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

From: Brain Salad Surgery ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock Benny the Bouncer is one of "the other," more brief tracks on this extended, epic-laden album. It is driven by Keith Emerson's honky tonk ragtime-inspired piano playing that gets more and more complex as the song goes on. The overall arrangement and vocal delivery remind me a lot of late 1980s Savatage; their Streets: A Rock Opera specifically.   Hear Benny the Bouncer on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Neil Young and Promise of the Real - Already Great     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Ladies   My song pick 3 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Weirditude   My song pick 4 years ago today: Mott the Hoople - (Do You Remember) The Saturday Gigs   My song pick 5 years ago today: Luther - Everybody Rejoice   My song pick 6 years ago today: Wishbone Ash - Vas Dis   My song pick 7 years ago today: Journey - Spaceman My song pick 8 ye...

From: Pictures at an Exhibition ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock/classical This one is a fascinating arrangement by Keith Emerson of the piece from the suite composed by maestro Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition . Whilst the original was written as a duet of two woodwinds, in the early portion of the piece Emerson utilized the mammoth Moog Synthesizer in this live recording to make it sound out of this world accompanied by drums. Almost like wot you would hear played on a theremin in an old science fiction b-movie, which was a very neat way of approach. After that the full band kicks in with the bass and drums a rock oriented foundation for Emerson to continue his synth-driven rendition of the piece that then segues into the Blues Variation track.   Hear The Old Castle on YouTube.   Hear Blues Variation on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Friend & Lover - Reach Out Of The Darkness     My song pi...

From: Pictures at an Exhibition ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock/classical The other day I happened to hear a wind chime play some of the notes that matched the main theme to Mussorgsky's Promenade from his masterpiece Pictures at an Exhibition . Since then I've been mentally "chewing" over the entire piece ever since, but for some reason felt like hearing the E,L&P live progressive rock adaptation, although, The Sage is actually not part of the original from Mussorgsky piece, but rather written by Greg Lake. It was inspired overall by the other movements ("pictures") and fits in especially well with a vary large sound and complex music.   Hear The Sage on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Ratt - Round and Round   My song pick 2 years ago today: Little River Band - The Night Owls   My song pick 3 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Night in the City   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Guess Who - Key My song pick 5 years ago...

From: Trilogy ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock Whilst on the road recently I had a whole bunch of music from various progressive rock bands come on, including EL&P. Anyway, this instrumental piece is a true tour de force of classical-styled music being played exquisitely on synthesizers and other electronic keyboards by the late-great Keith Emerson. Abaddon's Bolero is one of those songs that booms and thunders rather well in the bass register by all three musicians, but especially the keys and drums; be sure to turn that bass up when you crank up the volume when listening to this amazing track!   Hear Abaddon's Bolero on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Chicago - Make Me Smile   My song pick 2 years ago today: April Wine - Comin' Right Down on Top of Me   My song pick 3 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Now or Never Land   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Grass Roots - Where Were You When I Needed You My son...

From: Works, Volume 2 ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock This is such a beautiful song in many ways; it's more or less a Greg Lake solo song with mostly just acoustic guitar and bass. He sings and plays with such great emotion and technique; definitely among my favourites from the band.   Hear Watching Over You on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down To Georgia   My song pick 2 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Givin' It All Away My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - Summertime Blues My song pick 4 years ago today: The Fatback Band - Yum Yum (Gimme Some) My song pick 5 years ago today: The Stylistics - I'm Stoned In Love With You My song pick 6 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Heart Like a Wheel My song pick 7 years ago today: Hawkwind - Space Dust My song pick 8 years ago today: Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - Call Any Vegetable My song pick 9 yea...

From: Works Volume 2 ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock I really like the way they use the synth in this one as kind of a "spice" if you will to the bluesy/rock sound. Hear Tiger in a Spotlight on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Max Roach - Blues Waltz My song pick 2 years ago today: David Bowie - After All My song pick 3 years ago today: Asia - Never in a Million Years My song pick 4 years ago today: Duran Duran - My Own Way My song pick 5 years ago today: The Doors - Break on Through (To the Other Side) My song pick 6 years ago today: Megadeth - Seven My song pick 7 years ago today: Stratovarius - Under Flaming Skies My song pick 8 years ago today: Genesis - A Winter's Tale My song pick 9 years ago today: Chet Atkins - Drive In My song pick 10 years ago today: Letzte Instanz - Für Immer Und Ewig My song pick 11 years ago today: Ian Anderson - A Raft of Penguins My song pick 12 years ago today: John Denver - Jimmy Newman ...

