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

From: Shout! (Shout It Out) ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk Some B.T. Express for this first Funky Friday in October. A fun, funky track to dance to with just a smidge of disco for a great sound and groove blend.   Hear Shake It Off on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ultravox! - ROckWrok     My song pick 2 years ago today: Foreigner - Headknocker     My song pick 3 years ago today: Badfinger - Timeless   My song pick 4 years ago today: Toad The Wet Sprocket - Come Back Down   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ambrosia - Holdin' On To Yesterday   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash   My song pick 7 years ago today: Billy Joel - I Go To Extremes   My song pick 8 years ago today: Sky - My Giselle My song pick 9 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - From the End of the World My song pick 10 years ago today: The Midnight - Days of Thunder My song pick 11 years ag...

From: Street Player ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk/Soul Wanted to choose another funky track from Rufus and Chaka Khan. Decided on the title track of this record; definitely a song that will get your blood pumping with that bumping rhythm.   Hear Street Player on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Stacy Q - The River     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mott the Hoople - One of the Boys     My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - Unfunky UFO   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bread - Let Your Love Go   My song pick 5 years ago today: Simple Minds - Love Song   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Hard Liner   My song pick 7 years ago today: Traffic - Glad My song pick 8 years ago today: Megadeth - Rattlehead My song pick 9 years ago today: Parliament - Everything Is on the One My song pick 10 years ago today: Symphony X - Iconoclast My song pick 11 years ago today: John Fogerty - The Old Man D...

From: 1980 ; Year: 1980; Genre: Disco/Funk After sampling this record I couldn't pass up this awesome song with an all-that-more awesome title for this Funky Friday . To be honest, I do not believe that I have run into one of B.T. Express' songs I dislike as of yet, but I still have a lot of material to collect and listen to.   Hear Funk Theory on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Freda Payne - Band of Gold     My song pick 2 years ago today: Finntroll - Ett folk förbannat   My song pick 3 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Dance, Dance, Dance   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Offspring - Bad Habit   My song pick 5 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Antarctica   My song pick 6 years ago today: Steely Dan - Black Cow   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Stop! My song pick 8 years ago today: The New Riders of the Purple Sage - Panama Red My song pick 9 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - The...

From: Mouth to Mouth ; Year: 1980; Genre: Funk/Disco/Dance Bringing the final full workweek of the month to a close with a this more minor hit from Lipps Inc. This one has a great dance beat with a killer bass line that is sure to get you moving.     Hear Rock It on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Felix Mendelssohn - Op. 64 - Violin Concerto in E-Minor     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mountain - The Animal Trainer and the Toad   My song pick 3 years ago today: The (Detroit) Spinners - Sadie   My song pick 4 years ago today: Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders - Middle Child   My song pick 5 years ago today: Traffic - Feelin' Alright?   My song pick 6 years ago today: Bad Company - Ready for Love   My song pick 7 years ago today: Tesla - Not Fragile My song pick 8 years ago today: Jigsaw - Ready to Ride My song pick 9 years ago today: Billy Joel - Big Man on Mulberry Street My song pic...

From: Family Reunion ; Year: 1975; Genre: Soul/Funk/Disco There are a few bands that can easily put a smile on my face the second the groove and positive vocals drop. Away from their very serious tracks, which there are quite a few great ones, their songs that just take you, as Maurice White so perfectly coined, a "boogie wonderland" where you forget about all of the nastiness in the world and immerse yourself in a lovely aural cacophony and infectious groove.     Hear I Love Music on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Stampeders - Sweet City Woman     My song pick 2 years ago today: Red Rider - Cowboys in Hong Kong (As Far as Siam)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Lawrence Gowan - One Brief Shining Moment   My song pick 4 years ago today: Foreigner - Tramontane   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - Neurotica   My song pick 6 years ago today: Harlequin - Thinking of You   My song pick 7 years ago...

From: Function at the Junction ; Year: 1977; Genre: Funk/Soul/Disco Been over half a month since I made a pick without some strictures and it is very nice. Not just for that, but also to have almost all of the Holidays in the rear-view mirror so to speak. Although, on this, the final Friday of the year, I am choosing something funky, but that's not an imposition in my book. Anyway, B.T. Express has become one of my most liked bands of the funk/soul and related genres. There is so much energy they give to the listener; don't be surprised if you start dancing after starting this track.   Hear Funky Music on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - God Bless the Child     My song pick 2 years ago today: Nena - Engel der Nacht   My song pick 3 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Shallow   My song pick 4 years ago today: Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man   My song pick 5 years ago today: Carmen - Stepping Ston...

