John Denver - Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone) My song pick three years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Dance, Dance, Dance My song pick four years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Bonnie the Cat My song pick five years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Everything About You My song pick six years ago today: Ludwig Van Beethoven - Op. 31 No. 2 - Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor " Tempest " My song pick seven years ago today: David Bowie - Diamond Dogs My song pick eight years ago today: Sky - Toccata My song pick nine ...

From: Checkered Flag ; Year: 1963; Genre: Surf Guitar Rock Thought a Dick Dale surf rock tune would be perfect for today and I was right. I the hotrod feel that he put into this one. Hear The Wedge on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Gin Blossoms - Found Out About You My song pick two years ago today: Shelia Skipworth - Look What You Done to Me My song pick three years ago today: Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit My song pick four years ago today: Alice in Chains - Angry Chair My song pick five years ago today: Alestorm - Shipwrecked My song pick six years ago today: Steeleye Span - Dark-Eyed Sailor My song pick seven years ago today: The Police - The King of Pain My song pick eight years ago today: Chet Atkins - Yakety Axe My song pick nine years ago today: Benjamin Britten - War Requiem

From: Calling Up Spirits ; Year: 1996; Genre: Surf Rock The last few times I've been on the road this cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic by the King of the Surf Guitar himself, Dick Dale has come on my playlist. I thought it was a definite sign this song should be picked. As should be, he pays homage to the original whilst putting his distinct mark on it. Hear Third Stone From the Sun on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - The Revenge of Vera Gemini My song pick two years ago today: Queen - Ride the Wild Wind My song pick three years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Enter Maurice My song pick four years ago today: Mastodon - Capillarian Crest My song pick five years ago today: Hot Chocolate - Brother Louie My song pick six years ago today: Rammstein - Frühling in Paris My song pick seven years ago today: Jethro Tull - A Small Cigar My song pick eight years ago today: Ian Anderson - Calliandra Shade (The Cappuccino Song)

From: Unknown Territory ; Year: 1994; Genre: Surf Guitar Rock Yesterday afternoon when coming home I had some of Dick Dale's music on the radio; to tell the truth my foot has a tendency to get much heavier when his music is on. I guess it's no surprise that I got home in record time. Anyway, I knew I wanted to pick one of his songs today, but was at a loss as which one; there's a lot, I mean A LOT of good music from the legendary surf guitarist. I'd actually thought that I had picked this one at some point in the past, but after doing a search of my blog I discovered that I hadn't. This, of course, has his legendary guitar playing/sound, but I've always loved the neat syncopated rhythm of the drumming, which makes this one stand out. Hear Terra Dicktyl on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Evanescence - Bring Me to Life My song pick two years ago today: Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin - Symphony No.2 in B-Minor My song pick three years ago t...

From: Summer Surf ; Year: 1964; Genre: Surf Rock I needed some kickass guitar music today; Dick Dale is of course one of the best at the trade, and I absolutely adore his music. This is a cool piece of surf rock; I love how he makes that guitar scream and still be so incredibly clean. Hear Banzai Washout on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Megadeth - 13 My song pick two years ago today: Warrant - Heaven My song pick three years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Wind Cries Mary My song pick four years ago today: Savatage - Damien My song pick five years ago today: Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy

From: Calling Up Spirits ; Year: 1996; Genre: Hard Rock/Surf Rock I've been wanting to pick this song for a while now and today feels like a good time to do so; Bandito is one of my favourite songs from Dick Dale. Anyway, this is a pretty heavy instrumental surf guitar rock track with a bit of a Latin flare to it. My favourite part is how the guitar and bass interact throughout the song especially in the descending lines where the guitar starts it and then the bass finishes it and they start over again, which makes kind of an echo/roll effect. Here is a fan video with the studio version of Bandito on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dream Theater - A Nightmare to Remember My song pick two years ago today: Bob Marley & the Wailers - Jamming My song pick three years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Crossfire My song pick four years ago today: 4 Non Blondes - What's Up? My song pick f ive years ago today: Jethro Tull - ...And ...

From: Tribal Thunder : Year: 1993; Genre: Surf Rock/Hard Rock My internet is finally back up, so with any luck everything should be back to abnormal again. I'm kind of celebrating that it's back; here's one that really gets the blood moving alright. If you love hearing a master play his instrument to its fullest this is a good track for you. About three and a half minutes of musical bliss. Oh yeah, today is election day, so get yourself out there and vote! Hear Nitro on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Astronomy My song pick two years ago today: Yoshiki Fukuyama - Angel's Voice My song pick three years ago today: The Kinks - (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman My song pick four years ago today: The Allman Brother's Band - Ain't Waistin' Time No More My song pick five years ago today: Red Sovine - Phantom 309

1536 Dick Dale - Riders In the Sky From: King of the Surf Guitar , Year: 1963 Genre: Surf Rock/Rock Happy Halloween! I hadn't put a lot of thought into an appropriate pick for today, but I thought that this often covered track would be excellent for the day. There are a myriad of versions of this song out there, but this rather nice instrumental version by surf guitar maestro Dick Dale seemed to fit my mood the best. Here is a fan video with the studio version on YouTube. Watch a live performance circa '07 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Andrew Gold - Spooky, Scary Skeletons My song pick two years ago today: Rammstein - Mein Teil My song pick three years ago today: Rush - Witch Hunt My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Witches Promise +