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

From: Dragon Fly ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock I wanted to go back and listen to something from Jefferson Starship for whatever reason, so here's one off of their debut album after the band re-emerged under the "Starship" name. Although, unofficially, the 1970 Paul Kantner album Blows Against the Empire was technically the first time you actually saw it under the name Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship . Anyway, this is one of those songs that is pure beauty all around. I still cannot comprehend why Grace Slick didn't get to perform more of the lead vocals; she is only lead on three tracks, this being, of course, one of them. I suppose I have always been an avid fan of hers as a songwriter, musician and vocalist; she is the full package. One of the biggest and best parts of this song is Papa John Creach's violin playing; it's just adds that beauty that really pushes their music's emotions over the top.   Hear Hyperdrive on YouTube.         My so...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Space Rock/Folk Rock Picking two today because I wanted to choose another track from this album: Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? However, the track the precedes it, Home is only 37 seconds long and is kind of a lead-in, so I thought it was a good idea. Anywho, both of these tracks are comprised of basically the who's who of the Bay Area music scene with members of The Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and, of course, Jefferson Airplane. Home has more of the expected science fiction music and sound effects, but Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? is more of a psychedelic space folk primarily with acoustic instruments and features Jerry Garcia's pedal steel work, which adds a lot of beauty to the song along with Grace Slick's piano playing.   Hear Home and Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Molly Hatchet - Backstabber     My song pick 2 y...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Psychedelic Rock A showcase of Grace Slick's amazing vocals and Jack Casady's bass, I only wish this brief track was longer.   Hear Sunrise on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Harlequin - Fine Line   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ray Davies - Thanksgiving Day   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - Alcyone   My song pick 4 years ago today: Jerry Reed - Gator   My song pick 5 years ago today: Pallas - The Executioner (Bernie Goetz a Gun)   My song pick 6 years ago today: Band of Horses - Dull Times/The Moon My song pick 7 years ago today: Los Bravos - Black is Black My song pick 8 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Thank You My song pick 9 years ago today: Helmet - Unsung My song pick 10 years ago today: The Who - Doctor Jekyll & Mr. Hyde My song pick 11 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along the Watchtower My song pick 12 years ago today:...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock Been decompressing from being on the road out of town and am definitely using things like this blog to help get back to homeostasis you could say. Anyway, I have had this concept record by Paul Kantner and company on my mind off and on over the last bit and decided now would be a good time to choose another track from it. This is the "grand finale" of the "space opera" concept, which features a big group of who's who from the folk rock scene at the time contributing on this track and a few others. Starship features the lead guitar of the late-great Jerry Garcia, although you really wouldn't need to be told that because it is so obvious his sound and style. Also David Crosby and Graham Nash add some backing vocals, also Harvey Brooks on bass and other Jefferson Airplane alumni Grace Slick and David Freiberg as well. As you would guess, it's a rather big sounding progressive p...

From: Software ; Year: 1984; Genre: New Wave/Rock The final Saturday of 2023; this years has blown by it seems at light-speed. Anyway, I just felt like choosing a solo track from Grace Slick; initially I was intending on something from her first solo record, but instead I felt drawn to this song from the Software record for reasons unknown to me.   Hear Fox Face on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Funkadelic - Fish, Chips and Sweat   My song pick 2 years ago today: Boston - Someone   My song pick 3 years ago today: Genesis - Duke's Travels   My song pick 4 years ago today: Yazoo - Don't Go   My song pick 5 years ago today: C.W. McCall - Riverside Slide My song pick 6 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Four Sticks My song pick 7 years ago today: Frankie Miller - Supersnatch My song pick 8 years ago today: Motörhead - Ace of Spades My song pick 9 years ago today: Yes - Looking Around My song pick 10 years ago today: Al...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock Grace Slick's powerful vocals were on my mind, so I thought I would pick something from one of her many projects. From what I understand, Blows Against the Empire , which included both Paul Kantner and Grace from Jefferson Airplane seemingly happened during a lull with the band. This was a solo project and concept album by Kantner, who used the "Starship" name as a reference to the space vehicle in the overarching story told throughout the record. After the demise of Jefferson Airplane a few years later, they apparently reused this name for the launch of Jefferson Starship. Anyway, on this album, some other members from Jefferson Airplane joined them on some of the songs along with a list of who's who of Bay Area musicians at the time filled out the lineup. Mau Mau is the lead track from the story, which tells the story of a group of counter-cultural individuals commandeering the Starship ...

From: Software ; Year: 1984; Genre: Rock Yesterday was the first time I'd heard Grace Slick's Software album, I have to say that it's growing on me. In this song she uses a lot of the sounds of the time combined with her own psychedelic sensibilities. Hear All The Machines on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Of Monsters and Men - Black Water My song pick 2 years ago today: Blondie - Union City Blue My song pick 3 years ago today: Candlebox - Change My song pick 4 years ago today: Pallas - Atlantis My song pick 5 years ago today: The Beatles - Blackbird My song pick 6 years ago today: Vaughn Monroe - (Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend My song pick 7 years ago today: Bob Dylan - Knockin' on Heaven's Door My song pick 8 years ago today: Frank Zappa - Dumb All Over My song pick 9 years ago today: Django Reinhardt - I'll See You In My Dreams My song pick 10 years ago today: Queen - You're My Best Friend My song pic...

From: Dreams ; Year: 1980; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Flamenco Rock Busy, busy weekend... needing to get my pick in, and making a really good one to boot. Last night I heard some stuff from Jefferson Airplane/Starship and it got me in the mood for some more; though this one is actually from singer Grace Slick's second album, but it still counts. Anyway, this one's a mix between her signature rock sound and flamenco; her and her band pull it off quite well in this psychedelic flamenco rock crossover. Hear El Diablo on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Marcus Miller - Juice My song pick two years ago today: Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning My song pick three years ago today: Ludwig van Beethoven - Op. 67 - Symphony No.5 in C My song pick four years ago today: Al Di Meola - Bianca's Midnight Lullaby My song pick five years ago today: Ray Stevens - Mr. Businessman My song pick six years ago today: Elton John - Tiny Dancer My song pick seven years ag...

From: Modern Times ; Year: 1981; Genre: Hard Rock It's odd to think that I am so close to 2000 songs picked; it really doesn't feel like I've been at it that long. Anyway, here's my 1981st song picked, which, as I've been doing for a while now also comes from the year that coincides with the song pick number. While I have picked songs from both Jefferson Airplane and from Grace Slick's solo work, I haven't yet picked one from the band's second "Starship" incarnation. So I'm taking the opportunity today to rectify it with this rather nice track off of their Modern Times album. Hear Find Your Way Back on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Band of Horses - Compliments My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Lord of Light My song pick three years ago today: Karussell - Schattenkreuze My song pick four years ago today: The Proclaimers - I 'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) My song pick five years ago today: Arlo Guthri...

713 ( Grace Slick - Angel of Night ) I have been enjoying this album and this song in particular the last little bit and thought that it would make a nice pick for this day. The song has the early 80s big lead guitar sound that compliments Grace Slick's powerful vocals quite well. Here is the studio version on YouTube. +