From: Funky Christmas; Year : 1976; Genre: Soul/Funk/Christmas Music Thought I would continue picking something seasonal on this first Friday in December. It is simply astonishing just how many Christmas and related songs there are performed by soul, funk, and R&B artists over the years and still counting. Being how much I love those genres, I highly doubt that I'll run out of new and different Christmas music at all, which is awesome!   Hear Feeling Like Christmas on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - The Betrayal of Joshua Kynde     My song pick 2 years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Never My Love   My song pick 3 years ago today: Europe - Prisoners in Paradise   My song pick 4 years ago today: Cab Calloway - The Birth of the Blues   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Tightrope   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Thermals - Here's Your Future   My song pick ...

From: Shot of Love ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk/Soul/Jazz As always, Lakeside puts a smile on my face, which is in actuality true of most funk bands. This is a fun, funky track that contains a lot of neat musical ideas and concepts from jazz to disco and everything in between. I especially love the arrangements, but that bass is just monstrous, those instrumental breaks in particular. I can hear a great deal of Stevie Wonder's influence in spades.   Hear One Minute After Midnight on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Re-Assuring Tune     My song pick 2 years ago today: Supertramp - Child of Vision   My song pick 3 years ago today: Aphrodite's Child - The System/Babylon   My song pick 4 years ago today: Arlo Guthrie - Coming Into Los Angeles   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Who - Success Story   My song pick 6 years ago today: Booker T. & The MG's - My Sweet Potato   My song pick 7 years ago to...

From: KC and the Sunshine Band ; Year: 1975; Genre: Disco/Funk/Soul/R&B Most people, even those born after 1990 have probably heard it at some point. Be it in a film, TV show, video clip, commercial, sampled for another track, etc....   Hear Get Down Tonight on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Cheers - Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jim Ed Brown - Sunday Morning We'll Be Singing   My song pick 3 years ago today: Frank Mills - Music Box Dancer   My song pick 4 years ago today: Kool & The Gang - Let the Music Take Your Mind   My song pick 5 years ago today: Eric Clapton - Pilgrim   My song pick 6 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult -  Let Go   My song pick 7 years ago today: Head East - Since You've Been Gone My song pick 8 years ago today: Bill Haley and his Comets - Shake, Rattle and Roll My song pick 9 years ago today: Kansas - Fight Fire With F...

From: Raydio ; Year: 1978; Genre: R&B/Soul/Disco I remember hearing this one back in the day, mostly from one of Dad's many super hits compilation albums from K-Tel, Ronco, or some other outfit. This song was from one that was titled like "Solid Gold '79" or something similar; I can see the LP sleeve in my mind, but not the title for wotever reason. Anyway, this was one of the first big hits for the band Raydio, which would soon rename themselves "Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio" before breaking up in 1981. Of course, Ray Parker Jr. would go on to a solo career and find acclaim for the theme to the classic film Ghostbusters . This one is a very smooth Soul/R&B track, which is, of course, a take on the nursery rhyme of the same name. Instead it is more of a sad tale of unrequited love between the two titular characters. For me personally though, I have never really listened closely to the lyrics, just really love the music and the arrangements; they could b...

From: Motor Booty Affair ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk Personally, it would be impossible for me to pick a favourite P-Funk album. Though, if I did have to choose one I would probably say that my favourite would be the one currently in the player or on the turntable. That said, I've always loved Motor Booty Affair just for the crazy zaniness and of course that infectious groove. This is, of course, the title track and is quite smooth and very danceable.   Hear The Motor-Booty Affair on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Alphaville - Fallen Angel     My song pick 2 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - I Am the Storm   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Psyche   My song pick 4 years ago today: Wolfmother - Apple Tree   My song pick 5 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand My song pick 6 years ago today: Toronto - Even the Score   My song pick 7 years ago today: Kreeps - The Dead Sled My...

From: I Am ; Year: 1979; Genre: Disco/Funk Yep, still have EW&F out of my head, which is a good thing, especially for a Funky Friday . This is one of the most interesting tracks from the band, at least subject/lyrical content. If you only pay attention to the thumping and bumping bass and drums and the infectious horns you'd probably just dance and have a great time to this track, which in reality is about a woman going to the discotheque to lose herself and escape a life full of pain and loneliness only to wake up the next day to cold reality with more problems, leading to a never-ending circle. The titular "Boogie Wonderland" is that mentally euphoric state you get from escapism; like it is another world free of the hurt, pain and loneliness. Quite a heavy song indeed.   Hear Boogie Wonderland on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Nina Simone - Pirate Jenny (The Black Freighter)     My song pick 2 years ago today: Smash Mouth - Wal...

From: Shakedown Street ; Year: 1978; Genre: Disco/Rock Just continuing my tradition of choosing something from The 'Dead on Memorial Day . I do not believe that I have listened to this album before, and certainly have not heard this track prior. It is very strange to hear the Grateful Dead play a disco song, and even weirder to hear the late-great Jerry Garcia sing it, but it is worth it.    Hear Shakedown Street on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Boston - To Be a Man   My song pick 2 years ago today: George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars - T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (Fly Away)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Huey Lewis & the News - The Heart of Rock & Roll   My song pick 4 years ago today: War - Why Can't We Be Friends?   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Sail Away   My song pick 6 years ago today: Soundgarden - Ty Cobb My song pick 7 years ago today: ZZ Top - Got Me Under Pressure My son...