From: Tarkus ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock This is a really interesting instrumental piece that shows off Keith Emerson's great piano playing. Hear Infinite Space (Conclusion) on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Hall & Oats - Out of Touch My song pick 2 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Station Man My song pick 3 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Emerald Eyes My song pick 4 years ago today: The Thermals - I Know the Pattern My song pick 5 years ago today: Grace Slick - El Diablo My song pick 6 years ago today: Marcus Miller - Juice My song pick 7 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning My song pick 8 years ago today: Ludwig van Beethoven - Op. 67 - Symphony No.5 in C My song pick 9 years ago today: Al Di Meola - Bianca's Midnight Lullaby My song pick 10 years ago today: Ray Stevens - Mr. Businessman My song pick 11 years ago today: Elton John - Tiny Dancer My song pick 12 years ago today: Queen - A Kind of Magic

From: Trilogy ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock This is one of the limited number of progressive rock song that you've probably heard at some point; it was even used in commercials. You'll hear quite a few folk melodies used within this one, but played on the synthesizer and organ. As with many of the songs from EL&P, this one features some amazing keyboard playing by Keith Emerson. Hear Hoedown on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - Ceiling Unlimited My song pick 2 years ago today: The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Tuff Enuff My song pick 3 years ago today: Joe Cocker - Feeling Alright My song pick 4 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Lady Sun My song pick 5 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Nil Recurring My song pick 6 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Keeps Me Wondering Why My song pick 7 years ago today: Fred Astaire - Puttin' on the Ritz My song pick 8 years ago today: Puhdys - Wenn Traume Sterben My song pick 9 ye...

From: Tarkus ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock/classical In the mood for some EL&P today; for the music is the main draw in this song. Keith Emerson really shows his talent on all things keyboards on this one. Hear The Only Way (Hymn) on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Tubes - She's a Beauty My song pick 2 years ago today: Metallica - One My song pick 3 years ago today: Fatback - Gotta Get My Hands On Some (Money) My song pick 4 years ago today: Forest - Autumn Childhood My song pick 5 years ago today: Alestorm - 1741 (The Battle of Cartagena) My song pick 6 years ago today: Genesis - Ripple My song pick 7 years ago today: Joachim Witt - Goldener Reiter My song pick 8 years ago today: Savatage - Memory My song pick 9 years ago today: Billy Joel - Goodnight Saigon My song pick 10 years ago today: S Sgt Barry Sadler - Ballad of the Green Berets My song pick 11 years ago today: Pink Floyd - On the Turning Away My song pick 12 year...

From: Emerson, Lake & Palmer ; Year: 1970/71; Genre: Progressive Rock I was wanting to pick one from EL&P today for some reason. Knife-Edge is kind of a mix between classical and hard rock with the music being arranged by the band that was written by Leoš Janáček called Sinfonietta along with a mid section based on J.S. Bach's French Suite in D-Minor . Hear Knife-Edge on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: UB40 - Rat in mi Kitchen My song pick 2 years ago today: Dust - Learning to Die My song pick 3 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind, I'll Be Your Valentine My song pick 4 years ago today: Yello - Oh Yeah My song pick 5 years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Take That Pollution Out Your Throat My song pick 6 years ago today: Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody My song pick 7 years ago today: The Doobie Brothers - Listen to the Music My song pick 8 years ago today: Queen - Bijou My s...

From: Pictures at an Exhibition ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock/Rock 'N Roll Yesterday I discovered that Greg Lake passed away a couple of weeks ago; leaving only Carl Palmer still alive from this epic supergroup. It's sad that I learned about him passing away long after the fact; most news outlets don't really care about real talented musicians and marginalize or flat-out ignore them. In 2016 I've seen many of the musicians I look up to pass away, and at 69 years of age Greg Lake was far to young. Anyway, on more happy subjects, I decided that I should pick one of their songs. Of course there was really only one song I could pick in this week prior to Christmas since I already have chosen Lake's I Believe in Father Christmas . This one is cover of the rock 'n roll rendition of Tchaikovsky's March of the Toy Soldiers from The Nutcracker Suite done in the early 1960s by B. Bumble & the Stingers . EL&P really did a great job in their vers...

From: Tarkus ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock Got in the mood for something from EL&P this morning. This is, strangely enough, a short and sweet piece from the band. I love the way they added their arrangements around the ragtime piano; old-timey meets loud prog rock band. Hear Jeremy Bender on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Peter, Paul & Mary - I Dig Rock And Roll Music My song pick two years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - So Tired My song pick three years ago today: Mastodon - Iron Tusk My song pick four years ago today: Rammstein - Rammlied My song pick five years ago today: Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400 My song pick six years ago today: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Ko-Ko My song pick seven years ago today: Rush - Bastille Day My song pick eight years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Brave New World My song pick nine years ago today: C.W. McCall - Convoy

From: Tarkus ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock Been insanely busy the last couple of days, so I'm being forced to make a quick pick of sorts. This is one of EL&P's more "radio friendly" songs, clocking in at just over 3 minutes and is one that will not upset the "pop snobs..." too much maybe. :P Hear A Time and a Place on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Jethro Tull - Fire at Midnight My song pick two years ago today: Wolfmother - Woman My song pick three years ago today: Dick Dale - Banzai Washout My song pick four years ago today: Megadeth - 13 My song pick five years ago today: Warrant - Heaven My song pick six years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Wind Cries Mary My song pick seven years ago today: Savatage - Damien My song pick eight years ago today: Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy

From: Brain Salad Surgery ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock/Electronic Rock After a busy day yesterday, I felt like going back to some more more music that was larger than life. Anyway, this is Keith Emerson's very modern and electronic take on the 4th movement of Alberto Ginastera Piano Concerto #1; apparently the song's author himself gave it a thumbs-up. Hear Toccata on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll My song pick two years ago today: Queen - Invisible Man My song pick three years ago today: Journey - Stone in Love My song pick four years ago today: Ian Anderson - Banker Bets, Banker Wins My song pick five years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Cat's in the Cradle My song pick six years ago today: Steeleye Span - Sails of Silver   My song pick seven years ago today: Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella My song pick eight years ago today: Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom

From: Works, Volume 2 ; Year: 1977 (1973); Genre: Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion/Funk Since hearing about Keith Emerson's passing I've been revisiting a lot of his work; especially with EL&P. This is one of the tracks from their recording sessions for their hugely successful Brain Salad Surgery album, but didn't make the cut. Instead, was released as a B-Side single and was later included on Works, Volume 2. It's one of their tracks that mixes quite a few musical styles, chiefly Prog Rock, Funk, and Jazz with others there as well. Hear When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind, I'll Be Your Valentine on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Yello - Oh Yeah My song pick two years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Take That Pollution Out Your Throat My song pick three years ago today: Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody My song pick four years ago today: The Doobie Brothers - Listen to the Music My song pick five years ago today: Queen - B...

From: Emerson, Lake & Palmer ; Year: 1970; Genre: Progressive Rock/classical Last night I learned that Keith Emerson took his own life a couple days ago after struggling with physical ailments. It's sad on so many levels to lose such a monumental keyboardist/musician/writer/arranger of his talent; he will surely be missed without a doubt; may he rest in peace. Anyway, whilst thinking about a good track to choose I came across this suite from Emerson, Lake & Palmer's first album based on the Three Fates of Greek Myth: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. It's mostly Keith Emerson's keyboard work on both a grand pipe organ and piano all over the place stylistically all the way from classical to jazz, hard rock, and everything in between; almost 8 minutes of getting to hear a master musician play on his chosen instrument. Hear The Three Fates on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Dayton Sidewinders - Slippin' Into Darkness My song pick two years...

From: Trilogy ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock/classical After listening to a bunch of ELP last night there were a few songs I had in mind for today's pick; this mini three-part magnum opus won out though. It's strange; even though this one is over 10 minutes of music, and highly technical at that, this one keeps you captivated for the entire length of the piece. Hear The Endless Enigma in its entirety on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Hawkwind - Lost Chances My song pick two years ago today: Elton John - Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time) My song pick three years ago today: Béla Bartók - BB 52 - String Quartet No. 1 in A minor My song pick four years ago today: Victor Wooten - Us 2 My song pick five years ago today: The Sons of the Pioneers - Cool Water My song pick six years ago today: Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky My song pick seven years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Here is the News My ...

From: Works Volume 1 ; Year: 1977; Genre: Classical/Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock I was in the mood for something a bit different from what I've been picking as of late. I remembered this rather epic album from EL&P and thought it would be a great idea to pick something from it. Anyway, this is the opening piece, which was written and composed by Keith Emerson is a proper concerto that takes up the first side of the double LP. You can certainly hear the influence from many classical composers that had an influence on him throughout; mostly from the Romantic and early 20th Century periods. Hear Piano Concerto No. 1 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jim Reeves & Patsy Cline - Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue?) My song pick two years ago today: Soundgarden - Worse Dreams My song pick three years ago today: Hawkwind - Quark, Strangeness and Charm My song pick four years ago today: Steve Vai - Call it Sleep My song pick five years...

From: Brain Salad Surgery ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock For the last month or so I've been listening to EL&P's Brain Salad Surgery album a lot. This is the first song on the album and is based on the early 19th century poem by Robert Blake And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time , which was later adapted to music and titled Jerusalem by Sir Hubert Parry in 1916. Anyway, this was their modern take on the hymn, which is quite a nice piece; I love the keyboard synth in this one! Hear Jerusalem on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Marillion - Kayleigh My song pick two years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 1062 - Concerto in C-Minor For Two Harpsichords My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Feuerräder My song pick four year ago today: Igor Stravinsky - Rite of Spring - Sacrificial Dance My song pick five years ago today: KISS - Detroit Rock City My song pick six years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 645 - Wachet auf ruft...

From: Brain Salad Surgery ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock Yesterday the land based radio actually redeemed itself somewhat when they played this incredibly beautiful track. It's neat how this is an outright ballad, but stays far away from the "fluff" that is normally associated with such a type of song; it's stays to the really deep and spiritual aspects to the point that you might forget what he's singing about. Interestingly enough I've noticed that out of the three incredible writers and arrangers in EL&P I have a tendency to gravitate towards Greg Lake's songs the most, which of course this is one of them. I guess it might be that I'm also a King Crimson fan and primarily a bassist, or maybe that his songs apparently speak to me. Hear Still... You Turn Me On on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Melvins - Nude with Boots My song pick two years ago today: The Animals - House of the Rising Sun My song pick three years a...