From: Non-Stop ; Year: 1975; Genre: Funk/Disco B.T. Express is one of those bands that have a penchant for writing very catchy songs that will stay with you. This is a great one to get yourself moving along with, however, the only criticism I have of it is that it can get quite repetitive in the chorus.   Hear Discotizer on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?   My song pick 2 years ago today: Savatage - Taunting Cobras   My song pick 3 years ago today: Gloryhammer - On the Wings of a Rainbow   My song pick 4 years ago today: Wishbone Ash - Drive   My song pick 5 years ago today: Queensrÿche - The Mission   My song pick 6 years ago today: C.W. McCall - Four Wheel Drive My song pick 7 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Neon Knights My song pick 8 years ago today: Savatage - Chance My song pick 9 years ago today: Megadeth - A Secret Place My song pick 10 years ago today: Wings - Liv...

From: Open Sesame ; Year: 1976; Genre: Funk/Disco Had Kool & The Gang on my mind the last couple of days, so I thought I'd make one of their funky tracks today's pick. Wot's not to love about this one? Thumpin' and bumpin' beat with an awesome groove accompanied by some amazing brass and woodwinds. I especially love how they used the ubiquitously famous Streets of Cairo to great effect on this one.   Hear Open Sesame (Groove With the Genie) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Eddie Lang - Prelude (Rachmaninoff Op.3 No.2)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Reasons For Waiting   My song pick 3 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - I've Had Enough   My song pick 4 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser   My song pick 5 years ago today: Yes - Wonderous Stories   My song pick 6 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Shots My song pick 7 years ago today: Pallas - New Life My song pick 8 years a...

From: Love Trippin' ; Year: 1980; Genre: R&B/Disco Here is one that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face and get you moving, even if it is just tapping your foot. It's a medley consisting of a disco cover of the Sam Cooke classic Cupid and an original track I've Loved You for a Long Time. Again, they do a marvelous job keeping with Sam Cooke's original, but being completely original at the same moment; I especially love the tinges of calypso throughout both pieces.   Hear Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Mott the Hoople - The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll   My song pick 2 years ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - I Can't Quit Her   My song pick 3 years ago today: Napoleon XIV - Marching Off To Bedlam   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Beatles - Within You Without You   My song pick 5 years ago today: Savatage - Labyrinths   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - To Cr...

From: Fame: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture ; Year: 1980; Genre: Pop Surprised once more that I had not yet chosen a song. Fame , both the film and theme song, have seemingly always been in the pop culture in some manner ever since it was released. For me it was one of those songs I grew up with and has elements from the waning years of disco as well as heavy to the gospel sound with the overall full chorus backing up Irene Cara as well as the call-and-response technique that works so well.   Hear Fame on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Harlequin - I Did it for Love   My song pick 2 years ago today: Primus - Erin on the Side of Caution   My song pick 3 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Florida Man   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Voices in the Sky   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Kinks - Lola   My song pick 6 years ago today: Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean My song pick 7 years ago today: ...

From: Keep On Moving Straight Ahead ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/Disco It is the " Primo-Funky-Friday! " Thought this very bumping, danceable track with an infectious groove was molto-perfecto for the occasion.   Hear We Want You (On the Floor) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jim & Ingrid Croce - Age   My song pick 2 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Magic Mind   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Doors - Roadhouse Blues   My song pick 4 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - I Am The One You Warned Me Of   My song pick 5 years ago today: James Brown - Shades of Brown   My song pick 6 years ago today: Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show - Life Ain't Easy My song pick 7 years ago today: Rush - Cinderella Man My song pick 8 years ago today: Primus - Wynona's Big Brown Beaver My song pick 9 years ago today: Survivor - Burning Heart My song pick 10 years ago today: Peter, Paul and Mary - This Train My song pick ...

From: Rise ; Year: 1979; Genre: Latin/Jazz Fusion/Classical/Disco Here is one I ran into the other day whilst researching the seemingly endless songs that the late-great Tommy Tedesco lent his musical talents to. It is thought that he actually has over 7000 session recordings to his name, which, of course, this is among them. Evidentially he played the Balalaika and Lute on this one instead of the guitar, which he was a master of to say the very least. Anyway, this is Herb Alpert's disco/Latin/jazz rendition of part of the famous Concerto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo .   Hear Aranjuez (Mon Amour) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Pointer Sisters - Going Down Slowly   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me   My song pick 3 years ago today: Steeleye Span - The Lark in the Morning   My song pick 4 years ago today: Black 47 - Red Hugh   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stray Cats - Stray Cat Strut ...